By: Sarah McCain

Fort Collins, Colo.- Vibrant green leaves swayed in the cool morning breeze. A child screeched with delight, running away from its mother into the fountains sprouting from the ground. I glanced up at my mother, who gave me a small smile and led us into a café. It smelled like coffee and maple syrup. I could see the leaves swaying through the window and the children playing in the fountain. It felt comfortable, and the store felt happy.

A city is only as good as the people in it. The people decide what features and amenities are provided. In Fort Collins, public spaces were deemed an important piece of the city. One study found that people who had access to public spaces were not only more mentally healthy but even had improved physical health. Fort Collins does a great job of incorporating public spaces into their city. A fountain can be found in the middle of a plaza in Old Town, something I noticed the first time I visited this area. The fountain provides a place for children to play and for parents and students to enjoy the outdoors, surrounded by shopping and people.

Fort Collins has historically excelled in creating public spaces. One of the first things the city did in 1881 was establish Lincoln Park. In general, the city has done a much better job of establishing public spaces than many other cities around the U.S. One example is College Station in Texas. This is another city with a college in it with its total square miles being 49.6, just a little under Fort Collins’ 58.47. Despite their similarities, Fort Collins has over 46 miles of paved trails while College Station only has about 42.

Overall, Fort Collins provides an abundance of public spaces for its citizens. Allowing, the adults, children, and students to have an overall positive experience in the city with access to the many parks and public areas. No city is perfect, but from the moment I stepped into Old Town, I knew this was a happy city.