The Pulse of Play in Prince George's County

KABOOM! and CityData.ai unveil county-wide parks visitation trends

1. Introduction

Parks and playgrounds are the vibrant arteries of our communities, fostering health, well-being, and vital social connections. In Prince George's County, Maryland, a dynamic collaboration between the national non-profit KABOOM! and CityData.ai is revolutionizing how we understand and enhance these critical public spaces. KABOOM! works tirelessly to ensure that every child has an amazing place to play, striving to end playspace inequity in our cities and counties. To truly quantify the impact of their transformative investments and identify areas ripe for further development, KABOOM! has adopted a modern, data-driven approach that moves beyond traditional, resource-intensive observation methods.

2. Mobile GPS Data: The Silent Observer

Gone are the days of solely relying on limited, in-person observations to gauge park usage, a method that often misses crucial trends and overlooked user groups. KABOOM! and CityData.ai leverage anonymized crowdsourced mobile GPS data to provide a comprehensive and scalable way to track playground and park usage over time. Mobile devices, constantly sending signals to nearby WiFi hubs and cell phone towers, allow for location identification within several feet, anywhere on the planet. All this data is securely stored and can be accessed historically, going back as far as January 2020. This passive data collection means no one needs to do anything extra, requiring no hardware sensors or additional infrastructure.

3. Parks and Trails Geofences: Defining the Digital Play Space

The foundational step in this innovative measurement process is the creation of "geofences". A geofence is simply a virtual boundary drawn around a specific geographic area of interest. For KABOOM!'s initiatives in Prince George's County, these boundaries are drawn precisely around playground structures, larger park areas, or both. This capability allows for highly granular analysis, from expansive park territories to smaller, specific play zones. Once these digital perimeters are established, CityData.ai accesses historical and current mobile GPS data to identify how many devices spend time within these virtual boundaries, with each device counted as one person or user.

4. CityParks.ai Visitation and Movement Inferences

The insights derived from this methodology are profound. By analyzing data over a 24-month period — 12 months before and 12 months after a new playspace is built or renovated — KABOOM! can accurately compare usage, identify trends across different times of day, week, or year, and assess the true impact of their new playspaces. This extended observation period is critical as it helps to control for variables like seasonal changes, temperature fluctuations, precipitation, and special events, ensuring that the measured changes reflect lasting impacts, not just immediate novelty. CityData.ai cleans and aggregates this mobile GPS data, delivering comprehensive dashboards that summarize usage trends, enabling KABOOM! to understand where play is happening and where investment is still critically needed.

5. Case Study: Chillum Park Playground, Chillum, Prince George's County, Maryland

At Chillum Park Playground, KABOOM!'s intervention transformed an area that previously lacked a playground. The impact was nothing short of remarkable. By comparing the 12 months before the new playground (September 2022 to August 2023) with the 12 months after its opening (October 2023 to September 2023), CityData.ai's analysis revealed a staggering 293% increase in users. The park went from an estimated 7,004 users to a vibrant 27,547 users, clearly demonstrating how a quality playspace can dramatically increase community engagement and physical activity.

6. Case Study: Tucker Road Community Center, Fort Washington, Prince George's County, Maryland

The Tucker Road Community Center saw an older playground revitalized by KABOOM!'s efforts. While perhaps less dramatic in percentage than Chillum Park, the data still showed a significant positive shift. The new playground led to an 8.5% increase in users over a 12-month period, rising from 919 users before the renovation to 997 users after. This demonstrates the continuous benefit of upgrading existing play spaces to meet evolving community needs and enhance overall appeal.

7. Case Study: Jesse J. Warr Jr. Community Center, Cheverly, Prince George's County, Maryland

The Jesse J. Warr Jr. Community Center project involved not only a new playground but also a new multi-sport court, transforming an older facility. This comprehensive approach yielded substantial results. Data indicated a 31.7% increase in users after the improvements, with visitor counts rising from 1,656 to 2,181 over the 12-month comparative period. This highlights the synergistic effect of creating diverse recreational opportunities within a single community hub.

8. Case Study: Riverdale Park, Riverdale, Prince George's County, Maryland

Riverdale Park presented a unique opportunity to measure the impact across multiple new features. KABOOM! installed a new playground and an adventure course, replacing older play spaces in two distinct locations within the park. The results were truly impressive.

• The new playground alone saw a 306% increase in users, soaring from 7,953 to 32,308 over 12 months.
• The adventure course experienced a 286% increase, with users jumping from 6,813 to 26,323.
• Combined, these new playspaces resulted in a remarkable 297% increase in usage, attracting 58,631 users compared to 14,766 previously within their immediate areas.
• Even considering the entire larger Riverdale Park geofence, the overall park saw a 6% increase in visitors, underscoring the positive ripple effect of KABOOM!'s targeted investments.

9. Conclusion and Call to Action

Play is more than just fun; it's a developmental necessity that supports social, emotional, and physical growth. By understanding where play is happening and where investment is most needed, KABOOM! and its partners can continue to make a profound difference in ending playspace inequity and ensuring every child, in every community, has an amazing place to play, learn, and thrive.

The evidence from Prince George's County demonstrates that investing in high-quality playspaces, informed by robust data from partners like CityData.ai, leads to quantifiable and significant increases in community engagement. Reach out to us if you'd like to discuss how we can assist you to measure and quantify the usage of your parks, trails, playgrounds, open spaces, water bodies, community centers, event spaces, and recreational facilities.