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September 20, 2026

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Denver

City Cast Denver

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Denver

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Would Denver be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed, “greened” neighborhood lots. But how did they do it? David talks with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and special guest Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about how Philly prioritized revitalizing its abandoned outdoor space, the ways that having a nonprofit partner has made all the difference, and what still needs to be done.

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