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At its peak, Wilkes-Barre&rsquo;s population exceeded 85,000. Today, it&rsquo;s less than half that. The results are glaring to anyone but those wearing the rosiest of spectacles. The city has a lot of aging housing stock and old factory buildings crammed together. In some cases, it really is reminiscent of the proverbial can of sardines, with a scant few feet separating houses.
				A big consequence of this is lower property values. Older homes on postage-stamp lots with shared (or no) driveways don&rsquo;t have much appeal in the age of roomy houses with big back yards and off-street space for several cars.
				But another &mdash; and potentially more damaging &mdash; consequence is the absence of green space.
				It&rsquo;s not that the Diamond City lacks public parks. It is blessed with the small but superbly-placed Public Square, a popular respite for downtown workers and host to many events. The biggest is the annual Fine Arts Fiesta; the most frequent is the weekly Farmers Market.
				(Mark your calendar: This year, the former is May 14-17, the later Thursday event begins June 25).
				The city also boasts the new River Commons and plenty of older parks, some recently renovated.
				The green space that&rsquo;s missing is side yards and front yards and little open areas here and there as you stroll through most residential neighborhoods. While no one would want to see people evicted from their homes, the odds are Wilkes-Barre would be more attractive &mdash; and property values would rise &mdash; if a lot of vacant or particularly run-down old buildings were razed and replaced with lawns for neighboring residents or small parks.
				Which is why staff writer Jerry Lynott&rsquo;s page 3A story in Wednesday&rsquo;s paper struck such a positive note. Lynott wrote of Greg Griffin&rsquo;s desire to convert empty lots by planting grass seed and even memorial gardens with shrubbery, perennial flowers and benches. Griffin is willing to put up his own money to buy property.
				The fear, of course, is maintenance. Someone has to keep such lots looking inviting and safe. That said, the more green space Wilkes-Barre (or any of numerous older municipalities in Luzerne County and beyond) can add, the better.
				There&rsquo;s ample evidence &mdash; along with common sense &mdash; showing that urban parks and gardens increase physical activity, provide relaxing refuge from paved expanses, and improve mental health and well-being. Trees produce oxygen and filter the air. Fountains, ponds, streams and pools help moderate summer heat.
				The National Recreation and Park Association website includes a 2017 piece on &ldquo;<a href="https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2017/april/the-health-benefits-of-small-parks-and-green-spaces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the health benefits of small parks and green spaces</a>&rdquo; that concedes larger parks are better at encouraging people to walk and exercise and relax, but that small parks offer boons as well &mdash; particularly if a municipality coordinates development of such mini-parks to assure the sum of the system &ldquo;is greater than its many parts.&rdquo;
				Griffin&rsquo;s ambition, done as a public-private partnership between the city and interested residents, could be the ideal way to create such a system of small parks and green space.
				&ldquo;The mere presence of landscape or trees appears to promote community connections,&rdquo; the NRPA article notes. &ldquo;Views of green space from homes are linked to greater perceptions of well-being and neighborhood satisfaction.&rdquo;
				 &mdash; Times Leader

Our View: Greening up the Diamond City