City planners have long debated the value of urban green spaces. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, parks and community gardens deliver measurable benefits: they lower ambient temperatures during heat waves, absorb stormwater that would otherwise overwhelm drainage systems, and provide residents with accessible venues for exercise. Recent studies also suggest a link between proximity to green space and reduced rates of anxiety, although researchers caution that this correlation may partly reflect the fact that wealthier neighbourhoods — whose residents already enjoy better health outcomes — tend to have more parks. What is clear is that once land in a dense city is developed, reclaiming it for public green space becomes prohibitively expensive, which is why planners increasingly argue that green space must be protected before, not after, a district is built up.