Have you ever been to a private city park? I've never even heard of one.
As it happens, though, there is a city ordinance dating back to the founding of the city in the 1870s that requires a certain acreage of city parks in proportion to residential areas. As a result, there are 130+ parks within the city limits, and they're a wonderful thing.
To have "privatized" parks would require somebody to buy and maintain all those parks .... to what end?
Do not call yourself a conservative.
Yes I have seen private parks in a city. So what? A small is charged to get in to use the facilities. If you don’t want to use it then you don’t have to. If you want to use it you can. Having someone maintain the park is the responsibility of the owner. If they do a good job folks come back.
You may have heard of Lakside or Elitch Gardens? Or perhaps you have heard of Arapaho Basin or Copper Mountain. Lots of private property being used for citizen enjoyment.
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Seems to me you want someone else to pay for access to a lawn or picnic area.
>> To have “privatized” parks would require somebody to buy and maintain all those parks .... to what end?
(1) Profit. If it is valuable enough to pay taxes for, it is valuable enough to pay admission. If people don’t even value it enough to pay a nominal admission — is it really worth the tax money?
(2) Charity. If people value it beyond its profitability, they will donate to its cause voluntarily.
If the people do not value it enough to pay admission, or to donate for its continuation — then it certainly is not worth the tax money.
SnakeDoc
No, but the planned master developments have their own parks and they blow doors off any city park, at least the ones I have lived in. The most recent subdivision I lived in had several comprising many acres. They had basketball courts, tennis, great modern play equipment, green grass, bbq areas with ramadas, etc. it was maintained by our HOA dues which were 115 dollars a quarter.
Now, living here in the Utopia of Sweden even my kids comment on how decrepit the parks are.