CITY SERVICES
Tip #3 -- Parks & Recreation

Sims will be happier in your city and your city will flourish if you provide Parks, Forests, Playgrounds, and Recreation Areas.

These are easy to build, and having a good layout will help increase property values and "Aura".  

Use the [Query] tool and click on a Park or a Playground.  This will tell you the total "Park Acres" in your city.  You should try to have at least 1 acre for every 1000 population in your city (a 1000 to 1 ratio).  Meeting with your "Health, Education, and Aura" advisor will tell you if you're very bad off, but he might not tell you if you are just adequate.

TIP -- Your Parks, Forests, and Playgrounds are worth up to 5 points on the Judges Scoring (item Recreation #1).  To get full points, you'll need Population to Park Acres ratio of 1000 to 1 or better.  This isn't too hard to do… just build enough parks and playgrounds!

Recreation Areas are things like Sports Stadiums, Zoos, and Marinas. As your city grows you will need more of these, and your Sims will demand it!

TIP -- Your Recreation Areas are worth up to 5 points on the Judges Scoring (item Recreation #2).  To get full points, you'll need 15 or more Recreation Areas, or at least three types of recreation areas per 100,000 persons.  Again, this isn't too hard to do… just build enough parks and playgrounds!