Parks & Recreation - August 2015

AUGUST 2015 W W W. N R PA . O R G

COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

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COMMEMORATIVE RETROSPECTIVES

56 NRPA: Continuing the Journey A look back at NRPA’s 50-year history reveals not just the journey already taken, but the path that lies ahead in our mission to support parks and recreation for all Sonia Myrick

60 The Birth of the Urban Park and Recreation Association UPRA paved the way for NRPA’s contemporary efforts in the urban space Joe Caverly

august 2015

FEATURED INTERVIEWS

Parks & Recreation spoke with some of NRPA’s longstanding supporters, as well as a new pack of professionals who represent our field’s next generation 62 Jim Peterson 64 Robert Toalson 66 Dean Tice 68 Tony Mobley 71 Bo Hutchens 72 Shane Mize 72 Lindsay Labas 73 Keri Schwab, Ph.D. 73 Carena J. van Riper, Ph.D.

CONFERENCE SECTION

88 The Penalosa Effect Gil Penalosa, the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference keynote speaker, reveals his passion for creating safe, accessible cities, with parks as a centerpiece Samantha Bartram

92 2015 NRPA Annual Conference Exhibit Hall Highlights Get a sneak peek at who and what will be featured in the exhibit hall during this year’s Annual Conference Ted Mattingly

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96 Cram Your Cranium at the

NRPA Annual Conference Education sessions at the Annual Conference are designed to offer something for everyone Tom Crosley

102 National Award, Fellowship and

Scholarship Recipients Announced Brenda Beales

Thank You NRPA for 50 Years of Service

august 2015

columns/features 6

A Message from the CEO What’s in an Anniversary?

Barbara Tulipane, CAE

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Editor’s Letter The Times, They Are A-Changin’ Gina Mullins-Cohen

10 Perspectives The Value of Play Detrick L. Stanford, CPRP

42 Meeting a Community’s Modern Needs Samantha Bartram

12 Letters

46 Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation:

Including Everyone in the Fun

14 50th Anniversary Throwback to the Beginning: June 1965

Lindsay Labas and Michelle Yadon

16 Meet Parks & Recreation’s Advisory Board

50 The Silver Rainbow: Societal Challenges

Facing LGBTQ Seniors

Catrina Belt

Randy Wiger

20 Researching the Future

52 Music and the Power of Community

Kevin Roth

Rodney B. Dieser, Ph.D.

22 The Summer of Park Champion Advocacy

54 A Garden Transformation:

Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

Jayni Rasmussen

26 Law Review: Natural Condition Immunity

for Campsite Tree Injury

Blythe Russian

86 Play with Psychological Payoff

James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

Samantha Bartram

32 Future Trends in Health and Wellness

103 Marketplace

Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH, and Kellie May

36 The EPA and Parks, Environmental Justice

and the Disposable of Society

107 Reader Service and Advertiser Index

Robert García and Ariel Collins

108 Park Bench Child’s Play(time) Marissa Bracamonte

38 Riding the Roller Coaster of Play Joan Almon

SPECIAL SECTION

74 Innovative Playgrounds Five incredible playgrounds, developed with the vision of some of the industry’s top manufacturers, represent the cutting edge of design in the play space

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74 76 78 80 82

Outdoor Fitness in Aiken, South Carolina A Woodland Adventure at Amelia Earhart Park Inclusively Different Play Playscape for Austin, Texas Neighborhood Interactive Art Inspires Imaginative, Open-Ended Play

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

What’s in an Anniversary?

What makes anniversaries special? Is it because they represent how far an organization has come? If an organization makes it 25, 50, 100 years, does it prove that it has somehow done everything right to have endured? Perhaps. But that’s not why I think anniversaries are worth celebrating — especially not NRPA’s 50th anniversary.

NRPA’s accomplishments over the past 50 years are great — too great to enumerate in a letter, magazine or maybe even a small library. While those accomplishments are part of our celebration, our anniversary is worth celebrating because of what our mission is moving forward and what we are poised to accomplish in the next 50 years.

Our collective work and vision has set us on the path to a future where parks and recreation will be recognized as a critical piece of the solution to the world’s toughest problems. Instead of vying to be included in meetings about the health and wellness of our citizens, city conservation practices and social equity challenges, we will be sought out as the first authority on these issues.

And it won’t just be elected officials, community organizations or government entities that seek out parks and recreation first. It’s going to be the average citizen. When Suzy realizes it’s time to start investing in her health, she isn’t going to start looking up membership rates at a private gym. She’s going to know off the top of her head that her local parks and recreation facilities can and will provide everything she needs.

Young people looking to make a difference in the world will know that a career in parks and recreation will fulfill that need in a very real way. They will know that accredited university programs and NRPA will prepare them for their careers and provide them with the best professional development opportunities that exist.

These may seem like lofty goals, but I know they can be accomplished because we are already moving in that direction. An attainable goal doesn’t mean an easy goal, but with vision and dedication, I believe all of these things will become reality.

Thank you for being part of NRPA’s 50-year history and, more importantly, NRPA’s future. NRPA isn’t just a name, a building or a website. NRPA is you and me and all of things we accomplish together.

Here’s to the future.

BAR BAR A T ULIPAN E, C AE President and CEO

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2377 Belmont Ridge Rd. | Ashburn, VA 20148 2 703.858.0784 | www.nrpa.org

NRPA’S MISSION: To advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jack Kardys

Chair of the Board of Directors Detrick L. Stanford, CPRP

Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Miami, Florida

Clayton County Parks and Recreation Jonesboro, Georgia

Michael Kelly

Chair-Elect Susan Trautman, CPRP

Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Great Rivers Greenway District St. Louis, Missouri

Brian Knapp

Past Chair Robert F. Ashcraft, Ph.D. ASU Lodestar Center Phoenix, Arizona

Treasurer Neelay Bhatt

NOVA Parks Fairfax, Virginia

Molly Stevens Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center Austin, Texas

William “Joe” Turner

PROS Consulting Indianapolis, Indiana

Houston Parks and Recreation Houston, Texas

Secretary Stephen Eckelberry

LIFE TRUSTEES

Bartlett Park District Bartlett, Illinois

Beverly D. Chrisman

President and CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE

Anne S. Close

National Recreation and Park Association Ashburn, Virginia

Lexington, South Carolina

Fort Mill, South Carolina

James H. Evans BOARD OF DIRECTORS

New York, New York

Leon T. Andrews

Rosemary Hall Evans

National League of Cities Washington, D.C.

Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

Barbara Baca

Cullman, Alabama

Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department Albuquerque, New Mexico

Earl T. Groves

Rebecca Benná, CPRP

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D.

Five River Metro Parks Dayton, Ohio

Kevin Coyle National Wildlife Federation Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Harnish Streams and Valleys Fort Worth, Texas

Roslyn Johnson Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Greenbelt, Maryland

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Chester W. Freeman

Gastonia, North Carolina

Richmond, Virginia

Harry G. Haskell Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

Kathryn A. Porter Mendham, New Jersey

Perry J. Segura New Iberia, Louisiana

R. Dean Tice Round Hill, Virginia

Eugene A. Young, CPRP Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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EDITOR’S LET TER

The Times, They Are A-Changin’ While recently en route to NRPA’s headquarters, I found myself listening to the radio and rolling the words for this column around my head. The DJ’s voice informed me that, 50 years ago that day, July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan shook America out of its acoustic revelry during his electric set at the hallowed Newport Music Festival. His actions — slinking across the stage, defiant with his Fender Stratocaster, to blast onlookers with thunderous versions of “Maggie’s Farm,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Phantom Engineer” (later dubbed, “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”) — blew the collective minds of the folk/ protest song movement and started a new chapter in American musical history.

The change Dylan brought was rough, unexpected and unappreciated by his then-audience, but, looking back over the ensuing 50 years, it seems appropriate and, even righteous. Change can be difficult, as Gil Penalosa, our keynote speaker at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference, points out in his interview, starting on page 88. But, he says, as we grapple with physical changes to our environment and evolving social norms, it is imperative to embrace change. Staying the course is no longer an option — we must disrupt the norm, much like Dylan did when he plugged in his amp and cranked the volume.

Dylan was and is a visionary, and the same could be said of the four longstanding NRPA supporters interviewed as part of our commemorative retrospective, beginning on page 56. None of these men pine for the days of old — instead, they remember the impactful changes their decisions and initiatives had on the field of parks and recreation.

With the help of very influential partners, they were able to shepherd a whole industry through massive changes that questioned the very purpose of parks and recreation.

Throughout this issue, more than a dozen contributors discuss change, both past and present, and some offer their hopes and visions for the future. Like the protagonist in “Maggie’s Farm,” they’ve “got a head full of ideas” that may or may not be “driving them insane,” but that are certainly motivating them to be architects of positive change in the field of parks and recreation.

As we continue our work, let’s not find ourselves joining the chorus of jeers and boos that pelted Dylan as his angry and recalcitrant fans struggled to reconcile the electric anarchist who stood before them with their beloved folk idol. Let us instead tune our instruments in anticipation of a lifetime’s worth of advocating for NRPA’s Three Pillars — Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity — whatever iteration they assume. And let us play, as Dylan instructed his bandmates on that storied day, “[expletive] loud.”

GINA MULLINS-COHEN Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing Editorial Director 8

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PRESIDENT AND CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING, AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gina Mullins-Cohen gcohen@nrpa.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR Samantha Bartram sbartram@nrpa.org MANAGING EDITOR Sonia Myrick smyrick@nrpa.org EDITORIAL INTERNS Marissa Bracamonte mbracamonte@nrpa.org Catrina Belt cbelt@nrpa.org PUBLICATION DESIGN Creative By Design www.creativebydesign.net SENIOR MANAGER OF ADVERTISING Dana Storm 703.858.2174 dstorm@nrpa.org MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Nihal Advani CEO/Founder Georama Gerald Brown Director City of Sunset Hills Parks & Recreation Dept.

Ernest Burkeen Director Baltimore City Dept. of Recreation & Parks Gwendolyn Chambers Chief Communications Officer Baltimore City Dept. of Recreation & Parks Brendan Daley Director of Strategy and Sustainability Chicago Park District Ryan Eaker Nature-Based Programs Coordinator Lorraine “Grandma” Camacho Activity Center Robert García Founding Director and Counsel The City Project Kathleen Gibi Public Affairs Specialist City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Paul Gilbert Executive Director Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Sandra Gonzalez Director Pico Rivera Parks and Recreation Dept.

Greg Harrison Chief Marketing Officer Playworld Todd Lehman CEO/Founder Cre8Play Sam Mendelsohn CEO Greenfields Outdoor Fitness Dr. Kevin Riley Professor of Parks and Recreation Henderson State University Paula Sliefert Sr. Marketing Manager The Toro Company Anne-Marie Spencer Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications Playcore Stephen Springs Sr. Principal Brinkley, Sargent, Wiginton Architects Randy Wiger Parks Commons Program Coordinator Seattle Dept. of Parks & Recreation

P E R S P E C T I V E S : A M E S S A G E F R O M N R PA’ S L E A D E R S

The Value of Play Recently, while reminiscing about growing up in my hometown of Waycross, Georgia, it occurred to me just how important play is to an individual’s overall development. Our version of green space in Waycross included tackle football in Ms. Annie Laura Williams’ yard, which encompassed less than half an acre, with the out-of-bounds being boarded by the pavement to the left and hedges to the right. I generally had the tendency of running to the right because I would rather take my chances of a hard tackle into the bushes than the guaranteed pain that came with a tackle onto the pavement. The Saturday football games were always the highlights of our week, although the occasional kick the can, red light-green light, and hop-scotch, to name a few, became the undercard games for the main event.

The neighborhood games became the precursor preparation for recreation department activities: In the fall, “Pop Warner” football, winter basketball, and spring baseball played in our local park. The pride of representing our neighborhood created a true sense of community for us. My elementary school sports teams, the McDonald Street Rattlers, would garner support from people of all ages as we battled other area schools on Saturday mornings and afternoons. We had no concept of the collateral value of play — the decrease in crime, increased buying power for local retailers, or economic return from outside visitors to the local economy — we just felt its intrinsic value and captured the enjoyment of competition between friends and other kids with similar interests.

I understand my experience isn’t unique to my hometown community, but mirrors the experiences many of the professionals in our space had, as well as the communities we serve each and every day are having. This is just a reminder for us all to be mindful of the indelible memories we cultivate and the lasting impressions we create for our young people through parks and recreation activities. Whenever I visit “home” and talk about childhood memories with old friends, these activities in my old neighborhood become the hot topic of the discussion. This foundation of “play” was not built on how much our parents made, the cultural background of participants in the game, or even our genders.

Famed Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud regarded play as the means by which a child accomplishes her first great cultural and psychological achievements. John Locke wrote, “Because there can be no recreation without delight, which depends not always on reason, but oftener on fancy, it must be permitted children not only to divert themselves, but to do it after their own fashion.”

As primary gatekeepers of the play canvas, let us continue to encourage creativity and preserve the value of play.

D E T R I CK L . S TAN FO R D, CPR P Chair of the Board of Directors

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Letters We hope the articles you read in Parks & Recreation are thought-provoking and engaging, and we want to hear your opinions on what you read in these pages. Through social media posts, website comments, emails to staff or posts on NRPA Connect, let us know how the magazine’s articles apply to your job and your agency. To submit feedback for this section, email Executive Editor Samantha Bartram at sbartram@nrpa.org.

[Ed. Note: In our May issue, Chairman Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-1), of the House Natural Resources Committee, penned an article titled, “The Case for LWCF Reform” (www.parksandrecreation. org/2015/May/The-Case-for-LWCFReform). In response, the committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-3), provided an op-ed in our June issue, (www.parksandrecreation. org/2015/June/Letters). This month, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) adds her thoughts to the discussion. All messages have been lightly edited for grammar and

punctuation but are otherwise published as submitted by the legislators.

As we approach LWCF’s scheduled expiration on September 30th, the debate on the reauthorization and possible reform of the law is intensifying. NRPA’s position regarding LWCF is clear in our unwavering support for a permanent and fully funded LWCF with no less than 40 percent guaranteed funding for the State Assistance Program. To learn more about the LWCF State Assistance Program, and how to get involved in the reauthorization effort, visit www.nrpa.org/advocacy.]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) 12 Parks

& Recreation

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As the September 30 expiration date for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) approaches, debate continues to intensify about what a reauthorization should look like. The LWCF has played a key role in creating our nation’s world-class state and federal outdoor recreation system. Almost everyone, including me, agrees that we need to reauthorize the LWCF, but some of us also believe we need to modernize this 50-year-old law to align with evolving viewpoints and the changing conditions we face in the 21st century.

When we talk about the LWCF these days, it is almost exclusively about federal land acquisition. Many seem to have forgotten the pivotal role that states serve in conservation and outdoor recreation under the Act. From the start, the Act recognized that states were the linchpin and targeted 60 percent of all appropriated LWCF monies to the state grant program, or “stateside program,” for recreation planning, land acquisition and development.

In 1976, the 60 percent requirement was removed from the statute. Since then, the stateside program has been eroded to the point that it received only an average of 12 percent of appropriated LWCF funds per year during the past decade. Federal agencies received the remaining 88 percent. Half of the federal funds were

used for federal land acquisitions, and 38 percent went toward “other purposes,” a new category that appeared for the first time in 1998.

The demise to the stateside program has occurred even though states have been strong advocates of public access and recreation and have worked with our sportsmen and women to provide hunting, fishing and recreational shooting opportunities on federal and state lands.

The lack of funding for the stateside program also ignores an area where states can — and are — doing a great job. Alaska State Parks is the largest state parks system in the country and is Alaska’s largest provider of recreation facilities, such as public campgrounds. Alaska State Parks also boasts twice the visitation when compared to Alaska’s national parks — despite the fact that national parks contain 49 million more acres than state parks. Who is contributing more toward outdoor recreation in Alaska?

Instead of leaving them on the sidelines, I believe states need to be given the opportunity to lead. States are in the best position to understand and accommodate the needs of their citizens. In fact, in some instances, state and local governments are almost the exclusive providers of outdoor recreation opportunities. In 13 states around the country, the federal government owns less than 2 percent of the total acreage of the state.

There is also a financial benefit to the stateside program. It requires a 50/50 match, and in some cases, the state exceeds this requirement.

Every federal dollar is highly leveraged. These dollars go to outdoor recreation facilities and resources near where people actually live — from local city playgrounds and baseball fields to local fishing holes

Letters We hope the articles you read in Parks & Recreation are thought-provoking and engaging, and we want to hear your opinions on what you read in these pages. Through social media posts, website comments, emails to staff or posts on NRPA Connect, let us know how the magazine’s articles apply to your job and your agency. To submit feedback for this section, email Executive Editor Samantha Bartram at sbartram@nrpa.org.

LWCF is clear in our unwavering support for a permanent and fully funded LWCF with no less than 40 percent guaranteed funding for the State Assistance Program. To learn more about the LWCF State Assistance Program, and how to get involved in the reauthorization effort, visit www.nrpa.org/advocacy.]

[Ed. Note: In our May issue, Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), of the House Natural Resources Committee, penned an article titled, “The Case for LWCF Reform” (www.parksandrecreation. org/2015/May/The-Case-for-LWCFReform). In response, the committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), has provided the letter found below. Both messages have been lightly edited for grammar and punctuation, but are otherwise published as submitted by the members of Congress.

As we approach LWCF’s scheduled expiration on September 30th, the debate on the reauthorization and possible reform of the law is intensifying. NRPA’s position on the reauthorization of the

Readers of the May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine were likely surprised to read, in an op-ed by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), that the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) allegedly played a role in the death of a Colorado woman hiking in Utah in 2008.

The Editor’s Note preceding this remarkable essay failed to provide context for Chairman Bishop’s LWCF “reform” plans and appeared to endorse his call for the sale or outright giveaway of our public lands.

Parks & Recreation readers deserve the full story.

The death of Rosalie Backhaus in 2008 while hiking in Utah was a tragedy, but it had nothing to do with the LWCF. To suggest otherwise is wrong.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 is based on a simple idea: If we are going to allow

Big Oil to reap massive profits from drilling for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), which contains energy resources owned by all Americans, then a small percentage of those profits should be set aside for conserving open space and recreational opportunities on shore.

Fifty years later, the program has been a whopping success. More than $36 billion has accrued to the fund, millions of acres have been conserved, projects have been funded in every state in the Union, and the companies drilling in the OCS have become some of the most profitable multinational conglomerates in human history.

Over the same five decades, states with large amounts of public land have developed robust tourism and recreation economies, with job and economic opportunities and a quali-

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)

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and state parks that rival some of our national parks.

Some have claimed that most of the funds directed to “other purposes” can be categorized as state grants and that the states really are getting their fair share. Many states take exception to this claim. These “other purposes” grants target very specific types of projects, do not go through the state’s prioritization and planning process that must be completed every five years, and do not target the state’s most pressing recreational needs.

I am also skeptical of the high level of federal land acquisition. Since enactment of the LWCF Act in 1964, almost 109 million acres have been added to the four federal land management agencies, bringing the total federal estate to approximately 640 million acres or close to 30 percent of the United States. The federal government owns about half of all lands in the West, and as much as 81 percent of some states’ total acreage.

Almost 63 percent of my home state of Alaska is in federal ownership.

When so much land is held by the federal government, it is extremely difficult for states to develop resourc-

es and promote a healthy economy.

Some individual counties face even worse circumstances, with up to 98 percent of their lands tied up by the federal government. This high level of federal ownership erodes the county’s tax base and leaves them struggling to pay for schools, roads, law enforcement and emergency services.

It also raises a timely question: Does the federal government really need more land?

The federal government already has trouble taking care of the lands and resources it currently owns.

The public land management agencies face an exorbitant maintenance backlog approaching $22 billion.

There may be limited circumstances where acquiring additional federal lands makes sense, such as when it would increase public access or create administrative efficiencies. But it is time to start using the LWCF to help the federal government take care of the resources it already owns, rather than just exacerbating the problem by adding to the federal estate. More is not always better.

As we look to reauthorize the LWCF, I believe it makes sense to shift the federal focus away from land acquisition, particularly in western states, toward the stateside program and toward maintaining and enhancing the accessibility and quality of the resources the federal government already has. This is the best way to meet the recreation needs of the American people — and the best way to put our nation’s recreation system on a path to long-term viability.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is the senior U.S. Senator from the state of Alaska.

She has served in the Senate since 2002 and assumed senior ranking following the retirement of Sen. Ted Stevens in 2009.

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Throwback to the Beginning: June 1965

E

ach month since January, we’ve been steadily moving forward in time from Parks & Recreation magazine’s mid-1960s origins to today, most recently exploring September 1990 (www.parksandrecreation. org/2015/July/Archive-Throwback-September-1990). For our commemorative 50th anniversary issue, we’ve enlisted the help of Linnea Anderson, archivist at the University of Minnesota’s Social Welfare History Archives, who was kind enough to peruse NRPA’s extensive holdings for any 1965 issues. We were lucky to receive a handful of scans from the June 1965 issue, including Ronald F. Paige’s piece, “Planning Tomorrow’s Parks.” Once again, it wasn’t difficult to tie the themes Paige explored in those yellowed pages to contemporary discussions of placemaking and the role of parks and recreation in day-to-day life.

Paige poses a simple juxtaposition: A park, including “conventional facilities, haphazardly placed within a bounded area, with possibly some individual units boasting ‘second-thought’ colors, forms, or materials in a weak attempt at simulating so-called ‘modern design,’” versus a “hazy, but fascinating area involving unfamiliar, yet attractive designs of space. Colors, forms, and masses are identified in terms of function, use, and application, with maximum emphasis placed on developing the ideal atmosphere or ‘backdrop’ for wholesome leisure-time experience.”

Paige puts the onus of outcome on the park and recreation professional, asking his colleagues to look beyond “everyday problems” and traditional design and functionality of turn-ofthe-century park spaces. “Except for a few isolated instances, there has been little improvement in the field of park design since Olmsted laid out Central Park in New York City,” he writes, going on to ask, “Is this good?

Is it healthy? Can we afford to stake our reputation, our professional status — our very being — on the park facilities available today?”

14 Parks & Recreation

Fifty years ago, Paige sensed the mission was moving beyond simply finding the ideal park design — park and recreation professionals should think bigger, working to create thoughtfully engineered cities. He recognized it’s the planning process, “the practical arrangement of people and services to produce the organization, support and talent necessary to effect the ultimate design,” as Paige defines it, that informs everything from where a park amenity might be located to the colors in which its swing sets are painted.

Paige’s admonitions are couched in terms of placement and planning for

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park facilities (ballfields, field houses, restrooms, etc.), but his near-anguished request that park and recreation leaders break out of their silos to seek expertise from related fields easily tracks with today’s thought leaders.

“Another common pitfall is the lack of complete understanding between the professional designers, elected officials, and recreation administrators,” Paige writes. “Factors relative to engineering limitations, compatibility of design features, inter-relationship of structural units are not necessarily familiar terms to the park and recreation professional. Public acceptance, group pressure, inadequate financing, the responsibility for increases of maintenance and operation costs, or the problem of programing, supervision and housekeeping cannot always be discussed on common ground with the professional designer.”

As we all know, park and recreation professionals are well-suited to problem solving outside their immediate areas of expertise, often finding creative solutions to problems that perhaps should not fall under their purview. Paige instead advocates that we “make maximum use of the technicians available.” “The architects, the landscape architects, the engineers, the city planners — all have a vital role in the development of new and unusual park structures,” he writes. “It is our job to coordinate, to interpret needs, to educate the public to offer constructive criticism, and to broaden our outlook to encompass future horizons.”

Samantha Bartram is the Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine (sbartram@nrpa.org).

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Meet Parks & Recreation’s Advisory Board

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his spring, Parks & Recreation magazine invited more than a dozen representatives from our field to participate in a roundtable discussion about the most pressing issues facing parks and recreation, and how this publication can best highlight those concerns. These thought leaders — including high-level entrepreneurs, park and recreation professionals, architects and academics — agreed to lend their time, voice and insights to keep Parks & Recreation at the cutting edge of news and trends affecting our industry now, and for the next 50 years to come. Below, meet the members of our new Advisory Board.

Nihal Advani CEO/Founder, Georama Nihal Advani is an experienced digital marketer, globetrotter and founder and CEO of Georama. Originally from India, he spent his teenage years as an internationally ranked tennis player before attending the University of Arkansas on a full tennis scholarship. He later transferred to Stony Brook University in New York where he was captain of the varsity tennis team and interned at Google. Upon graduating at the top of his class with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Advani joined Microsoft where he spent five years in various marketing and data roles across search (Bing) and display, including as program manager for the Microsoft Media Network.

Gerald Brown Director, City of Sunset Hills Parks and Recreation Department Gerald Brown has served as director of the Sunset Hills Parks and Recreation Department for more 16 Parks & Recreation

than 12 years. Prior to working for Sunset Hills, Brown worked for the city of Olivette where he served six years, the first one-and-a-half as recreation supervisor and the remainder as director of parks and recreation. In school, Brown was a top athlete, playing soccer at Lindenwood University and St. Louis Community College at Forest Park before playing his final two seasons at Southwest Missouri State University. Brown graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in parks and recreation, with a minor in coaching.

Ernest Burkeen Director, Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks Ernest W. Burkeen Jr. headed the recreation and parks department of three major cities — Detroit, Fort Lauderdale and Miami — before traveling 3,000 miles to “Charm City” to take the helm of Baltimore City Recreation and Parks in 2012. Burkeen spent a decade teaching upcoming administrative professionals parks and recreation administration and contemporary issues in recreation courses as an adjunct professor at Eastern Michigan

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University. As a Navy man, Burkeen has high levels of expectation from his staff, but also likes to keep the agency lively. As a transformational leader, Burkeen has worked on revamping the department from the inside, out.

Gwendolyn Chambers Chief Communi­cations Officer, Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks Gwendolyn Chambers took over the reigns as chief of communications for Baltimore City Recreation and Parks in 2014. Chambers, who has been with the agency for more than six years, previously manned all communications with the media as the agency’s public information officer. Chambers has worked to move the agency from relying on traditional media outlets to a “digital newsroom,” where the agency works to disseminate information to the public and tell stories about the children, youth and adults who swim at Baltimore City pools, run on its trails and use its recreation centers.

Brendan Daley Director of Strategy and Sustainability, Chicago Park District Brendan Daley is the director of strategy and sustainability for the Chicago Park District. Daley ensures that the Park District’s pro-

grams and projects align with the strategic plan, and that the goals and values within the plan stay relevant and are periodically reviewed and updated. Prior to working at the Park District, Brendan worked for 10 years at the Chicago Department of Environment, most recently as a deputy commissioner overseeing the Energy and Air Quality Division. Daley earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Roosevelt University and an LLB from Queen’s University, Belfast. He is a LEED-accredited professional with the U.S. Green Building Council and a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional through NRPA.

Ryan Eaker Nature-Based Programs Coordinator and Acting Supervisor of Austin Parks and Recreation’s Camacho Activity Center Eaker has developed and led outdoor adventure, environmental education and arts programming for youth, teens, families and senior citizens for more than 13 years. Eaker holds a variety of outdoor industry guide and instructor-level certifications and a bachelor’s degree in English literature

Robert García Founding Director and Council, The City Project Robert García is a civil rights advocate who engages, educates and empowers communities to fight for equal access to publicly funded resources. He is founding director and counsel of The

City Project, a nonprofit policy and legal team in Los Angeles, California.

García graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law School.

Kathleen Gibi Public Affairs Specialist, City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Kathleen Gibi, public affairs specialist for Tennessee’s Knoxville Parks and Recreation, has been instrumental in helping her agency receive an assortment of national media attention for its health and outdoor initiatives, including recognition at the White House from First Lady Michelle Obama and ranking No. 1 nationally among Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties.

Paul Gilbert Executive Dir­ector, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Paul Gilbert is the executive director of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks, formerly known as NVRPA), a multijurisdictional park agency with an annual operating and capital budget of almost $30 million. In his role, Gilbert implemented a number of entrepreneurial practices that grew his agency’s enterprise revenue more than 75 percent between 2005 and 2014. He is an adjunct professor at George Mason University and is also the author of two books and numerous articles. In his spare time, Gilbert serves as a volunteer on the boards or in leadership roles of several organizations in his area of expertise.

Sandra Gonzalez Director, Pico Rivera Parks and Recreation Department Sandra J. Gonzalez, FASLA, is the director of parks and recreation for the city of Pico Rivera, California.

Gonzalez received her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and her master’s degree in public policy and administration from Cal State University, Long Beach. In 1994, she was appointed by the governor of California to the State Board of Landscape Architects, where she served for more than 10 years.

She subsequently served as president for the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). Gonzalez has worked in the public sector for more than 24 years and is committed to public service. She also holds licenses to practice landscape architecture in California and Arizona.

Greg Harrison Chief Marketing Officer, Playworld Greg Harrison is the chief marketing officer for Playworld Systems Inc., where he develops and executes integrated marketing and communications programs. Harrison leads strategic planning, concept development and implementation for the company’s various product launches and campaigns. A father of two teenage boys, Harrison knows all about the importance of balancing unstructured free play with scheduled activities.

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Todd Lehman CEO/Founder, Cre8Play Todd Lehman, owner, executive creative director and “design guy” behind Cre8Play, has been designing unique play environment for more than 20 years. After many years in the traditional post-and-platform playground industry, Lehman started Cre8Play in 2005 to meet a growing demand for custom play environments. He has spent his entire career building a company that embraces creativity and breaks the mold of traditional playground manufacturers.

Sam Mendelsohn CEO, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness As founder and CEO of Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, Sam Mendelsohn has increased the role parks play in bolstering community wellness. With his 25 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience, Mendelsohn has been a pioneer in the push for greater inclusivity in outdoor fitness environments.

Dr. Kevin Riley Professor of Parks and Recreation, Henderson State University Dr. Kevin Riley is an assistant professor of recreation at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. During his 12 years as a college professor, he has taught more than 20 different recreation courses. Currently, natural resource 18 Parks & Recreation

management is his main emphasis. His research includes recreational art, recreation and technologies. His work has been published in NRPA’s Parks & Recreation magazine and its journals. Riley has also delivered several presentations at NRPA’s Annual Conference.

Paula Sliefert Sr. Marketing Manager, The Toro Company Paula Sliefert joined The Toro Company in 2007 and currently serves as senior marketing manager in the company’s commercial business. She is responsible for supporting a number of Toro’s key industry relationships, as well as helping to develop and implement strategies targeted at growing the sportsfields and grounds market segments, which represent professional and collegiate sports, educational institutions and government, including federal, state and local entities.

Additionally, Sliefert serves as an authorized negotiator to the General Services Administration for The Toro Company.

Anne-Marie Spencer Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communi­cations, PlayCore Anne-Marie Spencer is the corporate vice president of marketing for PlayCore in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and works within the company’s Center for Professional Development. Throughout her career, she has written 23 books and more than 150 articles. She also serves on the board of directors for the Chambliss Children’s Center in Chattanooga, and enjoys working out and advocating for play and recreation.

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Stephen Springs Sr. Principal, Brinkley, Sargent, Wiginton Architects Stephen Springs’ 19-plus years of award-winning recreation design work has often been recognized in print, along with several articles about designing quality-of-life projects. He has been an advocate for parks and recreation as a municipal parks commissioner, a city plan commissioner, and by walking the halls at the state legislature. Springs has also been an educational speaker at various conferences, and he is slated to speak at the upcoming NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Randy Wiger Parks Commons Program Coordinator, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation Since 2010, Randy Wiger has led Seattle’s Department of Parks and Recreation in engaging LGBTQ teens and youth. His successes draw on many resources and partners, and on his 25 years of community organizing, event planning and programming expertise. He is the recipient of a 2012 Washington State Recreation and Parks Association (WRPA) Spotlight Award for Cultural Competency and the 2011 GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Educator Network) Community Partner Award. Wiger is an activist for LGBTQ issues and works to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

— Catrina Belt, Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine

Researching the Future NRPA’s revamped PRORAGIS 2.0 tool and forthcoming GIS capabilities represent the next evolution in research for our field

By Kevin Roth

T

here is a saying that “information is power.” While that phrase can be a cliché, there is much wisdom behind it. Gaining knowledge to better understand the current environment, define best practices and identify opportunities for improvement empowers decision makers to make informed choices for the future.

This is especially true in our field.

Few things support park and recreation professionals and citizen advocates more in their leadership role to develop a future vision for parks, recreation services and conservation practices than sharing information and insights with peers. That is where NRPA’s research team is your partner.

The good news is that you are just a few mouse clicks away from accessing this information. NRPA

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is dedicated to collecting, analyzing and communicating data to identify emerging trends, critical insights and key standards to advance parks, recreation facilities and conservation in your communities. Research can span from the compiling and analysis of operational data and benchmarks to the development of findings that support advocacy efforts at the local, state and national level, as well as boost societal welfare.

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Data NRPA’s flagship research offering is the profession’s most thorough and respected source of critical operational and performance measures.

PRORAGIS gives park and recreation agencies the information they need to improve processes, increase efficiencies and support operations.

This data provides your agency the credibility it needs when it faces questions on budgeting, staffing and capital investment.

Through the simple investment of your time as you enter your organization’s data into PRORAGIS, you gain a wealth of information that allows you to compare and benchmark your organization to its peers across town or on the other side of the country. Whereas in the past, you were reliant on external resources to gain perspective on even the simplest questions about how your agency compares, you now are able to glean critical data on everything from operational and capital budgets and staffing to the scope of and resources needed for your agency’s current and future offerings. Whether answering a budget question from your city council or working with a consultant to develop a master plan, PRORAGIS has the critical data to make forward-looking decisions that are based on facts, not speculation.

Earlier this year, we launched PRORAGIS 2.0 to provide park and recreation professionals with an improved interface experience and more relevant reporting tools. But that is not the only enhancement that the system will see in 2015.

Later this year, watch for the launch of geographic information system (GIS) capabilities using ESRI ArcGIS that will give your agency the ability to map and analyze its facilities and offerings in a geographic context. More about that soon.

Looking forward, NRPA will develop valuable insights from data collected with PRORAGIS and from topic-specific surveys that will inform best practices and support the mission of our profession. This includes updating and improving tools and calculators that help you evaluate the benefits parks and recreation has on our communities.

Economic Impact Study One example of how NRPA is combining PRORAGIS data with other useful information is an upcoming study that will assess the economic impact park and recreation agencies have in the United States. The study will estimate the collective economic impacts of operational and capital spending on the economy. The measured impacts will not only include the direct effects (i.e., the actual expenses made by

your agency), but also the indirect and induced effects. Indirect effects track spending by business throughout the supporting supply chain and vendors, while induced effects capture the portion of earnings spent on goods and services by park employees and related vendors.

At first glance, you may not think the findings of this study will have an impact on your agency and its future vision. But the report will demonstrate that spending on park and recreation operations, investments and activities not only enhances the welfare and standard of living in surrounding communities, but also makes a substantial positive contribution to economic activity. Imagine the power of that type of insight the next time you are challenged about your agency’s current operational budgets or when your agency makes a request for increased capital expenditures.

Looking Ahead Research goes beyond just operational data to include detailed information that supports park and recreation professionals’ mission to improve their communities through conservation, health and wellness, and social equity. This includes future reports and tools on a variety of topics such as stormwater management and park prescriptions.

In all, the future of parks and recreation is here today with NRPA’s research offerings and analytical capabilities. In the coming months, we will share insights gleaned from NRPA research activities that can have a major impact on your agency as it looks toward the next 50 years. Let’s continue the conversation.

Kevin Roth is NRPA’s Vice President of Research (kroth@nrpa.org).

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r e m Sum Park The

of

A

quick scan of Houston’s Denver Harbor Community Center reveals not a single stoic face in the crowd. Smiles flash like fireworks across the room as Rep. Gene Green (TX-29), Mayor Annise Parker, Councilman Ed Gonzalez and Houston Parks and Recreation Director Joe Turner hand out boxed meals to a buzzing line of eager kids. A girl with long brown hair giggles, holding her lunch box up for the camera.

A boy in a Batman shirt steals the show with a cheek-to-cheek grin, proudly munching on a ham sandwich after firmly planting himself at a table in the front that was probably meant for the adults.

By Jayni Rasmussen

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It’s a scene that event attendees are not likely to forget, especially knowing that every child in that room might otherwise go hungry if it weren’t for the free, healthy meals provided as part of the summer meal program at Houston Parks and Recreation’s Denver Harbor. Back in Washington, D.C., congressional staffers on Capitol Hill are busy drafting a bill that would reauthorize and fund child nutrition programs like the Summer Food Service Program, which reimburses sponsors, including parks and recreation agencies, for meals served to food-insecure children. Sure, few politicians would say outright that providing healthy meals to hungry,

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low-income children is a bad idea.

Still, in a political climate where programs across the board face deep funding cuts, there really is nothing like seeing kids in their own communities enjoying a meal, socializing and playing in a safe environment, to convince a member of Congress that child nutrition programs are simply not expendable.

In NRPA’s 50th year, we’re leading the way by revamping our advocacy efforts and empowering members to be parks and recreation advocates from their home turf. Our newly enlisted Park Champions took up the task and ran with this new grassroots, show-and-tell advocacy model. From

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (DMI) plays Jenga with childre n at a Park Champion event in support of Detroit Recrea tion Department’s Summer Foo d Service Program.

Champion Advocacy

Illinois Rep. Elaine Nekritz (IL-57) throws out the first pitch at Buffalo Grove’s new baseball field at Kilmer Park.

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Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25) cruising around a Hilton-Parma, New York, park in an off-road vehicle to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) playing Jenga with the kids at the Heilman Recreation Center in Detroit, Michigan, to having staff from Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s (NY-8) office, along with Rep. Elaine Nekritz (IL57) throw out the first pitch on Buffalo Grove, Illinois’ new baseball field, our Park Champions are getting creative with amazing, diverse events all over the country this summer. It’s a winning situation all around — park and recreation agencies get to show off their facilities and programs and members of Congress and their staff are loving the opportunity to get out from behind their desks and into parks and recreation centers to see first-hand how federal policies impact the communities they serve.

Thanks to the scores of NRPA members who took up the challenge, the Park Champion initiative is already an undeniable success, and the year isn’t even over! There are three big pieces of parks and recreation legislation — the Land and Water Conservation Fund or LWCF, the Transportation Bill and the Child Nutrition Act — up for reauthorization this year, and we need members like you to take action by hosting your U.S. representative and/or U.S. senators at a Park Champion event. Be a part of this exciting new initiative by heading over to www.nrpa.org/park-champions to learn more, check out photos from past Park Champion events, access the Park Champion Advocacy Toolkit and sign the Park Champion pledge. Email Jayni Rasmussen, NRPA’s advocacy and outreach specialist, at jrasmussen@nrpa.org or call her at 703.858.4731 to get started on planning your Park Champion event.

Park Champions of the Year

N

RPA’s Public Policy team is excited to announce the creation of the Park Champion of the Year Award.

This honor is given to the NRPA member who best exemplifies the qualities of being a reliable, communicative partner who understands the importance of advocating for parks and recreation, and organized or facilitated a creative, innovative event showcasing their parks and recreation agency to a member of Congress and/or their staff.

The first-ever recipients of the Park Champion of the Year Award are Adriane Johnson and Ryan Risinger, both of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Johnson and Risinger co-organized a dedication of Kilmer Park, where staff from U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s (NY-8) office, as well as Illinois Rep. Elaine Nekritz (IL-57), threw the first pitches on a new baseball field. This wonderful, community-focused event set up the foundation of an ongoing relationship with not only Rep. Duckworth’s office, but also the rest of the Illinois congressional contingent. Johnson and Risinger were excellent, cooperative partners in helping to make the first year of the Park Champion initiative a success.

Adriane Johnson President, Board of Commissioners Buffalo Grove Park District Buffalo Grove, Illinois Adriane Johnson is the president of the Board of Commissioners for the Buffalo Grove Park District, and has served as a commissioner since November 2011. Johnson is the chairperson of the Personnel Committee and the board liaison for park district’s Environmental Action Committee.

In her professional capacity, Johnson has 20-plus years of work experience as a human resources professional and owns a consulting firm aimed at that field. She is a newly appointed trustee of the Illinois Association of Park Districts Board of Trustees and an active member of the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club.

Johnson lives in Buffalo Grove with her husband, Bruce, and daughter, Nia. Ryan Risinger, CPRE Executive Director, Buffalo Grove Park District Buffalo Grove, Illinois Ryan Risinger has been with the Buffalo Grove Park District since 1992, having previously held the positions of recreation supervisor, superintendent of recreation, director of recreation and facilities, and deputy director.

Risinger earned his bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation from Illinois State University and his master’s degree in public administration from Villanova University. He attended Indiana’s Executive Development program, North Carolina State’s School of Sports Management at Oglebay, Disney Institute’s Keys to Success and Customer Loyalty programs, and is a Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE). Risinger is also a member of the Rotary Club of Buffalo Grove where he currently serves as secretary.

Risinger lives in Grayslake with his wife, Pari, and three children, Brittani, Charles and Courtney.

Jayni Rasmussen is NRPA’s Advocacy and Outreach Specialist (jrasmussen@nrpa.org).

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Natural Condition Immunity for Campsite Tree Injury

By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

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hile absolute sovereign immunity under traditional common law has been abolished, significant, albeit limited, governmental immunity has been preserved in various types of state statutes. Most notably, many immunity exceptions exist within various provisions of an applicable state tort claims act, i.e., a statute defining under what circumstances governmental entities may be held liable for negligence in a particular jurisdiction.

• New Jersey: N.J. Stat. § 59:4-8 (2015) • Oklahoma: 51 Okl. St. § 155(10) (2014) • South Carolina: S.C. Code Ann. § 15-78-60(10) (2014) • Utah: Utah Code Ann. § 63g-7-301 (2014)

As illustrated by the Burnett decision described herein, one such immunity exception precludes any governmental liability for injuries attributable to a natural condition and/or unimproved property under the control of a governmental entity, including public parks. With some minor jurisdictional variations, some form of significant statutory governmental immunity for natural conditions and/or unimproved property can be found in a

Dangerous Tree Limb In the case of Burnett v. Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, 2015 CO 19; 346 P.3d 1005; 2015 Colo. LEXIS 216 (Colo. 3/23/2015), the Supreme Court of Colorado had to determine the scope and applicability of natural condition immunity under one such state statute: C.R.S. 24-10-106(E) (2014). In this particular instance, the issue before the Colorado Supreme Court was whether the

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significant number of State Codes, including the following: • California: Cal Gov Code § 831.2 (2015) • Colorado: C.R.S. 24-10-106(E) (2014) • Indiana: Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 34-13-3-3(1) (2014) • Kansas: K.S.A. § 75-6104(P) (2015) • Maine: 14 M.R.S. § 8104-A (2015) • Minnesota: Minn. Stat. § 466.03 Subd.6b (2015)

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government was immune from liability for injuries sustained by plaintiff Burnett when a tree limb fell on her as she camped at a designated campsite in Cherry Creek State Park. In addressing this issue, the state supreme court had to determine whether the tree that caused plaintiff ’s injuries was a “natural condition of unimproved property” under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA).

Facts of the Case Located just southeast of Denver, Cherry Creek State Park (“the park”) encompasses 4,200 acres and includes more than 30 miles of multiuse trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding.

It also features 135 designated camping sites. The state of Colorado leases the land on which the park is located from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Despite various manmade attractions and amenities, many of the park’s naturally occurring features remain undisturbed.

Among these features are several thousand trees that were on the property when the state established the park in 1959. Some of these trees border the campsite at issue in this case. The park’s mature trees provide a habitat for great horned owls and bald eagles.

Whitetail and mule deer use the thick cover for bedding. Woodpeckers and northern flickers eat the insects that are inside the trees, and pheasants use the vegetation for cover and roosting.

On July 18, 2010, Burnett and her friend, Mackenzie Brady, went camping at the park after they paid a fee to enter. The pair chose campsite No. 14, which included a utility hookup, parking area, picnic table, and a level dirt pad. Burnett and Brady chose to pitch their tent on the dirt pad under the canopy of four mature cottonwood trees, reaching some 75 feet in height and flanking campsite No. 14. The

weather that night was uneventful.

Early the next morning, while Burnett and Brady remained asleep inside their tent, a tree limb dropped from one of the cottonwoods and struck both of them. The blow fractured Burnett’s skull and a vertebra and caused other acute injuries, including a concussion and multiple lacerations to her scalp and face. Brady suffered only minor injuries and was able to drive Burnett to the hospital, where Burnett spent three days. Due to the density of the canopy, park employees who subsequently investigated the campsite were unable to determine the source of the fallen tree limb.

Premises Liability?

Burnett brought a premises liability action against the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (“the State”) seeking compensation for her injuries. In so doing, Burnett relied on a section of the CGIA which, in pertinent part, waived the governmental immunity of a public entity “for injuries caused by a dangerous condition of any public facility located in any park or recreation area maintained by a public entity.”

According to Burnett, the branches overhanging the campsite constituted a “dangerous condition” of the park.

Burnett and the State both agreed that the improved campsite was a “public facility” and the trees adjacent to the campsite “originated on unimproved property.” The State, however, denied any liability based on a separate provision of the CGIA under which a public entity retains immunity for “an injury caused by the natural condition of any unimproved property” (the natural condition provision).

The trial court granted the State’s motion to dismiss Burnett’s lawsuit

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and the appeals court affirmed this decision. The state supreme court granted review of this decision.

Legislative Intent?

On review, the state supreme court would analyze the natural condition provision to determine the “legislative intent” of the statutory language. Specifically, the court would interpret this particular provision in a manner that was consistent with the overall language of the CGIA. In so doing, the state supreme court would apply the following generally accepted principle of judicial review: Where the statutory language is unambiguous, we give effect to the language’s plain and ordinary meaning. Where the statutory language is susceptible to more than one reasonable interpretation, it is ambiguous;

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in such cases, we may examine statements of legislative policy to determine legislative intent.

As characterized by the state supreme court, the CGIA “generally immunizes governmental entities and employees from tort liability, but waives this immunity under limited circumstances.” Further, the court acknowledged that the CGIA is “sometimes inequitable,” denying legal redress to injured plaintiffs in favor of governmental immunity for public entities in order to preserve “many essential services that unlimited liability could disrupt or make prohibitively expensive.”

However, the state supreme court also recognized that the balance between liability and immunity was a legislative, not a judicial function.

In this particular instance, the state supreme court noted the CGIA would provide governmental immunity “if the tree at issue falls within the ambit of the natural condition of unimproved property limitation.” Based on the following expressed language in the CGIA, the state supreme court found further immunity would still apply without regard to the tree’s location in any public park.

Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent a public entity from asserting immunity for an injury caused by the natural condition of any unimproved property, whether or not such property is located in a park or recreation area or on a highway, road, or street right-of-way. § 24-10-106(1)(e).

That being said, the state supreme court acknowledged that the expressed language of the CGIA does not define “natural condition of any unimproved property.” Moreover, none of Colorado’s appellate courts had interpreted this statutory language.

On appeal, Burnett argued that “the trees were in their ‘natural condition’

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until the State altered the trees’ condition through incidental maintenance.”

Burnett further claimed that the State had “incorporated the trees into improved property” when “the State built the campsite subjacent to the trees.”

In response, the State claimed the trees were “native flora to property,” which had “existed on unimproved property before the State built the campsite.” As a result, the State contended that the trees retained their character as a “natural condition of unimproved property,” irrespective of “incidental maintenance or their proximity to improvements on the land.”

In the opinion of the state supreme court, Burnett and the State had both presented “reasonable interpretations of the natural condition provision’s plain language” in the CGIA. Since the natural condition provision was “susceptible to alternative, reasonable interpretations,” the state supreme court found “the statutory language is ambiguous.” Accordingly, under the above cited general rules of statutory interpretation, the state supreme court would “look beyond the statute’s plain language to ascertain and effectuate legislative intent.” In so doing, the state supreme court would first examine “the legislative history of the natural condition provision” and then apply these principles to the facts of this particular case.

Legislative History In 1971, the Colorado Supreme Court held “judicially imposed sovereign immunity was inappropriate and abolished such immunity at every level of government.” In response, the state legislature enacted the CGIA to “reestablish governmental immunity, excepting a finite number of specific circumstances in which public entities waive immunity.” This legislation

was accompanied by a research report (Report) to “assist in developing immunity legislation.” In 1986, as a consequence of excessively high municipal insurance rates, the General Assembly substantially amended the CGIA to afford the government greater protection against liability.

As cited by the state supreme court, the Report described legislative intent of the natural condition provision as follows: First, it distinguishes between dangerous conditions arising from manmade and natural objects; second, it suggests that immunity turns on the precise mechanism of the injury; third, it expresses a clear intent to exempt public entities from a duty to maintain any natural conditions; and finally, its stated policy goals in-

clude encouraging public entities to open up to the public unimproved, government-owned property without exposing the entities to the burden and expense of defending claims brought by individuals who are injured while using the property.

Accordingly, based on the Report, the state supreme court concluded “the legislature intended to retain immunity for injuries caused by native trees originating on unimproved property regardless of their proximity to a public facility, such as the improved area of the campsite here.”

Further, in distinguishing between dangerous conditions arising from manmade objects and those arising from natural objects, the state supreme court determined “the natural condition provision governs any

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injuries arising from naturally occurring features of parks without consideration of their proximity to manmade objects.” As a result, the state supreme court held “improvement of a portion of a park area does not remove the immunity from the unimproved areas.” On the contrary, in the opinion of the state supreme court, “the General Assembly intended the natural condition provision to retain vitality as applied to partially developed state parks.”

Injury Mechanism In the above-described Report, the state supreme court found “immunity should turn on the precise mechanism of the injury rather than the plaintiff ’s location when the injury occurred.” Specifically, the legislative

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intent of the CGIA required courts to make a distinction between (1) injuries caused by negligence in the construction, maintenance, failure to maintain, etc. of artificial, manmade objects (swing sets, buildings, etc.); and (2) injuries caused by the natural conditions of a park. In other words, unlike negligence liability for injuries caused by the dangerous condition of artificial objects, immunity should be retained for injuries caused by naturally dangerous conditions. Accordingly, the state supreme court found “immunity turns on whether the injury was caused by negligence in the construction or maintenance of a manmade object or by a dangerous natural condition.”

As characterized by the state supreme court, the legislative intent to preserve governmental immunity under the natural condition provision was meant to shift to the public the risk of injury from dangerous natural conditions: In view of the limited funds available for the acquisition and improvement of property for recreational purposes, it is not unreasonable to expect persons who voluntarily use unimproved property in its natural condition to assume the risk of injuries arising therefrom.

In reaching this determination, the state supreme court noted that courts in other jurisdictions with similar statutory immunity for natural conditions had also concluded that “the exact mechanism of a plaintiff ’s injury [the tree], not her location at the time of injury [a developed state park campground] determines immunity.”

Moreover, the state supreme court found the clear legislative intent of the natural condition provision in the CGIA was to “exempt public entities from liability for failing to maintain natural conditions.”

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If a facility is constructed or built, it must be maintained at the risk of being liable for a failure to do so. If there is property which was not constructed, but is natural and unimproved, a public entity is not required to maintain it and cannot be held liable for failure to maintain it. In this case, sovereign immunity is applicable.

As a result, the state supreme court held the natural condition provision “does not create a duty to maintain

Unlike negligence liability for injuries caused by the dangerous condition of artificial objects, immunity should be retained for injuries caused by naturally dangerous conditions. natural features, nor does a duty arise merely because of the features’ proximity or contiguity to improved property.” Moreover, “even where the State chooses to maintain unimproved property to protect the public health and safety,” the state supreme court similarly held the State “does not assume a duty to maintain the property where none otherwise existed.

Immunity Policy As characterized by the state supreme court, this policy “encourages the provision of services to protect the public health and safety and “allows public entities to allocate their limited fiscal resources.”

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As noted by the state supreme court, “the primary concern in implementing the CGIA was to provide the public with a sufficient avenue to tort recovery without exhausting governmental resources — namely, the public fisc — through excessive exposure to tort liability.” One such concern addressed by the natural condition provision was “subjecting public entities to liability where injuries arise from natural conditions:” If immunity were waived with respect to injuries caused by the natural condition of any unimproved property, the burden and expense of putting such property in a safe condition and the expense of defending claims for injuries would probably cause many entities to close such areas to public use.

Accordingly, the state supreme court concluded that the legislative intent of the natural condition provision was to “encourage governmental entities to open primitive, government-owned property to the public by limiting the entities’ exposure to liability from individuals who choose to use the property.” As a result, the state supreme court held “the General Assembly intended a natural condition of unimproved property to include native trees originating on unimproved property.”

Native Campsite Vegetation Applying this legislative analysis to the facts of this particular case, the state supreme court rejected Burnett’s claim that “the trees were located on improved rather than unimproved property because the State built and situated campsite No. 14 subjacent to the trees.” As noted by the court, natural condition immunity is determined by the mechanism, trees, not the location, developed campsite. Similarly, the court rejected Burnett’s argument that “the trees bordering campsite No. 14 were no longer in their natural con-

dition because the park had previously pruned them.” As described above, maintenance of a natural condition would not give rise to a legal duty where not existed previously.

Accordingly, the state supreme court agreed with the State that the natural condition provision precluded Burnett’s lawsuit.

The natural condition provision’s legislative history unequivocally manifests the General Assembly’s intent to distinguish between injuries caused by manmade objects (for which immunity is waived) and those caused by natural objects (for which immunity is retained)…

We conclude that immunity turns on the mechanism of Burnett’s injuries, not her location when the injuries occurred. The record shows the cot-

tonwoods bordering campsite No. 14 were native vegetation of the unimproved property. The branch at issue fell from one of those cottonwoods.

Thus, Burnett’s injuries were caused by a natural condition of unimproved property, such that the natural condition provision precludes her suit.

Moreover, in the opinion of the state supreme court, this judicial analysis of the CGIA was “consistent with the legislature’s policy goals.”

To make the State a guarantor of the public’s safety from dangerous natural conditions of this sort would discourage it from opening and improving park lands for the public to enjoy. Neither the State’s limited maintenance of some unimproved portions of the park, nor its construction of structures nearby elim-

inated the governmental immunity intended by the legislature…

Burnett’s injuries are tragic, but eliminating governmental immunity in this case would only compound the tragedy by sidestepping legislative intent and providing a disincentive for the government to facilitate access to public lands.

Accordingly, the state supreme court affirmed the judgment of the lower courts dismissing Burnett’s lawsuit against the State based on the “natural condition” immunity provision of the CGIA. James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu. edu). Webpage with link to law review articles archive (1982 to present): http:// mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

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Future Trends in

Health and Wellness

By Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH, and Kellie May

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D

uring the past decade, health and wellness for parks and recreation has really transformed. The nation’s attention to issues such as the obesity crisis and children’s nature deficit has compelled many parks and recreation agencies to reevaluate their health priorities, work to better understand the needs of their communities and serve as the solution for healthy opportunities for residents. Imagine what life will look like 50 years from now, or even just a decade from now. In the past 10 years, the mainstreaming of social media alone has forever changed society and the way we share ideas — and the way we think about and monitor our health. Following are four significant trends NRPA has been tracking and that we believe will shape the future of health and wellness for parks and recreation.

Collaboration with Nontraditional Partners Given the state of our car-centric environment today, parks are thinking more about their role in the built environment and how they can facilitate access to, enhance the quality of, and

ensure the safety of parks so residents can be physically active. How can we help people walk to their park? How can we better connect schools to parks and parks to neighborhoods? Or, an even bigger question: How do we improve the places where we live, work, learn and play? These are some of the complex questions today’s communities face. There is much that needs to be done to fix the problems created during the past half-century or so, but the future of community development cannot be resolved in silos.

“Health in All Policies” (HiAP) is a concept described by the World Health Organization as assisting “leaders and policymakers to integrate considerations of health, well-being and equity during the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and services.”

Health must be considered in everything we develop. When we think of health and helping people make healthy choices, we naturally defer to public health departments and healthcare groups. But, the focus has shifted to parks, housing, transportation, education, air quality, criminal justice, energy and employment agencies as the groups that are best positioned to create policies and

practices that promote healthy communities and environments. The future of community development lies in their hands.

Physicians prescribing wellness at parks is also a new and innovative concept that is driving more users to parks through referrals from this trusted and credible source. As Dr. Robert Zarr, a pediatrician at Unity Health Care in Washington, D.C., points out, “With our nation’s current epidemic of obesity… it’s time that we doctors prescribe time outside, in nature, for all our patients.”

Collaborations between parks and the medical community not only provide healthy opportunities for people right in their backyard, but also position parks as advocates for health in the community.

Currently, there is a lot of discussion around ensuring that every child lives within walking distance of a safe, quality park. But, in places where access to parks and recreation facilities is lacking, residents are often greeted with spaces that are locked during out-of-school times. According to ChangeLab Solutions, a national nonprofit established to create law and policy innovation for healthy environments, “shared use is a winning strategy because it maximizes the use of public resources to benefit the community as a whole.” Shared use agreements between two or more entities (e.g., school, city and/or a private organization) will become an even more popular mechanism for sharing indoor and outdoor spaces such as gymnasiums, athletic fields and playgrounds, to build more opportunity for physical activity and play.

Technology Fifty years ago, technology was a typewriter, the first successful mini-

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computer, cassette tape players, transistor radios, rotary phones and the first cordless tape recorders. Technology today, includes mobile phones, laptop computers, wireless music devices, fitness trackers, GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping technology, video games and so on. It is everywhere and embedded into almost every thread of our daily

community health providers and are demonstrating their impact through data-driven policies and strategies, and evidence-based programs. Data, evidence and impact are going to be the drivers that take the field into the next 50 years and beyond. In fact, Basu says, “We’ve got to look at integrating multiple data sources,” and recommends that government agen-

Parks and recreation agencies need to begin planning now for the future needs of their changing communities. lives. It has had a profound impact on society and, in particular, on the health and wellness of all people.

While today’s technology, through the use of fitness and nutrition trackers, has led some to an increased awareness about their overall health, it has also resulted in an increase in “screen time” which, in turn, has led to increased sedentary behaviors and the obesity epidemic the nation is now facing. How has this impacted the parks and recreation field?

Dr. Andrew J. Mowen, associate professor, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at The Pennsylvania State University, says, “People want real-time and customized agency content to be readily available on mobile platforms and social media.” Constituents want everything from fitness classes to community events to workshops on health listed in an easily accessible place, and, “They don’t want to have to download four apps to find it,” says Choton Basu, Founder of Slipstream LLC. Beyond communications, technology has also “changed the face of recreation itself,” says Mowen. Parks and recreation agencies are no longer just youth-sports providers. They are 34 Parks & Recreation

cies widely share public data. Working with the private sector and using publicly available data, parks and recreation will be a key player in health and wellness decisions in communities and can have a profound impact on improving community health.

Changing Demographics The country’s demographics have changed greatly from 50 years ago and are projected to continue to change drastically during the next 50 years. Current estimates indicate that the U.S. population will expand by 100 million over the next 40 years and the minority population, currently at 30 percent, is expected to exceed 50 percent by 2050. Additionally, the proportion of the population aged 65 and older is projected to increase from 12.4 percent, or 35 million in 2000, to 19.6 percent, or 71 million, by 2030. Parks and recreation agencies need to begin planning now for the future needs of their changing communities.

Planning the facilities of the future may sound easy enough, but financial constraints since the Great Recession of 2007 have hindered the ability of parks and recreation agencies to

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move forward with some projects and have forced many agencies to adapt to smaller budgets while continuing to serve a growing population. To alleviate this problem, the city of Hialeah, Florida, where more than 94 percent of the population is Hispanic, has pursued private sector partners and streamlined their department by having essential personnel become as versatile as possible. Joseph Dziedzic, director of the Hialeah Department of Parks and Recreation, says parks and recreation agencies should “become as efficient as possible while retaining the core of what parks and recreation really is and listen to the needs of your community.”

Planning the facilities of the future will also mean thinking about the development of senior-centric recreational facilities and amenities like adjunct trails designed with shorter distances, flatter topography and appropriate signage. To facilitate this process, John W. Patton, director of communications and marketing for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, says, “Local park and recreation agencies should form senior community coalitions or senior activity action teams. Being proactive today and developing relationships with senior-centered facilities will go a long way to help drive awareness for, and utilization of, senior recreational options in the future,” says Patton. The resounding message here is that planning ahead will be the critical element for parks and recreation agencies to adapt to the changing demographics today and well into the future.

Eliminating Health Disparities We used to believe health disparities were only caused by limited medical coverage and lack of access to healthcare. We now know that social, economic and environmental factors are

some of the strongest predictors and determinants of health. The conditions in which we live are partially responsible for why some Americans are healthier than others. Do you smoke or drink? Do you live where there is clean water and air? Do you have access to a safe, quality park or green space?

Generally speaking, neighborhoods with higher minority populations have lower acreage of park space. Parks in lower-income neighborhoods are also more likely to be poorly maintained and offer fewer services. Healthy People 2020, which outlines national objectives for improving the health of all Americans, for the first time included an objective to “create social and physical environments that promote good health for all.” All Americans deserve equal access to parks and recreation opportunities, but how do we close the gap?

To keep pace with our nation’s changing demographics, cultural competency and diversity awareness are vital when designing projects and making programming decisions. Seeking community input through surveys, visioning workshops, town hall meetings and public hearings are some ways to understand and explore what the community values. Improving parks, trails, recreation facilities and programs in disadvantaged neighborhoods will also continue to be crucial. Many agencies are identifying “park deserts” and determining ways to improve access to low-income areas. Quality and safety of parks need to be addressed, as parks in low-income neighborhoods are often perceived as less safe, a characteristic associated with lower use. The lack of use and scarcity of programming also may contribute to a perception of lack of safety.

As we move through the next several decades, we will face a whole new set of forces — health, environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and technological — that will again dramatically impact the way we live in our communities. Evolving with the trends keeps us relevant. Staying on top of these trends helps ensure that the parks and recreation field continues to be part of public health decisions and conversations. And finally, it is the mission of parks and recreation to build healthy communities for all people, so integrating these trends into decision-making and planning only helps maximize success for the field.

Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH, is NRPA’s Director of Strategic Health Initiatives (zbashir@nrpa. org). Kellie May is NRPA’s Program Manager (kmay@nrpa.org).

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The EPA and Parks, Environmental Justice and the Disposable of Society

By Robert García and Ariel Collins

I

n Pope Francis’ recently released Laudato Si’ — his encyclical on the interrelated relationship between humans and the environment—he asks the people of the world to care about climate, creation and the poor. “In some places, rural and urban alike,” he writes, “the privatization of certain spaces has restricted people’s access to places of particular beauty. In others, ‘ecological’ neighborhoods have been created which are closed to outsiders in order to ensure an artificial tranquility.

Frequently, we find beautiful and carefully manicured green spaces in so-called ‘safer’ areas of cities, but not in the more hidden areas where the disposable of society live.”

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Gina McCarthy, agrees with the Pope: “I think the most important thing that we can do, working with the Pope, is to try to remind ourselves that this is really about protecting natural resources that human beings rely on, and that those folks that are most vulnerable — that the church has always been focused on, those in poverty and low income — are the first that are going to be hit and impacted by a changing climate.”

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Environmental injustice occurs in the context of extreme inequalities in income, wealth and power. During the past four decades, we’ve seen extreme income inequality in the United States explode. In 2010, it was estimated that the top 1 percent of the U.S. population owned 42 percent of non-home wealth, and the top 5 percent owned 72 percent of non-home wealth; according to a report from the University of California, Santa Cruz, the bottom 80 percent owned less than 5 percent. Average white non-home

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wealth was almost 20 times more than African-American and 70 times more than Latino wealth. These inequities threaten prospects for democracy and environmental justice, according to the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN).

California Rep., Judy Chu (CA-27), emphasizes parks as an environmental justice issue through her leadership on the proposed national recreation area in the San Gabriel Mountains. In a speech before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources forum on climate, environmental justice and green access, she said: “Los Angeles is one of the most park-poor places in the country. Just 15 percent of the region’s population has pedestrian access to green spaces, leaving more than 85 percent of residents without easy access to public parks or green spaces, particularly affecting minorities and those from low-income communities. And there’s a color divide. Did you know that in L.A., white neighborhoods enjoy 32 acres of parks per 1,000 people, but for African-American neighborhoods it’s 1.7, and for Latino neighborhoods it’s .6?”

Even President Obama, when he dedicated the San Gabriel Mountains

National Monument in Southern California in 2014, emphasized that there are not enough parks, especially for children of color.

While these facts are about Los Angeles, communities of color and low income communities across the nation suffer from disparities in access to resources for parks and healthy living. This is part of the continuing legacy and pattern of residential segregation resulting, to some degree, from racially restrictive housing covenants, discriminatory mortgage policies, and structural inequalities in wealth and income.

California-based The City Project, a group working for equal justice, democracy and livability for all, and its allied partners, have asked the EPA to improve access to parks and recreation as an environmental justice and civil rights issue. Communities across the nation led by Earthjustice, the nation’s original and largest nonprofit environmental law organization, have also filed a lawsuit to require the EPA to take civil rights laws seriously by investigating and resolving environmental justice pollution complaints on which the EPA has failed to act for more than 10 years.

There is hope that the EPA will improve access to parks and recreation and the health, environment and resiliency of communities of color and low income communities.

Its proposed EJ 2020 action plan, a strategy to advance environmental justice through its programs, policies and activities, to make a visible difference in environmentally overburdened, underserved and economically distressed communities, could help. But, the EPA has a “record of poor performance” on civil rights, according to a 2011 study by Deloitte Consulting LLP. What Can the EPA Do? To overcome its legacy of poor civil rights performance, and to improve access to parks and recreation as an environmental justice issue, the EPA should take the following steps: • Adopt an objective to expand access to healthy parks, green space and natural areas.

• Develop standards for park access to measure progress and equity and hold public officials accountable.

• Add parks, green space and natural areas to the EPA’s online mapping tool called EJScreen, which includes only toxins and pollution.

• Prioritize protecting and expanding free access to healthy parks, green space and natural areas for communities of color and low-income communities that have long been deprived of these environmental benefits.

• Provide leadership, best practices and best results in speed, access to clean and healthy natural areas, public information and participation, and community satisfaction in the results, as has occurred in communities without environmental justice concerns. Examples discussed above are best practices.

• Enforce civil rights and environmental justice laws and principles to improve park access, and improve the health, environment and resiliency of communities of color and low-income communities.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its regulations, for example, prohibit intentional discrimination, as well unjustified discriminatory impacts without proof of intent, based on race, color or national origin by recipients of federal funding. This applies to recipients of EPA funding, including state and local agencies and private recipients. Executive Order 12898, signed by President Clinton in 1994, requires each federal agency, including the EPA, to achieve environmental justice as part of its mission by identifying and addressing disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its activities on minority populations and low-income populations.

As NRPA begins its next 50 years, the EPA might do well to help promote NRPA’s Three Pillars of Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity. We do not seek Blue parks or Red parks, based on ideology or party affiliation. We seek green parks for all.

Robert García is the Founding Director and Counsel of The City Project (rgarcia@cityprojectca.org). Ariel Collins is a Policy Analyst and Juanita Tate Social Justice Fellow for The City Project (acollins@cityprojectca. org).

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A PL Y Riding the Roller Coaster of

How we play, both structurally and at what frequency, continues its decades-long evolution

By Joan Almon

I

n the United States child-initiated play rose to its heights in the 1960s and 70s. It then sank rapidly and almost disappeared from sight beginning in the 1980s. Fortunately, during the past decade there are small but significant signs that it is rising again. In recent years position statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics, plus books, magazine articles and NPR programs have focused on the importance of play. Organizations like the U.S. Play Coalition have formed, with many hosting annual conferences focused on the value of play.

Gradually, the public is seeing play as a vital part of childhood and a number of play advocates are creating opportunities for child-initiated play across the country. There is great hope that the trend will continue and play will return as a normal part of children’s lives.

What was play like at its height?

Adults older than 30 light up when sharing play memories. They played freely in woods, alleys and parks.

They built tree houses, forts and dens.

They dug snow tunnels and played in storm sewers. Theirs was a life of creativity, adventure and exploration.

They became skilled at social negotiation and didn’t stay bored for long but became innovative self-starters.

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And, they were healthier and slimmer than today’s children.

Their play was often spiced with risk, but ask them about injuries — theirs or those of friends — and you hear of bumps, scrapes and an occasional broken bone, but rarely of anything more serious. Children took on as much risk as they could handle and became skilled in risk assessment, a skill many adults feel children lack today. School-age children were often sent out to play and told not to come home until supper. Parents had a general notion of where their children were, but there was little fear and a great deal of freedom.

Ask adults under the age of 30 about their play memories and a dif-

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ferent picture unfolds. Free time was largely spent in front of screens with adult-created stories and games, or in adult-organized sports and other activities. Many of the activities were worthwhile, but they served a different purpose than child-initiated play.

When children are allowed to choose and direct their own play, their ideas often bubble up from deep within. Their play allows them to try on every facet of life and make it their own. Play helps them deal with stressful situation and face life’s challenges.

Psychologist Peter Gray is a strong advocate for play and is very concerned about how little children play today. In an article in Aeon magazine titled “Play Deficit,” he associates the decline in play with the rise of anxiety disorders and depression in children and youth, as well as their escalating suicide rates.

All Work and no Play When did time for child-initiated

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play diminish? Many people point to the 1980s as a time of great change.

In 1981 the highly publicized abduction of six-year-old Adam Walsh took place. He was the son of John Walsh who later developed the television show, “America’s Most Wanted.” Parents became more fearful of abductions and each new case, highly publicized in the media, amplified those fears, which accelerated even more in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks.

In 1983 the influential report, “A Nation at Risk,” was published and made a case for the failure of American education. Reform efforts emphasized improving educational achievement and play was viewed as frivolous. Some districts, like Atlanta, Georgia, canceled recess altogether and built new schools without playgrounds. The outcomes of policies like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top are more time spent on academic studies and testing and less on play.

The rise of crime in the 1980s also contributed to the near-demise of play. Gang violence and drive-by shootings were frequent in low-income neighborhoods, but the fear of crime and violence also affected more affluent neighborhoods. Children were increasingly kept indoors where they remain today, even as crime rates have declined significantly. Currently, crime rates in the United States are at about the level of the 1960s, when parents urged their children to go out and play.

Solutions and Stumbles Parents say they want their children to play more, but want some adult to keep an eye on them. Some cities have adventure playgrounds with staff to support children’s play. “Loose parts,” such as cardboard boxes, tubes, cloth and ropes or natural materials, are provided so that children can build their 40 Parks & Recreation

own forts, dens and other play spaces.

They are popular with children and parents alike.

Yet, when adventure playgrounds are proposed, the objections come fast and furious: Nature playgrounds are too dangerous, there will be too many lawsuits and insurance will be too high. To see if these were genuine problems or urban myths, the Alliance for Childhood commissioned a study of existing adventure playgrounds in the United States, particularly three long-standing ones in California. Interviews revealed that accident rates were no higher than at conventional playgrounds and were possibly lower, lawsuits were very infrequent (two of the parks experienced one lawsuit each over a 30-year period and the third had none), and insurance companies did not demand more insurance for adventure playgrounds than they did for swimming pools or other recreational facilities.

Agencies considering installing adventure playgrounds often express concern that they should be staffed, representing an added expense. But, these same agencies regularly staff swimming pools and other recreational programs. When the benefits of play for children’s health and development are better recognized it will be easier to fund staffed playgrounds.

Finding Playmates Outside partners sometimes take the lead in recognizing the value of play.

In Providence, Rhode Island, for instance, the parks department has joined forces with the health department and others in a summer project funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, in partnership with government agencies. PlayCorps workers, as the staff assigned to this project are called, provide loose parts and play support in seven parks in low-income neighborhoods for three

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hours per day. Another PlayCorps team travels to parks in a van filled with loose parts. When the Rhode Island pilot project was launched in 2014 the numbers of children coming to the parks increased two to four times. According to Janice O’Donnell, director of the project, almost 1,000 children took part in PlayCorps activities within the first week of the pilot project.

In the Iron Triangle neighborhood of Richmond, California, 95 percent of the children live in poverty and the unemployment rate is 33 percent. Pogo Park Project director Toody Maher and her team of play “stewards,” who are drawn from the local neighborhood, have worked closely with the city and a number of its departments to provide safe, accessible play spaces for Iron Triangle’s children and families.

Maher’s interviews with neighborhood residents revealed the plight of many families in need of play space, but who are unable to use their existing parks. The surrounding houses had been abandoned and taken over by drug dealers, and the park itself was overrun daily by drug and alcohol users. At night guns were sold and fired in the air to show they worked.

All of that was several years ago.

Federal Housing and Urban Development grants have since enabled the city to buy the houses near the park and renovate them for family use.

The park itself underwent a beautiful transformation with the help of a state grant, and it is becoming part of a new network of Iron Triangle play spaces that will one day be linked by a yellow brick road, marking a safe route to play spaces and schools.

Initiatives such as Pogo Park and the Providence PlayCorps project show that play can be restored in even the poorest of neighborhoods if there is strong leadership, active collaboration and a good deal of imagi-

nation, as well as the grit needed for overcoming thorny obstacles.

Weather Woes One of the newest challenges facing play is that of climate change and the warming trend during summer months.

Since about 1970 there has been a steady rise in temperatures, and at the time of this writing much of the southern half of the U.S. has experienced 60 or more days with temperatures above 90 degrees. This makes outdoor play a challenge. But outdoor play can be encouraged in the morning hours and in the late afternoon and evening to avoid the midday heat.

Keeping children cool during play can also present an opportunity to connect them to nature. There is growing interest in developing natural play spaces with trees and bushes that provide shaded areas for play on hot days. Many also include water and sand features with canvas or wood shade covers.

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Play’s Comeback It is no longer far-fetched to talk about a new movement for play. Organizations that previously worked in their own silos are joining together to weave a network of play advocates, and parents are lending their strength to the movement as well. Insurance and health corporations, as well as foundations, have begun funding play projects, and environmental groups are recognizing the need for children to connect with nature through play. Today’s children have a much better chance of becoming strong players than did the last generation, but even those adults can catch up and restore play to their lives. The urge to play lives in all of us and it’s never too late to activate it.

Joan Almon was a Waldorf early childhood educator for 30 years before co-founding the Alliance for Childhood (joan.almon@verizon. net).

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Meeting a Community’s

Modern The Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex shakes up the traditional rec center paradigm to create a multigenerational facility that appeals to everyone

All photos courtesy of M-NCPPC

By Samantha Bartram

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Needs A

ccess equity is one of the most important aspects of parks and recreation, and it’s one we often trumpet here at NRPA. It’s vital that people of all ages, races, creeds, socio-economic persuasions and ability levels are able to enter and use their neighborhood parks and recreation facilities.

But more than ensuring all folks can get there, get in and get busy, we must consider what these patrons will do once those initial access hurdles are overcome. What about content equity — that is, having a little something to appeal to everyone, from avid fitness enthusiasts to fledgling musicians and budding scientists? The Southern Regional Technol-

ogy and Recreation Complex, located in Ft. Washington, Maryland, and run under the capable auspices of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation (M-NCPPC), has mastered the concept of content equity. Offering a state-of-the-art climbing wall, dedicated dance studio, recording studio, fitness room just for teens, science lab, adult and teen cafés, double-gymnasium and more, this modern facility represents the future of multigenerational centers.

Planning Outside the Box “Early on, the community and M-NCPPC decided we didn’t want just another sports center,” says Anita Pesses of M-NCPPC’s Public Affairs and Marketing Division.

“Out of many conversations, we decided we wanted it to be a learning and leisure center that included science, technology and a place where everyone — no matter their age — could learn new skills in a comfortable environment. We were determined to do something different, something more forward-thinking. It needed to marry physical well-being with mental well-being and the skills needed to thrive in a technological environment.”

In April 2010, construction on the 37,000-square-foot, LEED Silver-certified building began. Planners included innovative touches like sleek glass-paneled walls that change color in the sun, a vegetative green roof above the entrance, and orienting the structure to make maximum use of solar heating and natural lighting.

Such efforts resulted in receipt of a Gold Award from the Potomac Val-

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ley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Inside the building, spaces were carved out for fitness, education and leisure, with thoughtful consideration given to each area’s functionality. The Technology and Recreation Complex’s multipurpose room is filled with natural light, features optimum acoustics and includes a kitchen for hosting private and community events. Its dance studio features an interactive video screen so people can drop in any time and pull up their preferred workout — options include Zumba, line dancing, hand dancing, liturgical dance, hip-hop or ballet — no instructor needed. The computer lab hosts enrichment, education and workforce readiness classes with HP and Apple workstations, an interactive audio and visual SmartBoard with projector and iPads. Two cafés — one for adults and another for teens — include areas to relax, study and catch up

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on the news, with complimentary WiFi, coffee and tea available.

The complex opened to the public in June 2013, effectively drawing a hard line between M-NCPPC’s rec center planning of old and its vision for the future. “M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to building only multigenerational centers from here on — no more small, stand-alone, neighborhood-based community centers with a gym and a multipurpose room,” Pesses says. “That is an outdated model.”

Meeting Today’s Needs Prince George’s County, once a sleepy, rural suburb of Washington, D.C., has come into its own with new development and a growing economy. Pesses says that rapid growth quickly outpaced the capacity of Prince George’s other 45 recreation centers, and additional facilities were sorely needed. It took several years and many meetings, but M-NCPPC eventually settled on a design that Pesses describes as “a comfortable, friendly place to attract all ages and abilities, a place to promote, teach and reinforce lifetime leisure habits, physical activity, and health and wellness — and a place that incorporates the technology we all use in the world today.”

Programming at the Technology and Recreation Complex is divided into two areas of focus: sports, health and wellness, and technology. The former category is fairly straightforward, encompassing a wide variety of classes, summer day camps and individual, drop-in fitness and sports opportunities. Special events include sports clinics, health fairs, volleyball and basketball tournaments, monthly health screenings and seminars, and nutrition workshops.

Notably, the complex includes

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two gyms — one just for teens and one for adults. Pesses says this approach allows whole families to come to the complex and enjoy a satisfying workout together, but in environments tailored to their particular needs.

“The teen fitness center is filled with friends, music, laughter, video games, dancing and boxing equipment,” she says. “It is their special place — and many of the adults appreciate that it is separate!”

On the technology side of things, the complex’s computer lab offerings include digital photography, graphics and website design, business management, systems administration training, CISCO training, GED/ college-prep courses, financial literacy and interview skills. The science lab features Lego Robotics, environmental science, chemistry, renewable energy, gardening, engineering and Discover Dinosaurs. The recording studio offers vocal training, a community band, music production, sound board fundamentals, radio and video production, commercial and PSA production, DJ skills and techniques, and animation.

The recording studio is particularly notable — few recreation centers include a place for musicians to experiment and hone their craft. “The digital recording studio, equipped with stateof-the-art Pro Tools HD and Avid software, offers recording services for an array of projects,” Pesses explains.

“The professional sound engineer can take a project through all stages of production — recording, mixing, editing and mastering — to deliver superior results. [M-NCPPC’s] Department of Parks and Recreation tries to encourage expression in all art forms and music is a significant one. The recording studio also provides skills for young people in the community who want to break into the business.”

The M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation employs an ID

card system for entry and use of its facilities — for the Technology and Recreation Complex, youth ID cards are free for Prince George’s County residents ages 6 to 17, and senior passes are free for residents age 60 and older.

Adult membership passes are available for purchase and allow entrance into all of the agency’s community centers.

Classes and activities, fitness room access and day camp prices vary based on the number of classes in a session, the type of camp and the level of fitness room use. County residents receive an approximate 20 percent discount on the fees charged to non-residents, and seniors receive a reduced rate on many activities.

A Model for the Future That the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex truly is the future of public recreation facilities is a position M-NCPPC holds with confidence — hundreds of hours of community meetings and dozens of statements from the residents it serves revealed strong and widespread support for this sort of multigenerational, multiuse complex. “In the years leading up to construction, we met with recreation councils, civic associations, the business community and elected officials,” Pesses says. “They gave us insight and suggestions on everything from architecture to programming to hours of operation, and they are still involved. That engagement with the community is absolutely essential.”

Judging by the community response during the past two years, M-NCPPC got the message and delivered the goods. “The response to the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation complex has been incredible,” Pesses says. “What we hear most is how happy the community is to have this wonderful facility, and how they want more. The next thing in the planning stages is an aquatics

venue, next door to the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex, which will share parking lots and site amenities.

“Any time you can offer an array of creative programming to satisfy the needs and interests of an entire family with well-designed, flexible and adaptable spaces that can accom-

modate drop-in visits and scheduled activities — with a welcoming staff and located in the right place in the community — you will have a success on your hands.”

Samantha Bartram is the Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine (sbartram@ nrpa.org).

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Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation

Including Everyone in the Fun

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By Lindsay Labas and Michelle Yadon

I

“

was brought to tears.” “The performance was inspiring and thrilling.” “I had never seen that side of my son. I was so proud.” These are some of the statements that were uttered about The Roundabout Playback Troupe’s first performance in March 2015. You’ve probably heard of improv before, but have you heard of improv theater where audience members tell personal stories and then watch them “played back” on the spot? Playback theater is used for performance, advocacy and education, and in therapy groups. Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation is home to the only known inclusive playback troupe in the United States which simply means that the troupe has members with and without disabilities.

Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation embraces social equity and growing the community to include everyone in the fun. They see individuals with disabilities as being the same as everyone else and recognize that everyone is looking for the same opportunities to recreate.

The Roundabout Playback Troupe, developed at Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, started with a vision from Michelle Yadon, one of the agency’s inclusion supervisors and Indiana’s only registered drama therapist. Yadon’s immense experience and passion for theater, combined with her role as an adaptive recreation programmer, led to the creation of the troupe. She believes in the power of theater for advocacy and healing, and wanted to empower the actors to advocate for themselves while displaying their strengths and talent by getting out on the stage, in the spotlight, and performing. Through this program, participants have stepped out of their comfort zones, overcome fears, gained confidence and worked together as one team to put on amazing performances.

Practice Makes Perfect Audience members at the first performance were shocked to learn that the troupe had started weekly rehearsals

just 12 weeks prior to the first performance. Rehearsals began with the troupe building trust, understanding and positive relationships through creative arts, games and activities. After the actors started to feel more comfortable, the basics of playback were introduced. “Fluids” was the first explored playback method. A troupe member asks a question such as, “How

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C A R M E L C L AY

How to Add a Playback Troupe to Your Department

W

hat better way to include everyone in the fun than adding an inclusive playback troupe to your organization? Having a dedicated staff member to work with individuals with disabilities and with the playback troupe is a definite benefit, but not a requirement.

Here are five things you can do to get started:

1

Find the right leader: The practitioner leading the troupe should have experience leading or participating in playback. It is a tricky art form, and the troupe can feel very vulnerable or exposed if the leader doesn’t have the correct training.

We recommend visiting www.playbackcentre.org for more information about playback and specific classes. At www.nadta.org, you can also find a registered drama therapist in your area who can support you in finding a playback practitioner in your community.

2

Get trained: There are four levels of training through The Centre for Playback Theater. The first level is Core Training which includes a course about the basics of playback, including the methods, history and rituals. The second level is a course on leading a playback troupe and another course where the student will delve deeper in the art form. The third level is an advanced-skills workshop where the practitioner begins to master different components of playback theater. The final level is the leadership course, where practitioners are preparing leadership in their community or the field of playback. Your organization can find more information at www.playbackcentre.org.

3

Form a troupe: Set auditions for your troupe and generate interest from community members. Look for actors who complement each other in diversity. The troupe should be different ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities. Be aware that all actors need to have a sense of empathy, active listening and basic understanding of self.

4 5

Select a performance date: Get a date set for your first performance as this gives the troupe a goal and the leader a timeline.

Promote and partner: Connect with local organizations, businesses and media sources that can support your new endeavor. Reach out to other playback troupes for promotion and support.

The rehearsal process is integral to the success of a playback troupe. Qualified leaders make all the difference in establishing trust among troupe members.

would you describe your day in one word?” or “What quality makes you a strong community member?” and once the troupe receives a response, one actor steps forward to portray the word with a repetitive movement and sound. Troupe members then add on to each other and create a moving portrait for the teller. Once the portrait is complete, they create other fluids from the responses.

Next in the rehearsal process, the troupe explored “pairs” where two opposite feelings are explored. If an audience member says his day was hectic and fun, then the troupe can show the audience both feelings through pairs.

One actor shows one feeling while the other portrays the opposite feeling.

Once pairs were perfected, the troupe rehearsed full stories, where an audience member tells a story and the troupe of actors performs, or plays back, the story on the spot. It could be a dream, a memory, a short narrative or even “something you want to occur.”

The troupe uses musical instruments, colorful scarfs, dancing and role-play to show the story to the teller.

The troupe was supported by a music therapist, so music was a large component through the rehearsal process. Each week, one of the members would bring a piece of music for everyone to learn. During rehearsals, the troupe performed its opening musical number, “Everything Is Awesome,” and chorography was incorporated to show originality.

The Performance The first performance was produced during Disability Awareness Month as part of Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation’s campaign to create acceptance and understanding for the community. The performance’s theme focused around the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities theme, “Love Where You

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Live,” a broad theme that allowed audience members to generate the topics they wanted to explore during the performance. Yadon explained the diversity among audience members: “There are some audience members who enjoy being part of the experience but never share, and this is still very helpful because they serve as a support system for the tellers.” Some performances can be very joyful and happy when audiences are exploring friendships and community strengths, while other groups may explore personal losses, tragedies and world disasters. The variety of topics means it is imperative that the person directing the troupe has a background in playback. Yadon’s drama therapy background has been especially beneficial because she can support audiences in safely exploring topics and leave them feeling empowered.

It is beautiful to watch the understanding and empathy as the audience experiences individuals with disabilities exploring these complex topics.

Yadon reflected on one of her favorite moments from the first performance: “We asked the audience to shout out a word that described a strength, and one woman said ‘compassion.’ One of the actors went center stage, and he put his hands over his heart and made a beeping sound. You could hear the auditorium filling with sounds from the audience, and it brought tears to my eyes. He showed a complex emotion with one movement and sound that we all understood. It was breathtaking.”

Since its inception in early 2015, The Roundabout Playback Troupe has put on one in-house production with more than 100 attendees participating in the fun. In addition to hosting two community performances each year, the troupe has begun to tour to local businesses and nonprofit organizations to share their stories.

Join Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation in the inclusive movement and think about people, not disabilities. If you are looking to incorporate theater in your department, or would like to find out more ways in how you could implement a program similar to that at Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation,

please email llabas@carmelclayparks. com or call 317.573.4020.

Lindsay Labas is the Marketing Director at Caramel Clay Parks and Recreation (llabas@ carmelclayparks.com). Michelle Yadon is the Inclusion Supervisor at Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation (myadon@caramelclayparks. com).

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The Silver Rainbow: Societal Challenges Facing LGBTQ Seniors

By Randy Wiger

T

he historic U.S. Supreme Court decision in June legalizing marriage equality in all 50 states enables LGBTQ life partners and those in longterm relationships to access the benefits of being legally married. However, Houston Mayor Annise Parker — who is an out lesbian — wrote in the Houston Chronical that for many LGBTQ seniors, the court’s ruling comes too late. “For many LGBT Texans who cared for and nurtured their life partner in the final years of their life, marriage equality will be too late,” Parker writes.

“They never had the benefit of access to their partner’s Social Security benefits or employer-sponsored pension. They faced the stunning realization that not only did they lose the love of their life; they will eventually lose the home they shared that life in, too, because of financial inequality and equal access.”

Full marriage equality in all states, coming on the heels of the 2013 Windsor decision that removed barriers to the federal government recognizing same-sex marriages in the states where it was legal, has ushered in a whole new legal and financial landscape. LGBTQ elders often have fewer support networks and resources on which to rely compared to their heterosexual peers. As is true in

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many circumstances, parks and recreation has a role to play in supporting this traditionally marginalized population as it acclimates to such recent societal transformations.

LGBTQ Seniors Have Fewer Resources Fewer LGBTQ elders have children, many are estranged from immediate and extended family, fewer are in longterm relationships, and more are in

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poverty from a lifetime of employment discrimination. Many gay and bisexual men saw their generation of peers decimated by the AIDS epidemic, leaving those who survived even more alone. A summary of a recent study

by SAGE (the nonprofit Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders) found that “LGBT elders are four times less likely to be parents than older people in the country at large” and that “for LGBT older adults, a lifetime of employment discrimination and other factors has contributed to disproportionately high poverty rates.” A 2010 study found that “same-sex elder couples face higher poverty rates than their heterosexual peers; 9.1 percent and 4.9 percent among elder lesbian and gay couples, respectively, in contrast to 4.6 percent among elder heterosexual couples.”

And for LGBTQ elders of color, the rates of poverty are even higher.

With fewer resources and people to assist them as they age, LGBTQ seniors may rely more on public services for help, but there are unique challenges in this approach as well.

Many heterosexual peers may hold negative attitudes about LGBTQ seniors’ identities, sexual orientations or gender expressions. Polls have consistently shown that people under age 30 are far more accepting of non-traditional lifestyles than people over 60. As a result, senior programs and assisted living centers may harbor an overtly homo- or transphobic social environment. Without proactive steps by staff to interrupt and counteract social biases among patrons, an LGBTQ senior may be made to feel very unwelcome and have no one to turn to for assistance, increasing their isolation.

Senior Care Facilities Lack Basic LGBTQ Competency In too many cases, staff at senior care facilities and senior centers lack cultur-

al competency, openly show their disapproval of LGBTQ people who rely on their services, or even abuse them.

Slightly less than half of U.S. states have laws banning discrimination in public accommodations, housing and employment. Given how involved the process of finding a care facility that is a good fit socially, medically and financially can be for a particular individual, you can imagine how discouraging it is if that facility asks you to leave because you are LGBTQ. Remember, this is not illegal in more than half the country!

No wonder the numbers of LGBTQ seniors who are going back in the closet — back to hiding who they are, back to changing pronouns in conversations, back to calling their long-term life partners their “friend” instead of their spouse — are growing. And these seniors are the same people who witnessed, and in many cases fought, long and hard to be able to live out and be proud of who they are. The travesty of the situation is agonizing.

The times are changing, but not as fast as the need is growing.

A handful of cities are expanding efforts to establish senior centers specializing in LGBTQ social activities and support. New York City partnered with SAGE to open five such centers in 2015.

Many senior programs and service providers may not know if they are serving any LGBTQ elders, unless they both ask their clients and make their staff more knowledgeable and welcoming. Simply assuming that because you have had no complaints means you must be meeting their needs is not adequate. LGBTQ elders have spent a lifetime being trained to hide who they are, and need active acceptance on the part of staff to develop the trust that helps them let down their guard. In many cases staff members want to do their best for all clients, but lack information to understand and identify the forms that so

cial stigma and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals might take.

Fortunately, there is growing scholarly research that documents details about the aging LGBTQ community, resulting in more FAQ guides that can help familiarize staff with the issues.

SAGE (www.sageusa.org), the Movement Advancement Project (www.lgbtmap.org), Caring and Aging with Pride (www.caringandaging.org) and the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging (www.lgbtagingcenter.org) all have great resources available online. And the Director of University of Washington’s Institute for Multigenerational Health, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, is among the leading researchers studying LGBTQ people and aging, and she has edited the groundbreaking 2007 anthology “Caregiving with Pride,” that is used as a resource in an increasing number of training programs.

Expanding Senior Services in Parks and Recreation Given how fast the landscape of acceptance for LGBTQ people has changed in just the past five years, organizing an afternoon LGBTQ Rainbow Information Fair that partners

with local LGBTQ organizations and senior service providers may be a useful place for parks and recreation senior program units to start. Putting together such an event that travels to all the senior centers in your city or service area will not only help staff familiarize themselves with the issues encountered by LGBTQ elders, it likely will result in staff meetings and informational visits from those elders. As personal relationships are established, it will be easier to identify unmet needs that could be a great fit for a senior programs unit to address. And paired with a healthy meal, group games and light entertainment, such an event can provide important socializing and critical information for an elderly population that is growing daily as baby boomers reach their retirement years.

Detailed references for this article may be found at www.parksandrecreation.org/2015/August/The-Silver-Rainbow-Societal-Challenges-Facing-LGBTQ-Seniors.

Randy Wiger is the Parks Commons Program Coordinator for the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (randy. wiger@seattle.gov).

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Music and the Power

y t i n of Commu

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” Gordon “Tex” and Marion Vinyard, and Vinyard Park

By Rodney B. Dieser, Ph.D.

T

his August marks the 40th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s record “Born to Run,” which propelled the gregarious New Jersey native to celebrity status and is still considered one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll records ever produced. Throughout his career, Springsteen has recorded “concept albums” in which all musical or lyrical ideas and songs contribute to a single overall theme or unified story. The theme of “Born to Run” is about the simultaneous excitement of freedom and fear in young adulthood, along with the human developmental importance of belonging and community. For example, the last song on the album — “Jungleland” — is a 10-minute meditation on the real-life and tragic consequences when a person has no sense of community, belonging or place. “Born to Run” launched Springsteen on a 40-year music career that consistently reflects on the meaning of community.

Rodney B. Dieser

A Brief History of The Boss Springsteen is arguably one of America’s greatest singer-songwriters. He is tied for third place with Elvis Presley as having the most Billboard No. 1 hits, and just a small sampling of Springsteen achievements includes

an Academy Award, 20 Grammy Awards and two Golden Globes, along with more than 120 million albums sold. In 1999, Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in January 2009, he performed at the Lincoln

A view of Vinyard Park, named in honor Marion and Gordon “Tex” Vinyard, who opened their home to wayward youth including Bruce Springsteen, long before he was known as The Boss.

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Memorial in Washington, D.C, at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. In 2014, a scholarly peer-reviewed journal specifically focused on Springsteen was launched, titled the Biannual Online-Journal of Springsteen Studies.

A core theme that runs through many of Springsteen’s 18 studio albums (1972-2014) is the message of community. This is one reason professors of philosophy have argued that Springsteen’s songs are real-life meditations on philosophical topics and questions, thus making him a modern-day philosopher who uses music as a reflective state. Specific Springsteen stories and songs outline the societal and individual consequences of loss of community. For example, and similar to St. Augustine’s treatise on evil, Springsteen’s 1982 folk album “Nebraska” is a philosophical and penetrating meditation on the connection of crime and evil when people live with no sense of community or belonging (the titular first song is a historical overview of the life of mass murderer Charlie Starkweather). Other Springsteen songs give voice to the healing outcomes of community and belonging, such as during the rebuild-

ing efforts after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 (“My City of Ruin”), and more recently, how deep community ties can ameliorate the consequences of the Great Recession of 2007-2012 (“Land of Hope and Dreams”).

Springsteen’s advocacy for community, in both song and philanthropic giving, seems to originate from his painful, lonely and poverty-driven childhood years. As a child, Springsteen had few friends, spent much time alone, was often bullied and was emotionally and physical abused by the nuns at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. His father suffered from bipolar disorder, depression and alcoholism, and was often unemployed and emotionally abusive toward his son.

His mother, however, was a strong, hard-working woman who, as a secretary, was the breadwinner of the family. As a youth, Springsteen was a deeply reflective person who spent a great amount of time alone thinking about life, and who used music as a meditation related to questions of existence and social welfare.

Gordon “Tex” and Marion Vinyard In the mid-1960s, well before the E-Street Band, Springsteen and a group of friends from Freehold Borough performed in a band called The Castiles. At this same time, Gordon “Tex” and Marion Vinyard opened their home and hearts to this and other groups of local “misfits” and began youth mentoring. That is, Tex and Marion created a sense a community and belonging for a group of youth who many people thought were irrelevant and problematic. Tex began acting as the Castiles’ volunteer manager — essentially a youth rock ‘n’ roll scout leader — booking gigs for the band in the community. Tex and Marion, who had no children of their own, transformed their modest home

Greater Media Newspapers

Bruce Springsteen with Marion Vinyard at the 2002 dedication of Vinyard Park.

into an informal music school — a safe haven for young musicians to hang out and practice their craft in a community of creative discovery and nurturing support. The downstairs of the Vineyards’ home became a rock band rehearsal studio, with amps and drums set up in the living room and Marion busy in the kitchen, preparing food for the musicians.

Freehold Borough’s Vinyard Park On May 18, 2002, in a quiet ceremony with only a small-town newspaper in attendance to capture the event (05/23/02 Tri-Town News), Vinyard Park was dedicated in the Freehold Borough to Marion and her late husband, Tex. The park was built on the site of the Vinyards’ old house at 39 Center Street. Springsteen personally attended the ceremony, recalling how “Tex was…someone who opened his house completely, opened his heart completely, opened his wallet to us… and allowed us to come in and and turn it up as load as we wanted.”

In Dr. Will LaPage’s 2007 book “Parks for Life,” he outlines that community parks can be created for many reasons. Parks can be catalysts for social justice, economic engines, classrooms, abodes for physical and mental health, historical reminders

and places for inspiration, solitude and hope.

Vinyard Park is a small neighborhood park with a dozen benches lining its grassy environs, a wonderful stand of trees providing shade for solitude and quite reflection, and a small playground. It is clearly a reflective park that serves as a historical reminder that two everyday people — Tex and Marion Vinyard — can make a huge difference in their community by creating a sense of safety, love and belonging for a group of “misfits.”

Vinyard Park is a powerful testament to the impact of community and belonging, even to the present day. It was in this space, both physical and spiritual, that, 40 years ago this August, inspired a young Springsteen to become the creative genius behind “Born to Run” and one of the greatest American singer-songwriters of our time.

Detailed references for this article can be found at www.parksandrecreation.org/2015/August/Music-and-the-Power-of-Community.

Rodney. B. Dieser, Ph.D., is a Professor at the University of Northern Iowa School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services (rodney.dieser@uni.edu).

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A Garden

Transformation Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

By Blythe Russian

S

tanding amid the twinkling lights while slow roasting s’mores at the Winter Walk of Lights in Vienna, Virginia, visitors realize that Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is now a four-season park.

The change began in 2010 with a challenge that precipitated a big idea: Create a new revenue event at one of NOVA Parks’ 24 properties. In other words, create something out of nothing. NOVA Parks is no stranger to such concepts or to the success of a holiday light show. For more than a decade, the Bull Run Festival of Lights in Centreville, Virginia has welcomed thousands of visitors and become a holiday favorite.

Meadowlark’s Metamorphosis Meadowlark is 95-acres of lush foliage, rare plants, rolling fields and lakes. It’s a picturesque, serene landscape for 75 percent of the year, drawing thousands of visitors — and their pocketbooks — to the park. But, during the coldest months, its offerings are considerably limited and Meadowlark experiences a precipitous drop in attendance. Choosing Meadowlark as the site of a new revenue-producing initiative made sense — the property routinely saw a net loss of more than $600,000 annually. Its premier wedding venue, the Atrium, brings in roughly $500,000 per year. A high-performing

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light show could help Meadowlark show positive net revenue.

And so, the metamorphosis of Meadowlark Botanical Gardens from a verdant spring and summer oasis to a sparkling winter wonderland began. NOVA Parks staff envisioned an intimate and magical walk-through light show that would transform the gardens. What came next was a whirlwind of activity.

Beginning in 2011, staff hired a consultant to create the plan. The light show was scheduled to open in November 2012, and staff worked closely with a consultant to design a .6-mile loop using existing paved paths. With

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a capital startup of approximately $500,000, more than 500,000 LED lights were purchased to adorn the trees and more than 220 unique wire frames were custom built.

The theme was inspired by the garden itself. Displays included flowers, artfully designed butterflies and woodland creatures. Nearby is Holly Berry Hill, with a flowing stream that winds down the hillside and the entire hillside is lined with green lights and large red “berries” that fade in and out and wash left and right. There is also the Fountains of Light — three fountain displays programmed to drip, fade, fill, waterfall and sparkle in amazing colors. About halfway through the loop guests find Lakeside Lights, an animated light show with more than 40,000 lights programmed to dance in choreography to five holiday songs. In addition, every tree in the conifer garden was draped and wrapped to provide a stroll-through winter wonderland, including a bob-

sled big enough for the entire family to pile on to take a souvenir picture.

The end of the loop is highlighted with a walk-through twinkling “snowfall” and a stop at the fire pit for s’mores, hot chocolate and other refreshments. Two costumed mascots, dubbed Molasses and Flurry, take time each night to visit with the guests.

Ultimately, the Winter Walk of Lights was made possible by an incredible cooperative effort. Meadowlark’s maintenance department installed the lights in tall trees and oversaw the work of many contractors. Agency horticulturists designed the interior of the Visitor Center, and Atrium staff assisted with concessions. Our central maintenance department set up the power needed to run the show.

The marketing department created a unique logo that incorporates the Great Blue Heron portion of the NOVA Parks logo (it’s in the right bottom portion of the tree), as well as unique promotional pieces. Tele

vision, radio, print and social media were used to promote the event — crucial given it was a first-time event with no prior market presence.

While the parking lot at Meadowlark was indeed ample, huge crowds could pose a major problem and create a very difficult traffic situation. The solution was to sell online, timed tickets to allow guests to plan their visit and to help mitigate any traffic concerns. In order to encourage online ticket sales, discounts were only made available online.

Sparkling Success The Winter Walk of Lights saw more than 35,000 visitors in just 52 days, including several sellouts of more than 2,000 visitors in a single evening.

The show also brought a new set of visitors to Meadowlark — guests who had never seen the park before and promptly fell in love. That exposure has resulted in an increase in Garden Memberships, program attendance

and retail sales. The Atrium even booked a few weddings for couples who got engaged at the light show.

In just its third year of existence, Winter Walk saw net revenue of more than $400,000 — a significant increase over the original annual target of $120,000.

Concession sales topped $38,000 and sales of retail items and souvenirs brought in more than $17,000.

And, of course, the show has continued to innovate. New additions, including a 50-foot long lighted tunnel, glowing orbs and new wire frames are added annually. New guest experiences create a desire for guests to return every year. “We created a new holiday tradition,” NOVA Parks Executive Director Paul Gilbert says. “It’s really remarkable when you think about it. It was a fairly lofty goal and it’s been accomplished, beyond what we expected.”

Blythe Russian is the Park Operations Superintendent at NOVA Parks (brussian@ nvrpa.org).

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A look back at NRPA’s 50-year history reveals not just the journey already taken, but the path that lies ahead in our mission to support parks and recreation for all

By Sonia Myrick

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cientist and author Carl Sagan is quoted as saying, “You have to know the past to understand the present,” and by extension, glimpse the future. As we prepare to celebrate NRPA’s 50th anniversary, it presents a great opportunity to look back over the history of the association to understand how we got to where we are today.

The 1958 bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission report played a major role in crafting NRPA’s purpose and mission.

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In his “President’s Message” to the attendees of the first NRPA Congress in Washington, D.C., in October 1966, Laurance S. Rockefeller summed up the task of the newly formed association: “Briefly, our task is to help lead the way for the development of a nation-wide recreation and park system, including leadership in all phases of recreation, and to help provide a more beautiful and healthful environment for the benefit of all Americans.”

These words were spoken at a time when the country was experiencing a whirlwind of societal changes that saw youth, women, minority groups

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and people with disabilities advocating to bring down social, economic and physical barriers to equality and justice. This movement was in part ignited by President John F. Kennedy who had a vision for America that, as a result of his assassination, was carried out by then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson in his domestic program to fight poverty and racial injustice.

In the midst of all this turmoil, more and more families were hitting the ever-expanding interstate highway system, traveling to distant locations to recreate and explore the great outdoors. In 1958, in response

to the American public’s growing demand for more and varied recreational opportunities, a bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC) was established to determine the country’s outdoor recreational needs for the next 40 years. Both Rockefeller, chair of this commission, and this report would play an instrumental role in the formation of the National Recreation and Park Association.

The Experiment In August 1965, representatives from four major park and recreation organizations — the American Recreation Society (ARS), the National Recreation Association (NRA), the American Institute of Park Executives (AIPE) and the National Conference on State Parks (NCSP) — met to form the National Recreation and Park Association. The American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA), a fifth organization, was technically part of AIPE and was part of the merger until 1971 when it decided to separate from NRPA, “citing issues of staffing, identity and philosophical relationships.”

Prior to the work of the ORRRC, these organizations were primarily either privately funded volunteer associations with lay citizen leaders or professional organizations with professional leaders. Furthermore, recreation generally had been viewed as programs and services for children, youth and those interested in sports, and parks as places for passive, more solitary activity. Several of the organizations involved in the parks and recreation field had seen the value in having a unified voice and during the 1950s had tried to combine their efforts. It wasn’t until the early 60s, in response to the public’s demand for more outdoor recreational activities and the recommendations in the pre

liminary reports from ORRRC, that the timing and support for unifying these fields would perfectly align.

But the merger of these similar yet disparate organizations would not be easy.

For the NRA, the largest of the founding organizations in terms of financial resources and staff, it was very important to preserve its tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Since it was characterized as a charitable organization operating in the public interest, donors could deduct contributions as tax-deductible gifts. This was not the case for the AIPE and ARS which, for tax purposes, were classified as trade or professional organizations and whose donors were prohibited from deducting their contributions.

Determining the structure and location of the new organization also presented challenges. Members of the ARS and AIPE elected their officers and board members, whereas, members of NRA, a voluntary service organization, had no vote and committee members were appointed by recommendations from the staff. NRA headquarters was located in New York City and AIPE’s headquarters was at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia.

The consulting firm Booz, Allen and Hamilton Inc., was called in to help the association over both these hurdles. Since one of the goals was to influence public policy on a national level, it was recommended that the new headquarters be located in Washington, D.C. With regard to structure, the organization embraced its dual mission of being a voice for

Don Henkel (right), instrumental in securing approval for NRPA’s accreditation program, talks with Sal Prezioso, NRPA executive director and general manager.

the parks and recreation movement and a service to the profession. The 63 members of the initial board of trustees were reflective of the lay/ professional division: 21 lay members from the NRA board, and 21 professional and 21 lay members from the ARS and AIPE organizations.

The Architects From the outset, NRPA benefited from the leadership of a number of remarkable men and women at the executive and board level as well as on staff. The association’s first slate of executives, with the exception of the philanthropist and environmentalist Rockefeller, who was chosen to be its first president, consisted of leaders from the founding organizations: Frank J. McGinnis of AAZPA was chosen as chair of the Administrative Board with Conrad L. Wirth from NCSP (and at the time, the director of the National Park Service) as vice chair; James H. Evans, the former NRA board chair was elected chairman of the board of trustees; and Luther Gulick, chairman of the Institute of Public Administrators who had been involved with the NRA and Frank Vaydik, superinten-

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dent of the Kansas City Department of Parks who had been involved with AIPE, were made vice presidents. In order to keep its dual mission balanced and as part of the compromise negotiated during the merger talks, Joseph Prendergast, former NRA director, and Alfred B. LaGasse, former executive director of AIPE, were chosen as co-executives — Prendergast as the organization’s executive vice-president and secretary and LaGasse as its executive director and general manager.

It should be noted that the IRS did allow the new organization to be classified as a charitable organization with the understanding that, “no substantial part of your activities will consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and you will file forms 900-T if you have any unrelated business income to report imposed by Section 511.” As a result, with the exception of membership dues, all contributions made to NRPA could be fully tax deductible.

For the first 18 months of its exis-

tence, NRPA’s focus was on its internal structure and formulating strategies to meet its stated mission. After the first year, Rockefeller and Evans would step down from their respective positions, citing the heavy demands of their work, but would remain on the board. Vice President Gulick’s call for an examination of board policy and delegation of executive and routine activities led to the first reorganization of NRPA’s structure. As a result, the co-Executive Directors Prendergast and LaGasse resigned and their duties were combined into one office. Dr. Sal Prezioso would be appointed to serve as both vice president-secretary and executive director-general manager.

Prezioso had been director of parks and recreation for the city of White Plains, New York, and had the skills needed to unify the organization. He became the executive director in 1967.

The association’s architects and their accomplishments are too numerous to detail here. Suffice it to say that whatever the challenge, whether it was to grow the member-

ship, see to its financial well-being or refocus its energy, the right leadership was in place. As emphasized by two past NRPA chairs, Kathryn A. Porter (1989–1991) and Anne S. Close (1986–1988), it was never about one person. The work of NRPA was, and continues to be, a team effort.

Coming into Its Own According to H. Douglas Sessoms and Karla Henderson, authors of “The Noble Experiment: National Recreation and Park Association 1965-2005,” within the first three years of its existence NRPA was quickly becoming a national voice for parks and recreation. By the second year, they wrote: “…the Association had given nine testimonials and statements to the U.S. Congress about parks and recreation, including on the National Park Foundation Bill and the National Uniform Monday Holiday Bill. In addition, NRPA had supported the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, open space programs of the Housing and Urban Development Department, and National Foundation of the Arts and Humanities.” The trustees felt that elements of the federal-aid Highway Act of 1968 that called for minimizing highway beautification and billboard control would weaken the park protection provisions of the transportation department’s Laurance S. Rockefeller (third from right) with the leaders of the organizations that merged to form NRPA. Left to right: Frank McInnis, American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums; Frank Vaydik, American Institute of Park Executives; Stuart G. Case, American Recreation Society; James H. Evans, National Recreation Association; and Conrad L. Wirth, National Conference on State Parks.

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Claude Ahrens, center, cuts the ribbon during the 1997 dedication ceremony of NRPA’s new headquarters, the Ahrens Institute, located in Ashburn, Virginia.

1966 Organic Act, so they adopted a position in opposition to the bill.

The 1970s was a time of financial stress for the association and the country. In the mid-60s, dues made up 15 percent of the budget; the annual Congress, regional meetings and other educational activities brought in 35 percent; and contributors, grant and contracts accounted for 50 percent. By 1970, membership dues accounted for 65 percent of the budget. An aggressive fundraising effort was undertaken to help make up the loss of contributions and grants, with the goal of being completely self-sufficient by 1975.

But, this would prove to be difficult as the country was experiencing a period of high inflation that would not end until the early 1980s.

Despite its financial challenges, NRPA’s public affairs and advocacy efforts continued to make great strides. California passed Proposition 13 in 1978, which negatively impacted parks and recreation programs there, and another 26 states were considering passing similar legislation. NRPA had a hand in designing the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPRRA), which was enacted in 1979 and provided 28 cities with grants amounting to $7.5 million to renovate older urban parks. In the early 1980s, NRPA received a grant from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to develop guidelines and standards for public playground equipment. Another assessment of the country’s recreational needs and resources, similar to the ORRRC report of 1958, was undertaken in 1982.

Out of this report came the “Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines” which would be used across the country to justify community needs for recreations opportunities.

By the time it was celebrating its 25th anniversary, NRPA was again experiencing growth and enjoying a healthy financial state. Partnerships with other like-minded national organizations were instrumental in helping to spread the word about the importance of recreational outlets, particularly in urban environments. Under the leadership of NRPA staff member Don Henkel, the professional development division continued to expand, including securing approval for the association’s accreditation of parks and recreation programs from the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation. And, in 1993, Claude Ahrens, a longtime friend of NRPA, would provide a million-dollar matching fund gift to kick off fundraising to build a new headquarters for the association. This would become a reality when the Ahrens Institute in Ashburn, Virginia, was dedicated, June 27, 1997.

In Summary NRPA’s financial health would continue to wax and wane, impacted by national events such the trage-

dy that occurred on September 11, 2001, and the economic downturn of 2007. Each national election cycle would also involve continued efforts to secure government support for, and recognition of the importance of, recreation.

NRPA has faced many challenges during the course of its 50-year history, but has always maintained its original goal to serve as both a voice for parks and recreation and a support to the professionals who work to advance the field. With the addition of the Three Pillars — Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity — NRPA continues to expand its focus and build on its strong foundation. Fifty years ago, as now, questions persisted about the primary purpose of recreation and, by association, NRPA. We’re still striving to answer those questions today through innovation, advocacy, professional development and teamwork.

Here’s to the next 50 years.

Sonia Myrick is the Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine (smyrick@nrpa.org).

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ting enjoy a Attendees of the 1979 UPRA mee New York. ers, Som in Farm t tour of Muscoo

The Birth of the Urban Park and Recreation Association

By Joe Caverly

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he idea of creating a small forum where directors of parks and recreation departments in large cities could meet and help each other cope with the problems and challenges they faced started with an impromptu discussion among a group of directors at the 1971 NRPA Congress in Houston, Texas. The founding group of directors included Bob Crawford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bill Shiby, Houston, Texas; Joe Davidson, New York, New York.; Joe Curtis, Boston, Massachusetts; and me, Joe Caverly, San Francisco, California.

In 1972, Davidson started the ball rolling by organizing the first Urban Park and Recreation Association (UPRA) meeting in New York City.

Representatives from Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. all were in attendance.

The group initially agreed to limit its membership to the largest 18 cities by

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population, in the hopes that a small group would better facilitate discussion. However, by 1979, this was expanded to 30 participants as more and more cities wanted to get involved.

During that first meeting, the group decided to limit participation in the meetings to directors, the key decision makers whose influence and abilities could shape the future of their departments, as well as NRPA’s director, who the group saw as a valuable resource in the field. The group also

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decided it would act as an alliance to promote positive and realistic public policies and expand funding programs for cities. Encroachment of open space and parkland in urban areas led UPRA to call for a policy for use of parkland exclusively for recreation and park purposes and to encourage the acquisition of open space for more diverse parkland.

UPRA was an informal association with no bylaws or structure other than meeting as a group to help each other. The roundtable discussions would start with each member reporting on the status of his department; often, posing a current situation or problem affecting his community. Group members would share information based on their own experiences and offer suggestions and solutions. During these working meetings, topics included budget constraints, facility upgrades and management, crime, drugs and vandalism, access and services for all populations, as well as environmental conservation and preservation of historic assets. The group also sought

ideas to increase community support and build relationships with business leaders for alternative funding.

Federal programs and methods of funding for urban departments were often inadequate, complicated and inefficient. Although federal funding was available, it often was only applicable to summer programming and usually granted too late to implement meaningful initiatives. UPRA advocated for funding to be allocated consistently and in a cycle that would give cities the ability for long-range planning. Other funded programs were too specific and UPRA pushed for broadening the fiscal overview to include facility development and maintenance. The group consistently wrote to Congress urging appropriations for urban parks and recreation through the Land Water and Conservation Fund (LWCF).

In 1979, 10 of the largest metro county departments and park districts were welcomed to UPRA. A highlight of the gathering was that attendees got to tour several unique facilities: the Bronx River Parkway in Westchester, the first auto parkway in America; Muscoot Farm, a newly developed 777-acre interpretive farm; and Merced, the magnificent 137-acre estate of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Patterson, with its distinctive architecture, historic documents and significant art collection. A luncheon at PepsiCo Headquarters allowed the group to see the company’s state-of-the-art employee fitness center, a precursor of today’s widely popular fitness industry.

UPRA’s greatest value was the network of professional resources that developed over the years. The close relationship among the group’s members allowed for frequent interaction and advisement. There was always someone to call on if help was needed with a new idea or tough issue.

The last UPRA meeting was held at the 2008 NRPA Congress in Indianapolis and was hosted by Joe

Wynns, director of Indianapolis Parks and Recreation. UPRA then merged with NRPA’s Urban Directors Meeting and, currently, this is a full-day event that is held at the annual NRPA Conference. Sixty of the largest (by population) cities, counties and park districts, reaching out to a network of several hundred cities, participate each year.

[Ed. Note: From the early 1970s to today, NRPA has led the way for parks and recreation in the urban space. This year, NRPA launched a series of Innovation Labs (www.nrpa.org/Innovation-Labs) that gather together dozens of high-level urban park and recreation professionals and re-

lated industry partners to discuss many of the same issues UPRA originally wished to tackle. These two-day summits drill down for in-depth examinations of today’s most pressing topics, including health and economic vitality.

As our country’s landscape, and that of our field, continues to morph and change, NRPA will be ready with recommendations and solutions for the urban space and beyond. We’re honored to have laid the groundwork and excited to see what the next 50 years has in store.]

Joe Caverly is the former Commissioner of Westchester County, New York ‘s Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation (1975-1989).

Caverly’s Recollections: Building Urban Partnerships

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or me, a significant accomplishment from my involvement with UPRA occurred when, as the general manager of the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department (SFPRD), I was looking at ways to mechanize and develop a system for our park maintenance crews to work smarter and more efficiently and to be cost effective. At that time, Bill Frederickson, a director in Los Angeles, had a comprehensive study completed for that purpose, and it had good recommendations that were applicable to my department. I was told no funds were available through the mayor’s office to hire the consultant firm, but I was given the go ahead with the study if I could find funding elsewhere.

What followed was an amazing partnership with the corporate community. I went to the Blyth and Zellerbach Committee, comprised of executives of many of the leading corporations in San Francisco, presented my proposal and asked for their top people to work with me on the study. They agreed and we got to work. We met several times a month for more than a year and developed a comprehensive Plan for Action with 338 ready-to-be-implemented recommendations for SFPRD. By the time I left San Francisco in 1974, more than 200 of those recommendations had been realized. In 2002, when my wife, Mary, and I had the pleasure to revisit San Francisco, we were delighted to hear Mrs. Elizabeth Goldstein, the general manager at that time, refer to the Plan for Action as “her bible.”

As general manager, I organized and founded The Friends of Recreation and Parks for San Francisco, which is now a trust with 11 full-time employees. Today, many communities and organizations, big and small, use this not-for-profit format to raise funds. I am most thankful for the help I received from the many members of UPRA, and especially for the lifelong friendships.

Pictured left to right: former Philadelphia Commissioner Bob Crawford; Joe Caverly, then-general manager of San Fransisco Parks and Recreation; and former New York Mayor John Lindsay.

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Jim Peterson: NRPA’s First Program Chair

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ames A. “Jim” Peterson graduated from Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, in 1950 and immediately enrolled in the Department of Park and Recreation Administration at Indiana University, earning a master’s degree in 1951. Peterson has had a long, outstanding career in the park, recreation and conservation field that included serving as the program chair for NRPA’s first National Congress in Washington, D.C., in 1966. Today, he can be found helping his wife, Janice, develop their 30-acre native Indiana tree arboretum, plus an educational center named Ferndale in New Harmony, Indiana, where they focus primarily on environmental topics with 4th graders. Parks & Recreation had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Peterson, and following are his thoughts.

Parks & Recreation: Looking back, what would you say are the most noticeable differences in the field

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from when you started out compared to now?

Jim Peterson: Well, first let me say

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that while it is frequently fun to ‘look back,’ it should only happen to serve a purpose! I want everyone to realize that history is best understood when it brings value and/or change to the future. So, with that in mind, I will readily share some thoughts.

The first NRPA Congress was truly an example of how political impact plays a role in our organization.

The president of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was the keynote speaker. Three gentlemen from his cabinet gave presentations: Stewart L. Udall, Secretary of Interior; Orville L. Freeman, Secretary of Agriculture; and Robert C. Weaver, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

I appointed NRPA member, Conrad Wirth, as chairman of keynote and general session speakers. Wirth was director of the National Park Service and had been a key player in management of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). Obviously, he had a working relationship with these individuals but also could call them his friends.

I share this as an example of “working” politics, not “playing” politics.

That, to me, is one of the major changes I see within our field today.

So many of our members seem unaware of the importance of knowing their local governmental officials and/or those serving roles at the district, state and national level at the present time. It is critical. How else are those men and women going to know the needs of the parks and recreation field? It is the duty of our members to keep not only their immediate council informed, but also to reach beyond with citizen support to make certain that the staff plus the elected officials are up-to-date on programs and results.

You can’t just contact them when you need a budget increase. It must

be an ongoing, developed relationship regardless of political affiliation.

Wouldn’t it be terrific to have another American president share comments with our membership at a National Conference, affirming that our impact is being felt across the land?

P&R: Tell us about one of the most memorable moments of your career in parks and recreation.

Peterson: Well, obviously, that first Congress is easy to recall!

I had been pretty active in NRPA for my career years, and I feel one of my memorable aspects was when I worked with the accreditation committee plus the professional aspects of certifying parks and recreation professionals. Of course, it was indeed an honor to receive the Pugsley Medal at the 2014 Congress. My continued active roles after retirement added to the joy of this recognition.

I want everyone to realize that history is best understood when it brings value and/or change to the future. tension Service. It turned out that my satisfaction in these roles far surpassed any earlier dream, as I had the joy of teaching in China and Scotland, plus meeting administrators in 24 major cities as I traveled around the world during a six-month sabbatical to 19 foreign countries.

P&R: What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

Peterson: I sincerely would like to see the development of training programs in the area of political enlight-

enment. It would be a real service if sessions could be developed to demonstrate how to work with politicians and avoid playing politics.

Members need to understand how the system works!

P&R: Is there anything else you would like to share with the members?

Peterson: I’d like them to feel the absolute significance of our field to the environment, to the health and safety of others especially children, and to the quality of life our services provide.

We can take a lead from Dr. Charles Brightbill, former chair of the University of Illinois Department of Park and Recreation, who said, “A society unprepared for leisure will disintegrate even in times of prosperity.”

We have a mission to complete!

— Sonia Myrick, Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

P&R: What’s one thing you didn’t accomplish in your career that you wish you had?

Peterson: The one thing that I always thought I wanted to do was to be a parks and recreation superintendent in of one of the largest cities in the country. That was my original goal; however, after serving in those roles in Emporia, Kansas, and Evansville, Indiana, I was invited to join Indiana University as a professor in the Department of Park and Recreation Administration with a joint appointment at Purdue University as an extension specialist working with 92 counties of Cooperative Ex

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Parks & Recreation magazine: Tell us about one of the most memorable moments of your career related to NRPA? Robert Toalson: My service on the board of trustees where I had the opportunity to work with top professionals and citizens. I’d also have to include serving as president of NRPA, my internship in Philadelphia with Bob Crawford, and, finally, serving as the chairman of the professional effort to raise funds for the new headquarters. I was really surprised at the amount of money professionals gave. I asked for $1,500 over a three-year period, and quite a number of them came through that way.

Robert Toalson: NRPA’s 24th President

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obert F. Toalson attended the University of Kansas on an ROTC scholarship, graduating with a degree in political science in 1954 and was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a platoon leader and an executive officer for a Marine Detachment Afloat from 1954 to 1957, following which he received a master’s degree in park and recreation administration from Indiana University in 1958. He became a National Recreation Association intern with the Philadelphia Recreation Commission under its legendary director, Robert Crawford. Over the course of his career, Toalson was president of four organizations: The American Park and Recreation Society, The National Recreation and Park Association (1991), The Illinois Park and Recreation Association and the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration. In 1970, he became the general manager of the Champaign Park District and remained in this position until his retirement in 2001.

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P&R: What do you feel is the greatest accomplishment of your career?

Toalson: I would say serving as director of parks and recreation in Oak Park, Illinois and Champaign, Illinois. We had successful programs in those two communities, and we won four Gold Medal Awards: one in Oak Park, which was the first year the Gold Medal was given, and three in Champaign.

The other was seeing the development of the young professionals and watching their community and professional development. I am proud of the accomplishments in the communities I served; for example, the flower island program in Champaign (the flower island program was one in which businesses paid the park district for flower beds on their property and the price paid for a flower bed of the same size on public property. More than 250 flower beds were established).

We now have 300 little flower beds on corners in front of stores and in front of schools.

P&R: What do you feel is the most impactful change that’s taken place

in the parks and recreation field during the past 50 years?

Toalson: I think the funding of parks and recreation programs has certainly improved; however, they’re still low on the totem pole. If a community has to cut back on expenses, it’s

spend one year with him and then they’d go out on their own. My internship was in Philadelphia.

I worked in every department in the program and had Crawford behind me. He helped me get a job and supported me. It doesn’t cost

One of the important things about being involved is the relationships you get with citizens and professionals . . . the people you work with and friendships you form. usually in the parks and recreation area. But, I think it has improved considerably because people have come to recognize that a good parks and recreation program is important in the community.

P&R: What’s the most important issue facing the field today?

Toalson: The lack of training programs for professionals is one that needs a lot of help. For example, directors of swimming pools get background on safety issues and so forth. Programs are needed to help the directors of all park programs.

You might have a session on art in the parks, one on tree management and another on recreation programs for the community center. We’re lacking those right now.

NRPA anything, as the community paid the salary, usually a beginning salary, to the interns for a year. We set up internships in Oak Park and Champaign, and I considered it a badge of honor that the programs were sponsored by NRPA. The interns did some shadowing, but for the most part, they worked in the departments over the year’s period.

They spent time in the forestry and recreation program departments, and were responsible for some programs. An example, from my internship in Philadelphia, was my being put in charge of handling ticket sales for a baseball game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Phillies.

P&R: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the members?

Toalson: One of the important things about being involved is the relationships you get with citizens and professionals...the people you work with and the friendships you form. We have a small group — the Petersons, Winslades, Tices and Chrismans — we get together once a year. Those friendships developed out of relationships at Congress and NRPA. — Sonia Myrick, Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

P&R: What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

Toalson: I’d like to see the association do more programs for professionals that would help them in their work, and I would like to see the national internship program instituted again. I thought it was an excellent program. It started out with Bob Crawford in Philadelphia, and NRPA approved the people to

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Parks and Recreation magazine: Tell us about one of the most memorable moments of your career related to NRPA. R. Dean Tice: Our NRPA Congress in Phoenix in 2000 was the first time we got all the old-timers together to reflect back on where we’ve come. The achievements of the national organization are great, especially in fulfilling its mission of trying to bring recreation and park opportunities to all people in the country. There’s no other organization that really promotes having fun, staying healthy and caring about one another like the National Recreation and Park Association.

P&R: What do you feel is the greatest accomplishment of your career?

Tice: For the 15 years that I was the executive director, we grew NRPA into a financially stable organization.

As a result, we more than doubled the educational opportunities for our members. In addition, we were able to build and maintain a permanent headquarters, The Ahrens National Recreation and Park Institute.

R. Dean Tice: NRPA’s MostTraveled Executive Director

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Dean Tice entered the U.S. Army as an enlisted man and retired 40 years later as a Lieutenant General. During his military career, he earned a bachelor’s degree in military science and engineering and an MBA from George Washington University. From 1976 to 1983, Tice served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for personnel policy and force management, directing policy for all Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs. When he became the executive director of the National Recreation and Park Association In July 1986, he was already familiar with the association and its challenges because he had been serving on its board of trustees as the armed services representative. Tice was the most-traveled NRPA executive director, making appearances in all 50 states to promote the benefits of parks and recreation. He testified before Congress, met with U.S. presidents and White House officials, established the association’s international presence through protocol agreements with seven nations, and established standards and business practices that enabled the organization to acquire and better allocate financial resources to support its goals.

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P&R: What do you feel is the most impactful change that’s taken place in the parks and recreation field during the past 50 years?

Tice: I’d say the biggest change occurred after WWII when everybody was coming home and the country was getting back on its feet. During the war years, the country’s focus was on fighting and winning the war, and suddenly, the war ended and people began to take a look at what we could do to better the lives of the people who live here. Parks and recreation played and awfully big part in forming the kind of communities that we all look to today as wholesome places to live.

[The merger that resulted in the formation of NRPA] was called a no-

ble experiment, and it really was. It is very noble in what it accomplished and continues to accomplish. I just looked at the June [Parks & Recreation] magazine emphasizing health and wellness. What greater accomplishment can we achieve for our country than to make people do two things: see a reason to be healthy and fit, and appreciate what their community is doing for people who may not have the wherewithal to join a gym or a spa or things like that? Public recreation and parks has a great role to play because we don’t discriminate against anyone, no matter their race or their financial or physical ability.

Over my 15 years, we worked very hard to assist all people to achieve a healthy, wholesome lifestyle — youngsters, seniors, adults — and those with physical and mental challenges. So much of the population who is physically disabled or has some mental disability is excluded from participating in day-today activities. NRPA has therapeutic recreational specialists, people who can reach out and are specially trained to take care of those who have some kind of physical or mental disability, and isn’t that great?

So, you have to be proud of what the organization has accomplished.

Also, don’t forget the idea of bringing the citizen and professional together. That’s really what makes NRPA unique — what we’re trying to accomplish, we do through people.

People sometimes ask me what kind of business is NRPA in, and I say “we’re in the people business,” and don’t ever lose sight of that because if you do, you’ll soon be like the dinosaur: you’ll disappear from the Earth.

P&R: What is the most important issue facing the field today?

Tice: I don’t think the political leadership in the country, no matter what party you belong to, has

focused enough on creating opportunities for the citizens to have a wholesome lifestyle. I lived in Chicago a couple years and the south side of Chicago is not much different today than it was 40 or 50 years ago. We, NRPA collectively, were way ahead of the power curve before the public at large were on the bandwagon.

NRPA has played a big role in making communities inclusive — parks and recreation opportunities for everyone residing in the community regardless of status. Isn’t that great for the country? I came to NRPA with the experience of having been in battle, in wars, and the armed forces really coined R&R — rest and recreation. When you’re in a wartime environment and some soldiers become fatigued and challenged physically and mentally, they can be refreshed by pulling them out of harms way and putting them in a rest and recreational environment.

Such a change rebuilds their confidence and will to live. And, if one has the will to live, upon returning to battle you’ll be more concerned about your buddy on your right and left. You won’t give up. That’s why I was so enthusiastic about the importance of NRPA.

an organization and you walk into a room and find you’re the smartest one there, then you haven’t picked the right people, and you better get the hell out. I don’t think you ever ought to forget how the organization got to where it is. The quote we have on [Claude] Ahrens’ bust [at NPRA headquarters], “Leave it better than you found it,” speaks well for the organization and what it stands for. He wanted me to build the headquarters out in Iowa. He offered me 40 acres and said he’d build a building for us.

I said, “Claude, we can’t go out there.

We gotta be close to Washington. We have a whole political arena to try to be a mouthpiece for the people that are performing our business. We have to have the physical presence here.”

I get high on NRPA. It has a vital role to play in the future of our nation, the culture and the people, because we have that mission of trying to make people healthier, feel better about themselves and also have fun. Don’t forget fun.

— Sonia Myrick, Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

P&R: What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

Tice: I don’t want them to get sidetracked on a single purpose. What a great opportunity to have the collective wisdom of all the communities around the country — small and big. I would like to see them continue on that path.

No organization is any greater than its smallest member. If you ever lose sight of what your mission is, then you’re not really accomplishing what the organization was designed to do.

A famous quote that Michael Dale always used is that if you’re running

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Tony Mobley: The Youngest NRPA President

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ony A. Mobley graduated in 1960 from Georgetown College in Kentucky, where he studied physics and physical education. While at Georgetown, Mobley decided to focus on recreation for a career after taking several courses as part of the physical education curriculum.

Indiana University was recommended to him as a place to obtain a master’s degree in recreation and park administration, so he moved to Indiana and completed that goal in 1962. The following year, Mobley returned to Indiana University to complete a doctoral degree in recreation and park administration.

During the doctoral program, his interest turned toward higher education, and when Mobley graduated, he became assistant professor of recreation and park administration at Western Illinois University in Macomb in 1965. This was the start of a very illustrious academic career that led to him being appointed Dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Indiana University at the remarkably young age of 38. Mobley received the Pugsley Medal in 2006 for his outstanding leadership contributions to park and recreation education, multiple professional organizations in the field, and as executive director of the National Recreation Foundation (1978-1979).

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Parks & Recreation magazine: Tell us about one of the most memorable moments of your career related to NRPA. Tony Mobley: The most significant thing is my work with Don Henkel over a nine-year period in getting the national accrediting body to officially recognize NRPA’s accrediting program for colleges and universities. It was called the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation then and it was the accrediting body of national accrediting bodies. They recognized specialized accrediting groups, and at that point, we had the accreditation up and running for colleges and universities, but we had not gotten recognition from this group. Several people worked on getting accreditation, but Don and I were probably the two that stuck with it the longest. The meeting was held in a hotel in Chicago and I decided to go. We couldn’t say anything, but they were discussing our responses. Don couldn’t go and when they voted to approve it, I remember running out into the hallway to the nearest payphone, calling Don and telling him it’d been done.

P&R: What is the greatest accomplishment of your career?

Mobley: To see so many of the students that I’ve worked with go on to do so well in the field and all of their accomplishments, I think, are probably the greatest highlight of my career. To be able to see how well they’ve done and to follow their careers is probably one of the most rewarding things.

And, then of course, being president of NRPA was quite an honor. The president didn’t do as much then as they do now…it was more an honorary thing than it was a work thing, although there was some work to be done. Things ran pretty smoothly during my time. I was president in 1979…the youngest president at that time and the first educator to be president.

P&R: What do you feel is the most impactful change that’s taken place in the parks and recreation field during the past 50 years?

Mobley: Increased public awareness of the importance of parks and recreation in everybody’s lives — that’s one of the things we worked hard on. That was the challenge I worked on when I was involved…I think people kind of took it for granted. I remember when I was at Western Illinois before going to Penn State and then coming here to Indiana, I used to get asked to speak to a lot of the service clubs, and it was kind of “here comes the recreation guy.” You could tell they didn’t take it very seriously because these were hard-working business and professional-type guys. The attitude was, “We’ve got a program today, and this guy is going to talk about recreation.”

It dawned on me that wasn’t the way to go at it, so instead of even saying anything about recreation, I started talking about “non-worklife experiences.” And, almost immediately, I was taken seriously because they all had those things, but they didn’t want to admit to having “recreation.” That’s emblematic of what’s happened over the years and now that parks have become a big thing, recreation has become a big thing. Leisure, I think, is still the best description of the experience now, but it’s probably the most misunderstood. I always said that the mission of recreation and parks is to improve the quality of life for all of our citizens through creative, meaningful, leisure experiences. And that’s what I feel the mission is, but I’m not sure that’s understood very widely. You have to go on to explain what you’re talking about. I would probably say that that’s been the biggest change.

There’ve been a lot of changes that have developed over the years. A lot

of them have been related to economics and the political atmosphere. But, in terms of a fundamental change in the field, that’s probably it.

P&R: What is the most important issue facing the field today?

Mobley: The economic situation at the end of 2007 and then the move toward everybody wanting to pay fewer taxes and cutting back the funding for public parks and recreation. That’s forced agencies to do more with fees and charges, which then begins to exclude some of the very people that the field started with in terms of the settlement houses and San Gardens in Boston and in other major cities around the country. The other thing is that when we look at the whole field, and NRPA has done this in a way, and I can’t say it’s the wrong thing to do, but it’s gone exclusively toward public parks and recreation.

But, when you look at recreation in its broadest sense, you’re talking

about the entertainment industry, you’re talking about all the different things people do for recreation that are not done in public parks and recreation places. And, NRPA has sort of limited itself to that, and I understand why, but I think, to help people understand that it’s a much broader concept is one of the issues we need to deal with.

P&R: What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

Mobley: NRPA is becoming more like a trade association and an advocacy group, too, and that gets close to another thing I think we need: more public visibility, public awareness and advocacy. But, I’d like to see NRPA bring in more strong citizen participants and broaden the concept of recreation and parks to go beyond just public parks and recreation.

— Sonia Myrick, Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

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The

Leaders of NRPA

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or 50 years, NRPA has been dedicated to the advancement of parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people. With all of the substantial progress made in the field, thanks to efforts of the people who have contributed to NRPA over the years, it is exciting to see what is in store for our future. We look to the new generations of leaders to champion NRPA’s mission. We have so much to look forward to, particularly with these five young professionals leading the charge. — Catrina Belt, Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine

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Why did you first get involved with NRPA? I first became involved with NRPA at Congress in 2010 in Minneapolis. I attended several Armed Forces Recreation Network events and meetings where I was offered a chance to work with the leadership team as a volunteer. The opportunity, to me, was a chance to interact with professionals outside of my organization and grow both personally and professionally. I will say that the opportunities and experience I have gained through the involvement far outweighs the time I have put in.

Bo Hutchens, CPRP

Recreation Director MWR SUBASE Kings Bay, Georgia Bo Hutchens received a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management (2009) from Florida State University. He began working for MWR SUBASE Kings Bay as the Sports Coordinator that same year.

After several promotions, Hutchens currently serves as recreation director, with oversight of fitness, sports, aquatics, community recreation and all park facilities. He is active in NRPA’s Armed Forces Recreation Network and is currently serving as its chair.

What is one of the most memorable moments of your career thus far?

Without hesitation, the most memorable moment was hearing my agency’s name being called when we were announced as the Gold Medal winner last year [at NRPA Congress] in Charlotte. I have not won a Super Bowl, nor do I foresee that happening, but winning that award gave me the pride and sense of accomplishment that I think I would have winning a Super Bowl.

What are the most important issues facing parks and recreation?

I feel that parks and recreation faces a lot of the same issues that all professions face. Those issues include funding, changes in policy or rules, opportunities for growth, values and many others. Personally, I like to think that training myself to being as flexible and innovative as possible while clearly outlining my integrity and beliefs are the things I can control the most. I feel that if I do this, I can creatively overcome any obstacle in a way that I can sleep at night without remorse.

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FUTURE LEADERS

What is one of your most memorable moments of your career related to NRPA? I have been fortunate enough to participate in some unique opportunities because of NRPA…but my most memorable moment was to receive the Robert Crawford Award for the Young Professional of the Year. To be recognized by your peers in that fashion was a very gratifying moment. Not just for me, but for my agency, my former professors, and my family as well.

Shane Mize

Interim Assistant Director Missouri City Parks and Recreation Shane Mize is a husband and father of four, and is in his 11th year as a professional in the field. Mize has an undergraduate degree in sports, fitness and leisure management from Hardin-Simmons University and a master’s degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration from Western Illinois University.

What do you feel is the greatest accomplishment of your career, thus far?

And, what do you hope to accomplish in the future?

I was a part of the team that started the Young Professional Network (YPN). Going into year one, we felt the pressure of being successful right out of the gate to validate all the hard work NRPA staff had done for us. Fortunately, we had a full year before our first Congress. The first YPN meeting had easily more than 100 people in the room. I don’t remember the exact number, but the whole room was packed. That was a great moment. The YPN had arrived; we had been validated.

What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

It would be great to see NRPA on the tip of everyone’s tongue when they think of parks and recreation. I would love to see NRPA be the premier location everyone went to when they think aquatics, youth sports, athletics, parks, recreation, facility management, tourism and field maintenance. That’s obviously a lot but that’s where we are headed and what I hope for the future of NRPA.

Why is NRPA important to the parks and recreation field?

NRPA is an advocate for everything I do in my career and everything I enjoy doing in my spare time. It is my assumption that everyone feels this way.

Lindsay Labas

Marketing Director Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation Lindsay Labas’ role as marketing director includes development, implementation and management of the organization’s comprehensive marketing and promotional strategies, including public awareness of brand identity, facilities, programs and services, and evaluation. Labas is a member of NRPA’s Young Professional Network and leads the team’s social media efforts.

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What is one of your most memorable moments of your career related to NRPA? There’s this great movie out there titled “Empire Records.” And in it is a quote which has stuck with me my entire life: “I do not regret the things I have done, but those I did not do.” This is my mantra. I wouldn’t be where I am today without taking risks, making change and being a “fixer.” [One] moment with NRPA took me from being a behind-the-scenes support person to someone who was standing in front of 100plus individuals giving a presentation on a topic I didn’t study in college, but learned through job experience and key mentors. It was an opportunity presented to me that scared me and made me really nervous, but would open up doors I didn’t even know existed at the time. Becoming a resource for other agencies and marketing professionals has been a huge highlight and accomplishment for me.

What does the future of parks and recreation look like to you?

The idea of parks is hands-down one of the best ones we’ve ever had. My hope and vision is that the future of parks focuses on the preservation of the resources and wildlife found in those historical and cultural areas. Experiencing the wilderness is not something that we can share together in groups. It’s a way to escape and take in your natural surroundings. Following suit with national parks like Denali and Zion in their bus system efforts will help create a feeling of solitude, increase the wildlife viewing, and help create sustainable parks for people to enjoy, remember, and re-visit.

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Why did you first get involved with NRPA? I joined NRPA for many reasons. I got involved because I wanted to show support for the field via my membership, participate in and learn from NRPA’s ongoing education, research and advocacy efforts, and thought joining would keep me connected to the practitioner side of the field.

Keri Schwab, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Keri Schwab, Ph.D., completed her graduate work at the University of Utah in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Schwab’s current research interests focus on youth development, community recreation and scholarly teaching.

What are the most important issues facing parks and recreation today and going forward?

Logistically: funding. We all know securing funding is an ongoing challenge. Conceptually: staying connected as a field. Understanding the foundation that links our various sub-areas together is crucial to staying strong as a field. Programmatically: trying to ensure the value of what we do is known, felt and appreciated by the general public. Helping people reflect, share their stories and make meaning from leisure experiences is important so the public can see, feel and understand the value in what we do.

What would you like to see from NRPA in the next 50 years?

Continued growth — but growth in smart ways. Growth to meet the needs of members and the ability and willingness to adapt to changing populations, services, providers and needs. I would like to see additional funding for research on the benefits of recreation, and funding for marketing and sharing that information.

Why did you first get involved with NRPA? I became involved with NRPA through the Lucille and Derby Dustin Future Scholars program. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to attend the 2008 NRPA Congress in Baltimore, Maryland, and used this experience as a tool for learning about and identifying possible Ph.D. programs. I [also] became involved because of the Leisure Research Symposium. Many of the topics explored at this meeting are relevant to my interests, help to inspire my research program and provide guidance on how best to connect people of all ages to parks and protected areas.

Carena J. van Riper, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Carena van Riper‘s research and teaching focuses on the human dimensions of natural resources, particularly conservation psychology.

Van Riper holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree from the University of Vermont and a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University.

What are the most important issues facing parks and recreation today and going forward?

There are countless issues that demand attention. First, the most pressing issue, in my mind, relates to environmental impacts like climate change, the spread of invasive species and biodiversity loss that threaten environments that support outdoor activities. Secondly, I think the (dis)connection between people and the natural environment is of dire importance. I would like to see more research and teaching that foster human-nature connections and encourage people to lead active and healthy lifestyles. Transboundary conservation is probably the third most important issue from my perspective. Parks and recreation, among other disciplines, would be well-served to focus attention on identifying the factors and conditions necessary for reaching across political borders and building partnerships with local communities.

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Virginia Innovative Playgrounds Acres Park

Outdoor Fitness in Aiken, South Carolina

By Allison Abel

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or residents of Aiken, South Carolina, a gym-quality workout is as accessible and affordable as a walk in the park. Virginia Acres Park is now home to a next-generation outdoor fitness center, complete with 10 adjustable-resistance exercise units.

Outdoor fitness equipment has enjoyed growing popularity at parks, schools and military bases in recent years, but the fitness zone at Virginia Acres Park boasts the most advanced equipment yet — not only do to the machines incorporate adjustable resistance, but many of the units give resistance on both pushing and pulling actions, doubling the impact of each repetition and 74 Parks & Recreation

increasing the number of muscle groups worked with each exercise.

Situated next to a 1-mile trail, the equipment allows users to add strength training to their cardio workouts. The exercise zone consists of 10 units, including a chest press, squat, sit-up bench, leg press, butterfly, bench press and more, all of which allow for a full-body workout. Clustering the equipment

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GRANT OPPORTUNITY! together instead of spacing it out along the trail makes for a social atmosphere in which friends and family can enjoy fitness in a relaxed, unintimidating outdoor atmosphere.

The fitness zone sees a variety of users at all times of day, ranging from mothers visiting the park with their children, to people on their way to and from work, to seniors wanting to maintain their active lifestyles. Each unit offers eight levels of resistance so that individuals can customize the workout to their unique needs and abilities. In this way, the fitness center caters to a wide variety of ages and fitness levels and offers activities for demographics that often don’t use traditional park amenities.

Constrained budgets have put a tight squeeze on the recreation agencies of cities and other government entities, but outdoor gyms have provided a way for these agencies to bring fitness to their communities

without expensive overhead. An added benefit is that the outdoor gyms can be used at all hours of the day without the need for supervision by a staff person.

The safety aspect of the units’ design is second to none, as the resistance mechanism serves to prevent recoil. The units also incorporate a SafeStop feature for added user protection.

Many municipalities working toward improving the health of their communities have seen the tremendous potential that outdoor gyms hold to advance their goal. In the case of Virginia Acres Park, an outdoor fitness center with units that are technologically advanced, ensure safety for all users and serve the widest variety of participants possible has drastically enhanced the value of the park to the surrounding area and has helped the city to further advance its goal of building a better quality of life for the community.

In celebration of NRPA’s 50th anniversary, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness is excited to announce the

GO GREENFIELDS GRANTS Look for more details next month!

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Tom Sawyer’s Play Island

A Woodland Adventure at Amelia Earhart Park

By Lynn Pinoniemi

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uring the 1970s, the director for what was then the Metro-Dade Park and Recreation Department envisioned Amelia Earhart Park as an ideal location for a farm village where children could go to connect with nature and learn about animals. Nearby the farm village is a lake with a man-made island that the director wanted to turn into a “play-in-the-woods” experience.

The island was designed as Tom Sawyer’s Play Island, which is accessed via a long bridge from Amelia Earhart Park. Visitors are met with native cypress trees along the shoreline, and boulders and oak trees

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further inland. Once the island was sculpted, a few pieces of playground equipment — climbers, swings and playground slides — were added.

After almost 40 years of existence and a playground renovation in the

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late 90s, it came time for the county to update the play space with playground equipment that met new safety and accessibility standards.

Karen Cheney, landscape architect at Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, was assigned the project.

“When I got started on this project, I knew that I wanted to keep the theme of nature play,” Cheney explains. “I worked closely with Nikki Hall, my Landscape Struc-

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tures playground designer, and Rep Services, our local playground consultants, to create a play space that would complement the surrounding environment, and fit within the space and budget.”

The playground design includes the net-based Netplex™ play structure that is linked to a more traditional PlayBooster®. The posts of both playground structures are custom printed to look like tree bark, and recycled wood-grain lumber panels add to the nature-inspired play experience. Custom oak leaf balance boards, mushroom steppers and a log balance beam enhance the nature-play theme and deliver challenge disguised as fun. Even more, Smart Play®: Motion 2-5 provides age-appropriate adventures for young visitors so that entire families can spend hours exploring and playing on Tom Sawyer’s Play Island.

In addition to the play environment, Cheney worked to upgrade the surrounding land into more usable space.

The grade separation was renovated to be a concrete gravity wall that she envisioned as a balance beam for children, as well as a resting area for visitors. The floor of the nearby shelter was replaced while the original structure was untouched to keep the living roof of Resurrection Ferns intact. To ensure that the old-growth oak trees wouldn’t be harmed during the renovation, Cheney teamed up with an arborist.

“We had a few serendipitous conditions here — the existing boulders and beautiful trees,” she says. “It all came together to gel into a repurposed playground that’s distinctive. There’s a big difference between accessible and inclusive, and our goal was to make it inclusive.” To do so, she and Hall created at-grade experiences to bring kids of all abilities together.

“What I love about Netplex is that a child using a mobility device can get to it, and, depending on their upper-body strength, they can participate in some of the climbing activities as well,” Cheney says.

The playground design also delivers a multisensory experience to help kids of all abilities build various developmental skills. Plus, the landscape design — natural plant materials, boulders, etc. — engages visitors’ visual, olfactory and tactile senses.

The new playground design at Tom Sawyer’s Play Island opened in February 2015 to rave reviews. According to Cheney, the playground is wellused and everyone is excited about the completed project. “People come on weekends to spend the day at Amelia Earhart Park, and the Island has become a real prominent feature once again,” she says.

“I’ve been designing playgrounds for a long time. Placemaking is all about recognizing the history of the space, and you build from there. We focused on making this about nature play because we recognize that our kids really do have a nature deficiency.

We hope the new playground, along with our existing recreation programming, will instill a love of nature to a new generation.”

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Cre8Play

The Clubhouse at Boyce Mayview Park

Inclusively Different Play

By Lisa Annis

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he father of a child with a disability walked through the entrance of The Clubhouse at Boyce Mayview Park, just beyond the fence of a Miracle League ball field in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, looked around and said, “I thought this playground would be more inclusive than it is.”

When asked by the park’s designer, who was on hand for its unveiling, what he meant, the dad replied, “The playground doesn’t appear to be inclusive. I’m used to ground-level ramps with just a couple accessible elements.” The dad explained how the playground doesn’t appear to be inclusive. He went on to say that it doesn’t look at all like the typical inclusive playgrounds he’s used to seeing. As the dad and his child toured

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the playground with its designer, they learned that the goal, from the outset, was to make a playground that was not obviously inclusive, but rather, entirely inclusive. A play environment that would allow children with and without disabilities to engage in an intense level of play. Traditionally, accessible playgrounds consist of a number of ground-level ramps that make it possible for wheelchairs to get from here to there. The problem

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is that these playgrounds don’t truly bring together kids of varying physical abilities. The Clubhouse is a game changer. It addresses all types of disabilities through educational, physical, and sensory play to really engage and challenge all children of varying abilities. Former Pittsburgh Pirate and MLB All-Star Sean Casey spearheaded the project and set out to create a place where all kids of all abilities could play together. He formed a large team to bring an awesome space to the community of Upper St. Clair.

A number of organizations were involved in giving form to this vision.

The Casey Family Foundation, The Miracle League, Pittsburgh Pirates

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less transition between adapted and more typical playground equipment,” he says. “Most other playgrounds offer an either/or option, while The Clubhouse provides an environment that encourages interaction between two very different populations of children.” Transitional color changes throughout the decking indicate changes in elevation (ramps and steps), handrail colors were selected to contrast with their backgrounds and 3D discovery finds are sculpted as positives into the play equipment.

Many of the interactive games, such as baseball tic-tac-toe, have debossed characters. Visual impairment or not, these elements are fun and stimulating for all.

Going forward, when designing or retrofitting accessible playgrounds, the thinking needs to be

inclusively different. If we’re not pushing the envelope, we’re falling flat for inclusive play. A child with a disability wants to play with his sister, brother and friend who is not disabled and vice versa. We owe it to our children to provide ways for those with varying ability levels to play together on the same playground and engage in vigorous, educational, stimulating and exciting play. At the end of the day, all they want is to play together and have fun. According to Casey, the playground is a home run: “We knew it would be something unique and something special. We feel it’s oneof-a-kind in the country. All the pieces were made for this place, and we feel like our kids deserve something like this.”

Cre8Play

Charities, Let Kids Play and Cre8Play are just a few of a very large group of contributors. “There are always challenges when collaborating with this many contributors and sponsors. The biggest challenges are in the number of people who need to sign off on a lot of things,” commented Miracle League of South Hills Board Member Maura Rodgers.

The end result is a very meaningful play environment and a place that will be cherished for generations to come. The “glue” (think Crazy, not Elmer’s) in this case was the vision, the one thing that bonded all parties involved. The Clubhouse involved many passionate people who shared a laser-focused vision “to create a catalyst for learning through play and, more importantly, learning through play for all children, with and without special needs, where they would naturally play and grow together,” Rodgers says.

Inclusiveness is evident in the detail of every piece of equipment in the playground. It includes elements such as interactive games strategically positioned at varying heights, stainless steel slides to address cochlear implants and wheelchair accessibility at much higher elevations than the traditional inclusive playground. Other features included rail-guided play equipment for kids with walking impairments, a Cozy Cocoon by Playworld for children with autism and a Cre8Play baseball glove transferaccessible climber.

The Clubhouse also includes elements that address children with vision impairments. Ben Brilmyer, M.S., CAPE, adapted physical education teacher for the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, was blown away by the design. “Nowhere else have I seen such a seam-

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Dove Springs Park

Playscape for Austin, Texas Neighborhood

By Kent Callison

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he recently opened NatureGrounds playscape at Dove Springs Park in Austin, Texas, helps to reconnect children and families with nature.

Designed in conjunction with landscape architects from TBG Partners, along with guidance and support from the Austin Parks Foundation, Natural Learning Institute, National Wildlife Federation and Austin Parks and Recreation, the playscape is accessible for children and adults of all abilities and features a massive, custom treehouse. There are animals sculpted into the structure inside and out, encouraging exploration and discovery as children climb, balance and slide throughout the structure. There is a smaller clubhouse-themed play system for younger children that features recycled plastic lumber, as well as plenty of swings and other motion play activities.

The playground at Dove Springs Park is the result of strategic, collaborative partnerships and for-

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ward-thinking community leaders, all focused on making life better for the children and families of this

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community. “This project began with the brainstorming process of design professionals, but was inspired by models made by children as part of a nature program here at Parks and Rec,” says Marty Stump, division manager at the city of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. “Many of the kids here today were part of that process.”

Integrated with the manufactured equipment are multiple naturalized areas for play and exploration. The design of these natural-play elements was informed by the research

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of the Natural Learning Institute and their NatureGrounds program.

Developed in conjunction with PlayCore, NatureGrounds is a comprehensive program that provides best-practice guidelines for creating and retrofitting play environments that integrate manufactured play equipment and the living landscape for parks and school grounds.

A dry creek bed runs throughout the play areas, promoting loose parts play during dry periods and water exploration during the rainy times. Native plantings, such as trees, shrubs and grasses, were added to create comfort, visual interest and additional play value. Overseeing the naturalization efforts was Allen Cooper, of the National Wildlife Federation, who stated: “We are committed to reconnecting children in America with nature, and this project is part of our strategy to assist and create natural play areas so children and families can connect with nature close to their homes.”

One of the most exciting features of the park is the 100-foot-long SkyRun zip line that allows children to experience the sensation of flight across the playground in a compliant way. Ladye Anne Wofford of

the Austin Parks Foundation was particularly excited about bringing this activity to the park. “I love that the children have an opportunity to take some ‘risk’ — taking a little bit of risk helps children become adults,” she says.

“Dove Springs has always been a popular park,” says Stump, “but particularly on the weekends now, we’ve seen a pretty significant increase. Within the play area design we wanted to integrate seating areas, picnic areas and family gathering spaces that would give people a place to be, not just kids playing in the playground separate from a family experience, but really an integrated environment for families to enjoy. We knew it would be a precedent-setting playground for us and that other neighborhoods would want the same sort of thing and we’re beginning to hear and see that.”

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Playform 7

Interactive Art Inspires Imaginative, Open-Ended Play

By Michael Laris

T

here is an Alice in Wonderland sculpture in New York City’s Central Park, and Alice’s arms, the tops of the toadstools and the tips of the rabbit’s ears shine as if just made. Why? First, it’s loved and climbed on by children every day. Is it made to climb on? No. Does it meet the stringent safety standards? No. But, many children still do scale the structure; my children have as well. Alice in Wonderland is not an anomaly; there are many sculptures that attract this type of attention and activity. There is also a history of artists and designers who made special things for children to play on.

PlayForm 7 is an example of a play sculpture, an interactive art

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piece designed to be played on from its inception. Play sculptures are

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safe and challenging. They are aesthetically pleasing with a balanced design and are made to interact with people of all ages. Play sculptures provide a strong visual impact and identity and have a clean, modern look and feel, commonly associated with commissioned public art pieces on display throughout the world, enhancing the public spaces around them.

PlayForm 7 is inspired by rolling

SPECIAL SECTION: INNOVATIVE PLAYGROUNDS

Play sculptures combine play functions and aesthetic forms to transform any space — the ultimate play experience with the appeal of art. landscapes with peaks and valleys that invite everyone to explore it.

This play sculpture blurs the line between play and art, to create a play piece with appeal across generations, while maintaining an aesthetically enticing design. It was created with a simple goal in mind: play for all, any age, any ability. PlayForm 7 appeals to people’s sense of wonder and prompts the question, “What is that?” Children and adults can sit, stand, climb, hide, balance, crawl under or lay within its collection

of deconstructed spaces. Inspired by the work of sculptor Alexander Calder, it’s a signature piece for a park and makes a statement in the community.

Play sculptures lack the features of traditional playground equipment. There are no posts and platforms, no play events with predetermined functions and no roofs or walls. Playform 7 is designed with

an intentional hierarchy of material and form — strong, straight steel pipes, swaying slacklines of rubber FlexTreads, bamboo or translucent-colored panels and a touch of rope that offers an extra handhold when needed. Each material is selected and deliberately detailed for easy assemble and maintenance.

Play sculptures combine play functions and aesthetic forms to transform any space — the ultimate play experience with the appeal of art. This truly unique play sculpture provides multiple play experiences that encourage cognitive and creative development, social and emotional interaction, and physical challenges with multisensory, tactile experiences.

PlayForm 7 is open and inviting, a democratic sculpture for the 21st Century. An entire community can gather, play, discover and enjoy being together. Because that is what’s most important about a play space.

It’s the last frontier where children can be together, face-to-face, connected in the present moment.

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Play

with Psychological Payoff Playing with attunement and brain psychology in mind can turn a trip to the neighborhood playground into an important tool for child development

By Samantha Bartram

Y

ou may not remember your life as a three-year-old child. It’s natural — after all, that was a long time ago and life changes significantly as we age. Still, some of your most critical developmental milestones occur around that age — constructing sentences, running, engaging in make-believe and many others, including attuning to your caregivers. This lattermost process goes both ways, of course — attunement also includes the process of a caregiver focusing on a child’s vocalizations, body language and facial expression in order to understand what he or she needs, wants and feels.

Exciting new innovations in playground design and manufacturing, coupled with increasing attention on the science of play, are introducing new and beneficial ways for generations of family to develop deep, meaningful bonds through play.

Look Me in the Eye “When mother and infant face each other — and the infant is old enough

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to have a nice smile — when their eyes meet there is a mutually joyful expression,” says Dr. Stuart Brown, founder and president of the National Institute for Play. “That rhythmic union is what I would call attunement.”

Any piece of playground equipment that allows for face-to-face contact — see-saw, multiple-occupancy swing, some spinners — can aid in attunement, but not all are

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available to a wide range of users.

Swings at least allow for some level of multigenerational play, as many grandparents are able to push a baby in a bucket-style swing or (unsafely) sit on a larger swing while holding a toddler in the lap. But, this does nothing for attunement, as eye contact cannot be achieved.

Tom Norquist, senior vice president at GameTime, had long been pondering the play mechanics of traditional swings. “Having studied children swinging for years…you see that when you put a toddler in a full-bucket seat, and the adult normally pushes form behind, that interaction is not as desirable,” Norquist says. Working with his students at Auburn University’s Industrial De-

sign Department and inspired by Brown’s book Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, Norquist sought to create what his company has now revealed as the Expression Swing.

“The really significant difference in this particular invention is it’s a parent-child or a caregiver-child experience,” Norquist says.

Inspired Design The Expression Swing’s design includes a bucket seat for children with an adult swing seat that allows the caregiver and child to interact with each other and observe each other’s facial expressions during play. Additionally, it allows for what Brown describes as “3D movement.” “If you take a 14-month-old child, massive things are happening in brain development at that time,” he says. “Related to exploration and movement the child…has a lot of urge to move within 3D space, with gravity being part of the equation. The design of this swing allows the flexibility to have face-toface mixed-age play occur in a climate of 3D movement. That is stimulatory for good things going on in the brain.

If you have socially comfortable children who are safe and well fed, and they engage in 3D movement in climate of play, it lights up their brain and is incredibly good for them.”

The swing went through three years of development and rigorous safety testing before its reveal in April of this year. Norquist himself participated in the testing, putting the Expression model through its paces with his own three-year-old granddaughter. “Her favorite thing to do is to swing with Papa T.,” he says. “We look at each other, we talk, we have eye-to-eye contact — it’s very genuine and hard to describe. I can tell you emotionally it

is one of the most riveting things that has happened to me in my life.”

A Larger Mission GameTime’s Expression Swing is innovative, yet the science underpinning its emphasis on attunement, and informing its embrace of psychology, is time-tested. Its release also comes at a time when play, its benefits and the consequences of depriving a child of play is under increased scrutiny. Nature-themed and adventure playgrounds are very much in vogue, with their emphasis on organic play, problem solving and good old-fashioned utility for blowing off steam.

Conversely, and simultaneously, the act of play is being suppressed in communities across the country. In January, some elementary schools in Orange County, Florida, came under scrutiny for eliminating recess in favor of more study time, leaving parents to worry over their kids getting adequate exercise or becoming too restless. Similar measures have been taken in Alabama, Wisconsin, Nevada and other states.

According to Brown, such measures are recipes for disaster. “A close look at the biology and neuroscience of play reveals it to be a fundamental survival aspect of all social mammals,” he writes in a June, 2014 blog for the National Institute for Play.

“The linkages from the objective findings in animal play deprivation to the clinical findings in humans are, as yet, unproven. However, the physiology and anatomy is similar, and the inability of play-deprived animals to deter aggression or to socialize comfortably with fellow pack members is demonstrable. The remediation of these socialization deficits in the animals by inclusion of play…reveals the effectiveness of play as a means

of achieving more social normalcy and nonviolent alternatives...”

To put it simply, play is important for healthy psychological development. “When a child is not allowed to play, is over-controlled by a parent, etc., and the urge to play and be free from within is stopped, whether from illness, poverty or other circumstances, there are real consequences that occur,” Brown continues in his interview with Parks & Recreation. “In an adult you can track play depravation and relate it to mood shifts, rigidity in thinking…The importance of early attunement play spans a lifetime.”

As play research and child psychology continues to inform how we view recess time and the value of a good teeter-totter session at the local park, both Norquist and Brown foresee a trend sweeping the playground equipment manufacturing industry that will beget many more mindfully created products like the Expression Swing. “GameTime has invested a tremendous amount of time and research behind the scenes, and I hope this drives other [companies] to improve methodologies to include this kind of research,” Norquist says.

Samantha Bartram is the Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine (sbartram@ nrpa.org).

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The Penalosa Effect

Gil Penalosa, through his 8 80 Cities initiative, is helping to change the way the world uses and builds its cities

Gil Penalosa walks the walk — or, in this case, cycles it — using his bicycle to traverse Toronto’s busy, vibrant streets. Multimodal transportation is a cornerstone of Penalosa’s vision of cities that work for everyone, regardless of age or level of ability.

By Samantha Bartram

A

t this pivotal moment in NRPA’s history, we’re evaluating how best to communicate our values and goals for the field of parks and recreation. We’re asking ourselves, how can we help our members demonstrate the importance of the nutrition programs, fitness offerings, community support initiatives and leisure opportunities they champion? What are the words we must utter to grab the attention of municipal leaders who hold the financial keys to our field’s success? What anecdote must we tell to help our members and constituents understand that we must, in the words of Gil Penalosa, “go from talking, to doing?”

The Bogotá, Columbia, native and current Toronto, Canada, resident may not have all the answers, but he

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sees their hazy outlines from the vantage of his big-picture window. Penalosa sees cities designed with peo-

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ple, not cars, in mind. He makes the connection between walkability and reduced heart disease. He sees that by increasing opportunities for safe, multimodal transportation, we can reduce the number of cars on the road and help mitigate air pollution. He understands that communities with safe, open green spaces, parks, playgrounds and comfortable gathering spots have less crime, higher property values and a greater sense of connectedness.

Penalosa first demonstrated this var-

ied and holistic view of parks, recreation and healthy, vibrant communities while serving as commissioner of parks in Bogotá, Columbia. During the late 1990s, he successfully led the design and development of more than 200 Bogotá-area parks and initiated New Ciclovia/Open Streets — a program that sees more than 1 million people walk, run, skate and bike along 121 kilometers of Bogotá’s city roads every Sunday.

Today, as Founder and Chair of the Board of 8 80 Cities (the firm’s name is a nod to Penalosa and his team’s philosophy of engineering all cities in a way that would be equally safe and useful for both 8-year-olds and 80-yearolds, and, by default, everyone in between), as well as Chair of the Board for World Urban Parks, Penalosa advises decision makers and communities on how to create public spaces that serve everyone regardless of social, economic or ethnic background. His focus on street and park design and multimodal transportation, including walking, cycling and public transit, is bounded by concerns of public health and climate change, and it is in these terms that Penalosa makes his impassioned arguments for a sea change when it comes to how we’re engineering modern living spaces.

Ahead of his keynote address at the Opening General Session of the 2015 NPRA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Parks & Recreation asked Penalosa to expand on his work and philosophy, including his tactics to move from talk to action.

public health, etc.? Talk about how all these themes are connected.

Gil Penalosa: Unfortunately, many city leaders perceive parks and recreation just as fun and games. It is much fun and lots of games, which in itself is very important. But, it is also about creating competitive cities with healthy communities where all people will live happier. The benefits include a cleaner environment, better physical and mental health, and more economic development. I feel that we, parks and recreation people, have not always done a good job of communicating this holistic view and its benefits.

P&R: What are the key areas on which you and 8 80 Cities are focused?

Penalosa: We must create great cities for ALL. What if, everything that we did in our cities, including the parks, community centers, roads, sidewalks, libraries, etc., had to be great for an 8-year-old and for an 80-year-old? If they are good for the 8 and the 80, then they are going to be good for

all, from zero to over 100. The 8 and 80-year-old are a great “indicator species” for how we build our cities.

We must stop building cities as if everyone is 30 years old and athletic.

P&R: How do you suggest municipal and park and recreation leaders overcome political hurdles to the kind of initiatives advocated by 8 80 Cities?

Penalosa: We must demand decisions based on the general interest, which must prevail over the particular one. Change is not easy, and it does not happen by consensus. It seems easier to do nothing new, just more of the same, even if a bit better.

Nevertheless, we need to do things right but we also need to do the right things, and in many cases it requires change. In the public sector, citizens pay us every other week to get things done, not to have 20 excuses why things “could not be done.” We must become champions at finding solutions to problems and not problems to solutions.

This Bogotá, Colombia, park is one of more than 200 that Gil Penalosa helped design and develop in his role as the city’s commissioner of parks.

Parks & Recreation magazine: Why is it so critical to take a holistic view of planning and public health? Why should municipal leaders, including parks and recreation professionals, care about how a city is developed and about conservation,

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population. What is most difficult to agree on is in the how, but if we have a shared vision along with strong agreement on the symptoms and benefits, we can move forward and succeed.

P&R: What speaks to politicians and what speaks to citizens when it comes to creating 8 80 Cities; that is, are there any “magic words” that really get their attention and make them listen?

Penalosa: Benefits. Doable. Urgency.

The “doability” and sense of urgency speaks to all, but the benefits are individualized according to the priorities of the specific person: economic development, public health, recreation, environment, etc.

P&R: In that same vein, how do you overcome intractability in the public sector — how can we get people engaged enough to demand from their leaders changes like those you recommend?

Penalosa: We must evaluate a city by how its most vulnerable citizens are treated: the children, the older adults, the poor and people with disabilities.

The solutions to have great cities with fantastic parks and recreational services along with sustainable mobility are not technical or financial; they are political. Everyone must get involved.

P&R: You say “change is hard,” and we all know people resist change, even at its easiest. How do you overcome these attitudes to get citizens and leaders to join together, prioritize and get to work?

Penalosa: We need to focus on the symptoms and on the benefits, more than the change itself. It’s easier to build broad alliances around the symptoms — obesity, physical and mental health issues — as well as on the benefits — having a healthier and happier 90 Parks & Recreation

P&R: It seems like common sense that the topics you point to as needing attention (climate change, economic crises, health concerns) should foment a sense of urgency on their own — why do you think that sense develops in some cities and not in others?

Penalosa: Because it is easier to do more of the same than to change. Unfortunately, considering the elements that you mentioned, it seems like we are facing a perfect storm: climate change, economic crisis, health crisis and others like population growth, living longer (much longer), means that doing more of the same even if a little better is NOT good enough.

Too many politicians have as a No. 1 priority to get reelected and will not make difficult decisions if those decisions are not popular. At the same time, many city staff members have the perception that the easiest way to move up the ladder is by not rocking the boat, not being innovative and not creating change. Citizens can no longer be spectators — they need to

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participate and work with politicians and city staff who want to do what is right, not necessarily what is easy.

P&R: What’s the single largest challenge you see as you go about your important work?

Penalosa: Creating a sense of urgency. Around the world, the population living in cities will double from 3.5 billion to more than 7 billion in just 35 years. The population of the United States in the same period will grow by more than 100 million which means that 40 million homes will have to be built. We need to improve the current communities, but we also need to create great communities for 100 million people, with parks within walking distance, bikeways, public transit, etc. There is not much time to think. We must do.

P&R: What are some simple changes citizens and parks and recreation leaders can implement now that will help put their locale on track to becoming an 8 80 City?

Penalosa: I want to suggest two actions that could be transformative: One is to make sure that every American child living in an urban or suburban area (more than 85 percent of the population) has a park and/or play area within a short walk. Ideally, it should be a park, but if not possible immediately, then it can be a school playground, or even a street dedicated to play. And two is to realize that successful parks are not an issue of design and construction but of management, uses and activities. It seems that in many cities it’s easier to find the millions to build a park than the thousands to make them work.

Samantha Bartram is the Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine (sbartram@ nrpa.org).

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2015 NRPA Annual Conference Exhibit Hall Highlights

By Ted Mattingly

I

n order to take in everything and experience the NRPA 50th anniversary celebration, you will definitely need to schedule plenty of time on the show floor.

The 2015 NRPA exhibit hall has something for everyone, from the exciting exhibitor displays, the EXPOdition exhibit hall scavenger hunt, gift card and cash giveaways, and interactive geographic information system (GIS) demonstrations, to evening networking receptions with food and drinks, and a meet and pet with our friend Lassie, the rough collie from the similarly named, popular TV show.

On Tuesday, September 15, following the Opening General Session, the exhibit hall will open at 10:30 a.m. in Shoreline A&B, located on the 2nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center. The exhibit hall will remain open until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and reopen for the Exhibit Hall Reception from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, the exhibit hall will be open from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

(413) — very cool prizes to be had at the raffle drawing Wednesday afternoon — $100-$200 American Express gift card drawings every hour on the hour, Human Bowling, Bubble Racing, an inflatable golf driving range

by SNAG Golf (prizes to be won), the bike and skateboard pump ramp sponsored by American Ramp and, let’s not forget, the Leisure Park sponsored by our local host agencies.

Networking Fun During the Tuesday evening Exhibit Hall Reception, we invite you to network and enjoy some fun activities on the show floor, including an illusion by the magician Greg Devereaux, along with food and drinks. Burke Playgrounds (413) will start the evening with a cool-looking giveaway for the first 1,000 delegates, so be sure to get there on time. Two lucky attendees will walk away with $500 in our cash drawings sponsored by Toro (1147), and Lassie will demonstrate a disaster supplies relay race. We will also have many other interesting activities, drawings and giveaways provided by the other exhibiting companies.

Other events not to be missed are the EXPOdition exhibit hall scavenger hunt sponsored by Burke Playgrounds

Engaging, Hands-on Activities The entire exhibit hall will be filled with engaging, hands-on activities as well as interactive educational opportunities at most every corner of the show floor. More than 400 exhibitors will be there, showcasing the latest and greatest equipment, products and services for you to check out and get great ideas from to take back to your respective agencies. Back by popular demand, The Learning Playground (1275), adjacent to the Member Celebration area at the back center of the hall, will be host to our six most interactive educational sessions (253) that are guaranteed to get you up and out of your seat — make sure to try the Spatial GAMES at warp speed — Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. We are also bringing back our GIS Interactive Virtual Park display

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so you can learn about cutting-edge mapping technologies from experts in the field. In addition to the regularly scheduled sessions in Learning Lab Engage (2051) and the Glass Room Sessions (712) — check www. nrpa.org/Conference2015 for dates and times — you should also explore the functionality of NRPA’s PRORAGIS GIS database.

Meet the NRPA Team Come meet the NRPA team in the Member Celebration area (1471).

We’ll have a number of fun activities for you: Get your tweet on about all the fun and excitement at the conference on our giant Twitter wall, take a chance and see what might blow your way in the Party Vault, spin the Celebration Wheel for instant prizes and a chance to be entered into our grand finale drawing, play games at our affinity partner booths, roll the dice for a chance to win a free 2016 NRPA Conference full registration package, check out Devereaux Rising, our strolling, close-up magician, Guess the Stress to win an IPAD Mini, or just relax in the Member Celebration lounge and enjoy all the excitement! While you’re there, we can also show you how to maximize your member benefits and how our affinity partnerships can further enhance your membership value. And, don’t leave the area without picking up your commemorative 50th anniversary NRPA lapel pin. We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

Ted Mattingly is NRPA’s Director of Facilities and Administrative Services (tmattingly@nrpa. org).

Exhibit Hall at a Glance

Exhibitor name

The exhibit hall at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference features hundreds of our industry’s top vendors and experts from across the field and around the country. Below, find a list of exhibitors that will join us in Las Vegas this September. This listing is current as of July 10, 2015, and is subject to change.

Check your program guide, our handy Conference App or visit www.nrpa.org/ Conference2015 for updates and details.

Exhibitor name

Booth #

829 Studios

2072

9 Square In The Air

1863

ABC Trading Solutions Academy of Model Aeronautics

571 2349

Acapulco Pools

901

ACCESSREC LLC

2339

Action Park Alliance

446

Action Play Systems LLC

2039

ACTIVE Network

2033

Adventure Playground Systems Inc. 1051 Aflex Technology AGCO Corp.

2076 465

AllChem Performance Products

1971

American Park Network

2170

American Ramp Co.

923

American Red Cross

1965

Americana Building Products

323

Ameristar Perimeter Security

623

AmpliVox Portable Sound Systems

459

Anchor Audio, Inc.

2138

Aon Association Services

1587

AquaClimb 2323 Aquamentor 2333 Aquatic Design Group

500

Aquatic Recreation Co.

747

Aquatics International

2225

Arizona Mound Co.

600

ASA/USA Softball

914

Astroturf 2414 Athletic Business Media Inc.

861

Automated Batting Cages

2115

AV Now Fitness Sound

1873

Background Investigation Bureau

729

Basinger Audio Systems

2516

Batting Cages Inc.

1759

Beacon Athletics

2023

Berliner 1553

Exhibitor name

Booth #

Berntsen International Inc. 1764 Bigbathouse.com 1978 Bio-Buddy 1002 Bison Inc. 722 Blick Art Materials 2322 Blue Sombrero 1012 Bobcat/Doosan Co. 1959 Book King Software 2351 Box Hockey International Inc. 223 Bragmaia 2265 Bright White Paper Co. 432 Brinkley Sargent Architects 763 BSN Sports 2032 Bubble Bowling by Inflatable 2000 1571 Burke Playgrounds 413 California Sports Surfaces 2314 CampDoc.com 1010 Carsonite Composites 2038 Cedar Forest Products Co. 863 Cemer Kent Ekipmanlari San. ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. 1651 Cemrock 2259 Century Industries LLC 1015 CEW Enterprises/Sport Fence International 973 Chemtrol 2261 CityReporter 1972 Classic Recreation Systems Inc. 638 ClearShelf 963 Collette Vacations 1975 Colorado Time Systems 1738 Commercial Recreation Specialists 2346 Community Works Design Group 470 CommunityPass 513 Contech Engineered Solutions LLC 2316 Convergence LLC 2270 Corworth/Restroom Facilities Ltd. 2315 Counsilman Hunsaker 1005

Booth #

CourtClean 670 Coverworx - Recreational Architecture 2238 Cre8Play 2047 Creative Tent International Inc. 1064 Criss Cross Collision Course by Inflatable 2000 211 Criterion Pictures 859 CSI Software 2070 CXT Concrete Buildings 1155 Cybex International 1853 Cylex Signs 2341 Daktronics 1053 DASH Platform 2013 Deacero 2249 Delta UV 1001 Dero 1432 Disc Golf Association Inc. 2338 Disc Golf Park 2423 Doggie Walk Bags Inc. 2171 DOGIPOT 1847 Dog-ON-It-Parks 627 Douglas Sports Equipment 522 DuMor, Inc. 1462 Durplastics S.A. 771 Dynamo Playgrounds 637 Easi-Set Worldwide 405 Easton Foundations 724 EasyTurf 1663 Eckel Industries Inc. 2081 Eco-Counter 2438 Emuamericas LLC 311 ERC Wiping Products Inc. 1875 eTrak-plus 2140 Everlast Climbing 1430 Eversan 746 Excel Dryer Inc. 338 EX-CELL KAISER LLC 1072 Exergame Fitness 2147 Extreme Engineering 970 FacilityDude 1063 Fast Corp.

317 Fibar Systems 625 Finals, The 1660 Fitix 809 Fitness on Demand 423 FlagHouse 1164

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Exhibitor name

Booth #

FlexGround Inc.

1962

ForeverLawn Inc.

962

Fossil Industries

2347

Fountain People

1640

Freenotes Harmony Park

917

FreshPark 2253 Fun Express - a subsidiary of Oriental Trading Co.

1786

FunAir 450 GameTime 1622 Gared Sports

826

GatorBridge & GatorDock

2348

Gifts Galore

2074

Gill Athletics

2215

Glasdon Inc.

2260

Go Ape Treetop Adventure Graffiti Solutions Inc.

924 2029

Grand Slam Safety

671

Green Seattle Partnership

353

Greenfields Outdoor Fitness Inc.

1035

GreenFields USA

435

GT Grandstands

1538

GymWipes-2XL Corp.

2365

HALSEY TAYLOR

1560

Hellas Construction Inc.

2163

Henderson Recreation Equipment 1833 HGACBuy 430 Hitchcock Design Group Houck Design

1260 333

HydroBikes 340 ICON Shelter Systems Inc.

1753

ID Edge

1760

Imprint Plus

1162

Inflatable 2000 Inc.

1773

INNOVA Disc Golf

2046

Intelligent Products Inc.

1771

Intelligenz 1952 International Mulch Co. iZone Imaging

959 2232

Jacobsen 523 Jayhawk Plastics Inc. Jaypro Sports LLC

754 655

John Deere, Co.

1879

JUGS SPORTS

1976

Kay Park Recreation Corp.

616

Key Log Rolling

636

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Exhibitor name

Booth #

Kidz Love Soccer 460 Kirby Built 765 KOMPAN Inc. 547 Kwik-Covers 1851 Lake Country Corp.

1846 Landmark Studio & Design 909 Landscape Structures Inc. 847 Leslie Jordan 1859 Lincoln Aquatics 2015 Links Technology 1076 Little League Baseball & Softball 915 Little Tikes Commercial 1022 Livin The Dog Life - Dog Parks 817 LTR Products 1662 Major Display Scoreboards 1009 Marchem Polyurethane Systems 2229 Mask US Inc. 602 Massage Park sponsored

by Otto Trading 507 Mateflex 748 Maximum Solutions Inc. 1949 Maxi-Sweep Inc. 2416 Meglio Unionland Co. Ltd 551 Midwest Elastomers Inc. 911 Miracle League Association 958 Miracle Recreation 1022 Mirimichi Green Express LLC 972 Miroad Rubber USA 2417 Mity Lite 1970 Most Dependable Fountains Inc. 1146 Murdock Mfg. 1661 Musco Sports Lighting Inc. 1135 MyRec.com 1864 NamePlace Inc. 515 Nanjing Wande Play Facilities Co. Ltd. 247 NASCO 1100 National Alliance for Youth Sports 1074 National Association of Sports Commissions 1974 National Construction Rentals 750 National Cooperative Leasing 916 National Golf Foundation 2124 National Joint Powers Alliance 922 National Purchasing Partners Government Division (NPPGov) 2214 National Recreation Systems 1732 New Line Skateparks Inc. 517

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Exhibitor name

Booth #

Nicros Climbing Walls 2239 Nirbo Aquatic Inc. 709 No Fault Sport Group 730 Noble Communications 2113 Northern Arizona University 1883 NRPA 2015 Career Center 1371 NRPA 2016 Annual Conference Exhibit Sales Office 1374 NRPA Glass Room Education Sessions 712 NRPA Learning Lab - Engage 2051 NRPA Learning Lab - Experience 451 NRPA Learning Playground 1275 NRPA Member Celebration 1471 NUVIS 401 Orca Coast Playground Ltd. 871 Original Watermen 462 Otto Trading Inc. 612 Otto Trading Inc. 351 Outdoor Aluminum Inc. 1161 Paris Equipment Manufacturing Limited 1259 Park & Sports Inc. 425 ParkInk 2223 Parks & Recreation magazine 1271 Parks Build Community 1473 PDC 647 Pentair 2361 PerfectMIND 1247 Pet and Playground Products 439 Pet Waste Eliminator 2212 PFIC 1973 Pilot Rock Park Equip./ RJ Thomas Mfg. Co. 1947 Pioneer Bridges 2263 Plastex Matting Inc. 2165 Plastic Recycling of IA Falls 1562 Play & Park Structures 1223 PlayCore 1522/1534 Playcraft Systems 936 Player Development Products (SNAG Golf ) 2207 Playground Professionals 2161 PlayGuard Safety Surfacing 723 PlaySafe LLC 1460 Playtime Playground Equipment 406 Playworld Systems Inc. 1822 Poligon 1647

Exhibitor name

Booth #

PolySoft Pty. Ltd. 501 Porous Pave Inc. 727 Porter Athletic 2217 Power Systems 1440 PowerFresh Kids 403 Precision Playgrounds 347 Premier Polysteel Outdoor Furniture 2210 Profitable Food Facilities 2240 Progressive Trail Design LLC 903 ProMinent Fluid Controls Inc. 815 Public Restroom Co. 1933 Pump Track Sponsored by American Ramp Co. 601 Qitele Group Co. Ltd. 735 QNC Inc./Quik n’ Crispy 2264 Q-Star Technology 1870 QuickScores LLC 1062 Rain Bird Corp.

2122 Rain Drop Products LLC 659 Rain Out LLC 2324 Randolph Rose Collection 823 RB Rubber Products Inc. 2231 RCP Shelters Inc. 2128 REACH 360 REC1 1872 RecDesk Software 1979 RECPRO Software 1765 Recreation Accessibility Consultants LLC 1586 Recreation Management magazine 1950 Recreonics Inc. 2028 REI Corporate Sales 1877 RenoSys Corp.

2234 Robertson Recreational Surfacing/TotTurf 1632 Rosta USA Corp.

2071 Rubber Designs powered by Rainbow Turf Products 665 S&S Worldwide Inc. 1459 Safe Sitter 2262 Safeslide Restoration 503 Sagamore Publishing 1070 San Jose University 1986 San-Ei Corp.

2336 Save the Children 1078 SCORE SPORTS 2126 Scoremaster Goals 1463

Exhibitor name

Booth #

Security Lines US 2271 Shade Creations by Waterloo 1150 Shade ‘N Net of Arizona 2355 Shade Systems Inc. 1747 Skylogix 1762 SnapSports Inc. 865 Sof’Solutions Inc. 1948 SofSurfaces Inc. 829 Sol Powered By Carmanah 1977 SpectraTurf 759 Spectrum Aquatics 1540 Sport Court 1262 SportaFence Marketing Enterprises 1848 Sportifik LLC 1003 SportsPlay Equipment Inc. 862 Springfield College 1887 Square 965 SSCI - Operation TLC2 National Background Checks 540 Stageline Mobile Stage Inc. 2061 Stantec’s Sport Group 2337 Star Trac 559 Stern-Williams Co. Inc. 1946 Strider Sports International 731 SUBWAY® 2027 Sun Ports 1102 Superior Recreational Products 1347 Surface America Inc. 960 SUTERA USA LLC 464 Swank Motion Pictures 538 Sybertech Waste Reduction Ltd. 971 Synthetic Turf International 565 TCPN - The Cooperative Purchasing Network 558 TensionStructures.com 331 The Hanson Group 2216 The Lifeguard Store 2111 The Monster Mural 2123 The Park Catalog 1832 The Sports Facilities Advisory|The Sports Facilities Management 2073 The Toro Company 1147 The Triax System 2358 Themed Concepts 1362 Think Green Promos 1564 THS Company 2360 TMA Systems LLC 1558

Exhibitor name

Booth #

Towelhub.com 1871 TriActive America

1359

Trigon Sports

2364

True Pitch

2114

Tuff Coat Mfg. Inc.

502

Twenty Six Design

349

Tyler Technologies

2222

Ultimate RB Inc.

1954

UltraPlay/Big Toys

1418

UltraSite 1239 United Pools

2317

Unity Surfacing Systems/ Unity Creations Ltd.

1865

University Row

1982

USA Management

570

U.S. Jaclean VenTek Inernational

2359 1163

Ventrac 753 Venture Publishing Inc.

2247

Vermont Systems Inc.

1561

Vertex Water Features

336

Vortex Aquatic Structures International Inc.

1547

Water Monster

307

Water Odyssey

1638

Water Splash Inc.

649

Water Technology Inc.

1458

Waterplay Solutions Corp.

1253

Water’s Edge Aquatic Design

2117

WeatherBug 441 Wenger Corp.

1047

Whitewater West Industries Ltd.

1939

Wibit Sports

1830

Wickcraft Co.

504

Williams Architects

2041

Willoughby Industries

858

Wuhan HaoKang Fitness Equipment Co. Ltd.

341

Xeripave LLC

2112

Xtreme Green Electric Vehicles Inc. 2127 Yiwu Yixin Toys Co. Ltd.

1000

Yonglang Group Co. Ltd.

631

Zamboni 1836 Zeager Bros. Inc.

1014

Zhejiang Feiyou Kangti Amusement Facilities Co. Ltd. 1057

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Cram Your Cranium at the NRPA Annual Conference

By Tom Crosley

“That without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, moribund.” – Anthony Bourdain

H

eaded to Las Vegas for the 50th anniversary celebration at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference? Looking to get a better feel or new perspective on the city of Las Vegas? Maybe a better handle or understanding of NRPA’s Three Pillars? We’ve got you covered.

Off-Site Institutes have always been a great way to step out of your comfort zone and really get a feel for what our host city has to offer, and this year’s offerings are spectacular. Pre-Conference Workshops offer attendees the opportunity to earn or renew a certification and take a deep-dive into subjects essential to the success and interests of your agency. Why not extend your stay by one or two days, experiment and try new things? It’s when we take risks and try something new that

96 Parks & Recreation

we learn, so with that in mind we’ve put together three short itineraries, or, “road maps,” that include some of our more interesting offerings focused on the Three Pillars so you can really spread your wings. For full session details, please visit www.nrpa.org/Conference2015/program-schedule.

Social Equity Road Map It’s NRPA’s position that our nation’s public parks and recreation

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services should be equally accessible to all people regardless of income level, ethnicity, gender, ability or age. For a better understanding of the issues at hand, use these suggestions as a guide to increased understanding and empathy.

Community Action Poverty Simulation: Changing Your Worldview (Session 121): The Community Action Poverty Simulation workshop will promote a greater understanding of poverty. During the simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families from single parents working to care for their children to senior citizens trying to maintain their self-sufficiency on Social Security. Join Ellen O’Sullivan and Heidi Lucas as they help you understand poverty in an experiential setting and allow a glimpse into the reality of many families in your home communities. Space in this free workshop is limited, and participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Share Your Voice on Aging Issues (Session 235): Do you feel frustrated or perhaps have a solution related to programs and facility issues centered on aging? This session will provide a supportive environment to allow for voicing concerns, sharing ideas and developing networks in the field of recreation and leisure. Led by Dr. Lynda Cochran.

Diversity Audit: Finding Subtle Agency Messages (Session 268): We work hard to offer events and spaces that meet everyone’s needs, but it doesn’t always turn out that way.

Often, we unintentionally convey “you’re not welcome” messages to our diverse constituency. Deb Jordan and

Michal Anne Lord will use a diversity audit tool to identify those messages and brainstorm ways to address them.

Social Equity Deep Dive Pre-Conference Workshop: ADA Compliance — Winning Strategies for Sites, Facilities and Programs (Session 80): Some agencies embrace the access and inclusion mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Others are not sure how to implement the requirements and stumble on site and facility access, staff training and programming.

Staff from agencies in both groups will enjoy this review of all things ADA. This session includes examples of the many court and administrative decisions that serve as guideposts for agencies that want to do the right thing. Veteran speaker John McGovern, J.D., will cover existing sites, new sites, the transition plan, service animals, other power-driven mobility devices, recreation inclusion and websites.

Conservation Road Map Protecting open space, connecting children to nature, and engaging communities in conservation practices are core to the mission of public parks and recreation. Follow the Environmental Stewardship track in the conference app for a full slate of sessions, but don’t skip these “can’t miss” offerings.

Developing Environmental Lit

eracy in Preschoolers (Session 148): Today’s children are not spending as much time outdoors as previous generations. Learn how one program is addressing this concern with young children through a nature-based preschool from Rosanna Munoz of the Natureplay Preschool.

Managing Your Most Important Asset: Natural Areas (Session 254): Find out why speaker Chris Matthews and North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County regard natural resource management as a “form of asset management.” See how far they’ve come, learn from their mistakes and successes, find out how much (and why) it costs to maintain natural areas, and learn why natural areas management should be a primary focus of your department.

How Parks Can Help Save the Monarchs (Session 158): The growing consensus among researchers and scientists studying one of our nation’s most loved insects, the monarch butterfly, is that this species is in deep trouble. Numbers have declined almost 95 percent from historic highs and trends for the future are troubling. Come hear from NRPA’s Vice President of Conservation and Parks Richard Dolesh and butterfly expert Wendy Caldwell, coordinator of the Monarch Joint Venture, a national consortium of organizations working to conserve

monarch butterflies and their habitat, as they discuss how you can get involved.

Additional Engagement: A special attraction at the Annual Conference this year will be a monarch butterfly tagging demonstration conducted by Caldwell. Conference attendees are invited to view and participate in the tagging demonstration Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. — stay tuned for more details!

Health and Wellness Road Map With the signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, there’s no denying that we’re now all stakeholders in the quest to become a healthier nation. Parks and recreation agencies across the country have answered the call to help improve health and wellness in our communities, and many of the leaders in this effort will be sharing their stories and best practices at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference. Just a few highlighted opportunities are listed below, but you can also find many, many more in the Healthy Lifestyles track in the app!

Are You Committed? (Session 264): Join NRPA’s own Kellie May and Allison Colman as they discuss NRPA’s Commit to Health campaign with Daniel Hatcher, Stephanie Joyce and Ava Young. In an effort to help kids be more active, eat better and grow up healthy, the Com-

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mit to Health campaign supports implementation of Healthy Eating, Physical Activity (HEPA) standards at parks across the country. If your agency hasn’t committed, attend this session to learn how to make the commitment right away.

Health and Wellness Deep Dive The Community Park Audit Tool App (eCPAT) — Developing Technology to Promote Physical Activity and Health Through Parks (Session 265): Andrew Kaczinski, Ph.D., and Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, Ph.D., will be joined by Gina Besenyi and Dana Souza to discuss how parks are vital resources for promoting physical activity and health. The session will include an interactive discussion about how the eCPAT app can be used by parks and recreation professionals for inventorying park systems, by citizens for evaluating and engaging with their local parks, and by park researchers to help promote public health.

Speed Sessions The 2015 NRPA Annual Conference will again feature a series of short, engaging 20-minute discussions that we like to call “Speed Sessions.” There’s no shortage of health- and wellness-themed Speed Sessions this year, which will be featured between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 17.

Healthy You: Resources for Community Gardening and Nutrition Education (Session 907): Are you thinking about starting a community garden or adding nutrition education to your programming? There are lots of resources out there. Do you know where to find them? Join speaker Candi Rawlins to learn about free resources and support to get you on the path to a new program idea to help your community.

Glass Room Sessions Also back for 2015 are the Glass Room Sessions, a series of high-level, interactive discussions focused on

parks and recreation and held right in the exhibit hall.

The Future of Play: The future of play belongs to one of two realms — virtual or physical. Right now, virtual is winning the day. Video games, the Internet and other technological options are more effectively engaging children, providing great exercise for thumbs, but not much else.

What will it take to steal back the concept of “play” and address our national epidemic of physical inactivity? Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program, discusses the eight key strategies, as identified in the Project Play report released earlier this year.

Added Engagement Come by Learning Lab Engage (2051) to log some face time with the team from Session 265, The Community Park Audit Tool App (eCPAT) — Developing Technology to Promote Physical Activity and Health through Parks, and receive personalized instruction for using the eCPAT tool, which was developed to help diverse community stakeholders evaluate parks for their potential to promote physical activity.

This year’s annual conference is only part of your professional development journey. Be inspired by the hard work and dedication of your fellow parks and recreation and industry professionals, and use that inspiration to spark action once you arrive home. As Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe famously stated, “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”

Tom Crosley is NRPA’s Education Manager, Conferences and Schools (tcrosley@nrpa.org).

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ATTEND THE NRPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE VIRTUALLY

NRPA Live Session Highlights: THE INFRASTRUCTURE TIME BOMB Unless you’ve been under a rock you know that we are facing a crisis due to the trillions of dollars needed to repair our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Parks and recreation is a player in this growing concern yet we continue to ignore the facts. Many professionals and politicians act like children drawn to bright shiny objects when it comes to development getting far too excited about new facilities and parks at the expense of existing infrastructure. Time is running out as we continue to compound decades of neglect and ignore maintenance backlogs.

LEADING OPTIMISTICALLY Rigorous research into optimism has yielded some fascinating results.

Optimism is something we cultivate, and not something we are born with. Our level of optimism significantly impacts the people we work with, and the teams that we lead. We will look at 5 case studies into optimism from the world of business, professional sports, and through the crucible of a challenging national period.

You’ll learn and practice methods to become more optimistic.

SHAPING PUBLIC PERCEPTION - THE NEXT STEP IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Great ideas aren’t limited just to Las Vegas, Nevada this September. When you take advantage of NRPA Live, the virtual option for the Annual Conference, you’ll receive valuable training from the highest rated sessions and presenters, right from your office or home. There are no travel costs and you can still earn CEUs.

www.nrpa.org/NRPALive

This session provides insights and innovative approaches into social media and social networks as it pertains to parks and recreation today while preparing marketing professionals and parks and recreation management for the next technological leap forward. This next leap forward will transform what many people describe as a communication ‘medium’ into a multimedia format with an increasingly immersive participant experience that brings online communication, front-line employee interaction, and the physical environment together in ways never before thought possible.

and much more!

You Did It! You Rebuilt Joe Kneip Park!

Thank you to the companies and individuals who donated to the 2015 Parks Build Community project in North Las Vegas. Together, we have given the community surrounding Joe Kneip Park a special place of which we can all be proud.

Come celebrate with us on September 17, 2015. Buses depart the convention center at 9:45 a.m. (returning by noon). Look for signage in the exhibit hall.

® ™

Leon Andrews Robert F. Ashcraft Claire V. Askelson II Kathleen A. Bagley Rebecca Benna Neelay Bhatt Peggy J. Boccard Julie Boland Marcia R. Bowen Elisa Bradshaw Matthew R. Brubaker Kathleen J. Carson Kelley Christensen Gina M. Mullins Cohen Jessica Culverhouse Martin Dease Richard J. Dolesh Christine Dropinski

Anne Eades Stephen Eckelberry Janivia Fernandez William D. Foelsch Mitchell Fox Pamela J. Gauper William Golson Colette Hall Jennifer Harnish Susan Hergenrader Lauren A. Hoffmann Sarah Horvath Roslyn Johnson Michael J. Kalvort Jack C. Kardys Molly Keesling Michael P. Kelly Brian D. Knapp

Linda J. Kotowski Marian Krass Michelle Lawrence Sven Leff Eileen Lohner Thomas P. McCarthy Amy K. McGrade Lauren J. Murphy James Nantell James O’Connor George W. Page Iris M. Pahlberg Mary A. Penton Marla Pineiro Wanda I. Ramos Terrie L. Randolph Dirk A. Richwine Anna L. Slocum

Miranda Smith Sonya B. Snyder Karen M. Stephens Molly Stevens Chris Stice Roxanne Sutton Charles J. Szoke Susan Trautman Cassandra Holtz Tucker Cynthia L. Vierra David Webb Mark Westermeier Michele B. White Rebecca L. Wickline Morgan Wynn Mark A. Young

A special thanks to the city of North Las Vegas for the countless hours supporting the transformation of Joe Kneip Park.

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Continuing a tradition of leaving its annual conference city a little better, NRPA is helping renovate Joe Kneip Park in the City of North Las Vegas.

Come see the revitalized park and join the community for the dedication ceremony.

Build s k r a P Before munity Com Under Con structio

n

10 a.m. Thursday, September 17, 2015 The NRPA Annual Conference will be held September 15-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Buses depart Convention Center at 9:45 a.m. and return by noon

ping Still Develo

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Ž ™

www.nrpa.org/Conference2015

National Recreation and Park Association

National Award, Fellowship and Scholarship Recipients Announced

National

Awa r d 2015

By Brenda Beales

T

he NRPA Awards and Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 NRPA National Awards, Diversity Scholarship, Student Scholarship and Young Professional Fellowship.

Please join NRPA in congratulating the 2015 recipients!

National Awards NRPA’s National Awards recognize the inspirational people and outstanding programs that highlight the phenomenal work being done in the field of parks and recreation. The award recipients will be acknowledged September 17 at the Best of the Best Ceremony, during the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 2015 National Award Winners: • Robert M. Artz Citizen Advocacy Dave Anderson, City of Elk River, Minnesota • Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Atuya O. Cornwell, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, Maryland • Excellence in Inclusion Award The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, Maryland • Excellence in Innovative Programming Frederick County Parks and Recreation, Maryland • Facility or Park Design City of Tallahassee Parks, Recre-

102 Parks & Recreation

ation and Neighborhood Affairs Department, Florida • Barb King Environmental Stewardship Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, Indiana • Kudos Marketing Milwaukee Recreation and Community Services, Wisconsin • National Distinguished Professional Award Christopher M. Nunes, Ph.D., CPRE, The Woodlands Township, Texas • National Partnership City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation, Georgia • Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for Excellence in Recreation and Park Research Daniel R. Williams, USDA Forest Service, Ft. Collins, Colorado Fellowship and Scholarship Program The Fellowship and Scholarship program’s primary focus is to inspire future participation and leadership in NRPA and to develop professional contacts with NRPA leadership.

These programs provide selected recipients with a leadership mentor as they explore the operation of the NRPA Annual Conference.

The Diversity Scholarship recognizes individuals from historically underrepresented groups in the park and recreation community, as well as those who demonstrate outstanding contributions serving diverse communities.

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The 2015 Diversity Scholarship recipients: • Megan Nakashima Arvidson, Town of Parker, Colorado • Lakita S. Watson, Suffolk Parks and Recreation, Virginia The Student Scholarship is presented to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student in recognition of continuous extraordinary community service or contributions to the field.

The 2015 Student Scholarship recipients: • Victoria Rose Burgos, University of Mississippi • Brandon Harris, Clemson University The Young Professional Fellowship recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the field of parks and recreation during their first years in the profession.

The 2015 Young Professional Fellowship recipients: • Ashley M. Green, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, Maryland • Gerry M. Logan, Jr., College Station Parks and Recreation, Texas • John W. Strutzman, Bloomington Parks and Recreation, Minnesota • Jason M. Tryon, Town of Indian Trail, North Carolina

Brenda Beales is NRPA’s Awards and Accreditation Manager (bbeales@nrpa.org).

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Request free information from the manufacturers of the products found in this issue.

I prefer to receive the information via

Mail

Phone

Email______________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________________ Phone__________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________________________ City_________________________________________________State________________ZIP_________________________ What aspect of your NRPA membership do you most value and why? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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YES! I would like free product information!

Please email your answers to dstorm@nrpa.org.

Check the product(s)/company(ies) that you would like information from: ATHLETIC/EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Go Ape...................................................104 415.553.0769 www.goape.com Greenfields Outdoor Fitness...................3 888.315.9037 www.greenfieldsfitness.com TriActive America...................................45 800.587.4228 www.triactiveamerica.com COMMUNICATIONS

Lockers.com..............................................7 800.562.5377 www.lockers.com Most Dependable Fountains.................13 800.552.6331 www.mostdependable.com Paris Equipment Manufacturing LLC....15 800.387.6318 www.peml.com Pilot Rock..................................................5 800.762.5002 www.pilotrock.com

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Playworld..........................................84, 85 612.670.8195 www.playworldsystems.com SIGNS/SCOREBOARDS Berntsen International........................103 877.686.8565 www.berntsen.com Scoremaster..........................................106 888.726.7627 www.scoremaster.com STRUCTURES/SHELTERS Easi-Set Buildings................................104 866.252.8210 www.easisetbuildings.com Poligon ...................................................35 616.399.1963 www.poligon.com Shade Creations by Waterloo..................7 800.537.1193 www.shadecreations.com Shade Systems Inc....................................1 800.609.6066 www.shadesystemsinc.com SURFACING RubbeRecycle.........................................25 888.436.6846 www.rubberecycle.com SofSURFACES..........................................19 800.263.2363 www.sofsurfaces.com Synthetic Surfaces.................................49 908.233.6803 www.nordot.com GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Bishop Enterprises Inc.........................103 615.233.5173 www.turf-aire.com

Mail the completed form to Dana Storm at NRPA, 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148-4501 or email to dstorm@nrpa.org.

(ISSN 0031-2215) is published monthly by the National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148, a service organization supported by membership dues and voluntary contributions. Copyright ©2015 by the National Recreation and Park Association. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of NRPA. Issued to members at the annual subscription price of $30, included in dues. Subscription: $36 a year in the U.S.; $46 elsewhere. Single copy price: $4.50. Library rate: $48 a year in the U.S.; $58 elsewhere. Periodical postage paid at Ashburn, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. Editorial and advertising offices at 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148. 703.858.0784. Postmaster, send address changes to Parks & Recreation, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.

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Park Bench

Child’s Play(time) It’s easy to observe the past and acknowledge what could have been different — hindsight is, as the saying goes, 20/20. However, it’s also important to remember that what may seem simple to us now was considered revolutionary back then. Take, for example, this 1960s space-age playground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Decades ago, playgrounds were inspiring young children to use their imaginations and create their own worlds through play. It’s the same today, despite the added and important safety regulations and our evolving attitudes toward children’s play.

With designs that are still considered impressive today, vintage spaceage playgrounds like this helped shape and promote play for children at a time when space travel was the ultimate innovation and source of wonder. Back then, outdoor play was simply something kids did. Now, we better understand its real benefits and must actively encourage it in order to combat childhood obesity brought on, in part, by the prevalence of technology. Today’s kids are more often plugged in than not.

Fifty years ago, when this playground was built, few worried that children were suffering from a lack of playtime or time spent on outdoor activity. Now, it has become a legitimate concern. However, with a national call to action via First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! program, supported through NRPA’s Commit to Health initiatives, the idea of creating challenging and safe, new ways for kids to play and be active is experiencing an important revival. Perhaps it’s the past we should be looking to for inspiration — something from a simpler time to shake up the digital age our children currently inhabit.

— Marissa Bracamonte, Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine

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Learn more at: playandpark.com or call 800.727.1907.

Playground solutions for every venue

PARKS&RECREATION AUGUST 2015 ◆ NRPA 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE