Parks & Recreation August 2021

AU G U ST 2021 N R PA .O RG

FREE FLOWING FUN FOR ALL ENHANCING STEWARDSHIP AND

ACCESS TO THE TENNESSEE RIVER Orlando’s Grand Avenue Park Opens Riparian Conservation Inspires Volunteerism

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contentsaugust 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF ORLANDO

volume 56 | number 8 | parksandrecreation.org

On June 5, the City of Orlando hosted a grand opening of Grand Avenue Park.

FEATURES

34 A River Runs Through It Kathleen Gibi

Learn about the Tennessee RiverLine, which aims to connect communities along the 652-mile Tennessee River through a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking trails.

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Parks & Recreation

40 Let the Fun Begin!

Paula Jacoby-Garrett

Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the City of Orlando and its partners worked diligently to complete the renovations of Grand Avenue Park.

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46 The Future Is Flowing in Fort Wayne KayeC Jones

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contents august

columns 8

departments

10 Editor’s Letter Working Collectively Toward a Greater Purpose Vitisia Paynich

12 We Are Parks and Recreation ‘Not to Be Missed’ Conference Networking Events 12 Member Benefit: Rural Equity by Design 15

18 Finance for the Field Equity: Do We Agree on What We Are Talking About?

John L. Crompton, Ph.D.

16 Research New Report Reveals That Parks and Recreation Advances Health Equity Kevin Roth

Perspectives Advocating for Your Budget Michael P. Kelly

20 Advocacy August Recess: Time to Meet Your Member!

Dan McCarthy

17 Park Pulse Park and Recreation Summer Activities Create Happy Memories

22 Health and Wellness Parks and Recreation: The Public Health Breakout Star of COVID-19 Allison Colman

50 Operations Well-Grounded Joel Owen

24 Equity

51 Products

Are We Building People — or Just Running Programs?

Tim Herd, CPRE

52 Park Essentials 55 Advertiser Index

26 Conservation A BioBlitz Event for Any Environment Tamara Aquino Cespedes, CPRP, and Karyn Molines

56 Park Bench Miracle League Daniel Prieto

28 Law Review Standing to Challenge Obama Center in Chicago Park James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

Cover image: Photo courtesy of City of Orlando

Parks & Recreation is printed using soy ink on at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled paper and is mailed in a wrap — only when required — that is plant based and certified compostable. If you are interested in helping us go even greener, email us at prmagazine@nrpa.org and ask to opt out of receiving the print magazine. Parks & Recreation is always available to read in an ezine format at ezine.nrpa.org.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF KARYN MOLINES

Page 26

Anyone can sign up to host an NRPA BioBlitz to receive toolkits with all the resources needed to run the event.

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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 P A’ S L E A D E R S

Advocating for Your Budget It seems like budget season is a yearround undertaking.

As soon as a board or city council approves one budget, it is time to take a breather and start all over again.

Whether it is operational budgets, capital improvement budgets, or referendums and fundraising campaigns, ensuring all voices are at the table will help inform the difficult decisions that lie ahead.

Coming out of a year overshadowed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has never been a better time to promote our parks as essential to our communities. I have heard countless stories from across the country of parks as the places where people could still exercise, get some fresh air and get out of the house when society shut down. Additionally, we saw higher numbers of new users in our parks over the past year and a half. Still, parks may feel the impact of budget cuts.

How do we prevent those cuts from happening?

One way is to support active advocacy. There are park supporters among the moms at the playground, young adults at the dog park and seniors in our yoga classes. Let them know that not only is advocacy important, but also their financial support is critical, as these supporters often are the same people paying property taxes that fund our parks. Many years ago, we created a pie chart that shows exactly how much of a taxpayer’s bill goes to the Chicago Park District versus other local government organizations (tinyurl.com/ 3ndrxzm9). This transparency positively affected the budget conversation.

I cannot stress enough the importance of partnerships in the budget discussion. We have been fortunate

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to benefit from many great relationships, from professional sports teams to private philanthropy, to in-kind support from the business community. Whether it is the local mechanic supporting the little league or the larger construction firm providing support, our neighbors want to be a part of their local park.

Get your decision-makers involved in your parks.

Have your board members attend the first day of summer camp. Cut a ribbon during the opening of a new facility. Invite your mayor or other elected officials to events and activities in your parks. While elected officials love to cut ribbons and participate in groundbreakings on large projects, they also want to be part of the community activities that occur in our parks on a daily basis.

It always has been true that a picture is worth a thousand words. Use images, videos or renderings to help decision-makers understand the importance of budget implications. Someone may want to cut a park budget without knowing how a cut may affect park maintenance or operations. A picture of a broken swing will help convey the message that funding is necessary for the upkeep of our assets.

Finally, in study after study, people respond positively when asked about their opinion of parks. We can use this research to influence elected officials when it is time to discuss our budgets. Throw in a few pictures, bring your partners and advocates into the discussion, and give elected officials a way to be involved, all with the goal of delivering stable and growing budgets. See you in a park!

MICHAEL P. KELLY Chair, NRPA Board of Directors

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

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

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair of the Board of Directors Michael P. Kelly

Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Gurnee Park District Gurnee, Illinois

Past Chair Jack Kardys J. Kardys Strategies Miami, Florida

Treasurer Xavier D. Urrutia Alamo Colleges District San Antonio, Texas

Secretary Nonet T. Sykes

Susie Kuruvilla

Joanna Lombard University of Miami School of Architecture; Miller School of Medicine Department of Public Health Sciences Miami, Florida

Carolyn McKnight-Fredd, CPRP Eagle Methods Management Consulting Dallas, Texas

Joshua Medeiros, Ed.D., CPRP, AFO

Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia

City of Bristol Parks & Recreation Bristol, Connecticut

At Large Carolyn McKnight-Fredd, CPRP

Nonet T. Sykes

Eagle Methods Management Consulting Dallas, Texas

At Large Mike Abbaté, FASLA, LEED AP Abbaté Designs Portland, Oregon

President and CEO Kristine Stratton, Ex Officio

Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia

Xavier D. Urrutia Alamo Colleges District San Antonio, Texas

Lakita Watson, CPRP Richland County Recreation Commission Columbia, South Carolina

National Recreation and Park Association Ashburn, Virginia

Greg A. Weitzel, M.S., CPRP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Abbaté, FASLA, LEED AP

Philip Wu, M.D.

Abbaté Designs Portland, Oregon

Kathy Abbott Boston Harbor Now Boston, Massachusetts

Jesús Aguirre, CPRE Seattle Parks and Recreation Seattle, Washington

Jose Felix Diaz Ballard Partners Miami, Florida

City of Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Las Vegas, Nevada

Lexington, South Carolina

Anne S. Close Fort Mill, South Carolina

James H. Evans New York, New York

Rosemary Hall Evans

Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning South Miami, Florida

Earl T. Groves Gastonia, North Carolina

Angelou Ezeilo

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D.

San Diego Parks and Recreation San Diego, California

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Parks & Recreation

7/14/2020 12:20:07 PM

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EDITOR’S LET TER

Working Collectively Toward a Greater Purpose This month’s issue not only highlights the various projects that park and recreation professionals throughout the country have been working on, but also reminds us about the importance of partnerships and volunteerism. Without this type of participation and commitment across different sectors, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the gifts of health and wellness, recreation and social interaction that these natural spaces offer visitors near and far.

In the cover story, “A River Runs Through It” on page 34, contributor Kathleen Gibi of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful provides an in-depth look at Tennessee RiverLine, a project focused on connecting communities along the 652-mile Tennessee River by providing equitable access to paddling, hiking and biking trails.

What’s more, the ultimate goal is to develop a system of these multiuse trails along the river, linking four states: Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky. An important aspect of this project is Tennessee RiverLine’s coordinated effort to empower communities in environmental stewardship. “In 2020, Tennessee RiverLine launched its new multi-stage Tennessee RiverTowns Program, which provides a collaborative framework for communities to celebrate their identities as river towns through a coordinated effort, investment and a demonstrated commitment as stewards of the river’s environmental health,” Gibi writes.

For more than a year, Parks & Recreation magazine has been chronicling the progress of NRPA’s Parks Build Community project of Grand Avenue Park in Orlando. In the feature article, “Let the Fun Begin!” on page 40, contributor Paula Jacoby-Garrett goes behind the scenes with key professionals, partners, community stakeholders and sponsors who made this memorable space possible. Community participation also was key to the project’s final details. Jacoby-Garrett writes: “For Jody Buyas of GreenUp Orlando, volunteerism is more than a good deed; it’s about creating relationships in the Grand Avenue Park area. ‘We wanted to get the community involved and invested in the new park,’ says Buyas. ‘People from the neighborhood, city employees, corporations and clubs all came together to plant trees, shrubs, add mulch and install irrigation.’”

Lastly, in the feature article, “The Future Is Flowing in Fort Wayne” on page 46, contributor KayeC Jones takes a closer look at “The Confluence,” an area where the St. Joseph, St. Marys and Maumee Rivers converge, and Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation’s riparian crew, which is tasked with analyzing and assessing the current ecological conditions along the riparian corridors throughout the city’s downtown area. “The crew has worked with thousands of volunteers who are just as passionate about the removal of invasive species in Fort Wayne,” Jones writes. “As a result, more than 56 tons of plants have been removed with the assistance of more than 1,551 volunteers, amounting to $88,790 worth of labor.”

These examples of volunteerism show us the amazing things that can be achieved when we all work collectively toward a greater purpose.

VITISIA “VI” PAYNICH Executive Editor Director, Print and Online Content 10 Parks & Recreation

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PRESIDENT AND CEO Kristine Stratton VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Gina Mullins-Cohen gcohen@nrpa.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND DIRECTOR OF PRINT AND ONLINE CONTENT Vitisia Paynich vpaynich@nrpa.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lindsay Hogeboom lhogeboom@nrpa.org MANAGER OF ONLINE CONTENT Jennifer Fulcher-Nguyen jnguyen@nrpa.org PUBLICATION DESIGN Kim Mabon/Creative By Design CreativeByDesign.net SENIOR CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Michelle Dellner 949.248.1057 mdellner@nrpa.org DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Melissa Hunter 703.858.2199 mhunter@nrpa.org PHOTOGRAPHY Dreamstime.com or NRPA (unless otherwise noted) MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Anthony-Paul Diaz, Chair Michael Abbaté, FASLA Neelay Bhatt Ryan Eaker Beau Fieldsend Kathleen Gibi Paul Gilbert, CPRP Tim Herd, CPRE Brian Johnson, CPSI Denise Johnson-Caldwell Roslyn Johnson, CPRP Michele Lemons Sam Mendelsohn Maria Nardi Lisa Paradis, CPRP Paula Sliefert Shonnda Smith, CPRP, AFO Ronnetta Spalding Anne-Marie Spencer Stephen Springs

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WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION ‘Not to Be Missed’ Conference Networking Events

By Catrina Belt

A

s the largest park and recreation event in the world, it’s no surprise that networking continues to be one of the top reasons why people attend NRPA’s conference year after year. The 2021 NRPA Annual Conference will be a hybrid event, with more opportunities than ever to learn from inspiring people, reconnect with colleagues and make new meaningful relationships with peers from across the country. Here are just a few of the events you won’t want to miss:

Experience Music City

Run, Walk or Roll

Attendees joining us in Nashville, Tennessee, will have the

Join us for the NRPA Annual Conference Virtual 5K! A virtual race is a race you can run, walk or roll at any location and at your own pace.

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Parks & Recreation

Any point during the week of conference, head to your favorite park or trail, walk in your neighborhood or around your home, race alone or in a group with family, friends

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or co-workers! After registering online, you will be able to download your race bib and finisher’s certificate. You also will receive a special 2021 NRPA Annual Conference Virtual 5K race medal in the mail!

Participants of the NRPA Annual Conference Virtual 5K can run, walk or roll at any location.

SEPTEMBER 21-23, 2021 Nashville, Tennessee & Online Registration NOW OPEN

nrpa.org/Conference

W E A R E P A R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N

2021 NRPA Annual Conference attendees can enjoy Virtual Coffee Talks on the virtual platform at the beginning and end of each day.

Take a Coffee Break Whether you like to start your day with a nice cup of joe or enjoy an early afternoon/evening pick-meup, you won’t want to miss our Virtual Coffee Talks at the beginning and end of each day on our virtual platform. Join the host of Open Space Radio, Cort Jones, as he chats with park and recreation professionals, thought leaders and NRPA staff about some of the most pressing issues facing your park and recreation work today.

Bring your favorite coffee or beverage of choice and join us for these insightful conversations — you won’t even have to wait in line at the local Starbucks!

Celebrate the Best of the Best

At the Best of the Best virtual ceremony, NRPA and attendees recognize and celebrate the most inspirational people and programs.

opportunity to attend one of the three unique Music City experiences. Learn how to line dance on downtown Nashville’s largest dance floor at the world-famous 14

Parks & Recreation

Wildhorse Saloon. Explore the newly opened National Museum of African American Music — the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced and inspired by African Americans. Or, enjoy a concert in the park at Nashville’s riverfront, Cumberland Park.

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At this virtual ceremony, we will recognize and celebrate the most inspirational people and programs by presenting the 2021 Innovation Awards and Spotlight Awards.

The newly CAPRA-accredited and re-accredited park and recreation agencies, Young Professional Fellows, and Diversity and Student Scholarship recipients also will be recognized.

If you don’t want to miss out on all of these events, make sure to register for the 2021 NRPA Annual Conference taking place in Nashville and virtually, September 21-23. For more information, visit nrpa.org/Conference.

Catrina Belt is NRPA’s Senior Marketing Manager (cbelt@nrpa.org).

Member Benefit: Rural Equity by Design

A

s we start planning fall programs, how will we ensure that rural communities are equally served? During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, our lives went online. As we return to face-toface programming, it’s crucial that we ensure equitable access for all.

Reducing Barriers to Access While urban facilities may be easily accessed by walking, biking and bus riding, rural leaders need to create safe routes to parks.

When kids are catching buses, it’s crucial to have good messaging to parents in case the bus is running late or pickup plans change.

Camp leaders in rural parks may

often be without Wi-Fi, so it’s a priority to have offline access to records. As an emergency platform, ePACT’s design principle is to reach the right people with the right information at the right time. As such, ePACT has builtin messaging, along with offline check-in/check-out and offline access to health records.

Achieving Equitable Access Designing programs to embrace diversity and address socioeconomic issues brings new challenges in rural areas. For example, day programs with food may work for urban areas, but transport will need to be addressed in rural areas.

Getting Creative With Shared Use Where facilities are limited and scattered over a large area, shareduse agreements can help. Intergenerational sharing is another valuable solution. It’s all about communication and logistics.

Rural on the Road Map As we look ahead to 2022, we want to hear how we can serve rural and urban communities equally. Please let us know at sales@epactnetwork. com. As NRPA’s official Emergency Network provider, all members receive discounted pricing on ePACT licenses. Learn more at bit. ly/NRPAdiscount.

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RESEARCH New Report Reveals That Parks and Recreation Advances Health Equity

By Kevin Roth

T

oday’s parks and recreation is a community wellness hub that connects people with essential programs, services and spaces that advance health equity, improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life. NRPA soon will publish results from a survey of park and recreation professionals that highlights how this integrated approach advances physical, social and mental health outcomes in nearly every city, town and county across the nation.

Advancing Health and Well-Being The Parks and Recreation: Advancing Community Health and Well-Being report finds park and recreation professionals view themselves and their peers as leaders in advancing health and well-being in their communities.

Delivering Vital Physical and Mental Health Services Park and recreation professionals and their agencies advance the physical health of community members.

Five in six park and recreation agencies offer in-person fitness and exercise programs while nearly three in four offer virtual fitness and exercise programs. Parks and recreation also promotes access to healthy, affordable and locally sourced food, including community gardening programs (49 percent) and nutrition education offerings (47 percent).

Park and recreation professionals and their agencies also focus on their community’s mental health.

Nine in 10 park and recreation agencies host community events where residents can relax, have fun and simply connect with family and friends. Nearly as many agencies offer volunteer and community ser16

Parks & Recreation

vice opportunities. More than four in five park and recreation agencies offer mindfulness programs (e.g., meditation, yoga, nature walks) that help mitigate day-to-day stress and anxiety, as well as support coping and positive decision making.

Education and Economic Opportunities Park and recreation services deliver educational and enrichment opportunities for both children and young adults — from providing tutoring and mentoring to being places of first employment. Sixty-one percent of park and recreation agencies offer in-person academic and enrichment programs for area youth and 52 percent of agencies offer similar services virtually. In addition, many agencies provide leadership programs (45 percent) and mentoring opportunities (43 percent) for their communities’ youth.

The Legacy of COVID-19 Programs and Innovations Since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, park and recreation professionals met the challenge to ensure their community members remained mentally and physically healthy, safe, and not

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forgotten. This included launching new offerings and reimaging preexisting ones. Many of these innovations will continue post-pandemic.

Elevating Healthy Equity Nine in 10 park and recreation agencies are taking specific actions to ensure that their health and wellness programs and services promote health equity. Seventy-two percent of park and recreation professionals indicate that their agencies are transparent and accountable to key stakeholders, staff and the public; 70 percent report that their agencies make training staff on diversity, equity and inclusion a priority.

Conclusions At their core, park and recreation professionals and their agencies protect the health of all people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. Across the country, park and recreation professionals have transformed themselves into public health leaders — meeting community members where they are and connecting them to needed health opportunities.

As we look toward the future, it is clear that parks and recreation is in a unique position to develop bigger, bolder and more equitable solutions that confront today’s public health challenges while building a culture that prioritizes wellness.

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

NRPA PARK PULSE

Park and Recreation Summer Activities Create Happy Memories

93% of U.S. adults say they fondly remember childhood summer

activities provided by parks and recreation. The top activities include:

Going to the beach/lake

Going to the park

Playing at the playground

Parents are most likely to hold these summer activities dear to their hearts, with camping and hiking or walking in nature also making their list of top activities.

Each month, through a poll of 1,000 U.S. residents focused on park and recreation issues, NRPA Park Pulse helps tell the park and recreation story. Questions span from the serious to the more lighthearted. The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com).

Visit nrpa.org/ParkPulse for more information.

FINANCE FOR THE FIELD Equity: Do We Agree on What We Are Talking About?

By John L. Crompton, Ph.D.

N

RPA is unequivocal in its commitment to equity, establishing it as one of the organization’s three pillars and declaring, “We must put equity at the center of all we do.” Ironically, equity always has been at the center of what we do, because it is implicit in every decision recreation and park managers make — renovating one playground rather than another; organizing special events in one area of the community rather than another; assigning the best recreation managers to one center rather than another and so on.

It is axiomatic that all of these routine decisions result in “winners” and “losers,” because when resources are allocated to one group or area they cannot be directed elsewhere. Nevertheless, it is difficult for most community members to get excited about engaging in discussions about these routine decisions, even though their cumulative impact on a neighborhood can have a substantive impact on residents’ quality of life. Thus, despite its pervasiveness, equity often remains a hidden influence of government, because the impact of routine operational decisions on equity receive

little explicit attention.

Disputes over “our fair share” are likely to increase as tax support for recreation and park departments continues to decline, populations increase, tax caps increase, demographics of urban areas change, physical facilities deteriorate and need renovation, more costs are shifted to users, and community groups mobilized by social media multiply.

It is rare to find a park and recreation agency that has explicitly articulated an equity policy to guide service delivery decisions. Three reasons may account for this inac-

Equity is an area into which economists, philosophers, political scientists and lawyers have ventured, each bringing a different perspective.

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tion. First, the community may delegate responsibility for ensuring services are equitable to the judgement of park and recreation professionals, rationalizing that by virtue of their training, expertise, experience and intimate knowledge of the community, they are best equipped to determine “who ought to get what.”

Second is a lack of consciousness by elected officials and managers who have not been alerted to the equity impact of their decisions of the pervasive influence in service delivery decisions. Third, because equity is a slippery construct that has a wide range of different interpretations, an explicit discussion of equity is likely to be highly controversial and divisive. Thus, it is unlikely to be welcomed by either elected officials or managers.

On occasion, equity is used as a synonym for equality. This may be appropriate in some cases, but it would be a misinterpretation in

others. Equality refers to “sameness.” In contrast, equity refers to fairness. It addresses the question, “Who gets what?” or in normative terms, “Who ought to get what?”

These questions undergird much political debate and move equity into the multifaceted realm of individuals’ value systems, which makes a common interpretation of the word both elusive and divisive.

Equity is a fertile area for controversy into which economists, philosophers, political scientists and lawyers have ventured. Each discipline brings a different perspective to it. The result is perhaps best expressed

by Humpty Dumpty who could have had equity in mind when he explained to Alice in Through the Looking Glass, “When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.” Many who use “equity” assume everyone has the same intuitive definition of it. This is a fallacious assumption.

A consequence of this vagueness and the word’s multiplicity of meanings is that everyone can be enthusiastic about equity, but many are dissatisfied with the actions that ensue because it is not what they meant.

It is a catch-all word that means so many things to so many people that it clarifies almost nothing.

In contemporary society, Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders are prominent political leaders. Both passionately advocate that resource allocations and delivery of services should be “equitable.” Senator Cruz interprets this to mean that those who benefit from services should pay for them; a perspective which may be characterized as “market/benefit equity.” In contrast, Senator Sanders argues for “compensatory equity,” meaning that government should provide extra increments of resources and services to those who are economically disadvantaged and cannot afford to purchase basic services from the private sector.

The intent of establishing equity as a pillar of NRPA’s work is to encourage the field to shift it from being a random outcome of policy and service delivery decisions to an intentional commitment to an agreed principle of equity.

There are four widely used interpretations of equity: • Compensatory Equity, which seeks to ameliorate inequities by disproportionately investing resources in economically disadvantaged areas.

• Equality, which strives to deliver equal amounts of recreation and park services to all groups and areas in the community.

• Market/Benefit Equity, which is analogous to the

market mechanism used to allocate goods and services in the private sector (i.e., those who receive a service should pay the cost of producing it).

• Demand, in which resources are allocated where they generate the greatest good for the greatest number as indicated by participation levels, interest levels, and/or amount of advocacy.

In the next few months, this column will focus on how to establish and integrate a desired interpretation of equity into a park and recreation agency’s operations. Communities and segments within communities embrace different interpretations of equity. The challenge for park and recreation managers is to determine which are dominant in their community and to put that interpretation “at the center of all we do.”

John L. Crompton, Ph.D., is a University Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor and Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University and an elected Councilmember for the City of College Station (jcrompton@tamu.edu).

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AQ-NRPA-AD-QUARTER-0621.indd 8:09:59 AM P A R K S A1N D R E C R E A T I O N . O R G | A U G U S T 2 0 26/22/2021 1 | Parks & Recreation

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ADVOCACY

August Recess: Time to Meet Your Member!

By Dan McCarthy

A

ugust is upon us, and that means Congress will be out for a month-long recess. However, contrary to popular belief, our representatives and senators are not on vacation. Most are still hard at work, back home in their states and districts rather than in our nation’s capital.

While in the district, elected officials prioritize engaging with their constituents during highly visible public events that can allow for some public relations-boosting photo ops. This extended period of members of Congress (MOCs) being nearby presents an excellent opportunity for park and recreation departments to deepen relationships with your elected officials.

Advocate for Your Budget The August recess presents a timely opportunity to showcase the 20 Parks & Recreation

power of parks to our friends in Congress as MOCs continue to negotiate the federal government’s spending budgets for the next fiscal year. Known as the appropriations process (tinyurl.com/74ueavrm), these budget talks began earlier this spring when representatives submitted requests to appropriations committees for funding on specific projects in their districts — known as community project funding, formerly “earmarks” (tinyurl.com/5j8yhaky).

The Biden administration communi-

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Effectively telling your story can expand lawmakers’ awareness of the multipronged community benefits parks and recreation provides.

cated its priorities by submitting a budget proposal to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year.

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the internal groups of lawmakers charged with finalizing Congress’ budget, have until September 30 to hash out a final budget. If they don’t meet this deadline, the logistical and political nightmare of a government shutdown looms large. The incentives to avoid this situation encourage Congress to get the budget done sooner rather than later. However, Congress has occasionally extended budget talks by passing a continuing resolution, a provisional budget that allows the federal government to continue operating with level funding.

A site visit to one of your trails, parks and/or facilities is an excellent

The August recess presents an opportunity to showcase the power of parks to our members of Congress.

way to demonstrate the tangible benefits of parks funding, especially at the time when the annual budget is top of mind for officials. Vividly illustrating the positive impact local park and recreation facilities have on the quality of life of their constituents may influence your congressperson’s stance and willingness to be a champion for your park and recreation agencies.

Whether they fight for funding now or prioritize parks moving forward, having an ally in your representative can be crucial. They might submit a helpful community project funding request next year or introduce and support park-friendly legislation in the future.

Scheduling a visit alone is a great start, but you should maximize the opportunity of a site visit to demonstrate the full breadth of your agency’s positive impacts in your community. Your congressperson probably already knows that your park and recreation center offers a public green space that people come to for exercise, relaxation and to unwind. An in-person visit allows you to highlight all the valuable work your department does beyond the obvious activities that MOCs typically think of — things like youth workforce development, nutrition and public health services, environmental education, sustainable green infrastructure investments, and the many ways your department stepped up to provide for your communities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Effectively telling your story can expand a lawmaker’s awareness of the multi

pronged community benefits parks and recreation provides, which may result in better legislation that recognizes the vital role our profession plays in local communities.

Also, don’t forget to capture your event with photos and videos, and share them on your social media platforms! This shows the public and your supporters that you’re engaging elected officials.

By tagging the elected officials who attended, you’re maintaining your relationship with their office and opening the door to future engagements.

Establish a Relationship However, a site visit is just the start.

More important than getting a MOC to visit your park, fostering a long-lasting relationship with their staff ensures that their office knows the critical role your agency plays in their district. After a visit, we recommend sending a handwritten thank you note to the congressperson and a thank you email to

the district staffers who helped set up the meeting and/or joined the visit. Now that you’ve established or deepened the relationship, you can follow up via email any time your department rolls out a new initiative or breaks ground on a park. You can invite lawmakers to subsequent site visits or to speak at an event you are hosting. Simply maintaining a regular relationship with your elected officials and their staff can be essential and rewarding, as you will stay at the top of their minds.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to NRPA’s Public Policy team if you have any questions about ways to strategically engage with lawmakers. We look forward to hearing about, and seeing, your site visits all month long!

Thank you to the NRPA Public Policy and Advocacy team members for contributing to this article.

Dan McCarthy is NRPA’s Advocacy Manager (dmccarthy@nrpa.org).

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

The park and recreation profession has proven time and again that it is committed to promoting and protecting health and wellness where people live, learn, work and play.

Parks and Recreation: The Public Health Breakout Star of COVID-19

By Allison Colman

I

n June 2020, I wrote an article titled “An Agent of Public Health” (tinyurl.com/kekdf65h). At the time, we were at the height of coronavirus (COVID-19) shelter-in-place orders, and still relatively uncertain of what the next several months would look like and how the park and recreation field would be impacted. There was uncertainty, anxiety, frustration, confusion, sadness, disappointment and grief. There were changing roles and responsibilities; new skills and practices to master; difficult decisions and divergent viewpoints to navigate; and even public, private and political pressures to respond to. But in the article, I wrote about something I was certain about — the vital role of park and recreation professionals as public health change agents. The park and recreation profession has proven time and again that it is committed to promoting and protecting health and wellness where people live, learn, work and play. One year later as we reflect upon and collectively heal from the trauma and turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, that message is truer than ever before.

Parks and Recreation as Holistic Health and Social Service Providers Responding to the pandemic and their communities’ holistic health 22 Parks & Recreation

and social needs — especially those community members who are at the greatest risk — local agencies scaled up childcare programs and learning centers, offered

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facilities to shelter people without housing, managed food distribution programs, facilitated creative community engagement programs, and leveraged park and recreation spaces and staff to provide needed health and social services to the community. At the same time, during the height of shelter-inplace orders in late April 2020, 86 percent of agencies kept all of their trails open and three-quarters of agencies made all their parks available to the public. From midMarch through mid-June 2020, three in five people — more than 190 million adults and children — visited a park, trail, public open space or recreation facility, and 83 percent of adults agree that those visits were essential to their mental

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, park and recreation professionals pushed forward their role as stewards of community wellness hubs.

and physical well-being.

These essential spaces, programs and services not only supported physical health and wellness, but also mental, social, emotional, educational, cultural, environmental and economic wellness. In short, park and recreation professionals pushed forward their role as stewards of community wellness hubs — trusted gathering places that connect every member of the community to essential programs, services and spaces that advance health equity, improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life.

This new way of framing the integral services park and recreation agencies provide is vital to ensuring continued support and investment from elected officials, philanthropic partners, like-minded organizations and the public.

Parks and Recreation Is a Strong Service Delivery Partner One of the greatest challenges within many of our systems and institutions, including our public health, healthcare and social-service systems, is actually somewhat straightforward — struggling to reach people. We know what makes us healthy and we know what resources people need to thrive. Although we have a long way to go to address the inequities that exist within our systems, there are many evidencebased, evidence-informed, and proven health and social service interventions out there. But if these programs are not reaching community members, they are not viable

nor scalable solutions.

Parks and recreation has proven that it offers a solution to that challenge. Throughout COVID-19, park and recreation professionals have leveraged their role as accessible, trusted and welcoming spaces, and led and supported efforts to ensure that community members had access to the services, resources and programs that they needed.

Models have emerged that have co-located needed services in existing settings that meet community members where they are.

Take vaccine distribution efforts, for example. For the past several months, park and recreation agencies in city after city have leveraged their recreation facilities and their parks to support COVID-19 vaccination programs. In fact, some of the largest vaccination sites in the country have been in our public parks. Interestingly, given the proven and vital role communitybased organizations have played in promoting and advancing public health this year, the White House and our nation’s highest ranking public health officials are launching a new initiative specifically targeted to parks and recreation, faith-based, youth serving and other community organizations as we head into summer and the back-to-school

transition — the opportunity to host pop-up vaccination clinics in their community-based locations.

There is a reason why some of our most intelligent public health minds are pursuing this strategy — the co-location and delivery of services in trusted spaces is key to reaching people. Parks and recreation is a viable partner and a solution for service delivery, ensuring that all people have access to and can benefit from needed healthcare, health programming or social resources.

Expanding investment in parks and recreation as an upstream solution, both in terms of the built environment and the programming and services offered, has the potential to catalyze health and wellness and address so many of our existing and future public health, environmental and social challenges.

If we take the lessons learned from COVID-19 and let them guide us moving forward, we could be in a very different place in the near future. Think about this: if every neighborhood and every person had access to a community wellness hub in 2030, where would we be? I’d venture to say we’d be well on our way to a healthier, happier and more just world.

Allison Colman is NRPA’s Director of Health (acolman@nrpa.org).

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PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT PHILADELPHIA

EQUITY

Are We Building People — or Just Running Programs?

People participate in a group exercise class in a downtown Philadelphia park.

By Tim Herd, CPRE

P

art of why parks and recreation doesn’t receive more of the rave respect it deserves, in my opinion, is because most people notice programs far more than the objectives behind them.

That’s not surprising. It’s always easier to focus on outward expressions than on internal improvements of the mind, body and soul. But that’s where the common disconnect begins, I believe.

When we providers declare that parks and recreation are essential community services, what does that mean to our constituents?

24 Parks & Recreation

When we providers declare that parks and recreation are essential community services, what does that mean to our constituents?

What is our bottom-line purpose of enabling quality leisure experiences? And are we cognizant enough of it?

• Is it just a walk in the park — or is it physical exercise, stress relief and mental rejuvenation?

• Is it merely a ‘Paint With Me’ class (with wine!) — or is it stretching skills and enriching re-

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lationships?

• Is soccer practice just about scoring a trophy — or is it developing fine-motor skills, building teamwork, modeling good sportsmanship, and growing cooperative social interactions among diverse teens, teams and talents?

• Is it merely an object of public art — or is it celebrating cultural heritage, invigorating a downtown district, connecting destinations, and attracting visitors, tourists and new businesses?

• Is it just an evening activity — or is it character development, [antigang] intervention, and preventative treatment for abusive and addictive behaviors?

Are we strategically planning with such measurable outcomes in mind,

or are we satisfied that it was “fun?”

Here’s the crux: Are we building people — or just running programs? Are we purposefully collaborating with experts from other disciplines in meeting people’s needs? And are we measuring what truly matters?

Because here’s the other just-as-important part of our jobs: we must show it. Moving beyond returns on investments, attendees and social media stats, are we documenting personal and social good in our value statements?

Can we point to specific cases of cleaner resources, less waste, crises averted, problems solved and healthier lifestyles? Are we enriching our neighbors’ lives, improving the livability of our cities and en-

suring a more equitable future?

If we are to convince a wider audience of the great worth of our indispensable services — and, in turn, influence higher funding and priorities by decision-makers — we must deliver whole goods.

We can’t merely insist that parks and recreation are essential, we must intentionally demonstrate it — and prove it!

Editor’s Note: The above originally appeared as a post on NRPA’s Open Space Blog. To read the original text published on June 7, visit tinyurl.com/ jrdf3t9d.

If we are to convince a wider audience of the great worth of our indispensable services — and, in turn, influence higher funding and priorities by decision-makers — we must deliver whole goods.

Tim Herd, CPRE, is the CEO of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society and a Member of Parks & Recreation magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board (herd@prps.org).

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PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G | AU G U S T 2 02 1 |

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PHOTO COURTESY OF KARYN MOLINES

CONSERVATION

Anyone can sign up to host an NRPA BioBlitz to receive toolkits with all the resources needed to run the event.

A BioBlitz Event for Any Environment

By Tamara Aquino Cespedes, CPRP, and Karyn Molines

P

ollinators are essential to maintaining healthy habitats. The BioBlitz brings community members together to find, identify and document as many pollinator species as possible within a defined area and timeframe. These events can be tailored to fit any environment, from a city pocket park to an expansive rural landscape.

Park and recreation professionals from various locations and settings, such as Dallas and Calvert County, Maryland, are hosting BioBlitz events that leverage community science to provide critical pollinator data, enhance environmental education and inform overall conservation efforts.

Dallas BioBlitz Engages Youth With Nature As an urban center, Dallas Park and Recreation provides a vast array of services to its community, ranging from protecting natural resources to programming and activities, and so much more. The agency’s recreation professionals understand the importance of their impact, and when these professionals who are after-school leaders, senior aerobic instructors or league organizers also take on the role 26 Parks & Recreation

of conservation advocates, that displays an impactful message: each of us has an active responsibility for taking care of our parks and open spaces.

Moreover, park and recreation professionals can put their own spin on these efforts to ensure they are meaningful to the communities being served. Anyone can sign up to host an NRPA BioBlitz to receive toolkits with all the resources needed to run the event. In Dallas, what made the experience better was

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partnering up with a city employee who had advanced knowledge of pollinators. With these tools, Dallas Park and Recreation hosted a campaign using a Pokémon Go theme that resonated with kids and encouraged them to “collect them all” — it featured images of pollinators for the iNaturalist database, rather than Pokémon. Providing youth a creative way to engage with nature with messaging that is familiar was key.

Information collected from the BioBlitz is now helping other Dallas Park and Recreation employees understand the biodiversity within Dallas parks. The city’s skyscraper buildings and iconic skyline can be complemented with the integration of green spaces for pollinators and urban wildlife. The community science data will help with efforts to ensure healthy ecosystems are maintained

throughout Dallas and advance conservation efforts through education, planning and maintenance.

Calvert County BioBlitz Enhances Meadow Management

Learn more about hosting a BioBlitz and joining NRPA for the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz at nrpa. org/BioBlitz.

Tamara Aquino Cespedes, CPRP, is Supervisor III for City of Dallas Park and Recreation (tamara.aquino@dallascityhall. com). Karyn Molines is Division Chief for Calvert County Parks and Recreation’s Natural Resources Division (karyn. molines@calvertcountymd.gov).

Calvert County, Maryland, is a rural county with strong agricultural roots. The Calvert County Parks and Recreation Natural Resources Division oversees more than 1,600 acres of land with the mission to preserve, manage and operate natural resource areas to provide compatible outdoor recreation and educational opportunities for the public.

The staff naturalists work with Calvert Steward volunteers on many community science monitoring projects to understand the ecology of Calvert County. The Calvert Stewards and Calvert County iNaturalist projects are actively documenting the diversity of Calvert County meadows. In 2020, through the NRPA Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz, 131 Calvert County community members made 978 observations of 426 species throughout September (tinyurl.com/t9vwhfbs).

With this information — as well as other information that agency staff collect from similar community science projects, such as monarch monitoring and the dragonflies and damselflies project — the Natural Resources Division set a goal to develop a meadow management plan.

The focus is multi-fold: (1) control the growth of non-native, invasive plants as well as native woody vegetation; (2) enhance the meadows to benefit native pollinators; (3) support grassland species of birds; and (4) provide a living classroom for environmental education and community science projects.

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MISTY PFEIL | DREAMSTIME.COM

L AW R EV I EW

In the case of Protect Our Parks, Inc. v.

Chicago Park District, plaintiffs sued the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District to halt construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park.

Standing to Challenge Obama Center in Chicago Park James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

C

ontrary to popular opinion, the jurisdiction of the courts, particularly federal courts, is actually quite limited. The judiciary does not have the power or authority to address, let alone provide legal redress, for every individual grievance or perceived social ill. Resolution of policy disputes and political questions are typically the responsibility of elected representatives in the legislative and executive branches of government, not the judiciary. As illustrated by the following case, the standing requirement, oftentimes, poses a significant procedural hurdle for citizen activists to have a federal court consider a challenge to a local government project that diverts park resources to other uses.

In the case of Protect Our Parks, Inc. v. Chicago Park District, 971 F.3d 722 (10th Cir. 8/21/2020), Plaintiff Protect Our Parks and several individual Chicago residents (POP) sued the Defendants City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District (City) to halt construction of the Obama Presiden-

28 Parks & Recreation

tial Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park. Unhappy with the environmental and financial impact of the project, POP brought a number of federal and state claims, which essentially contended “the Obama Presidential Center does not serve the public interest, but rather the private interest of its sponsor,

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the Barack Obama Foundation.”

(This opinion from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit was written by Judge Amy Coney Barrett prior to her nomination and confirmation as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.)

Obama Center Use Agreement First developed as the site for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Jackson Park has a storied place in Chicago history, and as public land, it must remain dedicated to a public purpose. The City of Chicago made the judgment that hosting a center devoted to the achievements of America’s first African

American President, who has a longstanding connection to Chicago, fit that bill.

In 2014, the Barack Obama Foundation began a nationwide search for the future location of the presidential library for the 44th President. Eventually, the Foundation selected Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side to house the Obama Presidential Center. The City of Chicago acquired the 19.3 acres necessary from the Chicago Park District and enacted the ordinances required to approve the construction of the center. The City then entered into a use agreement with the Obama Foundation to govern the terms of the center’s construction, ownership and operation.

The Jackson Park location, the foundation believed, would be best situated to “attract visitors on a national and global level” and would “bring significant long term benefits to the South Side.” Construction of the center would require the removal of multiple mature trees, as well as the closure and diversion of roadways. It also would require the City to shoulder a number of big-ticket expenses.

Private Purpose Park In their complaint, POP claimed the City had violated Illinois’ public trust doctrine. Under Illinois law, the public trust doctrine limits the government’s ability to transfer control or ownership of public lands to private parties. In this particular instance, POP had argued the City had violated the public trust doctrine by transferring control of public parkland to the Obama Foundation for a purely private purpose. In addition, under Illinois law, POP had argued

the City had acted “ultra vires”; i.e., beyond their legal authority in entering the use agreement with the Foundation. Specifically, POP contended the use agreement between the City and the Foundation violated Illinois law because it “delegates decision making authority to the Foundation, grants the Foundation an illegal lease in all but name, 70 ILCS 1290/1, exchanges the property for less than equal value, 70 ILCS 1205/107(b), and fails to require the City to ‘use, occupy, or improve’ the land transferred to it from the Park District, 50 ILCS 605/2.”

Under federal law, POP also had argued the City violated the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment by taking POP’s property interest in public property for a private purpose by “altering the use of Jackson Park and handing over control to the Foundation.”

Moreover, POP claimed the City “deprived them of property in a process so lacking in procedural safeguards that it amounted to a rubberstamp of the Foundation’s decision and violated their rights under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

Federal Standing Requirement In order to address the merits of the district court’s grant of summary judgment on the state law claims, the federal appeals court acknowledged “an obligation to assure ourselves of our jurisdiction.”

The issue was, therefore, whether POP had “standing to bring their state claims in federal court.” As noted by the court, “Federal courts are only permitted to adjudicate claims that have allegedly caused

the plaintiff a concrete injury; a plaintiff cannot come to federal court simply to air a generalized policy grievance”: The requirement of standing is an essential and unchanging part of the case-or-controversy requirement of Article III [which established the judicial branch in the federal government in the U.S. Constitution]. Its elements are familiar: the plaintiff must allege an injury in fact that is traceable to the defendant’s conduct and redressable by a favorable judicial decision.

The Jackson Park location, the foundation believed, would be best situated to “attract visitors on a national and global level” and would “bring significant long term benefits to the South Side.”

To satisfy the “injury in fact” requirement for standing, the court acknowledged a plaintiff must have “suffered an invasion of a legally protected interest that is concrete and particularized and actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical.” In this particular instance, POP insisted it had adequately alleged that they will suffer an imminent, concrete injury as a result of the City’s alleged violations of Illinois law under the public trust doctrine, the primary basis of POP’s state law claim. The federal appeals court rejected this argument. In the opinion of the court, POP’s state claims alleged “only policy disagreements with Chicago and the Park District, so neither we nor the district court has jurisdiction to decide them.”

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L AW R EV I EW

State Public Trust Doctrine As cited by the court, the public trust doctrine “prohibits a state from alienating its interest in public lands submerged beneath navigable waterways to a private party for private purposes.” Accordingly, under the public trust doctrine, the court acknowledged: “a state may only alienate publicly owned submerged land to a private party if the property will be used in promoting the interests of the public” or “can be disposed of without any substantial impairment of the public interest in the lands and waters remaining.”

In this case, POP had argued the City’s use agreement with the Obama Foundation violated the public trust doctrine because it transferred control of public land in Jackson Park to the private foundation for a purely private purpose.

While Jackson Park is not a navigable waterway, the court noted some states, including Illinois, have applied the public trust doctrine to land other than navigable waterways. As described by the federal appeals court, the Illinois state supreme court had provided the following explanation of the public trust doctrine under Illinois law: Once such land has been dedicated to a public purpose...the government holds the properties in trust for the uses and purposes specified and for the benefit of the public. Dedication to a public purpose isn’t an irrevocable commitment, and judicial review of any reallocation is deferential [to 30 Parks & Recreation

governmental decisions], particularly if the land in question has never been submerged.

Nonetheless, the doctrine requires courts to ensure that the legislature has made a sufficient manifestation of legislative intent to permit the diversion and reallocation to a more restrictive, less public use.

In this case, POP had argued the City’s use agreement with the Obama Foundation violated the public trust doctrine because it transferred control of public land in Jackson Park to the private foundation for a purely private purpose.

Moreover, POP claimed the agreement was “tainted by self-dealing, favoritism or conflicts of interest” because “the City of Chicago had negotiated with the Obama Foundation under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, President Obama’s former chief of staff,” who was “eager to give the Foundation a sweetheart deal.”

Public Trust, Federal Standing To establish the “injury in fact” requirement for standing in federal court, POP had alleged violation of the public trust doctrine in Illinois. As noted by the federal appeals court, Illinois state courts had “long recognized the public’s injury from a violation of the public trust doctrine as sufficient to create a justiciable controversy.” As a result, POP claimed this fact would also establish sufficient injury in fact to establish standing in federal court. The federal appeals court rejected this argument.

As cited by the federal appeals court, the doctrine of standing, which is a corollary of Article III’s

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limitation of the “judicial power” to the resolution of “cases” and “controversies,” is a matter of federal law, which cannot be altered or expanded by state law. Similarly, the federal appeals court recognized that “state courts are not bound by the limitations of a case or controversy or other federal rules of justiciability” under Article III. As a result, the court noted “the states can empower their courts to hear cases that federal courts cannot — and many states have done just that,” including Illinois.

In Illinois, the federal appeals court found “a plaintiff can bring suit under the public trust doctrine without showing that she will suffer special damage, different in degree and kind from that suffered by the public at large.” Specifically, in Illinois, the public trust doctrine would allow “members of the public, at least taxpayers who are the beneficiaries of the public trust,” to “have the right and standing to enforce it” in state court.

As characterized by the federal appeals court, Illinois had, therefore, “adopted precisely the opposite of the injury-in-fact requirement of federal standing, which demands that every plaintiff prove that he seeks relief for an injury that affects him in a personal and individual way”: While Illinois is free to conclude that plaintiff ’s rights as residents in a trust of public lands may be enforced without question, Article III doesn’t give us the same leeway.

To sue in federal court, a plaintiff must also demonstrate an injury to her separate concrete interest.

In this particular instance, the federal appeals court found POP’s public trust and ultra vires claims

had failed to demonstrate the required injury-in-fact requirement for standing in federal court. As characterized by the court, POP had simply alleged that “the government has failed to follow the law” under the Illinois public trust doctrine.

While conceding the fact that “[a]ll residents of Chicago — indeed, advocate for good government everywhere — desire that the government follow the law,” the federal appeals court held it would be fundamentally “inconsistent” with the exercise of federal judicial power under Article III for a federal court to recognize standing based on such an “undifferentiated” injury: A generalized grievance, no matter how sincere, is insufficient

to confer standing. For Article III purposes, the plaintiffs are nothing more than “concerned bystanders,” and concerned bystanders are not entitled to press their claims in federal court. The fact that Illinois would permit them to do so in state court is irrelevant to the Article III inquiry.

Injury to the Park Environment In the alternative, POP also had claimed standing to proceed in federal court because Jackson Park would suffer an “injury in fact” as a result of the City’s violations of state law. In so doing, POP claimed “the City’s plan to turn part of Jackson Park into the Obama Presidential Center will cause irrepara-

ble damage to Jackson Park that is fairly traceable to the construction project.” The alleged damage included “departing from Frederick Law Olmsted’s original plan for the landscape of Jackson Park and jeopardizing the Park’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.” The federal appeals court rejected this argument.

Despite any damage to Jackson Park by the Obama Presidential Center project, the federal appeals court noted “the relevant showing for purposes of Article III standing is not injury to the environment but injury to the plaintiff.” In this case, the federal appeals court noted that POP had not alleged the kind of concrete injury that many plaintiffs bringing environmental challeng-

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L AW R EV I EW

es do: “that they use the affected area and are persons for whom the aesthetic and recreational values of the area will be lessened by the challenged activity.” According to the court, that kind of injury to aesthetic or recreational values is “cognizable under Article III” for purposes of standing, but POP “made no such claim.”

As described by the federal appeals court: “Municipal taxpayers have standing to sue only when they have both identified an action on the city’s part that is allegedly illegal and adequately shown that city tax dollars will be spent on that illegal activity.”

Municipal Taxpayer Standing In addition, the federal appeals court also considered whether POP had satisfied the “elements of municipal taxpayer standing.” As described by the court, municipal taxpayer standing has the following “two threshold requirements”: First, and most obviously, the plaintiff must actually be a taxpayer of the municipality that she wishes to sue. Second, the plaintiff must establish that the municipality has spent tax revenues on the allegedly illegal action.

The second requirement...requires a plaintiff to show that the taxpayer’s action...is a good-faith pocketbook action. The plaintiff must be able to show that she has the requisite financial interest that is, or is threatened to be, injured by the municipality’s illegal conduct.

32 Parks & Recreation

The burden of establishing standing is on the plaintiffs.

Moreover, the court noted that “a plaintiff who asserts municipal taxpayer standing must show that the municipality has actually expended funds on the allegedly illegal elements of the disputed practice.”

As cited by the federal appeals court, Article III is satisfied if there is at least one individual plaintiff who has demonstrated standing.

As a nonprofit group, the court assumed POP was not a municipal taxpayer. As such, the court found POP “would only have standing to the extent that its members would otherwise have standing to sue in their own right.” In this particular instance, the court found only one individual plaintiff remained in the case who was a resident and taxpayer of the City of Chicago. Accordingly, POP’s municipal standing argument would be based on that individual plaintiff.

The federal appeals court, however, found “the record doesn’t support the conclusion that the plaintiff had suffered a direct pocketbook injury from the conversion of part of Jackson Park into the campus of the Obama Presidential Center.” On the contrary, the court found “the Obama Foundation — not the City — will bear the project’s costs” of construction and operation of the Obama Presidential Center: The City’s agreement with the Foundation provides that the cost of initially constructing the Center, of operating the Center once it is built, and of maintaining the Center going forward will all be the Foundation’s responsibility. Thus, no tax dollars will

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be spent to build or operate the Center. And if no tax money is spent on the allegedly illegal activity, then a plaintiff ’s status as a municipal taxpayer is irrelevant for standing purposes.

That being said, the federal appeals court acknowledged “the City is set to spend millions of dollars to prepare the Jackson Park site for construction of the Center, even though it isn’t paying for the Center itself.” Specifically, the court found “the City will pay for three projects: alteration and rerouting of roadways, including removing Cornell Drive and converting the roadway into parkland; environmental remediation and utilities work; and construction of athletic facilities.” The court, however, noted POP had not claimed that “those three projects themselves violate the public trust doctrine or are otherwise beyond the City’s power to undertake.”

As described by the federal appeals court: “Municipal taxpayers have standing to sue only when they have both identified an action on the city’s part that is allegedly illegal and adequately shown that city tax dollars will be spent on that illegal activity.” In this particular instance, the court found “the allegedly illegal conduct is the construction and operation of the Center, and taxpayer dollars aren’t being spent on that conduct.” As noted, however, the court found POP had made “no showing that the City will pay for those projects with municipal taxes”: It is not enough to simply allege that the City is spending money; the existence of municipal taxpayer standing depends on where the money comes from. The parties

fail to grapple with the possibility that the relevant funds come from a source other than tax dollars.

And that possibility isn’t remote — nearly a third of the City’s revenue comes from nontax sources....

These nontax sources are as varied as licensing fees, parking tickets, concessions contracts, and federal and state grants…. It would be far too simplistic to conclude that the City is spending tax money on a project simply because it is spending some money on a project.

As a result, the court held the mere status of individuals “as municipal taxpayers is insufficient to confer Article III standing.”

Private Property Right In addition to claims under state law, POP also had brought federal claims against the City, alleging violations of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. As cited by the court, the Fifth Amendment provides: “Private property shall not be taken for public use, without just compensation.” In pertinent part, the Fourteenth Amendment states: “Nor shall any State deprive any person of property, without due process of law.”

In the opinion of the court, “Neither of these claims can get off the ground unless the plaintiffs prove that they have a private property interest in Jackson Park.”

In addition to curtailing the state’s ability to transfer public land to a private party, POP had argued that the public trust doctrine also conferred “a private property right on members of the public.”

As members of the public, POP claimed to be the intended “beneficiaries” of Jackson Park, which the City was required to “hold in trust on the public’s behalf.” According

to POP, this “beneficial interest” in Jackson Park was “private property that is protected by the United States Constitution.”

The federal appeals court acknowledged a beneficial interest in a public park could conceivably allege a sufficient property right to establish a “cognizable injury” for standing purposes. The federal appeals court, however, found precedent case law in Illinois that had held “those owning land adjacent to or in the vicinity of a public park possess no private property right in having the parkland committed to a particular use.” Since adjacent landowners held no protected property interest in public land, the federal appeals court similarly found POP had no property rights in Jackson Park.

As characterized by the federal appeals court, POP’s Fifth Amendment “takings” claim also had alleged that the City was required to pay POP “just compensations” because “the Center does not qualify as a public use.” The court rejected this argument. Assuming “the City’s use agreement with the Foundation qualifies as a transfer to a private party,” citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Kelo v. City of New London, the federal appeals court held “a transfer to a private owner can still be constitutional if it is done for a public purpose”: [T]he City’s judgment that a particular transfer and use has a public purpose is entitled to deference. It’s hard to see, then, how we could second-guess the City’s determination that building the Center — with its museum, public library branch, auditorium, athletic center, gardens, and more — is a use

with public benefits.

In addition to the lack of a protected property interest, the federal appeals court also found POP’s procedural due process claim had failed to “establish that the procedures they received fell short of minimum constitutional requirements”: The City enacted four separate ordinances approving various aspects of the Center. The votes on those ordinances came after multiple public hearings at which residents could raise their concerns about the City’s intended plans.

And the Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Park District Aquarium and Museum Act to explicitly authorize cities and park districts to erect, operate, and maintain “presidential libraries, centers, and museums” in public parks. 70 ILCS 1290/1.

As noted by the court, “a legislative determination provides all the process that is due.... If one legislative determination is enough, then five determinations are overkill.”

Having found POP’s Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment claims failed on the merits, the federal appeals court affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment for the City. In addition, the federal appeals court vacated the district court’s summary judgment on the public trust and ultra vires claims.

In so doing, the federal appeals court held POP lacked “standing to bring those latter claims in federal court, and therefore, the district court should have dismissed them for lack of jurisdiction.”

James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an Attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Sport, Recreation and Tourism Management at George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu. edu). Law review articles archive (1982 to present): mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

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r e v i R A

s n Ru PHOTOS COURTESY OF TENNESSEE RIVERLINE

t I h g u Thro

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Tennessee RiverLine and partners work to advance stewardship and equitable access to the 652-mile Tennessee River

By Kathleen Gibi

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The Tennessee RiverLine’s mission is to transform the way communities and individuals experience the Tennessee River.

prorecreation d n a rk a p s y suddenly g new to u our countr ts is nothin e n e ss h a w l ra se a tu incre OVID-19) on our na navirus (C nd we saw e ro tr o c a e apitalizing ly th e it to n ctions due but it’s defi travel restri fessionals, d n a sing g in v li ard purcha ntine w ra a to u q y e d n e o c m fa at sales in ir vacation ciation, bo putting the o ss r, pandemic.

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TENNESSEE RIVER

In all three industries, there was a point throughout the pandemic during which a consumer was lucky to be able to use a boat, paddling vessel or bicycle the day they made their purchase due to extreme backorders.

It almost seems as if the Tennessee RiverLine, a project that aims to connect communities along the 652-mile Tennessee River through a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking trails, is aiming to address these trends that sprouted in the midst of the pandemic. As it so happens, the vision for the initiative had been brewing for several years, and now presents a fresh and engaging model for amplifying recreation’s impact on the economy, environment, health and everyday living.

“We see the Tennessee RiverLine as North America’s next

Current Tennessee RiverTowns Program Participants The first participating communities in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program were announced in 2020.

They are currently working on qualifying for the prestigious status.

Current program participants include: • Bridgeport, Alabama • Decatur, Alabama • Guntersville, Alabama • Huntsville, Alabama • The Shoals, Alabama • Benton County, Tennessee • Clifton, Tennessee • Hardin County, Tennessee • Knoxville, Tennessee • Loudon County, Tennessee • South Pittsburg, Tennessee • Stewart County, Tennessee • Roane County, Tennessee • Calvert City, Kentucky • Paducah–McCracken County, Kentucky

great regional trail system,” says Brad Collett, director of the Tennessee RiverLine, associate professor in the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville’s Department of Plant Sciences and a faculty member in the School of Landscape Architecture.

First proposed by a UT student in Collett’s class in 2016, the Tennessee RiverLine’s mission is to transform the way our region, communities and individuals experience the Tennessee River, thereby unlocking its potential for economic development, public health, equitable access and environmental stewardship.

“We’re working with river communities to provide them with resources and programs that will connect residents and tourists, alike, to the river in new and different ways,” says Collett.

Within the four states touched by the Tennessee River, there are nearly 200 marinas, campgrounds and riverside resorts.

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Economic Development and Public Health The Tennessee RiverLine is a collaborative effort between UT Knoxville, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federally owned corporation that provides navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing and economic development to the Tennessee River Valley.

In January 2021, after supporting the Tennessee RiverLine in many ways since its inception in 2016, TVA joined UT Knoxville as principal partner of the Tennessee RiverLine by announcing a $1.2 million commitment to further the Tennessee RiverLine’s regional efforts.

“TVA strives to invest in what we like to call power partnerships, those alliances that reflect our 1933 mandate from Congress to ‘make life better for the people of the Tennessee Valley,’” says David Bowling, TVA vice president of gas/hydro operations and plant integration. “Eightyeight years ago, when TVA went to work building dams that made the Tennessee River navigable, provided flood control and created electricity, the dream of a 652-mile regional trail system would have been unthinkable, but today, that vision is coming to fruition.”

This is as much an economic investment as it is building an impressive trail system. Collett says federal investment in recreation assets is important because quality of living is ultimately a major consideration for corporations considering locations for expansion.

For example, the River City Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, suggests that more than $5 billion in private investment has followed Chattanooga’s public investments in open space and connected recreation systems. The quality of life

With a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking trails stretching along the route of the 652mile Tennessee River, the biggest step is building connections to existing amenities, as well as investing in new ones along the way.

these investments support also influenced Volkswagen’s decision to open a major plant in the city. Chattanooga’s downtown is centered around the Tennessee River, with the prestigious Tennessee Aquarium located on the waterfront. Nearby are more than 50 trailheads, bass fishing opportunities that draw professional tournaments year-round, Ocoee whitewater rafting, and some of the most visited paddling routes in the region.

“Businesses seek communities where they can attract and retain top talent, and COVID-19 has reminded us how important access to the landscape around us is to our physical, mental and spiritual health,” says Collett.

Within the four states touched by the Tennessee River (Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky), there are nearly 200 marinas, campgrounds and riverside resorts. So, like the nearby Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains, paddlers, hikers and bikers would have the opportunity to spend weeks traveling the Tennessee River in its entirety or a day on a highlighted section.

Equity of Access Communities thrive when all members are engaged, and that has been a focus for the Tennessee RiverLine in moving forward with its strategic plan.

In its first few years after forming in 2016, the Tennessee RiverLine team set to establish a partnership base, develop an inventory of assets, and help communities identify needs.

In 2019, the Tennessee RiverLine hosted community input workshops open to the public within communities across the region as part of its Pilot Community Program. At these meetings, business owners, city and state officials, and local residents provided insight to how they currently experience the Tennessee River and their aspirations to improve or expand those experiences in the future.

This research has helped identify where there were physical connectivity gaps along the river, and also brought light to socioeconomic barriers to river access and experiences for different groups within communities.

For example, community research found that while there’s interest in canoeing and kayaking, this type of activity isn’t always an affordable

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TENNESSEE RIVER

Building the Tennessee RiverLine Step by Step

Top and middle photos: In Clifton, Tennessee, people take part in a Tennessee RiverTowns river cleanup program.

Bottom photo: In Paducah, Kentucky, people attend a community input workshop hosted

by Tennessee RiverLine.

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The vision for the Tennessee RiverLine is to establish a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking trails that spans the route of the 652-mile Tennessee River through the four states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky.

So, how does the Tennessee RiverLine intend to reach this ambitious goal? They’ve developed the Tennessee RiverTowns Program to inspire and coordinate effort and investment over time. The three-stage program requires activity and reporting for five major benchmarks: Local Leadership – Each enrolled community establishes and convenes a team of community leaders and residents who build capacity, raise awareness of and recruit support for the Tennessee RiverLine through local programs, advocacy and vision implementation.

River Stewardship – Communities inspire new generations of Tennessee River stewards by organizing events and programs, such as cleanups, invasive plant removals and shoreline plantings that raise awareness of threats posed to the river’s health.

River Animation – Communities bring the river to life and promote healthy lifestyles through programs, events and resources that break down common barriers to Tennessee River experiences. An emphasis is placed on hosting community paddle events that promote river use by populations underserved by outdoor recreation opportunities.

Advocacy – Communities elevate the visibility of the Tennessee RiverLine vision and the economic development, public health, equitable access and environmental stewardship benefits Tennessee RiverLine promises to local, state and federal leadership.

Local Development Along the Tennessee River – Over the course of the program’s three stages, communities incrementally discover, implement, operate and promote a local vision for North America’s next great regional trail system that includes a local water trail, supporting amenities and services, public riverfront parks and connective greenway systems.

For more information about Tennessee RiverLine, visit TNRiverLine.org.

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option for every household.

Part of the investment from UT Knoxville and TVA was used to purchase five fleets of 60 total kayaks for Tennessee River communities, so that free kayaking opportunities can be made available to people of all backgrounds, household incomes and experience levels.

On May 22, 2021, more than 100 members of the Latino community in East Tennessee and around the Southeast paddled for the first time with the Tennessee RiverLine’s combined kayak fleet. Individual fleets of 12 kayaks have been granted to Roane and Benton County, Tennessee; Bridgeport and The Shoals, Alabama; and Paducah/McCracken County, Kentucky. These fleets support programs in these and neighboring Tennessee River communities and can be combined to support larger regional events that promote equitable river access.

Collet says his team is researching additional opportunities to make recreation gear more accessible, including a kayak-share program at kayak launches along the Tennessee RiverLine — similar to bike-share programs established in downtown areas or at trailheads nationwide.

Empowering Communities in Environmental Stewardship In 2020, Tennessee RiverLine launched its new multi-stage Tennessee RiverTowns Program, which provides a collaborative framework for communities to celebrate their identities as river towns through a coordinated effort and a demonstrated commitment as stewards of the river’s environmental health. Fifteen communities enrolled in the program’s inaugural cohort, and new communities can apply to the program each summer.

Communities enrolled in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program must host one or more river stewardship event each year.

On May 1, 2021, for example, the very first official river stewardship event hosted by a Tennessee RiverTowns community was held in Clifton, Tennessee. To host the river cleanup, the Tennessee RiverLine reached out to collaborate with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB), which brought its river cleanup boat to take volunteers to clean shorelines and mobilized those who have adopted 40 consecutive river miles around Clifton in KTNRB’s Adopt a River Mile program.

Collett and Tennessee RiverLine staff, City of Clifton and Wayne County officials, as well as local volunteers joined on the KTNRB boat for the day, removing 3,545 pounds of trash from the river, while the Adopt a River Mile participants removed an additional 3,345 pounds of trash from their respective adopted river miles that day.

There’s quite the incentive to participate in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. Besides getting awesome bragging rights, the Tennessee RiverTowns status means that participants will have access to community grant funding, resources in a network of partners, and guidance on best practices for building and connecting Tennessee River amenities. Communities that complete the second stage of the program, which culminates in the development of a local water trail, earn the prestigious Tennessee RiverTowns designation (see sidebar on pg. 36).

Connecting Communities and Natural Resources With a continuous system of pad

dling, hiking and biking trails stretching along the route of the 652-mile river, the biggest step is building connections to existing amenities, as well as investing in new ones along the way.

“In this initiative, we realize that we’re not only creating something new and innovative, but we’re also celebrating and amplifying what already exists,” says Collett.

He adds that the goal for establishing new paddling trails that connect existing and new amenities is to have it started within three to five years. That being said, the Tennessee RiverLine already has announced planning collaborations with South Pittsburg and Benton County, Tennessee, as well as a historic collaboration with a complementary regional greenway initiative in north Alabama along the Tennessee River.

In May, a $25,000 Tennessee RiverLine Community Impact Grant was awarded to the Singing River Trail of North Alabama. This grant will connect Decatur, Alabama, to a quad-city area known as The Shoals (comprising the cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia) as part of the Singing River Trail’s 150-mile trail system.

On its website, the nonprofit, called the Singing River Trail, describes the trail system as “a worldclass resource that connects the region, celebrates Native American heritage, provides education opportunities, contributes to economic development, and enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors throughout North Alabama.”

In all, the Singing River Trail will link six cities and counties presently enrolled in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program.

Trail connection projects, such as the Singing River Trail, will eventu-

ally help to link river communities to each other and establish critical connections between communities and the Tennessee River, establishing gateways to and from the Tennessee RiverLine for residents and visitors.

Powered by Partnerships Ultimately, Collett says partnerships are making this vision a possibility.

In that mix of essential partnerships are universities, which he points out often have servicedriven missions as well as a focus on environment and health; local municipalities, which can give insight into what the communities value and help to break down socioeconomic barriers; and state and federal agencies, which can drive the economic impact of such projects.

“At the Tennessee RiverLine, we know that we’re powered by partnerships,” says Collett. “Building a robust team who truly believes in what you’re doing has been critical to achieving all that we have to date and positioning all partners for future success.”

As the Tennessee RiverLine’s development progresses, hopefully, other river communities across the nation will be inspired to follow a similar model.

Our communities always have thrived when we’ve turned to our rivers. After all, they were the determining factors — the very building blocks — in how our cities and towns were established in the first place.

To hear Gibi talk more about the Tennessee RiverLine, tune in to the August bonus episode of Open Space Radio at nrpa.org/August2021Bonus Episode.

Kathleen Gibi is Executive Director at Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful and a Member of Parks & Recreation magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board (kathleen@keeptnriverbeautiful.org).

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Let the

N FU Begin!

Orlando’s Grand Avenue Park is complete

By Paula M. Jacoby-Garrett

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF ORLANDO

T

his has been quite a year for all of us, from the coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine to the business and service shutdowns. Throughout it all, the City of Orlando, Florida, and its partners have been working diligently to complete the renovations of Grand Avenue Park that were initiated pre-COVID-19 — despite the many delays and the future uncertainty. Their hard work and dedication have paid off, and the renovation of the Grand Avenue Park celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, June 5, 2021.

The recently renovated Grand Avenue Park in Florida, features new playground equipment.

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G R A N D AV E N U E P A R K

Building renovations (currently in progress), will enhance the community center by providing a full-sized gymnasium, a pottery studio, and a host of after-school and summer programs.

A Great Addition for the Holden Heights Community Grand Avenue Park is located southeast of Orlando’s city center in the Holden Heights neighborhood. The park site and adjacent building were once part of a school that served the area for almost a century. Built in 1926, the Grand Avenue Elementary School is an example of Mediterranean Revival architecture and includes a stucco

The Grand Avenue Park renovation wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our donors. A special thank you to: • Musco • GameTime • BCI Burke Playgrounds • Shade Systems • GARED • Greenfields Outdoor Fitness • Poligon • ForeverLawn • Ultrasite • Freenotes Harmony • DuMor • Epic Outdoor Cinema • Most Dependable Fountains, Inc.

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exterior, tiled roof, columns and arched doorways. Dubbed “The Grand,” the building was utilized as a school for 90 years before becoming a community center providing after-school and community programs. Due to its historical significance and unique architecture, the building was placed on the historic register in 1995.

Building renovations (currently in progress) will enhance the community center by providing a fullsized gymnasium, a pottery studio, and a host of after-school and summer programs. In addition to the renovation of the 30,000-squarefoot existing structure, new construction of more than 36,000 square feet will expand the community center to better meet the needs of the local neighborhood.

“Redeveloping Grand Avenue is part of our efforts to invest in city neighborhoods by providing residents with amenities and programs that enhance their quality of life. With this location, we can provide multiple services to the

neighborhood, such as after-school programs, summer camp programs and athletic programming for Orlando youth,” says Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “By providing such youth services in Holden Heights and having a venue for community programs, this facility will strengthen the fabric of the neighborhood and further create an Orlando where every resident is equally valued, equally protected, and has equitable access to opportunities.”

NRPA’s Parks Build Community Sets the Stage The adjacent park, known as Grand Avenue Park, was built in 1938 and provided an outdoor play area for generations of school children and area residents. Years have taken their toll, and renovations were desperately needed to update the park and its amenities. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) chose Grand Avenue Park for its Parks Build Community (PBC) program in 2020.

The program works to build and

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando Recreation Division Manager Rodney Williams (pictured behind the mayor), District 6 City Commissioner Bakari F. Burns and his daughter attend the Grand Avenue Park grand opening.

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Grand Avenue Park was built in 1938, and renovations were needed to update the park so it could continue to provide an outdoor play area for residents.

revitalize parks across our nation as places for people to gather and build community. Each year, a park is chosen in an area of need near where NRPA’s annual conference is held. NRPA works with the local municipalities and industry partners who donate equipment and supplies to complete the park. This private-public partnership works to create a space that provides a positive impact for local communities for years to come.

“Grand Avenue Park was renovated with the help of the National Recreation and Park Association, which chose Orlando for its 10th

Parks Build Community project.

City staff and partners across all divisions have assisted in bringing this renovation to completion,” says a City of Orlando spokesperson. “Generous donors provided playground equipment, game tables, outdoor exercise facilities, musical instruments, lights, picnic tables, trash cans, a movie screen, sports equipment and more. These items will change the lives of nearby residents of all ages who will now have access to free opportunities to get fit and have fun, which is important for the quality of life here in [Orlando].”

Helping Hands Work to Create a Memorable Space Lending a hand to the park reno-

For Jody Buyas of GreenUp Orlando, volunteerism is more than a good deed; it’s about creating relationships in the Grand Avenue Park area. vation effort is GreenUp Orlando.

Created in 1985, the group works to increase the number of trees in the community and improve the overall appearance of the Orlando cityscape. The program encourages the community to beautify their areas through landscape plantings.

The group also holds volunteer planting events for individuals and/or community groups to be involved.

For Jody Buyas of GreenUp Or-

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lando, volunteerism is more than a good deed; it’s about creating relationships in the Grand Avenue Park area. “We wanted to get the community involved and invested in the new park. People from the neighborhood, city employees, corporations and clubs all came together to plant trees, shrubs, add mulch and install irrigation,” she says.

During the recent planting event at Grand Avenue Park, a group that lent a hand was the Central Florida Gator Club (cfgators.com). The club “engages University of Florida alumni and fans in supporting the Gator Nation and our communities. We regularly host events and volunteer opportunities, in-

cluding community cleanups, food drives, scholarships and partnering with local charities,” says Erich J. Krzyzak, a city spokesperson. “Gators GreenUp Orlando is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a way that highlights the importance of nature, community engagement and our shared responsibility to be good caretakers of our environment. Grand Avenue Park is a space focused on connecting the local community and providing a healthy outdoor recreation space Orlandoans of all ages can enjoy.”

Investing in the Future For District 6 City Commissioner Bakari F. Burns, the renovation of

Grand Avenue Park is just part of the revitalization he envisions for the larger area. “Orlando is a growing city and matching our growth with great amenities for our residents is vital for a healthy community. I’m proud to represent such a beautiful city and can’t wait for the community to experience it.

“The renovation is adding not just new equipment, but [also] new dimensions to the park. Instead of playgrounds and ballfields, space will focus on health and wellness through the items donated. Playgrounds will still be part of the park; the other elements, such as the exercise equipment, will create an atmosphere promoting family

Burns and his daughter enjoy the new playground equipment at Grand Avenue Park.

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health and wellness. The game tables will create a comfortable space for multi-generational play. The music equipment will open a world of art experiences. Baseball amenities mean reviving America’s pastime.”

The renovation of the park and the adjacent building will provide a much-needed space for the area’s youth, community gatherings and events. “The Holden Heights community faces a poverty rate of about 50 percent, and unemployment is very high. While programs at the new Neighborhood Center will help children with an academic and social issue, the building itself will return to being a bedrock of the community, a gathering place [for all ages],” says Burns.

“By extension, the park will too.

Children and families will gather in the garden in the afternoons, evenings, weekends and summer days, so having this amazing place for them to come is a gift.”

For local resident Tiffany Hughes, this project was about investing in Holden Heights and their youth. “I would like to thank the City of Orlando for keeping the concerns and suggestions of the community top of mind in the creation of the community center [and the park’s renovations].

There are so many programs for youth on the other side [of town], and the community of Holden Heights was being forgotten. There wasn’t a nice, clean space within five minutes walking distance where our children [could] play, get homework help, and otherwise commune with one another in a safe and clean environment. Holden Heights is forever transformed,” says Hughes.

Building Community — One Park at a Time For the NRPA partners that donated to the project, the Grand Avenue Park is yet another example of how park spaces can bring communities together. “The Grand Avenue Park project was special for a lot of reasons,” says Jeff Rogers, president of Musco. “It has such a historic foundation with the elementary school at its center, and the community has been really dedicated to revitalizing the entire park as a social and recreational hub for everyone to enjoy. We’re just proud to have been involved with all the other great partners.”

“Places like Grand Avenue Park bring people together by enriching the lives of children through play,” says Fred Wiechmann, vice

Dyer and Burns speak at the grand opening of Grand Avenue Park.

president of GameTime. “It’s a tremendous example of what can be accomplished when partners work together for the greater good.”

“It was wonderful that NRPA stood by their commitment to the Grand Avenue Park renovation through such a challenging time… this will benefit the community for years to come,” says Anita Rudy, president of DuMor. “[We] appreciate all the work NRPA puts into developing the Parks Build Community projects, and we are grateful to be a part of something so positive. We truly believe that adding more spaces for people to sit, relax, meet friends and take pleasure in nature benefits everyone.”

For almost a hundred years, “The Grand” building and its associated park have provided a place for children to learn and explore, as well as a place for the surrounding community to congregate. This new renovation of Grand Avenue Park will again provide a safe, community gathering place for generations to come.

Paula M. Jacoby-Garrett is a Freelance Writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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The Future Is

FLOWING in Fort Wayne

Riparian conservation efforts inspire volunteerism among community members

By KayeC Jones

A

t the heart of downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, is “The Confluence,” an area where the St. Joseph, St. Marys and Maumee Rivers converge. It’s an apt name considering the history of the city, but also because of where the city is going. Fort Wayne is consistently changing, with the three rivers remaining constant at the city’s center. People are drawn to water for a reason, and the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department has leapt into riverfront development.

In 2019, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation unveiled a new park situated on the St. Marys River — Promenade Park — and it’s just the first of three phases of riverfront development in the city. However, park and recreation professionals

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know that any new park or public feature brings new maintenance needs. How do you protect, restore and improve the rivers for both current and future citizens? The answer for Fort Wayne is a river barge and a passionate crew.

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Inception of Riparian Division The riparian division at Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation began in 2015 with the publication of the City of Fort Wayne Riparian Management Plan prepared by Biohabitats, an ecologically focused design firm based in Cleveland. From riparian buffers to herbivory management and everything in between, the Riparian Plan served as the foundation and guide for the city’s future riparian maintenance supervisor.

The plan analyzed and assessed

A 30-foot aluminum river barge outfitted with a six-ton knuckle-boom crane helps to remove hazards in the three rivers in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

sion staff learned what works and what doesn’t, but they also learned which tasks have the most impact on both the goals of the team and the goals of the park and recreation department as a whole.

River Safety and Navigability The single most important tool in the department was a passionate crew, and the second most important turned out to be a barge. The city purchased a 30-foot aluminum river barge outfitted with a six-ton

knuckle-boom crane. Although small in terms of cranes, this piece of equipment has been invaluable for cleaning and removing hazards in the three rivers in Fort Wayne.

The crane is used to remove large woody debris from the rivers in the form of log jams, floating debris, and deadheads — large woody debris that have one end lodged into the riverbed leaving only one small end poking out of the river. Although it may look innocuous on the surface of the river, a deadhead can easily puncture the hull of a boat.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORT WAYNE PARKS AND RECREATION

the current ecological conditions along the riparian corridors throughout downtown Fort Wayne. After the extensive study, the plan laid out recommendations and methods that would benefit the restoration, renovation and conservation aspects of riparian work. This includes the management of invasive species, herbivory wildlife, viewsheds, large woody debris, stream restoration and riparian vegetation.

The division was staffed in 2017, and, of course, there was plenty of trial and error. The riparian divi-

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F O R T W AY N E

To date, the crew has removed more than 818 tons of woody debris from the downtown area of Fort Wayne.

To date, the crew has removed more than 818 tons of woody debris from the downtown area of Fort Wayne.

Herbivory Management Water not only attracts humans, but also all kinds of wildlife, and the rivers at Fort Wayne are no exception. The city features a healthy ecosystem that attracts river otters, mink, frogs, foxes, deer, muskrats, numerous aquatic birds and beavers, as well as more than twodozen different varieties of fish.

Unfortunately, beavers, deer and geese have proven to be a nuisance to riverfront development.

Geese normally would migrate during winter months, but with the

current urban setting, they feel no need to migrate. Their numbers have swelled within downtown Fort Wayne, and geese tend to be aggressive toward our community members — not to mention the green waste they leave behind, which has become one of the major contributors of pollutants to our rivers. To combat this problem, the riparian crew has begun to follow the Indiana Department of Natural Resource’s regulations to addle geese eggs in February and March.

Later in the year, they contract a professional wildlife expert to catch and relocate hundreds of geese.

Beavers are cute, but their large orange teeth are destructive. They can ring the base of a tree in a matter of hours, which, in turn, kills the tree. It doesn’t take long after the death of the tree for it to fall into the river, causing navigational hazards for park patrons. The riparian crew has mitigated this problem by wrapping the base of

the beavers’ favorite species of trees with hardware cloth or by applying sand paint. Both methods are highly effective to deter beavers from chewing through the bark of the tree. The same method is used to protect trees from deer as well.

Invasive Species Management and Volunteerism Fort Wayne is no stranger to invasive plant species, the number one culprit being Asian bush honeysuckle. Once people learn about this plant and what it does to the ecosystem, they start to notice it everywhere. The riparian crew has worked hard to remove this plant, along with Japanese knotweed, tree of heaven, buckthorn, garlic mustard and many others.

The crew has worked with thousands of volunteers who are just as passionate about the removal of invasive species in Fort Wayne. As a result, more than 56 tons of plants have been removed with the assistance of more than 1,551 volunteers, amounting to $88,790 worth of labor.

Improving Water Quality and River Safety Fort Wayne City Utilities draws its water from the St. Joseph River, so the city takes water quality seriously. The city currently is undergoing a massive deep tunnel project to improve water quality, and the riparian division is doing its part as well. The crew installed booms, which act as floating barriers around outflows to catch debris coming into the city’s rivers. Controlling the geese population helps with water quality as well.

Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation staff, with the help of volunteers, have removed more than 56 tons of invasive plants from riparian zones.

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Fort Wayne riparian division staff remove new hazards from the rivers before the start of the recreational season.

River safety is paramount, especially with recent increases in boat traffic, as park patrons are returning to the rivers and riverfront development increases. The riparian crew deploys safety buoys at both dams in the city and around any obstructions that could endanger boat users. The crew patrols the rivers to remove new hazards or log jams before the start of the recreational season and deploys buoys at each dam and hazard in the downtown area, along with the city docks.

The crew has removed more than 18,720 pounds of trash out of the rivers so far.

Public Outreach and Education The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation riparian crew has made numerous presentations to local organizations and school groups about water quality and volunteerism, reaching more than 3,739 people. They share the work they do to make the rivers better, and how citizens can contribute to the effort in their day-to-day activities and by stepping up to volunteer with the riparian crew to clear invasive species from the riparian zones. The gratified faces of the volunteers when they step back and view the impact that even a few people can have on our environment is magnificent.

While the crew has worked with large corporations to clear large sections of honeysuckle, the majority of the work done has been finished with just a few passionate citizens.

Fort Wayne’s Bloomingdale Park is a perfect example of the staff ’s combined efforts with local volunteers, as the removal of 15 tons of honeysuckle restored and renovated

the park into something Fort Wayne community members are extremely proud of now.

It began with a passionate few and a boat to make a huge change in the city’s rivers, but passion is contagious. The riverfront is now at the forefront of everyone’s vision here in Fort Wayne. Educating the public, improving water quality, improving river safety and restoring the riparian zones are just the start of the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation riparian division, but once you’re part of the crew, you are a member for life, and Fort Wayne is flowing into the future.

Volunteers help Fort Wayne staff renovate the riverfront to create a space the community is proud of.

It began with a passionate few and a boat to make a huge change in the city’s rivers, but passion is contagious.

The riverfront is now at the forefront of everyone’s vision here in Fort Wayne.

KayeC Jones is Riparian Management Supervisor for Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation (kayec.jones@ cityoffortwayne.org).

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OPERATIONS Well-Grounded A guide to choosing the best playground surface

By Joel Owen

S

electing an effective playground surface is the first step toward creating a safe and accessible playground. Playground surfacing can be split into two categories: loose fill and unitary. In this article, we’ll compare the various options within each category to help you make an informed decision for your specific playground.

Loose-Fill Surfacing

It’s important to ensure that whichever playground surfacing you choose, it is safe and accessible for your community members while fitting within your budget.

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Loose-fill surfacing is often the more affordable choice, easier to install and best for drainage. Perhaps the best feature of loose fill is that it’s exceptional at absorbing impact and protecting children from serious injury after a fall.

While loose-fill surfacing makes installation easy, it’s also more demanding to maintain; material can be displaced. You’ll have to regularly rake material back into the playground and refill material to maintain its safety benefits. Loose-fill options include: Pea Gravel – Pea gravel’s major benefits include being inexpensive, easy to drain and completely unappealing to insects. However, it is difficult for children who use mobility devices to maneuver across.

It’s recommended that pea gravel be used for playgrounds targeting older children, as smaller children may attempt to eat the gravel. Pea gravel requires a lot of maintenance and supervision.

Sand – Sand is inexpensive and easy to install. It is also a much softer cushioning material than pea gravel and kids are less likely to eat it. The major drawback of sand, however, is that it is very easy for objects to be

buried and become a hidden hazard.

Sand also has a tendency to stick onto kids and is thus taken out of the playground, so it needs to be regularly maintained. Sand isn’t very maneuverable for people in wheelchairs.

Engineered Wood Fiber – Engineered wood fiber (EWF) has proven to be the safest for playgrounds on a budget. EWF “knits” together to become more compact, therefore, providing a smoother surface that makes it easier for kids using wheelchairs to maneuver on and provides impact absorption. This compact “knit” also means that the material will stay in place better than pea gravel or sand. When it comes to maintenance, you’ll still need to monitor frequently used areas to ensure the surfacing is refilled as necessary.

Unitary Surfacing Unitary surfacing is bound elements formed into tiles or rolled products, such as turf. These surfaces are typically made up of nylon, synthetic material or recycled rubber tires. As a result, unitary surfacing does not require a lot of maintenance and comes in a variety of colors. The downside, however, is that these surfaces are typically pricier, require professional installation and get very hot during the summer. Uni-

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tary options include: Pour-in-Place Rubber – Pourin-place rubber (PIP) is perhaps the most common form of unitary surfacing. The material consists of a wear layer of rubber particles and a top finish layer of granular particles that provides a smooth surface, which is ideal for children in wheelchairs. PIP is long-lasting with proper maintenance involving sealer/ conditioner. However, the materials and installation, as well as repairs or replacement, can be costly.

Rubber Tiles – These interlocking 2-by-2-foot rubber squares are more expensive than loose-fill options and require professional installation, but are a bit more cost effective than PIP. Maintenance includes frequent sweeping/cleaning to reduce dirt and grime buildup in tile cracks.

Synthetic Turf – For a more natural appearance but the same shock absorption other surfacing materials provide, synthetic turf is the ideal compromise. Turf is wheelchair accessible while also being easy to maintain. A downside unique to the synthetic turf is that static electricity can build up within the material and might require an anti-static treatment to prevent electric shocks.

Given the number of playground surfacing options, it’s important to ensure that whichever option you choose, it is safe and accessible for your community members while fitting within your budget.

Joel Owen is Vice President of Sales for Discount Playground Supply.

PRODUCTS Precast Concrete When you need a park building to stand up to Mother Nature, use 100 percent precast concrete. Easi-Set Buildings producer, Leesburg Concrete, installed a multiuser restroom in beautiful Bahia Honda for the Florida State Parks department. The storm-resistant, all-precast concrete, panelized (including roof) structure was done in soft gray tones with a clapboard finish to blend into the natural setting of the Florida Keys. The building is beautiful, resilient and economical.

Nothing performs better than factory manufactured precast concrete modular buildings. From a single storage building to an entire park facility, Easi-Set Building producers have all your needs covered.

EASI-SET BUILDINGS, EASISETBUILDINGS.COM, 866.252.8210

Charcoal Grill When you are grilling for a big group, you need a big grill. The Pilot Rock Q3-2460 charcoal grill includes 1,220-square inches of cooking area on the four-level adjustable grate, and three individual fireboxes so you can build each fire to the appropriate size. The 360-degree rotation lets you adjust to any breeze. Heavy gauge steel and all-welded construction makes the Q3-2460 the perfect shelter house grill.

PILOT ROCK/R.J. THOMAS MFG. CO., PILOTROCK.COM, 800.762.5002

Goose-Clearing Industrial Unit The Industrial Unit from Away With Geese is guaranteed to rid Canada Geese from public areas. The unit features a 360-degree solar-powered flashing LED light that works from dusk to dawn to disturb geese’s sleep, causing them to find another habitat. Its integrated steel auger is designed to avert theft. Like the Water and Residential Units, they are satisfaction guaranteed, cost effective and maintenance free. Visit awaywithgeese.com for a free placement study of your property or to order.

AWAY WITH GEESE, AWAYWITHGEESE.COM, 513.941.6730

Rubber Playground Surfacing Surface America features a complete line of rubber playground surfacing systems. The PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place system excels in safety and durability. It is the most-used playground surface and comes with the industry’s longest warranty of seven or 10 years, depending on the urethane binder used. PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place is a two-layer system with a shock-absorbing basemat and colorful top surface that has virtually unlimited design possibilities. It’s easily customizable to meet the safety, design and aesthetic requirements of any playground.

SURFACE AMERICA, SURFACEAMERICA.COM, 800.999.0555

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park essentials

s ice e Pr st rvic ers e e w Lo eat S stom Gr c Cu fi rri Te

Recycled site furnishings • park signs

Enhance Your Play Experience Bring Biba Games to your playground and make it even more active, fun and engaging! All you need is the App, a Biba-enhanced playground and the readiness for a whole new kind of playground experience.

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bciburke.com Trademark(s) are the property of BCI Burke Company. © BCI Burke Company 2021. All Rights Reserved. 800-356-2070

DOGIPOT.com 52 Parks & Recreation

Bright Idea Shops, LLC Akron, Ohio 800-886-8990 fax 330-258-0167 www.brightideashops.com www.park-signs.net

800.364.7681

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park essentials

Architectural dog park products

DOG WASH TUBS

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GymsForDogs.com sales@GymsForDogs.com

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They’re the BEST Making Music, Making Memories Adding finely-tuned, beautifully-designed outdoor musical instruments to your park, trail or community space helps bring all people of all ages and abilities together through our universal language – music.

Experience the Joy of Outdoor Music at percussionplay.com/parks © Percussion Play 2021. All Rights Reserved. 866-882-9170

54 Parks & Recreation

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for 48 years

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NRPA

CONNECT

Blog nrpa.org/blog

nrpaconnect.org nrpa.org/connect-app

NRPA SOCIAL MEDIA @NationalRecreationandParkAssociation @nrpa_news

openspaceradio.org

@nrpa

parksandrecreation.org

National Recreation and Park Association

@parksrecmag

(or your favorite podcast app)

@openspaceradio

Kay Park Recreation ........................................................54

Bobcat.................................................................................... 5

Landscape Structures Inc................................................. 7

Bright Idea Shops, LLC ..................................................52 DOGIPOT............................................................................52 DuMor..................................................................................27

Most Dependable Fountains, Inc...................................9 Neptune Benson............................................................... 19 Percussion Play..................................................................54

Easi-Set Buildings ............................................................53 Ex-Cell Kaiser.....................................................................53 GameTime......................................................................... C4 GARED ................................................................................53

Pilot Rock/RJ Thomas Mfg. Co.....................................15

advertiser index

BCI Burke Playgrounds..........................................2, 3, 52

Shade Systems..............................................................C2, 1 Synthetic Surfaces............................................................54

Gyms for Dogs..................................................................54

The Toro Company............................................................ 11

iZone Imaging......................................................................9

Vermont Systems.............................................................25

(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 ©2021 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: $46 a year in the U.S.; $56 elsewhere. Single copy price: $7. Library rate: $58 a year in the U.S.; $68 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

Picture this: The sun is shining, the ballfield is ready, the crowd is cheering, and teams are in place and ready to play! But this is not your average baseball game. Through a homerun of a partnership with the Miracle League of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach Gardens Recreation Department in Florida, children of all abilities are now able to truly experience their baseball dreams at the new Palm Beach Gardens Miracle League baseball field located at Gardens Park baseball complex.

Several years ago, the Miracle League of Palm Beach County began looking to expand its area of service as interest and participation had rapidly grown due to the tremendous success of their programs. The Miracle League, founded in 2005 by Julia and Jeff Kadel, has long provided baseball and cheerleading opportunities for children with special needs. Meanwhile, in 2018, the City of Palm Beach Gardens was in the process of redeveloping some park space. As mutual interests aligned, conversations to unite the City of Palm Beach Gardens and the Miracle League of Palm Beach County as The Miracle League, founded in 2005 by Julia partners began, noting that the partnership would provide the ability to add and Jeff Kadel, has long provided baseball and new amenities to the city’s award-winning park and recreation department. cheerleading opportunities for children with special needs.

By April 2020, construction of the project was complete and included two synthetic turf baseball fields with oversized dugouts to accommodate athletes who use walkers, or wheelchairs, or who are visually impaired. After a temporary break in operation due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Miracle League was finally able to take the field! The inaugural Miracle League Season was played in October 2020, with effective safety protocols in place.

The partnership between the Miracle League of Palm Beach County and the City of Palm Beach Gardens culminated in a Grand Opening celebration on February 25, 2021. The night was highlighted by the unveiling of the “High Five” statue, sculpted by Colorado artist George Lundeen. The statue beautifully represents the Miracle League’s mission to serve all children by building a more inclusive community through the game of baseball. Following the dedication ceremony hosted by Palm Beach Gardens Mayor Carl Woods and the rest of the city council, the Miracle League held its first Opening Ceremony. Each participant was announced and celebrated as they took the field, which has become a heartwarming tradition for each game hereafter.

The city is proud to establish partnerships that enhance the lives of local children and families by providing sports facilities that host a variety of inclusive programs. From the beginning, it was clear the Miracle League’s mission to enrich, expand and diversify lives clearly aligned with the city’s values to experience their Children of all abilities are able to offer diverse programming opportunities for all community members.

Beach Gardens baseball dreams at the new Palm Partnerships like this not only enrich the community we serve and the ens Gard at ted loca Miracle League baseball field . children who participate, but also enrich our experience as recreators. plex com Park baseball — Daniel Prieto, Deputy Leisure Services Administrator, City of Palm Beach Gardens

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS

Miracle League

THANK YOU TO THE DONORS OF THE 2020 NRPA PARKS BUILD COMMUNITY PROJECT

®

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

A special thank you to Ken Pelham, Landscape Architect, RLA, LEED-AP, City of Orlando Families, Parks and Recreation, and Lisa Early, Director, City of Orlando Families, Parks and Recreation

NRPA.ORG/PARKSBUILDCOMMUNITY

We’ve Got Your Parks Covered This Summer With temperatures rising, it’s essential to keep your play area cooler and more comfortable. GameTime playground shades block up to 97% of harmful UV rays and lower the temperature as much as 25° F. Learn how our ready-made and custom shade options make your park the cool place to be!

gametime.com/shade

GameTime’s patented QuickRelease® makes it fast and easy to remove and install shade.

PARKS & RECREATION AUGUST 2021 ◆ FREE FLOWING FUN FOR ALL ◆ ORLANDO’S GRAND AVENUE PARK OPENS ◆ RIPARIAN CONSERVATION INSPIRES VOLUNTEERISM