Innovation in Parks and Recreation

Each year, the NRPA Innovation Awards recognize and honor the park and recreation professionals, and their agencies, who are making the latest advancements in the field of parks and recreation. The 2022 Innovation Award winners highlighted below exemplify the inspiring work park and recreation professionals are doing in their communities.

Innovation in Health — Tallahassee (Florida) Senior Center, UPSLIDE

It is well-recognized that loneliness is a persistent public health issue, and one that was exacerbated during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic due to physical distancing and stayat-home mandates. To address this issue, park and recreation professionals at the Tallahassee Senior Center created the Utilizing and Promoting Social Engagement for Loneliness, Isolation and Depression in the Elderly (UPSLIDE) program to combat loneliness and isolation in older adults. The program takes a holistic approach by providing no-cost individual counseling, therapeutic support groups, transportation assistance, social engagement support, resource connection and social events. It also features Friends Connection groups that provide meaningful social interaction, both in person and virtually. “UPSLIDE is unique for addressing loneliness and isolation long before COVID-19,” says Ashley Edwards, director of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs. “Services are flexible and individualized, and quality mental health counseling is available at no cost, which has literally saved lives. UPSLIDE has helped over 500 people become part of a community, thus improving their mental health and overall quality of life.”

The UPSLIDE program engages trained mental health professionals to assess and identify individuals’ complex issues, as well as provide intervention, care, support and guidance. The program also provides essential mental health counseling to underserved populations at no cost, so they can improve their quality of life by combating the negative social determinants of health. According to UPSLIDE staff, they prioritize knowing and understanding the unique personalities and needs of

PHOTO COURTESY OF TALLAHASSEE PARKS, RECREATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS Park and recreation professionals at the Tallahassee (Florida) Senior Center created the UPSLIDE program to combat loneliness and isolation in older adults.

INNOVATIONBEST IN

Congratulations to Forest Preserves of Cook County (Illinois) for winning the overall 2022 Best in Innovation Award for its project, Palos Preserves Urban Night Sky Place.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY

each participant and follow up with individuals to ensure their social, emotional and physical health needs are being met.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

During the first year of UPSLIDE, Friends Connection sites were chosen with a focus on rural and underserved communities, which also coincided with additional outreach efforts. These efforts included press releases, television and radio advertisements, fliers and brochures, as well as social media posts. More than 1,500 people were reached through formal presentations, exhibit tables, community announcements and partner conversations.

These engagement efforts and more educated the community about the harmful effects of loneliness and isolation, the importance of social connection, and the ways the UPSLIDE program helps to foster healthy people for a healthy community.

Program Impacts

Since 2018, more than 450 individuals have been served by the UPSLIDE program. Of these people, 350 have attended at least one Friends Connection group and approximately 150 have taken advantage of the counseling services.

In 2020 and 2021, 90 percent of participants said UPSLIDE made a positive difference in their lives. Additionally, 75 percent said they made friends and felt less isolated, and 90 percent said their quality of life had improved.

Looking to the Future

Grant funding, as well as financial support from the City of Tallahassee, helps to ensure UPSLIDE staff can continue providing services, as well as expand the program. Staff plan to continue to seek out funding for additional opportunities for social engagement, such as field trips and educational programs. Staff also will continue to engage community members and partners by presenting at local, regional and national conferences to encourage involvement in the program.

Innovation in Equity — Hillsborough County (Florida) Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough County Wheelchair Football

The Hillsborough County All People’s Community Park and Life Center — a facility created for serving people with disabilities — is home to Hillsborough County Adaptive Sports (HCAS), a program that serves people with disabilities and veterans. To increase opportunities for competitive play, HCAS staff created a wheelchair football program. While all participants have a physical disability, many represent minority groups, including 30 percent Black or African American, 29 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 14 percent New Americans. The program also is free, including travel and equipment, which allows

PHOTO COURTESY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

Hillsborough County (Florida) Adaptive Sports is the only team representing a government agency in the USA Wheelchair Football League.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION individuals with financial barriers to participate.

“Offering competitive team sports to adults with physical disabilities is unfortunately rare,” says Adrienne Rouse, CPRP, manager of recreation services for Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation. “We are proud to provide this program at little to no cost to the athlete. The sense of pride and belonging that comes from being a part of a team brings a positive emotional health benefit that is felt by the athlete, their families and the community.”

Currently, HCAS is the only team representing a government agency in the USA Wheelchair Football League — most others are run by nonprofits. Running a league costs approximately $40,000 annually, and Hillsborough County provides resources that may not be available to nonprofits, such as creation of professional promotional materials, a dedicated home facility, an adaptive fitness center, an in-house wheelchair technician, a Friends of the Parks group, a professional sponsorship manager and more.

Fifty percent of coaches in the program are Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists. Having this certification helps coaches understand how to adapt equipment and programming to improve accessibility.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

By engaging partners, HCAS has been able to remove financial barriers and reach underrepresented segments of the population. For example, the

In its first season, the wheelchair football program provided access to the sport to 25 people with disabilities.

league is backed by the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, which supplies funding and helps to create additional relationships. The James Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch enhance outreach efforts to engage more veterans.

HCAS staff work with Move United, the governing body for USA Wheelchair Football, to secure grants, purchase equipment, receive training and plan tournaments. Staff also partner with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who provide gear, marketing and fundraising support, and the team name.

Program Impacts

In its first season, the HCAS wheelchair football program provided access to the sport to 25 people with disabilities. Since 2020, attendance has increased by 200 percent.

One of the goals of the program was to serve veterans, and the program’s reach to this population has been successful. The makeup of the team comprises 40 percent veterans, and the relationships with the James Haley Veterans’ Hospital and the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch will help continue to increase veteran attendance.

What’s more, participants often express the positive impact the sport has had on their social and emotional well-being.

Looking to the Future

Partnerships, financial support and staff training will serve to ensure the HCAS wheelchair football program continues to be a success. HCAS has demonstrated it is a reliable partner that provides a high level of service, and its relationship with Move United, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and others continues to grow, providing greater support and resources to help expand the program.

HCAS staff also have been creating plans for sustained funding for the program. The department recently created a sponsorship coordinator position, which focuses on building public-private partnerships to raise funds and increase program support. Additionally, HCAS works closely with the Friends of the County Parks and Recreation, which assists with fundraising and volunteer support.

Innovation in Conservation — Forest Preserves of Cook County (Illinois), Palos Preserves Urban Night Sky Place

After a report was released revealing that Chicago is the most dangerous city in the country for migratory birds due to light pollution, the Forest Preserves of Cook County (the Forest Preserves) worked with the Adler Planetarium to develop a plan to convert all indoor and outdoor lighting to meet the recommendations of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Today, the Palos Preserve system — a 6,662-acre area just 15 miles from downtown Chicago — emits almost 1,000 times less light than downtown Chicago, with four times as many stars visible in the night sky as in the city.

The Forest Preserves will provide public access at night to select locations within the Palos Preserves and will host dark sky-related events and activities throughout the year, most of which will be no cost to attendees.

What’s more, the Adler Planetarium’s Far Horizons program improves the ground observing networks designed to collect data on light pollution while engaging “teen stratonauts” from diverse communities in the Chicago region. And while the Forest Preserves is in the process of completing retrofits to conserve energy and meet the lofty standards of the IDA in order to protect the nighttime environment, Adler Planetarium staff and the stratonauts participate in lighting inventories and output audits to support this work.

The Palos Preserve system emits almost 1,000 times less light than downtown Chicago, with four times as many stars visible in the night sky.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY

“People know the Palos Preserves for its extensive trail system and the natural wonder of the hills, bluffs, woodlands and wetlands. I’m pleased that with this Urban Night Sky designation, the site is also recognized as a location that preserves the night,” says Arnold Randall, general superintendent of the Forest Preserves. “The many species of plants, insects, birds and other animals that call the Palos Preserves home benefit from the absence of disturbing artificial lighting.”

Receiving the Urban Night Sky Place (UNSP) designation makes the Palos Preserves “the largest Urban Night Sky Place in the world” by the IDA. The UNSP designation helps promote the resource of the nighttime environment to those who are in most need of it.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

As part of the UNSP application process, the Forest Preserves received letters of support from the mayor of the Village of Homer Glen, the president and CEO of the Adler Planetarium, the mayor of the Village of Palos Park, the president of the Chicago Audubon Society, the chief sustainability officer of Cook County, the president of Moraine Valley Community College, the president of the Chicago Astronomical Society, the president of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, and the president and CEO of the Chicago Academy of Sciences/ Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

The Forest Preserves’ partnership with the Adler Planetarium was critical to the success of the project, and they will continue to partner to provide educational programs and events, such as stargazing nights, night hikes, owling and light pollution awareness programs.

Project Impacts

Receiving the UNSP designation from the IDA was a critical measure of success. Additionally, Forest Preserves staff state that local support from colleges, municipalities, and conservation and community science organizations with similar missions is a testament to the success of the initial stages of the program.

Looking to the Future

The dark sky program is included in the Forest Preserves’ Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Plan and the Clean Energy Framework, which includes goals and objectives through 2050. Additionally, Forest Preserves staff plan to continue to retrofit their facilities inline with the IDA’s UNSP standards to expand and enhance the project.

The Forest Preserves’ new community science light monitoring program, which was a result of proceeding with the UNSP application in collaboration with the Adler Planetarium and a diverse community of volunteers across the Chicago region, is expected to continue to grow and evolve. And, the Forest Preserves’ Energy Group’s lighting management plan and retrofits described in the Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Plan and Clean Energy Framework will ensure this program has long-term viability.

Innovation in Park Design — Fishers (Indiana) Parks and Recreation Department, Fishers Maker Playground

The Fishers Maker Playground — a 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art public maker space at the Hub and Spoke building in West Fishers — offers users tools, technology and arts to encourage imagination, curiosity, engineering, building and more. The space includes a wood shop, metal shop, 3-D printers, computers, tools and more.

While the playground welcomes users ages 16 and older, staff partner with educators, artists and industry leaders to introduce hands-on learning to younger children through programs, camps and activities.

“Fishers Maker Playground is a space where tools, technology and art come together to foster innovation in our community,” says Sarah Sandquist, director of Fishers Parks and Recreation. “Our collaborative partnership with Hamilton Southeastern Schools brings over 1,600 fifth graders through the space for hands-on STEAM [science, technology, engineering, art and math]-based study trips. At the Maker Playground, anyone can be a maker and learn new skills or grow existing ones.”

The goal of the Maker Playground is to equip community members with the tools and skills needed for a career in the trades, to improve skills of a lifelong hobbyist, to provide older adults with opportunities to learn new skills, and to show children what opportunities are available to them that they may otherwise not be aware of.

By partnering with Hamilton Southeastern School District (HSE) to provide experiential programming to fifth graders, Fishers Parks and Recreation staff are bridging the gap between education and industry.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

In designing the space, Fishers Parks and Recreation staff engaged with the

Fishers Maker Playground offers users tools, technology and arts to encourage imagination, curiosity, engineering, building and more.

local maker community to determine what people wanted to see within the playground and what gaps could be filled by providing opportunities that were not being offered at other workshops or maker spaces. Staff also collaborated with the school district to help build STEAM curriculum.

Fishers Parks and Recreation partnered with the Hub and Spoke Institute on the construction planning and funding development and HSE on curriculum development. A local internet of things lab and community co-working space, Launch Fishers, also helped with initial planning ideas and provided advice about roadblocks to avoid at the start of the project.

Project Impacts

Initial data from the project shows that in its first year, more than 1,500 fifth grade students, as well as 209 members, visited the Maker Playground. In less than three months, there were 84 reservations for the computer numerical control (CNC) laser cutter, and approximately 15 3-D printing projects are completed per work week.

Fishers Parks and Recreation staff also assert that they have received accolades from community members that data cannot convey. One member, a woman in her 60s, thanked staff for providing her with a platform to learn new skills and keep her hands active and her mind sharp. Members also have written unsolicited letters to the director of Fishers Parks and Recreation and the mayor, thanking them for offering a unique experience.

Looking to the Future

Fishers Parks and Recreation staff use metrics, such as reservation

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FISHERS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

logs, to identify where the greatest need is for new equipment. Additionally, feedback from members and other data are received in real time, allowing staff to make adjustments quickly when needed. For example, based on feedback and visit times, park hours were adjusted to be open later on weekdays and not as late on weekends.

As the program and space continue to grow, staff will implement member surveys and program participant surveys, continue to solicit feedback from visitors, seek advice from community partners and work with the school district to plan for the future.