INACTIVITY RATES IN THE UNITED STATES The 2018 Physical Activity Council Participation Report analyzes the inactivity rates in the United States based on age, income, and race. Trends continue to show that inactivity has many influences, from lower income levels to health to educational attainment. In 2017, most age groups saw a slight decrease in inactivity. While this is promising, the two
age groups that became more inactive were ages 1824 and 65+. While many initiatives and programs are aimed to fight inactivity and obesity, about a quarter of the US population, 82.4 million people, did not participate in even the lowest caloric burning activity in 2017. Perhaps even more concerning is the trend concerning inactivity and income level shown in the figure below; the affluent are becoming more active, and the less affluent are becoming more inactive.
INACTIVITY RATES SEGMENTED BY INCOME
CONCLUSIONS It is important to look at the national and state level of service standards to see how the Nappanee parks provide recreational opportunities to its residents. That being said, each community is unique and has contextual implications that go beyond state or national standards. There may be very appropriate reasons why a community may lack in some areas compared to national standards while far exceeding standards in other areas. Nappanee far exceeds the national standards for park acreage with McCormick Creek Golf Course and other larger facilities such as Derksen Farm & Wetlands, Wellfield Park, and Callander Sportsplex. Nappanee has adequate amenities, but would benefit from a more diverse offering or upgrades to the quality of current amenities. Some amenities can be replaced with newer amenities that align with recent trends in recreation such as splash pads, alternative
sports, and growing sports such as pickleball, archery, and lacrosse. Using park facilities to address related issues such as obesity, quality of life, workforce attraction, and economic development should be priorities for planning future park improvements and acquiring funding. Nappanee’s youth population is larger than average, so amenities and improvements that serve teens and the youth population should be priorities. Team sports, alternative sports, and family activities and programs would be good areas of focus. While most people live close to a park, having safe access to the parks and each park having functional, appealing, and unique amenities should be a focus so residents can have a good reason to go to their nearby park and a safe way to get there other than by vehicle. CITY OF NAPPANEE PARKS AND RECREATION 2019-2023 PARKS MASTER PLAN
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