Parks & Recreation Magazine - January 2015

Wisconsin Biking Network | Interview with Jill Erickson | Rebranding Chandler, Arizona JANUARY 2015 W W W. N R PA . O R G

For Better or For Worse Can parks flourish in today’s boom or bust economies? Page 40

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City officials in Kissimmee, Florida, invested heavily in parks and community assets during a recession to draw business and bring prosperity back to their town.

COVER STORY

40 For Better or For Worse In communities undergoing economic booms and recessions alike, recreation facilities and parks are proving to be major attractions Jessica Culverhouse

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contents january 2015

departments 6 Web Exclusives 12 Letters

columns 8 Perspectives Standard-Bearers Barbara Tulipane, CAE

10 Editor’s Letter

14 Community Center For the Love of Biking 14 Agency Spotlight: Louisville Metro Parks 16 Notable News 18 NRPA Connect Hot Topics 18

19 By the Numbers Transformative Technology

20 People for Parks Better Living Through Conservation Samantha Bartram

22 Member to Member Outgrowing Your Tagline Brooke Peterson

47 NRPA Update The Evolution of PRORAGIS 47 Darden Community Gardens 49 Throwback to NRPA’s Beginning 49 NRPA Takes Top Honors in Green Business Challenge 50 Test Your Park and Recreation Knowledge 51 Member Benefits: AON Insurance 51

Boom or Bust?

Gina Mullins-Cohen

24 Advocacy New Year, New Congress, New Resolutions Sage Learn

26 Law Review Residency Policy Racial Discrimination Claim James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

30 Future Leaders Get Involved in Your State Association Skyler Beck, CPRP

32 Conservation Kids and the Outdoors: It’s Natural Ken Keffer

34 Health and Wellness Beating the Social Stigmas of Aging Guillermina Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Ph.D., and David Lopez

37 Social Equity Sunday is Fun Day Samantha Bartram

NRPA Board Nominations 51 Member Spotlight: Ben Johnson 52 Staff Spotlight: Michele White 53 Professional Development Calendar 54

56 Operations Digital Tree Management Improves L.A. City Parks Matt Fredmonsky

59 Products 63 Advertiser Index 64 Park Bench Money in the Bank Marissa Bracamonte

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Web Exclusives

ParksandRecreation.org

Check out our digital edition at http://ezine.parks andrecreation .org

Made a New Year’s resolution to increase your service to your community or improve your professional development? Become a Certified Playground Safety Inspector! During the month of January, you can purchase the CPSI Online Course Bundle and get a free course field guide while supplies last. Visit www.nrpa. org/CPSI to learn more!

This July we’re celebrating 30 years of Park and Recreation Month and the enduring importance of parks and recreation for the world. From the start, parks were created to serve the people — to give them a place to appreciate nature, exercise, socialize and have fun. This mission lives on and will continue to intensify into the future. This July, let’s celebrate the past, present and future of parks and recreation! As requested by you, our materials are out early again this year to give you a jumpstart on planning and programming events for July. We’ll have more materials rolling out at www.nrpa.org/july as they’re ready, so check back often!

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Parks & Recreation

Do you have an idea for a great Parks & Recreation magazine article? We’d love to hear about it! Whether you’d like to write an article about an innovative idea your agency is using, want to share a possibility for the magazine staff to cover or just wish to provide feedback for the editorial team, feel free to reach out and let us know. If you’d like to write an article, we prefer queries to unsolicited articles so we can work with you on direction, length and timing.

Please check out our Writers’ Guidelines at www.parksandrecreation.org/ contact-us, and email Executive Editor Danielle Taylor at dtaylor@nrpa. org with questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Stay in touch!

NRPA website: www.nrpa.org Parks & Recreation website: www.parksandrecreation.org Digital edition: http://ezine.parksandrecreation.org NRPA Connect: www.nrpaconnect.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalRecreationandParkAssociation Twitter: www.twitter.com/NRPA_news, www.twitter.com/ParksRecMag Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/nrpa Instagram: www.instagram.com/nrpa

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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 PA’ S L E A D E R S

Standard-Bearers For a period of more than 20 years, the National Park, Recreation and Open Space Standards served as a guide to countless agencies and park advocates as they developed their budgets to serve their communities. Then, in 1995, NRPA made the decision to stop updating and distributing this resource. Why would we do such a thing when these standards served an important function for park professionals? Because providing standards to a changing membership serving diverse communities was no longer valid.

Even though NRPA hasn’t published the Standards in almost 20 years, we still get frequent requests for the old versions and we see the “NRPA Standards” cited in planning documents to this day. It’s clear that this is something the field wants, so we’re bringing them back — in a vastly improved form.

Using the data collected in PRORAGIS™, we will now offer members “target ranges” to show how agencies across the country are serving their communities. As always, you can delve deeper into PRORAGIS to compare yourself at a detailed level to other agencies, but these target ranges will provide you with a summary of how you compare to all the agencies in PRORAGIS in a single graph. These target ranges don’t come from research projects or surveys — they come from your peers and agencies across the country, and they reflect parks and recreation in practice, not in theory.

Those of you who have completed PRORAGIS surveys in the past will see an Agency Performance Report in your mail this month. This report will show you what I’ve described above along with a brief explanation of each target range we’ve analyzed. If your agency isn’t using PRORAGIS, you can still learn how you compare by completing your survey. Every agency that has already completed a PRORAGIS survey or plans to in the future will be able to see where they fall for each target range every time they log in to the system.

It’s an old favorite with a new twist, revived by popular demand, and it helps us achieve our mission of giving members the best tools to serve their citizens. If you have questions about how your agency can use PRORAGIS, I hope you will contact NRPA’s Vice President of Research Travis Smith at 703.858.2185 or tsmith@nrpa.org.

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

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Michael Kelly

Chair-Elect Susan Trautman, CPRP

Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Great Rivers Greenway District St. Louis, Missouri

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Secretary Stephen Eckelberry

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center Austin, Texas

Houston Parks and Recreation Houston, Texas

President and CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE

Anne S. Close Fort Mill, South Carolina

New York, New York

Leon T. Andrews

Rosemary Hall Evans

National League of Cities Washington, D.C.

Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

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Cullman, Alabama

Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Rebecca Benná, CPRP

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D.

Kevin Coyle National Wildlife Federation Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Harnish Southwest Christian School Fort Worth, Texas

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EDITOR’S LET TER

Boom or Bust?

The new $70 million recreation center in Williston, North Dakota, is a vast construction, marked by the clean, swift lines identifiable to some of the most progressive architectural designs in the country. Bamboo flooring weaves through the hallways and weathered industrialized steel panels the walls and stairways, saluting the industry that made this grand structure possible — the oil industry. There is even a splashpark for children with water gushing from an oil rig instead of Bakken crude. Times appear good, but will they continue to get better? It is hard to say with our nation’s ever-changing perspective on the oil and gas industry.

While Williston and other towns garner national media attention regarding the financial benefits of such growth, often the ill effects of these impulsive economic drivers seem to go unnoticed. Running parallel to the coveted growth of boomtime situations, one often finds hardships and privation.

Unprepared for the thousands of job seekers moving into the area, the small town of Williston saw immense population growth during the span of a few years. This sudden growth brought gain but also challenges, such as an increase in the homeless population.

Jessica Culverhouse, NRPA’s senior manager of fundraising, examines the ability of park and recreation agencies to survive radically changing economic times. Starting on page 40, Culverhouse profiles two distinctly different towns with prospering park and recreation agencies: Kissimmee, Florida, and Williston, North Dakota. Both towns have struggled and both have prospered, but the turbulent economy of a town or even our country aside, the sustainability of these ventures comes with strong business-minded leadership.

Reasoning for development of park and recreation amenities in any economic climate is also acknowledged by David Barth, a principal at the large design firm AECOM, in our June 2014 feature “Thinking Beyond the Borders” (www.parksandrecreation.org/2014/ June/Thinking-Beyond-the-Borders). Barth recalls the example of Kissimmee, where a $30 million renovation of a waterfront park was undertaken during The Great Recession specifically as an economic development initiative. “When the people asked Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan why, in the middle of a recession, the city would spend substantial funds on a parks project, the mayor said, ‘Because we’re in a recession,’” Barth shares. The result has been that people find the park and then they find downtown. In essence, both entities are bigger draws, which contributes to Kissimmee as a whole.

If you have a similar story or you’d like to comment on this one, contact us. The conversation is open and we want to hear from you.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing Editorial Director 10 Parks & Recreation

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PRESIDENT AND CEO

Barbara Tulipane, CAE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING, AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Gina Mullins-Cohen gcohen@nrpa.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Danielle Taylor

dtaylor@nrpa.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Samantha Bartram sbartram@nrpa.org EDITORIAL INTERN

Marissa Bracamonte mbracamonte@nrpa.org PUBLICATION DESIGN

Creative By Design www.creativebydesign.net SENIOR MANAGER OF ADVERTISING

Dana Storm

703.858.2174 dstorm@nrpa.org (ISSN 0031-2215) is published monthly by the National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148, a service organization supported by membership dues and voluntary contributions. Copyright ©2015 by the National Recreation and Park Association.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of NRPA. Issued to members at the annual subscription price of $30, included in dues. Subscription: $36 a year in the U.S.; $46 elsewhere. Single copy price: $4.50. Library rate: $48 a year in the U.S.; $58 elsewhere. Periodical postage paid at Ashburn, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. Editorial and advertising offices at 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.

703.858.0784. Postmaster, send address changes to Parks & Recreation, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.

It’s Time to Fill that Trophy Case

Every year NRPA recognizes individuals and agencies who work hard to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that advance the quality of life for all people. Our awards programs highlight the efforts of those who go above and beyond to make a difference in the community.

Now accepting submissions for Gold Medal Awards, National Awards and the Hall of Fame.

Join the Gold Medal Live Chat, scheduled for Tuesday February 10, 2015, 2:00 pm, EST.

www.nrpa.org/Awards

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

When I first [began teaching], I had a child in my classroom who was allergic to peanuts. We were able to have a great school year because we discussed [with her mother] what was needed to be done to keep Erica safe. I had an EpiPen in my desk and [Erica] had one in her backpack. Also, I got most parents on board with not bringing peanut products to school. At the time, peanut allergies were not all that common. I only had one parent who protested against my peanut-free classroom and luckily, we were able to transfer her child to another classroom on another floor. I also would call [Erica’s] mother and let her know if I wasn’t going to be there that day, as [in 1994] peanut-free policies were just in their infancy and she was worried that having a substitute [teacher] would be a problem. Nowadays, all schools in our area are peanut-free. However, all our hard work paid off and Erica had a great school year.

Comment from Elizabeth Moore, a retired teacher with the Sudbury and District Catholic School Board in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on Julie Bowen’s October 2014 article, “It’s Time to ‘Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis’” (www.parksandrecreation.org/2014/October/ItsTime-to-Get-Schooled-in-Anaphylaxis) In [David G. Davis’ November 2014 article, “Planting Native 12 Parks & Recreation

is a Matter of Life and Death”], he states that “many landscape architects include invasive plants on their plans.” While it’s true that many plans do include invasive plant materials, such as miscanthus, burning bush and flowering pear trees, I don’t think it’s fair to single out landscape architects. Often, site plans may be prepared by engineers or architects, many of whom are lacking in plant knowledge. A landscape architect can be your single greatest resource in designing spaces with good flow and great gardens.

These professionals should be consulted when starting new park projects, large and small. As when hiring any consultant, ask about their background. You might be surprised to find more landscape architects with horticultural knowledge than you previously imagined.

Email from Karen Twisler, LLA, RLA, LEED BD+C, CPRP, Planning and Landscape Architecture, for Remington & Vernick Engineers, regarding David G. Davis’ November 2014 Conservation column, “Planting Native is a Matter of Life and Death” (www.parksandrecreation.org/2014/ November/Planting-Native-is-a-Matter-of-Life-and-Death) I liked the 10 things [listed in the Open Space blog post] “Still Thankful for Parks and Recreation. How About You?” I’d add an

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11th: Parks and recreation agencies, more so than nonprofits, and more so than privately owned recreation venues — such as fitness clubs, golf courses, amusement parks, gymnastics centers and dance studios — plan and conduct recreation programs and classes for adults and children with disabilities. Talk about a real safety net. People with disabilities need exercise and recreation just as much, if not more than, people without disabilities. And with the American population growing, this is a critical issue. The Centers for Disease Control has the number of Americans 18 and older with a disability pushing 50 million (http://1.usa.gov/1ikTPhD).

Counting children, where conservative estimates put the number at more than 3 million, this is a very large and growing demographic group. This is another example of public parks and recreation agencies, from Connecticut to California, leading in the pursuit of a better quality of life for all. Social equity indeed!

Email from John N. McGovern, JD, President of Recreation Accessibility Consultants, LLC, regarding NRPA Director of Marketing and Communications Lauren Hoffmann’s blog post, “Still Thankful for Parks and Recreation. How About You?” (www.nrpa. org/blog/still-thankful-for-parks-andrecreation)

Community Center For the Love of Biking Wisconsin cities and counties are working together to create more opportunities for active transportation

By Roxanne Sutton

Y

ou might want to make sure you have some time on your hands before asking a bicycle enthusiast in the great Midwestern state of Wisconsin how they feel about their bike trails. Mountain bikers and “roadies” alike have a lot to gush about, and for good reason.

Between a 10-county initiative to create a connected trails system and mountain biking groups dedicated to growing and improving recreational trails, Wisconsin has a lot going on.

“The Dairy State” might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think about great biking and walking destinations. Certainly cities like Portland and Boulder are known

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for their bike-friendliness, but Wisconsin cities including Madison and Milwaukee have both made Bicycling magazine’s list of America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities with populations greater than 100,000. It’s not just the larger cities that are striving to be active-transpor tation friendly, though. Oshkosh — a city of just under 67,000 — is making great strides in creating a connected trails system for both bicyclists and pedestrians.

In 2011, Oshkosh adopted and approved a 20-year pedestrian and bicycle circulation plan steered by public, private and nonprofit groups.

The plan includes 41 proposed improvements with on-street and offstreet multiuse trails.

The goal: enhancing overall transportation.

“Biking and walking are not just a recreational thing anymore — a lot

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of people are using those for transportation,” says David Buck, AICP, principal planner at City of Oshkosh.

The plan focuses on linking origins to destinations to get people where they are going and utilizes the trails within the city’s parks to create those links. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the plan is the intention to link Oshkosh’s system with the larger regional bike plan.

“In our plan, our routes do extend beyond our city limits, and it was designed with the external trail and pathways being considered,” Buck says.

To accomplish this, Oshkosh is working with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC), which is working on a regional bike and pedestrian network plan. This plan includes 10 counties and is focused on connecting gaps between the municipalities and guiding them on best practices.

ECWRPC also gathers plans from each community and puts them together to see how the biking and pedestrian plans in all 10 counties work together.

ECWRP also helps connect bicycle and pedestrian plans through the more rural areas where the local communities may not have these types of plans in place.

Mountain bikers in northeastern Wisconsin have cause for celebration too. Thanks to several enthusiastic biking groups and associations

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Biking is not only recreation, it’s a way of life for many people, including this student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

like the North East Wisconsin Trails (NEWT) International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) chapter and Fox Valley Mountain Bikers, mountain bike trails are growing and expanding.

Matt Kletti, board member of both NEWT and Fox Valley Mountain Bikers, says, “IMBA is a huge resource for us. They provide resources, insurance, training and local government support to build and maintain trails and educate riders.”

According to Kletti, Fox Valley Mountain Bikers are also working on several trail projects alongside the local governments to grow and expand mountain biking throughout the region.

“The amount of energy in our area for mountain biking is insane,” Kletti says. “A little over a year and a half ago, it was just eight guys meeting at a coffee joint talking about bikes.

Now we have over 600 likes on [Fox Valley Mountain Biker’s] Facebook.”

Both city planners and mountain bikers agree that education is key.

The need for active transportation can be lost on more rural farm-folk, and many misconceptions still surround mountain biking including those who think it’s detrimental to the environment.

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When it comes to education, the mountain biking groups and local parks departments play an important role. In Oshkosh, the parks department, along with managing and maintaining the trails, helps educate and encourage park goers to use the trails.

“They’re really a key component to the implementation of our plan — especially a lot of the nonphysical things like education,” Buck says.

On the mountain biking side of things, the local advocacy groups do a lot to educate both the public and community leaders.

“Luckily Wisconsin is really pushing bike-friendly stuff, so it’s getting easier to put trails in and connect them,” Kletti says.

Wisconsinites have a lot to look forward to when it comes to active transportation and recreation opportunities. Who knows — maybe they’ll switch from “The Dairy State” to “The Biking State.”

To learn more about Oshkosh’s biking plan, go to www.ow.ly/FhWBs. To learn more about NEWT, go to www.newtrailswi.org.

Roxanne Sutton is NRPA’s Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist (rsutton@ nrpa.org).

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Community Center

Agency Spotlight: Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation, Kentucky

By Samantha Bartram Municipality: Louisville, Kentucky Population: 756,832 (est. 2013) Year Agency Founded: • Board of Park Commissioners, 1890 • Louisville Parks & Recreation Department, 1942 • Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation Department, 1968 Annual Operating Budget: $24,306,900 Director: Michael J. Heitz, AIA Full-time Employees: 326 Part-time Employees: 35 Seasonal Employees: 237

Essential Information 120 parks, six parkways, 12,701 acres of open space, 12 community centers, two senior centers, two arts and cultural centers, one adapted leisure division, four swimming pools, one aquatics center, 16 spraypads, 14 spraygrounds, nine golf courses, three youth

golf courses, two historic homes, one extreme skatepark, two outdoor amphitheaters, five cemeteries, 300 restrooms, 500 total structures, 175 playgrounds, 135 athletic fields and 160 tennis courts. Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation has earned accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) for two consecutive terms.

Extreme Awesomeness Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation has a lot to boast about, beginning with the above-mentioned amenities. Since its inception in the late 1800s, this robust park system has been dedicated to improving the lives of Louisville residents with top-notch facilities and innovative programs. In 1891, “father of American landscape architecture” Frederick Law Olmsted contracted to design several parks still in operation in Louisville, including Shawnee, Iroquois, Cherokee, Boone Square and

Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation offers a wide variety of programming for the whole community, including group sports, arts, fitness and more.

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Baxter Square, as well as two (Kenton Place and Logan Place) that are no longer in operation. In those days, Olmsted parks represented the pinnacle of intelligent, responsive design, as communities across the United States clamored to make use of his expertise.

Today, Louisville Metro Parks continues in that same cutting-edge tradition with locations like Louisville Extreme Park. When initial construction was completed in 2002, the park boasted 40,000 square feet of outdoor concrete skating surface, a wooden vertical ramp and a 24-foot full-pipe appropriate for skateboarding, inline skating and biking. Recognizing the value of the site to visiting and resident skaters, BMX bikers and X-Gamers, Louisville Metro Parks is currently renovating the site, with new features set to open in 2015.

Likewise, Louisville’s Eva Bandman Park has also enjoyed its share of extreme attention, having hosted the 2013 Cyclo-Cross World Championships.

The park became the first site outside Europe ever to host the event, which features top male and female cyclo-cross athletes from all over the world.

Preeminent Programming Louisville residents are fortunate to have folks like Assistant Director of Recreation Ben Johnson on their side, especially if they’re unsure of what to do at any one of the dozens of parks, recreation, or art and culture sites in the city. A public service veteran with more than 10 years’ experience, Johnson has had a hand in developing programming for youth, teens, adults

and seniors in his community. “Our centers are hubs for physical, mental, emotional, social and financial growth and development,” Johnson says.

When asked to name one of his most successful programs to date, Johnson can’t be so choosy — “I’ve gotta go with three, one of which is a service, not a program,” he says. Highlighting Studio2000, Rec on the Go and Kids’ Café — an arts program, recreation outreach service and feeding program, respectively — Johnson demonstrates how responsive Louisville Metro Parks is to the needs of area residents. Each targets underserved populations including young artists, residents lacking easy access to recreation amenities and hungry children, and all underline the truism that park and recreation professionals excel in thinking outside the box to address a variety of needs.

Add to those initiatives a recent push by the recreation department to address out-of-school time for at-risk youth, and it’s easy to see why Louisville Metro Parks is such an asset to the community. “The majority of our centers are located in low-income, highcrime neighborhoods,” explains Erika Nelson, community relations administrator with Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation. “We provided extended hours in six of our 12 [community] centers to attract youth 13-17 years old, into a safe and structured environment.

In three underperforming summer camp sites, traditional camp — where parents register and pay fees — was eliminated and ‘open’ programming was instituted. This allowed us to serve triple the number of youth each week at each location, giving us a greater impact in the community.”

From creative park design to responsive programming that addresses the needs of an ever-changing city, Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation contin

ues its stated mission to “create a City of Parks where people can play, learn, grow and be healthy.” “Some of our most ardent supporters and frequent users are surprised at the variety of the things we do,” Johnson says. “When

you have as many creative people and varied facilities as we do, our collective possibilities are almost endless.”

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

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Community Center

Notable News n The park and recreation community mourns the loss of Tim Mitchell, 49, former chief of the Chicago Park District (CPD) and longtime aide to former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. He passed away at his home on December 3 after a period of poor health. A Chicago native, Mitchell began working with Daley during the 1980s when the latter was employed as a state attorney, and assumed an increasing series of responsibilities as he worked his way up in Chicago public service. During the early 2000s, Mitchell served as chief of infrastructure and operations for the Chicago Office of the Mayor until Daley appointed him to the position of chief executive officer and general superintendent of the CPD in February 2004. During the next seven years, Mitchell oversaw a number of improvements to CPD lands and facilities, including much of the restoration of the Chicago waterfront as well as the initial planning to convert the former Meigs Field Airport into a 78-acre nature park. He resigned from his position in June 2011 shortly after Daley left the mayor’s office, and spent the last few years working as a consultant and lobbyist. Mitchell is survived by his twin brother, Tom. He is remembered for his dedication to his beloved city and his commitment to providing top-notch parks for all Chicagoans. n The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) recently released Bike Parks: IMBA’s Guide to New School Trails, a guide for “how to plan, build and maintain successful bike parks, along with flow trails and other 18 Parks & Recreation

purpose-built bicycling facilities.” Bike parks are becoming more and more popular around the country, and they require specialized knowledge for their development in order to create a system that will attract new and returning riders and maximize available space and resources. Author Bob Allen, a Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee, offers real-world case studies that showcase schematics of plans put into place as well as their results, and more than two dozen expert contributors have provided essays offering advice and insight for readers planning a bike park for their community. The book also includes guidance on fundraising strategies, risk management, maintenance, operation and more. Copies are priced at $30 each — to order, visit www.imba. com/catalog/book-bike-parks-imbasguide-new-school-trails. n The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Parks Congress met in Sydney, Australia, in November for a once-a-decade event that convenes leaders from around the globe to find solutions and innovative ideas for public lands worldwide. More than 6,000 participants from more than 170 countries gathered for the weeklong conference, which focused on collective achievements for conservation during the past decade and helped to enable the next generation of leaders for success.

For more news from around the industry, visit www.parksandrecreation. org/2015/January/Notable-News.

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NRPA Connect Hot Topics

W

hether your New Year’s resolution is to implement an innovative policy or host a new event at your facility, visit NRPA Connect to see what your colleagues are doing! Connect is the only professional networking platform dedicated to the park and recreation profession — below, check out a sample of some of the topics being discussed: 1) Program Scholarships/Sliding Fees/Payment Plans: Does your agency provide scholarships, sliding fees or payment plans for your community when registering for programs? Your colleagues give advice on the best way to support participants facing financial challenges.

2) Growth in Pickleball: Pickleball is growing in popularity across the country! Some facilities are starting leagues and hosting tournaments of this popular sport. Read what participants in this thread are doing to accommodate the growing request for this activity.

3) Natural Parkland Edges/Private Residence Borders: Many park and recreation departments manage natural parklands that abut private residences.

In some areas, homeowners are encroaching into the park area, essentially extending their backyards. Visit the discussion to see how other professionals are addressing this issue.

4) Transporting Youth in Programs: When providing transportation, what are the accessibility requirements? See what proactive steps you can take to make sure you are ADA compliant.

Join the conversation — it’s easy! Visit www.nrpaconnect.org to contribute!

— Hayley MacDonell, NRPA’s Membership Programs Manager

By the Numbers

Transformative Technology

There’s no doubt about it — we’re living in the digital age. In order to adapt to the changing times, many park and recreation agencies are looking to technology to pique the public’s interest and keep folks engaged with events and programming. Below, we’ve highlighted just a handful of the ways technology is changing the way we recreate.

$30 million: What it will

cost to install a network of fiber optic cables throughout Yellowstone National Park.

2016:

The centennial of the National Park Service and the year NPS plans to equip more parks with Internet access.

80: Percentage of agencies that have auto-

mated electronic recreational management systems (RMS).

73: 31: Percentage of agencies that use

Percentage of agencies that have webbased RMS. RMS exclusively for program and activity registration.

38: Number of locations (including

state parks, state beaches and trails) that California is making virtually available thanks to Google Street View Trekker.

35: Percentage of agencies that have computer-aided maintenance management systems (CMMS), 34 percent of which are web-based.

2000:

The year technology use in parks exploded with the advent of geocaching — now the activity has grown to include millions of geocache sites around the word, as well as a smartphone app.

Sources: www.peer.org, www.parks.ca.gov, www. geocaching.com, PRORAGIS database.

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People for Parks Better Living Through Conservation Jill Erickson has made conservation her life’s mission, and with the Heartland Conservation Alliance, she’s well-prepared to tackle one of the country’s largest urban watersheds

By Samantha Bartram

I

t’s a refrain commonly echoed throughout our industry: Parks and recreation does it all. From providing safe, pleasant and engaging places to recreate, to running feeding programs and activities for at-risk youth, park and recreation professionals have a hand in multiple and varied aspects of building and sustaining our communities. But, despite our seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm, we can’t do it all. We need effective partners to help support our activities and aspirations. Jill Erickson, co-founder and program manager for the Heartland Conservation Alliance (HCA), is one such partner.

Alongside local, regional and national affiliates, Erickson works tirelessly to coordinate efforts in Kansas City, Missouri’s Blue River Watershed that will have a huge impact on the quality of life for all area residents. knows how powerful a group of determined individuals with a mission can be. While there, she set up systems and protocols, raised funding for projects and managed the recruitment of volunteers and community leaders. Through her efforts, CKC has established a number of urban farms and educated hundreds of peo-

Kansas City WildLands

Identifying the Need Erickson has deep roots in her local conservation movement. Formerly the development and communications director with Cultivate Kansas City (CKC), an urban agriculture organization working to establish sustainable, community-engaged farms in the Kansas City area, Erickson

Jill Erickson (far right, wearing orange gloves) explains to volunteers how and why nonprofit conservation group Kansas City WildLands removes invasive bush honeysuckle on park land.

20 Parks & Recreation

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ple about the value of growing their own food. She also managed to find the time to develop initial plans for HCA, which first began to take shape some seven years ago. “[HCA’s] roots reach back to 2008 when a local nonprofit organization, Kansas City WildLands, received funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to convene stakeholders of a specific important natural area in our urban core and create a long-term action plan to protect this area,” Erickson explains. At the outset, Kansas City (Missouri) Parks and Recreation, Jackson County Parks and Recreation and the Johnson County Parks and Recreation District all were involved in brainstorming, but as plans began to take shape, “two needs bubbled up to the surface over and over: Kansas City needed an urban land trust to protect land in perpetuity and had a lot of plans that were not getting implemented because there was not a hub organization with dedicated staff working to implement the plans,” Erickson says. A core group of stakeholders decided forming HCA would be the most effective way to address those needs.

Getting Off the Ground HCA was formally incorporated in 2012 and received its 501(c)(3) status shortly after in 2013. Initially, operations were all volunteer-based, but with receipt of an EPA Urban Waters grant, HCA was able to hire its

first full-time employee in 2013. In May of that year, Kansas City’s Middle Blue River was added to the list of Urban Waters Federal Partnership projects, designed to “reconnect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts to improve our nation’s water systems and promote their economic, environmental and social benefits,” according to an Urban Waters Federal Partnership statement. (NRPA also recently signed on to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership — learn more at www.urbanwaters.gov).

With that, HCA acquired additional partners in conservation and was able to bring more than $150,000 in new conservation funding to the area.

“HCA is a co-lead of the Middle Blue River project [along with the] Mid-America Regional Council,” Erickson says. “Our focus is the Upper Blue River Conservation Opportunity Area and providing the connection between the ‘federal family’ and the ‘local family.’ As part of the Steering Council, we are helping identify ways to implement four key projects that will result in a healthier watershed and healthier communities.”

Although HCA is “barely fledged,” says Erickson, it is making major strides that would not have been possible just one year ago. It boasts 35 members and serves nine counties, two states and more than 120 cities.

HCA recently hosted its first Annual Partnership Summit and kicked off a new partnership campaign. Current collaborators include local, state and federal players, all of whom are chipping in to expedite grants and new or current projects.

Greening the Blue River HCA’s main area of focus remains the Blue River Watershed, which includes more than 1,200 miles of river and tens of thousands of acres of land and is home to some 1 million people. Approximately 63 percent of the area could be characterized as urban, and it’s one of the most rapidly developing areas in the Kansas City region. For Erickson and her team, the need for conservation in such a delicate yet growing area was obvious. “[The Blue River Watershed] is the largest basin in our region — two-thirds of the area drains into this beautiful urban stream,” Erickson says. “It is the nexus for many of our partners, and more data and plans have been gathered and created for this stream than any other in the United States. Since we are an urban land trust, people are our focus. We want to support our partners and help them do what they do best. We want all of our communities to benefit from our beautiful natural areas.”

To that end, HCA focuses on conserving land, connecting people to the land and convening partners. At present — and in partnership with Kansas City WildLands, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Blue River Watershed Association, Kansas City Parks and Jackson County Parks — it’s in the process of wrapping a two-year federal Five Star grant-funded program that teaches middle school students about watershed quality and facilitates the removal of invasive species from the watershed. “Volunteer workdays took place on parks land,” Erickson says. “Hundreds of young people visited the Blue River and more than 175 volunteers supported our parks with caring for public land.”

Just last spring, HCA supported the region’s largest river clean-up, Project Blue River Rescue, by leading four work sites, supervising more than 100 volunteers and lending a hand with promotion and fundraising for the event. “The site we led was along the Blue River and included a city-owned parcel of land, The Municipal Farm,” Erickson adds. “The city has a re-use plan for the property that includes significant restoration. We coordinated with a local organization, Boys Grow (which will be installing an urban agricultural project at the site), the City Planning department, the City Water Services Department and the EPA. The river got cleaned up, the land got cleaned up and all of these groups worked together including some of the youth from Boys Grow.”

Looking ahead, HCA will be involved with more than 15 partners to conduct an analysis of 3,000 vacant lots in the Middle Blue River Basin. “We want to identify lots that should be preserved as permanent open space…Part of the project will include engaging and empowering communities to reclaim the vacant lots for space they can plan and design to meet their needs,” Erickson says.

HCA’s efforts are gaining steam every day, and Erickson sees the potential for incredible progress as her team begins to dig deeply into these new projects. “We are seeing great momentum already,” she says.

“Working collectively for big impact is the only way we can tackle these complex, political, multijurisdictional issues. The animals, plants and rivers don’t have those boundaries, so neither can we.”

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

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Member to Member Outgrowing Your Tagline An Arizona agency reinvents its brand to encompass its broadened role in the community

By Brooke Peterson

T

he city of Chandler, Arizona’s Parks and Recreation Divisions recently navigated through the challenging and exciting process of rebranding with a new logo and tagline. Although the logo had gone through a few updates, the tagline hadn’t changed in more than 20 years. The city learned several important lessons during this process, namely knowing when it’s time for a change, what to consider before taking the plunge and how to successfully launch the new brand. lation more than doubled, changing its landscape. The time had come to establish a tagline that expressed the lifecycle of parks and recreation, spoke to the residents and was relatable across the board no matter an individual’s age, race, or socioeconomic standing.

Time to Change Considering one of the most common synonyms for parks and recreation is play, the city’s former tagline of “Come Out and Play Chandler” was a natural fit. Chandler Parks and Recreation believes in the power of play, but agencies today offer so much more than just play to their communities.

Noted economist and park and recreation enthusiast Dr. Lowell Catlett spoke at the 2012 NRPA Congress.

The underlying theme of his remarks spoke to the impact park and recreation services have on a community.

This resonated with Chandler staff and moved them to action.

In the 20-plus years since the tagline was first introduced, Chandler’s popu22 Parks & Recreation

Things to Consider Before Taking the Plunge Upper Management. Have conversations with the appropriate managers and directors early on about staff intentions and reasoning for wanting to rebrand. It’s important to have their support and for them to feel like they are part of the process.

Internal vs. Hiring a Company. Decide if this undertaking is going to happen using resources within the organization or if funds will be allocated to hire an outside company. On paper, it may appear cheaper to have staff work through the process and do the project internally, but at what cost? Are other projects that staff are working on OK to move to the back burner? Will staff members be able

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to look at the project objectively and remove themselves and their biases from the process?

Budget Rebranding can be an expensive and lengthy process. Be prepared to not only budget financial resources to update all necessary items, but staff time as well. Assign a project manager to take ownership and ensure the project stays on track, within budget and on deadline.

It’s OK, Even Important to be Picky!

After serious thought and consideration, Chandler decided to hire an outside organization. Requests for proposals were sent to local branding companies; a small committee reviewed the responses and interviewed two firms for consideration.

Once Chandler’s partner, Creative Brand Consulting (CBC), was selected, an exploratory meeting with them, as well as representatives from all areas of parks and recreation, was held to establish a base level of understanding about the services Chandler offers. From there, the committee dialed back to six members meeting regularly with CBC. CBC then went to their drawing boards, drafted, and worked through more than 100 tagline and logo directions. They presented 25 options to the core team for consideration before the committee selected the final direction. CBC then worked that one logo option dozens of times, chang-

ing colors, fonts and icons ever so slightly before selecting:

How to Successfully Launch the Agency’s New Brand Get Staff Buy-In. Staff will serve as your primary brand ambassadors interacting directly with the public.

Prior to unveiling the new logo to the public, introduce it to staff, creating excitement and buzz from within.

Organization. Develop a launch plan and strategy prior to making any major changes or purchases. Take inventory of every item/location where the current logo and tagline is, and determine what measures need to be taken in order to update those items. Work closely with staff to take advantage of every free or lowcost opportunity available within and outside the organization to promote the new brand.

Consistency. Establish brand standards and share them with everyone. A logo

®

Brooke Peterson is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the City of Chandler, Arizona (brooke.peterson@ chandleraz.gov).

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visually distinguishes an organization as a unique identity. When projected consistently, it becomes immediately recognizable and associated with that organization’s services and facilities.

To achieve maximum impact from a logo, it is imperative that no modifications or alterations be made to any of its parts. Any variation from the authorized logo will dilute the effectiveness of the brand identity.

This undertaking is a marathon, not a sprint! Careful planning and organization is imperative to the overall success of implanting a new logo and tagline.

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ADVOCACY

New Year, New Congress, New Resolutions

By Sage Learn

T

he start of every new year gives us a chance to both reflect and think about goals or resolutions for change. Now that 2014 has drawn to a close, NRPA’s public policy team is taking the opportunity to think of our own resolutions for 2015, which looks to be an exciting and challenging year on Capitol Hill.

We saw many successes, but after reflecting upon the past year and past Congress, there is much to look forward and aspire to in the new year and the beginning of the 114th Congress. We will see a Republican majority in both the Senate and House, and President Barack Obama will move into his final two years of office. We saw some of our champions retire in December, and with so many new congressional members coming into office, we will have the task of educating old and new leaders about why parks and recreation is so important, using as examples

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We will need your help to put these important policy goals into action and to see the resolutions fulfilled. all the great work that is done in communities across the country at agencies every day. We need our politicians to see the children in our cities who, without their local park, wouldn’t have access to nature or a

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place to be physically active. They need to hear about the teenager who may not get a daily, healthy meal in the summer months without the food he receives at the park or recreation center in his neighborhood.

They need to know about the senior who battles crippling arthritis, but because of the arthritis walking program in his park is able to get around the block. You know these stories better than I do, but do your elected leaders? Let’s make sure we sure we are sharing the stories of our communities to support passage of the legislation that provides funding for these types of programs and so many more. Below you will see our top 10 policy resolutions for the new year and new Congress, not in any particular order. These are important pieces of legislation that

support park and recreation agencies across the country on a range of issues. I have often found that resolutions are easier to adhere to and sustain when shared with others. Will you join me in these goals and resolutions?

New Year’s Top Ten Resolutions for Public Policy New congressional champions for park and recreation issues.

New members equal new opportunities.

1

2

Return to the regular budget process. It serves park and recreation agencies better when Congress passes appropriations bills instead of scrambles to pass continuing resolutions or omnibus spending bills.

3

Reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

LWCF expires in September, and its State Assistance Program funds state and community park and recreation projects across America.

4

Reauthorization of MAP-21/ Transportation Bill. This expires in May and serves as the primary source of federal funding for active transportation, such as bicycle and pedestrian projects.

5

Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. This act expires in September and authorizes the funding for critical USDA after-school and summer feeding programs.

6

Reintroduction/Passage of the Personal Health Investment Today Act. PHIT would allow use of pretax dollars in Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts for physical activity expenses,

such as fitness facility, sports leagues and exercise class fees.

7

Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. This act authorizes funding for health and welfare programs for older individuals,

Exercise Program and Walk with Ease Interventions.

We will need your help to put these important policy goals into action and to see the resolutions fulfilled. To work toward this, we will provide educational tools and

NRPA will hold more public policy-related webinars this year and provide congressional site visit toolkits for some of the critical legislative issues to help guide you through the process of building and strengthening your relationships with your senators and representatives. such as senior center modernizations, chronic disease management and falls prevention.

8

Reintroduction/Passage of the Community Parks and Revitalization Act. CPR provides matching grants for park and recreation infrastructure in metropolitan areas and includes innovative financing for park infrastructure.

9

Reintroduction/Passage of No Child Left Inside. This act would strengthen and expand environmental education in classrooms by providing funds to encourage partnerships between school districts and parks.

10

Continued funding for the CDC Arthritis Program in the HHS/Labor/Ed Appropriations. This program provides funding for the sub-awards given to community park and recreation agencies to implement the Arthritis Foundation

resources to make it easier for you to advocate with your Congressional leaders. NRPA will hold more public policy-related webinars this year and provide congressional site visit toolkits for some of the critical legislative issues to help guide you through the process of building and strengthening your relationships with your senators and representatives. Go to www.nrpa.org/advocacy and click on the Congressional Visit Toolkit to help you prepare to host a congressional member at your summer or after-school feeding programs.

Let’s make 2015 a year to remember with resolutions fulfilled. To quote the English author Edith Lovejoy Pierce, “We will open the book.

Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Sage Learn is NRPA’s Government Affairs Manager (slearn@nrpa.org).

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L AW R E V I E W

Residency Policy Sees Racial Discrimination Claim

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

F

ederal civil rights law and the Constitution prohibit discrimination by the government against a suspect class, i.e., a classification based on race, creed, color, religion or national origin. In addition to direct discrimination against an individual or individuals of a suspect class, this prohibition can also include formal governmental policies as well as informal customs that have an egregious “disparate impact� against a suspect class.

Residency is not a suspect class.

Moreover, public recreational opportunities are not a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution.

Accordingly, governmental entities can generally discriminate on the basis of residency in providing public recreational opportunities, favoring their residents, as long as there is a rational connection between a residency classification policy and a legitimate governmental interest that is not unduly burdensome on the

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individual rights of nonresidents. On the other hand, a policy that discriminates against nonresidents may be illegal when it can be proven that the residency policy is a mere pretext to discriminate against individuals in a particular suspect class.

Given increasing demand for limited public recreational resources, many public park and recreation agencies have adopted residency policies thatallocate public use and may effectively discriminate against non-

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residents. As illustrated by the case described herein, for at least one nonresident, a perceived threat to his recreational activity produced sufficient consternation to prompt a lawsuit in federal court.

Many legal problems start out as public relations problems. Most people are not litigious by nature.

Accordingly, an individual usually has to become very upset before contemplating the personal time and resource burden associated with a lawsuit. Although the city prevailed in this particular case, with 20/20 hindsight, perhaps the public park and recreation agency could have negotiated an amicable resolution to what was essentially an interpersonal dispute between one individual and

agency staff. In so doing, a better public relations and mediation may have defused a volatile situation and possibly avoided the significant cost associated with defending a lawsuit.

Unfortunately, even though a claim may appear to be frivolous and without merit in retrospect, once a claim is filed in federal court, it must still be defended to have the suit effectively dismissed prior to trial.

Pattern of Discrimination?

In the case of Jefferson v. City of Fremont, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157307 (N.D. Cal. 11/6/2014), plaintiff Walter Jefferson alleged discriminatory treatment and harassment relating to his use of the Fremont Tennis Center (FTC). The FTC is a premier public recreational tennis facility and part of the City of Fremont’s Parks and Recreation Department. Players utilize the FTC for a variety of types of play, including recreational play and lessons. The FTC also hosts United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournament matches and league play.

In addition to the City of Fremont, Jefferson also sued Jeff Gonce, in his official capacity as the tennis director of the FTC. Gonce’s responsibilities included managing the FTC, scheduling use of the FTC by all types of tennis players, supervising staff and operating the FTC within its budget. Gonce was subordinate to Kelly King, a Recreation Superintendent II. Gonce did not have the authority to enact official FTC policies or guidelines.

The city filed a motion for summary judgment, which would effectively dismiss the claim without a full trial.

In so doing, the city argued that Jefferson had failed to allege sufficient facts upon which to base a federal civil rights claim for racial discrimination.

Unresolved Conflict Plaintiff Jefferson is an African-American tennis player. Beginning around 1985, Jefferson began to utilize the FTC. Jefferson also participated in USTA amateur league team play, including as captain for certain USTA teams. From 1985 until approximately 2005, Jefferson enjoyed the use of the FTC without incident. Jefferson alleged the discrimination started in 2000 when Gonce was promoted to supervisor. Due to the alleged discrimination, Jefferson claimed he ceased patronizing the FTC in 2005 until 2008.

There were a handful of conflicts over the years between Jefferson and Gonce regarding Jefferson’s use of the FTC courts. In one instance, Jefferson alleged Gonce had set the FTC timers to shut the lights off 50 minutes early during an evening recreational reservation. After one confrontation, a witness testified that Jefferson told Gonce, “If you do not give me courts, I will go ahead and sue the city and I will get you fired. Is this the route that you want to take, Jeff ? Do you want to lose your job? Do you want to be fired?”

Jefferson denied this account of the incident. According to Jefferson, Gonce had told him he was “unwelcome” and “to find elsewhere to play.”

Jefferson and Gonce also clashed over reservations for USTA league play.

The USTA organized socially-competitive amateur tennis league play, and the FTC participated in hosting league matches. Courts for USTA league play were obtained by making a reservation with the FTC. For league matches, the USTA league team captains were required to email Gonce proposed dates for “home” matches; such requests were approved by Gonce subject to court availability and receipt of payment.

After approval, and at least 10 days before the proposed match, the team

also had to fill out a use permit and pay fees of $10 per court, per match.

Courts were not “booked” on the reservation sheets until the FTC received the required fees. In March of 2011, Gonce canceled certain requested dates reserved by Jefferson for USTA league play after discovering that Jefferson had booked the same dates at other facilities.

Residency Rules In 2008, the FTC experienced challenges stemming from the financial crisis, leading to budget cuts, service reductions and a decrease in city personnel. Fees paid by tennis players are the FTC’s only source of funding.

Consequently, the FTC made an effort to maximize fees and accommodate demand for its courts, including implementing certain procedures for making a reservation.

In July of 2011, King directed Gonce to review the FTC’s procedures governing the USTA league hosting program due to the increased demand for court space. In response, Gonce stated that he had consulted with “other public tennis facilities, team captains and USTA staff ” in determining how to limit the number of teams. In addition, Gonce had explored multiple proposals, including a cap, using “most popular team levels,” and using Fremont residency criteria.

The guidelines produced by Gonce were ultimately reviewed and approved by King. The guidelines were never approved by the city manager or city council. Other regional tennis facilities had also used residency policies to allocate courts to USTA league teams. The FTC’s residency requirements did not bar a non-Fremont player from participating in league play, but rather assigned priority to teams based on their number of Fremont residents.

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L AW R E V I E W

The policies also required that team captains be Fremont residents.

While Jefferson disputed the motivation for the revision of the guidelines, testimony from other players from Jefferson’s USTA League team as well as former employees of the FTC failed to indicate that the conflicts between Gonce and Jefferson were prompted by racially-motivated harassment and discrimination. On the contrary, as one witness testified, “The reason for Gonce’s attitude was that Gonce and Jefferson ‘were two guys that didn’t like each other.’”

Jefferson claimed Gonce had engaged in racially-motivated discrimination against him in recreation and USTA league use of the courts. In response, the city claimed Jefferson’s failure to follow the rules were the “true cause of any conflict that he may have experienced at the FTC.” Specifically, the city produced a documented history of Jefferson not paying on time and following the rules regarding timely court reservations for league play. In the opinion of the city, if allowed, “Jefferson’s infractions would affect general customer service and revenues.”

Jefferson himself testified that he could not recall having any issue booking recreational play at the FTC. Moreover, Jefferson failed to show that he did not violate the FTC’s rules on the occasions referenced by the city.

Full and Equal Enjoyment As cited by the federal district court, “Section 1983 provides a cause of action for the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws by any person acting under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage, or any State or Territory.” Further, federal civil rights law provides, 28 Parks & Recreation

“[A]ll persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of any place of public accommodation...without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion or national origin” (42 U.S.C. § 2000a).

In his complaint, Jefferson essentially contended that he was “treated poorly at the FTC, a place of public accommodation, and ultimately denied the right to use the FTC because of his race.”

According to the federal district court, Sections 1983 of the federal civil rights laws would require Jefferson to “show that any purported racial discrimination was intentional.” On the other hand, the court acknowledged that “gross statistical disparities” regarding the adverse impact of a law (in this case the FTC residency requirement) on a racial group “may be so extreme that courts invalidate the challenged action based on discriminatory impact” as a denial of equal protection.

However, in this particular instance, the federal district court found that Jefferson had “not established that the residency requirements had a discriminatory impact on a protected class,” i.e., African-Americans.

Specifically, the court noted teammates of Jefferson had failed to offer any testimony that supported his allegations of racial discrimination. In particular, there was no evidence that “Jefferson and his multicultural team were not welcome at the FTC” or that the FTC’s residency policy was designed to “rid the facility of minorities.” On the contrary, the court noted the following testimony from one of Jefferson’s teammates: “Obviously, there [are] a lot of people that play at the tennis center that come from different backgrounds: Af-

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rican-Americans, Filipinos, Chinese, Indians. We also have Latinos that come out and play there, but again, there’s no sort of...special kind of treatment for certain groups of people or...anything that may be related to racism. I never witnessed any of that.”

Further, the court found “no disparate impact stemming from the residency requirements” for USTA league play on any racial group. In particular, the court noted that the residency rules favoring teams with more Fremont residents had also excluded two non-Fremont resident captains who were Caucasian.

As a result, the federal district court concluded that Jefferson had failed to establish any race-based disparate impact associated with the residency rules.

Disparate Treatment?

As described by the federal district court, to establish a federal civil rights claim under Section 1981, Jefferson had to show the following to prove “disparate treatment motivated by race:” (1) is a member of a protected class; (2) attempted to contract for services and afford himself the full benefits and enjoyment of a public accommodation; (3) was denied the full benefits or enjoyment of a public accommodation; and that (4) such services were available to similarly situated persons outside his protected class who received full benefits.

In this particular instance, the court found Jefferson was only prevented from getting on a court to begin play in June 2011, not because of the residency requirements, but based on the fact that “Jefferson did not make a timely request for reservation.” More significantly, the court found Jefferson had failed to offer any evidence that “similarly-situated persons out-

side of the protected class were treated better,” or that Jefferson “received services in a markedly hostile manner that is objectively discriminatory.”

Despite any alleged disparate impact, the court found the city of Fremont had demonstrated “legitimate purposes for its actions, such as enforcing FTC rules applicable to all.”

In particular, the court found legitimate reasons for the residency requirements, specifically the need “for added criteria because of demand for court time.” Further, the court noted the City’s actions were similar to “other regional tennis centers that also use residency policies to give priority to USTA league teams.”

Municipal Policy Liability?

In response to Jefferson’s allegations of racial discrimination against Gonce, the city of Fremont further contended “there was no official policy or custom sufficient to establish causation under Section 1983.”

According to the federal district court, municipal liability under Section 1983 requires “an action pursuant to official municipal policy of some nature,” which causes a deprivation of an individual’s civil rights.

Specifically, the court noted a municipal entity will be held liable under Section 1983 “only when execution of a government’s policy or custom, whether made by its lawmakers or by those whose edicts or acts may fairly be said to represent official policy, inflicts the injury.”

Accordingly, the court acknowledged that the city of Fremont could not be “subject to municipal liability absent proof of the existence of an unconstitutional municipal policy.”

Within the context of Section 1983, the court found “official municipal policy includes the decisions of a govern

ment’s lawmakers, the acts of its policy-making officials, and practices so persistent and widespread as to practically have the force of law,” which causes a “deprivation of rights.”

Under the circumstances of this particular case, the federal district court found Jefferson had failed to show a “policy or custom” giving rise to municipal liability. In so doing, the court noted that Jefferson and the testimony of teammates had “not shown a pattern of repeated discrimination with respect to other minority players.” Moreover, at one point in his deposition, Jefferson had conceded that Gonce “did not handle scheduling USTA tournaments” and Gonce “did not interfere with Jefferson’s ability to reserve courts for recreational play.”

Accordingly, absent evidence of a “persistent, widespread or well-settled custom,” the federal district court found any problems relating to recreational play were not an “informal policy” that could provide a legal basis for municipal liability under Section 1983.

Municipal Decision Maker?

Moreover, the court found Jefferson had failed to show that his alleged “deprivation resulted from an official policy or custom established by a municipal policy maker possessed with final authority to establish that policy.” In so doing, the federal district court found “the residency requirements have at least one core characteristic of a policy.”

The word “policy” generally implies a course of action consciously chosen from among various alternatives. Here, it is undisputed that Gonce considered “various ways” of limiting the number of USTA teams seeking to play at the FTC in revising the USTA guidelines.

In other words, the residency require-

ments were consciously chosen from various alternatives.

That being said, the federal district court found “no evidence that the alleged ‘policy’ or ‘custom’ was established by the municipal decision makers of the city of Fremont.” On the contrary, the revised guidelines with the residency requirements were approved by King, not Gonce. Further, Gonce was “neither the final policy maker nor delegated final policy-making authority.” As a part-time tennis operations supervisor, Gonce lacked authority to make final policy for the city of Fremont. The city of Fremont’s general ordinances treat Fremont’s city council as responsible for general policies regarding community recreation.

Further, the federal district court found “no evidence that any final policy maker knew of or ratified any alleged disparate impact or discriminatory motive behind the residency requirements.” Instead, in the opinion of the court, the record indicated “the residency requirements were developed at the request of Kelly King, in response to increased USTA league team demand, in consultation with the USTA, and after consideration of similar residency requirements adopted by other regional tennis centers.”

Conclusion Having found no evidence of any race-based discrimination by the city, the federal district court granted summary judgment in favor of the city, dismissing Jefferson’s federal civil rights claims.

James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu. edu). Webpage with link to Law Review articles archive (1982 to present): http:// mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows

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FUTURE LEADERS

Kendrick Mayes of Garner, North Carolina, networks with fellow NRPA members at the association’s annual conference in 2014. While connecting with your fellow park and recreation professionals on a national scale opens up a wider breadth of opportunities, networking at the state level can offer local connections to augment your career and professional development.

Get Involved in Your State Association

By Skyler Beck, CPRP

A

cquiring the benefits of professional organizations goes beyond simply joining. Park and recreation state associations offer a platform for young professionals to be proactive in their careers and make a meaningful contribution to the profession. State associations create an atmosphere where ideas can be exchanged through conferences, events, publications and other avenues. What separates state associations from other organizations is the face-to-face interaction you can get on a regular basis.

Steven Jordison, executive director of the Iowa Parks and Recreation Association, believes networking is how to get the highest value for dues paid to a state association. He says that having a role model nearby who understands the same circumstances you are going through and can offer advice is invaluable in professional development.

“Active members can learn new ideas in the field and develop relationships with other professionals through attending conferences and

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social events, which are designed to create opportunities to get to know others who do their jobs really well at the highest level,” says Jordison.

In North Carolina, several individuals have worked hard to establish a young professional group in the state including Jason Tryon, assistant director of parks and recreation at Indian Trail. North Carolina is already seeing the benefits of active young professionals.

In different regions of the state, many have taken the initiative to

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organize periodic events designed to foster networking opportunities and promote professional development. Tryon encourages young professionals to be as involved as possible, as it can only benefit them and others in the field.

“We all have something to offer through our own unique experiences and perspectives. Our profession is unique because we are encouraged to share information, which will help young professionals as we rise up the ranks together,” says Tryon.

It has been my own experience that actively participating in state associations can pay dividends for professional growth. The ability to network and build relationships with those in your region can make all the difference in being a more effective public servant. I have spent a lot of

time visiting with state association members across the country, and the young professionals who are quickly becoming leaders in the field are the ones who actively sought involvement on the state and local levels.

Ultimately, state associations offer an opportunity to give back, which can be the greatest reward and benefit of membership. The park and recreation industry advances only when its members are active participants and contribute to bettering communities across the country.

So, get started! Here is how you can get active in your state association:

1

Show up Woody Allen is often quoted as saying, “Eighty percent of success is showing up!� Sign up for membership in your state association and show up. Attending conferences, social events and workshops, participating in mentorships, etc., will give you valuable professional development opportunities throughout your career. Most states offer volunteer opportunities at conferences to help facilitate education sessions. This is a great way for students or young professionals to attend a conference without having to pay the registration fees.

2

Start or join a young professional group Contact the executive director of your state association and ask if there is a young professional group within the association. If not, ask how you can help form one. Most executive directors would love an up-and-coming young professional to work with and engage others just starting out in their careers. They will also know what activities would be most effective in that area.

3

Participate in a committee or on leadership teams Most state associations have various committees to help produce publications, conferences, awards, social events, etc. There are several opportunities during the year to get involved in state association programs and activities. Joining and being active will help you take advantage of those opportunities. In addition, run for office.

Most states have open positions for board of directors, treasurer, secretary and other positions to oversee association happenings. Taking on a leadership position will ensure networking and learning from others.

4

Network, network, network When you go to conferences or activities, put yourself out there and meet other professionals. Networking can come easier on a state level.

Young professionals can forge relationships with other members, which can pay off when needing referrals or recommendations for programs and projects or even when looking for a new job. Professional meetings and leisure gatherings create the opportunity to meet and mingle with peers.

Organization members are generally willing to help other members so these

settings are a great way to brainstorm with others who are also looking to share and learn new information.

5

Share information Whether you are a student, recent graduate or young professional, you probably know someone else who is just beginning their career in parks and recreation. Share what you learn from getting involved and help in their professional development as well. Also, share experiences with other colleagues about what programs work and do not work. That advice is more pertinent on a local level when offered by those facing similar circumstances.

Skyler Beck, CPRP, is the Valmont Park Manager for Boulder Parks and Recreation (becks@bouldercolorado.gov).

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Kids and the Outdoors: It’s Natural Embracing “Nature Immersion Therapy” shows kids the wonders of the outdoors with health benefits to boot

By Ken Keffer

I

’d like to introduce you to a little something I call Nature Immersion Therapy. It’s not something fancy, extravagant or complicated. In its simplest form, Nature Immersion Therapy is about getting kids back outside. And it directly supports the 10 Million Kids Outdoors initiative, aiming to get children outside — one classroom, one family and one kid at a time.

On the second anniversary of this initiative, I can’t help but think about my experiences of yesteryear. At the risk of overly romanticizing the past, I remember when growing up was about gathering the neighborhood for a game of Kick the Can or Capture the Flag.

Instead of electronic play, we were building forts in the backyard, flying a kite in an open field and exploring the woods at a nearby park or nature center. Winter was a time for snowball fights and skiing in the park. This cer-

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tainly sums up much of my youth. I’m convinced there is a stretch of bike path in Wyoming that is still rutted from the countless miles I put on it as a kid.

It’s easy to think that those days are in the past, but as a naturalist, environmental educator and writer, I’m here to tell you that childhood is still about the essentials of outdoor play and learning. When you immerse a kid in nature, cool and amazing things happen.

Much has been written about how childhood has changed in recent

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years, and the news is often alarming.

From increased rates of childhood obesity and mental health disorders, to the lack of access to green space in an ever-paved-over planet, we hear that childhood is doomed. In the 10 years since the publication of Richard Louv’s Last Child In the Woods, Nature Deficit Disorder has become a growing concern.

Luckily, there is a cure. A growing body of research has demonstrated that both structured and unstructured outdoor play and learning have numerous benefits to children. So whether your Nature Immersion Therapy with kids includes summer camps, field trips or just exploring at the local park, you can make a difference.

BOOK REVIEW

Green space is a stress reliever, and it can have amazing effects on kids.

Teachers often note that some of their most rowdy students show an unprecedented focus when on outdoor field trips. Kids who can barely sit still for math tests will sit and count the legs of a dozen millipedes. Outdoor time can also reduce Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms including inattention and impulsivity. And as a bonus, it also increases critical thinking skills in children.

Outdoor learning facilitates health and wellness. Students can imagine a raindrop falling from the sky, but when they become raindrops rolling down the hill, they really connect with the watershed. Bonus — they’re exercising without even realizing it!

There is remarkable nature everywhere, not just in far-flung destinations. I’ve worked with students from one-roomed schools in Wyoming to the urban youth of downtown Milwaukee, and with a bit of enthusiastic encouragement, backyard biodiversity becomes as intriguing as the plains of Africa or the Australian outback. This fall, I overheard a student whispering to himself in near disbelief, “That huge tree started out like that little sapling!”

He knew this to be true, but the sinceri-

The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up

By Stacy Torino and Ken Keffer “Go outside and play!” It’s a directive we heard from our parents as children, and it’s likely one we’ve handed down to our own kids. But, in today’s world of video games and structured activities, children may be at a loss when it comes to figuring out what to do once they’ve been ushered off the couch and into the backyard or local park. Fortunately, Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer took the time to gather hundreds of suggestions and solutions to make outdoor play fun, exciting, educational and interactive.

The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book divides these activities into seasons, so there’s always something to do no matter the weather. Torino and Keffer suggest games, projects and even simple recipes to make healthy foods with kids, as well as fun destinations for when a road trip is in order. They’ve also provided a helpful how-to section to open the book, with instructions on how to select an activity and get kids excited for all the great outdoors has to offer. This is an excellent resource for park and recreation programmers, as it includes activities that are easily translatable to a community center setting, special event or ongoing classes.

With adorable illustrations courtesy of Rachel Riordan, The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book is essential reading for families and park and recreation professionals, not to mention a great way to start planning activities for the New Year. Look for it at area booksellers or online at www.amazon.com.

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

ty of that simple connection reinforced the value of outdoor experiences to me.

While technology takes much of the heat for the shift in childhood and

On the Way to Connecting 10 Million Kids — With Your Help NRPA and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) need your help. We are gathering data on how many kids participated in outdoor programs and nature activities during the second full year of the 10 Million Kids Outdoors campaign. Almost 700 park and recreation agencies have now signed on in support of the 10 Million Kids Outdoors initiative, and we need your help in compiling the count.

To see if your agency is signed on in support of the 10 Million Kids Outdoors initiative, go to www.nrpa.org/10MillionKidsOutdoors. Not sure if you should be the one to fill out the form, or have other questions? Contact Jessica Culverhouse at jculverhouse@nrpa.org. If your agency is not yet registered, it is not too late to get involved.

We can blast our goal with your help.

Nature Deficit Disorder, it can’t take all the blame. Yes, it might take a little more encouragement to get kids outdoors these days, but outdoor adventure still awaits. Childhood is still a glorious time, and children are still really good at being kids. Curiosity, wonder and the playful spirit of youth prevail.

So now it’s up to us to keep encouraging those 10 million kids to get outside. The outdoors is a necessary and valuable part of childhood, and it should be experienced to the fullest.

Sharing the outdoors is inspiring and essential work. Let the Nature Immersion Therapy begin.

Ken Keffer is a Naturalist with Milwaukee County Parks in Wisconsin (kckeffer@gmail. com).

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

This El Paso Senior Games participant proves that exercise and wellness can be a priority at any age.

Beating the Social Stigmas of Aging Senior athletes and students join forces in community health partnership

By Guillermina Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Ph.D., and David Lopez

F

or the past 32 years, the Senior Games have been taking place in El Paso, Texas, hosted by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

In 2014, the Senior Games offered 15 sports seniors could compete in, including swimming, basketball, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, racquetball, golf, a road race, cycling, and track and field. During the past three years, the city has partnered with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to connect university students with senior athletes. As students learn through service, they are also challenging the stereotypes of aging. Senior athletes become prime examples of how to live longer, healthier lives though physical activity, fun and friendship.

The Senior Games bring out the competitive spirit in senior athletes and inspire younger generations to adopt healthier habits and exercise in their daily lives.

David Lopez has organized the Senior Games in the past four years and directs El Paso’s 10 senior centers for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Lopez notes that several years ago, the Senior Games were beginning to wane in popularity in the city and throughout Texas, so he is working to combat that as well as

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some other big challenges. The flagging participation rates, which had a lot to do with the scant promotion of the events, meant few people in the city knew about the Senior Games.

Another issue affecting participation rates has to do with the name of the competition. The word “senior” seems to be charged with stereotypes

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and stigmas associated with aging in our culture. Who determines who is a senior? Is it the Census, AARP or restaurants that offer senior discounts?

Lopez considered the social stigmas associated with being a “senior.”

While athletes are eligible to participate in the Senior Games beginning in their 50s, many people at that age do not see themselves as seniors yet and feel that word is for people who are much older, despite the fact that those in their 50s are more likely to be able to compete in many of the events and to be able to start healthy habits now, before health problems prevent them from doing so. Senior athletes in their 70s and 80s seem to be more comfortable with aging, particularly as they have found ex-

Strength training is particularly important for seniors, and senior-focused recreation events can encourage older community members to take steps to improve their overall wellness.

ercise to be a key strategy to healthy living. The word “senior” has a lot of meanings; however, those who embrace the opportunity to compete in physical fitness competitions seem to recognize the key role physical activity plays in an active and healthy lifestyle.

To address the senior spectrum, El Paso’s Parks and Recreation Department staff has worked on introducing new events to the Senior Games.

They understand that not every senior will be able to participate in every event, but someone who does not feel up to participating in track and field events may be perfectly at ease in table tennis, horseshoes, washer toss, race walk or bowling. By offering a wide variety of events, the city hopes to attract seniors of all ages and ability levels. Lopez also counts on another factor to address the low participation rates and lack of publicity: the participants themselves.

These seniors are great examples for other seniors who may not yet be convinced that they are up to running a 100-yard dash. Although many seniors might not see themselves as ready to compete, they can become motivated to take a few steps toward becoming more active by visiting the city’s senior centers and participating in a variety of events, including dances, Zumba, tai chi, walking and low-impact aerobic exercises.

The partnership with UTEP has boosted the visibility of the Senior Games in El Paso. As students attend the events, they serve not only as volunteers, who are able to help set up and monitor the games, but also as cheerleaders and as physical activity ambassadors for the athletes and the local community. In the past two years, students have organized “Pack the Bleachers” efforts to bring students to

the track and field competition.

They spread the word throughout the college campus and in local high schools, and they invite their peers to show up with motivational signs. Poster parties were held on the college walkways, inviting students to send their positive messages to the senior athletes. On the day of the event, students play a big role, as score/time keepers, safety patrol personnel, and water, fruit and sunscreen distributors to spectators and participants alike.

Through a grant funded by State Farm, a group of students have formed a Youth Advisory Board at UTEP to bring volunteers and spectators to the Senior Game events. This grant is helping to create a bridge across the generations and is closing the gap that separates older adults from young adults in El Paso. Students at UTEP who sought this grant are reaching out to high-school students to involve them in physical fitness by sharing health tips and information through health modules, and inviting students to develop their own service learning projects to involve their peers in physical activities. With the rising obesity and diabetes rates in our nation and particularly in this community, the Senior Games athletes are held as great examples of what getting active and healthy can do to improve the quality of life as you age. By emphasizing service and learning, the city’s Park and Recreation Senior Games have served as a space for both community service and for learning from great exemplars. Students have learned to put these lessons to work by becoming more physically active and motivating others to do so as well.

The 2014 El Paso Senior Games wrapped in May, and Lopez and his staff are already planning for the 2015 events and dreaming up ways to make them even more successful. Lopez hopes to get a social media intern to help him promote the Games in the future, and with so many capable students looking to help, he is sure to find one. The university students are currently looking for more high-school students interested in participating in service learning. In the meantime, the participants at the 2014 Senior Games are grateful for the support of the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, and for the students’ enthusiastic support and encouragement.

During times in which many cities are seeing cuts to these sort of programs, El Paso is ready for this challenge.

Guillermina Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Texas at El Paso (ggnunez@ utep.edu). David Lopez is the Senior Division Coordinator for El Paso Parks and Recreation (lopezjd@elpasotexas.gov).

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SOCIAL EQUITY

Sunday is Fun Day A Michigan program offers recreation opportunities for special-needs individuals

By Samantha Bartram

I

magine a world without access to basic social activities — one where you may feel isolated or heavily scrutinized by the “typical” folks around you.

This is the world many individuals with physical or mental disabilities feel they inhabit, as they search for ways to comfortably socialize, relax and recreate. Park and recreation agencies are in an ideal position to bridge the gap between special-needs and typical populations by hosting events or developing affordable, inclusive programming. At Bennett Recreation Center, part of Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority in Howell, Michigan, programmers recently launched monthly Special Needs Sundays, crafted especially for special-needs individuals.

An Outside Plea “Our consumers have no activities geared toward their disabilities and [are working with] a limited income,” says Lisa Patterson, an administrative supervisor with Adult Learning Systems who works in the Lower Michigan area. “There’s nothing for them to do in Livingston County…many surrounding counties have lots of [special-needs] programming, but Living

ston does not,” she continues, painting a bleak picture of the social lives of the individuals she works with at Briarwood Home, a group living facility for people with disabilities. Patterson would attempt to take some of her charges to area parades, festivals and other public activities, but “I would see a lot of the community looking at my consumers with a second glance, not understanding them…We want

to get them out and acclimated in the community at large.”

Patterson began to reach out to area recreation centers, desperate to find an ally who would be interested in developing activities for Briarwood residents. “I called around to all the recreation centers and finally got hold of Tracey [Pasfield], who is fabulous,” Patterson says. “I told her my concerns and that I was wondering why we don’t have this type of programming. I asked if she could help me, and she did.”

The enrichment and special events coordinator at Bennett since April 2014, Pasfield was eager to hear Patterson’s proposals. “[Lisa] contacted me and was pretty adamant that special-needs people of our community need everyday, regular activities to be a part of, to give them a sense of normalcy, and feel

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that they’re part of the community,” Pasfield says. “We came up with the idea of starting [Special Needs Sundays] once a month, with a theme.”

In October 2014, Pasfield held the first Special Needs Sunday at Ben-

nett — a karaoke/costume party for Halloween. “November was a bingo theme, Santa’s secret shop was December and January’s event is a pajama party and movie night,” Pasfield explains.

All events are offered at low cost, typ-

ically $3 for special-needs participants and $1 for their caregiver. “I’ve become very aware of the monetary issues that these folks can have,” Pasfield continues. “[Lisa] encourages them to learn to budget and to pay for the activity…

We’re working together to keep it lowcost, effective, fun and worry-free. Just something to come and enjoy.”

Inviting Ideas Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Special Needs Sundays is the way in which Pasfield and Patterson developed the initial months of programming. “We brainstormed with the participants,” Pasfield says. Those individuals who would be the beneficiaries of Special Needs Sundays programming had a direct influence in what activities would be offered, creating an immediate sense of inclusivity and ownership. One woman, whom Pasfield describes as “adamant,” pressed for a 1950s “sock-hop”-themed event.

“We’ll be doing that in March,” she says, audibly bemused.

This is exactly the sort of situation Patterson hoped would materialize after her months of lobbying various area recreation centers — one where her consumers have input regarding the activities and can experience “typical” recreation in a comfortable setting. And, for both Patterson and Pasfield, this is just the beginning. Both women envision an evolution of the local community, where special-needs populations, their caregivers and neighbors feel comfortable living and playing together. “I’d love to see [special-needs and typical people] do activities together,” Patterson says. “They’re people too — [there’s no reason to] feel threatened or scared by them.”

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

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an

Parkt f RV en ol o anagem Scho d M ional roun Natd Campg

www.nrpa.org/RV-Camp-School

Better Worse For

or For

In communities undergoing economic booms and recessions alike, recreation facilities and parks are proving to be major attractions

By Jessica Culverhouse

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O

ver the past decade, communities across the country have experienced a roller coaster of financial circumstances, and public services of all types have been hit with budget cuts, hiring freezes and a range of other challenges as a result of the recent economic recession. If funding for parks and recreation was inadequate prior to 2008, park and recreation agencies in many communities have found it to be downright painful since then.

With the crash of the housing market and skyrocketing unemployment, all manner of funding streams for public services — from schools to emergency services to parks and recreation — were chopped. Local governments shifted the dollars that remained to basic services like police and fire, while parks and recreation took an even bigger hit.

However, as the economy rebounds, communities across the country are beginning to recognize the role their parks play in economic development.

A new or revitalized park can boost the local economy by attracting new businesses, drawing families to purchase or rent a home nearby, and driving tourism to the area.

Local Parks Support Local Economies A 2010 Trust for Public Land (TPL) analysis of the economic benefits of parks in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, found that homes adjacent to parks saw an increased sales price of more than $8,000. A similar 2014 study of the Chicago Park District, coordinated by the Civic Consulting Alliance, Global Economics Group and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, found that homes near parks experience a 1.5 percent increase in value, a total of $900 million in increased home values in the city due to parks.

In Mecklenburg County, the economic impact of tourism attributed

to parks totals $53 million, and for Chicago it tops $1.4 billion.

Parks also support financially strained communities in many less-obvious ways. They offer inexpensive opportunities for residents to improve their wellness, potentially reducing healthcare costs.

TPL found that for Mecklenburg County, annual healthcare cost savings due to parks is more than $80 million. Green space in parks can reduce pressure on stormwater infrastructure by providing opportunities for water to filter into the ground, reducing expenses related to upgrading sewer systems over the long term. Such green infrastructure saves Mecklenburg County almost $19 million each year. And parks can help build community and a sense of place, keeping people — particularly young, well-educated people — from leaving to seek job opportunities elsewhere during times of economic stress and uncertainty.

Capital stemming from a local one-cent sales tax in Williston, North Dakota, helped pay for this $70 million recreation facility after an oil boom brought thousands of workers and millions of dollars to what was once a sleepy farming community.

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PA R K S I N B O O M TO W N S

Kissimmee’s New Lakefront Park Many communities have taken this to heart and, despite economic struggles, have pushed forward with major park construction projects during the past several years. One example is the city of Kissimmee, Florida, a city of about 63,000 just outside of Orlando.

Residents of Kissimmee — and Osceola County as a whole — were among those worst hit by the recent mortgage crisis. Although the rate of foreclosures is now declining and property values are finally increasing once again, Kissimmee remains among the cities with the highest rates of foreclosure in the country. With an unemployment rate of 7 percent, Osceola County lags behind much of the country in terms of economic recovery. Still, Forbes magazine lists Osceola among the fastest-growing counties in the nation.

Once a community fueled by the citrus and ranching industries, Kissimmee saw dramatic changes in the early 1970s when Walt Disney World opened in nearby Lake Buena Vista, Florida, about 15 miles away. In addition to the popular theme parks, Kissimmee’s chain of freshwater lakes is renowned among anglers, drawing crowds to its largemouth bass tournaments.

One of those lakes, Lake Tohopekaliga or “Lake Toho” as the locals call it, has recently been the focus of the city’s largest capital improvement project in its history, according to Dan Loubier, director of parks, recreation and public facilities for the city of Kissimmee. Despite the poor economy, Loubier forged ahead with plans for a $30 million revitalization of Lakefront Park.

When the mortgage crisis hit and the taxable value of properties de-

Kissimmee’s new Ruby Pier at Lakefront Park is a marked improvement over its dilapidated predecessor, which was closed to public access.

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creased, Kissimmee’s Parks Division was forced to scale back to core services, like many of its counterparts nationwide. The department lost 40 percent of its budget and staff between 2008 and 2010. Loubier credits his department and the city for keeping a strong reserve and spending conservatively before the downturn.

“We were OK,” he says.

Plans for Lakefront Park were already in the works prior to this time, and the economic downturn did not alter these plans. Remarkably, Loubier did not have a difficult time convincing Kissimmee residents and commissioners of the economic value of the Lakefront Park revitalization project.

“When you look back,” Loubier says, “any time the country had difficulty, the government put people to work.”

Aside from the project being funded solely by sales tax revenues, paid for

mostly by tourists, “I was able to tell folks that a $30 million park equals a lot of people working,” he says.

Lakefront Park, which was constructed in three phases to bolster its affordability, offers playgrounds, picnic pavilions, a marina, an event lawn, performance stages and a splashpad, among many other amenities. Designed with much community input — including three public hearings at which citizens expressed their needs and desires for the park — Lakefront Park is what Loubier calls “a true park for the people.” Despite its funding coming from visitors, the park is primarily used by citizens, as evidenced from the daily walkers seen on the boardwalks, families visiting weekly for picnics and playground outings, and fishermen and boaters making regular use of the marina and bait shop.

Designed for passive education as well as recreation, Lakefront Park honors the heritage and natural history of the community. Buildings make use of design elements from the first structures in Kissimmee; visitors will find plenty of standing seam metal roofs, white columns and brick. Much of the building material was sourced locally to further support the local economy. The landscaping features native plants and the picnic shelters are named for native birds. You can have your retirement party at Cormorant Pavilion or celebrate a birthday at Egret Pavilion, for example.

In an effort to protect Lake Toho as a valuable natural and economic resource, a major component of the Lakefront Park revitalization project was green infrastructure to provide stormwater retention and treatment.

Thanks to a series of baffle boxes and rain gardens included in the design of the park, Lakefront Park now filters and treats all of the runoff from downtown Kissimmee before it reach

When asked why the city of Kissimmee would spend upwards of $30 million on Lakefront Park’s renovation during a recession, Mayor Jim Swan said, “Because we’re in a recession.”

Needless to say, Kissimmee is proud of its new park, and the park is benefiting the community in countless ways. es the lake. Educational signage and a baffle box equipped with a viewing window further promote the conservation message to park visitors.

With the final phase of Lakefront Park having just opened in October 2014, the long-term impacts of such a project on the local economy of Kissimmee remain to be seen, although it is fair to say that so far, hundreds have found work and thousands have benefited from the new recreation opportunities in their community. Rumors of interest from developers for new hotels and mixed-use projects in the

area adjacent to the park are spreading quickly, a new commuter rail station is in the works, and the local electric and telecom utility that owns property adjacent to the park has taken on a revitalization project of its own space.

Needless to say, Kissimmee is proud of its new park, and the park is benefiting the community in countless ways.

A Boom During the Bust On the opposite end of the spectrum lies booming Williston, North Dakota. Situated atop rich deposits of coal and petroleum, Williston has experienced a dramatic shift in recent years from a sleepy farming community to a bustling hub of activity. Jobs in the oil-fracking industry are abundant, luring workers from as far as Michigan and Massachusetts as the economic recession has made work hard to find near their homes. Williston boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with starting pay at the local Walmart well above $15 per hour and jobs in the oil fields paying three times as much.

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PA R K S I N B O O M TO W N S

As of the 2010 census, there were about 14,000 residents in Williston.

Current population estimates reach as high as 30,000 or 40,000 people, although it is difficult to know exactly how many have flocked to the area as many reside in temporary housing.

Given the dangerous and labor-intensive nature of work in the oil fields, the vast majority of Williston’s new residents are men, living in group housing units that have come to be known as “man camps.” With the overwhelming influx of people, Williston’s housing, restaurants, retail and services have struggled to keep up with the boom.

In the past year or so, as more homes have been constructed, restaurants opened and roads improved, the oil workers have begun to bring their wives, girlfriends and children

to Williston to set up households.

The birth rate in Williston has doubled in the past decade, and the local hospital estimates it will see 1,000 babies born in 2015.

The rapidly growing number of families in Williston means more

In this booming town, residents are looking for stability and a chance to revitalize and strengthen their community in the wake of great change.

The Williston Area Recreation Center was designed to provide recreation outlets for the flocks of workers who have come to the local oil fields.

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schools, healthcare facilities and other services are necessary. And that includes parks and recreation.

Home of the Country’s Largest Recreation Center After working for a time in park and recreation positions in Minnesota and Colorado, Darin Krueger returned to his native North Dakota in 2006 to take a job as a small-town parks director in Williston. At that time, he had a staff of just 12 fulltime employees and a $1.8 million annual budget. “Williston was a poor park district,” Krueger recalls. There were crumbling, unsafe playgrounds and an ever-growing list of projects needed to modernize existing structures. Certainly there was no room in the budget for a major construction

Amenities like this state-of-the-art waterpark help attract spouses and children of oil workers in Williston, encouraging families to stay together and make homes in the boomtown.

project. Still, Krueger says, “Everyone was asking me, ‘When are you going to build a rec center?’”

Williston Parks and Recreation District would not be a “poor park district” — nor would Krueger be a small-town parks director — for long. When the oil (and dollars) started flowing in Williston, the District began to reap the benefits of a new one-cent sales tax, with half of the revenue going to Park District operations and the other half used to fund a new recreation center. Plans for what would become arguably the nation’s largest public recreation center commenced.

The Williston Area Recreation Center, which opened in March 2014, is an expansive, state-of-theart 250,000-square-foot complex that cost more than $70 million to construct. With indoor basketball and tennis courts, playgrounds, a waterpark, a running track, a golf simulator, plenty of fitness equipment and space to roam, the recreation center is what Krueger calls “a game changer for Williston.”

In this booming town, residents are looking for stability and a chance to revitalize and strengthen their community in the wake of great change.

The former quiet farming town had little to offer new throngs of children and families in the way of recreation and entertainment, particularly in North Dakota’s very cold, very dark winters. The new recreation center offers a bit of that stability and a lot of fun; it is a place for families to hang out, a place for people to relax and enjoy themselves, get some exercise and meet their new neighbors.

In the first six months of the Williston Area Recreation Center’s existence, more than 13,000 individual and family memberships were sold.

Daily visitation tops 16,000 people, and the center takes in about

Daily visitation at the Williston Area Recreation Center tops 16,000 people, and the center takes in about $340,000 per day.

$340,000 per day. The local school and hospital even bring prospective new teachers, nurses and doctors by for a tour of the rec center, using it as a recruitment tool.

Still, the work for Krueger and the Williston Parks and Recreation District has only just begun. Krueger doesn’t believe the oil boom will slow for at least another decade. And all of those babies born in Williston? “In 10 years, all of those kids will be in our programs,” he says.

In addition to constructing the Williston Area Recreation Center, Krueger has been working to improve playgrounds and add new restrooms and roads to existing parks during the past few years. He says that the District will acquire and develop 30 new parks during the next five years. One

of his major goals is to continue to improve and expand Williston’s network of trails; he hopes to add 15 to 20 miles of mixed-use trails over the next decade. And, Krueger says, Williston will need another recreation center on the west side of town in the next several years. “My job is to improve the quality of life in Williston,” Krueger adds.

Parks Support Communities If the projects in Kissimmee and Williston have a lesson for the rest of the country, perhaps it is that investing in parks and recreation makes good sense under a range of economic circumstances. Parks and recreation facilities offer critical support to communities, improving the quality of life for residents while helping to support the local economy by providing jobs, drawing new business and increasing property values.

In the November 2014 elections, voters across the country — from Arlington, Virginia, to Spokane, Washington — voted in support of park construction and improvement projects. The public’s appetite for such projects is growing, but park and recreation departments nationwide must continue to build their case for major public investments in parks.

Jessica Culverhouse is NRPA’s Senior Manager of Fundraising (jculverhouse@nrpa.org).

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HELPING AGENCIES GROW

for 50 years

MARCH 8-13, 2015 YEARS WWW.NRPA.ORG/REVENUE-SCHOOL oglebay resort and conference center wheeling, west virginia

NRPA Update The Evolution of PRORAGIS

NRPA’s national recreation and park database is continuing to develop to best help agencies manage and plan their resources effectively

By Travis Smith, Ph.D.

S

ince the launch of PRORAGIS™ in 2010, NRPA has worked with park and recreation professionals and consultants to assess all aspects of the system. We’ve examined the process for getting data into the PRORAGIS system, how PRORAGIS delivers data for an agency or a professional to use, and what we can learn about the field of parks and recreation as a whole from the data we’ve gathered. In some areas, we found PRORAGIS has worked as we hoped and expected. More importantly, we’ve identified areas where we can improve the system and experience while remaining focused on our original goal — to provide both the most comprehensive database of information related to park and recreation agency operations in existence and tools for agencies to put this data into action to improve how they serve their communities.

Survey The biggest changes from a user’s perspective will be in the tool we use to collect operational information.

Based on feedback from PRORAGIS participants, our goal was to make the survey easier to complete and

narrow the scope to the questions that were most relevant to day-today operations of an agency. Instead of a small-agency and large-agency version of the survey, we’ve now unified the most relevant questions into a single survey for all agencies.

This survey is shorter, and it focuses on questions that will provide performance management measures that are most useful for benchmarking and comparative analyses. These changes are based on feedback from PRORAGIS users who are interested in seeing more management and operations analysis from their data.

The survey itself will now customize to your agency, so you’ll only be asked questions that apply to your facilities and programs. In coming years, we’ll supplement the data we collect via PRORAGIS with traditional surveys to collect important information about your agency that doesn’t require an annual update to remain relevant.

GIS We’re excited to be moving the PRORAGIS GIS services to the ESRI ArcGIS platform. For those not familiar with GIS, ESRI GIS services are considered by many to be the industry standard. The easy-touse tools we’ll be able to provide to PRORAGIS users through ArcGIS will make it easier to develop, manage and analyze GIS information about your parks, programs and community. We’ll continue to offer webinars and one-on-one support for our

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NRPA Update member agencies that are interested in learning more about the benefits GIS can bring to their operations or how they can use GIS tools to improve their efficiency and operations.

NRPA Target Ranges From 1971 to 1995, NRPA published the “National Park, Recreation and Open Space Standards” as a minimum set of benchmarks to guide agencies. Despite disclaimers that these guidelines were to be used only as a basis for a more thorough and specific analysis, these standards were often cited verbatim in master plans and level-of-service recommendations. Over time, NRPA came to realize that prescribing “one-size-fits-all” standards for communities as diverse as those served by our members was not serving our agencies or their citizens well. Even though we haven’t updated these standards in almost 20 years, we still receive calls and requests for copies of these guidelines on a weekly basis.

As a membership association devoted to serving our members, how do we provide guidance related to level of service when there’s such variability in the members we serve? We think PRORAGIS provides the answer.

Rather than using broad rules of thumb for guiding important agency decisions, isn’t it better to compare yourself to others in the industry rather than relying on dated research that may not apply to your community? While PRORAGIS has always allowed participating agencies to identify and compare themselves with other similar agencies, we’ve now made it possible to compare 48 Parks & Recreation

your agency to the field as a whole.

We’ve identified the most important metrics, compiled all the data we’ve received since the inception of PRORAGIS, and produced operating ranges that give PRORAGIS users a quick, easy-to-understand snapshot of how their agency lines up against other agencies across the country. You’ll easily be able to see where you stack up against other

agencies, where you’re doing a great job and where you have room to improve. Importantly, these ranges don’t come from us or from academic research — they come from you, the park and recreation professional.

If your agency has participated in the past, you’ll be seeing a custom agency report that provides your comparison to other PRORAGIS agencies in your mailbox soon. For

You’ll easily be able to see where you stack up against other agencies, where you’re doing a great job and where you have room to improve.

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those of you who haven’t participated, once you complete your agency’s PRORAGIS survey, you’ll also have the ability to quickly compare yourself to all the agencies we’ve collected data from, or zero in and do more focused comparisons of your operations with other specific agencies. All of these features will be accessible from your dashboard after you log in to PRORAGIS at www.nrpa.org/ PRORAGIS. NRPA thanks the agencies that have participated in PRORAGIS, and all those who have provided us with feedback and criticism.

These ideas and the direction for our improvements have come from you, and we’ll continue to listen, modify and do our best to provide you with the tools you need to make data-driven decisions in your agency.

Travis Smith, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research (tsmith@nrpa.org).

Looking Back to NRPA’s Beginnings

A

s NRPA begins its 50th anniversary year, we take time to reflect on the first half-century of our existence while looking forward to the future. To help showcase our journey, the editorial staff will look at one issue from our archives each month for the rest of 2015.

The June 1966 issue shown here is the sixth issue of Parks & Recreation magazine in its current form,

although as the cover explains, it combined four related magazines that existed before the five organizations that joined to form NRPA merged in 1965. The content shows that park and recreation professionals dealt with the same issues then as our members do now, with headlines such as “Your Turfgrass Headache: What Variety” and “Unique Answer to Urban Sprawl Problem” jumping out from the table of contents. Other articles showcase how the field of parks and recreation has evolved over the past half-century;

this issue’s cover story, “Why Have A Zoo?,” looks into the now-rare combination of zoos and municipal parks, while “Teenagers Provide Recreation for the Mentally Retarded” showcases how special-needs recreation has always been a focus for our members, albeit using different language today.

Most tellingly, the opening editorial by Conrad Wirth, then the vice-chair of NRPA’s Administrative Board, outlines his wish for the association’s future.

“In closing, I wish to say, in as few words as possible, what I hope the National Recreation and Park Association will accomplish. I want it to foster: excellence in park and recreation administration; a demand by the public for an adequate national system of parks and recreation areas at all levels of government; provisions for advanced research; planning to improve parks and recreation facilities to meet the public’s requirements; public realization of human environmental requirements; a strong human protective instinct for resource use and preservation; and the establishment of a high standard of excellence in professional ability and accomplishments.”

Half a century later, it’s encouraging to see that the NRPA’s objectives remain the same and that great strides have been made for the field in the areas Wirth mentions. We hope our founders would be pleased with all that has been accomplished and the work we continue to do.

— Danielle Taylor, Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

Grow Your Park Feeds Thousands

H

ere’s some good news from NRPA and our friends at the Darden Foundation: The 2014 Grow Your Park grants have been a resounding success! The 15 grant recipients across the country have seen some great combined results, and we have the numbers to prove it. Since receiving the grants, which provide financial support for agencies to establish gardens for members of their communities who are interested in access to fresh, healthy foods, recipients have gleaned 23,192 pounds of produce, with 9,947 pounds donated directly to local pantries and soup kitchens. In addition, 9,922 low-income families received fresh produce from the gardens, and more than 10,000 people participated in various Grow Your Park programs. Congratulations to all who have helped, and keep up the good work! For more information about Grow Your Park, visit www.nrpa.org/garden.

— Marissa Bracamonte, Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine

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NRPA Update

NRPA Takes Top Honors in Green Business Challenge

By Ted Mattingly

N

RPA’s collective efforts during the past year were recognized at the annual Loudoun Dulles Green Business Challenge awards gala held October 29. The fifth-annual challenge saw 77 businesses from Loudoun County and the Dulles area of northern Virginia participate, with 29 companies achieving the Platinum level. Of these, NRPA was selected as the winner of the Commercial Business Category over three other finalists.

The Green Business Challenge is a friendly points-based competition and certification process that challenges and encourages businesses to implement more efficient and sustainable practices.

Participation also demonstrates leadership, an eye toward improving the bottom line, creating a healthier work environment for employees and minimizing the environmental impact organizations have on their communities.

This was the second year for NRPA’s participation, with the association achieving Gold in 2013, and the staff really put in the extra effort to make the cut for the top level. A dedicated Green Team led the charge, which resulted very favorably once all of the improvements were added up.

The Challenge focuses on five specific categories: Education and Outreach, Energy, Water, Waste and Transportation. Here are some highlights.

Ted Mattingly, NRPA’s director of facility services, accepts NRPA’s hard-earned award for excellence in green operations.

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Energy: NRPA’s facilities team upgraded the HVAC control system, added LED lighting, optimized building operating parameters, confirmed the proper electrical schedule with the utility company and added timers to building exhaust fans.

Education and Outreach: The entire staff continues to educate communities through our focus on Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity, and the association also sponsors the NRPA Green School, which graduated our second cohort this past February. We have successfully completed five Parks Build Community campaigns demonstrating the transformative value of parks and recreation on the health and vitality of communities across America. We also conducted in-house Lunch and Learns and had speakers come in and talk with staff about various sustainable practices we could implement both at work and home. Our favorite activity was our Earth Week program, which included a carpooling day, two wastefree lunches and seminars, planting more than 25 trees on our site and helping a local nature preserve with annual clean-up and maintenance.

Water: NRPA implemented a green cleaning program by ceasing the use of all bleach-based products and installing a chemical dispensing system to accurately mix chemicals and reduce the amount of water used.

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We installed automatic flush heads in our accessible bathroom stalls and conducted another water audit to identify opportunities for conservation and ensure proper maintenance.

Waste: NRPA staff volunteered to give up our office trash cans to encourage more focus on recycling office waste. This encouraged staff to get up and move to several central waste containers, reduced the number of trash bags used and cut back on labor to empty the waste as well. We conducted a waste-stream analysis and met with the Loudoun County Office of General Services to review local regulations and ordinances to ensure we were in compliance.

Transportation: We completed the NURIDE transportation survey, hosted a Loudoun County Transportation Department presentation on commuting options, eliminated our company fleet vehicle and hosted monthly staff meetings with a green lunch to reduce by 120 the number of trips staff take for each event.

Additionally, NRPA initiated an app in Charlotte for the 2014 annual conference with great success and did not print our large onsite program. We also implemented electronic membership renewals on the website, stopped using a paper grant application system and automated NRPA store order processing.

The hard work and fun in achieving this goal was well worth the effort, and we are extremely proud of this great achievement. We look forward to continuing our sustainable efforts and competing in the 2015 Green Business Challenge.

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

Need Assurance? Get Insurance!

AON Makes It Easy!

T

he new year means people are making resolutions to get out and get active, and this equals more people visiting your park and recreation facilities and joining classes and sports leagues. Take a proactive step and be ready for the crowds by making sure you have the right insurance to protect yourself.

NRPA-sponsored insurance programs with AON are the one-stop shop for park and recreation organizations and individuals in need of insurance. These insurance programs are specifically tailored to fit your needs at competitive prices! AON cov-

ers sports leagues with Team Sports or Football Combined Liability and Accident Insurance, and don’t forget the sports equipment — AON covers your property too with its Equipment Property Program. General Liability coverage is also offered for instructors, interns, participants, trainers, coaches, directors, officers and more. With so many options, don’t hesitate to check out AON today!

Interested in learning more or getting covered? Just visit www.nrpainsurance.com for more information, applications and brochures!

— Hayley MacDonell, NRPA’s Membership Programs Manager

The following question is a sample Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) examination question.

Call for NRPA Board of Directors Nominations

Which of the following provides park and recreation agencies with an effective financial mechanism to manage revenue-generating facilities such as golf courses, swimming pools and campgrounds?

H

ave you ever thought about being a board member or know someone you think would excel as one? NRPA is looking for both professional and citizen leaders who are passionate about parks, recreation and environmental conservation. Candidates should be active leaders who wish to further the mission of the association and who have demonstrated talent and expertise in the field or in their community.

NRPA values and seeks diverse leadership as defined by race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, appearance and geographic location. We also encourage all types and sizes of park and recreation organizations.

Test Your Park and Recreation Knowledge

For more information and to apply, please visit www.nrpa.org/ leadership, where you can find the Class of 2018 Nomination Book.

All nominations must be submitted or date-stamped by January 30, 2015. If you are interested in serving, know someone who is or have questions about the nomination process, please contact Michele White at mwhite@nrpa.org or 703.858.2144.

A. B. C. D.

Enterprise fund Operating fund Maintenance fund Capital fund

Calling all beginning to midlevel professionals! The Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) is the national standard for all park and recreation professionals who want to be at the forefront of their profession.

For more information on the CPRP certification program and the answer to the above question, please visit www.nrpa.org/cprp.

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NRPA Update

Member Spotlight: Ben Johnson

D

on’t tell Ben Johnson there’s nothing for kids to do at Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation in Kentucky (see page 16). The assistant director of recreation bristles at the suggestion that his department is lacking in programming for youth, not to mention adults and seniors. In his 10 years with Louisville Metro Government — eight and a half in the Office of Youth Development and the past year and a half with Metro Parks — he’s developed programming at 12 community centers, two art centers, two senior centers and one year-round pool, and he’s preparing to take on four more pools this summer. Johnson also takes pride in building strong connections throughout his community between residents, municipal leaders, police and kids. Below, he gives us a taste of the sort of commitment it takes to facilitate effective, impactful programming.

Parks & Recreation magazine: Talk a bit about the community centers under Louisville Metro Parks.

Ben Johnson: Our 12 traditional community centers offer a wide array of programming for all age groups.

We truly cover the spectrum from A (Adapted Leisure programming) to Z (Zumba). We are very intentional in saying we have community centers and not recreation centers because when most people hear the term “recreation center,” they only think of a place for youth. While we offer a lot of recreation programs, we also have age- and gender-specific programs, programs for seniors, art-based programming, job-training programs, health and fitness programming, etc.

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P&R: Community relations — in particular, between residents and the police — have featured heavily in recent news. In what way do you feel community centers help to foster positive relations between community members and, possibly, between residents and municipal leaders including police?

Johnson: Our division has a great working relationship with the police and we are trying to make sure that spreads throughout the community…

We asked for and have seen officers just stop by the [community] centers from time to time. Officers have participated in our Fun Day/Field Day activities with more than 400 youth from across the city — even running (in uniform!) in a race. We are currently looking to revive a conversation series at the community centers geared specifically toward teens. We did this years ago, not in response to an incident, but because we thought it was a good idea. Obviously now is a good time to bring that back.

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P&R: What do you say to folks who are looking for ways to keep their kids occupied during out-of-school hours, and why do you feel park and recreation programs are well-positioned to encourage positive activities and attitudes in youth?

Johnson: Persons who say there is a lack of programs for youth are terribly misinformed…Our community centers are uniquely positioned to provide positive, constructive activities because we have very few limitations.

We are not singularly focused on one part of the community, education, sports, job training, an age group, race, ethnicity, etc. We are open to and willing to work with any and all.

P&R: What advice would you give to other park and rec professionals looking to foster better community relations at their agencies?

Johnson: Be open. Be honest. Be fearless.

At this year’s NRPA conference there was a button that was a red circle with a line through it that said, “But we’ve always done it that way!” I have that sign up in all of our centers — we have to get away from that type of thinking, personally, professionally and as a community. We have to be open to new ideas (or bringing back old ones) while being honest about what we can or cannot do…Lastly, it’s OK to be wrong, make a mistake or even fail. There are occasions when that is the best way to learn. We have to model some of the behaviors we are trying to teach. I wonder if sometimes the “fear of failure” might not be more accurately described as the “fear of success.”

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine

Staff Spotlight: Michele White

I

f you’ve engaged with NRPA’s leadership during the past six years, you may have seen or worked with Michele White without knowing the extent of her role at NRPA. As executive assistant, she supports President and CEO Barbara Tulipane and serves as a liaison for the Board of Directors and its various committees. White also works on a number of special projects and has recently developed NRPA’s new Fund Your Park campaign (www.nrpa.org/fund-your-park), a crowdfunding platform designed exclusively for park and recreation agencies. She took time out to share her background in parks and recreation, her work for the association and her penchant for standing in a creek on her days off.

was designed] to help the membership raise money, engage their community, advocate support for projects and utilize a different platform to interact with the public. It’s not just the online part — we have found that it takes all hands on deck with fundraising and this is just another tool for our members to use to help rally for support.

Parks & Recreation magazine: You’ve been at NRPA since 2008.

What attracted you to work here?

Michele White: The mission. Advocating for parks and making sure we all have access is a big thing for me. This is a job where you feel good about what you do.

P&R: What’s your life like outside of work?

White: My husband’s name is Sean, and we have two dogs, a cat and a horse. We live in Delaplane (Virginia) and pretty much spend our time fishing, hiking, playing with horses and camping. I’m an avid fly fisher and enjoy trying to tie my own flies.

P&R: Tell us a little about your dayto-day work.

White: I work closely with Barbara and the vice presidents to help ensure the association is moving forward. I also liaise with the Board of Directors and board committees, provide management oversight to the association and have been involved in many special projects since I started, such as all of the urban park conferences we’ve done.

boarding since I was 5. I spent a lot of time outdoors and have been intimately involved in rec leagues and the ski industry.

P&R: Tell us a little about this crowdfunding project you’re working on.

White: After seeing the new surge of funding coming from crowdfunding for a variety of projects, we thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if our members had a platform?” [Fund Your Park

— Danielle Taylor, Executive Editor for Parks & Recreation magazine

P&R: Earlier this year, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing and Editorial Director Gina Mullins-Cohen mentioned in her Editor’s Letter that she once overheard you say that you were “a park and rec kid.” What did you mean by that?

White: I grew up playing rec sports from age 5 and was in year-round soccer, mostly as a goalie. I also worked in the ski industry for six years and grew up skiing and snow

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NRPA Update NRPA is dedicated to providing learning opportunities to advance the development of best practices and resources that make parks and recreation indispensable elements of American communities.

Find out more at www.nrpa.org/education.

3-4 5-6 18-19 26-27

Burlington, North Carolina Joliet, Illinois Phoenix, Illinois Kissimmee, Florida

2-3 12-13 24-25 24-25 26-27 26-27

Seattle, Washington Sunrise, Florida Front Royal, Virginia Royersford, Pennsylvania Lawrence Kansas Stuart, Florida

FEB

The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) certification program provides the most comprehensive training on playground safety standards and the credentials to inspect playgrounds for safety compliance.

3-5 4-6 4-6 11-13 24-26 25-27

MAR

The Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) certification is a state-of-the-art certification for pool operators and aquatic facility managers.

FEB

CPSI PROGRAM

MAR

AFO PROGRAM

2-4 3-5 9-11 10-12 10-12 18-20 24-26 31-April 2

www.nrpa.org/AFO

ONLINE LEARNING Online Learning is a cost-effective and flexible way to educate staff, provide training and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) without leaving the comfort of your home or office. Visit NRPA’s Online Learning Center and choose from one of our many courses.

Cultural Competency Free

Erie, Colorado Bellevue, Washington Shawnee, Kansas Bismarck, North Dakota Sacramento, California Plymouth, Minnesota St. Charles, Missouri East Hartford, Connecticut

www.nrpa.org/CPSI

SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES NRPA Conferences and Schools are forums where the park and recreation community comes together to exchange ideas and information. Register now for these upcoming events. All NRPA Schools are held at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia, unless otherwise indicated. and

Park R V ent lofanagem Schood M ional N atC am pgroun

This two-hour course focuses on understanding cultural expectations and the importance of cultural competency when making policy, systems and environmental changes.

Following the course, attendees are invited to take the Cultural Competency Exam (Members: $50, Nonmembers $65).

Upon completion of the exam, you will earn 0.2 CEU credits.

Boston, Massachusetts Hulbert, Oklahoma Sunrise, Florida Lansing, Michigan Gladeville, Tennessee Boise, Idaho

February 17-21, 2015 March 8-13, 2015

March 22-26, 2015

Introduction to Inclusive Recreation Members: $50, Nonmembers: $65

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and

www.nrpa.org/elearning

Park R V ent lofanagem Schood M ional N atC am pgroun

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Operations Digital Tree Management Improves L.A. City Parks

By Matt Fredmonsky

L

ike any park asset, trees need careful management. Would you run your community pools without tracking chemical costs? How efficient would your mechanics be if they didn’t log maintenance to trucks, mowers and other equipment? Trees need the same consideration if you want to get the most long-term value out of their ability to shade, filter stormwater, block sound pollution, provide wildlife habitat and perform other services within your park. know what you have,” Bauernfeind says. “You need to have an inventory and system in place to manage your priorities and track that valuable infrastructure.”

That’s why L.A. City Parks partnered with The Davey Tree Expert Company for the use of TreeKeeper, Davey’s proprietary web-based tree-management software.

Leon Boroditsky

Laura Bauernfeind, principal forester for Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, wanted a better method for managing the hundreds of thousands of trees spread across the parks’ 16,000 acres throughout the city and southern California.

“In order to manage something and care for something, you have to

Employees of L.A. City Parks can use iPads and Davey Tree’s TreeKeeper tree management software to track new tree plantings, pruning, location and other information to manage the parks’ tree canopy.

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“TreeKeeper helps us manage our resource but also manage our priorities,” Bauernfeind says. “It’s also an extremely invaluable risk-management tool.”

Davey’s software suite gives park directors and foresters the tools to manage an existing tree inventory, administer work orders generated internally, compile flexible data reports and manage calls from residents of a community, all on mobile platforms.

The software includes an integrated mapping program. GIS mapping pinpoints each tree within a jurisdiction.

TreeKeeper’s ability to run on iPads, Toughbooks and other tablets allows personnel to work with real-time data updated in the field to reflect inventory additions, maintenance work such as pruning, plantings, removals, storm damage and other data fields.

Dana Karcher, market manager for Davey Resource Group, a division of Davey Tree, said TreeKeeper’s flexibility allows L.A. City Parks to tailor data reports by almost any category from tree species to age, forest density and maintenance frequency.

“By developing reports about where she may be lacking trees, Bauernfeind can determine where they should be planting new trees,” Karcher said.

“She can also look at species balance to see what else she should be planting to level out the different types of species she has throughout the parks.

“Species diversification is very important to manage against pests,

The cherry trees at Balboa Lake are just some of the 330,000-plus trees L.A. City Parks is responsible for maintaining.

Keeper tracks which tree species in what locations are being tested and will log the results over time.

Just as importantly, the inventory quantifies the value of a forest that may be destroyed by a fire and provides a comparative analysis of the loss.

The software also includes an educational component.

Leon Boroditsky

disease, and in Southern California, drought,” Karcher said. “With the emerald ash borer marching across the country, and polyphagus shothole borer already in the region, it becomes incumbent upon tree managers to track what they are planting and how those trees are performing.”

Bauernfeind estimates that L.A. City Parks is responsible for a minimum of 337,600 trees. Of those, the parks worked with Davey to inventory about 60,000 to date.

“Right now, we’re primarily using TreeKeeper to host our tree inventory data,” Bauernfeind says. “By the time this goes to press, we will be using it to manage our work order system. From a managerial standpoint, the ability to have a permanent record of the work that we’re doing on a tree-by-tree basis so that we can prioritize our work is invaluable. And the fact that it’s electronic so staff can be dispatched without the need for paper, and that everything is being accurately logged in real time, makes the work that much easier.”

Using iPads, Bauernfeind’s staff can take pictures of tree damage, planting and maintenance and instantly input the photos into TreeKeeper to supplement the other data tracked by the software. The ability of staff to quickly update the software in the field lets administrative personnel work with real-time data when planning responses to storms, wildfires and other weather events or managing construction and expansion projects.

Davey and L.A. City Parks are working on a pilot project using TreeKeeper to track drought effects. The parks are experimenting with treegrowth regulators to determine if they can potentially ease the stress on trees struggling with drought. Tree-

Field employees of L.A. City Parks can instantaneously update their TreeKeeper data to reflect storm damage, regular maintenance and other changes to the parks’ trees.

In fall 2014, the Department of Recreation and Parks made its existing tree inventory data available to the public online.

“Our goal is to help educate the public about the value, importance and extensive nature of the park urban forest,” Bauernfeind said. “It potentially could be a huge educational component as well for us to leverage and educate local politicians.”

Karcher credits L.A. City Parks’ staff with embracing the software and taking a smart, progressive approach to managing its tree population.

“L.A. City Parks is a quiet leader in urban forestry in California,” she says. “L.A. City Parks manages a lot of trees for many citizens. In many cases we take for granted the trees in our parks, but the L.A. Parks team does a great job of assuring that residents and visitors alike have a healthy urban forest when they come to enjoy the numerous parks throughout the city of Los Angeles.”

Matt Fredmonsky is a Corporate Communications Project Manager for The Davey Tree Expert Company (matt. fredmonsky@davey.com).

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Connect Network to your

NRPA Connect gives you access to an online network of individuals, experiences and knowledge that help you be great at what you do.

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reader service

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

YES! I would like free product information!

I prefer to receive the information via

Mail

Phone

Email______________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________________ Phone__________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________________________ City_________________________________________________State________________Zip_________________________ Check the product(s)/company(ies) that you would like information from: ATHLETICS/SPORTS Beacon Athletics..............................9 800.747.5985 www.beaconathletics.com

FITNESS Go Ape............................................62 415.553.0769 www.goape.com

Colorado Time Systems................C4 970.667.1000 www.coloradotime.com

Greenfields Outdoor Fitness...........3 888.315.9037 www.greenfieldsfitness.com

Scoremaster...................................63 888.726.7627 www.scoremaster.com

FLOORING Mat辿flex..........................................23 800.926.3539 www.mateflex.com

AQUATICS Water Odyssey...............................17 512.392.1155 www.waterodyssey.com CONCESSIONS Gold Medal Products.....................61 800.543.0862 www.gmpopcorn.com Subway速.........................................C2 203.877.4281 x1398 www.subway.com DOG PRODUCTS DOGIPOT.........................................15 800.364.7681 www.dogipot.com

FOUNTAINS Most Dependable Fountains..........7 800.522.6331 www.mostdependable.com Willoughby Industries.....................9 800.428.4065 www.willoughby-ind.com PLAYGROUND/PARK PRODUCTS Kay Park Recreation......................62 800.553.2476 www.kaypark.com

Pilot Rock.......................................38 800.762.5002 www.pilotrock.com SofSURFACES.................................5 800.263.2363 www.sofsurfaces.com SIGNAGE Berntsen International..................61 800.518.0934 www.berntsen.com iZone速 Imaging..............................62 888.464.9663 www.izoneimaging.com/PR14 STRUCTURES Easi-Set Buildings..........................61 866.252.8210 www.easisetbuildings.com Shade Systems Inc..........................1 800.609.6066 www.shadesystemsinc.com

Landscape Structures速...........C3, 62 888.438.6574 www.playlsi.com

Mail the completed form to Gina Mullins-Cohen at NRPA, 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148-4501 or email to gcohen@nrpa.org.

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62 Parks & Recreation

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Park Bench

Andrea Paulseth/Volume One

Money in the Bank There are many things to love about parks: green grass, open spaces for fitness, playgrounds, wildlife, community events and much more. Less obvious, but just as deserving of our admiration, is the positive economic impact parks can have on the areas in which they’re located. For proof of this, look no further than Eau Claire, Wisconsin, home to one of the 2014 National Gold Medal Award finalists for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.

“The city council wanted to be sure that parks and recreation are a good investment in this economy,” says Phil Fieber, director of Eau Claire’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. To that end, and in partnership with the town’s tourism promotion authority Visit Eau Claire, more than 800 people at 26 city-sponsored events and locations were surveyed between November 2013 and August 2014 in order to calculate visitor spending in the area. Participants in the survey were asked about how far they had traveled, if they were staying in a motel, how much they spent on food and transportation, etc. The results of this survey surprised many — an estimated $3.67 million dollars in revenue had been generated during the 10 months, breaking down to approximately $141,000 per event.

“The survey had a big impact on some city council members who were just looking at expenses and wanted to see a good return on their investment. With these results, we’re hoping to see infrastructure improved over the next few years,” Fieber said of the lasting effect the survey will have. “It’s a great tool to show the widespread positive impact of parks and recreation, from improving quality of life to an area’s economic well-being.”

— Marissa Bracamonte, Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine

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PARKS&RECREATION JANUARY 2015 ◆ PARKS IN BOOMTOWNS