ParksAndRecFeb2014

Video Marketing | Des Moines Mayor Q&A | Shark Diving in Washington State

FEBRUARY 2014 W W W. N R PA . O R G

A Sporting Shift New trends in adult sports require dynamic planning by park and recreation agencies Page 48

NY

s Shade Systems!

Transform an Ordinary Site into a Landmark Destination.

The specifiers for the newly-renovated Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5, in full view of lower Manhattan, trusted the creative team at Shade Systems to design and manufacture the shade canopies for the park’s multipurpose sports field – with stunning results.

Call on Shade Systems to find out how our fabric canopies can transform your park with cooling shade.

http://shadesystemsinc.com/brooklynbridge.html 1.800.609.6066

contents february 2014

Cover photo: Columbus Recreation and Parks Department

volume 49 | number 2 | www.nrpa.org

contents COVER STORY

Read the digital edition of this issue online at http://digital. parksand recreation.org.

48 A Sporting Shift New trends in adult sports require dynamic planning strategies by park and recreation agencies Carrie Madren

FEATURE

54 Moving Pictures, Telling Stories Park and recreation agencies harness the power of video to market and inform William Lebzelter

2

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Is your facility as safe as it could be?

Help ensure the safety of your staff and patrons with the American Red Cross suite of lifeguard training and evaluation: Q

Junior Lifeguarding

Q

Lifeguard Management

Q

Lifeguarding

Q

Aquatic Examiner Service

Q

Lifeguarding Instructor

/UR COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OFFERS THE LATEST SCIENCE AS WELL AS mEXIBLE TRAINING OPTIONS SUCH AS ADD ON MODULES AND ONLINE TRAINING

Our dedicated Red Cross aquatics representatives can help you get started.

Find your representative at redcross.org/aquaticsrepresentatives

contents february 2014

departments 6 Web Exclusives 12 Letters

columns 8 Perspectives Our Collective Impact Robert F. Ashcraft, Ph.D.

10 Publisher’s Letter Trending in the Right Direction Gina Cohen

14 Front Page f Shark Diving in Washington State 14 f Parke Diem 16 f Briefly Noted 17

18 By the Numbers Adults and Outdoor Recreation

20 People for Parks Meet the Mayor: Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie Samantha Bartram

22 Member to Member f Kansas City Park and Recreation Month Initiative 22 Erin Gregory f Insight from Supervisors Management School 24 Cindi Wight, CPRE

59 NRPA Update f GoStrive to Create Community Connections 59 f Consultants Share Opinions on How to Improve PRORAGIS 61 f National Wildlife Week 62

27 Advocacy Legislative Forum: Tips and What to Expect David Tyahla

29 Law Review National Lakeshore Neighbors Resist Tree Removal James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

36 Conservation Brazil’s Park Challenge Richard J. Dolesh

40 Health and Wellness Exercise, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Implications for Community Recreation Professionals William B. Karper, Ed.D.

42 Social Equity World’s Largest Swimming Lesson Samantha Bartram

f NRPA Scholarships and Fellowships Announced 62 f Test Your Park and Recreation Knowledge 62 f Member Spotlight: Jim Lemke 63 f Staff Spotlight: Oscar Galan 63 f Professional Development Calendar 64

66 Operations f Municipal Golf — What’s the Best Management Path?

(Part Two) 66 Larry Hirsh

44 Managing Management The Management Mystery Lauren Yost

46 Future Leaders The Importance of Mentors Michael Bradley, Ph.D.

f Progress on the Model Aquatic Health Code 69 John Whitmore, CPRE, AFOI, AFO f Preventive Maintenance Leads to Sustainable Practices 72 Ted Mattingly, CFM

79 Advertiser Index 80 Park Bench Innovative Play

Page 42 4

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

7KH number-one amenity IRU WKH FRPPXQLW\ *UHHQÂż HOGV EULQJV WRJHWKHU SHRSOH RI all ages

DQG DELOLWLHV IRU IXQ social Àtness LQ WKH RXWGRRUV Accessible line

Pro Adjustable hydraulics

:LWK LQQRYDWLYH wheelchair accessible XQLWV DQG WKH WRS RI WKH OLQH Pro Adjustable hydraulics VHULHV *UHHQÂż HOGV SXWV Âż WQHVV ZLWKLQ UHDFK RI HYHU\ SDUN XVHU

7R OHDUQ PRUH RU WR JHW VWDUWHG SODQQLQJ D free, fun, social outdoor Àtness zone IRU \RXU FRPPXQLW\ YLVLW

greenÀeldsÀtness.com RU FDOO 888-315-9037

Web Exclusives

Each month, Parks & Recreation Magazine’s editors and contributors share insight on the NRPA Now blog about the articles published in each issue, and you may find it interesting to get a little backstory on what you read in these pages. This month, William Lebzelter of Colorado’s Jeffco Open Space will share some of the nuts-and-bolts information that he couldn’t fit into his feature article about video marketing (“Moving Pictures, Telling Stories,” page 54), such as best practices, equipment and a few technical pointers. Also, Nick Hardigg, executive director of Oregon’s Portland Parks Foundation, will offer his perspective on the city’s recent Parke Diem event (“Seizing the Day,” page 16) and shares tips on how you can launch a similarly successful volunteer event in your town.

Check out these posts coming this month and read up on some other recent entries from field experts, NRPA staff and members like you on www. nrpa.org/blog. If you are interested in contributing an entry for the blog, contact Roxanne Sutton, NRPA’s marketing and communications specialist, at rsutton@nrpa.org.

If you haven’t already, make sure you have a valid login for NRPA’s websites, including www.nrpa.org and www.parksandrecreation.org.

Archived issues on the magazine site are closed to nonmembers, but if you’re a member and don’t know how to log in, contact NRPA’s customer service team by calling 800.626.NRPA (6772), emailing customerservice@ nrpa.org, or clicking the Live Help button on www.nrpa.org or www. parksandrecreation.org.

6

Parks & Recreation

Danielle Taylor

ParksandRecreation.org

Check out our digital edition at digital.parks andrecreation .org

If you’re planning to attend NRPA’s Legislative Forum in Washington, D.C., next month, make sure you don’t miss out on one or both of the pre-event webinars set up to help you prepare and make the most of your trip. These are scheduled for February 26 and March 12, and all registrants will receive emailed information on how to attend. The webinars are free and will include information such as details on our legislative platform, travel and meeting tips, and advice from seasoned Capitol Hill veterans (e.g., you’ll do more walking than you realize, so make sure your professional shoes are comfortable to walk in), plus an opportunity to ask questions from NRPA’s Public Policy team. To start, make sure you don’t miss this month’s Advocacy column (“Legislative Forum: Tips and What to Expect,” page 27), written by David Tyahla, NRPA’s senior government affairs manager. We look forward to seeing you in D.C.!

As you read the magazine each month, you may find yourself wishing to comment or provide feedback on some of the articles, and we really do want to hear from you! At the bottom of any article on www.parksandrecreation.org, you can enter your name, email address and thoughts on what you’ve read. We want the articles we publish to generate discussion among members and other advocates of parks and recreation, so let us know what you think!

Stay in touch!

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

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Unlimited fitness

Select from 100’s of classes from hip hop to kick boxing

With hundreds of results-driven group fitness classes taught by world-class instructors, Fitness On Demand provides the most variety and value available anywhere. Creating unparalleled flexibility, you can pre-schedule video classes to play at designated times and allow guests on-demand access. Stop paying for an empty studio. Start giving your members Fitness On Demand.

Guaranteed 30 day installation + Get started for no money down, and as low as $299 a month when you order by 02/28/14

fitnessondemand247.com

/fitnessondemand247

@fitondemand247

877–314-5428

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

Our Collective Impact In my role as your national board chair, I am able to witness firsthand the benefits and impact of parks and recreation from a privileged perch. This responsibility has added immensely to my respect for all of the professionals, volunteers and champions of our field who make the world around them a better place in which to live — not for some, but for all.

Despite what we know to be true about the value of parks and recreation, I believe we need to sharpen our narrative so that those who have power and influence will invest accordingly to advance parks and recreation everywhere. In considering our narrative, I am reminded of a metaphor used by Daniel Goleman in an interview with journalist Bill Moyers. Goleman, the former science reporter for The New York Times and a noteworthy book author, was discussing the relationship of products, consumption and environmental impact. Drawing from a 5th-century obscure text in India, he offered the riddle of the chariot. Goleman said, “It poses the question: Where is the chariot? Is it in its wheel? In the frame? In the rods that connect it to the horse? It’s not in any one of those. It is an aggregate of parts. And the metaphor here is that any product is not a single thing. It has a backstory. It’s an aggregate.

It’s an assembly. And that assembly includes the impacts along the way.”

How might the riddle be applied to the question of Where is the field of parks and recreation? I would submit our narrative is strongest as an aggregate of parts, including park and recreation agencies, professionals, citizens, vendors, policymakers, funders, state associations, educators, and all of our many other stakeholders and kindred champions. This assembly of individuals and organizations enjoys a wonderful backstory built on a storied past with parts that include impacts along the way. But unlike negative environmental impacts related to consumption of some products, our impacts are positive as we advance conservation, health and wellness, and social equity in society as NRPA’s core pillars.

While the power is in the collective, we know that individual stories are at the heart of our narrative. Thousands of stories abound as children, youth, families and citizens of every demographic benefit daily from all that parks and recreation offers. These stories of impact are why we have our chariot in the first place.

During my term as national board chair, you will hear me reiterate my belief that our strength is in our network. It is through our collective impact when our best case for support is made. NRPA’s chariot, our story, is most powerful as an assembly of aggregated parts and as such holds promise for greatness. And as we know, great communities are great because great park and recreation opportunities are in abundance for all!

R O B ER T F. A SH CR AF T, PH. D. Chair of the Board of Directors

8

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

22377 Belmont Ridge Rd. | Ashburn, VA 20148 703.858.0784 | www.nrpa.org

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

Streamliner 353P

RRugged. d Consistent.

C i t t DDependable. d bl The Best Field Chalker in the Business. Beacon Streamliner.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair of the Board of Directors Robert F. Ashcraft, Ph.D. Phoenix, Arizona

Janice M. Prochaska, Ph.D. West Kingston, Rhode Island

Pamela Sloan, CPRP Stockton, California

Chair-Elect Detrick L. Stanford, CPRP

Susan Trautman, CPRP

Jonesboro, Georgia

St. Louis, Missouri

Past Chair Steven J. Thompson, CPRP

William “Joe” Turner

Beacon Streamliners are simply the best dryline field chalkers you can buy.

Our field testing has proven the Streamliner delivers the most consistent, solid line while saving chalk and reducing costs. It uses 30-50% less chalk than other chalkers. Use your smart phone to scan this code and watch it in action!

Houston, Texas

Greendale, Wisconsin

Treasurer Peter Camin

LIFE TRUSTEES

Oak Brook, Illinois

Beverly D. Chrisman

Secretary Leon T. Andrews Washington, D.C.

FOR FACILITIES . FIELD MAINTENANCE . GAME-PRACTICE EQUIPMENT

Lexington, South Carolina

Anne S. Close Fort Mill, South Carolina

President and CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE

James H. Evans

Ashburn, Virginia

New York, New York

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

800 -747- 5985 BeaconAthletics.com

Rosemary Hall Evans Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

Barbara Baca Albuquerque, New Mexico

Earl T. Groves Gastonia, North Carolina

Rebecca Benna, CPRP Glendale, Arizona

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D. Richmond, Virginia

Neelay Bhatt Indianapolis, Indiana

Harry G. Haskell Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

Kevin Coyle Washington, D.C.

Kathryn A. Porter Mendham, New Jersey

Stephen Eckelberry Bartlett, Illinois

Perry J. Segura New Iberia, Louisiana

Jennifer Harnish Fort Worth, Texas

R. Dean Tice Round Hill, Virginia

Roslyn Johnson Greenbelt, Maryland

Eugene A. Young, CPRP Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Brian Knapp Fairfax, Virginia

Lewis R. Ledford

WALKWAY SYSTEMS ADAWALK walkway systems are designed to provide ADA compliant access to any on-ground application such as beaches, playgrounds or any area where there is a need to provide access. Designed specifically with the disabled in mind, these walkway systems are user friendly for all.

Young and old alike!

For full product details see our website at adawalk.com

Phone: 800.968.2299 is a division of Michigan Lake Products

Raleigh, North Carolina

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

9

PUBLISHER’S LET TER PRESIDENT AND CEO

Barbara Tulipane, CAE

Trending in the Right Direction

VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING

Gina Mullins-Cohen

Do you know what is trending now? Even if we aren’t aware of it, we are influenced by countless trends every day of our lives. Today, trends in technology and transportation, such as anonymity smartphones, inflatable mobile satellites and driverless commuter cars are within our range of vision, revving up in universal acceptance and ready to hijack our current sensibilities, changing our lives forever.

gcohen@nrpa.org SENIOR EDITOR

Danielle Taylor dtaylor@nrpa.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Samantha Bartram sbartram@nrpa.org

Currently, the trend shaping the future conventions of park and recreation agencies is that of adult sports programming. Sports programs are key to the success of most park agencies. They not only establish a secure foundation for a healthy curriculum within a community, but they also prove profitable.

The economy of the adult sports trend is a fascinating topic unto itself, and in this issue of Parks & Recreation Magazine, writer Carrie Madren examines this movement. Madren walks us through numerous trends in adult sports programs, including the resurgence of old-time favorites like wiffleball, dodgeball and kickball, which are making a comeback with the Gen X and baby boomer crowds. There are also entertaining, new programs popping up on the horizon, such as color runs, which have a strong following with millennials.

The popularity of these programs is difficult to ignore, but these trending interests pose important financial claims as well. While agencies claim to financially break even during the initial stages and rollout, most prove highly profitable as these new programs grow in popularity. Another benefit is that many of these trending activities attract participants that were not previously involved with their community park and recreation center, and the word-of-mouth push from new participants can only translate to a more sustainable future.

As you read the story, I pose the following questions for you to consider: While adult sports trends move park and recreation agencies in a secure direction financially, is that enough?

Are we riding the wave without consideration of our entire communities? How do these trends speak to the social equity pillar, and how can we make sure this happens? Look for our blog entry on this topic at www.nrpa.org/blog. We welcome you to join this conversation, and we hope to hear of your success and challenges in implementing these programs.

Whether you add Ultimate Frisbee to your lineup, revive kickball with a new league or spring forward in grand style by hosting a color run, one thing is certain: Adult sport programs are here to stay, and it is up to us to make sure the direction of these trends is the right one.

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

10

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

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 ©2014 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 20148-4501.

> our references

JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG PARIS - LUXEMBOURGÂŽ

more information :

Timeless styles and trend-setting creations by famous designers I Eco-designed furniture at your service: stacking and folding tables, chairs and sunloungers, lightweight materials and fold-away table tops I A standard color chart of 24 shades to help you set the tone I Furniture customization options I High quality baked on powder coated finish Bring the Fermob spirit to your installation: it’s a perfect blend of craftsmanship and the joie de vivre of our products!

fermobusa.com

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 Connect, let us know how the magazine’s articles apply to your job and your agency. To submit feedback for this his section directly, email Senior Editor Danielle Taylor at dtaylor@nrpa.org.

[Ed. Note: The below email was received in response to NRPA President and CEO Barbara Tulipane’s January Perspectives column, “Park Privatization Issues Challenge Public Parks” (www.parksandrec reation.org/2014/January/Park-Privat ization-Issues-Challenge-Public-Parks).]

As park privatization debates flare up in park systems across the country, NRPA President and CEO Barbara Tulipane asks the most fundamental question in this polarizing conversation: What does it mean to “privatize” a park?

Urban Dictionary defines the term as “transfer[ing] from public or government control or ownership to private enterprise.” Is Indianapolis’ proposed plan to outsource some or all of the management of their parks to a private entity considered “privatization?” Perhaps. But what about the many urban park systems like San Francisco that lease concessions, permit ticketed special events, raise philanthropic dollars, and partner with foundations, nonprofits and local businesses? Are we privatizing or are 12

Parks & Recreation

we partnering (a much less controversial concept in government)?

As Tulipane notes, this is, indeed, an important distinction. In San Francisco, we have utilized public-private partnerships in a strategic and thoughtful manner that has helped maximize the benefits of our parks and programs for the communities we serve. These partnerships have directly and successfully resulted in additional gardeners in city parks, increased recreational opportunities in underserved neighborhoods, new playgrounds and increased operating hours for our recreation facilities. Public-private partnerships have helped San Francisco families thrive, even during an era of profound general fund cuts to our beleaguered recreation and parks budget.

For some, privatization connotes a decrease in access to our public parks and programs. That’s a scary proposition, particularly for the people who need and depend on them the most, but public-private partnerships have in fact been used for decades to establish and operate some of our nation’s most iconic and loved parks. In San Francisco, one public-private partnership has added more than 70,000 hours of play on our ballfields. Another added a new playground in a neighborhood that had none. Another created an internationally acclaimed free bluegrass festival that welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors to Golden Gate

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Park in a single weekend. That’s more access, not less.

Some advocates concerned about privatization fear that private funding will lead to greater reductions in public funding. This is a valid concern, and the parks community must continue to advocate for increased public investment in parks, not less. But, as the public’s need for open space and recreation intensifies, so too must our commitment to creative park funding solutions that protect and enhance our mission.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell — the former CEO of private park partner, REI — was spot-on when she said at a November event in San Francisco that private funding in parks “should provide the margin of excellence and not the margin of survival.”

When private investment is channeled toward parks, it signals the important role parks play in the vitality and vibrancy of our communities, which, in turn, further validates the case for continued, robust public financing. That’s a positive feedback loop that all park professionals and park advocates can embrace.

As the debate about privatization continues, the merits of public-private partnerships should not be disregarded because one thing is clear: Public park systems can no longer do it alone.

Phil Ginsburg is the General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (phil.ginsburg@sfgov.org).

PARAGON ÂŽ

DECK EQUIPMENT *5,))ɋ6 *8$5',1* 62/87,216 Griff’s Guard Stations are designed to provide maximum viewing and increased lifeguard effectiveness, supporting Tom Griffith’s Five Minute Scanning Strategy. Dual access assures that swimmers are covered during shift changes. Our new stations are versatile, easy to move and assemble quickly.

GRIFF’S VISION GUARD STATION™ ɒ Patent Pending Design ɒ Minimum Footprint Maximum Impact ɒ Lighter, Less Costly, and Ships Flat ɒ 3 Heights Available

ALL TERRAIN GRIFF’S GUARD STATION™ ɒ Most Versatile Guard Chair Ever ɒ Super Portable - Tip and Roll With

Ease Over Any Terrain É’ Front and Back Guard Access

3K É’ )D[ É’ WWW.PENTAIRCOMMERCIAL.COM

Front Page Dive In

Visitors to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium sink their teeth into shark-diving adventure

By Samantha Bartram

W

hen it comes to sharks, most of us immediately think of iconic images from the blockbuster film “Jaws,” or perhaps The Discovery Channel’s popular “Shark Week” franchise. The shadowy shape, chilling teeth and sneaky approach of these ocean dwellers is often the stuff of nightmares, but staff members at Tacoma, Washington’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, a popular component of the Tacoma Metropolitan Park District system, are hoping to change all that with their new Eye-to-Eye Shark Dive experience.

Launched in October 2013, the program offers participants a chance to get up close and personal with more than a dozen different species of sharks. Anyone age 8 or older, with or without diving experience, is welcome to give the experience a try. Divers may choose to observe the sharks from inside a sturdy cage, which is immersed in the South Pacific Aquarium and supplied with surface air via diving masks. Those comfortable being out in the water — who are age 15 or older and can provide proof of their certification

— may try the scuba dive, where skilled guides lead participants on an exhilarating swim around the 240,000-gallon tank. All of the necessary equipment is provided, from special diving suits that slip on over street clothes — no bathing suit required — to diving masks, air tanks, goggles and fins.

Divers have the chance to experience the habitat of nurse, sand tiger, blacktip reef, wobbegong and sandbar sharks, as well as the aquarium’s impressive 9-foot-long, 450-pound lemon shark, among others. Those who

Scuba divers at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium learn the critical role sharks play.

14

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

opt for the cage dive will spend approximately 20 minutes submerged in the tank, while scuba divers are down for 30 minutes. The entire experience lasts about an hour, including the dive and educational portions of the program. Friends and family members can watch the action through a large viewing window, and when it’s all over, participants may purchase a professionally filmed video to commemorate their diving experience.

Fun and excitement certainly are perks of this unique activity, but curators of the shark experience also are motivated to educate aquarium visitors about the many threats to the species. “The main goal of this program is to publicize the plight of sharks worldwide and to inspire people right here in Puget Sound to help protect and conserve marine life for future generations,” Zoo Deputy Director John Houck states. “We want our visitors to leave with a pledge to take action that will help save sharks.”

Many of us may balk at the idea of dedicating resources and energy to conservation efforts for a creature so reviled in popular conception. In truth, sharks serve a vital function in the ocean ecosystem as one of its largest and most effective predators.

As they hunt, sharks control populations of smaller species, thereby preserving important habitats like seagrass beds that support prey animals. Sharks are commonly hunted for their teeth, skin and, most troublingly for conservationists, fins. The practice of “finning” — capturing a

educate people about how these intimidating fish offer a huge benefit to our oceans. The nonprofit Zoo Society also assists in this effort through active fundraising for zoo programs and outside conservation initiatives.

Thus far, the Eye-to-Eye Shark Dive has proven quite successful.

“From the time we opened on October 11 through the first week of January, we had about 725 cage divers and just under 200 scuba divers,” says Kris Sherman, public relations coordinator for Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. “We already have about 725 cage dives scheduled through April 30 and another 50 scuba divers scheduled so far this year.” For those who are on the fence about whether or not to take the plunge, Sherman says, “Why would you not?

shark, slicing off its dorsal fin and dumping the body — is often cited as one of the greatest threats to shark populations as desire for high-price menu items like shark fin soup continue to rise. “Sharks are at the top of the marine food chain and are critical to maintaining balance in the world’s oceans,” Houck continues.

“They desperately need our help, and we believe the Eye-to-Eye Shark Dive is a great way to get more people involved in helping these animals.”

As a taxpayer-funded facility, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium cannot directly contribute profits from its sharkdive experience to conservation efforts.

Instead, programmers point visitors to www.pdza.org/savesharks, where abundant information can be found about ways to help save wild sharks and

“Scuba divers who’ve been around the world say it’s rare to see a shark in the wild, and shark sightings are guaranteed at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium,” she says. “Those who choose the cage-dive experience are thrilled that they have the opportunity to see sharks underwater, and they don’t need to learn how to scuba dive to do that. For many, it’s a oncein-a-lifetime experience that they will tell their friends and family about for years to come.”

More information, including options for dive reservations and a helpful FAQ about Point Defiance’s Eyeto-Eye Shark Diving Experience, can be found at www.pdza.org/dive.

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

Reach

for More…

Lincoln can provide you more of what you need when you want it.

s More THAN PRODUCTS s More PRODUCTS IN STOCK s More KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF s More COMPETITIVE PRICING Contact us to learn how you can get more!

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

15

Front Page

Seizing the Day More than 1,400 volunteers helped improve Portland, Oregon’s parks during the inaugural Parke Diem event

By Danielle Taylor

P

ortland, Oregon, is well-known as a crunchy sort of town, filled with folks who appreciate green spaces and natural beauty. More so than in other cities, the locals here prioritize healthy lifestyles and conservation efforts, so the public spaces managed by Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) and supported by nonprofit partner Portland Parks Foundation (PPF) hum with activity from an appreciative community.

However, after a recent public survey, PPF staff were surprised at the lack of awareness regarding the park system’s issues, including maintenance challenges and neighborhoods without parks, as well as its strong volunteer support adding up to more than 475,000 hours per year. In response, they began brainstorming positive ways to respond to both findings, and an idea soon began to form. “A citywide event — getting people to come together in celebration of their efforts — was a way to thank the volunteers, attract new ones, get great work accomplished and raise public awareness,” says Nick Hardigg, executive director of PPF. To begin pulling the event together, PPF had to get the City on board to help provide organizational support. “Supporting volunteers is a lot of work, and resources are already stretched,” Hardigg says. “The City told us about many projects they felt they could oversee, and then we asked park friends groups to join us, too. We knew that our foundation could host sign-ups and event promotion, but the logistics of tools, oversight and how many volunteers we could turn out was unknown.We knew that we wanted this to be the biggest parks volunteering event in city history.” Initially,

16

Parks & Recreation

Portland Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz rolled up her sleeves for Parke Diem.

the combined hope was to gather 1,000 volunteers to pitch in at 40 parks, an ambitious goal.

In April 2013, the City approved plans for the event, dubbed “Parke Diem” as a fun play on the Latin phrase for “seize the day,” and a weekend was set: October 11 and 12. Throughout the summer, PPF, PP&R and several affiliated organizations secured partner support, recruited volunteers at park events, determined park projects to include, helped the friends groups plan logistics for each location and spread the

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

word to generate interest from the wider Portland community.

By the time the Parke Diem weekend arrived, organizers had secured 50 partners, including big names such as Coca-Cola and Bank of America as title sponsors, to support 74 work projects in 70 parks across the city, far outstripping their original goals. Best of all, more than 1,400 people showed up to clean, dig, plant, weed, build and restore their public spaces across the two-day event. All volunteers were provided with a Parke Diem T-shirt plus snacks and drinks to keep them energized as they worked.

“The outpouring of support for parks was outstanding,” Hardigg says.

“We hadn’t imagined we could get so many people to take part.” With dozens of parks across the city bearing witness to the power of collective impact following last year’s event, PPF has already begun making plans for 2014.

“We plan to expand it to involve all city neighborhoods,” Hardigg continues. “But parks bureau staff are stretched to monitor all work projects, and we’ll have to choose projects carefully. We’d like to make it even more fun in 2014 and have dreams of roving bands of musicians visiting sites.”

For more insight on this project and advice on how to launch a similar large-scale volunteer event, check out Nick Hardigg’s blog entry coming this month on the NRPA Now blog at www.nrpa.org/blog.

Danielle Taylor is the Senior Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine (dtaylor@nrpa.org).

Briefly Noted Q Hugh B. “Reds” Robey, legendary director of parks and recreation for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) in Prince George’s County, Maryland, passed away December 21, 2013.

Robey was a dedicated NRPA member for almost 40 years and contributed to the founding of a number of NRPA professional development schools including Maintenance Management, Revenue Sources and others. Robey worked his way up through the ranks in his 40 years at M-NCPPC from his initial role as a maintenance worker, and during his tenure as director, the agency was awarded the Gold Medal Award for Excellence four times.

Q In late December, visitors to Rapid City, South Dakota’s Founders Park experienced a big visual surprise in the form of an impromptu mural of late South African leader and humanitarian Nelson Mandela. It remains a mystery who is responsible for the large black-and-white painting, which features Mandela’s smiling face and the words “Inspire” and “What are you about?” The image was painted on clear plastic and wrapped over a volleyball net. Area residents and members of Rapid City’s arts community lauded the mural’s uplifting message, as well as the artist’s choice to use plastic wrap to create a kind of removable graffiti.

Q The University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF) is taking rock-wall climbing to the next level with its ice-climbing tower. This winter marks the second season the tower has been in operation, offering students and the general public a chance to try their hand at climbing treacherous ice in a controlled environment. Staff at UAF’s Department of Recreation, Adventure and Wellness say they’ve been able to form the ice more realistically so it resembles any frozen waterfall one might encounter in Alaska’s wide wilderness.

For more news from around the industry, visit www.parksandrecreation. org/2014/January/Briefly-Noted.

BUDGET CUT You have more important things to spend your money on than paper towels. Switch to the XLERATOR® hand dryer for 95% cost savings, one year payback and 70% lower carbon footprint.

www.exceldryer.com 888.995.0667

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

17

By the Numbers

Out and About We’ve known since childhood it’s fun to go outside and play. Here, we highlight data about who’s heading out and what they’re getting up to these days.

56: Percentage of paddleboarding participants who reported trying the sport for the first time in 2012.

28: Median age of first-time stand-up paddleboarders.

43: Percentage of survey respondents who reported trying boardsailing or windsurfing for the first time in 2012.

30: Median age of first-time boardsailing/windsurfing participants.

43: Percentage of individuals age 18–24 who reported the use of smartphones during outdoor recreational activities.

40: Percentage of individuals age 18–24 who reported the use of iPods or other personal music players during outdoor recreational activities.

78: Percentage of outdoor activity participants age 18 and older.

49: Percentage of outdoor recreation participants who are married.

70: Percentage of survey respondents who say they enjoy outdoor recreational activities for the primary purpose of exercise.

53:

Percentage of adults living with children in their households who report participating in outdoor activities in 2012.

85: Average number of annual

outings reported by adults with children in their households who participated in outdoor activities in 2012.

Source: Outdoor Industry Association’s Outdoor Recreation Participation Report 2013 (www.outdoorindustry.org/images/ researchfiles/ParticipationStudy2013.pdf ?193).

18

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

People for Parks Meet the Mayor: Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie

D

es Moines, Iowa, Mayor Frank Cownie has felt a personal investment in the health and well-being of his city since childhood. Born and raised in the town he now governs, Cownie recalls his first “job” — picking up discarded cigarette butts with his father every weekend in an effort to fight against careless litterbugs. Today, Cownie had doubled down on efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles, environmental stewardship and conservation in Des Moines. Parks & Recreation Magazine recently caught up with Cownie to learn more about recent initiatives to advance these priorities and champion new programs for his citizens.

Give us some highlights of initiatives you’ve developed in Des Moines to promote environmental stewardship.

I was first elected to City Council [in 2002] and shortly after the Mayor’s seat. When I stepped into office, I thought, “We’ll start doing a bunch

of green stuff, and my staff, the citizens and council members will be right there with me.” That was an eye-opening experience because I was sort of by myself on a lot of these issues.

I decided to begin by putting together the Mayor’s Energy, Efficien-

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie (center, wearing gray) addresses a crowd before the Mayor’s Annual Ride for Trails.

20

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

cy, Environment and Conservation Task Force. At first, just a few staff members were curious to find out what I was talking about, but then a number of neighborhood leaders started showing up to our meetings as well. Soon it was 20, 30, 40 people, and I knew we were gaining momentum. [Since then] we’ve passed a lot of important initiatives involving the greening of our parks department, building maintenance, motor pool, tree-planting programs… We have 78 parks in the City of Des Moines that we decided to replant with grasses and plant coverage materials that are native to Iowa. We thought, “Let’s make our parks look like Iowa, not a golf course. Let’s begin to look at ways to retrofit our buildings in a more energy-efficient manner. If we’re going to construct something, let’s look at green building initiatives.” Originally it was thought that these kinds of projects would cost 30–40 percent more. Eventually we bid one [building project] out that would meet LEED standards.

When the bids came in, lo and behold, the LEED building we eventually won an award for came in [at less than the price of a] conventional build. After that, our whole building department became evangelists on this issue, and we began building other facilities to meet that standard.

Tell us about the Mayor’s Annual Ride for Trails. What does the program entail, what is your role each

year and how does this help the City of Des Moines?

[Former Des Moines Mayor] John Pat Dorrian started the ride [in the late 1980s]. I’m an avid bike rider and so is he. We’ve expanded the ride to 25–30 miles around the city to promote bike riding and advocate for the use of our trails. Everybody pays to participate, and the money goes to the improvement of the trail system in and around Des Moines.

Our downtown trail system is a hub for the central Iowa regional trail system — you can connect, from downtown, to 300-plus miles of trails. It’s a great way to exercise, get back to nature and experience our parks and trail systems.

Where do conservation efforts and initiatives related to parks and recreation fall on your agenda when budgeting season comes along?

How do you ensure these programs and municipal assets a place of importance when it comes time to allocate money or resources?

I think it’s easier today, but there’s still pushback. You have to look at how and where you spend your dollars and the benefit the city is getting.

In their ratings, Kiplinger, Forbes and others name Des Moines as one of the best places to raise a family. Quality of life concerns are important, and I can make a case [for including those types of initiatives] on that score.

We’ve been very effective in promoting healthy lifestyles, green living and access to great amenities like pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

We’re adding more and more to the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods to make everything walkable, bikeable, senior-friendly and attractive to residents and employers. People are so surprised —

they say, “Holy smokes, you’ve got everything here they’ve got in Chicago and more.” More immediate access to nature, accessible communities, trail connections — this has all been very helpful in promoting quality-of-life aspects.

We even began a program that initiated green works at the corporate level. The city looked at what we do on sustainability, recycling, utilities, water usage, and how to manage campuses and green areas while lowering costs of operation at the

We’re looking at what we were, what we are, and asking, what do we want to be 50 years from now?

If we lay a good foundation today, we can make our future dreams a reality.

Des Moines was once a coal town.

Today, it is a member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Local Governments for Sustainability USA and a signatory of the agency’s “Tomorrow Plan,” focused on sustainable development. What does this mean to you as you develop future plans for the city?

As a member of ICLEI, we exchange ideas with other states and cities, including sharing best practices to deal with floods, pollution and other concerns. We participate in the Star Communities program and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Now we’re one of five capital cities in the country participating in [a program called] Greening of America’s Capitals, which looks at ways to use green infrastructure rather than gray.

Most recently, USGBC, ICLEI and a whole bunch of mayors kicked off Resilient Communities for America, and this group is working very hard to exchange best practices with each other in dealing with a 21st-century climate that is different than in the 20th century.

same time. We brought in 10 corporations, large and small, to look at these issues, and in turn, they made a plan to buy healthier, better products, from foodstuffs to sand and gravel used in operations.

Wellmark [Blue Cross and Blue Shield] built the world’s largest single-corporation-owned building in the world [in Des Moines], and it’s certified LEED Platinum. But, they moved out of a million square feet of old property, so we’re also looking at how to regreen, repurpose and reuse these 50–100-year-old buildings.

Some are old enough that they were put together when Des Moines was a coal town. We’re looking at what we were, what we are, and asking, what do we want to be 50 years from now?

If we lay a good foundation today, we can make our future dreams a reality.

We can’t do it piecemeal; we have to do it substantively, comprehensively and using best practices that make a significant difference.

— Interview by Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

21

Member to Member “Park It Forward” Initiative Promotes Park and Recreation Month for Kansas City

By Erin Gregory

I

n August of 2012, the citizens of Kansas City, Missouri, passed a sales tax in support of Kansas City Parks and Recreation, a CAPRA-certified agency. Among other benefits, the tax explicitly called for funding revamped parks marketing materials and an updated website. As a result, the agency’s marketing department initiated a major rebranding campaign in the first quarter of 2013 — the first in more than five years.

The rebranding process included a completely redesigned website from the ground up; new print collateral; ad placements on everything from buses to billboards;

enhanced social media efforts; and public relations for print, television and radio editorial. The process was completed in late spring of 2013, just in time for NRPA’s an-

nual celebration of Park and Recreation Month in July.

To highlight the monthlong celebration of America’s parks and to supplement the efforts of the rebranding process, the Kansas City Parks and Recreation marketing team initiated the “Park It Forward” campaign to drive additional traffic to the new website and its social media platforms via posts of myriad park activities.

Kansas City Parks and Recreation in Missouri generated increased participation from the community and new traffic for their new website through a citywide marketing campaign.

22

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

You Asked For It! Our biggest feedback from last year’s Park and Recreation Month was to get the materials out sooner — so we did! You can find the first part of the toolkit with the logo, graphics, social media icons, poster and more at www.nrpa.org/july.

For each day of Park and Recreation Month, a corresponding “Adventure of the Day” was assigned that suggested a park-centric activity or facility. For instance, July 1 stated, “Have a million gallons of outdoor water fun at the Springs Aquatic Center in Tiffany Hills Park.” Each morning, the caption would be posted to Facebook and Twitter. In the afternoon, a team of park and recreation staff and summer interns would surprise random individuals around the city with a variety of prizes consistent with the day’s theme.

The prizes ranged from tickets to outdoor theater performances, tennis court time, cycling gear, golf balls — even dog treats. The recipients would have their picture taken on the spot and that image would be posted to the department’s social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and hashtagged with #ParkItForward and #KCParks. Posts were a clear visual representation of Park and Recreation Month and all that Kansas City Parks has to offer.

The public quickly warmed to the campaign and began to like, comment and share the Park It Forward

posts on social media. The new website, which had gone live in June, also received increased attention. By the end of July, Kansas Citians were regularly checking the Adventure of the Day, generating some of the highest site traffic and viewed posts on the agency’s social media pages to date.

The Park It Forward campaign was highly successful for several reasons.

First, it utilized social media platforms to a degree previously unprecedented for Kansas City Parks and Recreation. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all saw significant increases in the amount of interactivity among followers both old and new.

Second, it was effective in educating the public about the new website and the diversity of Kansas City’s parks and corresponding facilities. Finally, Park It Forward was a positive initiative for Kansas City, Missouri, Parks and Recreation because it reiterated the sentiment that parks and recreation is a resource designed to generate increased community among the city’s residents.

Erin Gregory is the Vice President of Client Service for Will Gregory Public Relations (erin@willgregorypr.com).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

23

Member to Member

Lessons Learned at Supervisors Management School

W

hen I was at NRPA’s Directors School last summer, the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain was recommended. Then when I was teaching at Supervisors Management School (SMS) in November, the book was recommended again, so I committed to reading it. The backbone of SMS is learning about the different temperament types as defined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment and understanding how they relate to supervision. It was quite powerful when we divided into extroverts and introverts and

24

Parks & Recreation

shared what we liked and didn’t like about each other.

I had one of those “aha” moments thinking about my staff and some communication challenges we were facing. Two staff members were in a standoff, with one being an extrovert and the other an introvert. After reading Quiet, it all made sense. The extrovert didn’t understand why all communication couldn’t be face-to-face or over the phone, and the introvert found email to be the preferred method of communication. I needed the knowledge I learned at SMS and through reading Quiet to fully ap-

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

preciate the conflict.

Going forward at our department, all meetings will have agendas distributed ahead of time, offices with doors will be supplied to staff when possible, and we will avoid brainstorming sessions unless we also allow for written ideas ahead of time.

I highly recommend SMS for all levels of supervisors to better understand, work with and supervise others. In the meantime, pick up a copy of Quiet and learn to appreciate the introverts in your life.

— Cindi Wight, CPRE, Superintendent, Rutland Recreation and Parks Department, Vermont

Murdock Drinking Fountains.

F I V E G E N E R AT I O N S O F Q U A L I T Y B U I LT- I N . S I N C E 1 8 5 3 .

Pb lead-free

MURDOCK MANUFACTURING Member of Morris Group International

www.murdockmfg.com *°"° Ý ÎxÓÇ U ÌÞ v `ÕÃÌÀÞ] Ƃ £Ç{{ äxÓÇ 1°-°Ƃ /i nää°{xΰÇ{Èx

BE AN ADVOCATE. BE A LEADER. BE THE VOICE. NRPA’s Legislative Forum provides you with the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with elected leaders. These conversations make a difference by shaping national issues and advancing parks and recreation. Join with your colleagues and be a part of the action.

W W W. N R PA . O R G / L E G F O R U M

ADVOCACY

2013 Legislative Forum attendees wait for an audience with Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC).

Legislative Forum: Tips and What to Expect Make the most of your time in Washington

By David Tyahla

T

he 2014 Legislative Forum (March 25–26) is fast approaching, and whether you’re a seasoned veteran of past events or planning your first visit to our nation’s capital to be the voice for parks and recreation, we want you to feel as prepared as possible to ensure your March trip is a great experience.

Late March is when spring begins to really settle in around our nation’s capital. In fact, the city’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival will be occurring at the same time. Weather typically ranges between 45 and 60 degrees with about a one-in-three chance of precipitation.

So, dress to be warm and dry, but your heavy winter parka shouldn’t be necessary. However, check your favorite weather resource as you pack — D.C. has been known to get snow in March!

Business attire is strongly recommended when meeting with your elected leaders, but you’ll be doing plenty of walking while at Legislative Forum

and should pack comfortable walking shoes. Bring more business cards than you think you’ll need to distribute over the course of your meetings and events.

Prior to Arriving in D.C. Contact your state association as soon as possible and let staff know that you plan to attend Legislative Forum. For contact information, visit www.nrpa. org/stateassociations. Most of the state affiliate executive directors and presidents regularly attend the Forum and organize the Congressional and Senate visits for your state. They will be able to share this schedule and to provide you

with important resources on how you can assist with the various visits on the Hill. It is always simpler and more effective to have a small coalition from each state in these visits.

If your state association does not schedule the meetings, then please be sure to schedule your meetings as early as possible. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to be connected to the office of your senators or representative. Once connected, ask for the scheduler and tell him or her that you are a constituent and would like to meet with the senator/representative or someone from his or her staff. Advise the scheduler of the issues you wish to discuss so that he or she can ensure the correct staff person attends the meeting.

Congressional schedules are very hectic and can change quickly. In

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

27

ADVOCACY

planning your meetings, allow for an extra ten minutes on top of the time needed between meetings in case the meeting begins late or takes longer than expected.

The NRPA Public Policy Team will be hosting two pre-event webinars — free for registrants — that will highlight this year’s legislative platform as well as travel and meeting tips, and they will allow you to ask questions as you prepare for your trip. Dates for these webinars are February 26 and March 12, and all registrants will receive emailed details for how to attend. Additional training will occur at Legislative Forum prior to your day on Capitol Hill.

Decide which issues you want to discuss with your senators and representatives, and gather statistics and facts you can use to discuss the issues prior to your arrival in D.C. To maximize your impact, highlight only one or two issues, and find ways to tie them to state and local examples of projects that have been or could be funded through the federal program. A famous political maxim is, “All politics is local!” So, make sure you “connect the dots” to how the policy and spending decisions being made on Capitol Hill impact your work locally.

Fact sheets for each of the platform issues will be posted on the NRPA website prior to the Legislative Forum for you to review. Once you’re in D.C., you’ll receive a spiral-bound program guide that will have a copy of each fact sheet you can use as a reference for talking points while in D.C. Finally, do a little homework on your senators and representatives prior to coming to D.C. Learn about their background, hobbies, previous service at the state or local level, and their position on issues impacting parks and recreation. A great place to start is online

28

Parks & Recreation

at www.house.gov, www.senate.gov and www.congress.gov.

The Day of Your Visit Be on time, if not a little early. Allow for enough time to get through security, keeping in mind that lines can be long.

To expedite security clearance, do not wear excessive jewelry or carry unnecessary items in your pockets. Assume that anything that might be an issue when you go through airport security would also be a problem when attempting to enter the Capitol office complex.

Prior to the meeting, decide who in your group will open the discussion.

House members primarily care about their individual districts. Try to have a member of your group who either lives or works in the representative’s district open the discussion and make the constituency connection.

During the Visit Be confident in your ability to promote the importance of parks and recreation.

You know firsthand the importance of parks and recreation to your community, and you are simply telling your story.

It is a story that your elected officials really do want to hear.

Silence your cellphone during your meetings. Do not read or send electronic messages during meetings. Give them your undivided attention.

Most Hill visits are brief (15–20 minutes), and it is very likely you will meet with the staff person who handles park and recreation issues for the member of Congress. Be sure to exchange business cards with each staff person at the end of the meeting.

Have everyone in your group briefly introduce themselves. Give a short overview of the number of people employed by your agency and the number of citizens who annually use

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

your facilities and programs. Members of Congress and staff translate this into votes and jobs.

Never discuss fundraisers or political contributions — nothing that is considered “political activity.”

Be concise, but be specific and make the “ask” — share NRPA’s position on the issues you are discussing and ask the member of Congress or the staffer if they are willing to support this position and bring this agenda item to fruition.

Offer how you can help to do that.

If the member of Congress or staffer you meet with holds an opinion different from your position, do not be confrontational or argumentative. Try to gain an understanding of why he or she holds that position and be prepared to offer alternatives on ways they can be helpful. NRPA Public Policy webinars and training will prepare you to respond to some of the most common reasons members of Congress may express opposition to policy positions.

When You Get Home Send a thank-you note by email to everyone you met with and remind them of your ask and why they should support your position.

Follow up on any requests made at the meeting. Your day on the Hill was about making an ask, establishing yourself as a resource and taking the first step to building a relationship with congressional staff, so make sure you also stay in touch with the contacts you made going forward.

As always, if you have any questions relating to Legislative Forum or NRPA Public Policy, please contact David Tyahla (dtyahla@nrpa.org) or Sage Learn (slearn@nrpa.org).

David Tyahla is NRPA’s Senior Government Affairs Manager (dtyahla@nrpa.org).

L AW R E V I E W

National Lakeshore Neighbors Resist Tree Removal

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

C

ommunities and residents adjacent to park resources tend to be very protective of what they consider “their park,” including the flora and fauna contained therein. Most people generally like and want to preserve the status quo of park resources near their neighborhoods. Accordingly, park neighbors may not only question, but strenuously oppose park resource decisions that involve the perceived wanton destruction of existing flora and fauna. Citizen opposition may be so strong as to prompt a costly and time-consuming lawsuit in federal or state court.

See: “NEPA Challenge to Park Sharpshooters for Deer Control” (http://cehdclass.gmu.edu/jkozlo ws/lawarts/10OCT11.pdf).

As illustrated by the case described herein, the legal basis in many of these federal lawsuits for challenging agency decisions in managing park resources is typically the procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). Assuming the agency has fol-

lowed prescribed procedures under NEPA and the APA, federal courts will generally defer and not “second-guess” agency expertise and discretion in making resource-management decisions for a particular park site. In so doing, however, the federal court will also consider whether challenged resource-management decisions were consistent with the expressed language of the enabling legislation that originally created a particular park resource.

In state courts, state administrative and environmental statutes analogous to the federal APA and NEPA may provide a legal basis and similar judicial review process for challenging agency actions involving state or local park projects.

3,400 Trees In the case study described herein, Coalition to Protect Cowles Bog Area v.

Salazar, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92658 (7/2/2013), plaintiffs, a group of neighbors from a neighborhood adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, challenged a project by the National Park Service (“NPS” or “Park Service”) “to restore a portion of Cowles Bog back to a wetland by cutting down approximately 3,400 trees.” Plaintiffs objected to the destruction of the trees. After a lengthy

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

29

L AW R E V I E W

approval process, the project began at the end of 2012 (www.nps.gov/ indu/naturescience/great-marsh-res toration.htm).

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is described as a patchwork of land stretching along the southern edge of Lake Michigan for approximately 25 miles. At about the midway point of this expanse is Cowles Bog, a wetland area that today has significant tree growth.

Plaintiffs filed suit in federal district court, alleging the project violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) when the NPS “reached its decision to cut down 3,400 trees in order to restore Cowles Bog to a wet-mesic prairie.”

al micro-topographical complex of nine soil types that developed under conditions of wet-mesic prairie with a few scattered trees.” Moreover, “presettlement records” from an 1830 survey showed that the area under consideration for restoration had been a marsh. The Park Service thus concluded, based on the extensive samples, the 1830 land survey and a comparison of aerial photography from the 1930s onward, that the area had originally been a wetland with minimal tree cover.

With this information in hand, the Park Service decided to undertake the process of restoring the area to a wet-mesic prairie. On July 20, 2011, the Park Service convened an “Agency Coordination Meeting”

The EA concluded that for each of the impact topics, the preferred alternative would not have a significant impact on the human environment.

Facts of the Case The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1966 when Congress passed the “Lakeshore Act” (16 U.S.C. §§ 460u, et seq.). NPS had conducted investigations into the Cowles Bog Wetland Complex to establish what it would have looked like in the absence of human interference (settlers came to the area early in the 19th century). The Park Service has established a policy that aims to restore park resources in this way (Management Policies § 4.1, www. nps.gov/policy/MP2006.pdf).

The area is now heavily wooded (thus the 3,400 trees at issue), but the soil samples “documented an unusu-

30

Parks & Recreation

with various state and federal agencies regarding the preparation of an environmental assessment (EA). Later that evening, the Park Service also held a “Public Input Meeting.” Presentations were again made about the history of the area and also about the various plans under consideration, and attendees then asked numerous questions about the project.

Some nine months later, on March 9, 2012, the Park Service issued the EA for comment. The EA plainly stated that “[t]he purpose of the proposed action is to restore approximately 25 acres of [the Cowles Bog Wetland Complex] to its former lake plain wet-mesic prairie conditions

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

and provide waterfowl habitat in an adjacent open water body.”

After describing the history of the area, the EA goes on to consider a “range of alternatives to provide a lake plain wet-mesic prairie [that] were developed and evaluated throughout the development of [the] environment assessment.” The EA analyzed three proposals to achieve this goal: (1) the no-action alternative, which is required by the regulations governing NEPA, (2) the preferred alternative, which retained selected trees, and (3) an alternative that would have retained trees only near a historic home site in the project area.

Each of these alternatives were analyzed for their impact on various topics like geology and soils, vegetation, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, water quality and wetlands. The EA also analyzed the cumulative impacts of the preferred alternative and the no-action alternative with other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions.

The EA concluded that for each of the impact topics, the preferred alternative would not have a significant impact on the human environment, i.e., Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

In addition, the EA also addressed two alternatives that “were considered and dismissed because they did not meet the project’s purpose.” The two alternatives that were considered but dismissed would have retained trees wider than either 40 centimeters in diameter at breast height or 70 centimeters in diameter at breast height. The EA concluded that neither of these options would “reduce the tree canopy enough to support desired species and would not provide a buffer to Mineral Springs Road. Therefore, neither of these options would meet the project’s Purpose and Need.”

The public comment period on the draft EA closed April 9, 2012.

The Park Service received 74 written comments, of which 35 supported the project and 39 expressed concern about it. The Park Service provided detailed and lengthy responses in writing to each of the 39 comments that expressed concern. On November 5, 2012, the superintendent of the Lakeshore signed a recommendation of a FONSI for submission to the regional director for approval. The Midwest regional director of the Park Service approved both the response to the comments that were received and the FONSI, and signed the FONSI as approved. Shortly, thereafter, the project began. Plaintiffs subsequently filed suit in federal court in an attempt to stop the project.

and expense will be incurred, or (2) a finding of no significant impact, which is commonly referred to as a ‘FONSI.’” If the agency issues a FONSI, as

noted by the court, the project may then “proceed as planned without performing the more comprehensive EIS and without further inquiry” (40 C.F.R. § 1501.4(e)).

NEPA As described by the federal district court, “[w]hen a federal agency elects to pursue any major action that might significantly affect the environment — like, say, cutting down 3,400 trees — it must comply with NEPA,” including preparation of an EA. Further, the court noted that an EA is a “concise public document that briefly provides sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or a finding of no significant impact” (40 C.F.R. § 1508.9(a)).

According to the court, “[t]he purpose of an EA is to determine whether there is enough likelihood of significant environmental consequences to justify the time and expense of preparing an environmental impact statement [EIS].” Further, the court noted that “[t]he EA thus ultimately results in one of two findings: (1) a finding that an EIS is required, in which case additional time

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

31

L AW R E V I E W

NPS Authority In this particular instance, plaintiffs claimed NPS “never had the authority to undertake the restoration in the first place based on the relevant statutory authority.”

As cited by the federal district court, the “Administration” subsections in the Lakeshore Act were significant in “evaluating the extent of the Park Service’s authority to restore Cowles Bog.” In particular, the court noted subsection 6(a) regarding the “[u]tilization of authorities for conservation and management of natural resources” conferred broad authority and discretion on the secretary of the Interior, working through NPS, to manage and conserve natural resources consistent with the purposes of the Lakeshore Act.

In order that the lakeshore shall be permanently preserved in its present state, no development or plan for the convenience of visitors shall be undertaken therein which would be incompatible with the preservation of the unique flora and fauna or the physiographic conditions now prevailing or with the preservation of such historic sites and structures as the Secretary may designate.

Further, as cited by the federal district court, “the only subsection of the Lakeshore Act that specifically addresses Cowles Bog was passed in 1976 as part of an amendment to the Act,” which provided, in relevant part, as follows:

By July 1, 1977, the Secretary shall prepare and transmit to the Committees on Interior and Insular

According to the court, plaintiffs’ characterization of the phrase “permanently preserved in its present state” ignored the limitation on projects “for the convenience of visitors.”

Moreover, as described by the court, the legislative intent of the Lakeshore Act is “to preserve for the educational, inspirational and recreational use of the public certain portions of the Indiana dunes and other areas of scenic, scientific, and historic interest and recreational value in the State of Indiana” (16 U.S.C. § 460(u)). To do so, Administration subsection 6(b) provides, in pertinent part, that “preservation of the lakeshore” restricts “developments for public uses” and “visitor conveniences” in providing for “public enjoyment and understanding”:

32

Parks & Recreation

Affairs of the United States Congress a study of [designated] areas… and report concerning the following objectives: (a) preservation of the remaining dunes, wetlands, native vegetation and animal life within the area; (b) preservation and restoration of the watersheds of Cowles Bog and its associated wetlands (16 U.S.C. § 460u-18(a)).

As a result, under Section 6(a), under this “hugely expansive grant of authority,” the secretary of the Interior could determine “the restoration of Cowles Bog to be an appropriate way to manage the natural resources

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

of the Indiana Dunes.” In so doing, however, the court acknowledged that “subsection 6(b) constrains the secretary’s authority” because “Congress was explicit” that “the lakeshore shall be permanently preserved in its present state” (16 U.S.C. § 460u-6(b)).

Preserved in Present State As characterized by the plaintiffs, subsection 6(b) provided “clear, plain, mandatory language” that Congress had “plainly decreed” that “the Lakeshore was to continue without fundamental change or destruction in its existing condition.”

Accordingly, plaintiffs contended NPS lacked the authority for the restoration of Cowles Bog because the planned removal of trees violated “Congress’s mandate to permanently preserve the property in its present state.” The federal district court rejected this argument.

In the opinion of the court, the broad legislative authority under subsection (a) to manage the Lakeshore as the secretary “deems appropriate” was only restricted to a “development or plan” involving “the convenience of visitors.”

For such plans and developments, the court found they must be “compatible with the preservation of the unique flora and fauna or the physiographic conditions now prevailing” such that the Lakeshore will be “permanently preserved in its present state.”

According to the court, plaintiffs’ characterization of the phrase “permanently preserved in its present state” ignored the limitation on projects “for the convenience of visitors.”

More importantly, the court found plaintiffs’ “interpretation of the statute means that the Secretary would have to manage those resources in a very specific way — to preserve the

entire Lakeshore in its 1966 condition as if it were permanently frozen in time.” In the opinion of the court, “Plaintiffs’ reading of the statute would lead to absurd outcomes,” because this “interpretation would make it impossible for Park Service to manage the Lakeshore” as Congress intended.

It cannot be that Congress intended the language “permanently preserved in its present state” to mean that the park had to be maintained in something like a hermetically sealed geodome from 1966 on. If that were the case, wouldn’t the Secretary have to make individualized decisions as to every flower, shrub, tree, etc., to ensure that the Lakeshore looks exactly as it did in 1966? That is an absurdity, of course.

Moreover, the court acknowledged that “a cardinal principle of statutory construction” requires courts to give statutes “a sensible construction, such as will effectuate the legislative intention, and, if possible, so as to avoid an unjust or an absurd conclusion.” Further, in this particular instance, the court noted that it was “also clear that Congress has considered the restoration of Cowles Bog as at least potentially within the authority of the Secretary.” Specifically, as noted above, Congress had directed “the Secretary of the Interior to study various objectives (including the potential restoration of Cowles Bog) and then report back to Congress about the results of those studies.”

As a result, the federal district court held the Lakeshore Act granted “the

Secretary wide discretion to manage the Lakeshore as he deems appropriate, and the decision of the Park Service to undertake a restoration of Cowles Bog was not in excess of its statutory authority.”

NEPA Compliance Having found that NPS had the authority to undertake a restoration of Cowles Bog, the federal district court then considered whether NPS had complied with the procedural requirements of APA and NEPA. As described by the federal district court, the appropriate judicial standard of review for plaintiffs’ NEPA claim would be APA (5 U.S.C. § 706).

Pursuant to APA, the federal district court noted the following judicial standard of review would apply:

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

33

L AW R E V I E W

The APA instructs courts to set aside agency action only if it is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion or otherwise not in accordance with the law (5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A)). The inquiry under this standard must be searching and careful, but “the ultimate standard of review is a narrow one.”

This narrow review means asking two questions: “whether the decision was based on a consideration of the relevant factors and whether there has been a clear error of judgment.”

If the agency considered “the proper factors” and made “a factual determination on whether the environmental impacts are significant or not, that decision implicates substantial agency expertise and is entitled to deference.”

is not a decision that a judge would have made in the first instance as the decisionmaker for the federal agency.

Applying these principles to the facts of this case, the federal district court acknowledged that “reasonable people might think that cutting down 3,400 trees to establish a wet-mesic prairie doesn’t sound like a terrific idea.” However, within the context of the NEPA, the federal district court recognized that it was “prohibited from substituting its judgment for that of the agency as to the environmental consequences of its actions.” Instead, the role of the court was limited to “applying the arbitrary and capricious standard in the NEPA context…to ensure that the agency

The federal district court found plaintiffs had to overcome a “difficult burden” in proving that NPS violated NEPA. While federal agencies are afforded judicial deference under APA, in contrast, the court noted that NEPA imposed the following requirements on agency actions: NEPA does not itself mandate particular results, but only imposes procedural requirements on federal agencies with a particular focus on requiring agencies to undertake analyses of the environmental impact of their proposals and actions. It is now well-settled that NEPA itself does not mandate particular results, but simply prescribes the necessary process.

What this all means is that NEPA merely prohibits uninformed — rather than unwise — agency action. If an agency’s decision is based on the appropriate information and considerations, it must be upheld even it

34

Parks & Recreation

has taken a ‘hard look’ at environmental consequences.”

In so doing, the federal district court found plaintiffs had to overcome a “difficult burden” in proving that NPS violated NEPA. Specifically, plaintiffs had to prove that NPS’s “EA and FONSI were either prepared so heedlessly as to constitute an uninformed decision or prepared as facades to paper over what was an already predetermined outcome.”

In contrast, NPS simply had to “go through the necessary process proscribed by the statute — properly prepare the EA and the FONSI — such that their ultimate decision to restore Cowles Bog amounted to a truly informed decision (i.e., a hard look).”

In the opinion of the federal district court, plaintiffs had “failed to meet their

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

hefty burden” to establish that NPS had violated NEPA. On the contrary, the court found “the Secretary sufficiently complied with NEPA in this case.”

Reasonable Alternatives Plaintiffs had argued that “the Secretary never properly considered a range of reasonable alternatives in the EA” as required by NEPA. As cited by the federal district court, in “preparing an EA, NEPA requires agencies to consider reasonable, feasible alternatives to the proposed action” (42 U.S.C. § 4332(2)(C)(iii)). In this particular instance, the court noted that it was “important to keep in mind that the goal of the project is to establish a lake plain wet-mesic prairie.”

According to the court, in addressing the “reasonable alternatives requirement under NEPA,” agencies are “not required to consider alternatives that would not serve the reasonable project purpose.” On the contrary, the court noted that an EA or EIS need only “consider in detail alternatives that would address both of the Project’s stated purposes and needs.”

To achieve this goal, the EA analyzed three proposals: (1) the preferred alternative, which retained selected trees, (2) an alternative that would have retained trees only near a historic home site in the project area, and (3) the no-action alternative, which is required by 40 C.F.R. § 1502.14(d). In addition, the EA also noted two alternatives that “were considered and dismissed because they did not meet the project’s purpose.”

Plaintiffs contended that this consideration of alternatives was inadequate.

According to plaintiffs, the range of alternatives considered by NPS was effectively limited to two, i.e., cut 99 percent of the trees or cut 97 percent of the trees. As a result, plaintiffs con-

tended that NPS had not considered “a range of reasonable alternatives as required by NEPA.” The federal district court rejected this argument: Here, the entire stated purpose of the project is to restore the area to a wet-mesic prairie, and because a significant tree canopy prevents such a restoration, all of the reasonable alternatives have to involve the cutting of the vast majority of trees.

Moreover, the court acknowledged that “a ‘less extensive’ search for alternatives is required” when “an agency makes an informed decision that the environmental impact will be small.” As a result, under APA review, the federal district court would “accord deference” in finding the scope of alternatives considered by NPS for the bog restoration project complied with NEPA. EA Deficiencies Plaintiffs further argued that “the EA contained various inaccuracies, deficiencies and misrepresentations” such that NPS’s “decision to restore Cowles Bog was not sufficiently informed to meet NEPA’s standards.” Pursuant to NEPA, the federal district court acknowledged that “an agency decision must be based on sound science.”

NEPA requires that agencies shall ensure the professional integrity, including scientific integrity, of the discussions and analyses in environmental impact statements” (40 C.F.R. § 1502.24.3). The integrity of the EA would be undermined if it contains serious inaccuracies, deficiencies or misrepresentations. It is also true, however, that scientific data requires a high level of technical expertise and, as a result, courts must defer to the informed discretion of the responsible federal agencies.

Accordingly, in reviewing scientific judgments and technical analyses within the agency’s expertise, the court acknowledged that judicial review “is generally at its most deferential.”

Moreover, in conducting a deferential judicial review, the federal district court was required to “take care to distinguish between claimed deficiencies that are merely flyspecks and those that are significant enough to defeat the goals of informed decisionmaking and informed public comment.”

In this particular instance, the court characterized all of plaintiffs’ perceived deficiencies as “little more than flyspecks,” e.g., the bog was actually a swamp. Similarly, plaintiffs had claimed “a portion [of] Cowles Bog was timbered in 1830.” Accordingly, plaintiffs contended that “land with any trees cannot be wetland” and NPS was effectively “trying to restore this area to a different wetland type.” As a result, plaintiffs claimed “the ‘restoration’ of the area to a wet-mesic prairie is not a ‘restoration’ at all.” The federal district court rejected this argument: The Park Service conducted soil samples that demonstrate that the project site developed under “conditions of wet-mesic prairie with a few scattered trees.” Project site hydrology present prior to disturbances by humans would have supported saturated soils, mesic soils and soils inundated by one to five inches of water.

Accordingly, in the opinion of the federal district court, NPS “had more than sufficient scientific evidence to rationally conclude that a restoration was appropriate.” As a result, the court found the secretary’s decision was an “informed” one as required by NEPA. Plaintiffs had also argued that “the Secretary failed to sufficiently engage the public in the decisionmaking process.” As noted by the court, “Feder-

al regulations do not clearly define how public involvement requirements might apply where, as here, an agency prepares only an EA (and FONSI) rather than an EIS.” As cited by the court, in the case of an EA, the agency is required to “involve environmental agencies, applicants and the public” only “to the extent practicable” (40 C.F.R. § 1501.4(b)). As a result, the court found “agencies have significant discretion in determining how they comply with NEPA’s public participation regulations in preparing an EA.” In the opinion of the court, these NEPA “requirements for public participation were easily met here.”

The Park Service held a public scoping meeting at the beginning of the EA process and a special public presentation on the EA for the Town of Dune Acres. They led a site visit of the proposed project area for members of the public. They circulated the EA for public comment and prepared a document responding to all the comments received. They posted the EA, the response to comments and the FONSI on [the] Park Service’s website. This was more than sufficient to meet NEPA’s goals for informing the public about the project.

As a result, the federal district court held the NPS EA “adequately complied with NEPA’s requirements and provided a sufficient rationale for the Park Service to undertake the Cowles Bog restoration.” The federal district court, therefore, granted summary judgment in favor of NPS, effectively dismissing plaintiffs’ lawsuit.

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.

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

35

C O N S E R VAT I O N

The city of Niteroi has an ambitious plan to protect most of the forested mountain tops and steep slopes within the city boundaries as parks and conservation areas.

Brazil’s Park Challenge NRPA’s VP of conservation and parks shares insight gathered on park issues experienced in other countries during a recent trip to Brazil

By Richard J. Dolesh

T

he eyes of the world are suddenly on Brazil. With the World Cup tournament coming to Brazil in 2014, followed by the Summer Olympics in 2016, there is intense interest from around the globe in this mysterious, alluring country best known for samba and soccer.

Everyone has heard about Brazil’s amazing natural resources, natural beauty and wildlife. The world’s largest river by volume — the Amazon — flows through the northern heart of the country. One of the world’s largest wetlands, the Pantanal, spreads across tens of thousands of square miles in the southern interior of Brazil. The coastal cities of Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Salvador are noted for their incredibly beautiful beaches and laidback lifestyles.

Naturally and culturally rich, Brazil continues to intrigue. Newly discovered energy reserves and creative uses of sustainable energy sources such as sugarcane have made Brazil completely energy self-sufficient, a feat achieved by very few nations in the world. Brazil’s democracy, emerged from a mili-

36

Parks & Recreation

tary dictatorship, is praised throughout South America. Yet the media is also filled with reports of civil unrest and protest in crowded metropolitan areas, and poverty is endemic in cities with huge shanty-towns or favelas that pose enormous social, economic and environmental challenges.

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

So what is the state of parks in this up-and-coming nation? It’s a fitting question as the world’s attention turns to Brazil. The answer, as you might expect from this very unusual country, is a bit more complex than first meets the eye.

Early in my parks career when I was managing the Patuxent River Park of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, I welcomed several Brazilians from Rio de Janeiro who came to the park for a tour. They were hosted by the University of Maryland’s Office of International Programs, which assisted visitors from Brazilian universities through an international cooperation group called the Partners of the

Americas. The Maryland/Rio chapter of Partners of the Americas is one of the longest-standing cooperative partnerships in a program that is similar to the Sister Cities program.

The Brazilians were extremely interested in building the kinds of natural parks that we were operating on the Patuxent River in Maryland. They invited me to Brazil to work with them, and I learned so much as well as helped them. Over the years, it has been a rich and rewarding relationship. I have traveled to Brazil several times to visit their parks, and I have helped to host a number of visitors from Brazilian universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations, and worked with a university student-exchange program as well.

I returned to Brazil last month to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Maryland/Rio partnership and also to participate in the signing of a historic cooperation agreement between the States of Rio and Maryland for the protection of Guanabara Bay, a large estuary that encompasses the city of Rio and is very similar to the Chesapeake Bay. While I was there, I had the opportunity to revisit a number of parks in Niteroi, a city directly across Guanabara Bay from the city of Rio. Niteroi had just introduced a new plan to establish an extensive reserve of natural parks and protected lands, so I was able to talk with park planners and government officials about their plan, and I attended a public meeting for its presentation.

Niteroi, a city of 500,000 and the historic capital of the State of Rio, has grown rapidly in the past century from a sleepy fishing town to a busy metropolitan center with an emerging middle class and substantial economic development. As one of Brazil’s ten largest cities, Niteroi is trying

to shape itself into a livable, sustainable community that capitalizes on its rich culture, natural heritage and economic vitality.

The challenges are immense, particularly in terms of infrastructure.

Sanitation is one of the greatest needs and one that most directly affects both public and environmental health in urban metropolitan areas.

In addition, government functions such as transportation, affordable housing and planning are being tested as Brazil moves into the 21st century. Sr. Ney Maranhao, secretary of water resources and urban environment of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, said to me, “The biggest urban challenges Brazil faces today are from a lack of adequate housing.”

Niteroi’s plan to create a connected network of natural lands and parks proceeds from a national law passed in 2000 that allowed for creation of a National System of Conservation Units (SNUC). This law enabled classification of two broad types of public conservation

lands: lands that require full protection, which they call “integral protection,” and lands for sustainable use. Within the integral protection category are subcategories including national parks, biological reserves and wildlife refuges. Within the sustainable development category are environmental protection areas, extractive reserves and sustainable development reserves. State and local conservation plans follow the national model with some variations.

While much of the lowlands in and around Niteroi is developed, most of the steep slopes, hills and small mountains remain undeveloped. In fact, these areas contain the remnants of the Mata Atlantica, the Atlantic rainforest, an ecosystem thought to be more ecologically diverse than the Amazonian rainforest. However, less than seven percent of the Atlantic rainforest remains intact, and most of that is located on hillsides and mountaintops in bio-geographical islands. To give an idea of just how biologically rich this area is, the Golden Lion Tamarin monkey, an

The spectacular view of Guanabara Bay and the city of Rio de Janeiro from the hang-gliding pad at City Park in Niteroi is acknowledged as one of the most scenic views in Brazil.

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

37

“Little Beach” is a popular protected cove at Itacoatiara Beach in Niteroi, part of the Serra da Tiririca State Park.

endangered primate species thought to be nearly extinct, was found in habitat just a short distance from the City of Rio. An extraordinary conservation effort is now underway to connect remnant populations of Golden Lion Tamarins.

The conceptual plan by Niteroi to protect remaining large areas of land for both integral protection and sustainable use is based on a mosaical pattern of protection that takes into consideration the highest-value lands that remain unspoiled yet still allow for development and public recreational use in less-critical areas.

During my first visit to Brazil in the 1990s, I visited a huge collection of lands acquired for a new state park,

38

Parks & Recreation

| FEBRUARY 2014

“Pedra Branca,” a park wholly within Rio’s city limits that contains one of the largest urban forests in the world. When my host and I drove up to the gates, two civil police officers stopped us at a closed chain barricade and said, “What do you want?” It was quite a different park experience than I had ever had, but as I got to know Brazil’s parks and people, I became convinced that the professionals and citizens I met were truly committed to changing that perception and reality.

On my most recent visit, Andre Ihla, the director of biodiversity and protected areas for the State of Rio, agreed that their attitude and management style had changed dramatically. In fact, he said, “We started in reverse — our parks were fortresses. Everyone was looked at with suspicion, and people came to not support the parks. Today, Brazil is in the midst of trying to change that paradigm, to get people out enjoying their parks and appreciating them.”

The results are positive. Clearly, there is now widespread public support for parks, conservation and environmental protection. However, the obstacles are daunting. In Niteroi, the public presentation of the new plan for parks and protected areas addressed one of the most critical issues stopping this plan from being successful: the “irregular occupation” of parks and public lands by homeless

| W W W. N R PA . O R G

people. It is such a severe problem that any conservation and management plan for the parks cannot even be imagined without a companion plan to create affordable housing for those who will be displaced from living illegally in parks. Therefore, the City is also committing to build or obtain more than 5,000 units of public housing within existing communities to concurrently address this issue.

In addition, the park plan goes further than just conservation objectives.

There is an important component of public safety and security also in the plan. Niteroi and Rio, due to their topography and climate, have suffered devastating rains and landslides in recent years. Axel Grael, vice mayor of Niteroi, told me that they can no longer just be reactive and pick up the pieces after devastating killing storms. They want to move into a prevention phase and utilize the protections of natural systems combined with civil defense alerts. The protected lands plan will enable a comprehensive approach to both the public safety needs as well as conservation goals. This is very similar thinking to that which is emerging in the U.S. after Hurricane Sandy — to look at green infrastructure and the ability of natural systems to provide protection from stormwater and to reduce gray infrastructure costs at the same time.

Brazil’s parks contain outstanding natural beauty, rich natural resources and really interesting management challenges. We can learn much from their experiences. To explore how your agency or state might gain from international cooperation through parks, visit Partners of the Americas at www.partners.net.

Richard J. Dolesh is NRPA’s Vice President of Conservation and Parks (rdolesh@nrpa.org).

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Exercise, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Implications for Community Recreation Professionals

By William Karper, Ed.D.

T

hroughout the U.S., community recreation departments offer various types of exercise programs. A number of people who participate in these programs are middle-aged and older adults, particularly women. If recent trends continue, increasing numbers of participants in these programs, especially females, will have fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by widespread pain, tenderness in soft tissues, chronic fatigue, depression and a variety of other symptoms. In some recreation agencies, people with FMS participate in special classes for those with arthritis. In others, they participate in regular classes with adaptive help. Due to the increasing prevalence of this syndrome, recreation professionals are wise to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of FMS in order to best serve this population.

During the past 20 years, the incidence of FMS has been rising, although there is no clear consensus concerning reasons for greater numbers of people being diagnosed. However, the incidence of onset increases with age, and the impact of FMS appears to become more problematic with a de-

40

Parks & Recreation

crease in function related to continuing illness (CDC, Lavergne). Women tend to be diagnosed more than men at a 9:1 ratio with a peak prevalence at age 55–64, and it is estimated that 5 million adults or between 2 and 6 percent of the population in the U.S. presently have diagnosed FMS (Law-

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

rence). However, it is suspected that many more people than those presently diagnosed may have the condition.

All of this helps to explain why community recreation personnel will see more people with FMS in their future programs.

People who suffer from FMS generally have mild to severe pain throughout their entire body all or most of every day. Also, they suffer from fatigue and nonrestorative sleep. Often, cognitive deficits and depression are also problematic. Pain is usually felt in the soft tissue (e.g., muscle, tendon, fascia, etc.), but joints and skin can also become very painful. Many people with FMS complain especially about annoying pain in their neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back and

hips. There is no known single cause or cure for FMS, and it is not viewed as a progressive disorder, even though many people with FMS complain that their condition feels worse as they age (NIAMS). Additionally, FMS can coexist with other rheumatic and immune system-related diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.).

Multicomponent treatment (e.g., medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, education, being physically active, reducing psychological stress, etc.) can help people with FMS manage their condition (Mease, Hauser). Thus, the CDC recommends exercise, education and relaxation therapy as part of a multidisciplinary treatment for this syndrome. Physicians who treat FMS patients often emphasize that these nonpharmacologic treatments are equally as important as medicine.

One positive aspect concerning the treatment of FMS is that much research shows appropriate exercise can be very helpful regarding problems with pain, fatigue and various activities of daily living (Jones). Community recreation physical activity programs can provide much-needed, local, easily accessible and affordable help in this regard. However, for programs to properly serve people with FMS, certain features need to be in place so that outcomes are beneficial. It is advisable that all people with FMS obtain written permission from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant before beginning any type of physical activity program to help guard against medically-related safety problems.

Recreation professionals should know that people with FMS cannot “push through” their pain and/or fatigue and expect to feel better as a result of the effort. Willfully pushing through

FMS symptoms almost always results in numerous days of near-complete inactivity in order to recover. It is reasonable to have participants push to the pain, but never through it, unless a healthcare provider has prescribed such activity. Long-term mild to moderately intense exercise appears to produce the best results in an indoor

etc.) when they first start. They can be instructed to move their body parts through the exercise movements without using any resistance. Beginning with one set of each exercise for five to six repetitions can prove to be successful, eventually allowing the participant to move toward 10 repetitions. If this is successful, a small amount of re-

The CDC recommends exercise, education and relaxation therapy as part of a multidisciplinary treatment for this syndrome. environment where temperature can be controlled, because some people with FMS have body temperature control problems due to an unregulated central nervous system (Mease). Also, people with FMS can experience an increase in symptoms (especially pain, fatigue and mental fog) with exposure to certain types of lighting and loud noise due to problems with visual and auditory sensitivity.

Dry-land walking and water aerobics are two helpful activities. Using five- to 10-minute walking intervals with a five-minute rest in between can work very well. Over time, the number of walking intervals and length of each can be increased and/or the rest periods can be eliminated. Allowing people to walk at their preferred speed (versus forcing them to walk at a predetermined intensity) appears to make the comfort level such that participants will often do quite well (Newcomb).

Regarding strength training, participants can be shown one exercise to complete for each major muscle group (e.g., upper and lower arms, shoulders, chest, upper back, lower back,

sistance can be added and repetitions and/or sets of the same exercise can be increased. Elastic exercise bands and/ or small dumbbells of varying weights offer adjustable resistance options that can be customized to the user. Keep in mind that some people with FMS need to execute resistance exercises using an incorrect form to keep exercises as pain-free as possible.

In summary, the adult FMS population is large and growing, and engaging in appropriate physical activity can be enormously helpful for people with this syndrome. Fortunately, accommodating those with FMS in existing recreation programs only requires minimal adaptations and some additional knowledge about FMS. For a full list of references, please visit www.parksandrecreation. org/2014/February/Exercise,-Fi bromyalgia-Syndrome-and-Implica tions-for-Community-Recreation-Pro fessionals.

William Karper, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North CarolinaGreensboro (wbkarper@uncg.edu).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

41

World’s Largest Swimming Lesson

SOCIAL EQUITY

Children at the Carl E. Sanders Family YMCA at Buckhead, located in Atlanta, Georgia, participate in a recent World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.

Ready, Set, Swim!

The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson brings communities together and helps reduce drowning risks

By Samantha Bartram

A

ccording to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury or death in the United States. About one in five individuals who die from drowning are children age 14 or younger. The fatal drowning rate of African-American children ages 5–14 is almost three times that of white children in the same age range. These are grim statistics, but they help to underscore the universal importance of learning basic swimming skills. Organizers of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson hope their annual event helps lower those numbers while bringing communities together for fun and a potentially life-saving education.

The simple enjoyment of splashing around with friends and family at the local pool is a particularly alluring aspect of WLSL, but of utmost importance is the effort to reduce rates of drowning deaths and injuries. “We were looking for a cornerstone opportunity we could give to the larger aquatics community to rally around,

42

Parks & Recreation

build media coverage at the start of swimming season and contribute to the anti-drowning movement,” says Aleatha Ezra, director of park member development at the World Waterpark Association, which founded and each year organizes WLSL. “Creating this event gives facilities a one-day, big-impact opportunity to

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

spread the word about water safety and help prevent drownings. It’s an out-of-the-box piece people can use to get media coverage around this important safety initiative.”

WLSL launched in 2010, and during the past four years, Ezra believes organizers have hit on a winning combination to get more aquatics facilities involved — namely, fun, community and safety. The driving principle behind the event has always been education and drowning prevention, but adding the allure of taking part in a Guinness Book of World Records challenge has generated even more buzz. WWA members met with Guinness representatives to develop guidelines for achieving the distinc-

World’s Largest Swimming Lesson

tion of hosting the world’s largest simultaneous swimming lesson. “[The award] did not exist before we created the event,” Ezra says. “Another organization or group could try for the record, too, but so far it’s only ever been our group that has gone after it.

We have four records and this year we’ll be going for our fifth.”

Guidelines to win the record include that classes begin at the same time and be of a certain length, the same curriculum must be taught to all participants, and facility managers are required to provide adequate documentation for their swim lesson to count toward the overall total. “The curriculum is not meant to be a comprehensive swim lesson,” Ezra clarifies. “It won’t take someone who never has swum and teach them in 30 minutes, but it does cover essentials like how to follow rules, how to enter the water safely, breathing and submerging, holding your breath under water, floating skills, how to roll from front to back, basic strokes, kicking at the wall and front-gliding with a partner.” The lesson’s simple format, plus the opportunity to become a world-record holder and enjoy a fun time at the pool, has increased WLSL’s participation rates steadily since the event’s inception. In 2013, 32,450 individuals at 432 facilities spread across 13 countries participated in the lesson, representing a 30 percent increase from 2012.

Pools and other aquatic facilities are often viewed as gathering places for the community, and WLSL seeks to truly capitalize on that sense of familiarity in emphasizing a feeling of freedom and belonging that might encourage tentative individuals to give swimming a try. That philosophy applies to children and adults, and Ezra believes it’s key to spreading the message of water safety as widely as

An instructor at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center in La Mirada, California, helps a young girl with her technique at a recent World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.

possible. “[WLSL] is a water-safety event that is easy to promote and spreads the word across multiple media outlets,” Ezra says. “It brings the community together over generations — grandma, mom, dad, kids — they may not all be part of the lesson, but they’ll watch, they’ll tweet about ‘my kid is a world-record holder.’

It spreads on a grassroots level and reaches so many people.”

Stephanie Hee, marketing specialist at NRH20 Family Waterpark with the City of North Richland Hills Parks and Recreation Department in Texas, noticed how the inclusive group lesson inspired confidence among individuals at her facility.

“Swimming lessons give all participants confidence,” she says. “They realize they’re not the only ones who don’t know how to swim. It’s a relief once kids see there are some who don’t know how to swim at all, and others who are very experienced swimmers. We don’t care what their [experience] level is — not only are we teaching them swimming basics,

we want to constantly remind them how important it is to learn to swim so they spread the word.”

And spread the word they do — Hee says that each year, positive responses from her community roll in post-WLSL. “We constantly hear how thankful [people] are to have this offered,” she says, noting there’s still more to do in the fight against drowning: “I wish we could have more people understand the importance of learning to swim. You won’t become an expert at WLSL, but we’ll teach the basics and help people wrap their minds around the idea of swimming lessons, and hopefully give that extra push for everyone to learn how to swim.”

For information on how your aquatic facility can become involved in the 2014 World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, set for Friday, June 20, go to www.wlsl.org.

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

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

43

MANAGING MANAGEMENT

The Management Mystery Why being an effective manager is so hard and what you can do to make it easier

By Lauren Yost

A

sk five people what “management” means and you’ll probably get five different answers. Ask one person what management means at five stages of his or her career and you’ll get five different answers. While there certainly could be a “wrong” answer, there really is no one right answer because context is key.

Webster defines “manager” as “someone who is in charge of a business, department, etc.” (no specific call-out for the management/supervision of people). It defines “management” as “the act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department [or] … team, etc.; judicious use of means to accomplish an end” (which could include the concept of people).

The direct route to the “people” aspect of managing comes through from Webster’s “leadership” definition: the power or ability to lead other people.

Earlier in my career, a boss summarized his philosophy on the topic by

44

Parks & Recreation

telling me, “managers manage things, leaders lead people.” Of course, these days, there are volumes of books and articles out there that thoroughly dissect the differences between management and leadership that support that philosophy. I would argue, however, that without the ability to exercise leadership (at the functional level or the human level), your efforts to manage anything will be ineffective, regardless of what you call it.

Likewise, as a leader, you might have a natural ability to draw followers and unify them around an idea, but if you fail to manage (control the process and make decisions), the leadership alone will not

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

be an effective means to reach the goals.

“Everyone provides leadership for those responsibilities that have been assigned to them,” says Merlin Ricklefs in The Basics of Leadership. “For the highest-performing organizations, even the lowest-ranked staff...must assume leadership and attention to detail for their responsibilities in a manner similar to the most senior and powerful.”

So if management can mean different things to different people and look different at varying stages of your career, and the idea of being a leader is a part of learning to be a manager, not two different things, it’s no wonder that new managers have such a difficult time transitioning into management and learning what it takes to be successful.

“The experience of a first-time supervisor or manager is often one of the

most trying in their career,” says Carter McNamara, author of the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision. “They rarely have adequate training for the new management role — they were promoted because of their technical expertise, not because of their managerial expertise…. They must represent upper management to their subordinates, and their subordinates to upper management.

They’re stuck in the middle. They can feel very alone.”

Carol A. Walker of Harvard Business Review’s Saving Your Rookie Managers From Themselves points out, “Very often, [new managers] fail to grasp how their roles have changed — that their jobs are no longer about personal achievement but instead about enabling others to achieve….Even the best employees can have trouble adjusting to these new realities.”

New managers have a lot to learn — all managers have a lot to do. As Calvin Coolidge aptly said, “We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.” So don’t let the overwhelming volume of unknowns stop you from jumping in and moving forward. But where should the new manager start?

Whether you are responsible for managing projects, departments, people or an entire business, experts seem to consistently arrive at the same Step One: Manager, manage thyself!

No matter what the different types of management roles you end up taking on, the common denominator among the things you’ll always be expected to have under control is YOU. Often, effective self-management will trump technical competence and subject-matter expertise of the things that earned that management promotion to begin with, but if you managed to rise to management without it, it needs to be your number-one priority to learn and rec-

ognize that self-management is never something you are “finished” learning.

“Self-management should be the manager’s number-one priority,” says consultant and executive management coach Lisa Baker. “It is important for a manager to understand how his capability for self-management impacts either positively or negatively on his abilities to manage his role, function and build relationships.”

Without effective self-management, you will find it difficult to assess and manage your own workload well enough to effectively delegate the right work to your team, which could lead them to feel micromanaged or that you’re not empowering or developing them. Without effective self-management, you could lose credibility and your team’s respect as it will be difficult for them to take seriously any instruction, direction, leadership or (heaven forbid) correction from someone who can’t apply the same principles to his or her own initiatives or work habits.

Founder/CEO of FacileThings and personal productivity expert Francisco Sáez says, “Although many people only relate self-management to time management, it is actually a much broader concept.”

Taken from Sáez’s Self-Management Fundamentals, here are a few things that need to be on your self-management checklist: Know yourself — your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, your personal desires. Without an honest assessment of these things, it will be difficult to give real purpose and meaning to your work.

Develop your proactivity. Adopt a positive attitude in doing what it takes have the life/job/career you want.

Learn to take on decisionmaking for all the things that concern you. Even if the decision is to do nothing, it was within your control, not anyone else’s,

to arrive at the actions or outcomes that affect you.

Learn to manage stress and conflict in order to achieve the emotional stability necessary to function well in all areas of life, not just on the job.

Manage your time better — not only doing more, but enjoying your time more. Time is limited, but it can be of higher quality. This will often require learning to say NO. Develop and maintain the self-motivation to get things done and avoid procrastination. As Steve Jobs once said, “Perseverance is about half of what separates success from failure.”

Know how to keep focused on what you’re doing and filter out the distraction of unimportant “urgencies” that derail you from reaching your goal.

Create the discipline necessary to acquire more knowledge, to improve your relationships with others, and continually develop, grow and improve yourself.

Self-management and personal development have to be things you choose and want for yourself. It’s your responsibility to seek these ideals. As Winston Churchill said, “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself.” You have to find within yourself the desire to develop effective self-management skills. If it is prescribed to you as a solution to a problem you’re not yet convinced you have, there will be a disconnect between the learning the concepts and actually applying them.

Unfortunately, many managers are not able to identify poor self-management as the cause of their unbearable stress and blame external factors for their problems.

However, applying these few tips should help lead you through a more successful and rewarding management journey.

Lauren Yost is NRPA’s Vice President of Operations (lyost@nrpa.org).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

45

FA UD TU VO R EC AL C EY ADERS

The Importance of a Professional Mentor

By Michael J. Bradley, Ph.D.

A

s a young professional early in my parks and recreation career, I have been extremely lucky to have several great mentors. These fantastic individuals instilled in me the tenet of professional service, encouraged constant professional development, assisted me in the evolution of my personal leadership style, helped me understand the importance of inspiring and helping children, and fortified my personal and professional ethics.

As a recreation professional, you can probably recall a specific professional (or more than one) who had a profound impact on your life course in the field. Perhaps your mentor was someone who gave you inspiration to continue working hard and moving forward through words of encouragement, or maybe someone who opened doors for you through knowledge or networking. In any case, a mentor is a special person who moves you and pushes you forward professionally and personally. Through their sharing of

46

Parks & Recreation

A great mentor will teach you to harness your strengths, overcome your weaknesses and move you to become more than either of you ever thought possible.

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

industry knowledge, mentors pass along information that helps new professionals. Often, they serve as great door-openers, connecting you with the right individuals in your field and appropriate persons in related fields as well. A good mentor is, simply, invaluable.

One of the first attributes all good mentors have in common is the ability to reassure you when you need it most. While everyone might need a few words of encouragement from time to time, those that come from someone with years of experience in your field mean so much more. They may offer perspective and directed counsel, highlighting exactly why you should hold your chin up and keep moving forward. Simple and directed reassurance can be quite the motivator and often a good way to immediately get you back on the right track.

The truth is, if you want to propel yourself further and maximize investment in your professional career, you simply do not have the time to make every mistake. While mistakes allow immense levels of learning, avoiding costly mistakes and side-stepping minor inconveniences will aid you in making the best mistakes. Good mentors share their mistakes. There are two benefits to this — the first is to connect to your situation and perhaps help you realize that even experts and leaders in your field are not mistake-free.

The second benefit, and perhaps the more important of the two, is that you are able to learn from your mentor’s mistakes. Individual experience is a great teacher, but so is someone else’s experience!

The perspective gained from a solid reality check is perhaps one of the greatest benefits of working with a trusted mentor. Whether it is identifying a not-so-glaring weakness or simply telling you to let bygones be bygones, the best mentor will tell you what you need to hear to be a better person. While friends or business associates may stroke your ego or offer words to soothe your hurt feelings, the words you want to hear and need to hear may be quite different. The mentor-mentee relationship should be one based on honesty and the willingness to engage in open communication. Such candid discussion can help eliminate or solidify your weaknesses — your mentor does not look at you and see your current situation. Instead, he or she sees you as a work in progress. Mentors see what you may become and hope to help you reach your potential. Listen to what your mentor says and take some time to think about the reason for the words of wisdom,

A Guiding Hand NRPA’s Administrators/Young Professionals Network Mentorship Program, now entering its third year, is beginning to pay serious dividends for its participants. This month, we got word that Tennessee-based mentee Jenna Tyler, who was paired with Kevin Cowling, manager of operations and planning at Clarksville Parks and Recreation, landed a job through the program. While finding gainful employment is certainly an admirable goal, it’s just one benefit that can come from cultivating a strong partnership between mentor and mentee. Passing wisdom and institutional knowledge from someone experienced in his or her field to a fledgling employee is a time-honored tradition, and one that helps to grow confident, well-informed, engaged professionals. Many respected executives, in both the public and private sectors, cite the support, influence and encouragement of a mentor as a contributing reason for their success. As a member benefit under the NRPA Network system, both the Administrators and Young Professionals Networks are dedicated to grooming professionals for the challenges of senior management positions in the field of parks and recreation. NRPA is firmly committed to fostering mentoring relationships that will prepare our mentee members to be the next generation of leaders. For more information about how to get involved, contact Eric Hamp, NRPA’s senior manager of member relations, at ehamp@nrpa.org.

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine.

as sometimes the reason for a conversation has more impact than the words exchanged.

A great mentor will teach you to harness your strengths, overcome your weaknesses and move you to become more than either of you ever thought possible. As stated many times before, talent untapped and untrained is useless talent.

However, with the right coach, hard work and dedication, talent creates opportunities for success.

Think of a mentor as a professional coach offering invaluable insight on a personal and professional level.

You must realize that a mentor is not simply a friend, but a motivator, teacher and confidant.

As I continue to grow and mature as a professional, I still seek advice from my mentors. I was fortunate to

have mentors who dedicated themselves to my development, but flourishing under the guidance of these fantastic individuals was no accident.

My willingness to learn, admit my shortcomings, take on challenges and invest some good ol’ fashioned elbow grease allowed me to maximize my time with each of them. Moving forward, I still seek out possibilities for new mentoring relationships and look forward to serving as a mentor, an ethic instilled in me by every mentor I have been so lucky to have. If you have a mentor, be sure to thank him or her for their service and investment to you and the field.

Michael J. Bradley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation and Park Administration at Eastern Kentucky University. (michael.bradley@eku.edu).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

47

A Sporting New trends in adult sports require dynamic planning by park and recreation agenciesÂ

By Carrie Madren

Shift A

Alan Georgeson

dults have long turned to local leagues and recreational sports to exercise and let off steam. In order to keep programs fresh, creative and enterprising recreation staff are listening to players’ requests — and introducing new ideas to their communities. As a result, adult sports programs across the country have shifted to accommodate tighter schedules and new activities.

Many of these trends — such as mini soccer and Ultimate Frisbee — also reflect the desire to get potential players into a game more quickly, with less equipment and sometimes fewer people required for a game. Other trends reflect time constraints and pressures of working adults: The new trend of “Baggo” or “Cornhole” beanbag-tossing games reflects a more lighthearted and less athletic approach to time spent

Many mini soccer fields can be installed on the same footprint of a full-size soccer pitch, which can encourage impromptu games among smaller groups.

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

49

A SPORTING SHIFT

after work, and the shortened seasons particularly popular on military bases reflect the tight schedules of working adults with families.

All of these trends create new recreation possibilities — new leagues and expanded opportunities — and put more dollars in recreation coffers.

Although we’ll always see community softball, volleyball, tennis, basketball and soccer, evolving trends in adult sports — from mini soccer to themed runs — are getting adults moving in new ways.

Mini Soccer Soccer has been a longtime favorite of both men and women, but playing takes planning, as games require a certain number of players, a large field and referees. Enter mini soccer, a scaled-down version of the international game. Popular in the UK for more than 40 years, mini soccer leagues began springing up across the U.S. about five years ago, with leagues growing in cities such as

Miami, New York City and Dallas.

Alan Georgeson of Constructive4 Sports Group and Soccer 5 USA thinks all cities will have mini soccer fields within the next five years.

An agreement with Soccer 5 USA has been cost-effective for the Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, reports George Parrado, park operations superintendent. The deal worked out so well that the department expects to have mini soccer at four parks by June 2014. In addition to revenue, mini soccer has extended the opportunities for older soccer players in the community who want to play but no longer have the stamina to play on a full-size field.

Popular with children as well as adults, this smaller-scale version of soccer uses fewer players per team and a smaller field, meaning individual players get more ball time. Games can be five-versus-five, six-versus-six or seven-versus-seven.

One mini soccer field is less than an eighth of the footprint of a full-

Alan Georgeson

New sport trends such as mini soccer make it easier for adults to fit recreation into their lifestyles.

50

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

size soccer field. So, in half of a full-size field where 11 adults would play per team, four small fields can accommodate 40 or more players.

Adults find it faster to grab five or six friends and start a game than to organize teams of 11 players and have a referee, Georgeson explains.

“It’s so much easier to get into a game,” he says. “And with a smaller group, it’s more of a social game.”

Shortened Seasons In order to accommodate busy adults, some recreational managers are cutting back the time commitments required for some leagues. Shortened or abbreviated seasons are in demand, explains John Prue of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation department at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois. In response, staff cut some traditional 12- to 16week seasons to four to eight weeks in length in order to accommodate the transient sailor population as well as the more permanent residents who wanted more time to devote to family and other activities, Prue explained in an online NRPA Connect forum.

Likewise, one-day tournaments have drawn more players to sports such as kickball and dodgeball at the Naval Air Station Oceana/Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach, Virginia, according to Fitness Director Michael Morris, who noticed dwindling participation in certain leagues and multi-day tournaments before the changes. “Being a base with a lot of students who have mandatory physical training, trying to get them to stay or come back to our facilities can be challenging,” Morris says. At the Navy base, he continues, military personnel have less free time than they previously had and can’t commit to a team for an entire season.

In an attempt to further boost participation in volleyball, beach volleyball

Old Games from Left Field Across the country, adults are taking a trip down memory lane by unwinding with games they remember from childhood or decades past. Dodgeball, pickleball, wiffleball, kickball and others have all made a comeback with adult players.

Kickball and wiffleball adult leagues have especially gained popularity across the country in the last decade. Last year, the Des Moines, Iowa, Department of Park and Recreation’s wiffleball league had 14 teams of six people, which was double the participation of the year before, reports Marketing Supervisor Jennifer Fletcher. “I think it’s cool to see these sports that we enjoyed as kids on the playground during recess are making a comeback,” Fletcher notes.

At the Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, tug-of-war and dodgeball have been offered for three years, Morris says, and have drawn many younger sailors.

Another new organized game hails from backyard picnics and tailgates: beanbag tossing, called “Baggo” or “Cornhole,” in which two teams toss beanbags toward a tilted board with a hole at one end, trying to sink their

Pickleball, a court sport that combines elements of tennis, ping pong, badminton and wiffleball, has exploded among adult recreation enthusiasts in recent years.

Chuck Roderique/USAPA

and basketball at the naval air station, staff also organized abbreviated games of 45 minutes or shorter that were held during lunch. “We try to accommodate them as best we can,” Morris says. A shorter time frame “lets the active-duty member participate in a sport and get back to work or class in plenty of time,” he continues. In addition, the base began offering smaller team sizes — such as four-on-four volleyball — to help draw more players.

The shortened time frame has increased participation, Morris notes.

Last year, only one team signed up for outdoor volleyball, but this year, with the abbreviated lunchtime schedule, six or seven teams have already signed up.

beanbag into the hole. Such leisure games attract participants who may not have time for more dedicated, serious league play and practice.

Across the country, adults are taking a trip down memory lane by unwinding with games they remember from childhood.

These low-pressure recreational leagues also draw members of the community who lack the athletic prowess for the more competitive basketball, volleyball or tennis leagues. Additional participants and leagues raise more revenue for recreation departments — often with little cost for equipment. As a bonus, most of these games don’t require custom spaces: Kickball can take place at any baseball field or open field, and Baggo can take place at any park.

“We are finding it is a way to reach out to new participants and...those who might not otherwise participate in sport,” says John Stutzman, recreation supervisor for Bloomington Parks and Recreation in Minnesota, which is planning a Baggo league.

For many of these recreation leagues — such as kickball — the social aspect is just as important as winning, and going out together for some post-game beers is considered good sportsmanship.

“The bottom line is that people are looking for alternatives to be outside with their friends or for a night out,” Stutzman says. “Maybe it isn’t the team environment or a traditional sport, but they’re looking for those alternate, unique things to do.”

Creative Twists: Inner-Tube Water Polo This trend involves putting a unique, fun twist on a more serious athletic sport. The level of athleticism required for water polo may be too intense for many, but when you add an inner tube, the game becomes playful.

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

51

A SPORTING SHIFT

yet,” he says. “I still get funny looks when I tell people about it.”

Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate Frisbee — a sport still dominated by college-age players — has grown steadily over the last decade in popularity with young adults who have graduated college. According to USA Ultimate, membership has swelled from just shy of 20,000 in 2004 to more than 35,000 in 2012, although millions of adults play unofficially throughout the U.S. Jason Tryon of North Carolina’s Indian Trail Park and Recreation Department has noticed increased demand for field space for Ultimate Frisbee, a year-round sport in the state. The surrounding county has leagues as well as pick-up games.

In response to the demand, county recreation managers have designated certain parks and fields for daily leagues as well as open play.

Ultimate Frisbee players in North Carolina represent a burgeoning trend in adult sports stemming from college leagues.

52

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation

Rules are similar to regular water polo in that players pass and shoot the ball toward the opposing goal, but players must sit in the inner tube and paddle with their feet and hands.

Considered easier for novices, inner-tube water polo lacks the demands of treading water and physical contact required of traditional water polo. Teams often head to happy hours following games.

While programs start out just covering costs, Stutzman is confident that the expanded programming will bring in new revenue for his department.

He played the game himself in college at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and just launched a league in Bloomington, Minnesota, last month.

Larger cities across the country, such as San Diego, New York City, Raleigh and Boston, already have organized leagues. “It’s had some popularity in colleges and universities, but hasn’t quite gotten [into the mainstream]

Ultimate players use the honor system instead of referees, and players emphasize good sportsmanship.

The sport draws both current participants of other team sports and new segments of the community, Tryon explains. While many use Ultimate Frisbee to stay active in the off-seasons of other sports, other new recreation participants from the community who are drawn to the game may want to relive happy memories of throwing a Frisbee when they were younger.

Much of Ultimate Frisbee’s draw comes from its simplicity. “It’s easy to start,” Tryon says. “You don’t need equipment such as goals, a ball or netting. All you need is open space and a Frisbee.” It’s also somewhat of a unique sport, he continues, in that it’s a hybrid of other similar team sports such as lacrosse and soccer, so skills from other sports easily translate into the game.

In addition, Ultimate Frisbee is a simple game that can be played year-round — especially in southern states and indoor fields — creating additional revenue for recreation departments through league fees, according to Tryon.

Themed Races 5K and 10K races have always attracted runners, but new twists and trends are adding creative challenges and elements to today’s races. These themed runs often bring in people who play other sports or who don’t run regularly.

Mud-filled runs such as Run Amuck, Warrior Dash and Tough Mudder continue to draw thousands who want to test their limits as they complete a course filled with obstacles such as wall climbs, fire leaps and mud crawls.

For participants, “It’s unique, something that they’ve never done before,” Tryon says. “It gets your adrenaline pumping and gives you

Columbus Recreation and Parks

a sense of adventure in your hometown without having to travel.”

Color runs — in which white-clad runners are covered by clouds of colored corn starch — add whimsy to athleticism. The concept, inspired by Holi (a Hindu spring festival of colors, in which celebrants throw colored powder), offers a less competitive and more lighthearted alternative to traditional races. Two popular organizers, The Color Run and Color Me Rad 5K, have brought their carefree 5K events to communities across the country.

Columbus, Ohio, held its second annual Color Run in July 2013 when the city’s recreation and parks department partnered with race organizers to hold the run during the annual Jazz & Rib Fest. More than 13,000 runners showed up for the 5K dressed in white as volunteers tossed colored corn starch — one color at each checkpoint — at the runners along the route. At the finish line, a final color launch greeted runners before they entered the festival.

“It’s a very upbeat, fun race — the community has embraced the event,” says Karen Wiser of the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department’s special events office, who notes that the Color Run has brought new financial opportunities to the Jazz & Rib Fest. Since this race is not for profit, the event receives a donation from the race entry fees as well as a boost from food and beverage sales bought by thousands of participating runners. In addition, many of those runners and their supporters patronize area hotels, restaurants, parking lots, shopping and other local businesses.

For the Electric Run, held in more than 30 locations in 2013, runners complete a night course with black lights, glow sticks and colored lights. “It was more of a younger crowd — and it was extremely popular,” says Tryon, who says some 1,000 people participated in

Themed races, such as this color run in Columbus, Ohio, offer unusual recreation experiences for participants and one-time revenue opportunities for agencies.

Challenge events and themed races tend to attract droves of community members who wouldn’t normally participate in recreation events or leagues.

Charlotte, North Carolina’s July race.

Other challenge events include biking courses or small-team activities where participants compete in physical or mental challenges over an extended course.

Such challenge events have soared in popularity because they’re unique and different from traditional races. While fun, “These can be pretty chaotic — there’s no saying what the weather conditions are going to be like,” says Tryon, who adds that,

for instance, some events may require jumping into a lake.

Challenge events and themed races tend to attract droves of community members who wouldn’t normally participate in recreation events or leagues. “Challenge events are bringing in a new population,” Tryon says. In many cases, new participants come to support the event’s sponsor, such as a breast cancer awareness foundation or a leukemia research organization. Other new participants are able to spend a few hours one Saturday, but can’t commit to an entire league or season.

“These are one-time events people can just show up for,” says Des Moines-based recreation consultant Teva Dawson. “These are community-building events — they’re good for physical health as well as our social connectedness.”

Carrie Madren is a freelance writer in northern Virginia (carrie.madren@gmail.com).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

53

Moving Pictures Telling Stories Park and recreation agencies harness the power of video to market and inform

By William Lebzelter

C

lear Creek Canyon, west of Golden, Colorado, is a spectacular place for recreation and sightseeing. Bighorn sheep cleave to steep canyon walls, flecks of gold glisten in miners’ pans and all the colors of rainbow trout draw anglers to the water’s edge.

However, for all the attractions for recreation in the canyon, the creek shorelines are steep and thickly vegetated in areas, the trail system is limited, and creek crossings are few and far between.

With the goal of providing safer, more enjoyable experiences, Jefferson County (Jeffco) Open Space and Clear Creek County Open Space partnered on a grant application to build a six-mile paved creekside trail. The application process culminated in a presentation to the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Advisory Committee, which distributes Conservation Trust Fund/Colorado

54

Parks & Recreation

Lottery dollars for projects across the state.

In advance, planner Scot Grossman had prepared a dynamic Google Earth tour of the canyon, from one end to the other, showing the proposed trail alignment. Tom Hoby, director of Jeffco Parks and Open Space, is a strong believer in the power of pictures, moving and still, to inspire and compel. Two weeks before the presentation, Hoby re-

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

quested that the department’s communications team produce a video of representatives from supporting recreation groups testifying to the trail’s value.

Our allies answered the call. We arranged for two days of interviews in the canyon with seven subjects. Colleague Bob Eriksson and I took off with our tools — an HD-SLR camera, a tripod, a lapel microphone and a shade to reduce harsh shadows of the Colorado sun on subjects’ faces. We applied techniques learned from our video-savvy boss, Thea Rock, such as setting interview subjects off center to create a more interesting view and having them speak slightly off camera.

After enthusiastic interviews came the editing. With Windows Movie-

Maker having gone by the wayside in our latest Windows update, an iPad was the tool of choice. The editing was tedious and involved scrunching interviews down to the crispest soundbites and setting them to a 99cent downloaded soundtrack. However, the effort was worth it.

The virtual tour of the canyon played first, followed by the testimonial video (http://bit.ly/1afjhQy), capped by a montage of canyon images put together by trails specialist and photojournalist Chris Barker — the guts of the project, plus need for the project, plus the glory of the canyon. On top of years of planning and partnership coordination, this formula helped to secure a $4.6 million grant for both counties.

YouTube and You When MTV premiered in 1981, ushering in a new visual age, The Buggles sang, “Video Killed the Radio Star.” In the YouTube era, video can carry your cause far.

With encounters between coyotes and citizens ever-increasing throughout the Denver metro area, the time had come for a more efficient, effective way to educate the public about Canis latrans. Mary Ann Bonnell, natural resources superintendent for the City of Aurora’s Open Space and Natural Resources Division, fielded approximately 600 calls about how to handle coyotes when she conceived the idea of a video.

“We wanted to say to folks, ‘Here’s what to do when you see a coyote,’” Bonnell says. “When I looked online, a lot [of what] was out there were PSAs that were long and kind of preachy.

We wanted to take a lot of common misconceptions and turn them on their ear.”

Enter Tim and Kris O’Shea, Denver area comedians. With grant funding from Adams County and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Bonnell hired the husband and wife team.

“It was really cool to engage these improv comedians, because they saw coy-

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

55

MOVING PICTURES

otes when they walked with their corgis and they didn’t know what to do,” Bonnell says.

A brainstorming session helped to fuel Bonnell’s script. The O’Sheas produced the video and played a variety of characters in need of a clue or two about hazing coyotes. All the bumbling how not to’s make the how to’s more memorable.

Cara McLeod, marketing communications coordinator for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, swears by the power of YouTube and short videos. “No more than two minutes,” she says. “A minute gets us the most views.”

The agency’s most-viewed video (http://bit.ly/1cxfSRm) runs just

In the YouTube era, video can carry your cause far.

Since its debut in April 2013, “How to Haze a Coyote” (http://bit.ly/1g6FnvR) has captured more than 5,600 views on YouTube. A research biologist said Bonnell did more for the cause of human-coyote conflict through the eight-minute video than 50 years of research at his agency.

In a New York Minute In hindsight, Bonnell would have made the video shorter, in keeping with YouTube-habituated attention spans. According to the Pew Research Journalism Project, the most popular YouTube videos average two minutes, one second.

one minute and 15 seconds long.

McLeod did it low budget, filming it on a Flip Video camera mounted to a tripod without the use of an external microphone, and also edited it on the camera.

On the title slide, “Marsh Creek Skate Park” is displayed in an edgy font set to a bass riff. A staff member speaks on camera about the park’s grand opening, then dynamic footage of young skateboarders navigating the new park’s dips and swells plays as he outlines the safety requirements of park use.

Since 2009, the video has generated more than 7,200 views. By show-

Marketing the Park and Recreation Story

M

any park and recreation professionals have plenty of compelling stories that illustrate the importance of the work they do in their communities, but they aren’t sure of how to best spread the word. Effective storytelling and marketing, however, can help increase participation from your community, encourage better funding from your municipal budget, make your agency more competitive for grant applications and more.

At the 2014 Congress and Exposition in Charlotte, North Carolina, you can attend an education session titled “Marketing the Park and Recreation Story” that will help you learn how to best leverage the work you’re already doing for improved returns.

William Lebzelter, the author of this article, will join Peter Magnuson, NRPA’s director of marketing, and Danielle Taylor, Park & Recreation Magazine’s senior editor, with other panelists to share strategies and techniques on video marketing, email marketing, branding, editorial coverage and other methods to increase your agency’s exposure. Check www.nrpa.org/Congress2014 for updates on a date and time.

56

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

ing skateboarders enjoying their new park, the video strikes a chord universal with loyal park visitors. McLeod distills it as, “This park makes a difference in my life.”

New York City Parks and Recreation condenses the sentiment to “It’s My Park,” a beloved, long-running video series. Staff producer Adrian Sas has featured about 400 parks, with plans to capture what people love about more than 1,700 city parks spread across five boroughs.

Around 2005, the New York Cityowned broadcast station nyctv needed more content relevant to New Yorkers. “It’s My Park” was born, with Sas its director, editor, camera operator and interviewer since the start.

The TV show follows a magazine format, with each episode a collection of five park videos four to five minutes long. In recent years, Sas has crystallized each episode into the “It’s My Park Minute” for between TV shows and YouTube.

“We intended them for the viewer with shorter attention spans,” she says. “Sometimes they’re played in taxicabs. That’s really an unsuspecting audience.”

Her most memorable experience was filming a moonlight kayaking trip on the East River. While Sas chugged along as a passenger in a rowboat with an outboard motor, she filmed the voyage from Queens to the Brooklyn Bridge. A brightly lit Pepsi-Cola sign adds dramatic effect, reddening the rippling waters and casting the kayakers in silhouette (http:// bit.ly/19s3iyr).

Viewers draw their own meaning.

“Hopefully they say, ‘I didn’t know I could do that,’” Sas says. “Or when [an episode covers] a park they know about, sometimes they don’t know about a program. Or they take even more pride in their park when it’s on YouTube or on TV.”

How Accessible Is It? Accessible trails are featured in a City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks series starring and edited by Topher Downham, an outreach coordinator for the agency who uses his quadriplegia to highlight recreation opportunities for people with disabilities.

The videos are closed-captioned, and some are in Spanish.

As Downham is seen powering his wheelchair, his voiceover conveys the percent of cross-slope and grade, the amount of shade and terrain type, and he anticipates such concerns as how big the lip is to get up on a bridge.

Downham highlights such features as the lake with wheelchair-accessible pier at Teller Farm (http://bit.ly/1cCHnJf).

He simulates catching a “big one” on the line before hauling out a lightweight fish made of paper. “We tried to do it in a lighthearted way, because no one wants to watch a serious video for very long,” he says.

The series is rooted in the healing power of nature. “When I broke my neck 18 years ago, I found one of the best things for convalescence was getting out on the trail and realizing that I wasn’t stuck in my house,” he says. “I could still be on the trail, camp, fish.

“A lot of times in the first couple of years, I forced myself to go for a hike.

About halfway down the trail, I’d feel better taking everything in — the birds chirping, the water going by, little animals playing in the trees. That was one of the catalysts for me wanting to do this.”

Just as Downham motivates others with disabilities to get out and explore, he encourages other park and recreation agencies to tap the power of video.

“Anybody can learn to do it,” he says.

William Lebzelter is a Communications Associate for Jeffco Open Space in Colorado (wlebzelt@co.jefferson.co.us).

Marketing Speed Session Encourages Video Creativity for Big Payoff

I

n her role as administrative manager for the Town of Breckenridge, Colorado’s Recreation Department, Jenise Jensen wears many hats — “everything from personnel support to systems and strategies to marketing,” she says. Three years ago, Jensen was tasked with creating a highly effective marketing campaign to promote Black Friday discounts at her facility. That effort was so successful, Jensen was encouraged to share the idea with dozens of NRPA members during the 2013 Congress and Exposition held in Houston, Texas.

Last year, NRPA first introduced speed sessions: quick, lively and innovative 20-minute classes designed to energize and inspire conference attendees. Jensen’s speed session, “Want to Make $100K Online on Black Friday? Here’s How,” encouraged park professionals to pull out all the stops when it comes to creatively marketing the opportunities offered in their respective locales. She outlined her organization’s campaign — featuring aliens who traverse the universe just to take advantage of Breckenridge Recreation’s Black Friday discounts — which in its first year netted almost $100,000. She used costumed actors, developed a cartoon series and leveraged appearances on local television stations to reach as many Breckenridge residents as possible.

Jensen emphasized, “Be creative. There are a lot of things you can do that don’t cost a lot or any money to advertise your promotion: websites, government TV stations, appearances on local morning shows…. There are a lot of ways to advertise without spending money.”

Michelle Nesrsta, recreation manager with the City of Alvin, Texas, took that message to heart in creating a Black Friday promotion for her department. Assisted by a handful of coworkers, Nesrsta came up with a western bandit-style character named Alvin P. Recreation, whose sneaky manipulation of class and sports team registration fees meant big savings for the citizens of Alvin. The team created a YouTube video, printed flyers and promoted the campaign on Facebook. “People loved it,” says Nesrsta. “We got a lot of positive feedback — I think Alvin P. Recreation was definitely the right character for the job.”

Although Nesrsta’s department didn’t see the sort of revenue numbers Jensen enjoyed, she believes simply getting on residents’ radar will do much to boost citizen participation in 2014 classes and programs. “When [our Black Friday promotion] comes out this year, people will know what it’s about and can prepare for it,” she says.

Whether measured in actual dollars or registration numbers, both Jensen and Nesrsta say notable results can be achieved with a bit of creativity, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to make a big impact. “Word of mouth is so much stronger and better than [any other promotion] I can do,” says Nesrsta. “If I get just a few people who really enjoy what we’re offering, our classes will double in size because people will talk about it.”

NRPA is happy to announce the return of our Speed Session class experiences at our 2014 Congress and Exposition, held October 14–16 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we want your input on which sessions to include! Go to www.nrpa.org/Congress2014 to view a list of submitted Speed Session proposals and vote on your favorite. The most popular speed sessions will be included in the 2014 Congress agenda.

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

57

NRPA Update GoStrive Creates Community Connections New mobile app free for NRPA members gives residents an easy way to interact with park and recreation agencies

By Samantha Bartram

I

magine a program that clearly organizes and displays information about your local park and recreation agency, maps event locations and allows sharing across social media platforms, packaged into an easy-to-use smartphone app. GoStrive Founder and CEO Choton Basu had that vision, and he recently launched an innovative product with the goal of bringing park and recreation agencies and their constituents into a closer working relationship and a new era of communication.

GoStrive: Engaging Communities While sifting through myriad websites in an attempt to sign his kids up for swimming lessons, Basu longed for a portal that would easily allow him to see all the programs available in his area and where they were held, plus provide a quick way to register. “He started thinking about creating an app to allow citizens to log on to one platform and view all the recreation opportunities in the surrounding area, and even across the nation,” says Eric Hamp, senior manager of member relations at NRPA. “[Basu] reached out to [NRPA]. We saw the natural fit of this as a community engagement platform for park and recreation agencies, and we’re the national leader for those agencies. This is the next generation of integration and engagement platforms, and we’re on the leading edge of that.”

More than three years of brainstorming, planning and testing followed, and in October 2013, GoStrive made the app available exclusively for free to all NRPA members. It’s up to the individual agency to input their program guide offerings

to GoStrive — once done, community members who download the app can see information on available recreational activities, sign up for classes or programs, and share status updates via Twitter or Facebook. The aim is to provide a seamless community engagement platform that brings information on a wide range of activities to the screen of any iPhone or Android device. It’s a win-win, both for park and recreation agencies and the communities they serve. “NRPA is trying to bring recreation services to everybody more easily,” Hamp adds. “That’s why we partnered with GoStrive — we share that mission of easier access to programs and facilities.”

GoStrive: Agency Impressions Of course, getting agencies to buy into this new technology is its own sort of mission. “Agencies have to pick it up first — there’s no value to the end user until their community’s information is in the app. Agencies need to make the choice to be on the cutting edge of community engagement,” Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro, vice president of membership and professional development at NRPA, says. Those that have signed on early to GoStrive report the app already has had a significant impact on how program information is disseminated to the community, both in content and format. “All the

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

59

NRPA Update

The GoStrive team shared informatoin about their app at NRPA’s 2013 Congress and Exposition.

program details that were previously listed in our program brochure or online are now on your phone,” says Matt Amundson, director of Wisconsin-based Whitewater Parks and Recreation. “People are so tuned in to their phone, so bringing our offerings to the phone is very important.”

Amundson said inputting all that information also caused his agency to examine how programs are titled and organized. “Something as simple as how we name or label our programs we’ve looked at carefully,” he says.

“How it shows up in the app and what the consumer sees is critical.

It’s forced us to look at things more from a digital standpoint — how it displays on the phone — rather than how it will look in a brochure or how we’ve done it in the past.”

Such a paradigm shift is a practical necessity as park and recreation agencies move into 2014. According to recent reports from Forbes.com and the Pew Research Center, 56 percent of American adults own a smartphone; in the 18–34 demographic, 80 percent have smartphones; and 20–25 million of the 95 million individuals who don’t currently own a smartphone are expected to make the switch this

60

Parks & Recreation

year. “Our customers have asked for [mobile options] in the past, and as we move forward into a new generation of parents, they will demand we have those technological capabilities for our customers,” Amundson adds.

That prediction also is substantiated by already existing data. “The statistics about mobile usage are huge,” Fitzpatrick-Navarro says. “Moms, people of a lower socioeconomic status, minorities — public park and recreation programs are designed to benefit all, including those categories.

By only advertising via the Web, those people who lack Internet access outside mobile can’t engage. [GoStrive] makes that awareness, information and engagement available to everyone in an easy-to-use way.” The numbers bear out, again from Pew: As of May 2013, 63 percent of adult cell owners use their phones to go online and 34 percent of cell Internet users go online mostly using their phones, rather than via desktop or laptop computer.

GoStrive: Looking to the Future To date, more than 100 agencies across 22 states have signed up to try GoStrive. This year, developers hope to convince 1,000 additional agencies to follow suit and move their operations fully into 21st-century communication modalities. “A major concept around GoStrive is that the way in which people make decisions has changed…and the definition of community has changed to incorporate online social communities,” Fitzpatrick-Navarro says. Agencies clinging to their old-school print program guides may be missing an extremely effective form of outreach, if not sitting under their noses, resting at their ears. “Failing to [explore GoStrive’s mobile capabilities] means not having a larger reach into your audience,”

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

James Jackson, president and COO of GoStrive, says. “[With GoStrive], your information will reach users across the country, and you’re reaching people even beyond their smartphone to Facebook, Twitter.... It’s a living, breathing program guide, and it’s incredibly easy for agencies to get involved.”

GoStrive is anticipating a number of improvements as the app continues to be adopted across the country.

Amundson says Whitewater Parks and Rec is feeling very optimistic about certain capabilities in the pipeline. “We’re excited about future product updates that GoStrive will implement, particularly notifications,” he says. “We’ve added new programs and soon we’ll start a new sports season. Being able to push a notification out to consumers who have the app, providing that simultaneous update, is going to be a huge step forward for us.”

Amundson also anticipates greater interest in GoStrive by other community organizations like youth sports leagues and even libraries. “The technology and that functionality that we now have access to will draw in new community partners to work to a new extent with others,” he said. “I envision GoStrive becoming the resource where everybody goes to find out what’s happening. From a park and recreation standpoint, we’re acting as a catalyst for bringing people together and really building that sense of community that perhaps doesn’t exist everywhere.”

For download information, product updates and other GoStrive details, go to www.gostrive.com/ get-started.

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

Consultants Share Opinions on How to Improve PRORAGIS

By Daina Ajayi

H

ow can we further enrich our user experience to expand the collective impact of PRORAGIS™? NRPA sought answers to these questions and others at a meeting held in early January. Industry consultants recognized for their expertise in the fields of design and planning were invited to meet with NRPA to discuss increasing user engagement to generate a national dataset, improving the functionality of PRORAGIS and expanding the developing database’s impact.

Representatives included Larry Orman (GreenInfo Network), Barbara Heller (Heller and Heller Consulting), Jana McKenzie (Logan Simpson Design), Leon Younger and Neelay Bhatt (PROS Consulting), Chris Dropinski (GreenPlay LLC), Ryan Mottau (MIG Inc.), Jim Carrillo (Halff Associates Inc.), Greg Manns (Industry Insights), Brie Hensold (Sasaki), Ron Vine (Leisure Vision) and David Barth (David L. Barth LLC). Prior to the meeting, each attendee was invited to evaluate PRORAGIS, NRPA’s online database that collects, compiles and reports on park and recreation department operating and geographic information.

Barbara Tulipane, NRPA’s president and CEO, addressed the group, emphasizing the importance of outside input on increasing user engagement and expanding the database’s impact. Tulipane stated that the input gathered from the advisory meeting would be used to refine PRORAGIS. NRPA introduced four current projects to the attendees and solicited expert advice on how these projects could be used to benefit the department’s three main objectives.

Current projects include: 6XUYH\ UHYLVLRQ One streamlined survey requiring less than two hours to complete, supported by less frequent, targeted surveys

,PSURYHG *,6 IXQFWLRQDOLW\ Improved Census-layer selection usability with the addition of measurement and search functionality ,QFUHDVHG JUDSKLFDO UHSRUWLQJ RXWSXWV Increased graphical outputs to improve understanding and user experience ([SDQGHG (FR %HQHILW FDOFXODWRU VXLWH New calculator tools to showcase the benefits of parks to communities and developing partnerships to leverage existing tools Consultants were asked to identify strategies for each of the meeting’s three key points.

8VHU (QJDJHPHQW Participants were asked to identify how NRPA can increase agency participation, strengthen its “value proposition,” add missed data and use changes to the interface to drive engagement, in addition to defining its critical mass and definition of success. Attendees shared opinions on these topics and pointed directly to survey revision, increasing ease of use and providing better examples of how PRORAGIS can apply to specific situations as likely drivers of future success. ,PSURYLQJ WKH IXQFWLRQDOLW\ RI 3525$*,6 Consultants advised that NRPA should focus on simplifying what PRORAGIS does well to improve

the functionality and use of PRORAGIS. An efficient database will assist agencies in accessing the information that is needed to help run their agencies more effectively. Consultants also supported the development efforts for the Eco-Benefit Calculator tools. ([SDQGLQJ WKH LPSDFW RI 3525$*,6 Discussions for expanding the impact of PRORAGIS focused on understanding the collective impact of a national dataset, and effectively using the data obtained to advance the interests of our members as well as parks and recreation in general. The panel of experts advised that collaborating with other groups to gain additional parks’ operating and GIS data will assist in building the dataset in a cost-effective manner, and advised that future cooperation with interested stakeholders could help drive PRORAGIS success and benefit the industry as a whole At the conclusion of the meeting, consultant input identified areas that NRPA can pursue to achieve the association’s goals. This valuable input will assist NRPA in its efforts to generate a national dataset that will benefit the park and recreation industry.

NRPA is continuously seeking feedback on how PRORAGIS can improve and better serve the park and recreation professional. Do you have an idea, or an experience that can help NRPA evaluate the current system or plan for future improvements? If so, please take the time to share your thoughts with us by emailing proragis@nrpa.org. We look forward to receiving your feedback!

Daina Ajayi is NRPA’s Research Specialist (dajayi@nrpa.org).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

61

NRPA Update

National Wildlife Week

N

ational Wildlife Week 2014, observed March 17–23, celebrates wildlife and our mutual connection to water. Water is a critical resource for all living creatures — whether human, animal or plant — and we all depend on having clean and safe waterways. During the course of the week, the National Wildlife Federation and its partners will highlight this connection by exploring our waterways, from the mountains to the rivers and oceans.

NWF will highlight the connection of wildlife and water by examining more than 40 different species across the country including the en-

dangered Hawaiian monk seal and whooping crane, as well as swamp rabbits, loons, spring peepers, spotted salamanders, rainbow trout,

walleye, blue crab and dragonflies.

Parks and recreation departments can get involved by organizing or participating in events that highlight wildlife and water, from learning to fish to taking a hike along a waterway or even planting trees to help clean our water and provide habitats for wildlife. NWF provides online resources including guides to the featured wildlife, lessons, activities and a poster that participants can use to celebrate National Wildlife Week.

Get started by downloading materials at www.nwf.org/wildlifeweek.

Scholarships and Fellowships, Oh My!

N

RPA’s Scholarship and Fellowship programs are now open for applications. Each year, NRPA awards four Young Professional Fellowships, two Student Scholarships and two Diversity Scholarships.

While each has its own criteria, all recipients receive complimentary reg-

62

Parks & Recreation

istration to the 2014 NRPA Congress and Exposition and up to $1,000 for travel and expenses. This is a great way to explore NRPA, learn from its leadership and develop your own professional network. The deadline for applications is May 4. Check out www.nrpa. org/scholarships for more details.

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

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

The recreation and fitness coordinator needs to purchase $12 worth of batteries for the headset microphone for the step-n-tone class to be held in 1.5 hours. How should the coordinator make this purchase?

A. Buy it and get reimbursed B. Use extra cash left in the register C. Use cash on hand D. Use petty cash

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.

Member Spotlight: Jim Lemke

V

isitors to Columbus, Indiana’s Donner Aquatics Center enjoy pristine pools, comprehensive swimming lessons and the attention of welltrained staff and lifeguards, all thanks to Aquatics Manager Jim Lemke. The 46-year-old father of three is a dedicated member of NRPA and has been with the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department for 11 years. These days, he’s an active and engaged member, often taking to Twitter to highlight the benefits of aquatics safety as well as all the fun that can be had when we get out and enjoy the park and recreation facilities our communities have to offer.

Lemke came to his career somewhat circuitously, ending up in the industry after years of volunteering his talents to area sports leagues. “My oldest son, who was 4 at the time, was taking ‘intro to hockey’ lessons,” he explains. “I became a volunteer coach. I also taught swim lessons and was a baseball coach and a soccer coach. At some point, I realized, ‘Wait, I’m spending an awful lot of time in parks and recreation,’” Lemke says, laughing.

“There was an assistant manager position open at the ice rink, and they asked me if I wanted to do it. I said sure, and [two years later] when the aquatics position opened up, I said I really want to go over there, so they moved me,” he continues. That was in 2005, and shortly thereafter Lemke participated in NRPA’s AFO training course. “Indiana state health code requires either an AFO or CPO at their facilities, so it was a job prerequisite that I take the course,” Lemke says. “[Being AFO certified] gives me more confidence that our

Staff Spotlight: Oscar Galan

I

facility is being maintained to proper aquatic standards and that our water is healthy and safe for our patrons.

Also, [it provides assurance] that our lifeguards and staff are well-trained.”

Lemke clearly takes pride in his professional role and appreciates the access to educational opportunities and information about his field that NRPA membership provides. “I really enjoy being able to communicate with other professionals in the recreation field,” Lemke says.

“I can read articles in Parks & Recreation Magazine or follow online to see what other professionals are doing as well as other park departments.

Attending Congress every year, going to educational sessions, and seeing what’s trending in parks and recreation makes me feel more confident we’re offering the best programs and facilities to benefit our community.”

When asked to single out the best aspect of being a recreation professional, Lemke can’t decide. “Everything is my favorite,” he says.

“I love educating the community and my staff, being involved in the community and seeing people enjoy our facilities, whether it be aquatics, baseball, soccer — I love watching those other programs and watching people have a good time while being healthy and safe.”

f you’ve ever visited NRPA’s headquarters, you likely noted how immaculately clean and well-maintained the building is. That’s largely thanks to Oscar Galan, NRPA’s facility maintenance engineer.

Hired in August 2001, Galan has become “a fixture of the organization,” says his supervisor, Ted Mattingly.

Galan moved to the U.S. from El Salvador in 1989, and he began his career in facility maintenance with NRPA after responding to a newspaper ad.

On any given day, his job ranges from event support duties to custodial work to light maintenance and repair, and he also provides support in the mail room and with a variety of odd jobs.

When asked how the organization has changed over the years and what he likes most about working for NRPA, Galan replied, “A lot has changed. We are more organized now and work better as a team to fix problems. Everyone respects each other — we are like a family. I am very thankful for my job.”

This mindset is apparent through his work every day, according to his fellow NRPA staffers. Says Mattingly, “He takes pride in the building and delivers consistent service with a smile.”

Galan lives in Leesburg, Virginia, with his wife, Marisol, and he is also the proud father of two teenage sons and a 5-year-old daughter.

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine

— Danielle Taylor, Senior Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

63

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.

3–5 4–6 11–13 12–14 12–14 18–20 24–26 25–27 26–28 1–3 2–4

Bellevue, Washington Ontario, California Bismarck, North Dakota Merriam, Kansas St. Louis Park, Minnesota Milford, Delaware Phoenix, Arizona St. Charles, Missouri LaGrange, Kentucky Rocky Hill, Connecticut Newport News, Virginia

www.nrpa.org/CPSI

MAR

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

4–5 10–11 10–11 13–14 19–20 20–21 24–25 27–28 27–28 27–28

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina De Pere, Wisconsin Gainesville, Florida Clearwater, Florida Waldorf, Maryland Georgetown, Kentucky Media, Pennsylvania Lawrence, Kansas Orlando, Florida Westerville, Ohio

APR

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.

MAR

AFO PROGRAM

APR

CPSI PROGRAM

3–5 16–17 24–25 24–25 29–30

Fruita, Colorado Glendale, Heights, Illinois Denver, Colorado Key West, Florida Phoenix, Arizona

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.

CPRP Practice Exam Member: $75 Nonmember: $94 Prepare yourself for the CPRP Certification exam by taking the CPRP Practice exam. The practice exam includes 75 questions that are comparable in design to the CPRP certification exam.

Communicating in a Time of Crisis Member/Nonmember: $20 Developed in partnership with the American Camp Association, this course provides youth leaders, including camp counselors and after-school program staff, with the information they need to respond in a safe, appropriate manner to unexpected events and crises. CEUs: 0.1

www.nrpa.org/elearning 64

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

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.

March 9–14, 2014

March 23–27, 2014

March 25–26, 2014

August 23–29, 2014

September 2–5, 2014

October 14–16, 2014

www.nrpa.org/education

an

Parkt f RV en ol o anagem Schond M ional grou Natd Camp

Operations Municipal Golf — What’s the Best Management Path? (Part Two)

By Larry Hirsh

I

n Part One of this series on municipal golf management strategies, we concluded by establishing this fact: Today, regardless of how golf operations were viewed in the past, municipalities are seeking to maximize financial performance and compete with an oversupply of competitive golf properties.

Today, there is additional political pressure to ensure that municipal golf courses do indeed represent the “highest and best use” of publicly owned land.

That’s really where municipal golf finds itself in 2014. With privately held golf courses being shuttered in record numbers, and still more competition for golfers than ever before (an amazing irony), it’s only natural that municipalities are looking at their golf operations with greater scrutiny. Indeed, privately held golf courses are closing their doors because those owners have assessed what the highest and best use is for those properties, and they’ve decided (in some cases) it’s not golf! In other cases, it is golf — only with more prudent management or proper market positioning.

66

Parks & Recreation

A decision on how and who should manage municipal golf facilities is not so simple. It must be carefully weighed, because while municipalities have options, there is no single way that is right for every facility. Each individual community has its own goals and objectives. Each individual golf market is different. Only when all these factors have been soberly and independently assessed — and reckoned in terms of the finances, the market and existing personnel skills — can an appropriate and effective decision be made.

In the first installment of this series, we looked at the pros and cons of two “in-house” management options: 1. Direct Management: Whereby the city engages its existing employees to manage the entire golf course operation, usually as part of the park and/or recreation department.

2. Indirect Management: Whereby the city hires experienced golf industry professionals (also, typically, as part of a park/rec department budget) to operate the golf course and report to the city manager.

Here in Part II, we will discuss the two major “outsource” options: 3. Private Management: Whereby the municipality retains a third-par-

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

ty, private management firm on a contract basis for an extended period (three years or more). In these cases, the third party and the municipality share revenues and costs, though often the third-party manager has revenue incentives built in.

4. Lease to Private Firm: Whereby the right to operate the golf course is leased entirely to a private firm or individual, which/who retains all the revenues and is responsible for the operating expenses in return for a rental payment, which often includes performance percentage rents.

Private Third-Party Management This option has become very popular in recent years and has been an area of growth in the golf industry as many golf management firms add management contracts to their portfolios.

Many municipalities have concluded that they need professional assistance to achieve revenue optimization, and there are a number of substantial and qualified firms in the marketplace seeking such assignments. The primary benefits of engaging a management firm — along with their high level of expertise and the number of experienced personnel in various disciplines — have been summarized by the National Golf Foundation, which recently concluded the following in response to this question: Why hire a golf management company?

Personnel Policies: One of the most glaring areas separating mu-

nicipal governments from private enterprise is in relation to personnel policies and costs. This is particularly true with regard to: Ü Benefits: Municipalities typically offer rich benefits packages — far superior to what is normally considered “market” within the golf industry. This results in the municipality paying far more for labor and benefits than competing privately owned facilities. Ü Termination: With most privately owned golf courses, if an employee is not productive, they are terminated — and often quickly.

With government agency employees, it can be difficult to terminate unproductive employees. Ü Incentive: With most municipal golf operations, where all the employees are employees of the municipality, often there are few or no incentives given to the managers or key staff members for superior performance. As a result, municipal golf managers often earn the same secure income regardless of the success, or lack of success, of the facility.

Marketing: Most municipalities lack the marketing expertise critical to succeeding in today’s highly competitive golf industry. Management firms have staff and expertise focused on marketing and the experience of knowing what works and what doesn’t.

Procurement: Municipalities are often constrained with mandated policies and lengthy procedures to purchase everything from daily supplies to large equipment needs.

The management firms have large-volume purchasing relationships offering discounts that can be used to the facility’s advantage.

Budget Constraints: Sometimes budgetary problems in other departments can have an adverse effect on golf operations.

Slow Response: Often, due to bureaucracy, decisions by government-owned and -managed golf courses are slow to respond to rapidly changing market conditions, especially when it comes to marketing decisions. The expertise and ability to make timely decisions of a qualified management firm is key to reacting effectively to the ever-evolving market.

Management fees can be significant. However, as indicated at the outset of this discussion, it is a very competitive market, and most management contracts contain performance incentives, which create effective public-private partnerships for municipal golf course operations.

Additionally, most firms would argue they could either save the city an amount that exceeds their management fees, via efficiencies, or make it up in additional revenues created by their marketing expertise.

When considering private management firms, a municipality should know whom they’ll be dealing with (a person) and what the firm’s strengths and weaknesses are. Also, it’s a good idea to find out where their other facilities are located, i.e., if any are competitive. Simply having other courses nearby can be a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, there’s a potential conflict of interest as the firm may be forced to, at times, promote one course over another. On the other hand, proximal courses under a single management umbrella can procure bulk supplies (fertilizer, sand, hamburger patties) more cheaply. That’s a substantial efficiency. All this needs to

be evaluated based on the facts at hand — another argument for a third-party evaluator.

Leasing Golf course leasing became popular in the 1990s with the advent of Real Estate Investment Trusts as an exit strategy, for some owners, and as a financing vehicle for others. This strategy proved to be ineffective in the long term, and when the bubble burst in the golf course market, around 2000–2002, many of these leases were “upside down,” exacerbating the market problems.

For golf courses, the fundamental difference between leases and management contracts is who takes the risk. If a course is struggling, owners (in this case, municipalities) will often look to a lease as a bailout — though it’s hard to find a lessee willing to assume that risk. Leases, while still not as common as they are in other property-management scenarios, have become a little more common with golf properties, but they can be difficult to evaluate because of the limited size of the market and the varying elements involved in golf property leases.

Leasing has a distinct advantage for the lessor (owner) in that they receive a contractual payment for the right to operate the golf course, and in most cases a percentage of revenues or profits over and above a pre-established amount. The flip side is the risk that the lease will cut corners on costs, neglect the property, ultimately default and leave the owner with a big mess to clean up. Obviously, any municipality considering a lease needs to investigate potential lessees with great scrutiny.

Larry Hirsh is the President of Golf Property Analysts (larry@golfprop.com).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

67

Operations

Progress on the Model Aquatic Health Code

By John Whitmore, CPRE, AFOI, AFO

A

quatic facility operators are likely aware of the new Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), which was designed to provide a template, with scientifically supported backup, for states to update their aquatic health codes. There are 14 modules that have been written, opened for public content, and are now being “interwoven” into a complete first-draft document. This is expected to be completed in the first few months of 2014. It will then be reopened for public comment for the second, and final, round. The complete first edition of the MAHC is expected by summer 2014.

A Little Historical Review The Center for Disease Control (CDC) secured a grant from the National Swimming Pool Foundation to act in concert with public health and aquatic industry represen-

The fun is in the water!

And ARC makes water fun.

We design splash pads that make little kids beam with joy and give “big kids” the best dollar-for-dollar value.

Call or email info@arc4waterplay.com for a free 3D concept and budget analysis.

877.632.0503 | www.arc4waterplay.com

68

Parks & Recreation

Aquatic Recreation Company

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

tatives to prevent drowning and aquatic-related injuries while also reducing the numbers of recreational water illnesses (RWIs) at public pools and spas. In 2005, the CDC sponsored a workshop that addressed these issues. The result was the realization that the country did not have consistent standards and that the states often had widely differing levels of recreational water and facility regulation. So, it became a priority to create a model code that states could used to update their policies.

Why is the MAHC Important to Pool Operators?

The MAHC will be used by the states to update, augment or even rewrite their aquatic health codes. This has a direct effect on aquatic facility operators since they will need to comply with their new state codes. It may take several years for the states to study and adopt new codes based on the MAHC. In the meantime, pool operators should familiarize themselves with the portions of the model code that would require changes to their facility construction, operation and staffing. While the MAHC will be overwhelmingly positive for the health and safety of pool operations, it does have a downside in the amount of money, time and effort required for operators to meet the new standards.

The Modules and Their Effects on Facility Operators The modules listed below are arranged in order of how they are listed on the CDC website. Each module will be named and its possible effect discussed.

Facility Design and Construction Module. Impact: This module only applies to new construction or renovations

of older facilities. Depending on the age and condition of a current facility, the increased costs to meet the module’s requirements may be 10 or more years in the future.

Risk Management/Safety Module. Impact: Pools that have fallen behind industry standards of chemical storage, staff training, use of safety monitoring systems and general employee/patron health will need to update. Operators should not expect their state codes to allow safety aspects of a facility to be delayed or grandfathered in.

Facility Maintenance and Operation Module. Impact: Just like in risk management, facilities that are not professionally managed will need to dramatically improve their procedures and documentation of the healthfulness of the facility.

Monitoring and Testing Module. Impact: It will be very difficult to meet the module’s requirements without a large outlay of funds for chemical controllers and comprehensive chemical test kits. Operators need to assess the costs for the changes and work now to get the funding for when they will need it.

Contamination Burden Module. This module is found only in the MAHC Annex. It includes definitions of terms and contaminants that are noted in the rest of the modules.

Hygiene Facilities Module. Impact: This module outlines some recommended updates of older facilities with diaper-changing stations and improves suggested procedures to encourage patrons to take cleansing showers.

This should prove to be a low-cost impact to facilities since most currently have changing stations in place.

Fecal/Vomit/Blood Contamination Response Module.

Impact: None if a facility has already changed their contamination Standard Operating Procedures.

Operator Training Module. Impact: Summer-only pools used to having a seasonal pool manager will need to increase their training through a nationally recognized operator training program. This will cost approximately $200 and the manager will need to pass the exam. Trained operators must to be present or on call, so many pools will need at least two trained operators each.

Preface, User Guide, Definitions Module. Impact: None. This is a housekeeping module that lists all of the definitions and how to use the modules.

Recirculation Systems and Filtration Module. Impact: Once a pool is built, it would take major renovations to change the filtration and recirculation system. So, unless the pool is up for remodeling or renovation, this module should not affect a pool’s operation.

We turn your big ideas into unique aquatic play solutions that will make your park the envy of communities everywhere. Create beautiful landscape designs and bring families together for fun, stress-free play.

All through the wonder of water.

World leader in aquatic play solutions with over 5,000 installations worldwide

vortex-intl.com 1.877.586.7839 info@vortex-intl.com

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

69

Operations ‡ /LIHJXDUGLQJ DQG %DWKHU 6XSHUYLVLRQ 0RGXOH Impact: This module may increase the cost to staff a pool since it requires a comprehensive, professional approach to staffing, equipping and training

lifeguards. After initial equipment costs, there are long-term costs to certify and provide ongoing in-service training. An aquatic safety plan is required to be on file, and documentation of testing lifeguard

RenoSys... Where Renovation Meets Innovation

See Us On

You Tube

Game Changing Ideas for Aquatics

TM

39& 3RRO 6KHOOV 39& )ORRULQJ

*XWWHUV *UDWLQJ 3HULPHWHU 6ROXWLRQV

6WDLQOHVV 6WHHO 0RGXODU 3RROV

39& 6DIHW\ 3DGGLQJ

Š2013 ARS Inc.

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

70

f ZZZ UHQRV\V FRP f LQIR#UHQRV\V FRP

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

competency must be a part of the facility records. ‡ 'LVLQIHFWLRQ DQG :DWHU 4XDOLW\ 0RGXOH Impact: While it is mostly addressing new facilities, this is a module that the states may apply to older facilities because of the additional sanitation benefits given by adding secondary disinfection. The cost for secondary disinfection can be significant. For example, a medium-pressure ultraviolet light system can cost $20,000 for a 100,000-gallon pool, even without factoring in the ongoing additional electrical costs. ‡ 5HJXODWRU\ 3URJUDP $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 0RGXOH Impact: The most likely result will be more time spent year round by organizational leadership to forge and maintain effective relationships with regulatory, EMS and the community, even if the facility is summer-only. ‡ 9HQWLODWLRQ DQG $LU 4XDOLW\ 0RGXOH Impact: Many facilities’ ventilation systems are built to code but are still not suitable to an aquatic environment. This may require upgrades to an indoor pool building’s air handling system if the building or pool has other major renovations.

Next Steps Pool operators should visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/healthy water/swimming/pools/mahc and download the modules. Carefully read the modules to look for areas where your facilities or practices may not be up to the same standard. Then, create a plan to upgrade policies, practices, procedures and facilities to meet the new standard of care.

John Whitmore, CPRE, AFOI, AFO, is the Organizational Development Manager for the City of Denton, Texas (john.whitmore@ cityofdenton.com).

Simple Preventive Maintenance Leads to Sustainable Practices

By Ted Mattingly, CFM

A

t 5 a.m. on a cold winter morning, your first-shift maintenance technician calls, alerting you to the fact that one of the dry pipe sprinkler pipes froze and burst overnight, causing hundreds of gallons of water to pour into your facility lobby. Half an hour later, you open the front door of your facility to assess the damage. With a sinking feeling in your stomach, you think, “What could I have done differently to prevent this? I thought I had all my bases covered!�

In today’s economic environment, seasoned park maintenance managers, supervisors and technicians are keenly aware of the need for a strong, proactive preventive maintenance (PM) program. PM programs are in place to ensure that our hard-fought-for park facilities, infrastructure and grounds are properly monitored, maintained and operational to support our mission of providing first-class recreational opportunities to the public.

PM programs can vary in scope and complexity depending on the size of the organization and of course the budget factor; however, even a basic program (when properly implemented and managed) focuses your attention on four key areas that provide opportunities to give your organization a leg up in extending the useful life of equipment and resources as well as promoting sustainable practices in your operations and maintenance organization. These key areas are:

1. The annual facility audit/inventory/condition assessment process 2. Regular maintenance 3. Identifying and sustaining operating efficiencies 4. Data collection through CMMS/ maintenance management software (see www.parksandrecre ation.org/2013/November/Inte grating-Innovation to learn more) Annual Facility Audit The annual facility audit provides critical details of asset/component conditions and acts as a key planning tool for developing annual maintenance work plans, budgets, maintenance schedules and capital replacement requirements. It forces

your team to touch, inspect and document existing conditions and deficiencies, which allows you to better identify potential points of failure and plan accordingly before critical components fail and affect business continuity. The audit also gives you the opportunity to assign estimated costs associated with repairs or replacement and can serve you well in developing lifecycle cost analysis to justify component retrofit or replacement. In addition, walking around to identify asset conditions forces you and your team to get out and observe how your facilities are functioning. The audit also serves as a checklist, year after year, to document progress and effectiveness of your maintenance program. For all

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

71

Operations of these reasons, you can see that the annual audit is a key component in establishing and fostering sustainable operations.

Regular Maintenance The main goal of a PM program is to promote reliable, efficient and cost-effective operations while extending component life and significantly reducing capital outlays. However, simply put, effective PM programs are necessary to forestall unexpected equipment breakdowns. A PM program can help to plan away at least 75 percent of your typical problems and 90 to 95 percent of your critical component issues. PM on your equipment should be based on the minimum maintenance requirements identified in the manufacturer-suggested schedule, guidelines and warranty conditions. You must then determine the proper staffing, schedule, maintenance activities, inventory lev-

Identifying and Sustaining Operating Efficiencies The annual facility audit and PM plan help to develop a roadmap for carrying out effective O&M operations.

The goal is to utilize these valuable tools to further identify opportunities to improve operations and implement sustainable practices that will minimize the impact on our work and natural environment. Ed Hamer, CFM, who works as the director of O&M at the Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, agrees that sustainability and preventive maintenance are interconnected. He points out, “They both require a commitment to operate the asset in the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manner as possible.”

The best place to begin your evaluation is with your existing operating procedures. Complete a thorough review to make sure your Standard Operating Procedures are current, that

Remember, “knowledge is power,” and even a basic CMMS system greatly enhances the power of your data! els and service contracts to effectively manage your specific program. PM is critical to the bottom line because the resources and assets maintained and managed by operations and maintenance (O&M) organizations are typically the second-most costly component of the entire organization’s budget and one of the first to be scrutinized. PM programs are also a central factor in reducing overall energy consumption in an organization, further emphasizing its importance as a key component in sustainable practices.

72

Parks & Recreation

your staff is aware of and properly trained in executing the SOPs, and that your operating procedures are promoting sustainable outcomes. For example, how are you monitoring the handling, storage and disposal of chemicals? Are you using low-VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesives and paints? Are you properly monitoring your waste stream to prevent recyclable and/or harmful materials from leaving your facilities and making it to the landfill? Is planned maintenance that might affect indoor air quality (IAQ) being scheduled af-

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

ter hours to minimize impact on staff and operations? Do your material/ supply purchasing procedures promote the sourcing of products from sustainable supply chains? The point is that opportunities to promote sustainable practices are really around every corner if you look — your team just has to look for them and implement accordingly.

On a broader scale, you must also account for energy and water consumption in your facilities. These are two of the most obvious areas for implementing conservation efforts. With regard to electrical usage, you can: Conduct an energy audit Ensure your utility has your electrical service on the proper rate schedule (having an incorrect rate schedule could be costly depending on the type of facility and your usage, so contact your local utility to get a copy of your current schedule and compare alternatives) Monitor your electrical demand (how do you have your pumps, motors and other equipment scheduled for operation?)

Identify vampire or phantom power loads in your facilities, as plug loads can account for 10 to 15 percent of commercial power use.

Make sure any equipment that can be turned off during unoccupied hours is powered down: coffee machines, exhaust fans, task lighting, computers, etc.

Adjust building operating schedules to set back during nonoccupied hours (adjusting your HVAC start-up and shut-down schedule by one hour or alternating start-up of large motors can significantly reduce energy consumption) Install motion sensors, timers or central switch banks to manage

lighting more effectively, and consider using LED lighting vs. compact fluorescents. Your parking lot lighting is a potential candidate for retrofitting with LED lamps.

Also, strongly consider the process of commissioning new facilities and equipment to ensure they operate per design specifications. It takes extra time and money initially, but it will save you in the long run by providing for more efficient operations and extending the life of the equipment.

Please make sure to include your O&M staff in the process so they understand the new systems and are properly trained on operations. Remember they have to live with and maintain it once it is turned over!

To better manage your water consumption, ensure the obvious steps are taken: Monitor basic water use (review water bill) Confirm irrigation controls are programmed properly and a rain sensor is utilized Landscape with native plants that require less water Install low-flow aerators (.5 gpm) on your bathroom faucets Most importantly, add a water-fixture inventory (leak-detection audit) to your annual facility audit. This provides the opportunity to check all of your fixtures and systems (plumbing, irrigation, cooling towers, sprinklers, etc.) to ensure they are not the source of unnecessary water consumption. Even a minor leak can add up if undetected. According to the American Water Works Association, a leak at a rate of one to five drips per second can yield eight to 43 gallons per day. That can add up to nearly 15,700 gallons per year. A typical review of your practices and implementation of conscious water

conservation efforts can reduce your consumption by 15 to 35 percent (Commercial and Institutional End Uses of Water, www.books.google.com/ books?isbn=1583210350).

Investment as well as document operational efficiencies. A CMMS system provides the ability to track and prioritize schedule and workflow (labor, inventory, work status, etc.) and

Preventive maintenance programs are in place to ensure that our hard-fought-for park facilities, infrastructure and grounds are properly monitored, maintained and operational.

To further encourage sustainable practices at your facility: Implement green cleaning initiatives Check your exterior doors and windows for proper sealing (and don’t forget door sweeps) Reduce wattage in your fluorescents from 32 to 28 watts (make sure you have the proper ballast in your fixture) Set water heaters at 120 degrees for commercial applications and check for proper insulation on your tanks.

If you have a recirculating pump, turn it off during unoccupied hours if freeze conditions do not exist.

Data Collection (CMMS/Maintenance Management Software) The ability to have operational and benchmark data you can use to measure performance year after year is critical to the success of every O&M department. Without this valuable information, O&M staff cannot effectively plan, budget and justify operations, let alone make appropriation requests for retrofits or new equipment to decisionmakers. O&M dollars are scarce, and in order to make significant investments, departments must be able to show a clear Return on

gives you a clear picture of your available resources, which helps enhance work coordination, optimize planning, reduce downtime and improve overall performance. Data collected from your operations and PM programs that is properly recorded in a CMMS system, such as SchoolDude, creates the most reliable resource for O&M departments to make their case in support of robust and proactive sustainable operations. Remember, “knowledge is power,” and even a basic CMMS system greatly enhances the power of your data!

There are many opportunities to implement best practices and improve efficiencies in your operations plan. It is simply a matter of looking at your process and procedures and making a conscious decision to ensure your actions promote sustainable outcomes.

O&M organizations must have a champion within the ranks to promote the importance of proper maintenance and cost-effective sustainable operations to key decisionmakers.

That could be you!

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

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

73

Products Smartphone Accessories ^ƉŽƌƚƐ DƵƐŝ Žŵ͛Ɛ ^ůĂƉ^ǁŝƚĐŚ ŝƐ Ă ĚƌĞĂŵ ĐŽŵĞ ƚƌƵĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĂĐƟǀĞ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌ ĞŶƚŚƵƐŝĂƐƚ ǁŚŽ ƌĞĨƵƐĞƐ ƚŽ compromise on access to music anĚ communicaͲ Ɵons ǀia smartpŚone͘ dŚis cůeǀer Ěeǀice aůůoǁs users to stream music or ansǁer incominŐ caůůs ǁitŚout ĨumďůinŐ ǁitŚ ear ďuĚs or remoǀinŐ Őůoǀes to reacŚ ƟnLJ ŬeLJs anĚ ďuƩons͘ ^ůap^ǁitcŚ͛s ďiŐ půasƟc ďuƩon easiůLJ cůips to pacŬ straps or cůotŚinŐ͕ ǁŚiůe its accompanLJinŐ ,eaĚ om ŚeaĚset incůuĚes ďuiůtͲin speaŬers anĚ a micropŚone͕ anĚ Įts comĨortaďůLJ unĚer Śeůmets or otŚer ŚeaĚ coǀerinŐs͘ tŚetŚer at ǁorŬ or půaLJ͕ simpůLJ sůap tŚe ďiŐ ďuƩon to sǁitcŚ music on anĚ oī͕ or ansǁer important caůůs ǁitŚ ease͘ SPORTS MUSICOM, 775.546.2885, WWW.SLAPSWITCH.COM

74

Bike Racks WŝůŽƚ ZŽĐŬ WĂƌŬ ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ŝƐ ŽīĞƌŝŶŐ ĂŶ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ ŶĞǁ ŽƉƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ ďŝĐLJĐůĞƐ ŝŶ ƉƵďůŝĐ ƐƉĂĐĞƐ͘ dŚĞ ^ƚĞĞů tŚĞĞůƐ ŝŬĞ ZĂĐŬ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚƐ ďŝĐLJĐůĞƐ ŝŶ ƚǁŽ ƉůĂĐĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĂŶLJ ƚLJƉĞ ŽĨ ůŽĐŬŝŶŐ ĚĞǀŝĐĞ ŵĂLJ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ƚŽ ƐĞĐƵƌĞ ƉĂƌŬĞĚ ďŝĐLJĐůĞƐ͘ dŚĞ ďŝŬĞ ƌĂĐŬ ŝƐ ĨĂďƌŝĐĂƚĞĚ ƵƐŝŶŐ ŚĞĂǀLJͲŐĂƵŐĞ ƐƚĞĞů ƚƵďĞƐ͕ ĨƵůůLJ ǁĞůĚĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƉŽǁĚĞƌͲĐŽĂƚ ĮŶŝƐŚĞĚ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ĐŽůŽƌ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ͘ &ŽƵƌ ĂŶĐŚŽƌ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ƉĞƌ ǁŚĞĞů ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ Ă ƐƚĂďůĞ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĐƵƌĞ ŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶ͘ dŚĞ ^ƚĞĞů tŚĞĞůƐ ŝŬĞ ZĂĐŬ ŝƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŝŶ ƚǁŽ ƐƚLJůĞƐ͗ ŽŶĞ ƌĞƐĞŵďůŝŶŐ Ă ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ďŝĐLJĐůĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŝŵŝƚĂƟŶŐ ĂŶ ŽůĚͲƐƚLJůĞ ƉĞŶŶLJ ĨĂƌƚŚŝŶŐ ďŝĐLJĐůĞ͘ PILOT ROCK PARK EQUIPMENT, 800.762.5002, WWW. PILOTROCK.COM

Parking Garage Lighting

Solar Lighting

'ĞŽƌŐŝĂͲďĂƐĞĚ ƉŽǁĞƌ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ĂƚŽŶ ŚĂƐ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ŝƚƐ ůĂƚĞƐƚ ŝŶĚŽŽƌ ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚ͕ ƚŚĞ DĐ'ƌĂǁͲ ĚŝƐŽŶ dŽƉdŝĞƌ ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ ŐĂƌĂŐĞ ĂŶĚ ĐĂŶŽƉLJ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞ͘ /ŶĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƟŶŐ tĂǀĞ^ƚƌĞĂŵ > ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ĮdžƚƵƌĞ͛Ɛ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ ŽƉƟĐĂů ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ĂŶĚ ƉĂƚͲ ĞŶƚͲƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞƐ ǀŝƐƵĂů ĐŽŵĨŽƌƚ ƚŽ ĞŶŚĂŶĐĞ ƐĂĨĞƚLJ ǁŚŝůĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ƐĂǀŝŶŐƐ ŽĨ ƵƉ ƚŽ ϳϲ ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚ ĂŶŶƵĂůůLJ͘ dŚĞ dŽƉdŝĞƌ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ƵƉ ƚŽ ϭϭϴ ůƵŵĞŶƐ ƉĞƌ ǁĂƩ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŝŶ ĮǀĞ ůƵŵĞŶ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ƌĂŶŐŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ϯ͕ϬϬϬ ƚŽ ϵ͕ϬϬϬ ůƵŵĞŶƐ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ ϰ͕ϬϬϬ <ĞůǀŝŶ ŽƌƌĞůĂƚĞĚ ŽůŽƌ dĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ ; dͿ ĂŶĚ Ă ŵŝŶŝŵƵŵ ϳϬ ŽůŽƌ ZĞŶĚĞƌŝŶŐ /ŶĚĞdž͘ tĂǀĞ^ƚƌĞĂŵ > ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ ƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵƐ ƚŚĞ > ƉŽŝŶƚ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ ŝŶƚŽ ĂŶ ĞůĞŐĂŶƚ ůƵŵŝŶŽƵƐ ƉůĂŶĞ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ Ă ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ ŽƉƟĐĂů ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ŵĂdžŝŵŝnjĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĂŵŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ůŝŐŚƚ ŝŶũĞĐƚĞĚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ tĂǀĞ^ƚƌĞĂŵ ƉĂŶĞů͕ ĚƌĂŵĂƟĐĂůůLJ ŝŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞ ĞĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ͘ EATON, 800.386.1911, WWW.EATON.COM

^Žů /ŶĐ͘ ŚĂƐ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ Ă ŶĞǁ ůŝŶĞ ŽĨ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟǀĞ > ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ĮdžƚƵƌĞƐ ĂŶĚ Ăƌŵ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ĂĐĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŝƚƐ ƐŽůĂƌͲƉŽǁĞƌĞĚ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ůŝŐŚƚƐ͘ dŚĞ ĮdžƚƵƌĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ƌĞƐĞŵďůĞ ƐƚƌĞĞƚ ůŝŐŚƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ϭϵƚŚ ĂŶĚ ŵŝĚͲϮϬƚŚ ĐĞŶƚƵƌŝĞƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƟŶŐ ĐƵƫŶŐͲĞĚŐĞ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ůŽŽŬ͘ dŚĞ ŶĞǁ ĮdžƚƵƌĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ĨŽƌ Ă ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƐƚƌĞĞƚƐ͕ ďŽĂƌĚǁĂůŬƐ͕ ƌĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶĂů ĂƌĞĂƐ͕ ƉĂƌŬƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ĐŽŵƉůĞdžĞƐ͘ dŚĞ ,ĂŵƉƚŽŶ͕ >ŝďĞƌƚLJ ĂŶĚ WĂƌŬƌŝĚŐĞ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŝŶ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ ƉĞŶĚĂŶƚ ƐƚLJůĞƐ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŚĂƌŵŝŶŐ ĐŽƌŶ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞ ŝƐ ŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƉŽƐƚͲƚŽƉ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͘ ůů ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟǀĞ ĂƌŵƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƉŽǁĚĞƌ ĐŽĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĂƚĐŚ ƚŚĞ ůƵŵŝŶĂŝƌĞƐ͘ hƟůŝnjŝŶŐ ƐŽůĂƌ ĂŶĚ > ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ͕ ƚŚĞƐĞ ŶĞǁ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟǀĞ ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ ĂůƐŽ ŽīĞƌ ƌĞĚƵĐĞĚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂŝŶͲ ƚĞŶĂŶĐĞ ĐŽƐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞ ŶŽ ŐƌĞĞŶŚŽƵƐĞ ŐĂƐ ĞŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ͘ SOL INC., 800.959.1329, WWW.SOLARLIGHTING.COM

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Aquatic Sports <ĞLJ >ŽŐ ZŽůůŝŶŐ ŚĂƐ ƌĞǀŽůƵƟŽŶŝnjĞĚ ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ůŽŐ ƌŽůůŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŵŽĚĞƌŶ ĞŶƚŚƵƐŝĂƐƚ͘ KŶĞ ŶĞĞĚ ŶŽƚ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ƐŬŝůůƐ ŽĨ Ă ůƵŵďĞƌͲ ũĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ĨƵŶ͕ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ Ͷ <ĞLJ >ŽŐ͛Ɛ ůŝŐŚƚǁĞŝŐŚƚ͕ ĞĂƐŝůLJ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂďůĞ ƐLJŶͲ ƚŚĞƟĐ ůŽŐƐ ďƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐƉŽƌƚ ƚŽ ĂŶLJŽŶĞ ĂŶĚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƉŽŽůƐ͕ ƉŽŶĚƐ Žƌ ůĂŬĞƐ͘ <ĞLJ >ŽŐ ZŽůůŝŶŐ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ Ă ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĂĚǀĞŶͲ ƚƵƌĞ ƐĞĞŬĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ ŝƐ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ĐŽƌĞ ĂŶĚ ůŽǁͲŝŵƉĂĐƚ ĐĂƌĚŝŽ ǁŽƌŬŽƵƚ ĨŽƌ ĮƚŶĞƐƐ ďƵīƐ͘ hŶůŝŬĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƐƉŽƌƚƐ͕ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ďĂƌĞĨŽŽƚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚůLJ ǁŝƚŚ ŶŽ ĂƐƐĞŵďůLJ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ͘ <ĞLJ >ŽŐƐ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƉƵƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŽ ƐŚŽƌĞ ƐŽ LJŽƵŶŐ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͕ ƚĞĞŶƐ Žƌ ĂĚƵůƚƐ ĐĂŶ ĞĂƐŝůLJ ƚĂŬĞ Ă ƚƵƌŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ƐƉĞĐƚĂƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƚĐŚ ĂŶĚ ĐŚĞĞƌ ŶĞĂƌďLJ͘ KEY LOG ROLLING, 763.554.0047, WWW.KEYLOGROLLING.COM

Trash Receptacles tŝƩ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϭϬϬ LJĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĞƚĂůǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ͕ ŚĂƐ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞ ŽĨ Ă ŶĞǁ ƐĞƌŝĞƐ ŽĨ ǁĂƐƚĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĐLJĐůŝŶŐ ƌĞĐĞƉƚĂͲ ĐůĞƐ͘ WƌŽĚƵĐƚƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ DĂƐŽŶ ^ĞƌŝĞƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ƐƚLJůŝƐŚůLJ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ͕ ĚƵƌĂďůĞ͕ ŚĞĂǀLJͲŐĂƵŐĞ ƐƚĞĞůͲďŽĚLJ ƌĞĐĞƉƚĂĐůĞƐ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝͲ ĂƚĞ ĨŽƌ ĂůŵŽƐƚ ĂŶLJ ƉƵďůŝĐ ƐƉĂĐĞ͘ DĂƐŽŶ ^ĞƌŝĞƐ ƌĞĐĞƉƚĂĐůĞƐ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ϰϬͲŐĂůůŽŶ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ƐŝnjĞ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƚĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ϭϬϬ ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚ ƉŽƐƚͲĐŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ ƌĞĐLJĐůĂďůĞ ƐƚĞĞů͘ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌƐ ŵĂLJ ĐŚŽŽƐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ĨŽƵƌ ůŝĚ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ŇĂƚ͕ ĚŽŵĞ͕ ĂƐŚ ĂŶĚ ƌĂŝŶ ĐĂƉƐ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĐŽůŽƌƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ďůĂĐŬ͕ ŐƌĞĞŶ Žƌ ďƌŽǁŶ͘ WITT INDUSTRIES, 800.543.7417, WWW. WITT.COM

Lawn Care

Riding Lawnmowers Ƶď ĂĚĞƚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ ŝƚƐ ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĚƵĐŝŶŐ ŚŝŐŚͲƋƵĂůŝƚLJ͕ ĞĸͲ ĐŝĞŶƚ ƌŝĚŝŶŐ ůĂǁŶŵŽǁĞƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚƐ Z d ^ ZK ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐ ŵŽǁĞƌ͘ Ŷ ĞdžƚĞŶƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ƶď ĂĚĞƚ͛Ɛ ĂǁĂƌĚͲǁŝŶŶŝŶŐ ůŝŶĞ ŽĨ njĞƌŽͲƚƵƌŶ ŵŽǁĞƌƐ͕ ƚŚĞ ZK ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ĨƵůůLJ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐ ŵŽĚĞů ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ŬŝŶĚ͘ dŚĞ ZK ƵƐĞƐ ŶŽ ŐĂƐŽůŝŶĞ͕ Žŝů͕ ďĞůƚƐ Žƌ ĮůƚĞƌƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ ǁŝůů ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞ ŝƚƐ ůŽǁ ŶŽŝƐĞ ƋƵŽƟĞŶƚ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽǁĞƌ ŝƐ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůůĞĚ ďLJ Ă ƐƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ ǁŚĞĞů ĂŶĚ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ ĨŽƵƌͲǁŚĞĞů ƐƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ƌĞŵĂƌŬĂďůĞ ŵĂŶĞƵǀĞƌĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŽŶ Ăůů ƚLJƉĞƐ ŽĨ ƚĞƌƌĂŝŶ ĂŶĚ ĂůůŽǁƐ ĨŽƌ ŐƌĞĂƚĞƌ ƐƚƌĂŝŐŚƚͲůŝŶĞ ƚƌĂĐŬŝŶŐ͕ ƚƌĂĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŽŶ ŚŝůůƐ͘ dŚĞ ZK ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶƐ Ƶď͛Ɛ ƌĞƉƵƚĂƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ĞdžĐĞůůĞŶƚ ĐƵƫŶŐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ĞLJĞ ƚŽǁĂƌĚ ĐŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJ͘ CUB CADET, 866.387.3428, WWW.CUBCADET.COM

dƵƌĨ dž ŚĂƐ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ ŝƚƐ Z^ϳϮϬϬ ƐƉƌĞĂĚĞƌͬƐƉƌĂLJĞƌ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ƚŽ ŵĂdžŝŵŝnjĞ ĞĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ͘ dŚĞ ŶĞǁ ƵŶŝƚ ďŽĂƐƚƐ ĂŶ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐ ƐƚĂƌƚ͕ ĂĚũƵƐƚĂďůĞ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƉƵŵƉ ĂŶĚ Ă ŚĂŶĚͲŚĞůĚ ƐƉƌĂLJ ǁĂŶĚ͘ dŚĞ Z^ϳϮϬϬ ŝƐ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ Ă ƐĞǀĞŶͲŚŽƌƐĞƉŽǁĞƌ ^ƵďĂƌƵ yϮϭϬ ĞŶŐŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă Ϭ͘ϵϱͲŐĂůůŽŶ ĨƵĞů ƚĂŶŬ͘ /ƚƐ ŚĞĂǀLJͲĚƵƚLJ ƚƌĂŶƐŵŝƐͲ ƐŝŽŶ ŚĂƐ ƚǁŽ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ ŐĞĂƌƐ͕ ŶĞƵƚƌĂů ĂŶĚ ƌĞǀĞƌƐĞ͘ ŚĂŶĚͲŽƉĞƌĂƚĞĚ ƚƌĂŶƐŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ ĚŝƐĐ ďƌĂŬĞ ĂŶĚ ĨŽŽƚͲĐŽŶƚƌŽůůĞĚ ƐƵůŬLJ ďĂŶĚ ďƌĂŬĞ ĂůůŽǁ ƐŵŽŽƚŚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƵŶŝƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂĐŚŝŶĞ͛Ɛ ůŽǁ ĐĞŶƚĞƌ ŽĨ ŐƌĂǀŝƚLJ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞƐ ƐĂĨĞƚLJ͘ dŚĞ ƐƉƌĞĂĚĞƌͬƐƉƌĂLJĞƌ͛Ɛ ϭϳͲŐĂůůŽŶ ƚĂŶŬ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ŚĂƐ Ă ƐŝŶŐůĞ ƉŽƌƚ ĨŽƌ ĞĂƐLJ ĮůůŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ Ă ďĂůĂŶĐĞĚ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ĨŽƌ ĞŶŚĂŶĐĞĚ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƚƐ ĨƌŽŶƚͲŵŽƵŶƚĞĚ ďŽŽŵůĞƐƐ ŶŽnjnjůĞ ĐĂŶ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƚŚƌĞĞ ƚŽ ϭϭ ĨĞĞƚ ǁŝĚĞ͕ Žƌ ŵĂŬĞ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůͲĚƵƚLJ ƐƉƌĂLJ ǁĂŶĚ͘ TURFEX, 866.588.7339, WWW.TURFEXPRODUCTS.COM

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

75

AND

marketplace

PARKS TRAILS MARKING PRODUCTS

s 42!), 3)'.3 0/343 s 0,!15%3 -/.5-%.43 s 42!), 0!4( -!2+%23

Versatile. Durable. Easier.

Easier all over the ямБeld. Beacon Field Weights.

With Beacon Field Weights, ямБeld maintenance is just easier. Use these rubber weights to hold down tarps or to add just the right weight, at just the right time, to your ямБeld drags. Scan the code below with your smartphone to watch them in action with the Beacon Tarp Cart System.

REQUEST A CATALOG 877.686.8565 FIND US ONLINE www.berntsen.com

800-747- 5985 BeaconAthletics.com FOR FACILITIES . FIELD MAINTENANCE . GAME-PRACTICE EQUIPMENT

MARKING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE WORLDтДв | WWW.BERNTSEN.COM

All Concrete Cornhole Game 3HUIHFW IRU 3DUNV DQG 5HFUHDWLRQ DUHDV 6FKRROV 3OD\JURXQGV &ROOHJHV DQG 0RUH

6KRZQ ZLWK RSWLRQDO WKURZHUV EORFNV DQG ELF\FOH GHWHUUHQW EORFN

)HDWXUHV 3HUPDQHQW 2XWGRRU XVH $&$ 5HJXODWLRQ 6L]H 3ROLVKHG &RQFUHWH 6XUIDFH (DV\ %DJ 5HPRYDO 6ORSHG EDJ GURS DUHD DOORZV IRU ZDWHU WR GUDLQ :LOO QRW KDUERU DQLPDOV 6SHFLDO FRORUV DYDLODEOH

'RW\ 6RQV &RQFUHWH 3URGXFWV ,QF

7ROO 7UHH 4XDOLW\ 3URGXFWV 6LQFH

76

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

:HEVLWHV IRU WKHVH DQG RWKHU SURGXFWV ZZZ E\REDJVJDPH FRP ZZZ GRW\FRQFUHWH FRP

marketplace

35(&$67 &21&5(7(

%8,/',1*6 0VUQFSGPSN .FUBM 8PPE .BTPOSZ The Quick & Easi Choice - they install in hours, last for decades Pre-engineered, Pre-assembled, Pre-plumbed, Pre-wired Resistant to: rot; rust; vandalism; fire; flood; blast; windstorm Cost-effective, custom or standard styles from 8'x8' - 50'x250'

ZZZ (DVLVHW%XLOGLQJV FRP

NR213

($5 < ) 522

$PODFTTJPOT 4UBOET t %VHPVUT t &MFDUSJDBM .FDIBOJDBM #VJMEJOHT t )B[NBU 4UPSBHF .BJOUFOBODF 4IFET t 1SFTT #PYFT t 1PPM )PVTFT t 1VNQ )PVTFT t 3FTUSPPNT 4IBEF 4USVDUVSFT t 4IFMUFST t 4UPSBHF #VJMEJOHT t 7FOEJOH .BDIJOF 4IFMUFST

Superior durability and adaptability The beneďŹ ts of specifying iZone Imaging custom high pressure laminate: â&#x20AC;˘ Latest technologies in high-end color imaging â&#x20AC;˘ Durability for extreme interior and exterior environments â&#x20AC;˘ Three surface ďŹ nishes available â&#x20AC;˘ Impervious to moisture and thermally stable â&#x20AC;˘ Fade, scratch and grafďŹ ti resistance â&#x20AC;˘ InďŹ nite sizes and shapes â&#x20AC;˘ Integrated project delivery â&#x20AC;˘ Eco-friendly â&#x20AC;˘ Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest lead time â&#x20AC;˘ 10-year limited warranty

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE AND MORE INFO AT izoneimaging.com/ PRM

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

77

marketplace

TIRE PLUGGERS No dismount - Mushroom seats on inner wall!

800-747-0238

www.stopngo.com

In Next Month’s

What’s Next in Play Netplex™, a hub of multi-leveled, webbed nets, offers kids the challenge they need for healthy development into self-assured adults. And with endless design flexibility, Netplex makes it easy to create a unique play

2014 Field Guide

environment. Find your local playground consultant at playlsi.com, or call 888.438.6574 or 763.972.5200.

Order: 1-877-609-2243

We have all the PARK AMENITIES you will need for 2014!

Q&A with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell New Developments for Monarch Butterflies A Member’s Perspective on the Value of NRPA Connect International Input for an InnerCity D.C. Soccer Field Macy’s Promotion Raises Funds for Local Parks Nationwide

Steadfast Color Made In America Maintenance Free Solid Construction 1R SHHOLQJ RU ÀDNLQJ 100% Recycled Plastic No painting or staining Stainless Steel Fasteners Mounts to concrete surfaces

w w w. p o l l y p r o d u c t s . c o m 78

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Golf Course Donated to Boise, Idaho, Parks and Recreation Department

marketplace

Excel Dryer ...................................................17 888.998.7704 www.exceldryer.com

Murdock Manufacturing .............................25 800.453.7465 www.murdockmfg.com

American Red Cross .......................................3 800.RED.CROSS www.redcross.org

FermobUSA ..................................................11 678.267.2032 www.fermobusa.com

Pentair Commercial .....................................13 845.463.7200 www.pentaircommercial.com

FITNESS on demand ......................................7 877.474.0505 www.fitnessondemand247.com

Pilot Rock .....................................................31 800.762.5002 www.pilotrock.com

Go Ape ..........................................................77 800.971.8271 www.goape.com

PlayCore .......................................................C4 877.762.7563 www.playcore.com

Gold Medal Products ...................................77 800.543.0862 www.gmpopcorn.com

Polly Products ..............................................78 877.609.2243 www.pollyproducts.com

Greenfields Outdoor Fitness.........................5 888.315.9037 www.greenfieldsfitness.com

RenoSys ........................................................70 800.783.7005 www.renosys.com

iZone Imaging ..............................................77 888.464.9663 www.izoneimaging.com

Shade Systems, Inc. .................................C2, 1 800.609.6066 www.shadesystemsinc.com

Landscape Structures ............................C3, 78 888.438.6574 www.playlsi.com

Stop & Go Tire Pluggers ..............................78 815.455.9080 www.stopngo.com

Easi-Set Buildings ........................................77 866.252.8210 www.EasiSetBuildings.com

Lincoln Aquatics ..........................................15 800.223.5450 www.lincolnaquatics.com

Vacker Inc .....................................................79 877.487.3101 www.vackersign.com

Envirosigns ...................................................79 888.492.5377 www.envirosigns.com

Most Dependable Fountains ......................19 800.522.6331 www.mostdependable.com

Vortex International ....................................70 877.586.7839 www.vortex-intl.com

Aquatic Recreation Company .....................68 877.632.0503 www.arc4waterplay.com Beacon Athletics ......................................9, 76 800.747.5985 www.beaconathletics.com Berntsen International ................................76 800.518.0934 www.berntsen.com Cemrock........................................................33 520.571.1999 www.cemrock.com Disc Golf Association ...................................76 831.722.6037 www.discgolf.com Dogipot ........................................................23 800.364.7681 www.DOGIPOT.com Doty & Sons Concrete ..................................76 800.233.3907 www.byobagsgame.com

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

ADVERTISER INDEX

ADAWALK .......................................................9 800.968.2299 www.adawalk.com

79

Park Bench

Innovative Play In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, renowned architect David Rockwell felt the same acute sense of vulnerability and loss as his fellow New Yorkers. The founder and CEO of The Rockwell Group spent his career designing some of the world’s most incredible spaces, but after 9/11, he turned his attention to helping mend the architectural wounds of lower Manhattan. The confluence of tragedy, Rockwell’s talent and the recent contemplations he’d been entertaining while observing his children at play led to an exciting new design endeavor. Rockwell’s Imagination Playgrounds posit a different sort of playground — one constructed by the children themselves. “There were so many great traditional play spaces, but few where kids could manipulate their environments,” Rockwell says. “So, I started exploring different kinds of play spaces and an idea for a playground that encouraged more free play and imagination.” Imagination Playground kits include a moveable collection of parts that can be used indoors or outdoors, on any safe surface. Dozens of bright blue, oddly shaped polyethylene foam blocks make up the sets, and they are “biodegradable and resistant to heat, mold, mildew and micro-organisms,” Rockwell adds. Children can stack, connect and manipulate the blocks into whatever structures they like, allowing the organic creation of play space in a collaborative spirit.

The flagship Imagination Playground at Burling Slip in Manhattan was a collaboration between Rockwell’s design firm and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. It would be the first of now more than 1,200 Imagination Playgrounds across the United States, as well as at schools and orphanages in Haiti and Bangladesh, and other international locations.

“Children in post-disaster areas must have a sense of normalcy to recover,” Rockwell says. “Allowing kids, who have no control over their immediate environment, to have control over creating something has made a big impact.” More information, including progress updates on a new Imagination Playground location at Betsy Head Park in Brooklyn, can be found at www.imaginationplayground.com.

— Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine

80

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 4 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

Kids of all abilities will experience the thrill of flying with ZipKrooz™! Unlike other playground zip lines, ZipKrooz has built-in elevation and offers a smooth, two-way ride for nonstop safe zooming fun. Even more, ZipKrooz provides an inclusive play experience with its multiple configurations and standard or assisted seat options. Kids are lining up for ZipKrooz! Find your local playground consultant at playlsi.com, or call 888.438.6574 or 763.972.5200.

©2014 Landscape Structures Inc.

BigToys Playground, Doral City Park | Doral, Florida

Playground solutions for every venue.

Play and Park Structures provides playground solutions for a full spectrum of needs and aesthetics. In addition to aluminum, steel, and plastic components, we specialize in structures made from sustainably forested wood and recycled metal and plastic.

The variety of styles and materials allows you to choose the perfect playground to complement your next project. Learn more at: playandpark.com or call 800.727.1907.