Park Metrics Fall Campaign
Courtesy of NRPA
Each spring, the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) releases the Agency Performance Review, which represents data contributed to NRPA Park Metrics from more than 1,000 park and recreation agencies nationwide. This review allows agencies like yours to evaluate your performance as it relates to your peers and provides a greater understanding of the current state of park and recreation agencies in the US. This report, along with NRPA’s online Park Metrics tools, will give you the data and insight you need to gain more funding support, improve operations and better serve your community.
To be included in the NRPA Agency Performance Review go to https://www.nrpaparkmetrics.com/Account/login.aspx to create your agency’s Park Metrics account and complete the 2023 Agency Performance Survey. You can add colleagues to your account to help complete the nine survey sections.
All data must be submitted by January 26, 2024 to be included in the report.
If you need assistance creating your account or have questions. please reach out to Melissa May [email protected] or Greg Manns at [email protected].
A Little-Known Loophole Puts Cyclists at Risk
Courtesy of Planetizen
By Diana Ionescu
According to a piece by Cara Hamann in the Des Moines Register, “There is a glaring gap in crosswalk laws in the United States, but this loophole is often unknown, so little is being done to fix it.” Hamann is referring to the fact that many crosswalk laws only explicitly protect pedestrians—people on foot—excluding people on bikes or using wheelchairs, scooters, or other mobility devices. This matters because, in cases where a driver fatally struck a person on a bike or other device, the driver can walk away with no criminal charges.
Read more:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2023/11/20/crosswalk-law-loophole-leaves-many-vulnerable/71598610007/
Disability Inclusion At Camp
Courtesy of Camp Business
By Amanda Kloo
Families of children with disabilities often find recreation options limited to specialized or therapeutic programs and camps, as compared to the array of thousands of recreation options available to siblings and peers without disabilities. This disparity can cause feelings of segregation, isolation, and separation. Moreover, definitions of inclusion differ widely among providers and across settings—a disconnect that causes feelings of confusion, worry, and anxiety. What can camps do to level the playing field?
It sounds simple, but research shows inclusion is successful when people believe it is the right thing to do, and it is possible to achieve mindset and methodology interplay to fuel equitable change. First, envision your camp as a place where everyone belongs.
Read more:
https://www.campbusiness.com/articles/disability-inclusion-at-camp
Gas-Powered Lawn Tools Produce Emissions Comparable to Cars
Courtesy of Planetizen
By Diana Ionescu
A report from the Maryland PIRG Foundation reveals that gas-powered lawn tools such as leaf blowers emit roughly the same level of “fine particulate” air pollution as 6.4 million gas-powered cars in the state.
As Josh Kurtz explains in Maryland Matters, the report, titled “Lawn Care Goes Electric: Why It’s Time to Switch to a New Generation of Clean, Quiet Electric Lawn Equipment,” estimates emissions on a county-by-county basis and calculates the benefit of removing gas-powered equipment.
Read more:
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/11/18/study-gas-powered-lawn-mowers-and-leaf-blowers-in-md-produce-as-much-pollution-as-long-car-trips/
BEA Unveils 2022 Outdoor Recreation Economy Data
Courtesy of the Outdoor Industry Association
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has published their 2022 outdoor industry data showing the impact of the outdoor recreation industry on the U.S. economy. Outdoor industry gross economic output increased to $1.1 trillion from $862 billion in 2021. There was also a considerable boost in overall industry employment.
Read more:
https://outdoorindustry.org/article/new-analysis-reveals-strength-of-the-outdoor-economy/
Congressional wildfire commission lays out a new approach for wildfire policy
Courtesy of Headwaters Economics
A new report from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission recommends many transformative approaches needed to overcome the wildfire crisis. Read commentary from Headwaters Economics’ Dr. Kimiko Barrett, who served on the Commission.
Read more:
https://headwaterseconomics.org/wildfire/wildfire-commission-report/
How D.C.’s version of the High Line aims to avoid New York’s mistakes
Courtesy of Fast Company
By Cari Shane
Initially inspired by the High Line, the New York City park that transformed a defunct elevated railway into a lush pedestrian space, Katz quickly realized that D.C.’s park, which will use abandoned bridge infrastructure, needed to “do better.” Since it first opened in 2009, the High Line has become a poster child for what’s been dubbed “eco-gentrification”—beautification that displaces residents as rents and property values soar and wealthy residents migrate in.
One of the most important ideas behind the project was to make sure that the Black community east of the river benefited from the added value that the park would bring. For Kratz, that meant investing early and intentionally on tangible programs for both residents and businesses: finding ways to limit displacement by turning residents who were currently renting into homeowners and helping small business owners buy the properties that housed their stores.
Read more:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90980204/how-dcs-version-of-the-high-line-aims-to-avoid-new-yorks-mistakes
Annual Health Care Cost Benefit of Equitable Access to Parks
Courtesy of NRPA
NRPA recently released a new tool that provides park and recreation professionals and advocates with an easy-to-understand method for communicating the economic benefits that result from eliminating inequitable park access, and from the associated improved health outcomes. The tool has data from more than 11,000 communities across the United States and calculates the health economic value if everyone in a community has equitable access to the benefits of parks.
For more information:
https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/research-papers/the-health-benefits-of-parks-and-their-economic-impacts/2023-npra-the-health-benefits-of-parks/
Parks as Public Forums
Courtesy of NRPA
By Paula M. Jacoby-Garrett
Parks as public forums represent an essential intersection of recreation, interaction and community engagement. They hold the potential to foster dialogue, cultural expression and social change while also serving as spaces for relaxation and play. Striking the right balance between these roles requires careful planning, clear guidelines and a commitment to safety, especially with the increase in demonstrations throughout the past several years.
Safety is paramount in any public space. As parks serve as public forums, ensuring the security of participants and visitors becomes even more crucial. Local authorities should collaborate with event organizers to establish safety protocols, including crowd management, emergency exits, medical facilities and compliance with fire codes.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2023/november/parks-as-public-forums/
New Book: Beyond Greenways, The Next Step in City Trails and Walking Routes
Courtesy of PBIC Messenger
The book offers a new perspective on walkability—building the case for infrastructure in and around cities that can better accommodate, encourage, and enable more people to get outdoors routinely. The book also proposes a new urban design geometry: grand loops and town walks. The former are readily accessible pathways that circle the edges of cities showcasing the landscapes where the city meets the countryside. The latter are primarily branded in-town walking loops that highlight civic spaces, neighborhoods, or just pleasurable places to walk. Both elements aim to promote not only enjoyment, but also health and fitness and other benefits, including economic development and tourism.
Read more:
https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2023/10/05/when-planners-walk-wild-side
