December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 45

Aboelata is the managing director
for California Endowment and emphasized
the importance of the seven
dimensions of well-being before
introducing the rest of the panelists.
Vivek Shandas, a professor at Portland
State University, spoke on the
important research and development
projects he's been a part of that focus
on bringing nature to urban spaces
and the life-changing outcomes that
it has for those urban populations.
Following Shandas, the chief deputy
of the County of Los Angeles
Department of Parks and Recreation,
Alina Bokde, spoke about
three new parks that Los Angeles
County proudly had debuted in
2024, which resulted in nearly 40
acres of new urban parkland in the
highest need communities. Bokde
highlighted the decades of advocacy
that led to these green spaces that
will have an impact for generations
to come. She also told the story of
three " Our SPOT Teen Centers " that
were created during the height of the
pandemic and have led to wonderful
outcomes for teens in some of the
most high-risk parts of the county.
Next on stage was Akiima Price,
founder of Friends of Anacostia
Park. Price advocated passionately
for all the tangible and intangible
benefits that parks have on every
level of health and spoke about the
importance of actually showing up
for the people in the communities
you are trying to serve and make inroads
with. The guiding principles of
Friends of Anacostia Park - respect,
safety, trust, choice, empowerment
and partnership - all lead to a terrific
base on which to build meaningful
park and recreation work.
The panel discussion that
followed
delved even deeper into
all of the speakers' main focuses,
including Los Angeles County's
Exhibit Hall
On Tuesday and Wednesday, attendees
explored the exhibit hall to learn
Attendees filed into
Georgia Aquarium
on Tuesday night
and were treated
to amazing aquatic
sights.
groundbreaking Lifeguard Ready
Training program.
Opening Reception
It's not often that you find yourself
in the largest aquarium in the
United States, sipping a beverage
while Chappell Roan plays from a
DJ booth, serenading guests and
whale sharks alike - but this was
indeed the scene at the opening
reception, sponsored by GameTime,
for the 2024 NRPA Annual
Conference. Attendees filed into
Georgia Aquarium on Tuesday
night and were treated to amazing
aquatic sights, ranging from
the aforementioned whale sharks
to manta rays and hammerhead
sharks. In the ballroom, guests
were treated to a buffet, live music
and dancing, while a beluga
whale did flips in a tank visible
from the dance floor.
about new park and recreation technologies
and products, view innovative
play and aquatics equipment,
speak to subject matter experts, find
solutions to challenges facing their
agencies, and greet furry four-legged
friends from Paws 4 Life, sponsored
by BarkPark. With more than 500
exhibitors in attendance, attendees
accessed a wealth of information,
innovation and expertise. Door prizes
and cash giveaways, sponsored by
Burke and Toro, delighted conference
goers, as well as the popular EXPOdition
Scavenger Hunt, sponsored
by Burke. At the Sports Demonstration
Zone, attendees sampled sports
experiences from pickleball to adaptive
sports, quickball and more. The
NRPA Member Booth drew attendees
who wanted to learn more about
NRPA, its programs and the new
strategic plan; visit with staff and
connect with other NRPA members;
snap a photo for the photo mosaic;
meet a member of the Conference
Program Committee; and pick up a
copy of Parks & Recreation magazine,
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | DECEMBER 2 0 2 4 | Parks & Recreation
45
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2024 – Parks & Recreation
