February 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 21

Community members participate in a
yoga class held by El Paso Parks and
Recreation in Texas.
People, Healthy NationSM
Initiative
(tinyurl.com/3mhax3vf), which
aims to help 27 million people
become more physically active by
2027. The guide provides a stepby-step
process for professionals to
equitably increase physical activity
and ensure all people - especially
those who have been historically
excluded or face additional barriers
- are authentically engaged
and benefit from projects to improve
and activate parks, trails and
greenways. In addition, the guide
provides sample infrastructure improvement,
community
engagement,
programming and public
awareness actions to get started.
The guide
also features
studies
case
that provide real-world
strategies park and recreation professionals
have used to improve
park, trail and greenway infrastructure;
engage community members
in the process; develop new programs;
promote public awareness;
and address other access barriers
to these spaces. The activities described
in these case studies helped
increase physical activity, and the
approaches
serve as actionable
examples that can be replicated in
other communities.
Case Study:
Ken-O-Sha Park
In 2019, the City of Grand Rapids
(Michigan) Department of Parks
and Recreation began renovations
at Ken-O-Sha Park, which included
a natural playscape using recycled
fallen trees, a portable restroom,
access enhancements - like pathways
and wayfinding signage -
and an outdoor classroom.
Grand Rapids leveraged community
members' expertise to inform
these improvements. Staff
Case Study: McKinley Park
In 2016, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
implemented a project
at McKinley Park in Pittsburgh's
Beltzhoover
neighborhood.
used community
consensus
events,
for
design
charettes, focus groups and social
media to collect input. The team
heard
prioritizing
youth learning, improving natural
areas and water quality, and
bringing new people to the space.
Investing
in community engagement
upfront led to improvements
that excited community members,
resulting in high usage of the new
amenities.
Additionally, increased trail connectivity
and wayfinding signage
make getting active at Ken-O-Sha
Park easier than ever, increasing
community members' physical activity
and time spent outdoors.
direct stormwater from four sewer
inlets, a new pavilion with an accessible
ramp, a new slide built into
the historic hillside behind the pavilion,
and an accessible trail. Project
participants restored two historic
staircases, repaired the sidewalk
along one of the main entry points,
and added improved connections
to the park from other entry points.
The park features a playground,
center, skatepark and an
senior
upgraded basketball court, all of
which were financed through a
partnership with the Urban Redevelopment
Authority. Janel Young,
a local artist who grew up in the
Beltzhoover neighborhood,
also
Like
Grand Rapids, the conservancy
hosted multiple public meetings,
including formal presentations and
" living room meetings, " where residents
engaged in intimate discussion
about park-related needs.
Based on community input, the
project design included play elements,
picnic areas and sledding
hills. The conservancy installed
several infrastructure
improvements,
including rain gardens to rebeautified
the area with a mural.
Thanks to the integration of community
voice, culture and the preservation
of historic elements, the
park continues to serve as a gathering
spot for generations.
These
case studies
exemplify
how combining community engagement,
infrastructure improvements,
access enhancements and
programming can revitalize and
activate our public spaces to increase
community members' physical
activity - and, in turn, their
health and well-being.
Teresa Morrissey is a Senior Program Manager
at NRPA (tmorrissey@nrpa.org).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
21
PHOTO COURTESY OF EL PASO (TEXAS) PARKS AND RECREATION
http://www.tinyurl.com/3mhax3vf
February 2023 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023 - Parks & Recreation
