March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 22

HEALTH & WELLNESS
All patrons have the right to feel safe
and welcomed, and to experience a
sense of belonging in any public space.
Inclusive Aquatics Environments
Start With You
By Shannon L. Harris, CPRE, CPO
I
magine walking into a pool facility and being greeted by employees
with a smile and the statement, " Welcome to our facility. " You pay the
fee and are then directed one way to the men's locker room and the other
way to the women's. You pick a gender and enter a large open space
where there are open showers, a couple of occupied changing rooms, and
naked people everywhere. You quickly make your way into the nearest toilet
stall to regroup and remind yourself to breathe. As you maneuver around
a two-foot by four-foot space, you hit both funny bones on the wall and the
toilet roll dispenser. You take off your clothes and replace them with " appropriate
swim attire. " Next, you step out into the world, half naked, and enter a
body of water that will have a physical effect (albeit temporary) on your body.
You are having a great time, right?
Well, maybe, some of you are. How
do we turn " some " into " all? " How
do we create more inclusive environments
where everyone feels welcomed,
included and accepted?
A Change of Heart
Change requires keeping an open
22 Parks & Recreation | MARCH 2 0 2 3
mind, educating yourself, having
empathy toward others, being brave
enough to ask questions, having the
ability to teach others, and embracing
change when necessary. That
change could be an adjustment in
perspective; a change of culture,
including language; or a structural
change in the environment.
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
How do you put change into practice?
First, changing your perspective
is basically thinking or doing
something differently. This can be
easier said than done, at times, but
there are a few easy steps to help you
get started: reframe your thoughts,
think more globally, and take a proactive
and positive approach.
Once others see and experience
the change in you, they are more
likely to open up and create change
in their own lives. Remember the
saying, " People may not remember
your words, but they will remember
how you made them feel. " Meeting
the needs of our increasingly diverse
population can seem challenging.
We need people who are willing
to lead in new and more inclusive
ways. These leaders exhibit six core
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANNON L. HARRIS, CPRE, CPO

March 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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

March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 1
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 2
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 3
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 4
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 5
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 6
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 7
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 8
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 9
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 10
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 11
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 12
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 13
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 16
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 18
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 19
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 20
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 21
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 22
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 23
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 24
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 25
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 26
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 27
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 28
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 29
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 30
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 31
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 33
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 34
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 35
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 36
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 37
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 40
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 47
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 49
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 50
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 51
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 54
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 55
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March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
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