May 2024 - Parks & Recreation - 10

PERSPECT I VES A MESSAGE FROM NRPA' S LEADERS
A Season of Transformation
It's wonderful to be digging
into the May issue, as
spring is such a productive
transition time for our field.
Park and recreation professionals
across the country
are onboarding seasonal
staff, gearing up for the big
summer program push and
managing what is often an
intensive season for capital
projects. The demanding
nature of spring and summer programming on
facilities and assets often can put into high relief
the need for new designs, features and spaces.
Spring isn't just a time for transition; at its heart,
it is a time for transformation.
The spring cycle in nature is a powerful one
- with wild rain and windstorms, tiny seedlings
breaking through the soil, wildlife looking
for mates, and that special something in the air
that smells of newness. In parks and recreation,
spring means evaluating operating budgets, assessing
equipment, getting fields in top condition
for the busy summer season and revisiting
capital budgets. It means filling gaps in special
event schedules and thinking creatively about
community engagement and revenue-generating
opportunities. Spring is a forceful mix of challenge
and possibility. In the same way that nature
transforms from season to season, I invite
you to think about how spring can be transformative
for your work. In this month's issue,
we have three feature articles that are all about
transformation and the power of creativity
mixed with perseverance.
Spring is a great time to pull out the maps
and revisit plans with a fresh perspective. Reading
the story of Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland,
Florida, on page 34, will inspire that fresh
perspective. Many of you have assessed your
park-to-community ratios and the percentage of
community members with access to parks, green
spaces and recreation opportunities. Our colleagues
in Lakeland did the very same but didn't
10 Parks & Recreation | MAY 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
stop there. They identified a parcel of land and
set about transforming that land from a harmful
brownfield into a space that will deliver powerful
health benefits to their community and visitors
for years to come.
The impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic continue to reverberate. In the same
way that parks and recreation served as a beacon
of hope during the worst of it, our field continues
to grow in demand and expectations. Look
at virtually any downtown business district occupancy
rates and remote-work figures and you
can see opportunities for parks and recreation.
Both constituencies - businesses and homebased
workers - want amenities that serve their
health and well-being needs. Parks, green spaces
and recreation opportunities are in increasing
demand. How are you leveraging this time to
think differently about serving the community?
" The COVID-19 Factor, " on page 40, sheds
light on this.
Finally, May is National Water Safety Month,
so this month is always a vital opportunity to
promote water safety and the water features
in your communities. In the spirit of channeling
that spring creativity, " Designing Modern
Aquatics Centers, " on page 44, is full of creative
ideas, case studies and advice on how to think
differently about your aquatics assets.
As always, in Parks & Recreation magazine we
seek to lift up your stories, shed light on trends,
and reveal creative approaches to solving problems
and serving communities. This spring, in
keeping with the season of productivity and
transformation, we are squeezing in as many of
these ideas as possible!
What unexplored opportunities for transformation
exist in your community?
KRISTINE STRATTON
President and CEO
May 2024 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2024 - Parks & Recreation
