November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 8
PERSPECT I VES A MESSAGE FROM NRPA' S LEADERS
Turning Information Into Action
As park and recreation
professionals,
our role of providing
spaces and programming isn't a
simple one. It requires understanding
what our communities want
and need and making informed
decisions that ensure everyone can
benefit from our essential services.
The fact is park quantity or " access "
is vital, but quality and accessibility
(or the ability for spaces
and programs to be used) are also
predictors of overall well-being (nrpa.org/Essential).
Whether it's assessing the need for new recreational
facilities, gauging the impact of green spaces on public
health or identifying communities that lack access to
park and recreation resources, research provides the information
and data needed to understand and respond
to community needs and preferences. At NRPA, we
aim to provide you with the research tools, resources
and benchmarking data to help you make informed
decisions about your spaces, places and programs. We
recently wished our eight-year head of research, Kevin
Roth, well as he departed NRPA to join the CFP Board.
What Roth did remarkably well at NRPA is understand
how we could improve and leverage our research tools
to help you with your planning, from assigning salary
levels to benchmarking your departments against peer
groups across the country. As an economist, he also
deeply understood the need for us to make the case for
why investments in parks and recreation are critical
and provide you with the tools to make that case. As
we assess the current and future needs of the field and
how NRPA's tools are meeting those needs, we look
forward to continuing to deliver on the value and quality
you have come to expect from NRPA's Research and
Evaluation team.
One example of a leader who is grappling with the
challenge of how to make informed decisions and best
serve his rural community is highlighted in this issue of
Parks & Recreation. In his article, titled " Rural Communities
Can Have Fun, Too!, " contributor Michael Patton
poses the following questions: " As park and recreation
professionals who operate in rural communities, what
can we do to ensure those we serve are getting their recreational
needs fulfilled? What resources are out there
8 Parks & Recreation | NOVEMBER 2 0 2 3
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to advance and advocate for the work of parks and recreation
in our small towns? Lastly, how can we harness
these resources so that we can use them efficiently and
productively? " By using research and evaluation practices,
we're able to more effectively assess and address these
questions to ensure community needs are being met.
Another article in this issue looks at the idea of
" unintended consequences. " It explores how we can
avoid the potential negative impacts that projects can
have when they aren't carefully examined in the planning
phase. In other words, not all improvements are
inherently good, especially if they are not a reflection
of community wants and needs. In her article, titled
" Planning for Equitable Greening, " contributor Estrella
Sainburg writes, " We cannot ignore the possible
repercussions of greening even if agency intentions
are 'good'.... Professionals dealing with parks, recreation,
open spaces...should study and understand how
vulnerable populations are affected by enhancements
and improvements in their communities and work with
them to find, create and secure permanent solutions.... "
While you work to determine and fulfill the needs
of your community, NRPA is here to support you
with valuable information and insights into the field's
trends and best practices. Each year, we release numerous
new and updated research reports that cover
topics from public engagement to park and recreation
salary
information and more (nrpa.org/Research
Reports). Additionally, we will introduce evaluation
resources this year that will cover everything from
why and how to evaluate your parks to assessing your
agency's capacity for evaluation and more. The first of
this series is now available and more will be shared at
nrpa.org/Evaluation.
The breadth of research and information we can use
is extensive and can be daunting. NRPA is here to help.
After all, at the heart of every park and recreation professional
is a person who wants to serve their community
in the best way possible.
KRISTINE STRATTON
President and CEO
http://www.nrpa.org/Essential
http://www.nrpa.org/ResearchReports
http://www.nrpa.org/ResearchReports
http://www.nrpa.org/Evaluation
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2023 - Parks & Recreation
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 1
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 2
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 3
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 4
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 5
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 6
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 7
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 8
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 9
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 10
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 11
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 12
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 13
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 14
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 15
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 16
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 17
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 18
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 19
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 20
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 21
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 22
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 23
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 24
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 25
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 26
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 27
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 28
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 29
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 30
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 31
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 32
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 33
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 34
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 35
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 36
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 37
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 38
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 39
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 40
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 41
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 42
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 43
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 44
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 45
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 46
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 47
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 48
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 49
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 50
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 51
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 52
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 53
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 54
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 55
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 56
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2024
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
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com