April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 48

REGENERAT I VE
understanding of the community's
needs and allowed the design team
to prioritize the community's most
treasured components. "
But the tool isn't necessary to
start thinking and measuring how
capital investments can be more
regenerative. There are many ways
that park and recreation organizations
can be proactive about making
more " regenerative " decisions.
Prioritizing
Regenerative Design
Below are six considerations for
taking a regenerative approach to
designing a recreation facility or
park project.
1
Context is everything. A community
amenity, be it a recreation
center, arena, pool or park, should
never be defined solely by the physical
boundaries of the site on which
it's located. Every project finds itself
in a different geographic and
climate context that informs what
" regenerative "
means
and
what
strategies will be needed to meet
certain regenerative design goals.
For example, if an aquatics center in
a northern climate and an aquatics
center in a temperate climate both
wanted to target reduced operational
carbon, the benchmarks that
they would aim for would be different
because the colder climate has
a larger heating load and reducing
that heating load by the same percentage
would result in more energy
saved in the colder climate than the
warmer one.
It's also essential to consider the
context of time. Every project today
is being planned and designed for a
future that the climate will undoubtedly
affect. Summers will be hotter;
in some areas of North America,
being outside for any length of time
might be dangerous. In many places,
there will be greater potential for
48 Parks & Recreation | APRIL 2 0 2 3
flooding. Municipalities, departmental
leadership and the design teams
they work with should carve out
space to have honest conversations
about how climate change might affect
the community and use robust
modeling tools to consider the likelihood
of different scenarios. This
information can inform design strategies
that will increase the projects'
resiliency, even in the face of the unknowable
impact of climate change.
2
the
Look at capital and operational
costs holistically. Too often,
costs of capital investments
are calculated separately from the
building's operational costs and
ongoing maintenance. A project
budget
is
set, sometimes several
years before a design team is even
engaged. That budget then drives
decisions about adopting strategies
that support regenerative design
and decrease life-cycle and operational
costs in the long run.
For example, photovoltaic panels
often will increase a project budget
quite a bit up front, but organizations
will reap significant financial returns
within a few short years (depending
on geographic location). However,
when organizations have not found
a way to structurally tie the two budgets
together, conversations about regenerative
innovations with both significant
upfront costs and significant
long-term savings are likely to break
down before there is a chance to give
them serious consideration.
" As code and energy compliance
requirements change, we see more
non-traditional MEP [mechanical,
electrical and plumbing] systems,
such as fully electric or geothermal
options (as opposed to natural gas)
required, and these decisions should
be made early on in the design process
because these tend to be expensive
systems and the upfront
cost can be cumbersome, " shares
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
Swanson. " By looking at these systems
holistically, we are able to get
a better understanding of the total
life-cycle costs and make smart decisions
to make these more renewable
energy sources possible. And
the earlier we do this cost analysis,
the more likely we are to be able to
identify grant dollars that can help
subsidize both the capital and operational
costs associated with more
sustainable, regenerative options. "
3
Understand the nuances to
healthy living and community
building. Most park and recreation
organizations are deeply committed
to being open and welcoming to all
community members - no matter
their gender, physical ability, age,
race or socioeconomic status. These
spaces engender equitable access in
their primary function - to bring
together members of the community
regardless of their background.
But too often, these aspirations fall
short - even for a new, state-of-theart
community center. Why is that?
It could be numerous different
issues, and not all have to do with
space. For example, teenage girls
may stop using community centers
because as they mature, their selfimage
changes, as does the way they
socialize. When girls feel judged or
watched, whether it is happening
or not, their participation rates
decrease significantly. Those living
in lower socioeconomic households
might not feel they have the time
or can easily access the center via
public
transportation.
Indigenous
groups often have an underlying
feeling that centers and programs
are not meant for them and that they
are not welcome. Considering and
understanding the unique needs of
the community is vital for creating
both a facility and programming
that will get people in the door and
returning on a regular basis.
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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