December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 44

PARTNERSHIPS

A National Restaurant Chain Invests in

BY M AUREEN HANNAN

ACCORDING TO THE RAILS TO TRAILS CONSERVANCY, 71 percent of Americans would
like to bicycle more, 89 percent want to see transportation infrastructure reduce energy use, and
53 percent favor increasing public dollars spent on trails, bike paths, and greenways. Indeed, the
proliferation of new local trail initiatives throughout the country supports those survey ﬁndings.
Planning, creating, and connecting trail infrastructure is an expensive undertaking, however,
and local capital improvement dollars often do not stretch far enough to pay for amenities like
seating areas, signage, and landscaping.
In an innovative blend of national corporate philanthropy and investment in local
communities, the Darden Foundation, the
charitable arm of the Darden Restaurant
Group, helped launch the Great American
Trails grants program earlier this year.
In partnership with NRPA and with
the cooperation of individual LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants, $15,000
grants were awarded to eight communities for trail refurbishments and
enhancements. The grants afforded each recipient the freedom to determine which trail upgrades were
most needed-and, as a result, the outcomes of the grant awards are as individual as the regions they beneﬁted.
Just as important as the trail enhancements, however, were the new partnerships forged within each community
between parks and local business. While
each LongHorn restaurant participated in
its local Great American Trails project in a
different way, each reported that the grant
42

Parks & Recreation

| DECEMBER 2012 | WWW.NRPA.ORG

program-undergirded by Darden's corporate commitment to trails and open spaces-spurred a new level of
community involvement and awareness of local parks.

Boston, Massachusetts: Nira Rock
Opening Up an Urban Wilderness
In the midst of Boston's bustling, diverse Jamaica Plain
neighborhood sits a former quarry site known as Nira
Rock. Though Jamaica Plain contains several Olmsted
" Emerald Necklace " parks, Nira Rock is unlike any of
those manicured green spaces. With its 40-foot puddingstone outcropping and steep slopes, it is a craggy,
untamed place. Surrounding the sheer rock face are
shrubby woodlands, a hilly meadow, and an orchard.
Nira Rock is an urban wild.
Boston has long recognized the importance of not
only protecting such spaces, but also of planning for
and preserving them in ways much different than
caring for traditional urban parkland. The city's Urban
Wilds Initiative gives the parks department the main
responsibility for overseeing the acquisition and conservation of natural areas. And Nira Rock, a trail-accessed parcel of land the city acquired, was, as Boston
Mayor Thomas Menino states, " a perfect ﬁt " for the Great

December 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2012 - Parks & Recreation

December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 1
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 2
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 3
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 4
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 5
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 6
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 7
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 8
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 9
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 10
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 11
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 12
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 13
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 14
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 15
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 16
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 17
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 18
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 19
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 20
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 21
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 22
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 23
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 24
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 25
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 26
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 27
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 28
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 29
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 30
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 31
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 32
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 33
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 34
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 35
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 36
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 37
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 38
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 39
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 40
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 41
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 42
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 43
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 44
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 45
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 46
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 47
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 48
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 49
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 50
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 51
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 52
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 53
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 54
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 55
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 56
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 57
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 58
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 59
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 60
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 61
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 62
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 63
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 64
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 65
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 66
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 67
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 68
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 69
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 70
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 71
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 72
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 73
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 74
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 75
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 76
December 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 77
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com