December 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 10

P E RS P E C T I V E S A M E S S A G E F R O M N R PA' S L E A D E RS

A Balanced, Sustainable
Public Investment in Parks
In the October Parks & Recreation
Advocacy column, Kevin O'Hara,
NRPA's vice president of urban
and government affairs, asked:
" How many mayors does it take
to make a movement? " The 225
mayors currently signed on to
the NRPA/Trust for Public Land
(TPL)/Urban Land Institute (ULI)
10-Minute Walk Campaign partnership is certainly an incredible
start. Yet, with approximately 100
million Americans or roughly 30
percent of our population isolated
from the benefits of nearby public
park space, we have a long road
ahead. The biggest challenge for
these 225 hearty souls will be
establishing the dedicated, sustainable funding source that will
not only acquire land and build
great parks, but will also operate,
program and maintain them as part of an equitable
and accessible park system.
Considering the current 10-year trough of nearly 20
percent in public funding, the boom-and-bust history
of the park industry shows that accelerated entrepreneurial and philanthropic efforts typically fill these
funding voids. In the 1970s-1980s, every conceivable
concession and land-lease opportunity was considered
and often implemented, angering the public and often
resulting in tighter land-use regulations restricting the
commercialization of parks. This was followed by a
golden age of public investment that lasted until the
Great Recession of 2007-2008. Only " park districts "
with dedicated public funding for capital and operations have maintained their momentum through this
most recent economic downturn.
Today, public-private partnerships and philanthropy
are playing a more significant role in park development as solutions to public funding reductions. As
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noble and well-intended as some of these ventures
are, the absence of an adequate public investment
may inadvertently impact the distribution of accessible parks and programs throughout a city or county.
The potential impact of climate change on vulnerable
populations creates an even more significant risk to
underserved populations.
Park professionals are uniquely equipped to overcome
the paradox of tax aversion and to help meet the
desire among citizens and elected officials for more
parks. During last month's contentious midterm elections, TPL tracked 43 referenda for park bond issues
in 20 states and saw 84 percent approved by voters.
One of the most progressive ballot measures to pass
was in Doral, Florida, one of our 10-Minute Walk
Campaign signatories, where the average homeowner
accepted an annual property tax increase of $139 to
build $150 million in park infrastructure, significantly
increasing their park system and walkability. Congratulations to Doral's Mayor J.C. Bermudez, city
commissioners and parks director Barbie Hernandez!
Investing in public park spaces and programs is an
investment in a community's economic prosperity,
especially for those who live and work in close proximity. It is essential that we balance the enthusiasm and
resources of philanthropic and private-sector investors
with a sustainable public investment, one that minimizes the risks to a community's cultural identity caused by
large-scale gentrification. This is an especially important component of our 10-Minute Walk Campaign,
as we move from gathering support and advocacy to
identifying funding strategies, securing resources and,
finally, implementation. Creating sustainable park
districts with dedicated funding streams will ensure the
perpetual success of our walkable park investment.

JACK K ARDYS
NRPA's Chair of the Board of Directors
December 2018 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2018 - Parks & Recreation
