February 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 43

By Michael Bradley

future leaders

Visit a Park Day

A

pril 8th marks the first anniversary of Visit a Park Day-

a newly minted day to set aside
unnecessary obligations and head to your
local, regional, or national park. The mission
of Visit a Park Day is to encourage people to
learn more about their local, state, and national
parks, as well as to provide for education and recreation opportunities within the parks to foster future
enjoyment and visitation.
The purpose sounds nice, but what does that really mean to you and me? The Student and Young
Professional Network's purpose in creating Visit a
Park Day is simple: involve community members
with their public parks. And we expect this to happen through the passion and organizing power of
individual members or small groups who belong to
the Student and Young Professional Network.
As the organizing committee developed the mission for Visit a Park Day, we highlighted specific visions to ensure pursuit of our mission. Our vision
statement includes the following goals:
■■  Getting people out to parks on the designated day.
■■  Providing service and learning opportunities for
people visiting parks on this day
■■  Create and foster relationships among participants
and park managers for future engagement with the
parks.
■■  Expose marginalized populations to recreational
and park programs.
To help individuals, groups, and agencies plan
for their participation in Visit a Park day, we developed a list of expected outcomes.
■■  Involve local schools, groups, and individuals in planning activities for Visit a Park Day.
■■  Develop ongoing specific projects for continued care
and sustainability of the parks.
■■  Learn about various recreation and service opportunities in the parks.
■■  Foster relationships among the public, park staff, and
governing board.
■■  Learn about various issues and opportunities
within parks.

	

To state it simply, Visit a Park Day is an opportunity. It is a chance to create special park programs, draw attention to ongoing park efforts, and
increase visitation to our parks. While it is vital that
we understand and position ourselves in the local
and regional communities, it is equally important
to educate the public as to the life-enhancing benefits of parks and recreation. The Student and Young
Professional Network seeks to plant the seed of this
idea in community members, leaders, and various
groups across the country, allowing this special day
to grow. It is through enthusiastic leaders and involved agencies and groups that an event such as
Visit a Park Day may prosper.
Last year, local schools, civic and student
groups, and a remarkable number of individuals
joined to create fantastic events and programs for
Visit A Park Day. We ask those persons and groups,
once again, to provide that excellent leadership and
civic engagement.
Since the inception of the Visit a Park Day idea,
I have answered many questions regarding optimal programming and opportunities. It is difficult
to give an appropriate response because successful programming really depends on the needs and
wants of park users local to your area. Last year, efforts such as historical and active interpretive tours
through a park, and learning activities on sustainability within a park, received high visitation and
positive feedback. Recruiting efforts for ongoing
care for local parks have also been quite popular,
often engaging local residents in service activities
coordinated by park friends groups.

w w w . NR P A . ORG

FEBRUARY 2011

Parks & Recreation	

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February 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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February 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 1
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