January 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 49

Seattle's Stay Healthy Streets initiative
facilitates people walking, rolling, biking
and playing.
person connections and the flexibility
of virtual engagement. This applies
to conferences, training workshops,
routine meetings, and even staff roles
that do not have to be in person in the
same location all the time.
It will enhance talent recruitment
beyond a geographic area
and create increased gender parity
in the workforce since women
shoulder a disproportionate burden
of caregiving and often are
forced to leave inflexible jobs or
put their careers on hold.
Self-Driven and Connected
A practice that accelerated significantly
during the pandemic and
will continue to grow is that of
solo subscription-based activities
while being connected to a larger
community virtually.
Peloton, a company that offers
live streaming workouts on bikes
or treadmills, experienced explosive
growth during the pandemic,
and while engagement is slowing
down it is still significant. Tonal, a
company that offers a smart home
gym and personal trainer, counts
celebrity
athletes, such as
Serena
Williams and LeBron James,
among its investors and believers.
As lives get busier, this provides
people a chance to be social with
the flexibility and customization of
an in-home experience. asensei is a
rowing machine that incorporates
personal coaching through an app
that monitors your rowing pace and
form. For outdoor lovers, Strava
helps runners and bikers track their
performance and share with a globally
connected community.
These are a part of a universe of
growing tools that enable users to
pursue their individual fitness and
recreation goals, while feeling a
sense of belonging and connection
to a larger community, and without
driving in traffic or snow or having
to worry about finding alternative
childcare.
For park and recreation agencies
- especially ones with membershipbased
fitness and recreation centers
- these can compete or complement
you. The best you can do is provide
the most welcoming guest experience
because that is one differentiator
that being alone at home cannot
replicate. This includes investing in
ongoing staff training and tools (e.g.,
Omnify Inc., a booking and scheduling
software) that can enhance your
customers' experience.
Next Practices in
Placemaking
Reimagining Streets
and Connectivity
A welcome change during the pandemic
was transforming streets
to be people-centered - from pet
walking and biking to outdoor dining
and street games.
In surveys for systemwide master
plans, walking, biking and connectivity
are among the top priorities
nationally. Oakland, California, is
evaluating Slow Streets, an initiative
the city piloted during the pandemic;
while Seattle received positive
feedback on its Stay Healthy
Streets initiative meant to facilitate
people walking, rolling, biking and
playing. As part of the program,
many streets are only open to cars
traveling to homes and destinations
along those streets.
The time is now to prioritize a future
where streets are designed for
people over cars or parking.
Not Places, Experiences
When people think of Disney, they
typically don't recall a single ride or
a show, but rather an entire experience
that connects varied offerings
for diverse audiences. As we imagine
designing future parks, plazas
and public spaces, this emphasis
on creating an experience will help
increase visitation, enhance length
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | J ANUAR Y 2 0 22 | Parks & Recreation
49
IMAGE COURTESY OF SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION | TINYURL.COM/YUR4JAU8
http://www.TINYURL.COM/YUR4JAU8
January 2022 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2022 - Parks & Recreation
