July 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 46

Power

Sharing the

M

uch has changed since 1985. Forget iPhones and GoPros - 30
years ago disposable cameras didn't even exist. The rapid development of technology and the means by which we communicate
has impacted every facet of our lives including public services.

While technology in many ways
has made our lives easier, it has also
cluttered them. At work, we're expected to do more, do it faster and
do it with fewer resources. Parks
and recreation has certainly felt this
shift in conjunction with a continued competition for limited public
funds. But where there are challenges, there are also opportunities.
As part of celebrating the 30th anniversary of July as Park and Recreation Month, we saw an opportunity to share with the world the
ways in which parks and recreation
make everyone's lives better. Much
like park and recreation agencies
balance being " fun makers " with
vital service providers, NRPA aims
to balance messages about the fun
of Park and Recreation Month with
the very real impact agencies make
in the lives of those they serve.
This July's 1980s-throwback
theme lends itself to a lot of fun
activities - 80s-style aerobics class44	

Parks & Recreation

es, movie nights, pool parties and
festivals. These are great ways to
have fun and engage with community members who may or may not
be familiar with parks and recreation services. Once the headbands
and legwarmers come off and the
screams and splashing subside,
however, what is the lasting effect
on those who participated? What
was the power behind those park
and recreation programs?
It's likely not possible to see how
many pounds were lost in the aerobics class or how many new personal connections were made at a festival - at least not without budget for
formal surveys. What we do know,
however, are national statistics that
demonstrate the power parks and
recreation has in every community.
To that end and to highlight park
and recreation agencies as vital service providers, NRPA created a Power of Parks video illustrating some of
the many ways park and recreation

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agencies contribute to powerful benefits such as healthier people, higher
property values and environmental sustainability. This video can be
found and shared at www.nrpa.org/
july-power-of-parks.
It is vital for the continued advancement of public parks and recreation that the powerful results of
these " fun " programs are shared.
Behind that 80s-themed festival is
the fact that programming in parks
is proven to be an effective means
of reducing crime rates. Behind that
aerobics class is the fact that access
to parks and recreation facilities
aids in the control of obesity and
helps diminish the risk of disease.
The more we can collectively and
effectively share the story about the
power behind the work we do, the
more we raise our field as a whole
and demonstrate parks and recreation's value as an essential service.
In many ways, it is fitting that
we celebrate the 30th anniversary of
Park and Recreation Month with
a video about the power of parks
and recreation. The same technology that can clutter our day-to-day
lives is now the most effective way
July 2015 - Parks & Recreation

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