June 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 10

EDITOR'S LET TER

Maintaining a Healthy Outlook
For more than three years, I had the distinct pleasure of freelance writing for Parks & Recreation magazine. During that time, I interviewed some
pretty amazing people in the field - from young agency staffers just beginning their P&R careers to seasoned professionals at the very top of
their game. The common thread running through each of their stories is
simply: loving a job that allows you to make a real, substantive difference
in people's lives by focusing on their health and well-being. Their energy
and enthusiasm for their work proved not only inspiring, but also compelling. And, I wanted to continue to tell their stories - even the challenging
ones - the ones that uncovered the harsh realities of the opioid and vaping epidemics impacting their communities across the country, along with
the proposed solutions for ensuring positive health outcomes for the most
vulnerable. The biggest take-away from covering both these crises is that
park and recreation professionals never run from a challenge - they forge ahead.
The field of parks and recreation, along with the rest of the world, is facing an even greater
challenge: the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. All throughout the United States, park
and recreation professionals are stepping up to assist healthcare workers and emergency responders. In fact, some city officials are even reclassifying P&R professionals as emergency or disaster
relief workers, as is the case in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. In this month's cover story
on page 36, titled " Homelessness and the Global Pandemic, " contributor Anthony-Paul (AP)
Diaz of Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) shares how his agency is
heeding the call by quickly transforming 24 recreation centers into temporary shelters for people
experiencing homelessness. What's more, he and the RAP staff are helping to assemble 15 childcare centers for the children of first responders. " Today, while we all experience the 'Great Pause,'
our parkland is being repurposed in unimaginable ways, " Diaz states.
Given the current state of affairs, one could easily forget it's a new decade - yet one that brings
a new role for parks and recreation in public health. In the feature, " An Agent of Public Health, "
on page 42, NRPA's Allison Colman discusses how the power of the profession is " bringing communities together, creating safer neighborhoods, and connecting people with different lived experiences and backgrounds. " She further points out that as " we invest in a bigger, broader role
for parks and recreation serving as community wellness hubs and connecting people to comprehensive health and social services, we must train up our existing staff and bring new and diverse
expertise into the field. "
Introducing green infrastructure can also improve people's health and well-being, as contributor
Beth Jacob illustrates in the article, " A New Green Revolution, " on page 46. What's more, communities that invest in new green infrastructure, like bioswales, ponds and permeable pavement, are
addressing the effects of climate change head on while enhancing people's overall quality of life.
Lastly, if you're currently developing your strategy for reopening your park and recreation operations, I highly recommend reading NRPA's " Path to Recovery " guidelines on page 14.
As Parks & Recreation magazine's new executive editor, I look forward to telling more of your
stories and supporting your efforts in navigating through these extraordinary times. Please stay
safe and maintain a healthy outlook, because we will get through this together.

VITISIA " VI " PAYNICH
Executive Editor
Print and Online Content
8

Parks & Recreation

| J U N E 2 02 0 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G

PRESIDENT AND CEO
Kristine Stratton
VICE PRESIDENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND CHIEF
MARKETING OFFICER
Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
EXECUTIVE EDITOR, PRINT
AND ONLINE CONTENT
Vitisia Paynich
vpaynich@nrpa.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lindsay Collins
lcollins@nrpa.org
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Kim Mabon/Creative By
Design
CreativeByDesign.net
SENIOR SALES MANAGER
EASTERN REGION AND EUROPE
Kip Ongstad
703.858.2174
kongstad@nrpa.org
SENIOR SALES MANAGER
WESTERN REGION AND ASIA
Michelle Dellner
949.248.1057
mdellner@nrpa.org
SALES COORDINATOR
Meghan Fredriksen
703.858.2190
mfredriksen@nrpa.org
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dreamstime.com or NRPA
(unless otherwise noted)
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Anthony-Paul Diaz, Chair
Michael Abbaté, FASLA
Neelay Bhatt
Ryan Eaker
Beau Fieldsend
Robert García
Kathleen Gibi
Paul Gilbert, CPRP
Tim Herd, CPRE
Brian Johnson, CPSI
Denise Johnson-Caldwell
Roslyn Johnson, CPRP
Michele Lemons
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis, CPRP
Paula Sliefert
Shonnda Smith, CPRP, AFO
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
June 2020 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2020 - Parks & Recreation
