June 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 8

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

Reimagining a New Parks Normal
There is an old adage that " absence
makes the heart grow fonder. " And,
sometimes, it takes a global crisis, like
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, for people to truly appreciate the
value of their parks and open spaces.
While the medical community and
first responders have enjoyed the recognition they rightly deserve, it will be
the orderly reopening of park systems
throughout the country that commands the headlines over the coming
months - especially with the looming fear of a second wave of infections
that may set us back and further slow
the economy. All eyes in the national
media will be on the park systems, especially in large urban areas, that take
the first leap. It is up to us as park professionals to get it right the first time
by ensuring the proper multidisciplinary planning
and flawless execution of our respective reopenings.
Looking forward, there are a host of lessons and
best practices that NRPA has gathered through regular outreach to its members during the crisis - practices that will be incorporated into our future professional development initiatives. Perhaps the most
significant of these will be our embrace of the digital
realm as a format for bringing park experiences to
the public, especially when outdoor activity and travel are limited. And if we are smart, we will use these
virtual park opportunities to not only encourage and
influence healthy physical activity in living rooms
across the nation, but, more importantly, to talk directly with our customers, teaching them to cherish
the social, environmental and economic benefits of
parks and recreational programs in their communities. There is a fundamental knowledge gap for the
average citizen that if filled by careful, accurate and
articulate messaging, has the potential of elevating
parks to the " essential " level we have fought so hard
for decades to convey. And, the timing is right for

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building the messaging campaign for a park movement that does not require reinventing our profession, only reimagining it in what will likely become
a new digital normal.
NRPA is working with our state associations, allied
park nonprofits and World Urban Parks to ensure the
strategies for our profession's pandemic recovery and
the projected budgetary impacts are mitigated to every extent possible through durable and coordinated
advocacy that focuses on revenue stabilization and infrastructure stimulus. Preventing a repeat of the precipitous drop in funding we experienced during the 2008-
2013 recessionary period will require a full-court press
with elected officials and agency heads at the federal,
state and local levels. We can ill afford another period
of dependence on privately financed park development
and third-party programming whose business models
limit equitable access and lower participation rates.
Perhaps the hardest decision we have had to make
has been the reimagining of our annual conference.
Like many of our state and partner professions' conferences, this decision considered the public health risk
for mass gatherings, projected budget impacts and travel restrictions for member agencies, and growing conference financial liabilities during a time of uncertain
economic impact. With proper digital design, NRPA
may open a whole new market of allied professional
interest. And, conference will be back bigger and better
than ever in 2021!
Parks and recreation is resilient, and NRPA's leadership will continue to serve as the beacon for best practices in our profession. Stay safe and healthy, and remain
connected to NRPA's website to share and learn from
your fellow professionals as we navigate these troubled
waters and reimagine our new normal together.

JACK K ARDYS
Chair, NRPA Board of Directors
June 2020 - Parks & Recreation

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