May 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 53

in

Many Communities,
One Mission
NRPA Legislative Forum delegates make their case on Capitol Hill
Citing data from TPL's 2012 ConON M AR CH 2 7-2 9, more than 230
servation Almanac, more than 400
delegates from 45 states and the Disof the ballot initiatives the San Frantrict of Columbia gathered in Washcisco-based organization has advised
ington, D.C., to advocate for a common
on have passed public muster during
agenda for parks and recreation fundthe two-decade period. New Enging, learn about current national legland states were particularly active in
islative issues, share facts and data to
open space acquisition. Other states
support the value of parks and recrewith significant open space acquisiation, and network with fellow profestion activity included Oregon; South
sionals and park advocates.
Platte near Denver; Duluth, MinnesoHighlights of the 2012 NRPA Legis- Greg Nadeau
ta; Chicago's Bloomington Trail; and
lative Forum included an opening edFourth Ward Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
ucation session on overcoming park
Zieper noted that the common defunding challenges, a national policy
nominator behind such strong public
dinner with presentations on obesity
support was a concern for water qualand transportation alternatives, a conity. In nearly every case, the public saw
gressional briefing featuring Rep. Mike
preserved open space as a means to
McIntyre (D-NC) and presentations on
protect water resources.
preventative health and park conser " People will vote to raise taxes to
vation efforts, and of course, the heart
do this, " Zieper said, adding, " Oftenof the Legislative Forum-dozens of
Heidi Blanck
times, you can combine water remeetings between park and recreation
professionals and advocates and their states' Con- sources, trails, and parks " to give the public ballot
initiatives they can support wholeheartedly.
gressional representatives, senators, and staffers.

the north Carolina delegation meets with rep. Howard Coble (r-nC).

Funding the Future
Of the many issues facing the field of parks and recreation, none generates more buzz than dealing with
a changing fiscal environment at all levels of government. That's why NRPA chose two funding experts
for the opening session. Matthew Zieper, national research director for the Trust for Public Land, and Tom
Murphy, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute
and three-term mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
addressed theoretical and practical dimensions in
" Conservation of Parks in a Time of Fiscal Crisis. "
Zieper described the state of public support for funding acquisitions of land for parks and open spaces. Ballot
initiatives saw a sharp spike in public approval beginning in the mid-1990s that continue to this day. " It's a
bedrock value the public cares about, " Zieper said.

50 Parks & Recreation   M A Y

" Our challenge is everybody likes parks but they
think they just happen, " Tom Murphy, Mayor of
Pittsburgh from 1994 to 2005, told Legislative Forum
attendees.
That was just one of the challenges Murphy faced
when he became mayor of a major rust belt city that
had once prospered from the wealth generated by its
many steel mills.
" We transformed Pittsburgh because we valued
open space, " Murphy said. " We didn't have access to
rivers, and part of the deal was to have a continuous
park on the rivers. "
Murphy described how they employed sticks
and carrots to lure major corporations (such as PNC
Bank) to relocate to the Pittsburgh waterfront-in
ways that left open space between their buildings
and the rivers.
" You must be relentless about telling your story, "
Murphy said.
He cited negotiations with the NFL Pittsburgh
Steelers organization which wanted to utilize all its
property, right down to the riverbank for practice
fields. Murphy says the city held fast and the Steelers
compromised, and today both sides are happy.

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