September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 48

Scenes from
the Our Eyes
East Ceremony:
Officers of the
Washington
Metropolitan
Police
Department
mingle with
community
members (left).
NRPA Chief
Executive Officer
Barbara Tulipane
(seated with
microphone) has
a moment of fun
with the park's
main users.

with appearances by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DD.C.) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh.
Following the installation, WPP and the George Mason University Center for Health and Risk Communication embarked on a study to evaluate the influences of
a strategically rebuilt inner-city park on youth physical
activity in low-income, predominantly African-American urban communities. The study used identical metrics for assessing a nearby unimproved park area.
WPP and GMU staff and researchers observed both
parks and conducted intercept surveys with visitors of
Marvin Gaye Park about their experiences during past
and present visits. (Please see article on page 42.)
A " Photo Voice " project sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Foundation complemented
the surveys. Young people took photographs and
wrote essays describing their relationship to the
park and the community. Interviews were also conducted in the form of " Go Alongs " which involved
walking with selected residents through the neighborhoods adjacent to the park.
All involved hoped that the outcomes of the study
and the completed Photo Voice project, presented
at the July 23 Marvin Gaye Park photo exhibition,
would reveal many insights.

A Community Reclaimed
One year after the installation of the playground,
both the researchers of Parks Build Community and
residents report a dramatic shift in usage of the park
by children and older community residents.
" The results were quite astounding, " says Dr.
Gary Kreps, director of the Center for Health and Risk
Communication at GMU. " We found that revitalizing
the park had a major impact on youth physical activity,
and on the kinds of activity in which kids engaged. "
According to findings of the research, the number of visitors increased dramatically since the

46	 Parks & Recreation

SEPTEMBER 2010

www . N R P A . O R G

construction of the playground, and 85 percent of the
activity took place in the playground area. The median age of the children using the park was 9, and the
proportion of youth who were physically active was
76.7 percent, compared to 23.3 percent who were
sedentary. In addition to the increase in youth activity, the researchers also recorded a positive change
in the attitudes of residents toward their community.
" We found that the park served as a form of community engagement and that it really made a difference
in the neighborhood, " Kreps says.
Some of these sentiments were reflected in the
Our Eyes East exhibition. One photo by 6-year-old
Terrance " Pooka " Morton shows a swirl of green
grass. " This photo is expressing growth, " Pooka's
essay reads, " This photo relates to my community
because there are many green spaces. "
Another photo shows a tree growing through a
cracked and grimy cement drainage culvert. Twelveyear-old Max Bryant writes, " Even though there are
bad things in the community, this photo represents
the beauty that is also here. There are many beautiful places in the world, and this can be one of them. "
Coleman also notes the presence of local law
enforcement at Marvin Gaye Park and the playground, a phenomenon he attributes to the park's
transition from dump site to gathering place used
by children. " The park was not a priority for the police before because it was basically a dump site...
an abstraction, " he says. " Now we have police patrolling regularly. "
" One of the benefits of parks and playgrounds is
that they break down a lot of barriers, " says Jesús Aguirre, director of the Washington, D.C. Department of
Parks and Recreation. " There's a lot of work to be done,
but there has been an incredible transformation at
Marvin Gaye Park that has benefited the community. "
" The park has provided people with something
to talk to us about...it has allowed the police and the



September 2010 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2010 - Parks & Recreation

September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 1
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 2
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 3
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 4
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 5
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 6
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 7
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 8
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 9
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 10
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 11
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 12
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 13
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 14
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 15
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 16
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 17
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 18
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 19
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 20
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 21
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 22
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 23
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 24
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 25
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 26
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 27
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 28
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 29
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 30
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 31
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 32
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 33
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 34
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 35
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 36
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 37
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 38
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 39
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 40
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 41
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 42
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 43
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 44
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 45
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 46
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 47
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 48
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 49
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 50
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 51
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 52
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 53
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 54
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 55
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 56
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 57
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 58
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 59
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 60
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 61
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 62
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 63
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 64
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 65
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 66
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 67
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 68
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 69
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 70
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 71
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 72
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 73
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 74
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 75
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 76
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 77
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 78
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 79
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 80
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 81
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 82
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 83
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 84
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 85
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 86
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 87
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 88
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 89
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 90
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 91
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 92
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 93
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 94
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 95
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 96
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 97
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 98
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 99
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 100
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 101
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 102
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 103
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 104
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 105
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 106
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 107
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 108
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 109
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 110
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 111
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 112
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 113
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 114
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 115
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 116
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 117
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 118
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 119
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 120
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 121
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 122
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 123
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 124
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 125
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 126
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 127
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 128
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 129
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 130
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 131
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 132
September 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 133
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com