September 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 12

EDITOR'S LETTER
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Barbara Tulipane, CAE

Reimagining Parks and Recreation
The sport of tennis has been gaining a lot of traction in recent years,
thanks to superstars, like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who have helped to elevate the game and attract a
younger following. These athletes have inspired the next generation
of professional tennis players, while promoting the importance of
overall physical fitness. In addition, Serena and her sister, Venus,
have helped to transform the sport by using their celebrity to break
down old barriers and pave the way for younger athletes to thrive -
particularly youths from underserved communities.
So, it's no wonder that some park and rec departments are adding
the sport to their program offerings. What's more, contributor Ashley Marshall explores how park and recreation agencies and school
districts are teaming up to shine a light on the game in the article,
" Net Generation " on page 70. Through their affiliation with Net
Generation, the official youth tennis brand of the United States Tennis Association, park and rec departments and school districts can achieve the same goal: inspire
youths to be actively fit by learning a sport they can play and enjoy throughout their lifetime.
This month's cover story, " Investing in South Bend " on page 64, focuses on the Indiana city's
$51+ million plan to revitalize its parks and trails system, as well as the role data analytics played
in identifying the specific needs of each community. Writer Vitisia Paynich presents this installment in our ongoing series on parks transforming cities, towns and communities by highlighting
the various park projects in development, as well as profiling the key players involved in the planning process. Want to learn more about the South Bend project? Be sure to attend the session,
" Show Me the Data: Using Data, Research & Analytics to Support Your Park and Recreation
Work, " presented by Aaron Perri, South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, and Alexandra Hiple, Trust
for Public Land, on Tuesday, September 25 at the NRPA Annual Conference.
For those attending the NRPA Annual Conference, September 25-27, in Indianapolis, be sure to
check out the article, " Indianapolis Here We Come!, " on page 76. Contributor Paula Jacoby-Garrett
highlights the top attractions around Indianapolis, including the Canal Walk in downtown, Holcomb
Observatory & Planetarium and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. In addition, you'll find a
list of recommended places to unwind and dine after a long day at conference.
We look forward to seeing you later this month in Indianapolis, where I'm certain you'll make
new connections and, perhaps, gain an even better understanding of what our green spaces could
look like in the near future.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN
Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing
Editorial Director

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Parks & Recreation

| S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING,
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING,
AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Sonia Myrick
smyrick@nrpa.org
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR
Suzanne Nathan
snathan@nrpa.org
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Creative By Design
CreativeByDesign.net
SENIOR SALES MANAGER
EASTERN REGION AND EUROPE
Kip Ongstad
703.858.2174
kongstad@nrpa.org
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
(unless otherwise noted)
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Keith Anderson
Denise Caldwell
Brendan Daley
Anthony-Paul Diaz
Ryan Eaker
Robert García
Kathleen Gibi
Sandra Gonzales
Tim Herd
Brian Johnson
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis
Gil Peñalosa
Dr. Kevin Riley
Paula Sliefert
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
Randy Wiger
September 2018 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2018 - Parks & Recreation
