Fox Valley Park District’s Post

Thanks to the efforts of park and recreation professionals through the United States, local park and recreation agencies generated more than $201 billion in economic activity and supported more than 1.1 million jobs in 2021. Beyond the nationwide impact, this report shows the economic contribution of parks and recreation at the state level too. The estimates of total economic impacts include the direct, indirect and induced effects of operations and capital spending by local park and recreation agencies in each state and the District of Columbia. Access the report: https://lnkd.in/gPjpsFpi #PowerOfParks #WhereYouBelong #NRPAResearch National Recreation and Park Association Florida Recreation and Park Association Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society

This information is eye opening! Years ago I met a homeless family at a rec center. I befriended them and eventually allowed the young man to live in our home so he could finish high school. I realized that day I met them, as a parks employee, my daily productivity affects the lives of so many. The "do more with less" mantra is realistic to a certain point. Funding and resource challenges can easily decrease morale, hinder motivation/ performance, and disengage our public servants. Is this why the city (parks and rec) heavily relies on partnerships like "50/50" and Astros Foundation? Generally, park departments across the nation receive less funding than other departments, but Houston is too great of a city to forget the importance of our greenspace and parks. Many families rely on the parks and community centers as a place to celebrate, hold birthday parties, play sports, and spend quality time. Especially when it provides economic savings to a family who is struggling to keep the lights on in their home. ** These assets are vital and we need to contribute more to maintaining and repairing our great city parks. **

Glad to have listened in on this discussion--so much of what was covered aligns perfectly with my forthcoming book on these topics. I began this book years ago when I was a journalist covering Indigenous-led resistance to development by a ski resort held sacred to 13 regional tribes. I do believe the majority of settlers who recreate on Indigenous land--which is all of us on every acre of land in the US and Canada--want to do right by Indigenous communities, but don't know how. Answering that begins by listening to Indigenous people and starting from the assumption that one's love of skiing, trail running, climbing, paddling, etc. is never more important than Indigenous cultural and spiritual survival. Listen when they give guidelines for respectful interaction with their sacred spaces, listen when they say when to go and when not to go. Do not argue or demand an explanation if you don't get the answers you want--accept that there are cultural traditions, protocols, and belief systems connected to the land that are none of your business. Prepare for differences between what is "legal" and what Indigenous communities actually want. Stay humble. I understand that many folks and organizations want a check list or a universal process they can put on an infographic or something, but this not about trying to establish a set of dos and don'ts--it's about dignity, respect, and the process of making better relations with Indigenous communities and the landscapes we love. It demands that settlers and other nonIndigenous folks ask tough questions of themselves, which begins with conversations like this--and I would LOVE to see more of this, and be part of them, especially in the US.

Always bringing a creative solution to each project.

🏆🌳 JUST IN: City of Plano Plano Parks and Recreation park system has retained the ranking of #1 in Texas and #16 in the nation based on the Trust for Public Land annual ParkScore! 🎉 The #TPLParkScore is based off how Plano compares on five characteristics of an excellent park system: access, investment, acreage, amenities, and equity. The report found that 82% of residents are within a 10-minute walk to a local park. Read the full report at tpl.org/city/plano-texas.

The National Recreation and Park Association DEI report is out. One key finding is that 2 in 3 park systems are actively working to improve equity in their parks and recreation systems: https://lnkd.in/edm6P9kK

Before you buy mulch for your yard, check with your local department of public works, or park and recreation department. They may have free (or at least cheap) they're looking to get rid of. • #HomeownersGuide • #PropertyMaintenance • #HomeownerTips • #HomeTips

The three Ps of inclusion in parks and recreation are - Philosophy, Policy, and Practice.

Very interested in doing something within the forest service in my post military career.

National Parks