On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Mitchell Silver, who recently wrapped up a seven-year tenure as parks commissioner for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and will be giving a keynote presentation at the 2021 NRPA Annual Conference.

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On this bonus episode of Open Space Radio, you get a sneak peek at the guests who will be joining us for this year's Coffee Talks at the NRPA Annual Conference.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, hear New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander read our Park and Recreation Month Community Poem — one poem comprised of your poetry submissions!

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by two other park and recreation podcast hosts — Becky Dunlap of Let's Talk Parks and Paul Gilbert of Strategic Leadership — to discuss how the rise of podcasting and digital content is benefitting park and recreation professionals.

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The August issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of the podcast, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, titled, “A River Runs Through It.”

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Jennifer Holmes, who is helping to provide swim lessons and water safety education to rural areas of Charleston County, South Carolina, after her son, Genesis, tragically died in a drowning accident in 2014. We’re also joined by Gina Ellis-Strother, the chief administration officer for Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Peyton O’Conner, AICP, CPRE, CNP, CYSA (they/she), the parks and recreation director for Buncombe County in Asheville, North Carolina, to discuss building LGBTQ+ inclusive environments in parks and recreation.

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On the July bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with Jenna Brinkman and Craig Pattenaude of Cosumnes Community Services District and David Phommavong, the father of the child in the cover photo of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Mickey Fearn, who has been a park and recreation professional for more than 50 years, to discuss his extensive career in equity-related work.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Chris Mosier (he/him), a trailblazing athlete, coach and the founder of TransAthlete.com, to discuss transgender inclusion in sports and how park and recreation professionals can take action on more inclusive policies.

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The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “Mental Health Care in a Pandemic.”

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Today's episode of Open Space Radio is a bittersweet one, as we bid farewell to one of our co-hosts, Roxanne Sutton, before she embarks on a new adventure.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're replaying one of our Coffee Talks from last year's NRPA Virtual, when we were joined by Kenny Weigandt from Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Oregon,  and John DiSpaldo, a regional preparedness liaison for FEMA, to discuss being prepared for disasters due to a changing climate.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're discussing how the Climate for Health Ambassador Training, taking place this June in partnership with Climate for Health, will benefit park and recreation professionals at all experience levels.

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On the May bonus episode of the podcast, we’re talking with Clement Lau, AICP, a departmental facilities planner for the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, about park and recreation planning with equity at the center.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Abby Hirsch, an athlete for Special Olympics Minnesota, to learn about her story and what inclusion and accessibility mean to her.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Dr. Samose Mays, the director of Bryan County Parks and Recreation and the Georgia Recreation and Park Association district two commissioner, to learn more about his story of adversity, resilience and how parks and recreation saved his life.

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The April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of the podcast, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s cover stories, “Protecting the Land and Its History.” We're joined by Sara Sinclair and Stephanie Lozano about the importance of land acknowledgment and amplifying Indigenous voices.

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We're two days away from the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and on today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Jesús Aguirre, NRPA board member and superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Allison Colman, NRPA's director of health, to discuss the impact the pandemic has had on parks and recreation.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking with the three women who created the "Women in Parks and Recreation” Facebook group, which is made up of more than 8,000 women working in the park and recreation profession.

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On the March bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Neelay Bhatt, vice president of PROS Consulting, and Roslyn Johnson, director of Baltimore County Recreation and Parks, to talk about TEDxCollegePark’s event, ‘An Equal Future,’ which is taking place virtually on March 19.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking with staff from Jefferson Memorial Forest and the Urban Conservation Corps at YouthBuild Louisville about the work they're doing to foster equity and address systemic racism in the outdoor spaces in their city.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're replaying one of our Coffee Talks from the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience (NRPA Virtual), "Park Equity and Racial Justice," featuring Glenn Harris of Race Forward and NRPA's Vice President of Education and Chief Equity Officer Autumn Saxton-Ross.

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On the February bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Michael Biedenstein, past chair of the NRPA Young Professional Network, and Hayley Herzing, NRPA’s senior member of membership, to talk about the inaugural 30 Under 30 program, which recognizes the 30 best and brightest park and recreation professionals under 30 years old.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by three teenagers who saw a need in their community for a safe, legal place to participate in their favorite activity - skateboarding. They took it upon themselves to start a grassroots movement to create a skatepark, and the results will inspire you!

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On our final episode of Open Space Radio of the year, we’re looking back at some of the conversations we’ve had on the podcast, discussing the lessons we’ve learned, and looking ahead at some of our hopes and goals for 2021.

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On the January bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re replaying the full session of our “Emerging Trends in Parks and Recreation” Coffee Talk from the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience (NRPA Virtual) this past October.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're discussing how the farmers markets are helping farmers earn fair prices for the fruits of their labor, increasing access to fresh, local produce for consumers, and helping communities regain a figurative “town square.”

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Jayni Rasmussen, the senior campaign representative for the Outdoors Alliance for Kids and Youth, or OAK, to talk about the Every Kid Outdoors park pass program.

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On this month's bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of the feature stories from the December issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, titled, “Biodiversity Lays the Pathway to Good Health.”

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're replaying one of our Coffee Talk sessions from NRPA Virtual, when we talked with Allison Colman, NRPA director of health, and Mercy Santoro, deputy director of Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, about the importance of community healing in the wake of trauma.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by NRPA’s Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy Elvis Cordova and NRPA’s Senior Government Affairs Manager Kyle Simpson, to talk about some of NRPA’s key legislative priorities, how you can get involved in our advocacy efforts, and you guessed it — the importance of voting!

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On this month's bonus episode of the podcast, we’re diving deeper into one of the feature stories from the November issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, titled, “A New Approach to Parks and Recreation System Planning," with David Barth, principal of Barth Associates.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by NRPA's Vice President of Education and Chief Equity Officer, Autumn Saxton-Ross, to learn more about her vision for NRPA and the field of parks and recreation when it comes to centering equity in all that we do.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Selema Masekela, best known for his work on the ESPN X Games, to talk about how sports like skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing are great outlets for physical activity, as well as tools for social connection and fostering creativity and self-expression.

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On this month's bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're having a conversation about racial equity with Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward and keynote speaker for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience (NRPA Virtual).

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On this episode of Open Space Radio — part two of our Great American Outdoors Act coverage — we talk with Senator Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), two of our Congressional champions who helped pass this historic legislation.

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In part one of our Great American Outdoors Act double-header episodes of Open Space Radio, we're talking with Allegra “Happy” Haynes, the executive director of parks and recreation for the City and County of Denver, about what full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund means for her community and the country.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating our birthday! We started Open Space Radio a little over three years ago, and while many of you may have heard us talk about the early days of finding our podcasting groove, we like to invite you — our listeners — in every once in a while to reflect back on some of our favorite Open Space Radio moments.

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On this bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re talking with Roslyn Johnson, director of Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, about the challenges of starting a new role with a new department just before COVID-19, supporting her community during tough times and the ongoing need for true equity in parks.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking with the creator of the BioBlitz and Wildlife Biologist for Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, Sam Droege, as well as Brett Johnson, an Urban Biologist for the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, about how a BioBlitz event can help educate your community and inform staff who manage parks and public lands.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re speaking with NRPA President and CEO Kristine Stratton about what NRPA wants to achieve in the months and years ahead and how we’re going to get there.

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On this bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're diving deeper into one of the features of the August issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, "Restoring Nature's Playground."

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On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re thrilled to be joined by Dr. Kim and Claude Walker — the founders of the Nashville-based Abundant Life Adventure Club.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we hear from some of our Instagram followers to learn about some of the creative ways park and recreation professionals are safely engaging the people they serve.

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The July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into the cover story, “Celebrating YOU This July” and talking all things Park and Recreation Month.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Pattie Roberts, deputy director of City of Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department, who shares about losing her son to a heroin overdose and how it pushed her to speak up about the stigma of substance use disorder in her community.

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As part of the #podcastblackout, we stand firmly with all who seek justice and reform for senseless acts of racism and violence and are using our platform to protest the tragic killing of Black people and people of color across the country.

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On this month’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we talk with AP Diaz, Executive Officer & Chief of Staff at L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks, about how he and his staff are supporting people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Tim Herd, CEO of the Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society, to talk about two very important upcoming celebrations: Park and Recreation Professionals Day and Park and Recreation Month.

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On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Mary Elise Conzelmann and Sean Fitzpatrick, two inspiring students who are pursuing their degrees in fields related to parks and recreation and will be graduating this year.

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On this month’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we talk with three park and recreation leaders from the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., about their collaborative response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how they’ve navigated the tough decisions they’ve had to make.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by three dedicated and creative staff members of the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department in Ohio to talk about the virtual Earth Day celebrations they have planned so their community can safely learn more about the environment around them and how to protect it.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, to talk about how his agency had to get creative in order to bring Golden Gate Park's 150th birthday celebration to people virtually.

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The April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on this bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into the feature article, “Can Parks Help Save Fireflies?”

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss how park and recreation professionals are serving as mentors and the one caring adult for children who experience adversity and trauma in their households or community.

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On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by three park and recreation leaders from across the country who are actively addressing issues related to the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

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On this bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re talking with Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway, about the Chouteau Greenway in St. Louis — a $250 million greenway development project that spans 15 miles and 20 neighborhoods, with the goal of connecting communities and unifying different populations.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Angelou Ezeilo, founder and CEO of Greening Youth Foundation, about her lifelong pursuit of inclusion and equity in conservation and environmental stewardship, and the need to cultivate the next generation of diverse environmental leaders.

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On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we sit down with Kristine Stratton, NRPA President and CEO, and Neelay Bhatt, Vice President at PROS Consulting Inc, to discuss their presentation at the Agents of Change Summit this week.

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What started as a way for Jessica to cope with her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s has turned into multiple programs and cross-department partnerships that are enriching an entire community and making it safer.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Jamie Sabbach, president and CEO of 110% Inc. and Amilia Consulting USA, about true courageous leadership and why it is so important to park and recreation professionals.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Julianne Mills of Disabled Sports USA to find out how they're improving the lives of wounded warriors, youth and adults with disabilities by providing sports and recreation opportunities.

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It's New Year's Eve, and on this episode of Open Space Radio, we're reflecting on the past year and sharing some of our resolutions and mantras that will keep us motivated in 2020.

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To kick off our monthly bonus episodes of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with Rich Dolesh, NRPA's Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and author of "Top Trends in Parks and Recreation 2020" - the highly anticipated article in the January issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with John Prue, Installation Program Director at Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR), Naval Station Great Lakes, and Wynn Cramer of Melrose Pyrotechnics about the things a park and recreation agency should consider when putting on a fireworks display.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with attendees at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to learn their park and recreation life hacks — the tips and techniques that help get them through their day-to-day work.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we sit down with Delano Hunter, director of D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, to find out about the innovative programs and partnerships that are helping them better serve all members of the D.C. community.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we talk with Sue Yerkes, Director of Grandview Parks & Recreation, about how some insightful kids in her family motivated her to advance in her career, as well as inspire others to do the same.

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We sat down with Molly Gallant and Bob Wall of Baltimore City Recreation and Parks at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to talk about the importance of outdoor recreation opportunities in urban environments.

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Since it’s our 50th episode of Open Space Radio and we’ve been reflecting on when we first started, we're using this episode to explore one of the questions we asked while we were in Baltimore at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference: What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

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Tune in on your way to Baltimore for the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to hear valuable insider tips on making the most of your time at conference, things that are new to the conference this year and the events that you won’t want to miss!

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Digital marketing can be a useful tool for park and recreation agencies that want to promote their programs, special events and other offerings to a broader audience, but it can be a little overwhelming if you don't know where to start.

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Today, we’re looking at intergenerational programming – what it is, how it’s working in the field and how it’s impacting those who participate in the programs.

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eSports, or video game competitions, isn’t new, but it is a growing trend. So much so that eSports is starting to make a space for itself in the world of parks and recreation.

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Sometimes just taking that first step toward your own professional development seems like a daunting task – especially if you don’t know where to start.

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Working in parks and recreation regularly provides those deeply-satisfying laughs you can feel throughout your entire body. On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with a few folks about their funniest stories from the field.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we kicked off Park and Recreation Month with a conversation with SaulPaul, a musician with a message.

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On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with Keep Tennessee Beautiful and Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful about how they're playing their part to clean up cigarette butt litter in their state.

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In celebration of Pride Month, we're talking about LGBTQ+ inclusion in parks and recreation on the latest episode of Open Space Radio with Jason Shriner, marketing manager for the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we have an inspiring conversation with 2012 Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Jennifer French, and Greenfields Outdoor Fitness CEO, Sam Mendelsohn.

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We're taking a deeper dive into some of the questions we received during a recent webinar alongside our friend, colleague and NRPA’s Senior Manager of Public Relations, Heather Williams.

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On this episode, we’re chatting with Barbara Tulipane, NRPA’s president and CEO, about the incredible 11 years she has spent helping transform NRPA into what it is today. But we can’t help being saddened that we’re having this discussion because of her upcoming retirement in June.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're speaking with Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom about how staff meetings don't have to be a waste of valuable time and can be places where amazing ideas are born.

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In today’s episode, we take a moment to celebrate five years of Commit to Health and how we're making an impact nationwide.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking about one of NRPA’s top trends in parks and recreation for 2019 that is causing quite a stir.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, Mark Foote joins us to discuss the real need for parks and recreation to adapt to younger generations in order to attract and retain staff.

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ABC Park in Baltimore, Maryland, is the site of our 2019 Parks Build Community project, but Derwin Hannah has been caring for the park as a volunteer for more than 17 years.

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In this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Ed McMahon, the senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute, about the importance of placemaking and why developers should invest in parks and open space.

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Even though parks and open space are vital to every community, many parks are being converted to non-park uses. In some cases, the conversions of these parks are for other valuable public purposes, such as schools or roads, but the net effect is the same — the parks are lost.

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On our 25th episode, we asked you to let us know some of the things that you deal with in your career in parks and recreation that really annoy you, and you answered the call.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we talk about how our public built environments impact health behaviors such as physical activity and recreation, and the environment where we spend most of our time, such as work, school and sleep, has an effect on our leisure time physical activity.

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In this episode of Open Space Radio, we caught up with Becky Dunlap from the "Becky Talks Parks" podcast at the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference.

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In this episode, we chat about why universal recreation is important and how it can improve all aspects of parks and recreation.

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To celebrate the 25th episode of Open Space Radio, we're discussing the things we love about park and recreation professionals.

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Unstructured, hands-on, risk play is making a comeback, and it can teach kids lessons and skills that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.

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Peter Kageyama, one of the keynote speakers at the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference, discusses why he loves parks.

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July is Park and Recreation Month! On this episode, we chat with the Waukegan Park District in Illinois about how they're celebrating and all the great events they have planned.

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As one of the largest providers of meals during out-of-school times, park and recreation agencies are making significant impacts in their communities.

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In this episode, we speak with Mr. Joe Trevino, a 93-year-old veteran, and Irma Yepez-Perez, a Senior Management Analyst at the City of Fresno PARCS department.

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The story about a baby owl who fell from its nest and, after the heroic acts of Ted Mattingly, NRPA's resident hero and Director of Facilities and Administrative Services, was returned to safety.

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We asked kids to design their dream park at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, and you're going to want to hear about some of these creations!

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In this episode, we're taking a look at public interest and attitudes toward digital solutions for park and recreation services.

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, yet it is largely preventable by taking certain steps.

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A shift in how people are getting around cities could mean a change in the future of land use in urban areas.

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San Francisco is the first and only city in the nation where 100 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park.

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Reno is aiming to be a leader in outdoor recreation in order to attract new business and improve overall quality of life.

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How a 9-year-old is saving pollinators with an app, a board game and endless enthusiasm.

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In today’s episode, we chat with Ava DeBovis and Daniel Hatcher from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to bust some out-of-school time myths.

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On October 10, 2017, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) came together to launch a campaign called 10-Minute Walk.

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Difficult conversations can lead to great opportunities to learn and grow.

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In this third and final installment of our series on drones in parks, we speak with Rich Dolesh, NRPA’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives on the future of drones in parks.

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In this episode of Open Space Radio, we continue our three-part series on drones in parks. In the second segment, I speak with Evie Kirkwood, Director of St. Joseph County Parks in Indiana.

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Part one of a three-part series to tackle this topic by interviewing experts in the field with three different perspectives.

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This week we’re discussing what’s been on top of all of our minds over the past week or so — hurricane Harvey and the devastating destruction it’s wrought on Texas, Louisiana and the Gulf Shore.

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For the first time in 26 years, all of the US will be treated to some form of an eclipse on Monday, August 21, with a large portion being able to view a total eclipse.

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NRPA staff members share their opinions about a recent Wall Street Journal article that explores how Americans are staying put even though moving might bring them more opportunity.

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Today’s episode covers three trending topics that have been in the news lately — Pokémon Go and augmented reality games in parks, recreation fees for public land use and cool streets.

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Today’s episode is a cool topic — literally and figuratively — we’re talking about the world’s first ultra-accessible waterpark: Morgan’s Inspiration Island.

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