Parks and Recreation Magazine | National Recreation and Park Association

Features

Time to Play!

See how the community, as well as several dignitaries, celebrated the dedication of Catherine Street Park, this year’s Parks Build Community project.

The Importance of Parks

They literally save lives. Read about this and other inspirational stories shared during the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore.

NRPA’s Dolesh Receives 2019 Pugsley Medal

Richard J. Dolesh, NRPA’s VP of Strategic Initiatives, is honored with a Pugsley Medal for his many years of dedication to and leadership in the field of parks and recreation.

How Parks and Recreation Can Support Mental Health Initiatives

Learn about some of the ways park and recreation agencies are working with mental health experts to provide programs and services for individuals in need.

Perspectives

Tackling the challenge of building a truly inclusive parks movement can feel quite daunting, but there are seven critical questions that can help generate ideas and creative thinking around any challenge.

Editors Letter

Telling Our Stories

Publishing editorial director, Gina Cohen, reflects on the November issue of Parks & Recreation.

2019 November Research NRPA Park Metrics Replaces Outdated NRPA Areas and Facilities Standards 410

Research

NRPA Park Metrics Replaces NRPA Areas and Facilities Standards

NRPA Park Metrics is the most comprehensive source of data benchmarks and insights for park and recreation agencies.

Research

Are Local Parks a Popular Spot for People of All Ages to Volunteer?

Learn what the top three volunteer activities are in local parks.

Member to Member

The Fit2Lead Program

This program, spearheaded by Miami-Dade County Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, has seen great results in reducing youth violence in the community.

Advocacy

NRPA Capitol Hill Day

In some 50 meetings in just three hours, some 50 conference attendees advocated on Capitol Hill on behalf of park and recreation on several priorities.

Law Review

ADA Accommodation Claim by Terminated Recreation Employee

In this case, the defendant claimed that the plaintiff was “unable to perform the essential function of leading recreation programs.”

Health and Wellness

Parks and Recreation as Community Health and Wellness Hubs

Local park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to serve as health and wellness hubs in communities across the country.

Conservation

Henrietta Lacks Park Inspires Bright Future for Baltimore Community

With the help of NRPA’s Great Urban Parks Grant, the green infrastructure transformation of Henrietta Lacks Education Park in Baltimore is inspiring community involvement in parks and recreation.

Social Equity

A Rising Tide: Social Equity in Baltimore's Parks

The Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks and other city agencies are working to establish goals and metrics to ensure all residents have access to similar resources throughout the city.

2019 November NRPAUpdate CAPRA Fort Collins 410

NRPA Update

CAPRA: A Tangible Guidepost for the City of Fort Collins

Fort Collins used the CAPRA Accreditation process strategically as a roadmap to examine, assess and improve its operations.

2019 November NRPAUpdate CAPRA Accreditation 410

NRPA Update

Announcing the Newly Accredited and Reaccredited CAPRA Agencies

These agencies have earned this national accreditation for park and recreation agencies — a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community.

2019 November NRPAUpdate 2019 Gold Medal 410

NRPA Update

Congratulations to the 2019 Gold Medal Award Winners

And remember, it’s never too early to start gathering the information needed to apply for the 2020 Gold Medal Awards!

2019 November NRPAUpdate Product Spotlight 410

NRPA Update

NRPA's New Product Spotlight Video Series

This new video series tells the story behind the design and development of some of the newest park and recreation products. Discover what makes these products unique.

2019 November NRPAUpdate Sustainability Institute 410

NRPA Update

Introducing the Sustainability Institute

NRPA, in conjunction with Oglebay’s National Training Center and North Carolina State University, introduces this new one-year school to teach students how to create a sustainability plan for agencies.