More than 7,100 people heeded the call to meet NRPA in St. Louis for the 2016 Annual Conference, and the atmosphere was electric. There was a palpable feeling of pride in what it means to be a park and recreation professional during the four-day event, and an eagerness to share and soak up the most knowledge and fun as humanly possible.
From preparing to take the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) exam to participating in accreditation and leadership training, various hands-on workshops or Off-Site Institutes that explored the host city, attendees who came a few days early got right down to the business of learning from and networking with each other. As one attendee explained, “This is the conference to go to if you are looking to invest not only into your organization, but also yourself as a recreation professional.”
Several new features kept things exciting even for the most experienced conference-goer. In addition to the lecture-style format, education was offered in a variety of ways to suit every learning style: speed sessions, mobile and creativity workshops, a Learning Playground and Glass Room sessions that dealt with cutting-edge issues facing agencies nationwide. Attendees got their steps in and workout on with opportunities to participate in golf, yoga, a 5K run/walk and traversing the large exhibit hall, filled with a wide variety of the latest in industry-related products and services.
The annual Student Challenge Bowl was reimagined as an Amazing Race-style challenge. Several teams of three were tested both mentally, on their knowledge of parks, recreation and tourism, and physically as they navigated their way around St. Louis’ renowned Forest Park. The south entrance of the St. Louis Zoo, housed within the park, was the finish line, and the Texas A&M “Aggie’s Rep 2” team was the first across. They were followed closely by the “Rec-sperts,” a mixed team of students from Texas State University and the University of Illinois, and “Team Hotty” from the University of Mississippi. The culmination of this challenge was the kickoff to the NRPA Opening Reception where, on a beautiful fall evening, attendees took a walk on the wild side.
On Thursday, October 6, during the General Session, outgoing NRPA Chair, Susan Trautman, CPRP, director of Great Rivers Greenway District and this year’s Conference host, passed the leadership reins to Stephen Eckelberry, director of Illinois’s Bartlett Park District, who she described as the biggest “Park and Rec Kid” of all. Just a few moments earlier, she shared a Park and Rec Kid video, showcasing the various ways parks and recreation impacts the lives of community members. Click here to view the video, produced by the North Miami Beach Department of Parks and Recreation.
That theme resonated in the remarks of NRPA President and CEO Barbara Tulipane, who challenged all in attendance to act as leaders and to work together to change communities for the better. Doing so, she added, requires us to meet people where they are by “reaching out and getting to know the pulse and needs of each community member. Don’t make your residents fit into what you’re doing,” she enjoined. “Fit into their lives.”
Following an inspiring presentation from Dr. Scott Sampson, dinosaur paleontologist, author and host of the Emmy-nominated PBS KIDS series “Dinosaur Train,” Rebecca Benná, president of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, took to the stage as emcee for the eagerly awaited Gold Medal Award Ceremony. And, it was time to recognize and celebrate those agencies that, during the course of the past year, had done outstanding work.
With the conclusion of the formal program, attendees quickly turned their attention to what lay behind the exhibit hall doors. As the doors opened, they surged forward, eager to experience and learn about the latest technology, equipment and services the more than 400 vendors had to offer. “I was excited to see the expanse of products and services represented in the exhibit hall,” said Bonnie Richardson, architect/urban planner for the city of Tempe, Arizona. Sue Rich, citizen/commissioner for the city of Olivette Parks and Recreation in Missouri agreed: “The opportunity to see a vast array of products in the exhibit hall was fantastic! Well worth the time and money to talk directly to vendors and compare products.”
Here, in the NRPA booth, attendees could also get information about the new Park Path — Park Finder App, offered by NRPA. This completely free app is currently under development and is designed to help users easily discover and access the activities, programs, events and amenities at their local park and recreation centers. Volunteers are needed serve as app testers, share their feedback and provide park data to test.
Other activity on the show floor included extreme sports demos, interactive sessions in the Learning Lab, Glass Room and Learning Playground, prizes and cash giveaways and the ever-popular Exhibitor Hosted Happy Hour. One of the hottest items this year was the limited-edition NRPA Build-A-Bear, which seemed to awaken the kid in everyone. The bears were a great Conference memento since the first Build-A-Bear store opened at the Saint Louis Galleria in 1997.
With so much learning, networking and fun to be had, the time flew by, and soon, attendees were gathering for the Closing General Session, where they’d learn what the closely guarded surprise ending entailed. Energized by a presentation from Charlie Todd, founder of Improv Everywhere and author of Causing a Scene, attendees headed to a nearby park for a silent dance party, with music provided by Headphone Disco — the Silent Party People. It was, as Madeline Torrez noted, a “great way to end the Conference.” But, it wasn’t the end. That would come the next day, Saturday, October 8, with the opening of the Parks Build Community Trojan Park in Wellston.
Each year, in an underserved community in the Conference host city, NRPA partners with a number of sponsors to either build or renovate a playground. Thanks to the support of Great Rivers Greenway, the city of Wellston, and generous sponsors, a vacant lot was transformed into a vibrant community park. It’s called Trojan Park in honor of the mascot of the community’s only high school that closed several years ago. But, Trojan pride runs deep in this community, and a large number of community members, the young and young at heart, turned out to celebrate this state-of-the-art playground.
You can read more about Trojan Park in next month’s Parks & Recreation issue, but this event was the best possible way to end the 2016 Conference. Against a backdrop of blue skies and sunshine, punctuated with the sounds of community members’ laughing and catching up with each other, and kids having fun on the playground and basketball court, the reasons you, park and recreation professionals, do what you do were evident.
Planning is already underway for next year’s Conference, so if you have a great idea for an education session you’d like to present, submit it online. You have until November 18 to submit session proposals. And, before you forget, mark these dates on your calendar — September 26-28, 2017 — and make plans to join us in New Orleans!