The Value of Parks & Recreation Redux

I ran across this and felt it worthy of passing on. It was produced by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA).

By Richard J. Dolesh, Monica Hobbs

Vinluan and Michael Phillips

Public parks and recreation offers countless value to our citizens and to our country. As advocates and supporters of parks and recreation who live these values every day, we may sometimes take the uncounted benefits of parks and recreation for granted. So we don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees, every once in awhile it is useful to remind ourselves of these basic values and reaffirm their essential worth.

The following “top 10” list of park and recreation values is in no particular order; rather, it encompasses the range of why we collectively believe that public parks and recreation is an essential part of our national heritage:

1. Public parks provide millions of Americans with the opportunity to be physically active.

2. Parks have true economic benefits.

3. Parks provide vital green space in a fast-developing American landscape, and provide vegetative buffers to construction and development, thus reducing the effects of sprawl.

4. Parks preserve critical wildlife habitat.

5. Parks and recreation facilitate social interactions that are critical to maintaining community cohesion and pride.

6. Leisure activities in parks improve moods, reduce stress and enhance a sense of wellness.

7. Recreational programs provide organized, structured, enjoyable activities for all ages.

8. Community recreation services provide a refuge of safety for at-risk youth.

9. Therapeutic recreation is an outlet that individuals with disabilities have to be physically active, socially engaged and cognitively stimulated.

10. Public parks embody the American tradition of preserving public lands for the benefit and use of all.

Contact NRPA for more information.