NACPRO News

February 13, 2024

Welcome to our community
Ask the membership
From our sponsors
Member news

News & Resources
Training
Job openings
How to contribute

Mr. Maurice McDowell, Director
Augusta Recreation and Parks
Augusta, Georgia

Do you have a point of sale and reservation system for your department?

RJ Cardin from Maricopa County Parks & Recreation in Arizona is preparing a request for proposals for a POS and reservation system. He is gathering information from other park districts with similar systems.

We realized that this information could be useful to other park districts researching the options for POS and reservation system vendors. Survey data will be shared with members. 

If you have a POS and reservation system, please complete the short survey by February 29.

Survey: https://nacpro.memberclicks.net/pos-reservation-system-vendors

Seeking Advice on the Bureaucratic Structure of Park and Recreation Departments

Harris County, Texas is seeking best practices for the bureaucratic structure of park departments. A recent internal assessment highlighted that many of our parks are underutilized. This coincided with the departure of some park and operation staff members, presenting us an opportunity to reevaluate our approach.

We want to learn from other districts to inform our decision-making process. We believe that improving our park structure would enable a visionary park executive to enhance the overall effectiveness of Precinct One's Park and Recreation operations.

1. We are exploring the various ways that other park districts have structured their departments. What are the pros and cons of separating park and recreation operations into distinct departments versus consolidating them under a single department. 

2. What are the most effective types of executive roles (Superintendent, Director, etc.). What has and hasn't worked for other departments?

Respond to: 
Heeral McGhee, Policy Advisor
Harris County Precinct One
[email protected]
Mobile: (832) 870-9371

Got an issue you need advice on? Tap into our collective experience. Send your question and some background to the editor and we will include it in the next NACPRO News 

BOGO-50: Campfire Rings
Courtesy of Pilot Rock

Buy One, Get One Half Price on ANY campfire ring during the month of February. Every series of campfire rings, every style of campfire ring - this sales event includes them ALL.

But hurry, this deal ends February 29, 2024.

Read more:
https://www.pilotrock.com/bogo50-campfire-rings

Lake County Forest Preserves Garners Coveted Awards
Courtesy of Lake County Forest Preserves

ILLINOIS - The Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) and Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) recognized the outstanding contributions of the Lake County Forest Preserves with four esteemed awards for excellence in public communications and design.

The Forest Preserves secured second place in the top Overall Agency Showcase category. This acknowledgment encompassed the entire spectrum of print, digital and social media materials submitted. The team also earned:

1st Place: Brochure–for Horizons magazine.
2nd Place: Marketing Campaign–for the 25th anniversary of Hike Lake County.
3rd Place: Social Media Campaign–for promotion of the Beer Garden at Independence Grove.

Read more:
https://www.lcfpd.org/coveted-awards/

Three Charleston County Parks are now Certified Sensory Inclusive Venues
Courtesy of CHStoday

By Erika Grimes

SOUTH CAROLINA - Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant, Wannamaker County Park in North Charleston, and James Island Park are now Certified Sensory Inclusive Venues after the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission partnered with Kulture City, a national nonprofit working on sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities. 

Read more:
https://chstoday.6amcity.com/travel-and-outdoors/three-charleston-county-parks-certified-sensory-inclusive-venues

Planting a Sustainable Future at Trueheart Ranch Nature Park
Courtesy of NRPA

By Austin Barrett and Miriam Lamoreaux 

TEXAS - Trueheart Ranch is a 351-acre historic property along the San Antonio River. It’s a place where cattle once grazed, a pecan orchard faithfully produced thousands of the heralded Texas state nut, and it is home to a historic acequia (linear irrigation ditch) which carried water pumped from the San Antonio River throughout the ranch. Under The River Authority’s care since 2014, the property is being revitalized to provide a variety of nature-based recreation opportunities. 

The group was a mix of community volunteers, staff from The River Authority, employees from local Bobcat Company dealerships and National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) staff members.  

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/blog/planting-a-sustainable-future-at-trueheart-ranch-nature-park/

More needs to be done to make Fairfax Co. parks, rec programs accessible to all residents, study finds
Courtesy of wtop.com

By Mike Murillo

VIRGINIA - Parks and recreation programming in Fairfax County, Virginia, are not financially accessible to all its residents. That’s according to a new study which looked at equity in parks and recreation.

The study commissioned by the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) investigated how services, including park access and programs, were offered and compared those results to other municipalities.

It found that the authority’s budget relies totally on fees and charges users to pay for what it does. “These high fees make programs unaffordable and therefore inaccessible to a large portion of your population,” said Stan Wall, managing partner at HR&A, the urban development consulting firm that conducted the study.

Read more:
https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2024/01/study-shows-more-needs-to-be-done-to-make-fairfax-county-park-authority-services-accessible-to-all-residents/

Celebrating Lunar New Year at Parks and Gardens
Courtesy of NRPA

By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP

CALIFORNIA - Park and recreation agencies play a pivotal role in celebrating and promoting cultural diversity. Specifically, park agencies serve as facilitators and promoters of cultural diversity by actively engaging with communities, organizing inclusive events, providing educational resources and creating environments that celebrate the richness of various traditions. Through these efforts, we contribute to creating more harmonious, connected and culturally aware societies.

In 2023, Los Angeles County DPR celebrated Lunar New Year for the very first time at county parks with performances, arts and culture, crafts, food tastings and other activities. This February, South Coast Botanic Garden is bringing back its Lunar New Year Celebration for a second year. The garden’s winter blooms and green foliage provide a picture-perfect backdrop to usher in the Year of the Dragon, complete with red lanterns and festive activities. Every Saturday and Sunday in February, the garden will host shows featuring various performances including lion dancers, folk dancers and drummers.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/blog/celebrating-lunar-new-year-at-parks-and-gardens/

NRPA Accepting Nominations for the Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award

The Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award is presented to an individual who has shown qualities and skills needed to attain positions of leadership in the field of parks and recreation through their contributions to advancing the field, their creativity in creating or managing programs, and their participation in professional organizations, such as NRPA.

Applications are due March 29

For more information:  
https://nrpa-awards.secure-platform.com/a/page/spotlight-awards/crawford-young-professional-award

Breaking down barriers to increase diversity in mountain biking
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business Plus

By Hugh Garbrick

MARYLAND - The path to mountain biking is distant to some though. Real barriers, besides the will to ride, prevent some bikers in economically underserved communities from participating. There are intersecting reasons for this, but essentially, the sport as it exists today is not diverse. 

Montgomery Parks staff developed the Trail Ambassador Program, a two-week pilot for teenagers from disadvantaged and underserved communities, centered around Montgomery Parks trails, mountain biking, and trail maintenance. At the end of the program, each participant would receive a new mountain bike.

Read more:
https://www.prbplus.com/trail-ambassadors/

EXPLORE Act Passes House Natural Resources Committee
Courtesy of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent on January 17. This legislative milestone underscores the momentum the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and industry partners have built over the past few years to advance bipartisan policies that improve access and transform outdoor recreation opportunities for everyone.  

The EXPLORE Act is the first-ever outdoor recreation-specific bill package and does not cost taxpayer dollars. It will boost local and national economies, give more Americans—especially those in underserved areas—greater access to green spaces and public lands and waters, while also modernizing policies and procedures to support the recreation businesses that connect people to outdoor experiences. The EXPLORE Act is a companion to a similar package passed in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year, America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA).  

Read more:
https://recreationroundtable.org/news/congress-closes-in-on-historic-bipartisan-outdoor-recreation-package/

DNR grant to fund salamander tunnels at Presque Isle Park
Courtesy of the Daily Press

MICHIGAN - The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy (SWP), in cooperation with the City of Marquette, was recently awarded a Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat grant totaling over $27,000 to install amphibian crossing tunnels inside Presque Isle Park specifically to help protect the Blue Spotted Salamander during their annual spring migration to adjacent wetland breeding grounds.

Read more:
https://www.dailypress.net/news/community/2024/01/dnr-grant-to-fund-salamander-tunnels-at-presque-isle-park/

Better Stormwater Management
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business Plus

By Jefferey Spivey

“This is place-based work,” says Gideon Berger, Program Director for City Parks Alliance. “The opportunities and the challenges are always dictated by the natural environment itself, first and foremost.” There are other issues to consider like land ownership, budgets, and partnerships. But ultimately, it’s the location. 

He says there was an aggressive push toward green infrastructure as the only solution, with no concrete involved. However, with worsening rainfall patterns, he says that green solutions alone can’t do the job.

Read more:
https://www.prbplus.com/drowning-in-water-challenges/

’Snow-bot’ keeps sidewalks clear at county library
Courtesy of NACo

By Meredith Moran

COLORADO - The Arapahoe County library system is enlisting the help of a self-driving snow removal robot to clear out ice and snow to keep the library open and accessible to the public throughout the winter months. 

The snow-removal robot company is working to create specialized extensions for the library’s needs, including making sure the machine can go up and down stairs and have additional battery packs so that it can function for an extended amount of time.

Read more:
https://www.naco.org/news/snow-bot-keeps-sidewalks-clear-county-library

Webinar: Advancing Trails to Support Multimodal Networks and Resilient Infrastructure
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

Date: February 28, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET
Cost: Free
Organization: Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)

In many communities, trails are a critical component of multimodal transportation networks that support opportunities for safe, accessible, equitable, and comfortable active transportation. A 2022 info brief from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) documented numerous benefits of connected trail networks and presented strategies for planning and developing trail networks that prioritize health, equity, and climate resilience.

The recent Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Trails as Resilient Infrastructure Guidebook addresses the relationship between trails, climate change, and emergency response. Panelists will share the latest research on the role that trails play in multimodal transportation systems and focus attention on the ability of trails to help address climate change by serving as resilient infrastructure. Following their presentations, panelists will participate in a facilitated discussion and respond to questions from audience members.

For more information:
https://unc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9mH6XD71Qpix6XjuAX-aLg#/registration

Active Living Conference
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

March 25-28, 2024 - Chattanooga, TN

The Active Living Conference (ALC) began in 2004 and is a venue for both cutting-edge research and for making findings usable by non-scientists. The conference brings together a diverse audience and provides networking and engagement opportunities for active living researchers and practitioners from many fields. Presentations and discussions focus on the importance of creating healthier communities for all people. 

The 2024 Active Living Conference theme is Play every Day – it’s the Multigenerational Healthy Way! This theme represents a broad approach to the understanding that play, in whatever form, is meaningful, and critical to good health. Creating playful opportunities for people of all ages and abilities is a fundamental component of active living. Building communities that integrate movement into daily routines and facilitate active travel, recreation, inclusion, and sport can make it easier for people to play every day.

For more information:
https://www.gpred.org/active-living-conference-2024/

IMBA Foundations Workshop
Courtesy of International Mountain Bicycling Association

April 16-18, 2024 - Bentonville, Arkansas

Foundations are two-day intensive workshops during which IMBA staff, trail industry experts and local stakeholders lead participants through the recipe for a model community trail system: planning, design, building, activation, promotion and measuring success. Attendees will also get a firsthand look at components of an intentional and diverse mountain bike trails community through field visits.

Individuals best-suited to attend the workshops are land managers, community officials, recreation professionals and tourism/economic development staff. In addition to helping you understand the benefits of trails and the experiences desired by mountain bikers, we will provide the knowledge you need to get started making great trails happen locally and help you identify the next steps needed to bring more trails to your own backyards.

Read more:
https://www.imba.com/foundations

Greater & Greener Registration is Now OPEN
Courtesy of the City Parks Alliance

June 21-25, 2024 - Seattle WA

Greater & Greener is the premier event for innovators and decision-makers from across the global urban parks community. It’s the only event dedicated to exploring the full potential of parks as city-building tools.

Join us in Seattle for an exciting mix of indoor sessions and outdoor experiences focusing on honest dialogues around solutions and cross-sector and peer-to-peer networking. You’ll take home strategies and tools for using parks to build more sustainable, vibrant, and equitable cities.

For more information: 
https://www.greatergreener.org/

NEW - Assistant Director of Parks
Travis County Parks
Austin, Texas
$90,000 - $115,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Mar 29, 2024

Assistant Director, Aquatics and Lakes
Los Angeles County Dept. of Parks & Recreation
Alhambra, California
$147,754 - $229,787 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Program Manager II - Interagency Projects
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$128,036 - $155,644 Annually
Application Deadline: Feb 16, 2024

Director of Parks and Recreation
Springfield-Greene County Park Board, Missouri
Compensation based on qualifications 
Application Deadline: Open until filled

For more information:
https://nacpro.mcjobboard.net/jobs

Got a vacancy to fill? 
NACPRO will post your vacancy on our website and email a copy to our mailing list of over 1100 parks and recreation professionals for a fee of $100 for NACPRO members and $200 for non-members.