Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s Post

In 2022, stakeholders in the Illinois River Watershed came together with a shared mission: to develop a comprehensive master plan that evaluates both conservation and recreation opportunities along the Upper Illinois River and Osage Creek, in response to the growing recreational pressures on these waterways. The vision? To create a cohesive network of public access sites that allow both residents and visitors to enjoy the Upper Illinois River and its tributaries in a safe, family-friendly environment, while protecting natural resources and respecting private property. The Upper Illinois River Recreation Master Plan was created to bring this vision to life. Key elements of the plan: - Assess the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) Zones from Primitive to Developed that consider ecological sensitivity and recreational impacts; - Identify and prioritize opportunities and constraints at each existing access and potential access site with recommendations for improvement; - Make site-specific recommendations on four criteria that include access, signage, operational, and management that support desirable conditions; and - Develop general recreation-focused recommendations that could improve ecological conservation, visitor use management & partnerships, permit regulations & river safety, and policy & regulatory environment. To read the full plan, go to https://lnkd.in/gSyeUKV4

Parks and recreation play a vital role in our communities, enriching lives and providing essential services. The 2024 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Agency Performance Review highlights the impact of these services. In national standards, each park serves approximately 2,386 residents, with 10.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. As one of only 204 agencies in the nation, the North Port Parks & Recreation Department is CAPRA accredited through NRPA, showcasing its commitment to excellence. The NRPA's data reveals that 25.2 percent of agencies offer summer camps, demonstrating a strong community engagement effort as we do here in North Port. Nationally Parks & Recreation agencies average 8.9 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees per 10,000 residents and 46 percent of full-time staff dedicated to operations and maintenance, to ensure the smooth functioning and upkeep of their facilities. North Port being a finalist for the NRPA Gold Medal award this year underscores the city's commitment to providing exceptional parks and recreation services. Parks and recreation are key determinants for people choosing where to live, highlighting their economic and social value. By leveraging this data and benchmarking their performance, North Port continues to enhance the well-being of residents and drive positive change in their areas. 🔗 To read the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review, click here: https://loom.ly/uZrSJ60 #NRPA #ParksandRec #CommunityWellBeing

The National Park Foundation is excited to invest $2.2 million in grants to affinity groups to build lifelong relationships with national parks. Everyone should be able to fully experience the benefits of the outdoors. The 62 projects selected for funding this year span 59 parks and focus on representation, accessibility, and interpretation – all things that leaders in outdoor recreation and equity spaces identify as barriers for communities that have been historically excluded from parks. https://lnkd.in/eQceMF-E

How do we as outdoor advocates for everything from conservation, recreation use, infrastructure building and maintenance, along with our land managers and recreation managers adopt a user centered, or at least incorporate a user centered approach vs. our continued institutional centered approach? Are we forgoing easy wins in engagement, funding, and expanded experience at the expense of hewing too closely to outdated stories that were created for far fewer users in the outdoors? And when do we need to prioritize the institutions vs. the users for fear of losing priority or not doing enough of any one thing? Seemingly, this is a fundamental problem facing many, many institutions at the moment not just the outdoors.

Join Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation for a Free Webinar: 2023 — A Tremendous Year for Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Industry! December 11, 2024 • 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM. Register for this online/virtual event here: https://lnkd.in/eF9kwBbz New data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry saw tremendous growth in 2023. In this webinar, the Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation will review the new data and provide context about what it means for the Commonwealth. In addition, several outdoor recreation industry stakeholders will provide insight into what they are experiencing and how an effort to grow a unified and active outdoor recreation industry will provide more opportunity to make Pennsylvania a national leader in outdoor recreation, entrepreneurial opportunity, and job creation. 

The three Ps of inclusion in parks and recreation are - Philosophy, Policy, and Practice.

Parks and Recreation

🌿 Exciting News Alert! 🌿 Thrilled to share a heartening development in the realm of conservation and diversity! Recently, a groundbreaking workshop on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the outdoors brought together an array of passionate individuals from esteemed organizations including Missouri River Relief, Missouri Stream Team, Missouri Master Naturalists, Missouri River Bird Observatory, Missouri Conservation Corps, Boone County Stormwater Management, and the Columbia Office of Sustainability. This workshop marked a significant milestone as it was the first time these local conservation groups united to engage in discussions about DEI in outdoor spaces. The event underscored the pressing need to address disparities that persist in conservation, a sector where diversity and inclusion are crucial for meaningful impact. As highlighted in a recent news article, the workshop shed light on stark realities such as the "green ceiling" phenomenon, with only 12% to 16% of minorities holding leadership roles in environmental organizations, and disparities in National Park Service visitation and employment. During the workshop's small group discussions, participants delved into the root causes behind these disparities, exploring concepts like adherence to outdated norms, resistance to change, financial barriers, and the pervasive influence of institutional racism. This collaborative effort among diverse conservation stakeholders exemplifies the power of coming together to confront systemic challenges and drive positive change. It serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for fostering a more inclusive and equitable future in conservation. Kudos to all involved in this transformative initiative! Let's continue championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in every facet of our work for a more sustainable and just world. #DiversityInConservation #EquityInNature #InclusiveOutdoors #ConservationLeadership #DiversityJointVenture

As Taylor evolves, so do the challenges we face: from housing and homelessness to economic opportunity and cultural preservation. Haunted Texas Theme Park is more than just a business; it’s a project rooted in social impact and driven by the needs of our community. With a focus on historic preservation, sustainable entertainment, and community-first initiatives, this development seeks to address some of the most pressing issues we face in Taylor today, such as: 1. Homelessness and Poverty Relief: The park is designed to generate revenue that can be reinvested in our community, specifically to support programs aimed at ending homelessness in Taylor. By partnering with local nonprofits and organizations, such as Mobile Loaves & Fishes, we can create jobs, provide emergency and affordable housing options, and offer support systems to uplift the most vulnerable among us. 2. Job Creation and Career Development: With Haunted Texas Theme Park, we envision hundreds of local jobs, ranging from hospitality and event management to technical roles in maintenance and operations. These jobs would prioritize Taylor residents, ensuring that our community benefits directly from this influx of opportunities. Additionally, we plan to incorporate skills training, internships, and career development programs in partnership with local schools and workforce agencies. 3. Economic Growth that Benefits Everyone: As businesses move into Williamson County, Haunted Texas Theme Park can serve as an anchor destination that drives tourism, promotes small business partnerships, and boosts our local economy. Our planned events, retail spaces, and collaborative initiatives with local vendors will ensure that Taylor's charm and character are integral parts of this growth. 4. Preserving Our Unique Heritage: Haunted Texas Theme Park and the USA History Preservation Project are built around preserving Texas' rich history, particularly the unique stories that define communities like Taylor. Through historical reenactments, educational programming, and storytelling, our park will celebrate our past while inspiring future generations to take pride in our town’s roots. 5. Sustainability as a Core Value: Recognizing the environmental challenges we face, Haunted Texas Theme Park is committed to green building practices, renewable energy integration, and sustainable business operations. Our project aligns with the goals of a sustainable Silicon Valley, not only by attracting economic investment but by ensuring that development is responsible, thoughtful, and beneficial to the environment. https://lnkd.in/gyehwZGr #TaylorTX #CommunityFirst #EndHomelessness #HauntedTexasThemePark #SustainableGrowth #EconomicDevelopment

Challenge Tuesday: Claiming Space and embracing impermanence - feat. rat holes and pavement fish. Cultures want to make their spaces their own. But because creativity doesn't fit into red tape, legal constraints, and process thinking - we tend to stop them. Recently Brooklyn's fire hydrant goldfish pond was paved over. Chicago lost its Rat hole sidewalk. We can argue that the goal of these was to bring focus to the failures of city maintenance. But that aside, in general, people like to make their spaces their own. And it's a culture truth that if we let them they own more, engage more and advocate more. It's true of sidewalks, but it's true of everything. From experiences to brands and to pretty much everything. Build in some art space, allow for 10% chaos and embrace the weird. Then let it happen again. https://lnkd.in/dD_k7AaB