Open Space Radio

On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking inclusion. And, in celebration of June being Pride Month, we're talking specifically about LGBTQ+ inclusion in parks and recreation. In our research about LGBTQ+ issues and parks and recreation, we came across a blog by Jason Shriner, the marketing manager for the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation right here in Virginia....

We have a lot of celebrations coming up this summer. Family Health and Fitness Day is this Saturday, June 8, Olympic Day is June 23, and the entire month of July is Park and Recreation Month! With all of these celebrations in mind, we wanted to highlight the ways in which parks and recreation are part of creating a culture of fitness, as well as making sure that everyone has access to fitness oppo...

This month, NRPA has been tackling all things related to marketing and communications. Our May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine was filled with articles and tips about branding your park and recreation agency , how to master Facebook ads , and the importance of raising awareness about the great work you do . We also hosted a webinar tackling the latest trends in media and public relations. We...

Today's episode is slightly bittersweet. The exciting part is that we're chatting with Barbara Tulipane, NRPA's president and CEO, about the incredible 11 years she has spent helping transform NRPA into what it is today. But we can't help being saddened that we're having this discussion because of her upcoming retirement in June. On this episode, we talk with Barbara about what she's learned durin...

I know you know this feeling. You're sitting at your desk, or out in the field, and you're really in the zone. You're on a deadline for something — and it's coming up — but the juices are flowing and your productivity is on high. Then it happens. That dreaded reminder pops up and tells you that in 15 minutes you' have to halt your momentum and go to another meeting. But, instead of looking at meet...

On today's episode, we're talking about playground design and how design that keeps a community's spirit in mind benefits the community as a whole. Our guest on the show is Todd Lehman, owner and "design guy" at Cre8Play. You may recognize Cre8Play from the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference, where they won Best in Show for their playground exhibit. Todd seemed to have a passion for play in his blood (hi...

Five years ago, NRPA launched Commit to Health – a program that would grow to positively impact 500,000 youth annually through healthier eating and increased physical activity. In today's episode, we take a moment to celebrate this monumental achievement and look back at where we started and where we're headed. Commit to Health is NRPA's program to implement healthy eating and physical activity (H...

On today's show, we're talking about one of NRPA's Top Trends in Parks and Recreation for 2019: The prediction that park and recreation recycling programs may soon end. We're joined by Brendan Daley, the Director of Strategy and Sustainability for the Chicago Park District, which is leading the way in recycling and other sustainability practices, and Rich Dolesh, NRPA's Vice President for Strategi...

On today's episode, we're talking about the need for parks and recreation to adapt to younger generations and a changing society. We're joined by Mark Foote, the aquatics superintendent for the City of Chandler Parks and Recreation in Arizona — who you may recognize from one of our past episodes, "What Are Your Park and Rec Pet Peeves?" Mark discusses why he thinks it's especially important in par...

When Derwin Hannah moved from South Carolina to Baltimore, Maryland, 22 years ago, he couldn't help but notice that things weren't the way they should be. He noticed that the kids were playing in the street and that the local park, ABC Park, was being overrun with criminal activity and not being cared for. Derwin, who grew up in a large family of 10, wanted the kids in this Baltimore community to...

In this episode we are talking about the case — or really the many, MANY cases — for open space. While it would take several libraries to thoroughly go through all the reasons why open space is important, we went to the expert on land use policy and economic development issues. Ed McMahon is the senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Ed is a sought after thought leader and autho...

On today's episode, we're talking about park conversions. In recent history, we've seen some pretty remarkable conversions of abandoned or unused commercial and industrial space — such as the internationally acclaimed High Line in New York City and The 606, a rails to trails conversion in Chicago — into vibrant public spaces. But the reverse is happening, too. Even though parks and open space are...

On today's episode, we're talking about pet peeves. We know how much passion you have for your communities and careers as park and recreation professionals, but we also know that there's always that one thing that continues to irk you. On our 25th episode, we asked you to let us know some of the things that you deal with in your career in parks and recreation that really annoy you, and you answere...

On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Aaron Hipp, an Associate Professor of Community Health and Sustainability at NC State University's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Aaron is currently conducting research on topics such as how, where, and why our public built environments impact health behaviors such as physical activity and recreation, and the effect o...

In this episode, we sit down with Becky Dunlap, a passionate park and recreation professional and advocate, to hear about how she ended up in a career in the field she loves so much without even realizing it. Becky is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and a Project Consultant for GreenPlay, LLC, where she travels to local parks and rec around the country to help them create a vis...

In our 25th episode, we invited you to send us your ideas for future podcast episodes. Lucky for us, Jessica Cannaday, CPRP, Marketing and Communications Manager with Oak Brook Park District, sent in an idea to cover universal recreation. Universal recreation is the philosophy driving Oak Brook Park District – the idea that park and recreation facilities and programs should be open and welcome to...

Happy 25th episode! This is a huge milestone for Open Space Radio, and we recently hit another milestone — we surpassed 10,000 downloads of the show! Thank YOU for listening and joining us on this journey! In this episode, we reflect on some of our favorite past episodes and discuss what we love about park and recreation professionals. The passion that park and rec professionals have for what they...

On today's episode, we chat with Tom Norquist, president of the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA), about how risk and adventure play is stepping back into the limelight and can help kids' independence and creativity. Typically, when we think about play, the idea of risk or danger may be a little scary, especially if we're talking about children playing. However, this k...

On today's episode, we're talking with Peter Kageyama, one of the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference keynote speakers. Kageyama is an author, whose book For the Love of Cities: The Love Affair Between People and Their Places was recognized in 2012 as a Top 10 Book in urban planning, design and development. He is an internationally sought-after community development consultant and grassroots engagement st...

Park and Recreation Month is right around the corner, and we're super excited to celebrate with you all in a few days. As many of you already know, the theme this year is A Lifetime of Discovery , and we're challenging everyone to explore the undiscovered roles and offerings of their local parks and recreation. Things like STEM programming, innovative health and wellness opportunities, programs fo...

On today's episode, we're talking about the importance of summer meal programs and the impact that parks and recreation is making in communities across the country through the Summer Food Service Program. We're joined by Allison Colman, NRPA's health and wellness program manager. Allison oversees NRPA's out-of-school time portfolio, including the Commit to Health campaign and our work on the USDA...

May is Older Americans Month and park and recreation agencies play a crucial role in serving older adult populations. According to NRPA's 2018 Agency Performance Review, 41 percent of park and recreation agencies have one or more senior centers and 79 percent offer programs specifically designed for older adults.   NRPA supports this work through our Healthy Aging in Parks initiative — part of whi...

Last Monday evening, a group of Boy Scouts were on the trail behind NRPA's headquarters when they came upon a baby Barred Owl who had appeared to have fallen from its nest more than 40-feet up in the trees. They contacted Ted Mattingly, NRPA's resident hero and Director of Facilities and Administrative Services, who realized that the baby owl's chances of surviving on its own after falling from th...

The nation's largest STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) celebration took place this past weekend at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The 5th USA Science and Engineering Festival featured more than 3,000 exhibits, 30 stage shows and attracted approximately 350,000 people. This year's theme was "Where can STEM take you?" and the primary goal of the...

On today's episode, we're discussing a new research report titled "From Green Space to Digital Place." The report takes a look at smart city strategies and how cities are capitalizing on technological advances. When cities are looking at their budgets and identifying key areas for investment, parks and recreation are often put on the back-burner even though they are such an essential element to a...