Why Recreation Events are Supported by Community

 

City 4th of July Celebration – Awaiting Fire Works Display

I attended the annual 4th of July Celebration event at Tigard High School like hundreds of others this year.

Yes the fireworks were the main feature and reason many showed up… but something else is going on community leaders need to pay attention too.

The place was literally abuzz with conversation and activities within each families picnic area on the football field.

If I didn’t know any better I’d say I was experiencing a 60’s and 70’s blast from the past event. Especially with the genre of music played throughout the evening. I was thoroughly entertained watching everything from children and adults playing yard games with oversized racquets, to nerf and beach balls airborne overhead. While others juggled, performed gymnastics and danced for a captured audience.

City 4th of July Celebration – Gunny Sack Race

People participated in other activities like Gunny sack races for all ages, pictures were taken with visiting Star War troopers, and children lined up for the free face painting. While others stood in line to have family pictures taken with choice of background.

On top of all this the Tualatin community band played. There were also educational static displays by the Tigard police department, TVFD and a life flight helicopter landed and crew engaged onlookers. All of these activities can be defined and related to as various forms of recreation activities within a community event.

Why is it important for community leaders to be able to define, relate and apply recreational activities and events valued by the public? Without connecting these dots – community leaders don’t typically think beyond financial balance sheets and City budgetary cuts.

Annual Ice Cream Social at Tigard House

The National Framework for Recreation in Canada (2015) defines recreation as: “The experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits that enhance individual and community wellbeing. ‘Recreation is the positive actions and choices we make to recreate, to restore and refresh the mind, body and spirit.’” Recreation means lots of different things  to different people. “Taking a walk around the block or in the local park, going to the library, Singing in a choir, playing tennis, being part of a sport team, rollerblading on community trails, taking an art or knitting class, taking a Zumba class, going camping, playing golf, reading a book, playing on the playground with your children, volunteering at the local senior center.” Source: http://www.gov.mb.ca/mr/bldgcomm/recreg/rhl.html

Research shows us robust city parks and recreation activities and annual community events enhance state of wellbeing while connecting people in unique ways where they are reminded why their city is a great place to live, work, play, spend leisurely time and age in place.

Face Painting – 4th of July Celebration THS Football Field

“All research indicates that people don’t move to a community because of the water quality or how often trash is picked up,” Thrower says [Director of the City of West Palm Beach Parks & Rec Depart]. “While safety is important, it is usually not the main reason someone moves to a city.” … “Today we are everything from drowning prevention to after-school care for children, to the only social interaction a senior citizen might experience.”
Source: http://source.southuniversity.edu/parks-and-recreation-centers-bring-communities-together-59072.aspx

Annual Balloon Festival, Cook Park

“Quality parks and recreation are cited as one of the top three reasons that business cite in relocation decisions in a number of studies. Access to parks and recreation opportunities has been strongly linked to reductions in crime and to reduced juvenile delinquency. Parks have a value to communities that transcend the amount of dollars invested or the revenues gained from fees.” Source: https://recreation.eku.edu/importance-parks-and-recreation

Relay for Life Event – Fowler Junior High

“There are no communities that pride themselves on their quality of life, promote themselves as a desirable location for businesses to relocate, or maintain that they are environmental stewards of their natural resources, without such communities having a robust, active system of parks and recreation programs for public use and enjoyment.” Source: https://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa.org/Advocacy/Resources/Parks-Recreation-Essential-Public-Services-January-2010.pdf

Concert in Cook Park

For reasons previously mentioned and too many more to list, it is important for community leaders to recognize the value and benefits recreational events and programmed activities bring to communities – and why they should not be cut during challenging economic times.

“Across the country, parks and recreation departments are facing challenges due to improper funding,” Curtis says [Virginia Beach Deputy City Manager]. Thrower says that since parks and recreation departments are a quality-of-life issue, not a public safety one, they are constantly on the chopping block for funds. … Thrower says that parks and recreation departments are a necessity that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

CERT’s Disaster Preparedness Fair

If City leaders are serious about outreach and community engagement that recruits support for Parks & Recreation amenities and activities  – it is wise to recall, recreation events have a way of connecting people who want to help support the next annual event. Which can lead to a list of willing volunteers in support of other City goals, programs and services.

Read city recreation return on investment at: https://wp.me/p8mORL-1rf

Learn more about more upcoming City of Tigard events: http://www.tigard-or.gov/community/events.php

Good health to you and your family.

Marc Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET., is a member of the Tigard City Council. He is a strong proponent of City involvement in providing recreational opportunities for its residents. 2018 Copy right. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., “To learn more about MirrorAthlete Fit Healthy Lifestyle, City Recreation and free monthly newsletter, visit: http://www.mirrorathlete.com.”

City Recreation Return on Investment

Tigard Ice Cream Social – Tigard House

Typically one thinks of City Recreation as offering a recreation center with swimming pool, events hall, fitness equipment, gym, indoor club and meeting rooms and a plethora of services and activities offered under one roof. Many Cities simply don’t have the financial means to offer such amenities. However when community leaders realize the economic return on indoor/outdoor events and activities – they support and strategically plan to grow them like any other core City service people need and want.

The NPRA (National Parks and Recreation Association) – shows many economic impact studies, where City recreation utilizes parks land and public use facilities capturing a portion of the tourism industry to grow City recreation programs and services. The economic health modeling studies show a Return on Investment (ROI) far exceeding revenue expectations to cover costs of events.

A simplistic way to illustrate this ROI can be seen through one of many research studies that measure the economic impact of recreational programming within cities. The NRPA (National Recreation Parks Association) provides data within a 2010 series of studies showing the economic benefit to taxpayers, small business and public at large. And why other non-profit and private business compete for similar recreation services and events… they can be very profitable!

Balloon Festival, Cook Park 22-24 June 2018

“Positioning Park and Recreation Agencies as Engines of Tourism
in many communities, tourism has successfully positioned itself as a substantial economic engine, a remarkable accomplishment for a relatively recent phenomenon. The conceptualization of tourism as an integrated ‘industry’ is a post 1970 phenomenon. It lacks the long and distinguished pedigree of the park and recreation field. Nevertheless, in the eyes of elected officials in many communities, it has surpassed this field in importance … In most communities, park and recreation agencies are the engines of tourism … For every $1 you invest in us, the community received $60 in return.’ Such claims are rarely challenged and the apparent high return on the investment is widely accepted by legislators, the media, and the general public” (Crompton 2010). But these numbers are not an average. And can vary greatly depending on the economic data entered within any similar study. The point is, there is a ROI that exceeds revenues less operating expense not realized within financial balance sheets. https://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa.org/Publications_and_Research/Research/Papers/Crompton-Research-Paper.pdf

Although the City of Tigard doesn’t have a recreation center, it does have plenty of parks and downtown plaza space to hold public events. And a full time recreation coordinator who works very hard to bring children and family activities to the community. For example, Pop Up in the Parks offering children various sports, games and crafts for free – This activity is planned on Wednesdays from 11am – 1pm … July 11 (Cook Park), July 18 (Woodard Park) and July 25 (Bonita Park). Then movies in the parks for families begin at dusk on July 21 (Dirksen Nature Park), August 3 (Cook Park), August 11 (Metzger Elementary School Park), and August 17 (Metzger Elementary School Park).

Tigard also has a few large annual events during summertime: balloon festival, 4th of July fireworks display and Street Fair. Other annual City tourist attractions could and should include: Biking, cycling, skateboarding, running and walking events, annual veteran and other celebratory parades, food and hobby fairs; school, veterans, classic car and motorcycle rallies; and any number of cultural arts, food and music themed events.

4th of July Celebration, Tigard High School football field, 2018.

Tigard also has a few large annual events during summertime: balloon festival, 4^th of July fireworks display and Street Fair. Other annual City tourist attractions could and should include: Biking, cycling, skateboarding, running and walking events, annual veteran and other celebratory parades, food and hobby fairs; school, veterans, classic car and motorcycle rallies; and any number of cultural arts, food and music themed events.

Our City recreation program is capable of doing much more. “If City recreation is allowed to flourish… by its own charter is driven to cost recover and motivated to generate a small profit, and grow a sustainable business through volunteer networking… and negotiate profit share agreements with other core city services struggling to keep their doors open.” (Woodard 2018, City of Tigard annual budget meeting). It’s the only business model I know of within City governments that use principled best-in-class business practices to cost recover – with a goal of using little to no taxpayer money.

Tigard Street Fair – Latino Fest Down Town Tigard 2017

Like all Cities surrounding Tigard, there are many reasons community leaders support and strategically plan to grow recreation facilities, programs, services and events: 1) they serve to educate and activate bodies with a goal to reduce childhood obesity and improve brain-body coordination and social skills development for kids. 2) Save lives in a different way than policing services – by redirecting youth purpose. 3) Grows small business and supports entrepreneur startup incubators within relative industries. 4) Offers affordable afterschool activities. 5) Supports other city services through profit share agreements. 6) Builds community bonds and sustainable City services through volunteerism, etc.

If you’d like to know more about Tigard City Recreation or interested in supporting or volunteering contact: Recreation@tigard-or.gov or call 503-718-2584.

Good health to you and your family.

Marc Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET., is a member of the Tigard City Council. He is a strong proponent of City involvement in providing recreational opportunities for its residents. 2018 Copy right. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., “To learn more about MirrorAthlete Fit Healthy Lifestyle, City Recreation and free monthly newsletter, visit: http://www.mirrorathlete.com.”