Americans favor local governments setting aside funds for revitalization projects

Ashburn, Va. (Aug. 1, 2019) — More than four in five Americans (85 percent) want their local governments to fund park and recreation revitalization projects, including the restoration of parks, playgrounds, recreation centers and community centers, according to a recent poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

When comparing respondents who are most likely to completely or strongly support park and recreation revitalization projects, parents are the most dedicated proponents (66 percent) followed by millennials (64 percent), while more than half of Americans overall are also ardent supporters (59 percent).

“Communities everywhere rely upon well maintained parks and recreation facilities. Local government officials need to dedicate money for park and recreation revitalization projects to ensure everyone has access to a great park,” said Kevin Roth, NRPA vice president of professional development, research and technology. “Not only do these investments contribute to the overall wellbeing of a community, they also boost the local economy. In 2015 alone, America’s local park and recreation agencies’ spending generated $154 billion in economic activity and supported more than 1.1 million jobs.”      

According to NRPA’s Local Government Officials’ Perceptions of Parks and Recreation Report, local officials agree (98 percent) that recreation services benefit their communities. Park and rec professionals can further make the case to local political leaders for increased funding of maintenance and revitalization projects by sharing findings from the The Economic Impact of Local Parks Report.

NRPA supports park revitalization through its Parks Build Community initiative. This national program demonstrates the transformative value of parks on the health and vitality of communities across America. Each year, NRPA conducts a complete park makeover in partnership with park equipment manufacturers and community organizations within the city hosting the NRPA Annual Conference. This year the Parks Build project is at Catherine Street Park in Baltimore, Maryland. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to reopen the revitalized park is scheduled for Sunday, September 22 to kick-off the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference. For more information on NRPA’s Parks Build Community initiative, click here.

This poll is part of NRPA’s Park Pulse, a continuing series of monthly surveys that gauge the public’s opinion on topics relating to parks and recreation. To explore previous Park Pulse survey results, visit www.nrpa.org/Park-Pulse. To learn more about NRPA’s report, The Economic Impact of Local Parks, click here.

To view the interactive charts with the survey results, click here.

To view the full-size infographic, click here.

To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.   

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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.