Features

Top Trends in Parks and Recreation 2021

It is time for the annual rundown of the predicted top trends in parks and recreation. Eagerly awaited for, these predictions stimulate the anticipatory senses and offer a respite from the winter blues.

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Restoring the Beauty of Pracht Wetlands Park

Despite all of the development that has sprung up in the vicinity, Pracht Wetlands Park remains a natural haven for the public to enjoy for many years to come.

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Highlights from the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience

The first-ever NRPA virtual conference featured general sessions, education programming, coffee talk discussions, special events, and an exhibit hall featuring the latest products and service offerings from exhibiting companies.

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Additional Articles

Parks and Recreation: A Business of Flexibility and Adaptation

Many trends we discussed in the past accelerated in 2020 — including how we face increasing degrees of uncertainty, and our principle job is understanding how we navigate that uncertainty.

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What Will the ‘New Normal’ Look Like in 2021?

While it is clear that P&R agencies have been forced to alter their operational practices during this global pandemic, what’s not clear is what the “new normal” will look like for the field.

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South Suburban Sports Complex — Building for the Future

South Suburban Park and Recreation District announces that a new 206,000-square-foot sports complex is set to open in February 2021.

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Announcing the Newly Accredited and Reaccredited CAPRA Agencies

NRPA and the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) are proud to announce the accreditation of 15 agencies and reaccreditation of 22 agencies.

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We Are Parks and Recreation: Submit Your Stories

Through the ongoing We Are Parks and Recreation campaign, NRPA is collecting photos and short stories about how a park and recreation professional has impacted you or your community.

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Member Benefit: How ePACT Supports Parks and Recreation During COVID-19

As we begin a new year, COVID-19 committees, park and recreation programmers, risk managers, and legal and IT staff members will be evaluating where they are and where they go from here.

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Make Your Voice Heard

Visit the NRPA Park Metrics website and select “Enter Your Agency’s Data” to begin inputting or updating your agency information today.

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Park and Recreation Professionals Provide Important Mentorship to Youth

Nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults say it is important for children and young adults to have access to mentors, including 71 percent who say it is extremely or very important.

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The Partnership Imperative: Differentiating the Provision and the Production Decisions

One of the striking characteristics of our field is the plethora of organizations that produce recreation services in the public, commercial and nonprofit sectors.

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Looking Ahead to the Federal Opportunities in 2021

NRPA is firmly committed to ensuring that the numerous benefits of outdoor recreation opportunities are provided to all.

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Health and Wellness: Top of Mind During NRPA Virtual

With more and more restrictions due to the pandemic and no clear end in sight, it’s no surprise that mental health has become a large focus.

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Making Community Youth Sports Fair and Accessible for Girls, Once and for All

Park and recreation professionals and agencies can play a major role in ensuring that girls have equitable access to sports opportunities.

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COVID-19 Is Prompting Changes to Conservation

Since the issuing of the stay-home-work-safe order in April 2020, the city of Houston, Texas, has seen markedly more use of its nature spaces.

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COVID-19 Emergency Order Regulated Park Protest

In the case of Martin v. Warren, Plaintiffs petitioned the federal district court to issue a preliminary injunction declaring an Emergency Order restricting gatherings violated their First Amendment rights.

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Back to a New Reality: How to Adapt Your Recreation Center in a Post-COVID-19 Era

In preparation for reopening recreation centers, park and recreation agencies must focus on adaptions to physical spaces, building systems and operations that will increase versatility and adaptability.

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Athena: The Goddess of Nashville?

The Nashville (Tennessee) Parthenon is a beloved symbol of civic pride for Nashvillians since its original manifestation as the art building for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897.

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