Project management is like juggling three balls — time, cost and quality. Program management is like a troupe of circus performers standing in a circle, each juggling-three balls and swapping balls from time to time. — G. Reiss

 

Creating a project or program from initial idea to completion is a challenging endeavor that takes a host of people, planning, time and money to be successful. Projects from across the country are different and challenging in their own way, but the goal in each is the same — a rich, engaging resource and experience for our visitors to enjoy for years to come. 

Moving Forward Post-Recession

Park and recreation projects become investments in the future for our visitors and help to create and maintain a sense of community and identity. A 2014 report, titled A Survey of Capital Projects Management Among New York City Government Agencies and prepared for New Yorkers for Parks by Public Works Partners, states that New York City Council members “see their funding of parks capital projects as critical investments in their constituents’ neighborhoods, and they are particularly concerned when these projects run behind schedule or over budget.” 

For many municipalities and departments, the 2007–2009 recession significantly impacted their departments and projects. For some, the impacts were fiscal; for others, it resulted in personnel reductions and sometimes a combination of both. Yet, during this time, the financially strapped public was flocking to these resources.

The Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department (PROS) saw its “department’s general fund support decreased by 30 percent. Coincidentally with that decrease, the department’s permanent workforce was decreased by almost 30 percent. These cuts were...at a time when the public became more dependent on low-cost entertainment such as that offered by the public park system.” 

In the greater St. Louis area, the Great Rivers Greenway District has been working for 15 years to connect parks with greenways. “Our primary source of funding is two special sales taxes. We also use federal, state and local grants to leverage the taxpayer’s investment in our projects. As people spent less money during the recession, our income decreased. We had to operate with a smaller capital budget and adjusted accordingly,” says Megan Riechmann, AICP project manager.

“Our main priority is ensuring we are moving our master plan forward — working toward the goal of a 600 mile network of greenways,” says Riechmann. “It is very easy to be distracted by a wide variety of recreation and alternative transportation needs throughout our region, but we strive to stay focused on our core greenway routes — keeping the overall connectivity of the system in mind.” 

For the city of Henderson, Nevada, the recession made the municipality look at funding sources a bit differently. “We realized that we cannot rely solely on one funding source for our projects,” says Amie Wojtech, park project manager for the city of Henderson. “Many of the projects that we were/are directly involved with are funded through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA). With the recession, public land was not being purchased and therefore minimal funds were available for our projects. As a result, it decreased the number projects we were working on. [Now] we actively search for grants because we still are in the recovery process for capital improvement projects.”

Full funding for a project is required “prior to any surveys, schematics, designs, construction or acquisition of equipment” in the city of Memphis Division of Parks and Neighborhoods. Yet, even with this tight mandate, it has been able to create parks within 1 mile of almost every neighborhood in its district — a notable accomplishment.

Upcoming Issues

For most areas of the country, municipalities are revving up again with new projects and getting back on track to meet their goals. The future of project and program management is ever changing, as are the needs of the visitor and the available resources. Keeping abreast of these changes and upcoming issues is key to being prepared for the future.

Miami-Dade PROS put time and effort into identifying the needs and issues of the future and consider them a priority for its departments. Its list includes:

• Public Private Partnerships: Project managers becoming familiar with public private partnership (P3) projects.
• Technology: Applying the advancement of technology to manage projects more efficiently and transferring knowledge from veteran staff to new staff. 
• Staffing: Within the next five years, a significant portion of the workforce will be retiring. The need for capable and experienced project managers will continue to grow, especially in the technology, security and construction specialties.
• Green Practices:  Continue to adopt and adapt to “green practices.” The integration of energy conservation measures into every design and building project will also be integral to keeping pace with national and worldwide conservation efforts.
• Climate Change: Similarly, on the not so distant horizon is the issue of climate change (how projected sea level rise will affect coastal facilities, how more frequent and/or stronger storms may affect parks systems, etc.). Work to integrate coastal resiliency into an overall risk management strategy is ongoing and PROS continues its attempts to identify better practices. 
• Terrorism: On a more global scale, the ever-growing threat of terrorism (domestic and abroad) may impact design and construction practices for the public sector and subsequently project management processes. How can organizations like PROS (recreational and educational facilities, museums and the like) provide enhanced security for visitors and staff members alike in their deliverables without compromising the recreational/educational opportunities? 

For Riechmann the future is about relationships. “More dynamic engagement and public relations are expected by the community and stakeholders, especially when dealing with public funds.” Keeping up with the interests of these groups is imperative to creating successful projects and programs that satisfy the needs of the public. 

“The priority for the future is planning, particularly ensuring parks and trails have a master plan,” says Wojtech. “Taking the time and putting effort into creating vibrant, dynamic master plans that meet the needs of the public ensures a successful end product. The issue, of course, is funding for these projects.”

Unique Challenges

Every project has unique challenges either in design, implementation, funding or construction. For Great Rivers Greenway District, its ongoing Trojan Park project has had a few. This project, NRPA’s 2016 Parks Build Community Legacy Park, will receive donated expertise, materials and funds for its construction. Located in Wellston, Missouri, just north of St. Louis, this area was once a thriving business district but has had a host of challenges and is now one of the poorest cities in Missouri.

“This project is a totally new model for us, working with donated products from all over the country, within a compacted timeframe. Balancing the expectations of partners with the needs of the community has produced some unique challenges,” says Riechmann. “That said, the project has brought everyone together with a shared goal of creating a wonderful new space for the children and families of Wellston to play!”

“One of the most unique projects that the division has undertaken is the construction/development of the Wolf River Greenway,” says Toni Holomon-Turner, public affairs manager, Division of Parks and Neighborhoods for the city of Memphis, Tennessee. “The Memphis portion of the Wolf River Greenway is 22 miles in length with a 10-12-foot-wide path that is nestled in amid an urban environment. People can walk, run, jog, rollerblade, skate or bike along its path that runs through trees and the Wolf River Watershed.” This unique project combines public and private funding across several cities along the Wolf River, connecting other trail systems, local centers and the natural forest and wetlands.

In Henderson, Nevada, the Wastewater Reclamation Facility inadvertently created a habitat for birds in its evaporation ponds, and with the birds came birders with binoculars to view them. Combining water treatment with a bird-viewing park created an interesting set of challenges. “It is unique as we are trying to promote wildlife habitat, but at the same time, it is a facility that holds reuse water in evaporative ponds,” says Wojtech. Currently in the master planning process, the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is combining the needs and infrastructure of the existing water treatment facility with the needs of a public access park. 

“The goal is to provide a facility that will attract more visitors, increase the effectiveness of our trail system by providing shade, improve the interpretive signage system, improve the quality of the ponds, and introduce a new visitor center that promotes education through exhibits and classes.” To work effectively, this process will cross multiple departments. “The balance among the natural landscape, wildlife habitat and built environment is what makes the project worthwhile.” 

For Miami-Dade PROS, its most challenging project to date not only was expensive, but also included non-human visitors, which created unique challenges. It was a “$50-million project including a new front entry for Zoo Miami as well as a new exhibit titled, ‘Florida: Mission Everglades.’ The project is on approximately 5 acres and, in addition to the new front entry, includes new guest services facilities; a flamingo, song birds, wading birds, spoonbills and pelican exhibit; a crocodile and otter exhibit, both with underwater viewing; Florida bear and panther exhibits; a burrowing owl and armadillo exhibit; alligator exhibit; eagle exhibit; fox, bobcat and raccoon exhibit; and a boat ride. Another $50-million project, ‘Amazon & Beyond,’ is approximately 27 acres and consists of three regions and a village plaza,” says Maggie Tawil, chief, Project Management.

“The design, permitting and construction of animal exhibits are an interesting process. It combines the need to create comfortable living conditions for animals; efficient and safe working conditions for animal keepers and maintenance staff; and an exciting and educational visitor experience,” says Jorge L. Mora, chief, Design, Construction and Maintenance. “Ensuring that the keepers and staff input are addressed and balanced with the need for a fun and educational visitor experience is not always easy to achieve.”  

No matter the size or scope of the project, the balance between time, cost and quality is a delicate one. Understanding the challenges that we face today can help us deal with our changing world and the challenges we will see in the future. Keeping the end goal in mind is essential — to create a dynamic, engaging project for our visitors today and for years to come.
 

Paula Jacoby-Garrett is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada.