Features
A Conversation with Baseball's 'Iron Man'
Parks & Recreation magazine spoke with Cal Ripken Jr., who will be sharing his story at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference during the Opening General Session.
Designing the Great Park that Everyone Deserves
There are three primary categories that can help residents, elected officials and park and recreation professionals assess the “greatness” of their community parks.
Esports: The Next Big Thing for Parks and Rec
What can and should park and recreation agencies do to incorporate the esports phenomenon into their offerings?
Tennis: A Game Changer in Park Revitalization
Explore the ways tennis courts can bring life – and revenue – to parks.
Bring on the Charm!
Discover Baltimore, or “Charm City,” a walkable, vibrant downtown community with unique attractions, vast history and a wide variety of delectable choices.
The Importance of Parks Build Community Donors and Their Shared Vision
2019 Parks Build Community donors share their viewpoints on this important initiative.
The 2019 Conference Program Committee
This team spent the better part of the year determining what topics would be of most value to their colleagues, seeking out top speakers in the field and vetting hundreds of session proposal applications.
Additional Articles
Bringing a Parks Movement to Life
It’s time to turn the ample and obvious public love of parks into public will and public action.
Celebrating Parks and Recreation
The NRPA Annual Conference has officially arrived! It is now time to set goals for the upcoming year.
Conducting an Effective Feedback Survey
Learn how to effectively collect feedback from park and rec users.
Are People Interested in Evening Activities Hosted at Their Local Park?
Check out the survey results...
Computer Hackers' New Trick
Instead of embedding ransomware or other malware on your network, today’s hackers are much more likely to be doing this…
How a Bad Social Media Experience Can Be Good
Going forward, we must be willing to accept the surveillance of our institutions and ourselves by others.
The Vexing Problem of Latin Crosses in Public Parks
Latin crosses, the traditional symbols of Christianity, have had a long association with publicly owned places, especially parks.
Strengthening Federally Funded Summer Meal Sites
For so many park and recreation agencies, the summer meal sites are so much more than a meal for the participating children and community.
Longstanding Historic Cross Constitutional Challenge
Does a Latin cross war memorial, located on land owned and maintained by a public park agency, violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?
Senior Centers: Reimagining Aging and Exploring New Opportunities
Today’s senior centers are being reinvented to meet the changing and diverse needs of a rapidly growing aging population.
The Baltimore Ecosystem Study
The BES aims to understand the city as a living, ecological system and has brought together researchers from across the country to investigate the unique urban aspect on varied topics.
Interpretive Signs and Programs
Through interpretive signs and programs, NOVA Parks is informing residents about its community’s history.
The 2019 NRPA Park and Recreation Salary Survey
This survey is a good starting place for park and rec salary examinations.
Philip Wu, M.D., Joins the NRPA Board of Directors
NRPA welcomes Philip Wu, M.D., a retired pediatric obesity specialist, to the 2019–2020 NRPA Board of Directors.
NRPA's Dolesh a 2019 Pugsley Medals Recipient
This award, bestowed by the AAPRA, recognizes the outstanding contributions by an individual to the promotion and development of public parks and conservation in the United States.
Developing Community-Integrated Health Strategies
NRPA guide outlines steps to implementing electronic health record referral process
Parks & Recreation Crossword: 2019, September
Test your park and recreation knowledge and download NRPA's monthly crossword puzzle!
Supporting Farmers Markets and CSAs in Park and Recreation Spaces
Park and recreation spaces can become the venues that deliver nutritious foods from local farms to communities.
NRPA Waives CAPRA Application Fee
This fall is the best time to start the accreditation process because NRPA is waiving the $100 CAPRA application fee from October 1 to December 13, 2019.
Member Spotlight: Denise Johnson-Caldwell
Johnson-Caldwell shares about her role as a design planner for Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.
Member Benefit: Are You Taking Advantage of Your NRPA Member Discount Programs?
Check out some of the special discounts on products and services and valuable benefits NRPA members enjoy.
Professional Development Calendar
Can’t make it to Baltimore for the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference? Attend virtually via NRPA Live!
Tips for Increasing Concessions Cost Recovery
How do park districts manage the cost of concessions operations without sacrificing the quality of their service and food, or raising prices sky high?
What's New in Indoor Fitness Equipment
Contrary to popular belief, the most successful gyms are not always those with the shiniest equipment.
Pop-Up Potential
A recent study finds that even small, impermanent green spaces, like pop-up parks, contribute positively to urban biodiversity, supporting the health of humans as well as of urban wildlife.