Let's Talk Parks Podcast: Stories of Purpose-Driven Parks and Recreation Professionals

Find all episodes and more resources at --> beckytalksparks.com

What does the future of parks look like?  What happens when cookie cutter playgrounds get replaced by unique, creative, and imaginative structures?  In this episode, Dustin Graham talks about trends in parks and playground design.  We get deep into how playgrounds are the foundation for skill building and risk taking.

Dustin Graham, a Designer and Territory Manager, for Great Southern Recreation, has been working in the parks and recreation industry for 15 years. Dustin’s eclectic recreation experience has lead him to the wonderful world of play space design and construction. Dustin services East Tennessee and East Georgia providing design/build services in the playground and splash pad space.

Creating spaces that impact our communities beyond the parkAdvocating for risky elements in playgrounds for the benefit of child developmentAsking the big questions like…

Trends in parks and playground design
The rise of splash pads (less maintenance, less staff, and less insurance!)How topographic challenges won’t limit a playground, but will actually be an advantageThe potential of using old inhabitable places and transforming them to new gemsWhat to say when someone remarks, “That’s dangerous!!” to a new piece of playground equipmentThe new features that make playgrounds come alive:

How technology can impact the way kids interact with nature
Future use of QR codes and augmented realityApp-based social fitness challengesHow sound and light features will become integrated in parks in conjunction with smart phone technology (similar idea w/ Disney lights –>  watch video )

Resources:
Gametime Fitness Challenge Course (must watch video!)Beltline Park in AtlantaGreat Southern Rec

Find all the episodes at --> beckytalksparks.com

Jay Tryon is the Director of Parks & Recreation for the Town of Indian Trail.  This is a fairly new department that was started in 2013. Since its creation Jay has lead his team to open over 100 acres of parks and currently is finishing the Towns first Strategic Masterplan.  While in Indian Trail he has built a department known for providing top notch programming and facilities and leading the way with innovative amenities in the region. Prior to this position he spent 7 ½ years with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. Throughout his time with Mecklenburg County he held a few different roles including operations director of special event facilities and athletics supervisor coordinator. Jay is a member of NCRPA and NRPA and is the past chair of Young Professional Network. He is also a member of the CAPRA Commission.  In 2015 he was awarded one of NRPAs Young Professional fellowships. He is a graduate of SUNY Brockport with a major in Recreation & Leisure Studies and a concentration in Recreation Management. 

Trusting his team, their decision-making, and their ability to get the job doneInvesting in professional development and educational opportunities for his staffTaking a unique and engaging approach to communicating their offerings to their community

“There’s really no such thing as failure because we are constantly learning and growing as a team -- and also as an individual --  to help the community.” - Jay Tryon 

The steps Jay took to lead a new parks and recreation department from scratchThe philosophy behind creating a positive and trusting workplace cultureAdvice for young professionals who are looking for a career in parks and recreation 

Links to Check Out: 

Indian Trail WebsiteIndian Trail Facebook Page

Full Episode ---> BeckyTalksParks.com/Podcast

The One Year Mark.

In May of 2017, I started a project. The concept was simple: “Let’s raise the bar in parks and recreation”.  I wanted to explore what that actually meant, so I toyed around with how I was going to accomplish this mission. 

Should I develop a news site that updates professionals about current trends?  Create a social forum that openly shared information with others in the field?  Give video tours of the parks I’m visiting and showcase all the best practices?

The sky was the limit, but so was my time and my energy.  For quite a while, I sat quietly by myself looking for clarity.  Hoping that I could talk about parks in a way that changed the world. 

It was a humbling experience to realize that I couldn’t do what I wanted to do - alone. We’ve all heard it.  “It takes a team.  Connections are key.  It’s not what you know, it’s who you know…”  I say all those niceties too.  But when you are absurdly ambitious, a little naive, and naturally impatient… well, it is downright scary and a little ego-shattering to reach out and ask for help. I was afraid to ask the questions that I thought everyone knew the answer to.  I hated being put on the spot because I felt it was a make it or break it moment for my career.  When I met new people, my mind ran with a thousand different thoughts that asked, “What will they think of me?”  Anyone who is so concerned about how they are perceived cannot be presently engaging in conversation.  When I spoke on stage, my nerves disrupted my whole thought process so naturally I stumbled over my words.  My ego was exposed and I absolutely hated it.

Eventually, the tornado of ideas turned into a weekly podcast with incredible parks and recreation professionals who raise the bar. They make this project valuable.  They are the ones that give it life.

So, what I realized was this…I know nothing.  Accepting this truth has made me a lot more comfortable in these scary situations.  This truth allowed me to accept wisdom from others and share those insights in a meaningful way.  I gained very little traction with this project until I realized that it would take an army to raise the bar in parks and recreation.  So I reached out, asked for help, and found that the world wasn’t quite as scary as I thought it was. 

Turns out, we have some incredibly talented, wise, compassionate, and generous people in the field of parks and rec.  They care.  They see the vision.  They realize that there is enormous potential, both for the benefit of the community and economy. 

When you work for a government agency, as most of us do, you have your own tasks, your own budget, your own staff, your own parks, your own facilities.  So much to care for.  It can be hard to look up from your immediate circle and see what’s actually happening.  So here’s a new perspective.

There is a movement of people who actually care about their places far more than we might think. Some may be parks and recreation employees.  Some may be culture creators (or co-creators).  Overall we are witnessing a collective shift happening towards community building and place making.  The best part?  You’re part of it.  Communities are built through agencies like parks and recreation… and it’s probably not as complicated as you might think.

Are you…

connecting sidewalks?promoting bike tourism?engaging teens?building pop-up parks?encouraging active living?hosting community events?

…Whatever you’re doing, it matters.  We truly do improve “quality of life.”

“Quality of life” is a nice buzzword these days, so I’ll jump on the bandwagon.  Honestly this term complex and I don’t attempt to define that today.  I think it’s multi dimensional and deeply personal.  Regardless, I think we know it when we see it.  For the Love of Cities, Peter K addresses the dynamic of city government.  He talks about how cities can and should be safe and functional.  Yes, we absolutely should be fixing potholes and paving new roads.  But cities can also be meaningful (and actually, quite fun and exciting) through small changes.  It’s the way you make people feel about the places that matter.  Let’s work on that.

Can I say something that’s completely true but probably a controversial statement in our field?  It is no longer acceptable for governments to be mediocre.  Collecting a paycheck and hiding in your office doesn’t cut it.  Complaining about the taxpayers who have a concern is unproductive. Criticizing your employed millennials because they want to make an impact is self-defeating.

Please don’t doubt this: Private businesses are seeing the opportunity in parks and recreation far more than parks and recreation professionals.  For anyone scared of partnering… I get it.  I cringe when I see McDonalds logo on a playground sign,  BUT we must ask ourself.  Why are we afraid to reach out and build partnerships that build our community?  Is our collective government ego so big that we can’t accept help from those that want to give money?  Do we have an outdated policy - have you asked why it was put in place?  Why are why we afraid that our citizens will shame us for collaborating with business owners? 

Just like I became frozen in my doubts and insecurities when I started this project, our organizations are frozen in their policies, regulations and fears.  They hear a new idea and think that it will never happen.  That their patrons just “don’t get it.”  “It’s always been that way.”

It gets old to hear and your citizens are tired of engaging with you.  They will stop if you keep doing this.  Open your ears.  Open your hearts.  Start getting personal.  Start getting real.  There is no doubt that your citizens will fall out of love with you.   Your next generation of leaders will leave.  And you’ll wonder why the heck parks and recreation is undervalued and doesn’t get funding. 

It’s past-time to raise the bar in parks and recreation, and we all need to be a part of this movement.  It’s starts with us.  Let’s do it!

Angela is a Recreation Services Manager with the City of Henderson in Nevada.  And during her 20+ year career, she has worked for recreation facilities in California, Hawaii, Japan, and Nevada.  She is a nationally recognized motivationally speaker and has presented at various conferences across the country for the past 10 years.  Her areas of focus include promoting positive leadership, strengthening workplace culture and relationships, and inspiring today’s “new age” workforce.  Angelasupervises over 250 employees, many of whom are of the millennial generation; through her passion she shares positive insights that help recreational professionals not only survive the millennial invasion, but also learn to embrace it.

Angela is a leader, mentor, wife and a mom.  She and her husband Isaac have 5 beautiful children and she enjoys sharing openly and honestly about the trials and tribulations of motherhood and being a strong female leader.  Angela believes that the key to building strong relationships is “working for it”, which is something she strives to do each and every day.  Being exceptional at something requires dedication, commitment, passion and HARD WORK!

New ideas and tactics for interviews and onboarding - specific advice for both interviewers and potential employeesHow to set a strong foundation for staff culture from day 0Why Imposing our own expectations and using scare tactics on others is not a good way to maintain relationships

Inspiring her staff and organization to be PROUD of the work they do to improve their communityFocusing on building relationships with customers and treating them as people firstEmbracing the strengths of the next generation of leaders, and instilling the values - such as loyalty - that may not come naturally

Welcome back to the podcast, this is episode #8.  Today, we are talking to Jo Burns, the co-founder of the Colorado Public Health/Parks & Recreation Collaborative.  We talk all about the ways local parks and recreation agencies can partner with health organizations to improve the health of local communities.

Most everyone would agree that HEALTH is a vital part of your quality of life. When you get sick, if you have a chronic illness, when you are injured, you know that being healthy is something that we should be constantly grateful for.

As parks and recreation professionals, we also know that health means something a little different. Naturally, parks and rec facilities provide the safe places for people to improve their health for exercise, but we also now have the opportunity to partner with health organizations to create long lasting change. These partnerships can help expand health benefits to underserved populations, which can be powerful. In this episode, Jo talks about what local agencies can do to take steps towards building health into your core services.

showing that small steps are actually big steps when it comes to improving the health of your community.simple conversations can have a ripple effect once we know who to talk to.tackling complex health issues with local leaders

I want this episode to be actionable for you, so I put a list of healthy initiatives that Jo mentioned. 

Making Healthier Food Options AvailableSafe Routes to ParksVending for Food ChoicesAccess to ParksPrescriptions for HealthAccess to HealthcareSugary Drinks in Concession Stands & Vending MachinesPhysical therapy within fitness facilitiesImmunization clinicsHome exercise program / transition back to healthNutrition, Health, and Cooking ClassesAfter school program collaborations

Colorado Public HealthPublic Health in the RockiesNRPA Health and Wellness PillarActive Living ResearchJo Burns Consulting

Also, not mentioned but I should: GP RED is a nonprofit that is dedicated to research and education for professionals related to parks, recreation, health, and so much more.  Check the website out for more info.

This podcast is all about how to raise the bar in parks and recreation because we know that it’s our responsibility to serve our community to the best of our ability. That means we need two things: 1) We need to be able to use new tools that will help us be more efficient and effective. 2) We need to train and mentor the next generation of parks and recreation professionals.  Episode #5 is all about how a student or young professional can get their first job in parks and recreation, OR if they are in part-time work, move to full-time work.  In this episode, I’ll provide you actionable tips that I’ve picked up along the way on my journey, as I’ve moved from camp counselor, intern, part-time to full-time positions, and I’ll also be throwing in clips from interviews that I’ve done that should help inspire you.  Please share this episode with those who may need to hear it.

Ah, technology.  I love it and I hate it.  I'm an advocate for it and yet most of the time I feel absolutely clueless when I'm using it.  I've taught myself how to code websites, create a podcast (kinda), use project management software, and use countless other programs. Yet have trouble making phone calls and using Google Maps.  Life is weird.

In this episode, I talk about the fact that failure is 1. 100% ok when you are trying new things; and 2. When you are working with new technology, you can bet that something is going to go wrong.  That's okay.  How will you pick yourself back up and move forward?  If you're the leader, and you see your employee take a risk, are you the kind of person who will encourage that person to keep trying?