HOME

Aren’t we always looking for information and answers?  That’s what this section is all about.  Take a look at benefit-based information that provides a basis for what we do and who we are in parks and recreation.  OR  go to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and see how Leisure Lifestyle has responded to one of the questions they continually get from organizations around the country.

The Economy of a Community

• Economic Development

• Promote Tourism

• Reduced Costs

(see Sections on Individual and Personal; Social and Community)

(under Environmental, see Economic Impact of Green)

Economic Development:  According to City Parks Forum Briefing Papers, parks and recreation contributes to the bottom line in five different ways:

1. Increased real estate property values
2. Increased city and county revenues
3. Magnet to attract and retain well-off retirees
4. Magnet to attract knowledge workers to the area
5. Desirable place to purchase homes

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at http://www.planning.org/cpf/

A Trust for Public Lands (2003)  report  cites the economic benefits of parks and recreation  as being increased property values (low-income urban, edges of urban areas, and commercial:, economic revitalization (attracting and retaining businesses and residents) and tourism benefits.

Some of the examples cited in this report include:

• Repeated studies over the years confirm the preference on the part of home buyers to prefer homes closer to parks, open space, and greenery.

• University of Southern California study found that this positive relationships between proximity to parks and real estate values holds true for neighborhoods composed of mostly low income and immigrants residents.

• The success of cities such as Chicago and Portland in attracting businesses to their areas with the presence and access to parks and green spaces.

From “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space” Prepared by Paul M. Sherer for the Trust for Public Land, 2003.  www.tpl.org

Promote Tourism:  People travel to various places because of the attractions that reside in a particular area or locale and many of these attractions are within parks or related to open space such as:

• Parks serve as sites for special events and festivals attracting tourists.

• Parks provide sites for athletic tournaments which can result in tourism dollars and economic benefits for areas.

• Park area with zoos, memorials, museums, cultural, heritage, and historic sites are attractive to tourists.

• Many parks are recognized as “living works of art” and as such serve as a tourist attraction.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at http://www.planning.org/cpf/

RETURN TO TOP

The Environment Essential

• The Green Infrastructure

• Economic Impact of Green

• Smart Growth

The Green Infrastructure:  According to City Parks Forum, the green infrastructure serves as a nature life support system that results in both environmental and economic sustainability as evidenced by

• Parks help to preserve essential ecological functions and protect biodiversity

• Parks and open space reduce costs for storm water management, flood control, transportation and other types of built infrastructure.

Economic Impact of Green:  A Trust for Public Lands (2003)  report  cites the environmental benefits of  parks and recreation including: pollution abatement and cooling and controlling storm water runoff.

Some of the statistics cited in this section:

• The U.S. Forest Service’s calculation that over a 50 year lifetime one tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen; $62,000 worth of air pollution control;

• Recycles $37,500 worth of water; and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion.

• American Forests organization estimates that trees in the country’s urban metropolitan areas save the cities $400 billion in the cost of building storm water retention facilities. 

From “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space” Prepared by Paul M. Sherer for the Trust for Public Land, 2003.  www.tpl.org

Smart Growth:  The areas of the country being overwhelmed by significant increases in their population and near runaway development are turning to parks and open spaces as playing an important function in future development including:

• Voter support for park development as part of smart growth strategies
• Parks offset higher density concerns and enhance development strategies
• Parks can strengthen the urban core and protect the fringe of the urban areas from overdevelopment

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

RETURN TO TOP

Social and Community

• Safer Neighborhoods

• Community Engagement

• Community Revitalization

• Stable Neighborhoods with Strong Communities

Safer Neighborhoods:  Actual and perceived safety of residents and neighborhoods is supported by green spaces and places.

• Mental fatigue and aggression is reduced by time spent in nature close to home.

• Neighborhood parks serve as gathering places forming social ties related to safer neighborhoods.

• Barren and undeveloped spaces are related to both crime and increased sense of uneasiness by residents.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

Trust for Public Lands (2003) report cites reduction in crime as a social benefit of parks and recreation and cites the Witt and Crompton article, “The At-risk Youth Recreation Project” in the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration (1996) as evidence of recreational facilities keeping youth off the streets, giving them a safe environmental to interact with peers, and filling up time which might otherwise be used for getting into trouble. 

From “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space” Prepared by Paul M. Sherer for the Trust for Public Land, 2003.  www.tpl.org

Community Engagement:  The City Parks Forum Briefing Papers pinpoint three ways in which parks and recreation serve as one of the best sources for community engagement and cooperation:

• One of the most efficient ways to build sense of community and improve quality of life for residents.

• Provide places for people to meet and interact in a shared public place.

• Serve as a positive community participation outlet for bringing people together to work on a shared goal.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

Community Revitalization:  The City Parks Forum cites three different but important ways that public parks serve as a critical aspect of community revitalization including:

• Central walking, resting and meeting place.

• Potential for reviving threatened commercial area.

• Collaboration between residents and the city can result in turning around a distressed neighborhood.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

Stable Neighborhoods with Strong Communities:  The Trust for Public Lands (2003) report cites green spaces as being community builders since research indicates that residents of neighborhoods with green common spaces are more likely to enjoy stronger social ties than those residents surrounded by concrete.  Some of the additional resource cited includes:

• University of Illinois and University of Chicago study that found that levels of vegetation in common areas or urban public housing predicted the formation of neighborhood social ties.

• A University of Missouri – St. Louis study that found neighborhoods in St. Louis with community gardens retained residents at a great level than those without these gardens.

From “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space” Prepared by Paul M. Sherer for the Trust for Public Land, 2003.  www.tpl.org

RETURN TO TOP

Individual and Personal

• Health and Well-being

• Youth Growth and Development

Health and Well-being:  Measurable health benefits such as physical activity for healthy weights and contact with nature for stress reduction make public park space an antidote to civilization and certain contributor to the health of individuals and overall community well-being.

• The City Parks Forum identifies key points related to health including:

  • Parks provide people with contact with  nature enhancing certain health benefits.
  • Physical activity opportunities within parks increase fitness and reduce obesity.
  • Open space resources mitigate environmentally related health concerns such as climate and air and water pollution.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

• The Trust for Public Lands (2003) report cites the statistics related to lack of leisure-time physical activity among Americans along with the associated health risks and in doing so cites a number of research studies supporting the role parks and recreation plays in the health crisis including access to parks and relationship to exercise and health; exposure to nature and green spaces as making people healthier.  Some reports cited within that document include:
   
• Study published by the CDC demonstrated that increased access to physical activity led to a 25.6% increase in the percentage of people exercising 3 or more days per week.
• A group of studies reviewed in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that access to a place to exercise increased aerobic capacity and reduce body fat, weight, and improvements in flexibility and perceived energy.
• The ten year review of surgical patients in a hospital that found that overlooking trees rather than a brown brick wall shortened the hospital stay and reduced the need for pain killers among patients recovering.
• Savanna-like settings are associated with self-reported feelings of peacefulness, tranquility or relaxation.

From “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space” Prepared by Paul M. Sherer for the Trust for Public Land, 2003.  www.tpl.org

Youth Growth and Development:  The growth and development of our young people is pivotal to a community’s future success and viability and the City Parks Forum identifies five essential ways that parks contribute to that more positive future:

• Daily contact with nature results in health and learning opportunities associated with that contact.

• Parks offer children a sense of place, identify, and belonging reducing alienation, vandalism, and violence.

• Provide informal learning that serves as a foundation for more formal education.

• Resource to close the gap between educational achievement in some communities.

• Opportunity for youth to participate in civic activity and development.

City Parks Forum is a program of the American Planning Association funded by the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation  Additional information accessible at url

RETURN TO TOP

Moving Organizations Forward  |  Power of Play  |  PksRec411  |  TRENDS!  |  Marketing

Newsletter  |  What's the Latest?  |  Email Ellen  |  About Ellen & Leisure Lifestyle  |  Partners  |  Home

Copyright ©2007 Ellen O'Sullivan.  All rights reserved.