With NRPA’s 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, we made a commitment to centering equity in all that we do. And we talked about this with our president and CEO, Kristine Stratton, on episode 70 . The vital importance of focusing on equity has been put into the spotlight, as this year has underscored the many systemic inequities that exist in our world. Whether through the lens of public health, criminal justice, climate change or who has safe, reliable access to a park in their community, equity is essent...
Oct 20, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 77
We talk a lot about how important physical activity is, and we know this has been especially true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when people have taken to their local parks to not only maintain their physical well-being, but their mental well-being, as well. However, there is a form of physical activity that we don’t get to talk about as often: action sports. Sports like skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding can be really great outlets for physical activity, but also tools for social connec...
Oct 06, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 76
On this month’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into the cover story of the October issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, “Glenn Harris: An Advocate for Racial Equity and Social Justice.” In the article, NRPA’s executive editor, Vitisia Paynich, interviewed our keynote speaker for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience, Glenn Harris. Glenn is the president of Race Forward, a national nonprofit racial justice organization based in New York and Oakland, Ca...
Sep 24, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 75
On our previous episode of Open Space Radio, which was part one of our Great American Outdoors Act coverage, we spoke with Happy Haynes, the executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation, about what the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act meant for access to quality parks and recreation opportunities in her city and the country as a whole. On today’s episode — part two of our coverage — we’ll be speaking with two members of Congress who played integral roles in getting this historic p...
Sep 22, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Last month, we witnessed history as the Great American Outdoors Act was officially signed into law. This legislation will definitively fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is the most important source of federal funding to create and develop local parks, trails, boat launches, sports fields, and other recreation areas and park infrastructure that enrich our communities. Permanent full funding of LWCF has been a priority of NRPA’s for decades, and the passing of the Great ...
Sep 08, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 74
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating our birthday! We started Open Space Radio a little over three years ago, and while many of you may have heard us talk about the early days of finding our podcasting groove — with not a whole lot of podcasting experience to pull from — we like to invite you, our listeners, in every once in a while to reflect back on some of our favorite Open Space Radio moments from the past. And we’ve had a lot of favorite moments. Three years later, we stil...
Aug 25, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 73
The September issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on this month’s bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into the cover story, “Going Above and Beyond,” by NRPA’s executive editor, Vitisia Paynich. The story highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic and the fight for racial equity compelled the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks to mobilize and take action in order to continue to serve its community. On today’s episode, we’re honored to be joined by the director of B...
Aug 20, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 72
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we are talking about BioBlitzes. And the only thing more fun than saying “BioBlitz” may be actually participating in one. A BioBlitz is an event where your community can visit your park and identify the different wildlife species in that area. It provides an opportunity for people to understand and learn about the various species in that area, and also provides critical data and information to the staff who manage those lands. As you encourage people in your ...
Aug 11, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 72
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we are looking at where NRPA is going in the next three years and beyond. Like any organization or group, every few years we must assess where we’ve been, where we are and where we want to go. Over the past several years, NRPA has centered our strategic plans around our three pillars: health and wellness, social equity and conservation. Now, we’re building upon that very solid base and looking to launch a movement. And before you tune us out because the wo...
Jul 28, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 71
The August issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “ Restoring Nature’s Playground .” We’re thrilled to be joined by the two authors, Patti Sterling, the grants coordinator for Town of Bel Air, Maryland, and Akosua Cook, a park planner for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to talk about the importance of water and nature-based amenities in their local parks and the projects they have put in...
Jul 23, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 70
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re thrilled to be joined by Dr. Kim and Claude Walker — the founders of the Nashville-based Abundant Life Adventure Club, which is an outdoor adventure company breaking down barriers to the outdoors so that everyone can enjoy the wellness benefits of parks and open spaces. The mission of the Abundant Life Adventure Club is one that we’re excited to dive into on the episode today — to empower people of color to spend time in nature to inspire wellness, a...
Jul 14, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Today’s episode of Open Space Radio is all about what park and recreation professionals have been doing to creatively and safely engage their communities in the past few months and their plans for the summer ahead. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many park and recreation agencies have had to come up with innovative ways to not only implement virtual programming options, but also make sure the people in their communities continue to have access to essential items like food, shelter, proper healthca...
Jun 30, 2020•8 min•Season 1Ep. 69
The July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio we’re diving deeper into the cover story, “ Celebrating YOU This July .” As you know, we usually interview the author or the subjects of the magazine article for our bonus episode each month, but in today’s case, the author is already with us! Cort Jones, NRPA Communications Manager and fellow cohost of this podcast, is our guest today as he is the author of the July cover story and pro...
Jun 25, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 69
We’re in a time where many people are having tough conversations with friends, family, loved ones and colleagues. We’re living through a global pandemic, an economic crisis, a fight for racial equity — and it’s all happening at once. Amidst all of this, there is another crisis that continues to exist — the opioid crisis and substance use disorder. According to Kaiser Health News , the COVID-19 pandemic may be making things worse as far as the opioid crisis, as treatments and resources have been ...
Jun 16, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Open Space Radio condemns all forms of racism and violence. We mourn the loss of all those whose lives have ended as a result of senseless brutality. As part of the #podcastblackout, we stand firmly with all who seek justice and reform and are using our platform to protest the death of these people: George Floyd Eric Harris Breonna Taylor Ahmaud Arbery Ezell Ford Alton Sterling Sean Bell Trayvon Martin Akai Gurley Eric Garner Terence Crutcher Tamir Rice Mike Brown Freddie Gray Alayna Stanley-Jon...
Jun 03, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 68
The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “ Homelessness and the Global Pandemic ,” which explores how the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) is supporting people experiencing homelessness, among other vulnerable populations, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining us on the show is the author of the article, Executive Officer & Chief of Sta...
May 21, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Every day, in communities across the country, the people of parks and recreation are providing essential services and making their communities better places to live, work and play. This July, for Park and Recreation Month , NRPA will be redefining the field of parks and recreation as a vital necessity by sharing how park and recreation professionals are frontline staff, confronting our most pressing health, environmental and social challenges — even now, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-...
May 19, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 67
We often get to have conversations with park and recreation professionals who are doing incredible work in their communities. Many times, the guests who are gracious enough to join us on Open Space Radio are people who are already established in their careers. It’s not every day, though, that we get to chat with college students who are studying the field of parks and recreation and who will soon embark on the exciting journey of entering a new career in the field. On today’s episode, we are thr...
May 05, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 66
The May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of the feature articles, “ Collaboration in the Time of Pandemic .” We’re honored to be joined by the author, and executive director of NOVA Parks, Paul Gilbert, as well as Jane Rudolph, director of Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Kirk Kincannon, executive director of Fairfax County Park Authority. On today’s episode, we talk with th...
Apr 23, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Earth Day is a time when people all over the world promote the importance of environmental awareness, and it serves as a reminder that anyone can take small steps to protect the environment. This year, on April 22, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day has been a critical event since its inception in 1970 – in fact, in response to the very first Earth Day, landmark environmental laws like The Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act were created, as well...
Apr 21, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 65
The year was 1870. It was only five years after the end of the Civil War, and it was the year that the California legislature proclaimed the inception of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. This iconic park is affectionately known to San Franciscans as “Everybody’s Park,” and 150 years later, it is celebrating its sesquicentennial. We originally recorded today’s episode a few months ago with Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, to talk about all the ...
Apr 07, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Disclaimer: Today’s episode was previously recorded and focuses on how parks can help save fireflies, which is the cover story of the April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. We recognize some of the topics discussed on this episode are more difficult to implement at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope you find the topic interesting and that it will give you some ideas for the future. If nothing else, you'll learn some fascinating facts about fireflies! We also want you to...
Mar 26, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Disclaimer: Today’s episode was previously recorded and focuses on the importance of mentoring in parks and recreation. While we recognize some of the topics discussed on this episode are more difficult to implement at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage you to think of creative ways you can continue to connect with your community, while following all local, state and national ordinances and guidelines. NRPA is actively monitoring developments around the current COVID-19 pandemi...
Mar 24, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has made its way to the U.S. and the number of people infected continues to rise, with at least 539 confirmed cases in the U.S. at the time of this recording (at the time this episode was published, numbers had been recalculated to 432 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ). As the gatekeepers of many of our nation’s public gathering spaces, park and recreation professionals are seeking answers to key questio...
Mar 10, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 62
The March issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on this bonus episode of Open Space Radio we’re diving deeper into one of the feature articles, “ St. Louis: A Path Toward Equitable Design .” The article showcases the framework plan for the Chouteau Greenway in St. Louis — a $250 million greenway development. The public-private partnership spans 15 miles and 20 neighborhoods, with the goal of connecting communities and unifying different populations. One person who has played a...
Feb 27, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Parks everywhere serve as a gateway to nature and the great outdoors. As stewards of these spaces, it’s our responsibility to cultivate the next generation of diverse environmental leaders that will utilize and protect these spaces for generations to come. To assist park agencies with this important work, NRPA recently collaborated with renowned expert and author, Angelou Ezeilo, to host an interactive diversity workshop at our headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, and we’re thrilled to have her jo...
Feb 25, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 61
On today’s episode, we sit down with Kristine Stratton, NRPA President and CEO, and Neelay Bhatt, Vice President at PROS Consulting Inc, to discuss their presentation at the Agents of Change Summit this week. They’ll be in San Diego, California, sharing how park and recreation professionals are agents of change in their communities — particularly around how they influence and change health behaviors and how parks are a solution to many of our most pressing health and wellness challenges, like ob...
Feb 10, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Today’s episode is a deep dive into how one impossible situation can inspire multiple opportunities within a community. We hear from Jessica Patterson, Community Outreach Coordinator for Groton Parks and Recreation in Connecticut and Officer Heather McClelland, Community Policing Officer for the Groton Police Department. These are two truly inspirational people who came together from two different public agencies to create a network of support for Alzheimer’s Caregivers as well as a Cognitive Sa...
Jan 28, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 59
The February issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and we recently had the opportunity to chat with Jamie Sabbach about her article, “ Leading With Courage ,” for this month’s bonus episode. Jamie is the president and CEO of 110% Inc. and Amilia Consulting USA, and she joined us to talk about true courageous leadership, as well as explain why it is so important to the field of parks and recreation. On this episode, Jamie expands on the idea that the term “leadership” is often conf...
Jan 23, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 58
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re going back to the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, where we met with Julianne Mills, a program manager for Disabled Sports USA . Disabled Sports USA is a national leader in community-based adaptive sports, and has focused on one goal since 1967: To improve the lives of wounded warriors, youth and adults with disabilities by providing sports and recreation opportunities. We chat with Julianne about why inclusive and adaptive program...
Jan 14, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 58
