Open Space Radio

Latest Episodes:

Answering Your Marketing and Communications Questions (And Whether or Not YOU Should Have a Podcast) — Episode 039 May 20, 2019

Show notes

This month, NRPA has been tackling all things related to marketing and communications. Our May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine was filled with articles and tips about branding your park and recreation agency, how to master Facebook ads, and the importance of raising awareness about the great work you do. We also hosted a webinar tackling the latest trends in media and public relations.

We got a lot of really great questions during that webinar and it sparked some really robust conversation, so we wanted to dedicate this episode of Open Space Radio to taking a deeper dive into some of those questions alongside our friend, colleague and NRPA's Senior Manager of Public Relations, Heather Williams.

Tune in to the episode below to hear us discuss some common questions such as:

What content should I share on LinkedIn versus Facebook and Instagram?
With limited time and resources, do you feel a podcast is a good use of those resources?
Should I be concerned about copyright infringement when creating memes?
Is a Twitter profile like Denny's effective?
How many times per day should I post on Facebook?
How do I get my marketing and communications team on board with a social media need?

Links to other resources we talk about in this episode:

A Farewell Interview with Barbara Tulipane and How Parks Will Save the World — Episode 038 May 01, 2019

Show notes

Today's episode is slightly bittersweet. The exciting part is that we're chatting with Barbara Tulipane, NRPA's president and CEO, about the incredible 11 years she has spent helping transform NRPA into what it is today. But we can't help being saddened that we're having this discussion because of her upcoming retirement in June.

On this episode, we talk with Barbara about what she's learned during her tenure as our fearless leader, as well as why she thinks that parks are one of the last places for tolerance. We also chat about parks and recreation being a cure for loneliness and depression, and whether or not Barbara thinks parks are going to save the world (spoiler: she absolutely thinks parks are going to save the world).

Barbara also shares stories about the incredible things she has seen during her time at NRPA that truly show the power of parks and recreation. Among them, she recalls the time that she was touring a recreation center when a young boy who had just been stabbed ran inside looking for help. The interesting thing — and one that proves the scope of parks and recreation — is that the boy was not stabbed in the park or recreation center. He ran to the recreation center because he knew that it was a safe place where he could get the help he needed.

This instance alone shows how when there is a need in the community, park and recreation professionals step up and fill that need, day-in and day-out. The same goes for Barbara. She stepped up and not only led NRPA in growing its membership substantially, but also helped it grow into the respected association it has become. There's also a lot to be said about the culture that Barbara has fostered internally here at NRPA. Barbara encouraged robust conversations among people with sometimes opposing ideas, and she admits to loving when some of the younger staffers here challenged her (and challenge her we did).

Tune in to the show to hear Barbara reflect on the past 11 years as NRPA president and CEO, and please join us in wishing her the best in her retirement. She will truly be missed, but this isn't goodbye, it's just, "See ya later — in the park!"

Turning "Ugh, Another Meeting?" into "Yay, Another Meeting!" — Episode 037 Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

I know you know this feeling. You're sitting at your desk, or out in the field, and you're really in the zone. You're on a deadline for something — and it's coming up — but the juices are flowing and your productivity is on high.

Then it happens.

That dreaded reminder pops up and tells you that in 15 minutes you' have to halt your momentum and go to another meeting.

But, instead of looking at meetings as a nuisance to our productive day, what if we could look at them as a time when the next great ideas are born? What if we look at it as a time to bring our collective goals and dreams to fruition?

On today's episode, we're joined by Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom, who worked in local government for several years and is now a professional speaker and organizational development consultant who works with leaders who want to improve employee relationships and have more productive meetings.

We talk about the things that can make a meeting productive, and a space where not only great ideas come to life, but also where everyone's voice is heard. Among some of the things we discuss are:

Finding what the meeting's purpose is
How to design an interactive exercise at a meeting to shake things up a bit
The importance of starting and ending a meeting on time
Inviting the right people to your meeting

Tune in to find out a few simple things you can do to create more engaging, productive meetings. You can also find Sharon's free toolkit at www.sharonspeaks.com as well as a blog about meeting facilitation and design at http://sharonspeaks.com/category/meeting-facilitation/

Community-Minded Design with Todd Lehman — Episode 036 Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

On today's episode, we're talking about playground design and how design that keeps a community's spirit in mind benefits the community as a whole.

Our guest on the show is Todd Lehman, owner and "design guy" at Cre8Play. You may recognize Cre8Play from the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference, where they won Best in Show for their playground exhibit.

Todd seemed to have a passion for play in his blood (his father was a park and recreation director for many years and then sold playgrounds) and would cut out playground equipment from catalogs to design his own playgrounds when he was a child. It only made sense for Todd to go into a career where he could merge his passions for design and play in creating playground equipment that not only promotes physical activity, but also brings communities together.

Playgrounds and play spaces should reflect the communities around them - and in the age of customization, it's more doable now than ever. Check out the episode to hear about examples of communities that are implementing play spaces that reflect the area that surrounds them, as well as some pretty cool playgrounds that are replicas of the city they are in.

We also take a look at how agencies can get started on a project to implement more unique and inclusive play spaces.

A Park and Rec Program Created 500,000 Healthier Youth — Episode 035 Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

Five years ago, NRPA launched Commit to Health – a program that would grow to positively impact 500,000 youth annually through healthier eating and increased physical activity.

In today's episode, we take a moment to celebrate this monumental achievement and look back at where we started and where we're headed.

Commit to Health is NRPA's program to implement healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) standards in park and recreation out-of-school time programs. It goes beyond just eating right and exercise, though — it's all about getting staff and youth to engage and learn about lifelong healthy habits while having fun.

Is This the End of Recycling? — Episode 034 Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

On today's show, we're talking about one of NRPA's Top Trends in Parks and Recreation for 2019: The prediction that park and recreation recycling programs may soon end.

We're joined by Brendan Daley, the Director of Strategy and Sustainability for the Chicago Park District, which is leading the way in recycling and other sustainability practices, and Rich Dolesh, NRPA's Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, who made this bold prediction at the beginning of this year.

On this episode, we explore why there's a sudden fear that park and recreation recycling programs might end, and how we even got into this mess in the first place. We also discuss things like:

The recent changes in recycling practices
What agencies can do when the waste they collect is either not recyclable or the cost of having it picked up is too expensive
What types of recycling are cost-effective and should continue
Things that agencies can do to educate the public regarding recycling
Simple things individuals can do to improve their recycling habits

The future of recycling in parks and recreation should not be taken lightly, and even with recent changes to many recycling practices, there are still things we can do to make sure that this critical conservation and sustainability effort continues. Tune in to the show to find out how.

Lifeguard Shortage? What Lifeguard Shortage? — Episode 033 Feb 11, 2019

Show notes

On today's episode, we're talking about the need for parks and recreation to adapt to younger generations and a changing society. We're joined by Mark Foote, the aquatics superintendent for the City of Chandler Parks and Recreation in Arizona — who you may recognize from one of our past episodes, "What Are Your Park and Rec Pet Peeves?"

Mark discusses why he thinks it's especially important in parks and recreation to be able to change the approach to certain things, like hiring, to attract and retain different generations — specifically Millennials and Gen Z. We also explore the current claims about a lifeguard shortage, and why Mark believes that there actually isn't a lifeguard shortage, at all (he may just convince you, too).

Tune in below to find out what sparked Mark's passion for parks and recreation, and what things have kept him engaged in this field since his very first aquatics job at the age of 17. You'll also hear some simple things that his agency has done to attract and retain an incredible staff, as well as create the culture of a big, happy family.

You won't want to miss Mark's thoughts on the "Chick-fil-A model" and how a few very small things can make all the difference in an organization's culture.

How One Man (And His Family) Changed the Culture of a Community — Episode 032 Jan 28, 2019

Show notes

When Derwin Hannah moved from South Carolina to Baltimore, Maryland, 22 years ago, he couldn't help but notice that things weren't the way they should be. He noticed that the kids were playing in the street and that the local park, ABC Park, was being overrun with criminal activity and not being cared for. Derwin, who grew up in a large family of 10, wanted the kids in this Baltimore community to have the chance of experiencing the childhood that he had — a chance to play, a chance to feel a sense of belonging.

After Derwin and his wife, Denetria, hosted their son's first birthday party at ABC Park, they decided to take it upon themselves to bring the park back to life and give this community the opportunity to have a safe space. As a volunteer (on top of his job as a truck driver), Derwin has gone to ABC Park twice a day for the past 17 years to care for the space and serve as a leader for the community. Changing the culture of this place didn't come without obstacles, but through persistence, buy-in from the community, strategic partnerships and a lot of love, ABC Park is now home to movie nights for the community, an annual kickball game, and sports programs with about 250 participants.

The transformation that ABC Park has gone through under Derwin and his family's care is incredible, but with very little funding, only so much can be done. Each year, in the host city of the NRPA Annual Conference, a park is selected to be rebuilt and revitalized as part of NRPA's Parks Build Community project. This year, NRPA will work alongside Baltimore City Recreation and Parks and various top-rated park equipment manufacturers — who donate services and equipment — to make ABC Park a place that the members of this community can be even more proud of than they already are.

Check out the episode to learn more about Derwin's journey in changing the face of ABC Park and hear the excitement in his voice when we talk about what he's looking forward to with this year's Parks Build Community project.

Click here to learn more about this year's Parks Build Community project and watch a video from the groundbreaking ceremony.

Park Development Means Economic Development — Episode 031 Jan 07, 2019

Show notes

In this episode we are talking about the case — or really the many, MANY cases — for open space. While it would take several libraries to thoroughly go through all the reasons why open space is important, we went to the expert on land use policy and economic development issues.

Ed McMahon is the senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Ed is a sought after thought leader and author on economic development and land use policies and trends. During the past 30 years, he has worked with more than 600 communities in all 50 states on a wide variety of land use and economic development issues.

In this episode, Ed helps us answer questions like why placemaking is so important and why land developers should always invest in parks and open space. He also talks about why initiatives like the 10-Minute Walk Campaign – a joint initiative between NRPA, ULI and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) – are beneficial to all cities.

Resources mentioned:

Help! We're Losing Our Parks! — Episode 030 Dec 21, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode, we're talking about park conversions. In recent history, we've seen some pretty remarkable conversions of abandoned or unused commercial and industrial space — such as the internationally acclaimed High Line in New York City and The 606, a rails to trails conversion in Chicago — into vibrant public spaces.

But the reverse is happening, too. Even though parks and open space are vital to every community, parks are being converted to non-park uses. In some cases, the conversions of these parks are for other valuable public purposes, such as schools or roads, but the net effect is the same — the parks are lost.

Joining us on the show today are two experts on the issue of park conversions. Rich Dolesh, NRPA's Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, and Dr. James Kozlowski, an attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University, share their experiences in cases where park land has been threatened by being converted into other uses. Fortunately, some of the cases that we discuss have a happy ending — the parks were saved. However, this is not always the case.

Tune in to learn what you can do to try to save your beloved park if the threat of being developed for something else ever comes its way. It's not an easy feat by any means, but it's not as difficult as it may sound, either!

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