Rededicate a park: celebrate Parks and Recreation Month - Rec Room - Brief Article

Parks & Recreation, June, 2002

The National Recreation and Park and Association is joining Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation (AHR) in a salute to and celebration of America's community parks. Rededicating a park is a great way to call public attention to the essential role of parks and recreation in communities across America, and the positive impact parks and recreation have on the quality of life for all Americans.

Why Rededicate a Park?

America's state and local parks are key to community life for millions of people nationwide. Parks provide places for Americans to do everything from camping and canoeing, to hiking and biking, to picnicking and playing ball.

Over the past 37 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) programs have provided billions of federal dollars to more than 38,000 parks and recreation facilities that provide Americans with places to gather, recreate, learn, gain strength, and affirm their faith in the nation's core values.

Rededicating a park that has received funding through LWCF and UPARR will educate political leaders, area businesses, Chambers of Commerce, park users, and the public-at-large on the important role these programs have played in securing accessible recreation in communities across the nation. By reinforcing LWCF's past, we can strengthen its future.

When?

You can participate in two ways ... the Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation will kick off their salute this Fourth of July weekend. Any park that has received funding from the LWCF or UPARR is eligible to participate. The Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation will officially recognize 10 park rededication sites with plaques provided by the National Park Service.

A complete rededication tool kit is available at the Americans for our Heritage and Recreation Web site (www.ahrinfo.org).

July 1 begins the celebration of July is Parks and Recreation Month. Many park and recreation departments will be hosting events in local parks to celebrate America, our heritage, and our freedom. Why not include a park rededication ceremony as a part of your community event? Invite your mayor, city or town manager, congressional leaders, other elected officials, volunteers, school boards, commissioners, PTA's, media, staff and all citizens! Have the mayor sign a proclamation for the rededication thanking Congress for the federal grants that have helped to make their park and recreation facility possible. Sample proclamations, rededication commitment forms and other program ideas to help you celebrate July is Parks and Recreation Month are available on the NRPA Web site at www.nrpa.org.

For more information, contact Karen Miller, CPRP, NRPA Citizen Development Director, 800-883-3002 or email kmiller@nrpa.org.