Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities Through Parks—A Guide To Success www.NRPA.org National Recreation and Park Association © 2011 All Rights Reserved 11 Related Initiatives With Potential for Parks The power that parks, open space, and public places have to affect the greater good of the community has been recognized by a number of other community activists as well There are many instances in which local parks have played a role in one or more of these initiatives Some of these initiatives that make particularly viable partners for parks and recreation include: • Community building. The intent and focus of community building are actions that increase the capacity of a neighborhood to identify needed changes, be involved in those changes, and sustain positive revitalization • Placemaking. Associated with the American Planning Association, this approach transforms public squares, parks, streets, and waterfronts as a means of attracting people and revitalizing a previously underutilized community asset • Environmental justice. Environmental justice refers to fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people—regardless of race, ethnicity, income, and national origin—in the development and implementation of environmental laws and policies The first wave of environmental justice focused on locally unwanted, nondesirable, and in some cases harmful uses of land such as landfills—the hazardous waste sites that disproportionately affected minority populations The second wave of environmental justice has shifted its attention to urban design, public health, and access to quality outdoor recreation spaces Such park access in underserved neighborhoods is tied to the Healthy People 2010 goals to increase health over the life span and eliminate health disparities We should recognize both the potential to collaborate on other initiatives and the value these other groups place on the role of parks in vital community outcomes These types of initiatives build on existing assets of park and recreation agencies In the case of placemaking, parks and a number of other public spaces are often the responsibility of public parks Community building relates to many strategies currently used in park and recreation programming opportunities In many instances, public parks and spaces are the only options available to underserved neighborhoods, which makes environmental justice a natural fit with public parks Sources of Information for Related Approaches Numerous sources examine these initiatives and suggest partnering potential for parks and recreation. Consult these Web sites. • The Community Building Initiative at http://www.communitybuildinginitiative.org • The Community Building Resource Exchange at http://www.commbuild.org • American Planning Association (articles, examples, and an outline) at http://www.pps.org/placemaking/articles/placemaker-profiles • The Townscape Institute at http://www.townscape.org/publications.htm • Soul of the Community Research at http://soulofthecommunity.org With respect to environmental justice, there is no specific organization for parks and recreation but some related projects are described at: • http://www.pacinst.org/reports/measuring_what_matters/issues/shoreline.pdf • http://www.ny4p.org/pdfs/planningforparks/Open_Space_Index_Report.pdf • www.uchastings.edu/public-law/docs/ejreport-fourthedition.pdf A Closing Thought The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life. — JANE ADDAMS
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