2023 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 25 POLICIES Park and recreation agencies have various policies that address how residents enjoy amenities and programming in their communities. Many policies align with an agency’s mission to increase a community’s overall health and wellness, such as banning tobacco products, limiting the consumption of alcohol and ensuring the availability of healthy food options. Other policies address the collection of fees that help agencies with park upkeep and staffing challenges. More than four in five park and recreation agencies have policies that prohibit the use of tobacco products in their parks, at their facilities and on their grounds. Fifty- five percent of agencies ban the use of tobacco at all agency parks and facilities, while another 26 percent make exceptions for certain facilities (e.g., golf courses). Three in four park and recreation agencies allow the consumption of alcohol by legal-age adults on at least some of their premises. Seventeen percent of agencies have a policy that allows the consumption of alcohol at all park and recreation agency locations in their jurisdiction. Agencies are more likely to permit the consumption of alcohol at only a few select locations rather than at all facilities. Further, 49 percent of agencies allow the sale of alcohol on their premises — mainly at select locations and by either the agencies themselves or authorized concessionaires. Park and recreation agencies promote health and wellness by offering healthy food options at their vending machines and concessions. At least two-thirds of agencies offer healthy food options in vending machines and/or concession stands at their facilities. Relatively few park and recreation agencies charge an admission fee to enter or park a vehicle at their facilities. Eighteen percent of agencies charge fees to enter some of their parks and 16 percent of agencies have parking fees at some of their facilities. In both cases, the agencies that charge either admission or parking fees do so only at a limited number of facilities. FIGURE 25: PARK AND RECREATION AGENCY POLICIES (PERCENT OF AGENCIES) Yes, at all locations Yes, at select locations No Has a policy barring the use of all tobacco products in its parks and at its facilities and grounds 55% 26% 19% Has a policy that allows the consumption of alcohol by legal-aged adults on its premises 17 58 24 Agency sells alcoholic beverages to legal-aged adults on its premises (sold either by the agency or by a concessionaire authorized by the agency) 3 49 48 Agency provides healthy food options in its vending machines 25 40 35 Agency provides healthy food options at its concession stands 25 47 29 Agency charges a parking fee at its parks or facilities 1 16 83 Agency charges an admission fee to enter its parks 1 18 81 A child waits to step up to the plate at a baseball game in Blue Island Park District, Blue Island, Illinois. PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE ISLAND PARK DISTRICT
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