Christopher Siters

RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
L07 Proposal

Centre Region Parks/ Recreation Proposals

Reviewing the RAND study and its subsequent recommendations, the main points highlight the

need for targeting of specific demographics/ populations, effective marketing strategies to

supplement engaging supervised activities, and new facilities via targeted investments (Cohen,

Leuschner, 2018).

Targeted Investments and New Facilities

Looking at targeted investments and new facilities, there are a few opportunities that could be

explored. The study cites,

The number of facilities per park had a small but significant impact on

park use. Across the parks observed in the national study, parks with more

facilities-independent of size-had slightly more users and more physical activity

overall than the average park did: Each additional facility was associated, on

average, with a 2-percent increase in park users and a 2-percent increase in

physical activity (Cohen, Han, Nagel, et al., 2016).

The park features found to make the greatest difference in park use for

MVPA were the existence of organized park programming and marketing. In the

national study, every additional supervised activity was associated with 48

percent more park users and 37 percent more MVPA time (Cohen, Han, Nagel, et

al., 2016).
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
Looking at these numbers, there is basically: a 2% increase in usage per park facility, and a 48%

increase per instructed/ supervised activity – logically speaking that would suggest that 1 facility

featuring an instructed activity would increase park usage by roughly 50%; ideally, facilities

would be multifunctional, accommodating more than just one specific activity, illustrating the

need for dynamically-engaging facilities and simple but effective strategies for promoting park

attendance. There are three simple and distinct but overlapping issues surrounding parks: 1)

getting people to go to their parks in the first place, 2) getting people to stay at their parks and

participate, and 3) making them want to come back.

Community-Based Fitness Programs

First and foremost, one way to address all three recommendation areas of the study would

be to create positions for community-based fitness instructors at local parks; these people would

work to create accessible recreation/ exercise opportunities for the locals to engage in, and would

act as a sort of “brand ambassador” for their park(s) and programs. The key is finding a well-

rounded fitness instructor who would be able to conduct classes for different types of exercise

programs, whether it is cardio-based v. strength-building, yoga, cycling, etc., and could even

coordinate team sport events (football [both kinds], baseball, rowing, etc.) between neighboring

parks/ towns/ etc.; they could contact local gyms/ sports/ recreation businesses, who could

partner to instruct classes in their area (martial arts, boxing, archery, etc.), which would be good

(free) advertising for the local businesses/ organizations/ etc., and allow potential customers to

“try before they buy,” with the overarching aim of increasing MVPA, but also engaging people

with their communities.

Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
Based on the numbers assessed in the study, taking the average of 174 parks in 25 cities

which have a minimum population of 100,000 people; breaking that down is roughly 7 parks/ 1

city (of 100,000+ people), and it is shown in the study that roughly 12,400 people live within 1

mile of a local park. Looking at statistics, the average population under 18 years old is roughly

22% (Statista), meaning around ¼ of the population theoretically would not have a source of

taxable/ disposable income; using the baseline population figure of 100,000 people, that would

equal roughly 22,000 youths per 78,000 adults. If the adults were charged/ taxed/ donated even

just $1 a year, that would equal $78,000.00 per year: the average fitness instructor salary range

falling between $34,000 - $67,000 (the median around $46,000/ year), thus would absolutely

cover the salary for one to two fitness instructors (ideally with the partnership of local businesses

and the assistance of volunteers, see sections below) able to conduct classes at a park for five to

seven days a week.

Moving the figure up to $2/ year tax totaling $156,000 (78,000 x $2) would pay for

between three to five instructors…$2/ year being drastically cheaper than $10+/ month gym

memberships. With an average of seven parks per city, in order to have one fitness instructor per

park at $46,000/ year would cost around $322,000/ year (7 x $46,000); dividing the total

$322,000 by the 78,000 adult population would cost approximately $4.13 per person per year.

Turning the standard $10/ month-fee into an annual flat tax per person would result in

$780,000.00 revenue (78,000 x $10), which is still less than $1 per month and more than enough

to fund two instructors per park conducting fitness classes. This program could also be founded

with an initial investment of around $500,000.00, with the hopes that proper advertising and

participation numbers would justify implementation of said tax and/ or further investment.
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
Introducing community-minded/ based/ funded fitness and wellness instructors seems like it

would be a financially feasible option given the implementation of an annual flat tax, alongside

donations, fundraising events, etc., to fund the instructors/ programs. The instructors could

function as a part of the parks/ rec department, serving as a neighborhood liaison between the

department and the people, coordinating with locals and volunteers for conducting/ assisting

classes (see sections below about inclusivity).

Growing Together: “the fruits of our labor for the funds of our leisure”

Gardening classes and a public greenhouse/ garden would be another good, targeted

investment. There could be seasonal planting parties, ideally with a “bring your own planter”

policy, but also offering recycled options, as just about anything can be used to start a plant (milk

cartons, plastic bottles/ food containers, etc.). Packets of seeds are practically free if you were to

spread the cost out per seed, the most expensive aspects usually being planters/ pots/ soil/ food/

fertilizers/ etc. As this is a targeted investment option, classes could be conducted via volunteers,

although this type of program would greatly benefit from a professional horticulturalist to

instruct classes and tend to the greenhouse/ garden. People would be able to come to classes and

grow a plant, take it home with them, and bring in their plants for questions/ concerns/ etc., or

even request a house-call for the more immobile plants, offering advice and assistance to the

extent of their abilities.

Produce grown in the greenhouse/ garden could be used for parks/ rec fundraising events

(fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc.) which would also greatly offset any cost thus enhancing the

fundraising ability of said events. With the push for healthy lifestyles, farm-to-table food, etc., a
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
community garden that produces healthy, organic, local produce to be used for raising public

funds would be a big selling point for events with food. Some positive externalities that would

arise from this investment are, 1) obviously neighborhood beautification, as a public greenhouse/

garden would greatly enhance the aesthetic of any neighborhood it is part of, provided it is built

well and properly maintained, and 2) would serve as a natural neighborhood air purifier, helping

to slow the threat of climate change, even just a little bit. Other sustainable measures could be

implemented as well, such as solar panels and water purification systems to supply the

greenhouse/ garden and other facilities, and even creation/ maintenance of a neighborhood

compost to help with garbage/ pollution/ etc. while also being a useful resource. Ideally this

project (and all proposed projects) would strive to embody the “living building” ideology of the

Living Building Challenge (International Living Future Institute).

The salary range for a horticulturist being between $33,000 - $47,000 (the average around

$40,000) this could again be funded via implementation of a small tax/ donations and function as

part of the parks/ rec department; again, a $1 tax on 78,000 people would pay for one to two

horticulturalists. The average cost for a greenhouse varies considerably based on size, materials,

etc., though a solid estimate for a modest but productive facility would be around 5,000 ft2,

which could run anywhere between $10,000 – $125,000 (homeguide.com) or more, depending

on modifications/ specifications; again, for sustainability purposes it should be evaluated whether

solar panels and the like are a feasible financial investment, as estimates for solar specification at

$30 - $45/ ft2: on the low-end with a 5,000 ft2 plot would run at least $150,000.00, though the

selection of sustainable building features during construction is largely geared to offset the cost

of utility expenses. While further evaluation would need to be done for an accurate figure, I
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
would estimate that an initial investment of roughly $500,000.00 coupled with a modest annual

flat tax should be enough to “germinate” a functional and productive greenhouse within one to

two years at most, given the time it takes for the actual plants to grow; and, I firmly believe that

if locals could actually see the “fruit” of their taxes/ donations growing in their own

neighborhood, it would greatly improve both funding and participation.

Indoor Facilities: multifunctional year-round neighborhood utilities

When breaking down park use by age, the study says, “Among children and teens,

walking loops, skate parks, and swimming pools were the top park facilities contributing to

MVPA,” and that,

After renovations, a skate park was successful in generating more physical

activity, with a 510-percent increase in use of the expanded skate park; this was

more than six times the increase in activity seen over the same three-year period

in a comparison state park that was not renovated (77-percent increase).

Investment in public indoor recreation facilities, such as a skate park, swimming pool,

and/ or rock-climbing wall, with supervisory staff (lifeguard, etc.), would prove invaluable.

Many public skate parks and pools are outdoors, and this severely limits the availability of

recreational options, with most pools only being open between Memorial Day (May) and Labor

Day (September); this is good for summer recreation absolutely, but cold weather is an obstacle,

and can be damaging to outdoor facilities; not to mention that some summer days are just too hot

to want to be outside and active – this would solve just about any seasonal impediment to MVPA
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
(heat, snow, rain, etc.), and can be designed in a way so as to still allow the outdoors inside, so-

to-speak (adequate windows/ natural lighting, greenery, etc.)

Winter can be a good time for exploring new and different types of interests but giving

teens a consistent place to exercise indoors (that is not necessarily just gym equipment) would

prove beneficial both physically and mentally. These facilities could easily be outfitted with

sustainable measures such as solar panels and water/ air purification systems, which would offset

the utility usage/ costs for said facilities, and could extend benefits to neighboring facilities.

Revenue-generating opportunities would include equipment rentals, concession sales, and

themed parties (glow sticks for a night swim, water/ pool themed movie nights, etc.) and so forth.

These facilities could also easily fall under the purview of the park-based instructors illustrated

above, providing instruction and classes on biking/ roller blading/ skateboarding, swimming,

rock climbing, and even CPR/ First Aid. Ideally, giving people access to these facilities where

they are able to freely come and learn and experience new recreation opportunities would

translate into the formation of leisure-careers, such as transitioning to mountain biking/ climbing,

etc. at state and/ or national parks, or even launch a professional sports career.

Looking at the costs associated with the construction of indoor recreation facilities,

generalized sports facilities are estimated at $150 - $250/ ft2, with small to medium facilities

ranging from $4,500 - $20,000 (metalbuilders.org); another figure for construction/ maintenance

of a public skate park is roughly $450,000 with an average lifespan of 20 years (roughly

$22,500/ year) (Public Skate Park Guide). Aquatics facilities are a little more expensive,

averaging around $400 - $600/ ft2, with total costs easily over $1 million; any pre-existing

outdoor public pool could be assessed to see if conversion into an enclosed/ indoor structure
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
would be possible/ financially feasible compared to building from scratch. Rock-climbing walls

also vary between renovations to existing buildings running $250,000 - $500,000 for a 4,000 –

12,000 ft2 facility, and building from scratch which, estimates starting around $500,000.00, could

also easily surpass $1million (Impact Climbing). Additionally, figures for indoor sports facilities

with event spaces are estimated to cost $200 - $300/ ft2 (sportsfacilities.com), only $50/ ft2 more

than facilities without event spaces; therefore, it would only prove beneficial to opt for the extra

space, as these can be rented out for private functions, increasing the revenue-generating

potential to offset costs and the overall “utility” of the facilities. Projects like these could require

a great deal more community involvement, with fundraising, business sponsorship, etc., though

as these are neighborhood projects, they are not designed for the masses of consumers, so

smaller facilities may actually prove both more financially feasible and more neighborhood

friendly; therefore, any of these targeted investments of around $500,000.00 should be enough to

establish one or more facilities that would last a generation.

Sourcing recycled/ reclaimed building materials and incorporating sustainable energy

features would be a good way to try to reduce construction/ ongoing utility costs and also to

promote sustainability within local communities. While construction of (ideally sustainable/

green) indoor facilities is seemingly more expensive, they are able to be thoroughly utilized year-

round, rather than lying dormant and useless for months at a time, ignored and often falling into

disrepair due to adverse weather conditions. Though this is largely viewed through the use by the

teenage demographic, indoor public facilities such as skate parks, rock-climbing walls,

swimming pools, etc. would also obviously benefit other age demographics as well; and, indoor
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
facilities with enough reason/ resource could maintain extended hours or even operate 24/ 7 in a

large enough city.

An Excuse to Run and Play – appeasing the “inner child.”

While the study states that walking loops were the top source of adult MVPA, another

targeted investment that would prove beneficial is adult-sized playground equipment (slides,

jungle gym, etc.). The RAND study highlighted the predominance of children’s playground

equipment in public parks and the disparity surrounding the functionality of the surveyed parks:

As indicated in Figure 4, park facilities tend to be geared more toward

youths than toward adults and seniors. For example, children’s playgrounds are

found in 89 percent of parks, while walking loops—which constitute the greatest

source of MVPA for adults and seniors—are found in only 29 percent of parks

(Cohen, Han, Nagel, et al., 2016).

I would argue that adults would enjoy being able to climb around and “be a kid” again with

suitable equipment; larger sized equipment could still theoretically be used by children, however

(again) the study highlights the iniquity of “play” equipment for children versus adults. Parents

love taking their children to parks because they can run around and be loud and just burn off

energy, and a large part of that is due to the involvement of slides, swings, etc.: so why not build

equipment that allows parents to play alongside their children? Not only would this be good for

MVPA as parents would not just be sitting on benches and watching, but it would also facilitate

familial/ community bonding. Adults arguably have plenty of “recreation” opportunities, whether
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
it be a private gym membership, equipment at home, etc., but most adults do not have an

opportunity to “play,” highlighting the distinction between the two aspects of leisure, in that

“recreation” is dependent upon “work,” and “play” being defined by its abject “purposelessness.”

Plus, in light of sustainability, it would be preferred that people walk to their local parks if

possible, and thus should give them something else to do at the park besides, ‘What? Just more

walking, but, like scenic?’ Not to disparage walking loops, however, the lack of walking loops in

neighborhood parks is probably largely due to the lack of space, as many neighborhood parks are

situated on city blocks in and amongst other buildings, dwellings, etc., hence the development of

the “greenway,” a walking/ biking trail often situated juxtaposed between the greenery of nature

and roadways/ buildings (such as the Rails-to-Trails). While walking loops and/ or greenways

should definitely be considered, provided available and adequate space, perhaps they should be

considered among a means of accessing the park and neighborhood beautification, rather than

just being the park itself. Giving adults an actual place to “play and be a kid” would not only

prompt MVPA (running around, climbing/ sliding, etc.) but would also begin to change the

mentality surrounding the phenomena of play and leisure in adults.

Amenities for Everyone

Public parks should be equipped with utilities such as electricity (lights), running water

(fountains/ restrooms), etc., and that should include free public Wi-Fi. One way to ensure people

spend a little more time outside at parks would be to provide public Wi-Fi; nowadays, free Wi-Fi

is an enormous contributor to attendance/ foot traffic/ etc., with people often going to places just

to use the free Wi-Fi. It could still be a “private” network, with a password posted at the park, so
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
that people physically have to go to the park to obtain the password; this could be changed and

posted monthly, to avoid the “free-rider” problem as well as instituting a one-hour time limit for

users as seen in libraries, airports, etc. Phones are a necessary evil in the modern age, and it is

nearly impossible to detach from one’s phone without a negative repercussion; thus, if parks

want to encourage people to visit and exercise daily, let them stream music or such while they

exercise without draining their mobile data: imposition of a one-hour limit on Wi-Fi would be

more than enough time for individuals to engage in the recommended 30 daily-minutes of

MVPA for adults.

Another feature all neighborhoods and their public parks should install is a “little free

library.” A quaint visual that also promotes regular traffic as well as reading, with books being

donated from locals, public libraries, etc. and people do not even need a library card. It’s a very

simple little targeted investment that can make a world of difference; local public libraries are

wonderful, but some are not necessarily easily accessible from all areas of town, and thus every

neighborhood park should feature a little free library that any child can access. Barring any book-

hoarding dragons, with continued use and donations they can only grow. There is a website for

the official “Little free library” and it seems like a good organization to support, with their “pre-

fab” (assembly required) kits starting around $300.00, but this is honestly an amenity that could

be built/ maintained by any public parks/ libraries, and with the aid of a skilled woodworker/

craftsman would inevitably serve as neighborhood beautification.

Alongside these two and other standard utilities, there should be a noticeable and easily-

navigable information center constructed, both physical and virtual, in which to have

information/ advertisement for park events; cities should have some sort of social media and/ or
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
webpage, but city government websites can often be over-blown, difficult to navigate, and

sometimes fairly out of date, which is why neighborhood parks should have a virtual presence all

their own: neighborhood maps of local parks with brochures of events for each park, volunteer/

fundraising/ other opportunities to get involved, feedback/ opinion surveys, etc. A volunteer

portal can be maintained, where locals can set up accounts allowing them to virtually schedule

and track their volunteer opportunities/ hours. People could sign up to receive email/ text

notifications about upcoming park events, and could be notified in the event of a last-minute

change, cancellation, etc.

These facilities would be maintained in coordination with all of the above/ below listed

suggestions, a joint effort of all parties involved (various instructors, facility managers,

government departments, etc.) to keep the neighborhood informed and up to date on the offerings

of their local parks; extensive efforts should be made to make advertisements/ marketing as

accessible and inclusive as possible, working with the community to make sure demographics

with limited English-proficiency and/ or those with impairments/ disabilities, etc. can still

understand and thus take advantage of their neighborhood program offerings, as these would be

especially beneficial to the overall wellbeing of those communities; even if an individual does

not participate in a particular activity, 1) inclusive advertising will slowly begin to improve

mental health surrounding social inclusion, and 2) will prompt individuals to continue observing

advertisements for something that they will enjoy. Again, one of the biggest issues is getting

people informed and to want to physically go to their parks in the first place, so they need easily

accessible information that will intrinsically motivate them. With society growing ever-more
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
technology-centric, it is vitally important to maintain an active online presence, at least as far as

notifications about events/ classes/ etc.

Demographics and Inclusivity

Two specific demographics to look at are youths under 18 and senior citizens: two groups who

may or may not have restricted income/ transportation/ etc., which only serve to exacerbate a

general lack of engagement opportunities. Volunteer opportunities are a great way to not only

offset labor costs, but would also promote community engagement as well as proving personally

beneficial for college/ job applications, etc. – the problem is finding/ accessing them. These

would also be good, therapeutic, community-based opportunities for anyone required to

complete hours of community service.

Senior Citizens: hidden gems and pearls of wisdom

There are in existence “senior centers” with facilities/ activities for senior citizens to take

advantage of, however the study encountered an interesting dichotomy in this area,

In another case, park renovations were associated with lower park use: a

remodeled senior center that received new exercise equipment, a courtyard

garden, and modern architectural features had substantially fewer users after

renovations than before. It is possible that this decrease in park use occurred

because the center offered fewer hours of exercise classes and other programmed
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
activities after the renovations. In this case, social factors, such as individuals’

connection to a site and availability of programming, appear to be more important

in attracting seniors than facility renovations.

It is important to note that construction of new facilities does not guarantee participation, rather

that new/ renovated facilities need to maintain and/ or increase availability of programs/

activities: simply put, the facilities need to facilitate.

Many seniors, both living independently or in assisted living situations, would benefit

from a shuttle service/ designated bus to and from local parks. I do believe there are already

specific transit in place for taking seniors and/ or the disabled to and from medical appointments,

however I do not know if this exists on a social/ personal plane. Public buses/ transit are

obviously an option, but they are largely concerned with transporting the masses on

predetermined routes, generally to schools, business areas, etc. Thus having a shuttle service that

seniors could request/ have readily available specifically for them and equipped for their needs

(such as wheelchair accessibility, care for equipment like oxygen tanks, hearing/ speech/ vision-

impairment assistance, etc.) should prove nothing but beneficial. This could be maintained as

part of the online presence: people could login to the park portal, request a shuttle from their

house/ nearest bust stop/ etc. to the park, and a text notification could be used to signal for a ride

back. Public transit and parks/ rec could coordinate the purchase and maintenance of park-

specific shuttle services and could be functional with as few as one shuttle per park.

Many seniors are also retired from lengthy (and hopefully successful) careers, and/ or

perhaps have had lifelong hobbies that they still enjoy but cannot for whatever reason participate

in these activities to the fullest extent; senior citizens can be a wealth of knowledge and
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RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
experiences, such as woodworking/ carpentry, fruit and vegetable gardening/ canning/

preserving, knitting/ sewing/ crocheting, musical abilities, etc. Instructional videos exist on the

internet for just about everything, but they lack individual attention, the human connection, and it

would be invaluably beneficial as a way for senior citizens to feel useful/ appreciated/ needed/

etc., and a good use of any free time they have. I would very much suggest that a survey goes out

to see if any seniors in the area have skills they could be available to share, and the scheduling

could be as variable as needed, with daily/ weekly/ monthly classes, as well as how generally

many seniors would be interested in park/ recreation-specific transit options.

Teens/ Young Adults: from loitering to learning and leading

Teens would absolutely benefit from volunteer/ leadership opportunities at their local

parks, and area schools should implement some sort of incentive program (e.g. extra credit, a

certificate/ award, etc.) to motivate students/ teens to be active and engaged in their

communities. As stated above with the senior demographic, students could volunteer to assist

with classes/ activities to receive extra credit in a complimentary academic area (e.g. physical

education, biology, home economics, music, etc.) and/ or given an award for volunteer hours that

would prove beneficial both for college/ job applications and in allowing young adults to explore

different areas of interests, exposing them to new experiences like yoga or jazz music or

gardening could open up a world of possible areas of collegiate study/ professional career

pursuits. Again, ideally volunteers would have access to an online portal allowing them to

schedule opportunities/ transport, track hours, etc. Giving youths access to small but frequent

volunteer/ leadership opportunities will inevitably help them grow more comfortable in their
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RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
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communities, and plant the seeds for community-based thinking/ behavior allowing them to

grow into effective members of their communities/ cities/ etc.

Healthy Competition

City-wide contests (quarterly, annually, etc.) could even be held amongst teens/ adults/

seniors for volunteer hours with some sort of recognitions and/ or local businesses sponsoring

prizes; and this could extend past the parks/ rec area to include obviously libraries, hospitals,

soup kitchens, etc. While volunteering should not be about receiving monetary/ material

compensation, I do believe that people should be recognized/ honored for their efforts, especially

those who do go above and beyond for the betterment of others.

Effective Marketing and Events

One of the most effective marketing strategies…is absolutely free. Word-of-mouth advertising

costs nothing other than providing a good/ positive/ enjoyable experience.

Panem et Circenses

Two things people love are food and a spectacle: panem et circenses (Latin, “bread and

circuses”), while largely used in a derogatory fashion to denote superficial appeasement/

placation of the masses, it is, nonetheless, true. While the main goal of public parks should be for

regular recreation, it would be beneficial to have fun, “superficial” events that draw crowds.

Instituting regular events would ensure a relatively steady flow of attendance/ traffic, and
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RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
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incorporation of the events/ the park into the schedules of locals will also encourage them to visit

the park regularly, regardless of events or not, as it becomes part of their lives. Even having one

event per month/ season could significantly impact attendance and be done relatively

inexpensively, if not free.

The Promenade: From the French, the idea of the promenade denotes a leisurely outdoor

stroll and was a common occurrence in public parks of eras passed, envisioned in Sunday

Afternoon on La Grande Jatte, painted by Georges Seurat in 1884 (Arts Institute of Chicago):

So, why not bring it back? Give people an excuse to dust off that tux or once-worn prom dress

(high school “prom” deriving also from the French, promenade), and take a leisurely, luxurious

stroll through the beautiful park. Ideally conducted sometime in spring, while the flowers are in

bloom and before summer heat makes wearing a tuxedo a labor in and of itself. Moms, dads,

children, grandparents, and everyone in between…fun for all ages. Derby hats and boaters, lace

gloves, parasols…anything (obviously appropriate) people want to wear to “embody the

promenade”; even going so far as promoting business at second-hand/ thrift stores, and could

also be a fun project for a neighborhood sewing class. The parks/ rec department could sponsor
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RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
concessions: a stand for lemonades or hot/iced teas, etc., and/ or bake sale to give the folks a

little nosh while they stroll, with the funds going to support the local park’s programs; this can be

done at and in support of multiple parks, if available, on different dates. High school or

collegiate musical departments/ programs could provide live music for an hour or two (again for

credit, etc.) to really enhance the atmosphere, and small games/ events could be held even just to

win some free baked goods or a fancy plant to match their fancy pants: three-legged races,

pitching horseshoes, stick-and-hoop, etc. – brief games/ events that are more about fun and

participation than necessarily winning or losing. While not promoting “vigorous” activity, it

would absolutely provide a jovial time and prompt goodwill towards the park(s)/ public,

ultimately impacting the view/ ideology of “the park” as a place for pleasant social gatherings.

And, aside from raising some funds for the parks, it would serve as a good opportunity to

announce/ advertise future events at that and/ or other parks.

One multifunctional event for moderate physical activity, social inclusivity, and a little

fundraising for parks involving something most people enjoy, centered around the phenomenon

of the “walking taco”: a single-serving bag of chips with taco-associated elements (meat, lettuce,

cheese, sour cream, etc.) that one can eat on-the-go. Local farms and/ or markets could be asked

for material donations/ volunteers and an entry fee could be charged to cover food costs and

fundraising proceeds, or perhaps even offering to accept food/ clothing/ etc. donations for other

community organizations as well. Produce grown in the greenhouse/ garden can be used for food

production (citrus fruits, herbs, onions/ garlic/ etc.), which again will both help offset event costs

and enhance fundraising ability, as well as promoting fresh, local produce as part of a well-

balanced diet. Different tiers could be provided for different financial contributions, with the
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options of 2, 4, 8, or 10 tacos: Walking2Tacos (“to”), Walking4Tacos (“for”), I Walked and 8

Tacos (“ate”), and I’ve Walked and Eat10 Tacos (“eaten”). Participants would get one walking

taco with a choice of bag of chips and toppings such as a choice of meat, vegetables, cheeses,

etc., for each mile they walk, based on financial contributions. Charges could range from $5-$10

for two tacos up to $30+ for 10 tacos (averaging $3 (or more) per taco), again, depending on

whether items were donated or purchased; prices would have to be adjusted for market

availability, etc. Something like this would also be a great opportunity to advertise for other

events/ classes/ etc.

Keeping with the “themed-event” theme, local parks could hold Olympic games, but not

professional, so more like, “Olymp-ish” games. Events could be held for different age groups

(kids, teens, adults, seniors) and or abilities (a la the Special Olympics). All running-based events

would be completely free as there are no materials required for competition. Not all Olympic

events would be feasible whether for monetary or safety reasons (such as the javelin), but since

they would not be “professional Olympic sports,” changes could be made to constituent events:

such as one-on-one basketball, a homerun derby, cycling events, swimming races, etc.

(depending on facility availability); all of which require fairly minimal financing (if facilities

such as courts and pools are already in place), and events could be held at different parks with

varying facilities as needed (a park with a basketball court v. a park with a baseball field).

Extraneous equipment could be supplied by people (personal bikes, basketballs, etc., with air

pumps and such available), borrowed from local schools, and/ or purchased/ crafted (hurdles,

long-jump sand area, etc.).

Christopher Siters
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Again, this could be city-wide, with recognition (a medal, plaque, etc.) and/ or prizes for

winners sponsored by local businesses, goods from the greenhouse/ garden or other parks

programs, etc.. These events can obviously be pre-determined and advertised in advance to allow

participants time to practice and prepare, though again it would be a largely amateur competition

with the main goal being community engagement, but with the added benefit of promoting

MVPA year-round if one plans on competing year to year. Ideally this would be a completely

free event, nothing required for individuals to participate as it does promote year-round MVPA.

Different seasonal “Olymp-ish” events could be held for summer and winter, with events like

sledding, snow-building, etc., thus also promoting year-round physical activity. Concessions

could be sold to spectators to help generate funds as well.

Another themed-event could be a combination of the physically intense triathlon and the

mentally rigorous trivia…a “trivi-athlon,” so to speak. Trivia could range from specific events/

genres/ figures of music, movies, literature, etc., with themed “triathlon” events to match (such

as having to perform an act/ action related to the theme): e.g. Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien,

with events like trying to find a “gold ring” and trying to ring toss it into “the mountain of fire,”

with related trivia questions between events, etc. Not only would this promote general park

attendance as well as some physical activity, but it would encourage people to read books/ watch

movies/ listen to music/ etc., which are all, in and of themselves, valid forms of leisure activities

and intellectual/ professional pursuits. Materials for events could be donated/ recycled/

purchased/ crafted fairly inexpensively, with the overall goal of trying to incorporate 1) a

positive view of parks as places for enjoyable social interactions, and 2) promote regular park

attendance regardless of events or not, simply for the fact that people will begin to enjoy the park
Christopher Siters
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and integrate it into their annual schedules which will have a trickle-down effect hopefully down

to the day-to-day comings and goings of locals.

Circling back to the idea of live music proposed for the promenade, another activity that

would be phenomenal with live music would be “Jazzercise.” Typically, jazzercise sounds a little

corny, but imagine, rather, a live jazz band (from the local high school/ college/ etc.) performing

jazz in the park with an accompanying jazzercise routine for the public to engage in. Maybe once

a month or so, have the band play live music for 30 minutes to an hour, again ideally with the

goal of engaging in MVPA/ the instructional jazzercise, but even if people simply came to enjoy

the music. Able to be a completely free event, as no materials are really required, and the same

could be done for ballroom dancing classes, salsa, etc. – all of which would be infinitely more

enjoyable with the addition of live music.

Conclusions

As expressed near the beginning, addressing the recommendations set forth by the RAND

study can be accomplished any number of ways, depending on available land, time-frame, and

any other myriad of constraints; the main points being targeting of specific demographics to

increase community participation, and the need for well-equipped, functional facilities enhanced

by effective marketing strategies and targeted investments to fund them.

The easiest way to increase park engagement is to have staff readily available at the parks

to conduct classes, oversee activities, provide assistance, etc.; hiring park-based professionals in

areas specifically related to fitness/ recreation/ leisure activities would prove nothing short of
Christopher Siters
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beneficial, as they can liaison between the parks department and the community in order to

establish programs that the locals actually want to participate in – because again, there is no one-

size-fits-all answer since every park is different…and that’s a good thing, albeit a bit tricky. The

ideas proposed above range from fairly simple to execute to lengthy, targeted investments that

will grow in utility over time, with the goal of keeping targeted investments around $500,000.00

per project.

Having diverse community offerings can still serve to support each other with a little

creative thinking: an arts/ pottery class could make/ decorate art pieces and ceramic pots for sale,

prizes, or the greenhouse/ garden – which itself serves as 1) neighborhood beautification and

ecological improvement, 2) a program of classes itself, 3) local, organic produce for food and

fundraising events, 4) exotic plants could be grown and sold, gifted as prizes for competition,

and so forth, with the funds generated from event participation/ sales/ etc. used to grow the parks

and programs they are part of. Indoor recreation facilities with additional event space can

facilitate year-round recreation and generate revenue simultaneously, while also being available

to host community-wide events. And having a solid volunteer-base to assist with programs,

projects, etc. would better engage the community while providing learning/ leadership

opportunities and offsetting overall costs. While programs/ offerings should be tailored to each

park/ community, ideally the programs implemented will all serve to compliment each other and

create an inter-dependent structure of self-sustaining community involvement, because the first

step to establishing a trend of regular, recommended MVPA is to get people comfortable with

their communities/ parks and find the things they would come back for again and again.
Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
02/23/2024
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Christopher Siters
RPTM 120
Dr Datillo
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