Page 5 - Parks and Recreation

 

One county decided to let its citizens decide on the choice of park benches for a redevelopment project downtown

Park benches are available in a huge variety of styles, materials, and coatings and for some people that could cause a dilemma.

That's why government planners in Montgomery County, MD, agreed to let local citizens choose the type of park benches and trash receptacles they prefer for their downtown redevelopment project.

Clever right?

There are so many options out there for park benches. Just visit the Park and Facilities Catalog website to see the hundreds of different styles we offer.

Let's start with the materials. Park benches can be manufactured with metal, concrete, wood, recycled plastic and aluminum.

That's just the beginning.

Park benches offer many options

Say for example you choose a metal park bench. There are several choices to make from there.

What size? Benches can range from 4 feet to 15 feet in length.

Do you want the metal covered with a powder-coat or

The Trust for Public Land uses dog parks as one of the six amenities to rate parks as nearly 40% of American households own a dog

When we think of parks we tend to think of people but since nearly 70% of the population owns pets, we should probably think of dog parks and our canine friends as well.

In fact, that's what the Trust for Public Land did when they created their popular ParkScore feature.

ParkScore is a metric that determines how well a city provides adequate parkland for their residents.

The Trust ranks cities according to a number of criteria. The metrics include total park acreage, amount of funds invested in parks and recreation, park amenities and access.

The staff created a point system and awards points based on that criteria to determine the Top 100 Cities. The research is a good way for citizens and public officials to gauge how well their government is doing in regard to parks and recreation for local residents. And where they can make improvements.

In regard to park

ADA picnic tables with wheelchair access in the center

How accessible are your parks or facilities for providing ADA picnic tables, grills or even bleachers?

Because here is an important statistic. The National Park Service estimates that 1 in 5 Americans has a disability. (One reason why the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990.)

For that reason, back in 2012, the National Park Service created a group, the Accessibility Task Force, to study and find ways to ensure that parks are accessible to people with disabilities.

That task force created a strategic plan called "All In! Accessibility in the National Park Service - 2015-2020."

The group came up with three main goals:

Create a welcome environment for visitors with disabilities Make sure that new facilities and programs were created with accessibility in mind Upgrade existing facilities to provide better access

When you think about the implications, visiting a park can be a rewarding experience for someone who

How parks receive the IDA's Dark-Sky Certification

Most people don't realize that when they look up into the sky at night, they only see part of the picture.

What picture? The Universe.

As civilization has advanced, so has our tendency to attempt to light up every corner of the world.

There are a number of reasons why this is important.

However, there is one very negative side effect - light pollution.

When most people peer up into the night sky, they are not able to view the true sky as earlier inhabitants of the planet were able to do.

If you can find a place far away from the light, the view of a dark sky is spectacular.

You not only see prominent planets and stars in the foreground, you soon realize there is a mosaic of a gazillion points of light behind them that make up our incredible and infinite universe.

The stars and the expanse never ends.

Constellations pop out everywhere.

The big shocker comes when you realize you are able to view that wide strip of stars mashed together

Picnic tables today are made with different materials that can be effective in reducing vandalism

Picnic tables are a popular destination for family gatherings, children's parties and sometimes bored delinquents who have nothing better to do but to tear them apart and wreck the experience for everybody.

Warm weather is now here, and people are heading outdoors, including these hooligans.

Scan the national headlines, and you will see incidents here and there where a bunch of misguided miscreants met at a park and then at some point in the evening, thought it was a good idea to destroy the picnic tables on the premises. By the way, probably the same picnic tables their families or friends use during daylight hours.

These scoundrels either bust the tables up. Carve their names into the wood or even worse, add offensive words. Or they may decide to just spray paint graffiti all over the surface and seats.

Might be enjoyable to them for about five minutes. But it could leave families and the

 

The Park and Facilities Catalog now offers drinking fountains with convenient bottle fillers

Drinking fountains at parks, playgrounds, and outdoor facilities are often overlooked as a key site amenity.

But they play a super-important function. And that function can mean the difference between a good park experience or a frustrating one.

This is especially important today, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the Earth's global temperature in 2017 was the third warmest year on record. The year before, 2016, was actually the warmest in history and 2015 was the second warmest.

This summer just started and news reports already say the US is experiencing intense heat.

That means people need to hydrate more than ever.

How many times has someone enjoyed a day outside in a park and learned there were no drinking fountains to be found?

How frustrating is it for visitors to finally find a drinking fountain and then discover it does not work?

Or, how many times have people

Studies show more ways that parks contribute to local economies and tax revenues

Many people think of parks as an expense - the costs associated with clearing the land, planting trees, installing park benches, mowing the grass, emptying trash receptacles, etc.

What if we reversed that mindset and thought of parks as economic engines instead?

To generate more revenue and taxes, build more parks. Big. Small. Doesn't matter. Just build more. Add more amenities such as artwork, sculptures, picnic tables, trees, grills, playgrounds, band stands, park benches, or even musical instruments. Because parks attract people. And revenue.

Here are 10 reasons why parks should be considered in terms of economic development and as a way to boost an economy.

Why parks have an economic impact Parks increase the value of homes: According to a study in Portland, homes located within 1,500 feet of a park were priced an average of 5% to 20% more than other homes. That means higher tax valuations. Which means

Aerial view of the High Line park in NYC, elevated 30-feet above the street and filled with greenery and unique park benches to take in the sights of the city. Source: Iwan Baan/Friends of the High Line

Who would ever think you could take an old abandoned rail line, add some plants and park benches, and turn the space into one of the most visited parks on the planet?

That's exactly what happened to the High Line park in NYC on Manhattan's West Side.

Here are 10 facts that make this park so unique:

Park in the Air - It's elevated. How many parks in the world sit above the ground? You could be sitting on a park bench reading a book and there are cars  driving 30 feet below. Train in the Air - The original elevated rail line was started in 1934 to provide a safer way to transport goods, including meat, to the warehouse district in NYC. Cowboys On Horseback In NYC - That's because the rail line on the ground was so dangerous on Manhattan's West Side, that it was called "Death Avenue"

Grand Canyon National Park at sunset. (Photo from National Park Service)

America has an incredible array of parks, monuments, preserves, forts, caves, pueblos, battlefields, and missile sites all managed by our National Park Service.

Here are a few interesting facts about those parks.

Most popular, biggest and deepest parks Yellowstone National Park is not only America's first national park, it is considered the First National Park in the WORLD. This spectacular setting was established in 1872 by Congress. In 1920, there were 1 million visitors to our national parks. In 2016, there was a record-setting 331 million visitors. In 2017, it was reported that 61 of 385 reporting parks set NEW visitation records. There are actually 417 sites within the National Park Systems. All those sites cover 84,000,000 acres. The Most Popular Park in America? Not Yellowstone, Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. It's Great Smoky Mountains National Park with about 11 million visitors per year. Click here to see a

Woman relaxing on a park bench at a local park. A new resource called "ParkServe" shows the public how well their city ranks when it comes to providing parks close to people

We all know the benefits of relaxing on park benches or running around playgrounds in a local park.

Studies have repeatedly shown that sunshine, fresh air and greenery are a powerful influence on our well-being.

But what if it took 30 minutes or an hour for you to get to a park?

How often would you find yourself sitting on that park bench enjoying a view of a pond with a few ducks paddling around? How many times would a mom pack her children into a car to drive them across town to hang on the monkey bars?

Probably not too often.

The Trust for Public Funds is looking to change that paradigm and encourage cities to add more parks that people can easily reach within a 10-minute walk.

And they created a cool online tool for people to see how their cities ranks for accessible parks.

"In hundreds of cities across America

National parks in America are more popular than ever. In 2017, more than 331 million people visited the 379 national parks in the US, according to the National Park Service, just 90,000 short of the record set in 2016. Here are the 20 of the top national parks in the country. Please share these popular destinations with your friends (hit the share buttons at the bottom of page).

Most popular national parks include several in Utah

America has an incredible variety of landscapes in its many national parks, ranging from bursting geysers to gigantic canyons or towering forests.

Be sure to include Utah on the list of places to visit because the state is attracting a record number of visitors. Four of Utah's five national parks set records for attendance in 2017. Zion moved up from fifth place passing Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Park. Bryce Canyon moved up to 12th with 2.6 million visitors, Arches is ranked 16th with 1.5 million visitors, Capitol Reef was 21st with 1.2 million and Canyonlands

Several ways you can make dining out on a picnic table exciting with simple yet decorative settings

By Erica Puisis

Why not plan your next party on a picnic table in a park and don't think you need to settle for boring décor. There are many ways that you can liven up a picnic table, with both place settings and themed decorations that will make your party pop.

Here are some of our favorite picnic table place settings and decorations, with themes for a variety of occasions and seasons. Gather some inspiration, then make plans for a park feast featuring a picnic table that is anything but boring!

After all, Mother Nature supplies the perfect setting -  blue ceilings, fresh air and a lush green floor.

Choose from several easy themes for a picnic table

Picnic Table Theme #1: Lemons

Lemons can provide just the right twist to your picnic table décor with their cheery yellow hue. Some of our favorite ideas for incorporating this citrusy fruit into your look include:

Lemon

Picnic table called the picNYC table includes the grass. Photo courtesy of Haiko Cornelissen Architecten - Amsterdam

By Erica Puisis

Picnicking on picnic tables is an occasion for food, fun, and frivolity enjoyed by people of all ages worldwide. During the summer months, even more people are finding time to take their favorite snacks to the great outdoors. While many of these picnics take place at standard picnic tables dotting parks and city centers, there are some more unusual pieces of furniture that make for an interesting outdoor dining experience.

The picnic table well-known and well-loved is often a simple wooden or metal table, accompanied by long benches on either side. These simple surfaces have seen parties and potlucks, feasts and fun, and more graduation parties than you can count. They've evolved over the years into different shapes (round, square, ADA-accessible, and more), and have been made of many different materials - including metal, concrete, recycled plastic, aluminum,

Metal benches with a thermoplastic coating and expanded steel surface are an effective way to deter vandals

Metal benches are one way park and facility managers can fight back against vandalism committed by idle teens during the summer months.

Many parks and recreation departments across the country face this challenge every year. When school is out some teens decide to occupy their time by defacing or destroying park outdoor furniture.

Take Ashland, Ohio for example.

That park system faces an onslaught on a regular basis.

Nearly every week the park crew pulls a picnic table out of a creek (perhaps it's time to add concrete picnic tables. They have to be installed with a forklift).

Then the crew spends time cleaning up and repairing wooden benches. These acts of vandalism have negative consequences for any parks and recreation department or also for facility managers at malls or restaurants with outdoor seating.

For one, the graffiti and ugly drawings must be removed immediately. Most times

The ultimate location for a picnic table in honor of National Picnic Month in July

By Erica Puisis

Summer is in full swing, and there is no better time than now to grab your picnic blanket or stake your claim at one of the local park picnic tables for an afternoon or evening of food and fun!

July is National Picnic Month and green spaces near and far are filling up with hungry nature-goers seeking a break from the demands of day-to-day life with a simple meal taken on the go.

Where did the idea of the picnic originate, and how has the concept been transformed over the years? Read on for these answers, and tips to plan your own picnic party to celebrate National Picnic month.

How the concept of dining on picnic tables came to be

While picnics have been advertised, romanticized, and commercialized over the years, the start of this simple tradition dates back to hunting expeditions of the Middle Ages. Affluent hunters engaging in a day of sport would bring a meal to enjoy in the great outdoors.