Open Space Radio: Parks and Recreation Trends
Open Space Radio covers trends in parks and recreation, shares news from the field, and interviews park and recreation professionals making a difference in their communities. Open Space Radio is the official podcast of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) — Because everyone deserves a great park.
Episodes
On today’s episode, we’re talking with someone who has been making a big impact in the larger outdoor industry for a while now. Teresa Baker, founder of In Solidarity Project, is an outdoor enthusiast focusing on community engagement, creating events that encourage people to venture outdoors responsibly, and learning...
March is Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme celebrates women who advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. This year we are honoring women who lead change in their field, and today’s episode does just that. There are so many women who are leaders in parks and recreation and bringing positive change to their communities, and today we’re excited to talk with two women who are leading the way in June...
We know the importance of partnerships in parks and recreation, and on today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving into an exciting partnership between NRPA and Bobcat. As part of this partnership, Bobcat has extended five grants, each worth $50,000, to support five park improvement projects across the country. Today, we’re excited to learn more about one of these projects taking place in San Antonio, Te...
As you may know, January is National Mentoring Month, and all month long, NRPA has been sharing content around how mentoring through parks and recreation is helping youth develop positive connections with trusted and caring adults, which we know can support their long-term success.
National Mentoring Month is an annual opportunity to spread awareness of the power of mentoring. It serves as ...
Season two of Open Space Radio begins
Back in October at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference, there was a session that really piqued our interest – so much so, that we wanted to turn it into a two-part podcast episode, with today’s episode being part one (and part two coming in Spring 2024!).
The session, “Neurodiversity and Inclusive Workplaces: Insights from Park and Recreation Professionals,” explored the individual strengths ne...
It is our next to last episode of 2023, and we’re so thrilled to chat with our guest today, as she is someone who we’ve Read more
I’m really excited for today’s episode because I am joined by my colleagues and new co-hosts, Christina High, NRPA’s marketing specialist, and Cara Myers, NRPA’s marketing and engagement manager. I’m really looking forward to this new era of Open Space Radio, and as many of you know, it’s been a while since I’ve had co-hosts.
Earlier this month I joined nearly 9,000 other people who are passionate about parks and recreation in Dallas at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference. It was a week full of inspiration, networking and fun — and for me, a chance to celebrate not only all the good work happening in local parks and recreation,...
How to Protect What We Love (People and the Planet) Read more
I am very excited for today’s episode for a couple of reasons. First, if you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you know I haven’t always been a solo host. Well, we have some exciting things happening and I’m very pleased to announce that one of my future co-h...
I was recently pulling some of the Open Space Radio statistics for a presentation to NRPA staff, and while I was presenting, I kept thinking to myself, “The numbers are great, it’s important to track these kinds of metrics. But also, we have had some truly remarkable guests and amazing conversations over the course of this show, and you can’t really put that through quantitative analysis.”
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we are diving into the dynamic world where recreation and technology intersect.
The Las Vegas Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs department has always been at the forefront of innovative ideas, and today's episode is all about one of their latest projects — the Becker Technology Center and Recreation Park. I’m excited to be joined by some incredible individuals who've been driving this ...
I recently had the opportunity to travel to Lynnwood, Washington, with a few of my colleagues to visit the Lynnwood Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department, who was recently awarded one of NRPA’s Resilient Park Access grants.
Our trip consisted of visiting local parks, meeting...
It is officially Park and Recreation Month, and it already has been so exciting to see how park and recreation agencies and communities across the country have been celebrating. We’re not even halfway through the month and we have already seen so many amazing stori...
It may still be June, but it is officially Park and Recreation Month in our hearts, as the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine was released today. As you may know, each year NRPA hosts a cover contest leading up to July, with the winner being featured on the July issue of the magazine.
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It is officially Pride Month – a time to honor and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. And while we are thrilled to celebrate Pride Month this year, the reality is that our LGBTQ+ friends, family, colleagues and community members have been under attack.
In fact, just last week, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people...
If you are an NRPA member, you may know that NRPA provides exclusive member networks ...
The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of the podcast, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “Leading the Way to Health and Well-Being: How Armed Forces Recreation Fosters Healthy Military Communities.”
The a...
We are just a few weeks away from NRPA’s Family Health & Fitness Day, which is taking place on Saturday, June 10. Family Health & Fitness Day is an annual celebration Read more
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