Cruising for a solution.

Across America, "cruising" is a popular recreation and leisure pursuit for youth and young adults, especially on weekends. I did it in my time, and you may have done it through the years. Young people wanting to see and be seen can be found riding the streets in parks and any other open spaces they can find, talking from car to car, laughing and joking, dressed in all the latest styles, just having fun and hanging out is popular, whether in large urban centers or rural towns.

Suburbia is the evolution of urban and rural cultures. America is faced with an interesting situation as it relates to leisure and recreation opportunities for youth as we near the twenty-first century. However, is it risk or opportunity? As a society, we have created an environment of expectation that reflects our perception of "youth and young adults in high-risk environments." Our expectations for suburban and rural youth seem higher than they do for urban youth because we perceive the first group's environment to be one of advantages, less fraught with obstacles to be overcome. By acting on these expectations we are, in effect, setting up urban youth for failure, because we expect them to fail.

The youth of America are all too aware of what we think of them, no matter whence they come. The advent of television and mobility has made the urban setting attractive for many. So it comes as no surprise when the challenges of a large urban area are prevalent in our suburban and rural sectors. America's parks and recreation systems must continue to reexamine their approaches to relating to youth in high-risk environments.

How should America's park and recreation systems guide our so-called Generation X'ers into safe, quality recreation activities for the twenty-first century? First, we must listen to what they are trying to tell us. Maybe its best summed up in the words of rapper Grand Master Flash: "I think it would be cheaper just to be a street sweeper. Don't push me `cause I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my head. It's like a jungle, sometimes, it makes you wonder how to keep from going under." These words could very well be a rallying cry for attention from our urban youth who are frustrated over an apparent lack of meaningful recreation activities.

An example of this frustration arose six years ago when the Kansas City (MO) Parks and Recreation Department eliminated the loop road near a lagoon in a large urban park (Swope Park) that had been used for cruising by urban youth for years. This area was to subsequently become a part of construction of a new zoo. Many options were offered during this time, including use of a drive-in movie theatre parking lot. A study conducted revealed that young adults wanted a similar location in the park to hang out, to see and be seen, and socialize.

Funding for a new "cruising loop" in the park was being secured by Mayor Emanuel Cleaver; Ollie Gates, park board president; and Terry Dopson, director of parks and recreation. The superintendent of recreation and staff, the police department, local business owners, area youth, and other stakeholders met almost weekly to discuss and attempt to resolve the challenges, issues, and concerns associated with the temporary displacement.

When no immediate, workable solution surfaced, young adults crowded a well-known main thoroughfare in the city -- 63rd and Prospect streets. Many used the parking lots of area businesses, parking along and crowding streets. This created challenges for business owners and area residents needing to conduct business or just simply trying to get home or from place to place. Eventually, there were calls, letters of complaint to the mayor's office and park board, and confrontations with business owners. Traffic was being slowed, and emergency vehicles could not travel normal routes.

As if that was not enough, Sundays saw hundreds of young adults converging on a small area of Swope Park that they had chosen as the replacement for "The Loop." This caused more traffic challenges as well as serious confrontations among park users and police because of limited availability of parking and ease of access and exiting. City officials and other concerned citizens realized that something had to be done to address this issue.

To solve this challenge a new loop road was constructed, encompassing a one-and-one-half-mile cruising area at a cost of approximately $475,000. Funding for the program came from the existing recreation division budget and city tourism fund. Loop Road was officially dedicated and opened in the spring of 1997. Initially, the youth were apprehensive about using the area; there were policemen patrolling the new loop, which appeared to suggest that cruisers were being coerced into the area to be harassed. In response, neighborhood and community groups turned out to act as buffers. While this relieved some of the tension, it became evident that additional recreation and leisure opportunities were needed.

The recreation division was given the assignment of developing a program concept. Staff immediately began to interact with park users, soliciting their suggestions and concerns on how to make the park more fun and friendly. While there were still several challenges to be resolved, time was of the essence.

Several ideas surfaced throughout the course of these conversations. A series of weekly meetings continued between local youth, area residents, and police department representatives with the hopes of producing a working relationship. A budget was developed around the program ideas.

The kickoff of the program, which was to include a show wagon for a talent showcase, concessions, vendors, a restroom, and water areas in and around the Loop area, was set for June 1, 1997. The program was to be titled "Hip-Hop -- Don't Point a Finger, Lend a Hand." Every weekend, there would be a different theme in the park, featuring music, vendors, fashion shows, food, giveaways, and other entertainment. The young people suggested that the program should be culturally relevant and based on what they wanted. Youth from the community were employed to monitor and report potential problem situations in the park as well as pass out fliers and other important information to their friends and associates. The police department agreed to keep a low profile. Officers were to be on site in a friendly capacity, dealing with emergencies, traffic congestion, and other major challenges.

A popular local radio station (KPRS Hot 103) aired positive messages encouraging youth to use the Loop and provided opportunities for young adults to discuss the benefits of park use. Local DJs, rappers, and comedians were hired. A very popular portion of this program was the partnership of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department and a popular local automotive repair business (One Way Automotive). The event was a great success; it highlighted some of the city's premier automobiles as well as area sports and entertainment personalities. Hundreds of people -- both young and old -- of all backgrounds turned out for the event and shared in the experience. It is this type of at-large community participation that illustrates not only the effectiveness of grassroots programming but the potential to cultivate brotherhood, cooperative responsibility, community empowerment, and public/private partnerships for the future. For a period of 17 weeks programs and activities of this nature were provided to an audience who previously sought only to see and be seen.

Loop Road in Kansas City is a giant step toward providing recreation outlets for a diverse community and should be celebrated. Linking urban open space and healthy communities has been well documented. Crime drops when adequate parks and recreation activities are available in core neighborhoods. While there is still much to be done, this is a real opportunity to provide information, enlightenment, and understanding about a misunderstood population's interests, needs, and desires. In this time of rapid change, technological leapfrogging, and global emancipation, community outreach is essential in developing unified alliances and understanding of diversity within our communities. If we are to move successfully into the twenty-first century, all of America's young adults should be given opportunities for exposure to park and recreation programs and services. Every city has its "loop road" or cruising area, and every park and recreation department has an opportunity to seize the moment or to be left "out of the loop."

For more information, contact Nathaniel O. Wilkins, Superintendent of Recreation, 5606 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64130; [phone].