Meeting the fitness needs of the inner city.

Today, more than ever, faced with dwindling budgets, municipalities struggle to meet the needs of their constituents. Inner cities are especially hard hit. Using partnerships to develop programming is quick becoming the solution for recreation departments threatened by budget cuts. In New Britain, Connecticut, pioneering partnerships have become the salvation for developing and expanding fitness programs.

New Britain, a city located in the center of Connecticut, is a two-hour drive from New York City and Boston. Serving a population of more than 75,000, the parks and recreation department manages five outdoor pools, 1,200 acres of park land, a 4,600-seat baseball stadium and a 9,000-seat football, soccer and track complex. New Britain is the professional home of the Connecticut United Soccer Wolves and AA New Britain Red Sox Baseball Team. Each year, 75,000 rounds are played at its 27-hole golf course. More than 50 outdoor concerts are scheduled yearly at a recently refurbished music shell and amphitheater.

Additionally, the parks and recreation department issues thousands of permits each year for numerous baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, football and cricket fields. Parks maintenance, recreation, golf, community services and park police support staff--57 full-time and 200 part-time and seasonal employees--make up the New Britain Parks and Recreation Department.

In 1984, New Britain's recreation community was fragmented into several social services agencies, including Family Services, YMCA, YWCA, Boys Club and a variety of counseling agencies. Cooperative ventures between agencies were limited. Each agency seemed defined by the constituency it served. Having few faithful followers, the parks and recreation department was cast in the role of "new kid on the block." Although parks were plentiful, no community center existed in which to hold public programs. Municipal recreational activities were limited; playgrounds were unstructured and pools were in disrepair. New Britain, once the "hardware capital" of the world, faced a troubled economy due to lost industry and very little new development. Compounded by the social ills of an urban setting, New Britain battled drugs and crime and an increasing population of low-income families. This was the setting for a challenge to create public parks and recreation opportunities.

The department set to work on a master study, targeting a group composed of those not currently serviced, those forgotten or fallen through the cracks and those showing the greatest need for programming. Groups identified were: youth, the disadvantaged and people with disabilities. An assessment of interests in New Britain showed support of sports and fitness programs. Baseball, softball basketball and football leagues already in existence, using 1,200 acres of park land and fields, thrived. The department decided that expanding sports and fitness programming was the best way to reach the target groups.

Lacking sufficient funds and facilities, and cautious to avoid duplicating services, the department reached beyond its budget restrictions and standard procedure. This was the dawning of the age of partnerships for the New Britain Parks and Recreation Department. Buoyed by Webster's definition of partnership: "the association of two or more in any joint interest," the department began its pursuit of joint ventures with other agencies.

Several categories of partnerships exist: business, school, nonprofit, civic and private. Included in these are endless possibilities. It is vital to establish an ongoing relationship within the network of each. In many cases, these networks overlap. An important thing to keep in mind: departmental image is vital when making an approach. The entire department's staff, from director to office clerk, must be aware of this at all times. Essential to any partnership is a proposal that includes a benefit for the prospective sponsor. Sponsors respond well to a polished, friendly professional whose interest is not self-serving. Long-term, successful partnerships are those that offer a mutually benefitting opportunity.

Image is a chief concern of businesses of all sizes. A company s image is of consequence to its patrons, other businesses, residents and employees. Fitness is an easy sell in the '90s. Television viewers see fitness in a variety of ways. Michael Jordan, Jane Fonda, Bo Jackson and Kathy Smith represent the fitness craze, but it doesn't stop there. Barney, the huge purple dinosaur and Big Bird, the yellow-feathered fitness friend, have adopted fitness in their children's television programming. Costs are usually underwritten by major national businesses.

The night prior to a World Cup Soccer match, Chiquita Banana sponsored a major Youth Soccer Clinic in New Britain. Corporate officers had a strong desire to promote soccer, providing a golden opportunity for the department to host an event impossible under normal budget constraints. New Britain also makes use of the National Hershey Track and Field Program.

Never rule out small local businesses. The CEO or president is usually well known locally and easy to contact. Here is where the groundwork of developing a positive image pays off. A department's image precedes itself, especially on the local scene. Several companies in New Britain have donated cash or products to enhance programming opportunities for residents. Domino's Pizza provides pizza prizes at the Mayor's Fun Day. Amato's Toy and Hobby Shop and The Federal Savings Bank underwrites costs for New Britain Criterium bicycle racers to receive a training series T-shirt. A generous Century 21 donation provided engraved silver prizes, T-shirts and refreshments to finalists, participants and spectators at a recent New Britain Tennis Open.

With the advent of today's double-income and single-parent households, there is an ever-increasing need to provide custodial care for children before and after school hours. In the '90s, more emphasis will be put on forming collaborative partnerships between parks and recreation departments and school systems. In an urban setting, obstacles such as transportation, program space and adult supervision are ever-present. School officials are more willing to discuss bus schedules, gym space and use of equipment when a department has proven itself in other ways.

The New Britain Parks and Recreation Department proves and improves its relationship with the New Britain School System through its eight-year shared sponsorship of Hershey Track and Field competition. Held during school hours, more than 800 elementary and middle school students are bused to Willowbrook Park to participate in day-long track and field events. This initial partnership nurtures and sustains an ongoing relationship with the school system, paving the way for development of after-school soccer, basketball and tennis.

Cities abound in non-profit agencies. Gone are the days of funding for parochial interests. Most funding available encourages partnership programs. Agencies like downtown districts, human resource bureaus, drug prevention/intervention organizations, family services, Ys, Girls and Boys Clubs, churches and hospitals suddenly all need each other to survive. Breaking down turf issues and sharing clientele allows everyone's best interest to be served. Here again, long-term successful partnerships are those that offer a mutually benefitting package.

Six years ago, New Britain Parks and Recreation, the YMCA and the Boys Club joined forces to provide one city-wide indoor soccer program. Instead of having three conflicting programs, one comprehensive soccer league exists today. Youth benefit from choice staff, facilities and equipment. Departments benefit from consolidated funding and registrations. A united, three-department approach is an attractive and powerful team when soliciting sponsors. UNICO (a local civic group) has been a substantial sponsor since this program's inception.

Churches provide space during the week for such programs as prenatal exercise, mother and baby exercise, pre-school fitness, aerobics, basketball, volleyball and piano. Fees are waived or nominal, allowing inner-city residents to share in cost savings. Most cities have downtown districts. "Fling into Spring," a program sponsored by the New Britain Downtown District, provides a spring celebration downtown featuring all forms of exercise. Dance, jazz, body building, walking and jogging demonstrations are featured.

Often non-profit groups have the same mission as parks and recreation departments. These partnerships are natural and effective because they reach a large audience. The New Britain General Hospital worked in conjunction with the New Britain Parks and Recreation Department to promote good health and fitness at the hospital's annual health fair and road race.

UNICO, Jaycees, Kiwanis, Rotary, Elks Lodges, Franco Americans and Veterans organizations have all co-sponsored fitness programs or fundraisers in New Britain. The department augments programs by using donations to provide essentials that ultimately produce a high-quality program. To secure these donations, visits to clubs with exciting and innovative presentations are a must. Department promotional material (scrapbook, handouts and give-aways) are powerful persuaders and friendly reminders. Knowing and understanding the club's purpose when designing a project best meets its needs Promising only what you can deliver is crucial.

Tennis in the cities is not as popular as most traditional sports. Minority populations have rarely been encouraged to play tennis. New Britain Parks and Recreation Department, endowed with 21 public tennis courts interspersed throughout the city, explored the potential of using tennis as a vehicle to promote good health and fitness, pursuing partnerships with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and National Junior Tennis League (NJTL).

Both shared New Britain's desire to foster youth tennis participation with less emphasis on competition, more on basic skills. The NJTL could offer free racquets, discounted tennis balls, printed literature and training videos. At the time, NJTL was accepting applications for $1,000 start-up grants for community and wheelchair tennis programs. Over the years, the program expanded to include a summer camp program, evening tennis lessons and a traveling youth team.

When Jewel Production, the managing corporation of the Volvo Tennis Tournament, teamed with USTA and NJTL and moved from Mount Washington, New Hampshire, to New Haven, Connecticut, a unique opportunity presented itself. Jewel Production began a developmental youth tennis program by joining forces with the already existent Grass Roots Tennis Program sponsored by USTA. New Britain's partnership expanded to Volvo and, through this, Prince Racquet and Penn. Opportunities to offer clinics taught by pros, receive products and pursue further lucrative contacts flourished.

When Don Davis, a CEO emeritus from New Britain's Stanley Works, came forward as a private contributor to refurbish city courts in a major park, the department reaped a double benefit. At the dedication of the Don Davis Tennis Courts, preliminary discussions began on the New Britain Don Davis Cup Tennis Tournament. Piggybacking the grassroots tennis vision to this dialogue, department officials laid the groundwork for an afterschool developmental tennis program for middle schoolers. Although still in the planning stages, dreams of a comprehensive tennis program for New Britain Youth are fast becoming reality.

As previously mentioned, numerous social service agencies make their home in New Britain. Most offer a range of programming in established facilities. The city, however, does not have a community center of its own. Eight years ago, the department earmarked improved employee fitness as a goal and engaged in a collaborative effort with the health department to meet this end. The partnership succeeded in acquiring exercise bicycles and initiating fitness classes. Funding and space limitations blocked further program development for years.

In 1988, when remodeling plans for New Britain City Hall were announced, designers and decision makers decided to set aside a room for employee fitness. Other than the existing exercise equipment, the room would offer little since money for enhancements was unavailable. Concurrently, a growing voice of concern from people with disabilities presented an urgency for action. Nowhere in the region was there a totally accessible exercise facility available at no cost to people with disabilities. We approached several partners to underwrite the cost of outfitting the fitness room with totally accessible equipment, and the Life. Be in it.[TM] Freedom Room Fund Raising Campaign began.

We launched an appeal to the entire New Britain Community through direct mailings to businesses, follow-up phone calls, news releases to media, feature articles with publicity photos, and direct canvassing to civic groups and private contributors. The cause was both eye-catching and eye-opening. Money and equipment donations started rolling in.

A consulting and design firm for people with disabilities, Challenges Unlimited, donated its time; 22 businesses and five private individuals combined to donate more than $10,000 to purchase new equipment. Extensive research resulted in a state-of-the-art totally accessible fitness room. The room's focal point is the Equalizer 1000, a five-station weight machine designed by a Vietnam veteran, that allows use by both the able-bodied and those with disabilities. The specially designed Power Trainer easily renders a complete aerobic pedaling workout to amputees and people with disabilities, as well as the able-bodied.

Open to those who complete a comprehensive orientation, use of the exercise room is available to people with disabilities, employees and residents. To date, more than 150 have completed the orientation. The Life. Be in it.[TM] Freedom Room generated momentum for increased fitness in New Britain. After-work aerobics, weight training, exercise and walking programs are direct byproducts of this.

A front-page feature article with four-piece photo spread highlighted the Freedom Room's dedication ceremony in the local newspaper. This was a double blessing. The dedication and coverage allowed an opportunity to credit initial sponsors as well as afforded further opportunity to promote fitness. New Partners such as the Red Cross came forward to offer free blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. Fitness majors from Central Connecticut State University contacted the department about teaching and interning opportunities. Most important, several local residents with disabilities sought out information on fitness programming. Many are currently enrolled.

Ever committed to fitness and always open to program expansion, New Britain seized the opportunity to join the National Recreation and Park Association Fun and Fitness Program. With Northeast Regional Director Kathy Bartlett, helping to orchestrate, the department parleyed two major programs and three new partnerships from the alliance. New Britain was the site of the Kix Breakfast, the pilot promotion of the Fun and Fitness Program. Partnered with the New Britain General Hospital at its annual health fair and road race, the parks and recreation department provided 1,000 area residents a healthful low-fat, low-sugar breakfast and promoted the good word of fitness.

We blended the Fun and Fitness Program into existing programs. Camp TotalRec, New Britain's summer day camp serving more than 600 kids, adopted the program the first year. Fun and Fitness themes were used as its own weekly themes. Its weekly publication, TotalRec Gazette, featured health and fitness stories, games and prizes borrowed from NRPA-provided materials.

Teaming with NRPA is the best association a department can make. NRPA sponsored programs offer extensive benefits. NRPA's five-year Life. Be in it.[TM] campaign, initiated 13 years ago, continues to be the life blood promotional vehicle of the New Britain Parks and Recreation Department. With NRPA's guidance and leadership, its development of new partnerships continues to expand.

Philosophically, we know that recreation improves the quality of one's life. When NRPA Regional Director Kathy Bartlett arranged a scientific study to verify the effect of recreation on children, New Britain was offered an opportunity to be the test site. New Britain General Hospital's Health Promotions and Good Life Department would conduct the experiment, with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) underwriting the cost.

Working within the confines of the summer camp, professional health nutritionists tested and analyzed an active and control group at the start and end of the seven-week program. Although the resulting data and hypothesis were not conclusive due to the brevity of the test, the advantages are numerous. Two new partnerships formed: New Britain's summer staff received training in administering a variety of fitness testing procedures and collaborative efforts with NRPA expanded.

In tough economic times, departments must learn to cultivate silver linings from dark clouds. in the urban city, promoting partnerships is the gateway to fostering recreational opportunities of the future.