Urban legends: NRPA makes history by convening a summit of city leaders to create a new national agenda for urban parks and recreation.

Close to 400 participants including park and recreation professionals, citizens, health-care providers, politicians and others concerned with urban issues, attended the first-ever Urban Park and Recreation Summit in Chicago, Ill, on May 17-18. The summit was the result of continued challenges faced by most urban park and recreation departments in funding, maintenance and support, in addition to the public's lack of understanding of how parks and recreation are imperatives for quality of life.

Attendees were treated to a dramatic unveiling of a National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation in America that will serve as a call to action for our nation's cities. The call to action asks urban leaders to focus their thinking and efforts around four pillars: health and wellness, community and economic development, environment, and youth. In addition, participants attended workshops with the foremost experts in these areas, shared best practices, and discussed examples from their own communities. They also formed in caucus groups to talk about how the National Agenda would be applied in certain interest areas or geographic regions. Highlights from the summit included:

* Long Beach (Calif.) Mayor Beverly O'Neill's keynote address on the importance of parks and recreation to the quality of life in urban centers.

* Tips and ideas for measuring the economic impacts of parks and recreation from Dr. John Crompton, distinguished professor from Texas A&M University.

* Staggering, new statistics from the Trust for Public Land on the positive influence and impact of parks and recreation to cities, delivered by Peter Harnick, director the Trust's Center for City Park Excellence.

* A presentation by Chicago Alderman Mary Ann Smith showcasing how parks and recreation have made a difference in the lives of Chicago residents.

NRPA and its partner organizations, including the Trust for Public Land, City Parks Alliance, Urban Park and Recreation Alliance, Roundtable Associates, and the National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society, will continue the work that began at the summit--seeking through a variety of means to educate leaders at the federal, state and local level, and to make parks and recreation a core pillar in municipal platforms.

Turn the page to read the National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation in America, and more on the summit's dynamic speakers.

Photos by All Events Photography

A Call to Action for Urban Parks and Recreation in America

Read the newly adopted document that serves as a call to action for NRPA's urban initiative

When a nation abandons a tradition that has served it well, adopts a course that ignores what its citizens value most, allows indifference to a cherished part of its heritage, and diminishes the ways we can make a difference in the lives of Americans--then it is time to act.

Urban parks enrich our lives. They educate, protect and enrich America's young people. They provide places to play after school and during summer vacations, and give individuals and families countless hours of recreation and relaxation.

Parks produce clean air and protect cities from floodwaters. They help to increase property value, grow the local tax base, contribute to education, reduce crime, attract businesses, and create jobs.

We make public our call to action to reverse the neglect of our nation's cherished urban parks.

We believe a national renaissance for America's urban parks must arise from a new compact between federal, state and city governments, joined by citizen groups, private foundations and businesses.

We believe the solution must come from a variety of approaches and funding sources that address the need for accessibility to and from parks; for the education and recreation programs within parks; for health promotion and opportunities for physical activity by those who use parks; and for new, economical ways to maintain parks.

We believe that support for parks and recreation is a uniquely American tradition, and call on the members of Congress and our president to acknowledge through leadership, investment, and action the true value and robust return on investment that quality parks bring to cities and urban communities.

We acknowledge that revitalizing urban parks is not solely the task of the federal government, and call upon every level of government--from cities to state legislatures--to match the federal investment dollar for dollar.

We know that such an investment will pay enormous dividends, and we know that the consequences of delaying this investment will mean higher costs in the future. We ask mayors, county executives, state legislators, members of Congress and our president to join with us so that all Americans can benefit from urban parks and recreation in the years ahead.

Guiding Principles

The following guiding principles and pillars form the underlying philosophy held by the original creators and stewards of our urban parks--and they guide us still today:

* Urban parks and recreation promote health and wellness

* Urban parks and recreation stimulate community and economic development

* Urban parks protect the environment

* Urban parks educate, protect and enrich America's young people.

We urge Congress, our president, states and cities to join in our call to action to re-invest, re-build and revitalize urban parks and recreation resources in America;

We call on Congress and our president to make available $1 billion dollars over the next three years for urban parks and recreation in new and recurring federal funding that will be matched dollar for dollar in funds and in-kind contributions by cities and states;

Together, we will take steps to accomplish our goals, provide leadership to our cities, and secure the matching investments to rebuild our urban parks and recreation resources. While local needs and conditions vary widely, we seek these actions in support of the four principles that guide our call to action, and encourage citizens and government at every level to take meaningful actions to demonstrate support for the National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation in America.

This past June the National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation was also formally adopted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The resolution was presented by Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago, and received enthusiastic support by the conference. The mayors will now work to implement the four pillars of the agenda into their own advocacy efforts.

To download the National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation to use in your own community, visit www.nrpa.org/urbansummit. To include your city as partners in the Call to Action, contact Richard Dolesh at [e-mail].

Speakers Say 'Make More Noise'

Dynamic presenter encourage urban summit participants to make their issues known.

Long Beach (Calif.) Mayor Beverly O'Neill knows that people in the park and recreation field are--always upbeat." She knows they serve as educators, counselors and business leaders. She also knows that they are "special for performing the important work they do." What she doesn't know, is why they aren't more "tenacious" about telling their own communities about the importance of parks and recreation.

"I think parks and recreation have more things going for them because you reach so many people," she said. "But you need to be constantly vigil to where you can make your cause known."

The three-term mayor and outgoing president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors had strong and encouraging words for the packed room of attendees at the National Urban Summit. She shared stories about her own struggles in Long Beach--the fifth largest city in California--as well as the difference parks and recreation have made in her town.

She stressed that parks and recreation plays a key role in the quality of life in a city, which is top of mind for all urban mayors. "You don't know how important you are--you're not just parks. You're not just recreation. You're not just people that are planning things. You actually have a vital role in the quality of life in America," O'Neill said. "And you do things every day that show that, but you have to let that secret out."

O'Neill said that many city leaders don't know that parks and recreation aren't just pretty landscapes, but instead instills confidence through youth sports, provides a safe haven for at-risk teens and promotes healthy lifestyles for older adults.

She argued that parks and recreation are just as important as public safety and education, though when budget times are hard, usually parks and recreation is on the chopping block. In order to change that, O'Neill stressed the importance of "creating buzz" and advocating for the national action agenda.

Perhaps the most important information she shared was that she endorsed the National Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation, and that she would work to stress the importance of the call to action with her fellow mayors. O'Neill said, "We need to take these messages to every city, every state legislature and the halls of Congress. I know you can do it, and the mayors of the United Sates are with you."

Other speakers throughout the two-day summit provided valuable information for advocates to show how parks and recreation impacts the quality of life for citizens in urban environments.

Peter Harnik, director of the Trust for Public Land's Center for City Park Excellence, offered staggering statistics on the state of public parks in urban environments. Using the 50 largest cities as subjects, he revealed that:

* They control $4.4 billion in city budgets

* They own 750,000 acres of land They operate 16,232 different parks On average, cities spend only $62 per resident for parks and recreation operating costs.

What this means for city decisionmakers, Harnik explained, is that they need to take notice and support a vital public service. "Parks and recreation has done more with less, more than any sector of the economy," he said. "It's time we do more with more."

Dr. John Crompton also spoke about the economic impacts that parks and recreation can have on a city. He said that in most places, if citizens could pick where they'd like to live and the amenities that they like most, 80 percent will cite something related to parks and recreation. He stated that any great city must have a great park system.

He told participants to use economic data and measured results to show how parks affect the economic development of a city. He presented how public parks create land values and pay for themselves, while also attracting new business and residents to the city.

All the speakers stressed that parks and recreation must do a better job of telling others how important the field is to citizens in cities. O'Neill said, "Have a message that is strong and that talks about the quality of life. Make that message clear so people can't deny the value."

Become Involved in the National Urban Movement

In the coming months, NRPA will lead the promotion of a National Action Agenda for Urban Parks and Recreation by creating an enhanced online advocacy action center, as well as developing new educational programs focused on urban issues. The association is also creating an urban track for those attending this year's NRPA Congress & Exposition in Seattle, Wash.

In addition, NRPA will begin working on Capitol Hill to educate legislators about the important role parks and recreation play in a city's well-being. The public policy office will also focus on partnering with other organizations to promote these important issues, and adopt the National Action Agenda into their own platforms.

If your city has begun to develop best practices in support of the four pillars of the Call to Action, or if your agency has developed innovative programs to promote health, stimulate economic growth, protect the environment or educate youth, contact NRPA so we can share those models of success with other cities.

Join the directors of the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. in showing your support for this call to action by learning more about how you can participate. Visit www.nrpa.org/urban summit or call the Public Policy Division at [phone].