NRPA Congress & Exposition 2007

NRPA, Blossoms Rock Indy

The 2007 NRPA Congress & Exposition in Indianapolis wrapped up Friday night with an explosive performance by the Gin Blossoms, who played to a crowd of more than 3,000 at White River State Park. It was an exciting finale to an equally exciting week in the Circle City for the 9,000 attendees of the convention.

The 2007 Congress kicked off with a Welcome Party to remember at the RCA Dome, home to the Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was packed with food and fun, including appearances by Colts players and cheerleaders, tennis stars brought in by USTA and athletes of Hershey’s Track and Field.

:: Sessions on CD-ROM // NRPA Online Media Library ::

The Opening General Session was the cornerstone of the Congress experience, bringing together NRPA leaders and recognizing recipients of the Gold Medal Awards, presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with NRPA and sponsored by Musco Lighting, LLC, and the NRPA National Award.

Attendees were able to witness a candid conversation between tennis legends Billie Jean King and Mary Joe Fernandez. National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson also made appearances at the opening event.

The Indy 500 Gordon Pipers led the way from the Opening General Session to the opening of the 113,000-square-foot exhibit hall, filled with every kind of park and recreation product and display imaginable.

Big speakers and big-time fun led to thrilling Off-Site Institutes and compelling education sessions. OSIs took attendees on a tour of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, a hub of the city’s greenway system, and to the sixth largest city park in the country, Eagle Creek Park.

Those staying in the convention center got to choose from 210 education sessions, covering topics from park concessions to youth sports.

While the excitement of the 2007 NRPA Congress & Exposition is now a recent memory, we’re already gearing up for the 2008 Congress in Baltimore. Get in on it!

Billie Jean: For the Love of the Game

OK, Billie Jean King is beyond-words awesome. Her 39 Grand Slam titles include 20 Wimbledon victories. Plus, she absolutely crushed Bobby Riggs in the '70s in the Battle of the Sexes.

And her enthusiasm--for life and for the game of tennis--is simply infectious. So, it's no surprise that she delivered an edge-of-your-seats keynote address at this morning's Opening General Session. As a matter of fact, she drew the audience to its feet a number of times.

But perhaps the coolest part of her address was when she fielded questions from her host, fellow tennis great Mary Joe Fernandez, which had been submitted by NRPA members. Here, Billie Jean responds to a question about restoring the love of the game for children. Specifically, what can public park and recreation agencies do to get kids more involved in sports?

Listen to what she had to say:

Can You Feel It?

Hundreds of education sessions. Endless networking opportunities. The latest products and services from nearly 500 exhibitors. If you're not already pumped for this month's NRPA Congress & Exposition, give a listen to keynote Billie Jean King, who will kick off the show on Wednesday, Sept. 26. See you in Indy!

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Thorner Reflects, Advances

It's official: NRPA Executive Director John Thorner is a veteran of the NRPA Congress & Exposition scene. From St. Louis to Seattle to Indianapolis, Thorner has stood at the helm of the organization for the past five annual conferences.

Next year, NRPA hits the road for Baltimore, Oct. 14-18. On tap for participants: hundreds of education sessions, networking opportunities, fantastic social events and an expo center packed with the industry's latest products and services.

NRPA New Media Manager sat down with Thorner to get his take on the Indy event--and also to see what participants can expect in Baltimore:

Making the Reconnection: Kids and Nature

At today's “No Child Left Inside” Power Session, participants heard from Gina McCarthy, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and a recognized leader in the growing movement to reconnect children with nature and the outdoors. McCarthy’s work in Connecticut has resulted in a truly innovative and remarkably successful program aimed at encouraging families to explore and enjoy state parks and other public lands.

Throughout her address, she suggested ideas and initiatives implemented in her state, and discussed ways that local park and recreation agencies could become active participants in bringing nature and community together.

The second half of the session was dedicated to a town hall-style meeting that gave participants an opportunity to provide input not only on what their own communities are doing in dealing with the crisis of kids becoming increasingly disconnected from nature, but also to identify how NRPA could serve as a resource in helping to combat this issue. The break-out groups discussed three specific questions, then shared best practices with the entire audience.

Indy Shines On

No matter if it was the thriving social scene, the impactful education sessions, or the meaningful networking opportunities, the consensus seemed to be that Indy rocked the 2007 NRPA Congress & Exposition! Next year, it's on to Baltimore . . . but take a minute to reflect first upon what made the event in Indianapolis such a success.

See what NRPA members enjoyed most about the past week:

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Traipsing the Cultural Trail

Congress attendees took to the streets yesterday for an Off-Site Insitute tour of what is quickly becoming the pride of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a work in progress. Led by representatives of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail partnership, the group got to see headway being made on the Alabama Street corridor of the trail, where a wide walking and biking path pairs elegantly with vehicle lanes.

The trail serves as a hub of the Indianapolis Greenway system and connects five cultural districts within the city. The first leg of the trail is nearly complete, but in raw enough form that the tour could illustrate the planning and processes involved in making the trail a reality.

Richard Brown, an attendee from Des Moines, Iowa, said the tour brought some insight to a tricky planning issue. “I’m always trying to get ideas for urban areas and downtowns because it’s a hard area to develop trails,” he explained.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is funded through a public and private collaboration led by the Central Indiana Community Foundation, the City of Indianapolis and several not-for-profit organizations. For more information visit the trail’s official Web page at www.indyculturaltrail.info.

Olmsted's Legacy of Parks

So we all know that Olmsted was a genius when it came to designing parks, but who was the man behind the legend? At the Robert W. Crawford Lecture series, speaker Charles E. Beveridge answered that question. According to Beveridge, the breadth of what Olmsted has contributed to this country and to the field can not be underestimated.

Olmsted believed that the "most problematic frontier is the frontier of the city." But Olmsted didn't just design parks -- according to Beveridge he actually defined the terms park, park system, parkway and greenway. Prior to Olmsted's creations, these were unheard-of concepts.

Olmsted consided a park to be a medical antidote to stress, and therefore insisted  that every design include open space where citizens could relax and unwind doing whatever types of recreation appealed to them. He also integrated graceful terrain into his landscapes to provide accessibility and access for all.

Olmsted set the bar extremely high when it comes to park design, and according to Beveridge, it is now up to us to not only protect these spaces, but educate civic leaders on their importance for the community and the country.

Baltimore08: Get in on It

We know Indy's still in full swing, with plenty of sessions, networking opps and social events still to come, but it's already time to start planning for the 2008 NRPA Congress & Exposition in Baltimore! Save the date: Oct. 14-18.

Soft-shell crabs, water taxis and a rockin' waterfront--plus, a city jam-packed with endless lots to do--all await delegates next year. Plus, of course, a full schedule of learning, new experiences and catching up with colleagues you haven't seen since, well, this week in Indianapolis.

So, grab a quick look at this video. It's sure to get you thinking, "Baltimore: Get in on it!"

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NRPA: Running High

If there existed any doubt, it was quickly erased this morning: NRPA has the fastest and healthiest members of any organization in the nation. Maybe in the world. (Please note this is an unqualified statement, but it seems like a pretty safe bet.)

This was plain to see for the nearly 350 runners and walkers who turned out in the pre-dawn coolness this morning for the NRPA 5K Run/Walk at White River State Park Canal, a few blocks from the Indianapolis Convention Center. An exceptional setting for an early run, this beautiful 250-acre park is a popular urban venue for runners/walkers and serenity-seekers alike, providing a unique view of Indianapolis as well as historic landmarks and major cultural attractions, including the NCAA Hall of Champions, Indiana State Museum and Indiana History Center.

The lead pack, fronted by winner (and NRPA member) Steve Wikner of Waukegan, Ill., puffed across the finish line sometime around the 16-minute mark, but it was a pretty informal affair. Afterwards, runners and walkers shared finish times and talked shop while scarfing down some much-needed H2O, bananas and fruit bars provided by the Indy host folks. Can you imagine a better way to start the day?

Artfully Enhanced

More and more agencies are coming to realize that an investment in the arts--even a modest one--can pay off in spades, resulting in enhanced community identity, quality of life and economic vitality. It's possible, these agencies have found, to take a small budget and still make a lasting investment in the community.

Christine Fey, arts and culture manager, Reno (Nev.) Parks, Recreation and Community Services, discovered this for herself 10 years ago when her agency invested in Artown, a multi-week arts and cultural event.

Artown began in 1996 as a way to showcase Reno's arts organizations and to invite citizens back downtown. In that first year, the three-week event attracted 30,000 people; by 1999, attendance had surpassed 100,000. Across the past decade, the (now) four-week event has succeeded in drawing folks back to Reno's downtown core, spurring on an explosion of new restaurants, retail and housing.

Today, visitors to Artown, held each July, can enjoy 320 events offered by some 80 different organizations. Here, Fey shares her thoughts with listeners on changing people's perceptions about what parks and the arts can do, and how an agency working with a small budget can make a major impact:

Indoor Fishing?

Fort Worth (Texas) Parks and Community Services has brought fishing indoors. That's in addition to the indoor camping and archery programs the agency also provide to the many urban minorities within its community who do not have the resources at hand to participate in such activities outside. Overcoming obstacles such as limited means of travel, lack of accessible facilities and little or no nearby park systems, the city of Forth Worth has developed its highly popular program of "Bringing the Outdoors to Urban Community Centers."

Michael Hunter and Shane Mize, community center supervisors for Fort Worth, presented solutions on how to introduce kids to the outdoors even when there is no lake to fish, no woods to set up camp and no field to use a bow and arrow, at their Wednesday session.

For Fort Worth, establishing key partnerships with the state of Texas and other camping, fishing and archery suppliers, was the first step in creating an effective outdoor-indoor program. With the encouragement of the enthusiastic partners and the right equipment--such as plastic fish molds, indoor targets, pop-up tents and a good imagination--practically anyone can re-create the outdoors in an urban setting.

Through simple activities like learning how to tie a knot or cast a line, the kids become familiar with the act of fishing, even if they have never been near a live body of water. Setting up camp in a gymnasium and having a scavenger hunt mimics the same activities that would be done in an outdoor setting. The kids are preparing themselves for the outdoors, and the program helps generate excitement for when they kids get the opportunity to travel beyond the urban setting.

Education Sessions Cover More Than the Facts

The second day of NRPA’s Congress & Exposition in Indianapolis was packed with exciting events all across the conference center.

After the Opening General Session, many put on their thinking caps for an afternoon of education sessions. The sessions covered topics from stream restoration to liability waivers.

Greg Place led the session "Recreation Services in a Religiously Diverse World." "Remember that all people benefit from your services," Place told attendees, describing cultural sensitivities in offering recreation programs.

Some sessions focused on people and others focused on amenities. Lindsey Purcell, the city forester for Indianapolis, led the session "Planning for a Sustainable Community Forest," which focused on the benefits of trees in public space. "I call trees types of workers. One type is health care worker," Purcell said, explaining that trees eliminate many of the toxins in the environment.

Attendees wrapped up their sessions in the early evening, ready for branch award receptions and another exciting day of sessions and events Thursday.

Exhibit Hall Opens

 

Gold Medal Agencies "Thrilled" About Wins

The Gold Medal winners were ecstatic about their wins, announced today in the Opening General Session. As they congratulated each other, we listened in to their comments:

Ken Watson from Westminister, Colo.: "This is a huge honor for own community and staff. This is the third time we've won, and we know our whole community will celebrate."

Jane Christyson from Cleveland Metroparks: "We are shocked. The competition was stiff, and we didn't think it was possible to win."

Jody Stowers from Westerville, Ohio: "This is a huge reward for our community and everyone who made us what we are. This award really goes to those folks that gave us wings so we could fly."

Congratulations to all the Gold Medal winners!

Digging for Gold

There were some suspenseful "Envelope, please" moments at this morning's General Opening Session, as dignitaries announced the winners of the 2007 Gold Medal Awards. These agencies work hard all year to be recognized as the cream of the crop in their respective population categories, and all of the finalists deserve huge kudos. Still, when all is said and done, there can only be one winner per category.

Presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, in partnership with NRPA and sponsored by Musco Lighting, the winners were chosen based on an extensive judging process. In selecting finalists and winners, the judges look at criteria such as long-range planning, revenue management, facility operations, community involvement, communication plans, environmental stewardship and advocacy.

This year’s winners are:

Class I (pop. more than 250,000)
Cleveland Metroparks

Class II (pop. 100,001-250,000)
City of Westminster (Colo.) Department of Parks, Recreation and Libraries

Class III (pop. 50,001-100,000)
City of Bloomington (Ind.) Parks and Recreation

Class IV (pop. 25,001-50,000)
City of Westerville (Ohio) Parks and Recreation

Class V (pop. less than 25,000)
Frankfort Square (Ill.) Park District

State Parks
Tennessee

Here's a look at how the Category 1 battle unfolded:

Bomar's National Approach

NRPA was thrilled to have National Park Service Director Mary Bomar speak at its Opening General Session in Indianapolis. Bomar, the first nationalized citizen to serve as head of the NPS, took the helm at the agency in October 2006.

No doubt, the NPS has seen kinder, gentler times, what with visitation numbers hitting a plateau, and a general widening of Americans' collective waistband dogging the organization. Still, Bomar is convinced that people love their parks, and that a big part of the equation is getting them involved, seeking their opinions, and returning the excitement focused around being back in the outdoors.

Hence, the enormous solicitation for public input throughout the Centennial Celebration, the initiative celebrating the Park Service's 100th birthday, in 2016. NRPA New Media Manager Doug Vaira caught up with Bomar after she addressed the masses on Wednesday morning. Here's what she had to say:

Partying Super Bowl-Style

Indianapolis Colts players and cheerleaders. Indy car racers. Tennis stars. Could it be anything other than an NRPA party?

The 2007 NRPA Congress & Exposition got under way last night with a blow-out at the RCA Dome. Delegates tread on the same turf as Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning, dined on stadium-inspired food and beverages in the elite RCA Dome Touchdown Club, and had their pictures taken with Colts players and cheerleaders and the Lombardi Trophy.

At the interactive Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fan Experience, they also met professional drivers, got up close to an IRL racecar, and tested their skills on a remote-controlled NASCAR track.

Needless to say, smiles and laughs were found in great abundance.

And the Winner Is . . .

. . . well, we don't know. But, really, everyone at Tuesday night's Gold Medal Awards reception was a star. You'll have to wait until today's Opening General Session to discover who takes home the award in each population class.

Big kudos goes to NRPA staffer Marianne O'Riley for coordinating and pulling off this red-carpet extravaganza. These park and rec professionals are ready for their close-ups. Can you hear Hollywood calling?

OSI Attendees Head Out on the Town

Attendees at the 2007 NRPA Congress & Exposition in Indianapolis filled the first day of activities perusing the convention center, getting registered and attending Off-Site Institutes. Tuesday’s institute offerings took attendees to all corners of the Circle City.

Starting bright and early, one OSI group headed out to the sixth largest city park in the country, Eagle Creek Park. Congress delegates learned how to manage a large city and how the park can be self-supporting.

But one of the most interesting parts of the trip was to a building under renovation to be an ornithology center. Staff member Dawn Hardindavis and volunteer Judy Aikman showed the group a turkey vulture and red-shouldered hawk.

Barbara Young, from Chandler, Ariz., found the tour particularly interesting. She said, “I’m here because we’re building an environmental center and I’m trying to get some ideas. I’ve got plenty of good ones for displays and exhibits.”

Another group was just as adventurous as they took on the Monon Trail on bicycles. At a pit-stop at The Depot, a hiker and biker visitor’s center, Jennifer Fava also says she’s looking for ideas for the Town of Yorktown, N.Y. “Our trails are becoming a big thing. I’m looking at different ways to connect greenways,” she explained.

But Dima Kirland of Skokie, Ill., thought the biking OSI was great exercise, as well. “I’m here to recreate and to get fresh air. It’s a different way of seeing Indianapolis.”

Let’s Get Physical

Active aging is a social event. In his Tuesday session, "Getting Older Adults Physically Active: New Ideas," Dr. Geoffrey Godbey, of Pennsylvania State University, addressed a room of some 150 participants on the five key components necessary to engage older adults in physical activity.

First, you must customize the activity for each individual. Often, older adults are uncomfortable in situations they are not familiar with. Next, you must recognize that for many, physical activity is more of a social event, where the participants are more interested in interacting with their inner circle of friends and family. Older adults also thrive on feedback, or positive encouragement and prefer to participate in activities with those in a similar age group, or more importantly, the same skill level.

Finally, you must make your event fun. One attendee, of Baltimore City Parks, commented that their most successful events are when they “promote the fun” instead of labeling it as a “health” event. Another attendee, from Indy Parks & Recreation, spoke on their recent promotion of the AARP walking program, where the highlight for many of the participants is focused on the social hours following the event.

It is important to recognize that for older adults, participating in programs that promote physical health is much more of a social event than a health practice. Line dancing, mall walking and even arts and crafts are beneficial to the health and well-being of older adults.

Bomar to Address Congress Participants

NRPA is pleased to announce that National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar will address attendees at the Opening General Session of this year's NRPA Congress & Exposition, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 8:30-10:30 a.m. She will speak about the Centennial Initiative, the celebration of the National Park Service's 100th birthday, in 2016.

Bomar, who joined the National Park Service in 1990, was confirmed as the agency's 17th director in October 2006. For details on Bomar's history and experience, please visit the NPS Web site.

Extremely Special Events

Many park and recreation agencies have discovered that one successful event--a 5K race, a bicycle tour, a strawberry festival--can create an enormous financial contribution to the overall park system operation. And not only can a good special event go a long way in repositioning the specific program site, it can also draw new visitors for off-peak events.

For Daniel Huerta, assistant director and executive general manager of Fair Park in Dallas, that one event is the State Fair of Texas. Each year, the Fair Park-based event attracts 3.5 million visitors (in only four weeks), generating more than $400 million in economic impact.

The largest in North America, the State Fair of Texas "offers visitors a range of exhibits, food, rides, games, entertainment and services that can't be seen anywhere else."

NRPA New Media Manager Doug Vaira caught up with Huerta after his session on Tuesday, "One Event Makes All the Difference," to ask him a few questions. Listen to what he had to say:

Golf Tourney Tees Off

NRPA's Congress officially got under way today with a variety of events, off-site institutues and educational sessions. One of the biggest events this morning was the golf tournament, kicking off before the sun came up. The participants teed off at Eagle Creek Golf Course, but only played a few holes before a rain shower moved in. But it didn't seem to stop the more than 200 golfers, as they continued to play through the bad weather. The rain may have dampened the greens, but didn't dampen anyone's spirit!

On-Site Registration Available

On-site registration, including daily rates, will be available at the registration desk beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m. in the Maryland Street Lobby West.

Share a Ride to Indy

Driving to Indianapolis for the NRPA Congress & Exposition and find yourself with a little extra room in your car? Or are you looking for a carpool buddy with whom to share the driving? Either way, sharing a ride amounts to fewer cars on the highway, less pollution, and lower stress levels. Which means you arrive in Indy rested and ready to go.

To make coordination a little bit easier, NRPA has created an online Share-a-Ride resource that allows you to locate your city and see who's looking for--or offering--a ride. Check it out, and enjoy the ride.