Something for Everyone
It’s June! And after what has been a particularly chilly—and soggy— spring in the midAtlantic region, I’m thrilled to finally have some warm, dry, outside time to walk, explore, and clean up my overgrown gardens. But I have to admit that this month’s feature articles leave me longing for some fun in the sun and taking a second look at a lifestyle my husband Alex and I once seriously considered.
This issue of Parks & Recreation starts off with "It’s a Shore Thing," writer Amy Maclin’s look at 10 of America’s best public beach parks, prized for such wonders as sugarsoft sand, surfworthy waves, and wild ponies. Whoa! Wild ponies? On Maryland’s Assateague Island, which features an undeveloped, natural, beach setting, some 300 descendants of horses released by early settlers graze on marshland and play in the surf. Although visitors are warned to stay away from them, the small horses do get close and cozy on their own, sometime even galloping off with a beach towel.
If you can tear yourself away from the cute creatures and other beach recreation, take an adventure through history along the Potomac Heritage Trail. Renee Sklarew writes about this 375mile system of trails, gaps, and tunnels that runs from the Great Allegheny Passage near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the place where the Potomac River empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Hikers, bikers, and history buffs can ex plore Native American hunting grounds, Civil War battlefields, preIndustrial architecture, waterfalls, wildlife, hardwood forests, coastal plains, and the innovative towpath along the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal. And that’s just a part of this still expanding ribbon of history.
History is being made for the better in Glendale, Colorado, a small municipality in the middle of Denver that has struggled with a reputation of being the area’s seedy center of adult entertainment. In "Makeover in the Extreme," Clare LeschinHoar writes about Infinity Park, the town’s saving grace that features beautiful park space, a fitness center, and a worldclass rugby stadium, all of which are putting Glendale on the map for the right reasons.
Had enough of being on land? In "Life on a Boat," writer Boris Weintraub enters the world of liveaboards, people who’ve shed the trappings of houses on land for the freedom of life on the water. But it’s a lifestyle that’s not for everyone. After spending 10 days anchored at the Washington Marina living aboard a friend’s well appointed but decidedly small yacht, my husband and I determined that, yes, there is such a thing as being too close, and no, we didn’t relish the prospect of clearing outside lines on icy winter mornings. Still, there’s something about the open water ...
And speaking of open water, June is also the beginning of hurricane season. In "When Disaster Strikes," park and recreation professionals talk to writer Rachel Roberts about the challenges they’ve faced during natural disasters and how they’ve prepared to come to the aid of their communities when the inevitable happens again.
This issue promises something for just about everyone. Enjoy!
Cassandra Franklin-Barbajosa
Executive Editor
:: In This Month's Issue ::
Look in just about any direction, and you'll find some of the country's best beach parks, scenic places for sun, fun, and serenity.
By Amy Maclin
Emergency Planning Along the Trail
OTHER FEATURES
When disaster strikes, park and recreation agencies pitch in and work their plan.
By Rachel Roberts
Potomac Heritage Trail's history is as much a draw for nature lovers as its scenery and wildlife.
By Renee Sklarew
They simplify their lives for the freedom of life on the water.
By Boris Weintraub
Infinity Park
An ambitious park and recreation facility helps a Colorado town clean up its reputation.
By Clare Leschin-Hoar
COLUMNS
Perspectives: Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
New watchwords bring new opportunities.
By Barbara Tulipane, CAE
Advocacy Update: Funding Trails
Park and recreation - and transportation - programs are one and the same.
By Stacey Pine
Research Update: Nature Deficit in Adults
As Baby Boomers grow older, the need to get them outdoors grows urgent.
By Tyler Tapps, Ph. D. and Kevin Fink, M.S.
DEPARTMENTS
June 25, 2009
Editor
Parks and Recreation
National Parks and Recreation Association
22377 Belmont Ridge Road
Ashburn, Virginia 20148
To the Editor;
It was with some dismay that I read the article in the June 2009 issue of Parks and Recreation regarding great beaches. In the article written by Amy Maclin titled It’s a Shore Thing, she relies heavily on information provided by the so-called ‘Dr. Beach”, Dr. Stephan Leatherman.
According to the article, the list is developed by Leatherman using criteria that includes “. . . . number of sunny days, strength of currents, and level of public safety.” As I reviewed the list of identified beaches, I was surprised by the number of beaches that do not have lifeguards, which are fundamental to the public safety of any beach. I believe at least five and perhaps more, of the 10 beaches, are not protected by lifeguards.
In fact, subsequent to its original selection, one of the beaches was the site of a drowning that received national attention. Grayton Beach State Park not only has no lifeguards, it is where Larry LaMotte, one of the founders of CNN, died in an effort to rescue his son in a rip current, as did another beachgoer. To continue to promote this beach on his list this in the wake of that accident suggests a callous disregard for public safety.
The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), the national professional organization for open water lifeguards and open water lifesaving agencies, believes that lifeguards are the critical component in ensuring beach safety and enjoyment. USLA data indicates that beachgoers have a 1 in 18 million chance of drowning at beach a staffed by lifeguards. The chance of drowning increases at least 10 fold without lifeguards.
From my perspective, NRPA is an organization that supports the concept of safe recreational facilities and actively promotes lifeguards and their safety efforts through the National Aquatic Branch. While I understand commercial value to Dr. Beach of his list, I think NRPA should avoid promoting this list when it appears to contradict the profession’s goals, the public’s safety and common sense.
Sincerely,
Rick Gould
Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services
City of Santa Clarita, California
rgould@santa-clarita.com
Posted by: Rick Gould | June 30, 2009 at 12:17 PM