Parks & Recreation
Why should we plan for parks?
Parks provide important places for people to play and be active and this helps support a healthy lifestyle.1-3 For example, children who live close to parks are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.4 Parks don’t just encourage physical activity, though. They also provide places for community members to gather, have mental health benefits, and reduce air pollution.2 Planners should make sure that everyone in their community has a park close to their home. People are more likely to spend time in parks that are clean, have plenty of greenery, and feel safe.4,5 Planners should therefore take steps to make sure that the parks in their community are well-maintained. By promoting a great park system, planners can help their community get and stay healthy.
best practices for urban & Suburban Comprehensive Plans
Click the plus sign (+) to see more information about that best practice.
+ Set a goal or objective to increase access to open space, parks, and recreational facilities
- Use data to identify where additional open space, parks, and recreation facilities are needed.
+ Refer to the latest Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreational Plan (SCORP) or refer to your community’s Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP)
- Use SCORP or CORP data to define and target recreational needs and set goals and objectives.
- Wisconsin’s SCORP and guidelines for developing your community CORP can be obtained through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website. (Link in resources, below).
- Note: In Wisconsin, communities need an up-to-date CORP in order to be eligible for many DNR grants for the development of parks and open spaces.
+ Set a goal or objective to keep parks and open spaces well-maintained
- Set standards for the maintenance of parks and recreational facilities, including factors like lighting, cleanliness, and safety.
+ Establish standards for developer-provided open space within developments
- Set clear guidelines for how open space is to be designed for and used by the community.
+ Identify geographic areas with the greatest need for more physical activity
- Establish a standard for physical activity and identify and map areas where that standard is not met, along with specific goals and policy objectives for improvement.
Parks get more use when they are clean and well-maintained. Photo: Bayfield, WI. Credit: Natalie Maynor.
Mapping existing recreational resources and their service areas is the first step in identifying where new parks are needed. Photo: Sparta, WI comprehensive plan, developed by MSA Professional Services. Used with permission of City of Sparta.
Keeping school grounds open after hours may require a shared use agreement, but it can provide needed recreation space for community members. Photo: Bancroft, Ontario. Credit: Town of Bancroft.
Best Practices for Rural Comprehensive Plans
Click the plus sign (+) to see more information about that best practice.
+ Set a goal or objective to increase access to open space, parks, and recreational facilities
- Identify where additional facilities are needed and suggest strategies to improve access.
+ Refer to the latest Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreational Plan (SCORP) or refer to your community’s Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP)
- Use SCORP or CORP data to define and target recreational needs and set goals and objectives.
- Wisconsin’s SCORP and guidelines for developing your community CORP can be obtained through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website. (See link in resources, below.)
- Note: In Wisconsin, communities need an up-to-date CORP in order to be eligible for many DNR grants for the development of parks and open spaces.
+ Set a goal or objective to keep parks and open spaces well-maintained
- Set standards for the maintenance of parks and recreational facilities, including factors like lighting, cleanliness, and safety.
+ Identify school facilities as important recreational resources
- Include strategies to make school facilities available to the community after school hours, potentially including a shared use or recreational use agreement.
Resources
Wisconsin Health Atlas’ Outdoor Opportunity Map: Map of walking distance to parks, schools, and other public outdoor recreation opportunities for some Wisconsin counties.
ChangeLab Solutions Complete Parks resources: Fact sheets, playbooks, and other resources for creating complete parks systems.
ChangeLab Solutions Shared Use resources: Fact sheets, playbooks, and other resources for implementing shared use agreements, both formal and informal.
National Recreation and Parks Association Best Practice Resources: Best practice guides, briefing papers, case studies, issue briefs, toolkits, frameworks, and other resources related to NRPA's programs and initiatives.
Mobilize for Health’s Recreational Spaces and Programming Strategy Menu: Summary of evidence for parks and recreation strategies with implementation resources and examples from Wisconsin communities.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:
Wisconsin’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: Information on outdoor recreation in Wisconsin that will help shape future opportunities and experiences throughout the state. Guidance for distributing grant funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other grant programs administered by the department.
Guidance on the Development of Local Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans: Guidance for compliance in creating a CORP to be eligible for DNR open space and recreation grants.
REFERENCES
Lachowycz K, Jones AP. Greenspace and obesity: a systematic review of the evidence: Greenspace and obesity review. Obesity Reviews. 2011;12(5):e183-e189. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00827.x
Davern M, Kendal D, Giles-Corti B, Farrar A. Quality Green Space Supporting Health, Wellbeing and Biodiversity: A Literature Review. Report prepared for the Heart Foundation SA, SA Health, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Office for Recreation and Sport and Local Government Association (SA) University of Melbourne, Victoria; 2016.
Stewart OT, Moudon AV, Littman AJ, Seto E, Saelens BE. Why neighborhood park proximity is not associated with total physical activity. Health & Place. 2018;52:163-169. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.05.011
Wolch J, Jerrett M, Reynolds K, et al. Childhood obesity and proximity to urban parks and recreational resources: A longitudinal cohort study. Health & Place. 2011;17(1):207-214. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.10.001
McCormack GR, Rock M, Toohey AM, Hignell D. Characteristics of urban parks associated with park use and physical activity: A review of qualitative research. Health & Place. 2010;16(4):712-726. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.03.003