In Ohio, officials are looking at new ways to liven up their parks. They are providing incentives for volunteers to help beautify and maintain the parks, in addition to adding new programs to attract users to frequent the parks.
According to Ruthann Spears, manager of the Cincinnati Parks Explore Nature Program, Cincinnati Parks launched in August 'The Dog Days of Summer,' which quickly sold out. For $25, the course allowed pet owners to gather each Saturday and hear lectures by local pet experts and take their dogs through an agility course and on hikes, said Spears.
"In April, the Park Board launched 'Give a Day – Get a Game' to recruit local volunteers to help beautify the parks. About 7,000 volunteers each donated four hours of labor, planting flower beds and clearing away brush from walking trails in exchange for tickets to one of four Cincinnati Reds games," Spears says.
Other states hare trying their hands in similar programs. For example, in Sonoma County, California, they introduced a 'Park-n-Eat Program' where for a $25 fee, in which 10 percent of their profits are donated, six food truck vendors sold meals, from Mexican and Indian food to crepes every Tuesday, according to Gail Short.
FULL STORY: Parks and recreation departments try new fund-raising ideas
How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.
San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.
Study: How Urban Parks Can Support Biodiversity
Conservation and recreation can go hand in hand in urban green spaces designed to serve both humans and local wildlife.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions