The Advocating for Maintenance to Upper Management session will offer play facility owners and administrators information on the needs and benefits of these spaces. In addition, financial consequences of poorly maintained areas, and duties to manage and operate the facility to the highest safety levels will be covered. Special attention will be given to the role of the agency management to establish a proactive inspection, maintenance, and repair philosophy throughout the agency/department. During the session, we will discuss the key points of a written policy and procedures document to manage public play areas, the importance of hiring qualified inspectors and maintenance technicians to implement the policy, and the importance of continuously training staff.

Community engagement strategies are critical to making a successful project come to life! Traditionally, this often takes the form of public meetings, design workshops, or surveys. However, by taking the scientific benefits of play and aligning them with a unique playful placemaking approach, you can empower communities, support community perspectives, and design successful public spaces through the power of play. This interactive session offers a unique opportunity to participate in these play and engagement models to innovate the built environment.

Meeting the minimum accessibility design standards for recreation facilities is just the first step to making sure everyone can participate, enjoy, and experience park and play area facilities. During the session, a panel of persons with disabilities will discuss features that can “make or break” the recreational opportunity for persons that are low-vision or blind, persons using mobility devices, persons who are hard of hearing or deaf, persons with developmental disabilities, and individuals that are neurodivergent. Strategies, design elements, barriers, and accessibility will be discussed from different viewpoints. We hope you will join us for this look beyond the minimum accessibility design standards to discover how you can make your park and play areas more inclusive for everyone. This webinar will include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning. Participants may ask questions during the live session.

Get amazing new ideas for your Traverse Wall®! This recorded session will cover best practices and safety and risk management protocols, instructional design tips and ideas on how to manage a traverse wall, and a variety of dynamic climbing wall activities. Special guest panelist and physical educator, Matt Barrows, will share information about his innovative climbing program in the North Kansas City Schools. Mr. Barrows will share the benefits of climbing for children, tips for success implementing climbing in your program, and a variety of engaging activities utilizing the traverse climbing wall.

Schools are considered ideal settings for advancing health and wellness initiatives for youth. Most youth attend schools, most schools have resources for health and wellness, and most schools are located in communities with park and recreation agencies. National frameworks even exist for school health and school physical activity where community engagement is identified as a key component for building healthier generations of youth. The challenge is how. How can park and recreation professionals successfully engage and partner with schools to collectively support health and wellness initiatives for youth?

​A comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) is the guiding framework for implementing physical activity opportunities across the school day and school context. The goal of a CSPAP is to provide daily opportunities and support structures for youth to engage in and benefit from a physically active lifestyle. Regular health-enhancing physical activity behaviors among youth can be accomplished across five CSPAP components: a) physical education, b) physical activity during school, c) physical activity before and after school, d) staff involvement, and e) family and community engagement. This comprehensive approach to active school settings has advanced evidence-based practices and opportunities for community collaborations.

When a bike commuter or person running errands by bike sizes up parking locations, the length of time they intend to park may inform where they choose to visit. If bicyclists anticipate to park for more than two hours, priorities will likely shift. Among others, some of the consideration’s individuals will make when selecting bike parking might include the convenience of the location, bike ease of usage, security levels of the location, and how well protected it is from the elements. During this session, you will learn more about how selecting the right equipment helps adequately prepare the space, taking into account the user and their needs, to create a space where people will stay for longer periods of time.

Plants increase community value in a number of ways beyond just their natural beauty. In this session, we’ll discover the many benefits that plants can provide communities, examine how a number of sites, from playgrounds to dog parks to bus shelters increased play and recreation value through the addition of key plants, and share tools to help parks, schools, and communities identify the unique benefits of a variety of plants to promote activity, imagination, sensory stimulation, and more. Attendees will come away with confidence on how to choose plants that will thrive in their region, and provide health, wellness, and recreation value for generations to come.