Beyond the Minimums Series Part 4: Designing Accessible Environments Where Everyone Belongs

Virginia Burt, FCSLA, FASLA, will explore how accessible landscape architecture can move beyond baseline compliance to create outdoor environments where people of all abilities feel welcomed, supported, and able to participate fully. Through a practical, people-centered lens, Virginia will examine how site planning, sensory-rich design, material selection, circulation, and maintenance can work together to foster belonging across parks, playgrounds, public spaces, and community landscapes.

This presentation is brought to you in partnership with the Landscape Architecture Foundation.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Identify the difference between minimum accessibility requirements and biopsychosocial approaches to landscape architecture.
2. Describe practical design strategies that support inclusive participation in parks, playgrounds, public spaces, and community landscapes.
3. Recognize how site planning, circulation, sensory experience, materials, and long-term maintenance contribute to more accessible and welcoming outdoor environments.
4. Analyze projects to understand design strategies that broaden accessibility and inclusivity.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU	1.0 AIA LU	1.0 LA CES PDH

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU / 1.0 AIA HSW LU / 1.0 LA CES HSW PDH) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Through hundreds of conversations with parks and recreation professionals and agency leaders nationwide, the RecLess team has developed a broad view of the trends, innovations, and emerging priorities influencing the future of the profession. These insights provide a unique lens into how agencies are evolving to meet changing community needs, enhance user experiences, and create more impactful parks, programs, and public spaces. Tom Norquist will add perspective from his work with PlayCore and the Auburn University Research and Innovation Center, where research, innovation, and industry collaboration help shape new ideas and opportunities for parks and recreation agencies.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Analyze emerging social, operational, and design trends shaping parks and recreation systems.
2. Evaluate innovative practices being implemented by agencies to enhance community experiences and maximize public space value.
3. Examine how evolving user expectations are influencing the planning and design of parks, recreation facilities, and outdoor environments.
4. Apply insights from industry leaders to inform future decision-making related to park planning, recreation programming, and community-focused design initiatives.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.15 IACET CEU	1.5 AIA LU	1.5 LA CES PDH

CEUs for a total of 1.5 Professional Development Hours (0.15 IACET CEU / 1.5 AIA LU / 1.5 LA CES PDH) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Scholar Series Part 2 | Parks Are Worth It! Understanding, Measuring, and Applying the Multiple Values of Parks

Parks provide many benefits, including recreation, public health, economic development, climate resilience, ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and community well-being. This webinar introduces participants to contemporary frameworks for understanding the value of parks, including anthropocentric, biocentric, and pluricentric perspectives on human-nature relationships. It will explore this multiplicity of park benefits, from recreation and tourism to health, ecosystem services, and even values to non-users, and introduce the major economic valuation methods used to estimate them. Drawing on hypothetical case studies, participants will learn how valuation evidence can support park planning, investment, conservation, and management decisions.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Explain how different value frameworks shape perceptions of parks and park priorities.
2. Assess direct use, indirect use, ecosystem service, and non-use benefits provided by parks.
3. Evaluate major economic valuation methods used to estimate recreational, environmental, health, social, cultural, and conservation benefits.
4. Apply to support planning, investment, management, and policy decisions affecting parks.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU	1.0 AIA HSW LU	1.0 LA CES HSW PDH

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU / 1.0 AIA HSW LU / 1.0 LA CES HSW PDH)will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Beyond the Minimum Series Part 3 | From Intent to Impact: Building a Culture of Belonging

Creating welcoming parks, recreation programs, and public spaces requires more than meeting accessibility standards; it demands intentional systems that foster belonging. This session explores how organizations can move beyond compliance by embedding inclusive planning, design, operations, and leadership practices into everyday decision-making. Participants will examine practical frameworks, organizational strategies, and real-world examples that strengthen access, improve user experiences, and create environments where people of all ages and abilities feel valued, connected, and empowered to participate.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Differentiate the roles of access, inclusion, and belonging in shaping parks and public spaces.
2. Evaluate organizational policies, design decisions, and operational practices that influence community participation and user experience.
3. Apply systems-based strategies that integrate belonging into planning, programming, maintenance, and capital improvement processes.
4. Develop an organizational action framework that aligns leadership, staff practices, and the built environment to support sustainable cultures of belonging.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.15 IACET CEU	1.5 AIA HSW LU	1.5 LA CES HSW PDH

CEUs for a total of 1.5 Professional Development Hours (0.15 IACET CEU / 1.5 AIA HSW LU / 1.5 LA CES HSW PDH)will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Play Frisco was created out of a simple but powerful realization: while the City of Frisco invests heavily in parks, programs, and facilities, play wasn’t always showing up as a daily habit for residents or even staff. The question shifted from “What do we offer?” to “Are people actually playing?”

Building on the city’s broader vision for health, community connection, and quality of life, Play Frisco emerged as a unifying call to action; one that reframes play as essential, not optional. It was designed to be bigger than a program or campaign. Instead, it’s a mindset that encourages residents, employees, and leaders to intentionally create moments of play in everyday life.

By aligning messaging, programming, and partnerships across departments, Play Frisco helps make play visible, accessible, and culturally expected. It invites everyone from staff to residents to visitors to community leaders to model and normalize play as part of what makes Frisco thrive.

At its core, Play Frisco answers one simple question: Have you played today?

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Define the role of play as a critical driver of individual well-being, workplace culture, and community connection.
2. Examine practical strategies for intentionally integrating play into workplace environments and community programming.
3. Apply actionable techniques to inspire and normalize play in everyday personal, professional, and organizational interactions.
4. Evaluate how cross-department collaboration, messaging, and leadership can support a culture of play within communities and organizations.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Park and recreation agencies often know they need an ADA Transition Plan but lack clarity on how to develop one that effectively guides accessibility improvements. This webinar explains Title II requirements and the “program access” standard as they apply to parks, trails, playgrounds, and recreation facilities. Participants will learn the key components of a defensible ADA Transition Plan, including barrier identification, prioritization, cost estimating, timelines, and public engagement to support safe, inclusive, and compliant recreation environments.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Explain ADA Title II administrative requirements and the “program access” standard as they apply to parks, recreation facilities, trails, and outdoor public spaces.
2. Differentiate between an ADA self-evaluation, accessibility survey, and ADA Transition Plan, and evaluate how each tool supports accessibility planning and regulatory compliance.
3. Identify the essential components of an ADA Transition Plan, including barrier identification, cost estimating, prioritization strategies, and implementation timelines.
4. Apply practical strategies for prioritizing barrier removal and integrating accessibility improvements into capital planning and infrastructure investment decisions.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.15 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.5 Professional Development Hours (0.15 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Sustainable maintenance programs are essential for safe, accessible, and long-lasting playgrounds in schools and communities. In recognition of National Playground Safety Week 2026 (April 20-24), this webinar will provide actionable strategies for maintaining compliant and hazard-free play environments. Participants will gain insights into finding qualified playground inspectors, understanding key ADA compliance requirements for maintenance staff, and implementing surfacing maintenance best practices. Routine inspections and proactive maintenance help preserve playground investments, support accessibility, and create safer play spaces that promote healthy risk-taking and fun for all children.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Identify methods for locating and selecting a qualified playground inspector to ensure compliance with safety standards.
2. Apply ADA maintenance requirements, including surfacing compliance, transition areas, and accessibility considerations.
3. Implement a structured, sustainable maintenance program with proper documentation and follow-up procedures.
4. Discuss best practices for maintaining playground surfacing to promote safety, durability, and compliance with recommended guidelines.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.5 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Early childhood represents a critical window of curiosity, when children’s natural drive to wonder, explore, and question the world is largely unhindered by testing and standardized assessments. Research shows that early curiosity is closely tied to foundational science learning, including observing, experimenting, exploring cause-and-effect relationships, asking questions, and constructing knowledge through hands-on interaction. This webinar explores whether intentionally designed playground landscapes can nurture these curiosity-driven behaviors to advance early science learning. Drawing on recent interdisciplinary research, the session examines how supportive outdoor settings create conditions for inquiry and discovery. While the benefits of nature-rich play environments are well documented, the mechanisms linking landscape design, curiosity, and science learning remain underexplored. This webinar translates emerging scientific findings into practical landscape design principles that activate curiosity and support early science learning in playgrounds.  

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Describe the role of early childhood curiosity in supporting foundational science learning and concept development.
2. Identify observable curiosity-driven science behaviors in young children that are influenced by outdoor play and learning environments.
3. Analyze how specific playground landscape features and spatial configurations support inquiry, experimentation, and cause-and-effect learning.
4. Apply evidence-based landscape design principles to the planning and design of playgrounds that intentionally support curious behaviors and associated early science learning.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Advancements in adaptive cycling equipment are expanding opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage in cycling as recreation, transportation, and social connection. This panel discussion, the first session in the four-part Beyond the Minimums webinar series, brings together professionals in accessibility, recreation, and inclusive design to examine inclusive strategies for biking facilities and adaptive cycling programming in parks and community spaces.
Through expert perspectives, real-world examples, and applied discussion, panelists will explore accessibility requirements, design considerations, and programmatic approaches that move beyond minimum compliance to support equitable, multigenerational participation in cycling environments.
This webinar includes real-time captioning. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) is available upon request. To request interpreting services and/or materials in an alternate format, please email [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the live webinar date.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Identify inclusive cycling design principles that support public health, safety, and welfare for users of varying ages and abilities.
2. Apply best practices shared by panelists for planning and facilitating adaptive cycling programs within parks and community recreation systems.
3. Analyze accessibility considerations, facility features, and adaptive equipment needs that enhance participation in cycling, leisure, and active transportation.
4. Evaluate existing biking facilities, programs, and services to determine opportunities for improvement in accessibility, inclusion, and multigenerational use.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.15 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]

Choosing the right bleachers or grandstands is not always an easy task. Selecting the appropriate equipment to suit the specific needs of each facility is an important factor in providing comfort, appeal, and meaningful use. Make a Stand explores the evolution of stadiums, grandstands, and bleachers, offers the different features and benefits of various types of seating, addresses current standards and criteria, and provides selection, installation, and maintenance information, along with case examples that share the stories of those who have successfully implemented projects in their community and/or school.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Describe the features and benefits of grandstands and bleachers use in different settings.
2. Define best practices and considerations when selecting, installing, and maintaining grandstands and bleachers.
3. Summarize the standards and criteria when designing spaces that include grandstands and/or bleachers.
4. Describe at least 2 case studies related to grandstand and bleachers.

This session will offer the following credits:

0.1 IACET CEU

CEUs for a total of 1.0 Professional Development Hours (0.1 IACET CEU) will be provided to learners meeting the following requirements: 

• Be present for 95% of the duration of the learning event; 
• Participate in activities and discussion throughout; 
• Complete assessment with 80% mastery of learning outcome;
• Complete feedback/evaluation survey.

CEUs can be applied toward NRPA CPRP/CPRE renewal. To obtain your CEU, please visit the "Event Details" tab above to complete the associated components for this event.

Instructor(s) Disclosures:

The instructors of this training webinar are employed by PlayCore and disclose an interest in attendees partnering with PlayCore on their play and recreation initiatives.

Speakers Disclosures:

The opinions of the speakers in these events do not necessarily reflect the views of PlayCore and its brands.

Notes:

For any questions or to request a copy of the written transcript for this session, please contact [email protected]