Open Space Radio

Each year, NRPA hosts its Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest. But before one story makes the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, countless submissions remind us just how powerful this work truly is. With submissions now open for this year's Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest, this episode of Open Space Radio looks back at a few stories from last year that stayed with us. From older adults building connections through a simple walking program to children strengthening literacy skills by reading to horses, these stories capture what parks and recreation does best: create spaces where people connect and grow. Tune in to hear our conversations with: Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California), Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking initiative has built a tight-knit, supportive community. Danielle Bachelder, CPRP, senior parks manager for Broward County (Florida) Parks and Recreation, and a young participant in the Pony Tales program, who discuss how a literacy-based initiative that invites children to read to horses is making an impact on children, families and the horses alike. Both stories may seem simple on the surface. But as the team reflects in this episode, simple ideas often create the most meaningful impact. Listen below to hear the full episode. You'll learn: How simple programs can create transformational impact across generations Why effective leadership, care and passion are often the keys to program success How partnerships expand access and broaden community reach The importance of starting small and building over time How storytelling helps elevate the power of parks and recreation And more If your agency has a story that reflects "The Power Of" parks and recreation, share your photo and story by March 13 for a chance to be featured in the cover story of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. Pictured: Isabella Mangum reads to a horse named Cash at Tradewinds Park and Stables as part of the Pony Tales Program. Photo by Katherine Garces, courtesy of Broward County Parks and Recreation. This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke: Outdoor play builds confidence, leadership skills and social networks. At BCI Burke, they design outdoor spaces that support movement, opportunity and connection, helping park and recreation professionals create environments where more girls feel encouraged to step in, play hard and lead the game. Learn more at bciburke.com Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn't the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they grow. And right now, as girls' and women's sports are gaining national attention, it's a pivotal moment to rethink how youth sports actually show up for girls in our communities. On this episode, we chat with two incredible local leaders who are putting these ideas into action in their communities: Sally Pennington, CPRE, director of parks and recreation in Eudora, Kansas, and Amy Tessier, recreation program supervisor in Twentynine Palms, California. We're also joined by Allison Colman, senior director of programs at NRPA, who helps lead our youth sports strategy and shares insight into NRPA's role in advancing this work nationwide. Tune in below to hear how you can be part of the movement to get more girls in sports. You'll also learn: What participation gaps between girls and boys still exist, even as girls' and women's sports gain national visibility How early experiences in youth sports can shape long-term confidence and retention What a systems-change approach looks like in parks and recreation, from coach recruitment and training to programming Why increasing women coaches and role models is critical to keeping girls engaged How local programs are creating ripple effects beyond the field And much more! Additional Resources Get Her in the Game NRPA Youth Sports Framework NRPA Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation Report Level Up: Coaching Tools to Inspire, Connect, and Lead Through Sports Have feedback about this episode or Open Space Radio overall? Share it with us! If you enjoyed this episode or learned something that might help you make a positive impact in your community, please consider donating to NRPA. Your gift will support our storytelling efforts and our mission to advance parks, recreation and environmental resilience efforts that enhance the quality of life for all. Give today at nrpa.org/donate. This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke: Outdoor play builds confidence, leadership skills and social networks. At BCI Burke, they design outdoor spaces that support movement, opportunity and connection, helping park and recreation professionals create environments where more girls feel encouraged to step in, play hard and lead the game. Learn more at bciburke.com Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics such as photography and videography, as well as leadership skills and teamwork, and Macon Ambitious Young Men, a group mentoring program that prioritizes holistic youth development. What began with just a handful of participants has grown over nearly five years into programs that equip more than 100 young people with real-world skills, confidence and meaningful connections. As JaCory shares, mentorship isn't just about teaching, it's about showing up consistently, advocating for youth, and creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and empowered to thrive. We're also joined by Olivia Peterson a program manager at NRPA on our youth mentoring team. Olivia reflects on how park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to integrate mentorship into everyday programs and interactions, from workforce development and sports to after-school and community events. Olivia also shares the importance of adults investing in young people's well-being and growth, as well as some helpful resources from NRPA. Listen to the full episode to hear how mentorship is shaping futures in Macon-Bibb County and what it means for communities everywhere. You'll also learn: How mentorship relationships built through consistent support make a difference. How even small beginnings can grow into long-lasting impact. How parks and recreation naturally supports youth development and helps young people build confidence, belonging and leadership. How mentors who show up through the good times and bad times help youth build resilience and trust. How self-care, shared leadership and community backing help sustain mentoring efforts. Helpful Mentoring Month Resources National Mentoring Month — NRPA: Learn more about the month-long celebration and access resources to support your youth mentoring programs. NRPA's Youth Mentoring Framework offers a 16-week curriculum of sample topics and activities that can be used in 1:1 or group settings. Other resources such as Career Pathways Through Youth Mentoring and Community Service Through Youth Mentoring offer best practices and ideas for local programs. NRPA's Building Local Partnerships to Support Youth in Parks and Recreation resource offers strategies and case studies for connecting youth to services to support their overall mental health and well-being. NRPA's Amplifying Youth Voice in Parks and Recreation resource equips park and recreation professionals with practical strategies to embed youth voice in programs. NRPA's Mentoring Through Youth Sports guide aims to help weave mentoring into all youth sports programs. MENTOR's Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ highlights six evidence-based standards that are intended to be applicable for any type of mentoring program. The National Mentoring Resource Center is the nation's premier source of training, technical assistance, tools, research summaries and other information for youth mentoring programs. This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by: For more than 105 years, BCI Burke has worked alongside park and recreation professionals to design outdoor environments that support well-being, inclusion and Play That Moves You®. That focus aligns closely with NRPA and the purpose of Open Space Radio — sharing insights and stories that strengthen parks, recreation and open spaces in communities everywhere. BCI Burke approaches play and movement with intention, believing that connection, learning and community all thrive outside. Through Open Space Radio, Burke is proud to support the sharing of ideas and experiences across the parks and recreation field. Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating land acknowledgments to climate resiliency. Each second is impactful. We have also provided more current resources, external research and history, as well as stories from Parks & Recreation magazine for you to turn to below. Tune in to the episode below for 55 minutes of powerful history, examples of actions we can take, the importance of leading with curiosity and humility, and a whole lot more. We hope Sara and Stephanie inspire you to continue learning, just as they have done for us. Additional Resources: Design, Place and Indigenous Ways: Working with Local Communities (Parks & Recreation magazine, December 2016) Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day: Lessons in Leadership and Risk-Taking (Parks & Recreation magazine, January 2020) Protecting the Land and Its History (Parks & Recreation magazine, December 2021) To Relate: Indigenous Views on Native American Historical Events in Texas (Parks & Recreation magazine, March 2022) https://illuminative.org/ https://voiceofwitness.org/ https://seedingsovereignty.org/ https://www.firstnations.org/ https://native-land.ca/ https://www.saraesinclair.com/ Sara Sinclair's Book Contributions: A Steady Brightness of Being: Truths, Wisdom and Love from Celebrated Indigenous VoicesTruths, Wisdom, and Love from Celebrated Indigenous Voices You Were Made for This World: Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America

Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this year. In Denton, Texas, for example, the city celebrates all 31 days of October with more than 300 events and 30 placemaking experiences, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors downtown. Cobb County Parks in Georgia brings the scares with its ever-growing haunted house event, which has expanded into a seven-day attraction boasting 17,000 square feet of spine-tingling fun. And in Rutland, Vermont, a legendary Halloween parade continues its decades-long tradition of bringing the community together. True (and Truly Spooky) Stories From the Field The stories that follow are first-hand accounts from professionals who have experienced things that defy easy explanation: The Whistling at the Senior Center: In Wyoming, Michigan, a staff member setting up for an event alone on a Saturday heard whistling echoing through the darkened building, even though every door was locked. Elise's Watchful Spirit: At Farrel–McWhirter Park in Redmond, Washington, longtime staff have grown accustomed to the lingering presence of the park's original owner, Mrs. Elise Farrel–McWhirter. From flickering lights to the scent of pipe tobacco wafting through empty rooms, her spirit seems to remain as she lovingly watches over the land she donated more than a century ago. The Fire Pit at Great Pond: In Maine, a routine maintenance check took a terrifying turn when a park and recreation professional found himself face-to-face with a family of baby skunks and a very protective mother. This suspenseful (and slightly comedic) tale proves that not all scares are supernatural! The Ghost in the Mist: During a New Year's Eve event in Belfast, Maine, a director captured what appeared to be a face (and a specific finger) in a mysterious mist that appeared during a community bonfire. The photo, still a topic of conversation at city hall, left her with chills that haven't quite faded. This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by the American Sports Builders Association:The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) brings together the experts who design, build, and supply the sports facilities that bring communities to life. Their members are dedicated to creating safe, high-quality places where people can play, compete, and connect. Whether you're planning a brand-new facility or upgrading an existing one — indoors or out — ASBA has the resources to help you Build It Right. Visit sportsbuilders.org to find a Certified Builder or explore their Construction and Maintenance Manuals packed with expert guidance for every type of sports facility.