Open Space Radio
National Recreation and Park Association
Recent Episodes
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.
On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things 2025 NRPA Annual Conference! It's hard to believe we'll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days.
If you'll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We'll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic!
On today's episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life. They'll be giving you some practical takeaways so you feel informed, less overwhelmed, and excited to dive into everything the conference has to offer.
Today we're so excited to welcome Jenna Kuklish, NRPA's education systems program specialist, and Michael Biedenstein, NRPA's Senior Manager of Membership.
We chat about all the things you'll need to know before you arrive and some helpful tips for navigating the conference. Tune in below to learn:
- An overview of key conference highlights and can't-miss experiences
- Tips for creating a personalized schedule and not missing out on key session or events
- How to maximize your learning and get Continuing Education Units
- Practical tips for navigating the Orange County Convention Center and surrounding areas
- Insider tips from NRPA staff and attendees
- And much more!
Helpful Links:
- NRPA Events App
- Exhibit Hall Highlights
- Full Education Session Schedule
- Networking Events in Orlando
- NRPA Network Meetings in Orlando (Including Conference 101: A Crash Course for New Attendees, taking place on Monday, September 15 at 5 p.m. in the Orange County Convention Center)
- Opening General Session and Day 2 General Session
- Shuttle Schedule
- 2025 NRPA Virtual Conference
This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by Xplor Recreation.
Xplor Recreation's parks and recreation software helps municipalities and government organizations of all sizes connect with their community. Xplor Recreation makes managing operations, payment processing, membership management, and program coordination effortless.
Are you heading to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference? Xplor Recreation will be giving away iPad Airs to three lucky attendees through a randomized draw. Enter for your chance to win by going to https://xplor.ink/NRPA2025.
This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across the profession, and we've been eager to share the voices and stories that came out of the summit!
The summit first began in 2023, sparked by a recognized need within Maryland's park and recreation departments to better support and engage the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As Noah Callahan from Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks explained, it all started with a gap that was quickly filled by forming a committee, engaging with community members, and building momentum for a first-of-its-kind statewide event.
That first summit left a lasting impression, especially on attendees like Jaimie Wilder from Howard County Recreation & Parks. The welcoming atmosphere, thoughtful programming, and sense of solidarity stayed with them long after the event ended. So, when the second summit came around, it was clear this was becoming something special. It wasn't just a one-off, but a catalyst for real change.
The 2024 summit expanded on the foundation built the year prior. With both 101 and 201 breakout session tracks, attendees were able to engage with a variety of topics including allyship, inclusive policy, indigenous inclusion, programming strategies and historical context. As Ashlyn Thompson, inclusion and community outreach specialist for Montgomery Parks, shared, the summit was intentionally planned to meet people where they are — whether just starting their inclusion journey or deepening their understanding.
Kindness, joy and a strong willingness to learn was felt throughout the summit. That spirit, combined with deeply personal storytelling and education, created a space that was not only informative but transformative.
Tune in to the full episode to learn more about this special event and how it's impacting the culture throughout parks and recreation in Maryland. You'll also learn:
- How the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit is a model of how to build welcoming spaces through education and collaboration
- How connecting with speakers and organizations already doing work in your community — such as at Pride events — can make your inclusion efforts more authentic and impactful
- How this event led to new programs like "Robinson Rainbows" and influenced internal policies and workplace culture in meaningful ways
- How you can get started or deepen your organization's journey as it relates to this work
- And much more!
Additional Resources:
