The DREAM Program, Inc.’s Post

As I engage with government stakeholders to secure funding for community projects, I've recognized the pressing need for enhanced community engagement and awareness. Many areas lack vital infrastructure projects that could uplift their quality of life. It's imperative to adopt a new community-driven approach that is inclusive, educational, and economically empowering while also being enjoyable and fulfilling for everyone involved. City Planners, Parks and Recreation Directors, Advisory Board Members, Commissioners, and City Councilors play pivotal roles in shaping the future of our communities. We must actively participate in the Master Planning process to ensure all voices are heard and prevent the exclusion of any communities. Let's strive to bridge the gap by offering more support in terms of capacity, technical expertise, and financial assistance where it is most needed. It's time to address this challenge together. Discover how public bouldering parks can serve as gateways to climbing and community engagement: (https://lnkd.in/gjzHaZBT) #CommunityDevelopment #Infrastructure #CityPlanning #UrbanDevelopment #CivicParticipation #PublicAwareness #InclusiveGrowth #CommunityEmpowerment #QualityOfLife #SustainableDevelopment #MasterPlanning #CommunitySupport #EconomicEmpowerment #PublicFunding

It’s a tricky catch that neighbourhoods that already have the most wealth, education and privilege tend to be better at attracting funding and advocating for support to lead their own placemaking or community development projects.   In creating a placemaking process and resources for a diverse District like the Far North, I addressed this equity issue in a few ways.   Once a community is confirmed to receive support from the placemaking team, Council will engage – in a paid capacity – a community member or group to lead an asset mapping process in that neighbourhood.   This community representative (or group) will be paid a fixed fee to spend a few weeks ·     researching and conversing with local iwi and hapū; ·     mapping the physical assets of the neighbourhood and users’ sentiments; ·     mapping the community groups, sports clubs and other social assets and their aspirations and resources; ·     mapping the land ownership, natural hazard risks, vacant and neglected places; ·     meeting with their Council Navigator to learn about the parks, zoning and Council facilities; and ·     hosting a community hui to discuss the situation and opportunities.   This foundation encourages a broad view of the whole neighbourhood, establishes a strong initial relationship between Council and community and creates a community resource and knowledgeable leader that sets the place up well for ongoing community-led work.   We don’t want it to be a prerequisite that communities already have strong and active community groups. This process might help new groups to form where they don’t already exist.   It’s a tiered system, so communities new to this work are encouraged and supported to start with a small ‘quick win’ project with easy approvals – and build up to larger-scale work that might require resource consent, LTP submissions or significant stakeholder engagement.   This tiered system also makes it easy for Council to scale their approvals processes according to the significance (scale, duration, environmental impacts, etc.) of the project.   We hope that these steps will make it easier – or possible – for communities with no previous placemaking experience to get started, and for Council to direct its placemaking resources towards those who need them most. #placemaking #placemakingguidelines #placemakingguide #placemakingresources #farnorth #equity #engagement #engagmentmatters #growthplanning Far North District Council

Boosting Rural Economies: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Launches Third Round of Outdoor Recreation Grants WASHINGTON, D.C. — Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) announced the opening of the third round of its rural implementation grant opportunity for rural communities to grow their local economies and make them more resilient through outdoor recreation. These grants are made possible through funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and are part of ORR’s commitment to provide support, information, and resources to rural communities seeking to create economic opportunities through outdoor recreation. This marks the third round of ORR’s successful grant program that debuted in 2021 and comes on the heels of the release of the organization’s updated Rural Economic Development Toolkit at the beginning of 2024. Last year's grants in California, Colorado, Georgia, Montana, and Vermont supported projects including a business support grant to help position a bike shop as a central hub for the community with contemporary renovations, a bilingual outdoor recreation marketing hub and campaign, a statue to mark the beginning of a trail and the region’s significance to the Cherokee people, a centralized/primary information website to provide information about an area’s recreation activities, and the restoration of a trail destroyed by catastrophic flooding. This grant round is open to a wider audience with eligible applicants including any participants in either cohort of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) Program who have not yet received funding from ORR. RERC provides technical assistance to communities who are looking to build or grow sustainable recreation economies and RERC staff have recently completed workshops in all awarded communities. In two rounds of the program, nearly 300 applications were received, indicating the widespread demand for outdoor recreation economy development across the United States. Four grants of $10,000 will be awarded alongside in-kind technical assistance from ORR and its members to rural communities with compelling recreation economy implementation proposals. For communities with big plans and limited bandwidth, grants like these can help unlock federal, state, and local match dollars from programs like USDA Rural Development, state infrastructure funds, and interest from private foundations. ORR works to illustrate the benefits of outdoor recreation to rural communities as well as ongoing needs to support economic diversification and resilience through outdoor recreation. This includes a map of over 160 communities from across the United States actively seeking assistance to achieve their outdoor recreation and economic development goals. https://lnkd.in/gBE3dQMu

ICYMI: Published last week in Policy Options (Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)), CPRA_ACPL's Martin Sampson and I write that Canada’s recreation and parks sector is much more than fun and games. Despite their vital role in fostering healthy, resilient communities, parks and recreation are often overlooked and at times, misunderstood by policymakers. These spaces are crucial for: - 🌐 Economic impact - 🏠 Addressing homelessness - 🌪️ Mitigating natural disasters - 🚨 Emergency response Without additional federal support, Canada's recreation and parks sector is hindered from effectively contributing to building complete communities, promoting physical and mental well-being, and equipping us to respond to crises in an increasingly complex world. Check out our article for our recommendations on how the federal government can support the recreation and parks sector👇 #cdnpoli #ParksAndRecreation #CommunityBuilding #EmergencyPreparedness #PublicHealth

Seven Leeds Parks Earn Prestigious Green Flag Award, Celebrated as Top Green Spaces in the Nation. Seven parks and green spaces in Leeds have once again been honored with the prestigious Green Flag Award, reaffirming their status as top-quality international spaces. Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park, and Temple Newsam Estate, all managed by Leeds City Council, have been recognized among the best in the country. These awarded sites serve as crucial community hubs in Leeds, fostering social connections and promoting healthy lifestyles among residents. The impact of the Green Flag Award Scheme is profound. For communities, the presence of a Green Flag park means access to a well-maintained and safe environment, which is vital for recreation, exercise, and connecting with nature. These spaces also play a crucial role in promoting mental health, fostering social cohesion, and enhancing the attractiveness of neighborhoods. The Green Flag Award Scheme remains a cornerstone in the endeavor to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality green spaces, reflecting the ethos that good environments are a fundamental part of thriving communities https://lnkd.in/gYzZcA-V #LeedsNews #Leeds

Time to increase our focus on the community & economic needs of our smaller, more rural communities and quite often, outdoor recreation projects and placemaking projects are economic development for small towns in Michigan. https://lnkd.in/e8fvFSA6

A study by Trust for Public Land reveals the power of city parks in narrowing socioeconomic divides. Three key takeaways (link to full report in the comments): 1. Parks as Catalysts for Social Connectivity: Parks play a significant role in fostering social connections and community cohesion. Cities with higher ParkScore rankings tend to have residents who are more socially connected and engaged with their neighbors. High-quality parks contribute to social capital, which is linked to benefits such as lower mortality, reduced depression, and increased economic mobility. 2. Importance of Community Engagement: The report emphasizes the need for parks departments to engage with residents throughout all phases of park development, including design and programming. Strategies such as compensating resident experts for their input, holding design charrettes, and creating bespoke park programs are effective in building social connections and ensuring that parks reflect the unique cultures, interests, and priorities of the community. 3. Parks as a Response to Division and Polarization: Parks are being used as a proactive measure to address societal issues such as division and polarization. By activating parks with programs and events aimed at bringing together diverse groups, parks are seen as neutral public spaces that can help bridge divides. Programs that are culturally specific and cater to a wide range of interests are particularly successful in engaging new audiences and fostering a sense of unity within communities.

Seven Leeds Parks Earn Prestigious Green Flag Award, Celebrated as Top Green Spaces in the Nation. Seven parks and green spaces in Leeds have once again been honored with the prestigious Green Flag Award, reaffirming their status as top-quality international spaces. Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park, and Temple Newsam Estate, all managed by Leeds City Council, have been recognized among the best in the country. These awarded sites serve as crucial community hubs in Leeds, fostering social connections and promoting healthy lifestyles among residents. The impact of the Green Flag Award Scheme is profound. For communities, the presence of a Green Flag park means access to a well-maintained and safe environment, which is vital for recreation, exercise, and connecting with nature. These spaces also play a crucial role in promoting mental health, fostering social cohesion, and enhancing the attractiveness of neighborhoods. The Green Flag Award Scheme remains a cornerstone in the endeavor to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality green spaces, reflecting the ethos that good environments are a fundamental part of thriving communities https://lnkd.in/gYzZcA-V #LeedsNews #Leeds

After having two Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plans adopted this year (in Milton and Buckley!) we've been thinking a lot about how cities can realize their visions for parks that bring people together, provide opportunities for exercise and play, and contribute to the ecological health of the region. A lot of it comes down to money, because it costs a lot to operate parks and even more to build new ones. When we talk about parks planning, we're talking about making sure the parks grows to accomodate growth in population, which means expanding the capacity of sport leagues, accomodating more cyclists on trails, and creating new park typologies that respond to the needs of the many communities that exist within cities. This month on the blog, we're looking at the different ways that cities in Washington can fund their parks. From levies to impact fees, grant funding to fundrasing by "friends of" groups, cities have several tools at their disposal to make their recreation dreams a reality, and the strategies they choose can shape what gets built and who it benefits. Check out this month's article where we break down park funding strategies for Washington cities.

New Freedom Borough and Shrewsbury Township, under the Southern York County Regional Recreation Commission, are thrilled to announce the appointment of Gianina Porter as the Commission's inaugural Director of Recreation. The establishment of the Southern York County Regional Recreation Commission signifies a significant step forward in community collaboration and resource optimization. By pooling resources and efforts, the Commission aims to prevent duplication of services and enhance the quality and accessibility of recreational amenities for residents of both municipalities. New Freedom Borough Council's approval of the Intermunicipal Agreement of Cooperation with Shrewsbury Township underscores the commitment to promoting regional cooperation and addressing evolving recreational priorities. As communities grow and funding sources become increasingly competitive, the importance of regional recreation initiatives becomes more evident. By prioritizing projects and activities through collaborative efforts, the Commission aims to maximize cost-effectiveness and ensure that constituents are best served. #CommunityCollaboration #RegionalRecreation #EnhancedServices