National Recreation and Park Association’s Post

An interesting article from Ruth Bloomfield in the Evening Standard this week spotlighting Peckham and the impact that growing popularity and rising rents is having on the local community.     Turner.Works project Peckham Levels is mentioned in the article as an example of positive development in the area. Peckham Levels embodies our approach to delivering places that are both commercially successful and able to meet genuine community needs. Following close collaboration and consultation with the local community, we transformed a derelict car park into a vibrant social and arts space, which provides employment and affordable creative workspace (prioritised for local people), and injects profits back into supporting the community.   We applied the same way of thinking when designing Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in Peckham. At its core, Mountview is designed to break down barriers to entry into an historically hard-to-access industry for young people from all backgrounds, also offering affordable spaces for local community arts groups and revenue-driving cafés and bar.    As we move forward, let's prioritise projects that seamlessly integrate with the unique character of a place, avoiding the creation of buildings that feel out of place and, inadvertently, displace the very people and businesses that define the community.   https://lnkd.in/eqzRiEVm

We recently had Trash Arts visit us at our TYC HQ in Fort Widley to dicuss 2 opportunities to work together that will, in turn benefit and provide quality opportunities for the Young Creatives of Portsmouth. What I liked about Sam and Jackson was that - they came out to our HQ to dicuss this. They could have asked to meet for a coffee in a cafe (we get countless lovely requests for this each week). Trash Arts wanted to see where we worked from and what we do. This is great business and had me in a positive mindset about them as a company, before they even arrived to pitch their projects. Controversly, I don't like coffee and coming from a no income start in life and running a not-for- profit, I can't help but begrudge spending what equates to a lot of money a year on parking and drinks plus loosing 1 to 2 hours out of the day. Importantly, I got to show Sam and Jackon around the space where our young creatives make the magic happen. And they got a real feel for who we are and what we do. It turns out that I believe we may be coming from a similar place when you look at what we do and why within our home cities. I am happy to be working together. ** Please note - I would have happily met them at their own place of work for the same reasons. This is not a moan about me having to travel to network and connect, it's just an understanding of why, when you are working at grassroots level with community projects and not for profits, sometimes it may be better to consider going out to see where it happens or inviting them to you, over meeting in a Costa for a coffee 😉 https://lnkd.in/egMx4Rgf

[Week in Review] Time with Mino Lora People's Theatre Project is time well spent. Already #groundbreaking and more #groundbreaking to ahead... Coming soon: People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante in #Inwood. A new home for #storytelling #performance #research #communityevents housed in a #mixeduse #mixeddevelopment residential development. Shout out ot LMXD MSquared Taconic Partners WORKac Charcoalblue New York City Economic Development Corporation NYC Department of Cultural Affairs NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) supports the #NYC #culturalworkforce. Its the #culturalworkforce that fuels, revitalizes, restores our city. #culturalinstitutions are #economicengines.

The new Sunset Amphitheater is more than just a venue; it's the epicenter of a major #YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) vs. #NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) debate. This 8,000-seat open-air venue, now legally greenlit, is poised to rival Denver's iconic Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre As this project unfolds, it's not just about music. It's a narrative of change, community engagement, and adapting to growth. It's a story where dreams of top-tier entertainment meet the reality of neighborhood concerns. With an expected $1 billion impact over a decade, the amphitheater symbolizes economic potential. Yet, it also brings to light the classic struggle between YIMBYs and NIMBYs. Whether you’re cheering for urban development or advocating for neighborhood tranquility, your opinion shapes our city's future. #ColoradoSpringsGrowth #SunsetAmphitheater #CommunityDialogue #RodRants

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 | 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 First, I MUST communicate how incredible the cast was for the radio stage play adaptation of It’s A Wonderful Life. The cast truly carried the audience into the story and touched each person’s heart through this heartwarming Christmas classic. As one of the pianist/composers for the production, I had a front row seat to this in-depth and intentional artistry. An aspect of film and theater has been on my mind a lot the past few years, and I continually inspect stories as I interact with them. Specifically, I have been considering how stories can be used as motivating and inspiring pieces of advocacy and promotion of important culture and health concepts. It’s A Wonderful Life is an excellent example of a cultural story that acts as an impactful and insightful medium for advocacy and community education. While I am sure there are many other insightful pieces to this story, two components stood out specifically to me: Social Capital and Housing Security. George’s dream was to be an architect—to build bridges and skyscrapers. What he ended up being was an architect of lives, building connections and livelihoods. In fact, the character of George was an architect of social capital, connecting with community members and connecting community members with the resources they needed to achieve healthy lives. Additionally, George Bailey was a mouthpiece for housing security: “To work and die in a home with a couple of decent rooms and a bath.” –George Bailey This statement was made in a frustrated conversation with a local tycoon who was taking over the town. In his statement, George shares a deep sentiment that rings true for more individuals than those in Bedford Falls. Housing security is a crucial aspect of quality health and the prevention of disease. With a closer look into the script, an even stronger argument could be made for using It’s A Wonderful Life as a story of advocacy for mental health and socioeconomic determinants of health. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀 Director: Anne Nolan Cast: Eric Lane, AnnaGrace Leszkowski, Caleb Meer, Katelin Orr , Isaac Stephens Musicians: Ben Beam Caleb Woo #publichealth #narrativebased #humancentereddesign #advocacy #housingaffordability

One of our initiatives to stay afloat in P/CVE efforts is running a community house that addresses the basic needs of the people. In this context, it provides them with a comfortable place to stay overnight and a decent meal. We also integrate local culture, such as gamelan music, to create a welcoming and familiar environment. We don’t need to label our work with terms like P/CVE. It’s about the essence, not the terminology. We don’t just apply superficial fixes. #community_engagement #social_enterprise

Here we go friends.... **Top 5 Take-Aways From Community Playmaker Issue 4** 1) Thanks to their Vision Zero initiative, Hoboken, New Jersey might be the safest place to jaywalk in the US. (Kidding. But seriously, read more to find out why) 2) Decisions made during the rise in mass production of cars have shaped cities and suburbs in a way that is being reconsidered. From adjusting zoning laws to reducing parking requirements, changes can be made to make to increase safety and walkability. 3) The Baby Boomers are turning into the Gray Tsunami. By 2030 there will be more than 73 million retirees in America. 4) Community Investment in the arts - not just for events like art fairs - but in business districts and zoning adjustments have a measurable impact on local economies as well as develop a strong sense of place. 5) Are parks critical infrastructure? When COVID hit, the answer was a resounding yes from people flocking outdoors for exercise and sanity, but four years later and parks budgets are still tight in many communities. https://lnkd.in/et2C7PAa

You know what’s better than talking about inclusion? #inclusioninaction It makes such a difference when you can see the results of the work you do. Knowing the kids you impact with this seemingly small action are now 🌟motivated to come to school 🌟coming to school on time 🌟feeling like they belong 🌟smiling more often If only the corporate world worked the same way. If only Leaders could understand that seemingly small actions toward inclusion could have such a big impact on marginalized employees. If only Communities could understand the effects of removing barriers to equity on the people who are serviced by them. We can learn a lot from kids. If only we didn’t have to. Belonging Redefined #belongingredefined #kidsarethebest #inclusivecommunities #inclusiveleadership #inclusiveschools

THE ROLE OF A YOUTH MINISTER is not to have, create, or strengthen a group. The Role of the Youth Minister is to strengthen the Network of Parish groups, organizations, and ministries that work with Children, Youth, and Young Adults, then create groups that fit the patterns of vocations needed to serve those within your Parish Boundaries. If you are still calling your youth group a "youth ministry", you have lost the purpose of "Renewing the Vision", which inspired us as Youth Ministers to replicate the PARISH, so that your youth would carry the Church to the Future. Isn't that the reason why we say, "Youth are the Future of the Church", or the "Church Today"? So let's build it... Check out this video that reflects a Parish Youth Ministry would like: https://lnkd.in/emhYVcHn #FaithFormationCounts #RenewYourVisionDHT #BeAnEchoOfTheGospel #RenewingTheVision

The Power of Paint: Street murals transform neighborhoods into vibrant canvases, echoing community narratives. Every stroke speaks unity, culture, and shared stories, creating an open-air gallery that celebrates diversity and collective identity.🥰 #ConnectToGrow growzilla.co #growzilla #community #communitybuilding #communitymanagement #communitydevelopment #communitygrowth #communityfirst #communitystrategy