Scope of Services

The scope of services a district or department provides varies considerably by location. A major difference, as was mentioned previously, is parks and recreation services provided by a district versus a department, with districts by and large having greater funding available to expand the scope of services. Population size can also affect financing – and thus ability to provide services – by parks and recreation, with larger populations often posing a greater burden as many of these services are heavily subsidized by the government. For example, there may be a fee for a child to join a youth sports league, but in many cases, this fee does not fully cover the cost of the activity, with the parks and recreation department covering the gap per participant. This can lead to a situation in which higher enrollment strains parks and recreation resources.

Resident needs and interests can also vary considerably depending on the demographics of the area they service, for example, if there is a large elderly or immigrant population. These efforts are becoming increasingly important as immigrant communities grow, and parks and recreation serve as a way to build the community. One example of including a part of the population that may not typically be engaged is the Chicago park district’s a hosting of the “Senior Games” in 2016, with activities that ranged from track and field to fishing.
Making use of local environmental features can also substantially alter the types of services provided. For example, a city or town located near hiking trails may decide to make use of this in offering outdoor hiking opportunities, whereas a community near the ocean may decide to offer youth summer surf classes. Taking advantage of this natural variation is a great way to build enthusiasm for activities through the unique features of a community.

In some cases however, parks and recreation will not be the direct provider of these services. Rather they will act as a facilitator or broker for service delivery, owning the land but instead hiring other groups to provide the services. These public-private partnerships in some cases can save the department/district significant funding by reducing direct service provisions levels, as well as administrative overhead. These situations can extend even as far as having entire buildings privately funded in exchange for “naming rights” to the building – that is, the ability to place their company’s name on the building in an attempt to generate good-will and awareness. A different form of public-private partnerships is sponsorship, in which private companies are allowed advertisements and provide funding in exchange. However, a word of caution should be extended – while these situations can help alleviate the costs of service provision, it also runs the risk of creating a situation where parks and recreation is more of a private entity than public, and there is no guarantee that private-public partnerships will be more efficient than a purely public entity.

The types of services provided ranges from the most basic (parks and basic sports facilities) to more extensive offerings. Programs and events which include educational programs, art classes, and cultural activities can provide learning opportunities for the population beyond the typical array of services provided. Some park districts in larger cities even run zoos, aquariums, and museums such as the Lincoln Park Zoo and Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago.