Perception of Parks and Recreation

Part of any government service is the public and their perception of the service that is provided. If the goal of government is to improve the lives of citizens than the opinions of these citizens should be a driving factor rather than an afterthought. So how do people feel about parks and recreation? We know that in general many of the services provided by these departments, or districts, are considered non-essential – but that’s far from the entire picture.

In a 2016 survey completed by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), they found 7/10 use their local park and that 4/5 individuals agree that local parks are worth the tax dollar spent on them, which is on average about $70 per person per year. This view also crossed a variety of demographics and ideologies – whether a person was young, old, or middle-aged, Democrat or Republican the support held strong. This same survey also found that the perceived benefits had increased since the last time the study was conducted in 1992, and that even if people don’t personally use the park they believe they personally benefit nonetheless.

The types of perceived benefits follow closely with those of the actual benefits the NRPA lists as its main tenants. The most cited perceived benefits were personal ones, this includes exercise, health, relaxation, and fun and entertainment, with exercise as the most frequently cited benefit. Other benefits include environmental which includes subjects like being able to enjoy fresh air, nature, wildlife and open space. Social which includes topics such as having a sense of community, a place to meet people, and having a safe place for children. Economic which includes bringing business activity to the community which can occur through festivals and other events, and the influence these areas have on property values. Last was specific facility/activity oriented benefits that included items like sports leagues. This does not by any means make parks and recreation immune from budget cuts, especially when a community is faced with making the decision between fixing roads and funding a parks budget, but the value a community derives from a service does help determine whether it sticks around.