By KARA HAMMES, guest columnist
A recent report from the National Recreation and Park Association found that 82 percent of American adults “believe that parks and recreation is essential.”
The same study found that Americans visit local park and recreation facilities more than twice a month on average, and that 87 percent “agree that it’s important for people to have fair and just access to high-quality park and recreation programs, services, and facilities that create healthy, resilient, and economically vibrant communities.”
Luckily for us, to live in Brown County is to live surrounded by some of the most beautiful parks and public spaces in Indiana.
With everything that has occurred related to COVID-19 in the last six months — from stay-at-home orders to school closures and more — chances are that you’ve made more use of the parks, trails, public spaces and recreational amenities in Brown County than ever before. In fact, I would argue that the events of this year have proven that parks, recreation and outdoor spaces are fundamental to supporting all of our physical, mental and emotional health.
Public input is a necessary and vital part of helping guide decisions about these spaces and amenities. For that reason, Brown County Parks & Recreation, Purdue Extension, the Brown County YMCA and the Nashville Town Council and Town Park Board are partnering to bring Purdue Extension’s “Enhancing the Value of Public Spaces: Creating Healthy Communities” program to Brown County.
The purpose is to collect public input on how to manage and develop locally-owned parks and recreational spaces, facilities and programs in Brown County. This effort also includes recreational services, activities, and installations that could be offered by local organizations.
Parks and public spaces are not just the obvious things you might immediately think of — like baseball diamonds, trails, etc. — but also features like public art, streetscapes and more.
The public is invited to join a session led by parks/recreation-specific groups and volunteers. The planning implications are significant (planning and zoning, town council, county commissioners and council, community foundation, etc.) and your input is invaluable.
We’ve restructured the typical format of the initial community session to be more mindful of the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Each session will be “open house style,” with participants able to come and go at any time during the two-hour window, materials set up to allow for physical distancing, and masks or cloth face coverings required to be worn.
Sessions will take place:
Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 3 to 5 p.m., at the Southern Brown Volunteer Fire Department, 4040 State Road 135 South; or 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brown County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall, 802 Memorial Drive; and
Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Brown County YMCA, 105 Willow St.; or 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fruitdale Volunteer Fire Department, 5200 State Road 135 North.
Each open house session will focus on providing information about the parks and public spaces currently in Brown County and seeking input on the assets, opportunities and future vision for these spaces.
The information gathered in person at the sessions on Sept. 15 and 16 will be supplemented and expanded via a more detailed community survey that is available at bit.ly/BrownCounty2020. If you’d prefer a paper or pdf copy of the survey, please contact us at the Purdue Extension Office (812-988-5495 or [email protected]), or you can pick it up at the sessions on Sept. 15 and 16.
Ultimately, this information and the final report will be available to the community and local organizations to guide their decision making and future planning. The Brown County Parks & Recreation Board will use the results of this process to finalize and submit a five-year parks master plan to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. This will allow for grant funding and help the county parks board make decisions on land use and program development.
We’re excited to hear from you on questions like, “What do you already love about parks, open space and recreational programming in Brown County?” And “In five, 10, 20 years, what should parks and open space in Brown County look like?”
We hope to see you at one of the in-person open house sessions and to have you participate in the online survey.
The effects of these public spaces on all of our health and quality of life is real, so please use this opportunity to make your voice heard on this important topic.
Kara Hammes, MPH, is the Brown County Purdue Extension educator for health and human sciences and agriculture and natural resources. She can be reached at 812-988-5495 or [email protected].
