July is Parks and Recreation month! The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) celebrates with us in Rising Up for Parks and Recreation. Champaign Park District and NRPA want to build a strong, vibrant, and resilient community through the power of Parks and Recreation. The values of NRPA are represented as 3 pillars that can provide positivity in the community. These pillars are the following:
- Equity
- Equity and access are important values of the Champaign Park District, whose mission is to improve the lives of the community and those around us.
- Equitable access means that no resident should be prevented from enjoying Park District amenities or participating in programs/events regardless of income, race, gender, geography, or ability.
- The development of the Martens Center will help build the community, providing those in a low-income demographic a place to recreate.
- Climate-Readiness
- Climate change is expected to increase extreme weather events in Central Illinois, resulting in an increase of heat waves, thunderstorms, and blizzards.
- Environmental sustainability not only improves the ecological function of parks, but also improves resource use such as energy or water use.
- Champaign Park District actively works on improving the environment of the community. In the past 3 years, Champaign Park District has planted 500 trees, with 183 trees planted in 2021.
- Health and Well-Being
- Health and Wellness can be affected by health behaviors such as diet and exercise, access to healthcare, social factors such as education, and the physical environment.
- Organized sport & fitness programs such as softball leagues or water aerobics are examples of ways recreation provides healthy lifestyle options.
- Providing scholarships to programming and fitness center memberships, Champaign Park District can help improve at risk children and families in being more healthy and active.
We celebrate parks and recreation every day of the year, but here are some special ways that we are going to celebrate with the community. Join us at the below dates and locations where we will be giving out some park swag and prizes! We Rise Up with our community for Parks and Recreation month!
For more information about our events, follow our Facebook Events using the links below:
