From Idealism to Insight: Reassessing My Parks and Rec Beliefs

In my early career as an eager, program-minded young professional, I held strong beliefs about what recreation professionals should bring to their communities. I thought our primary duty was to run as many high-quality programs as possible, driven by passion and dedication to our field. While I still value giving our best, experience has shown me there’s more nuance than I initially realized. In this article, I’ll revisit some of my early beliefs—captured in the bold headers below—and reflect on how they’ve evolved through experience. Looking back on these ideals, I’m re-evaluating what still resonates and where reality has shifted my perspective.

Recreation is a Community Service, Not a Profit Machine

I’ve always felt that recreation is a community service, not a cash cow. Operations should be sustainable, but the goal isn’t to generate profit for the municipality. Profit-driven recreation hikes up registration fees, creating a barrier for some community members. This principle remains one of my core values.

If You’re Not Running Programs, You’re Not Doing Your Job

Early on, I thought program management was the ultimate measure of success, but I’ve come to see it as just one piece of the puzzle. Safety, advocacy, administration—these are also crucial in meeting the community’s needs. With limited in-house staff, balancing these responsibilities is challenging, especially as our team often faces competing priorities. Quality should always outweigh sheer quantity, as overloading with too many offerings without adequate resources can dilute our ability to truly connect with residents and provide high-quality experiences.

The More Programs, the Better

Sort of. I agree that offering more to the community is generally positive, but not if it sacrifices quality. We need to ensure we can adequately staff, support, and resource our existing programs and events before expanding. With our team’s limited capacity, stretching too thin can harm both staff and program quality.

Volunteers Are the Way to Go—People Want to Give Back

I believed community members would enthusiastically step up to volunteer in support of their local parks and programs. And while some do, it’s hard to rely solely on volunteers given the competing demands of family, work, and other responsibilities. Volunteers add value, but they can’t entirely replace the need for dedicated staff support.

Liability Killed the Spirit of Parks and Rec

Safety is essential, but I worry that excessive risk aversion is eroding the adventurous spirit of parks and recreation. Our field offers safe spaces for exploration and growth—yet liability concerns often lead us to restrict these experiences. While necessary, I still feel these limits dampen the creativity and excitement that should be part of parks and rec.

Our Job is Programming, Not Policing

The idea that our job is to “program, not police” still holds weight, but I see now that ensuring safety is integral to everything we do. For programs to thrive, we need adequate support to maintain safe spaces without detracting from the joy and enrichment recreation brings.

Bringing in Third-Party Programmers? That Just Hikes Up Costs and Shuts People Out

I’ve always aimed to keep programming affordable and accessible, so I was initially hesitant about third-party vendors due to higher costs. However, I now recognize that these partnerships are sometimes necessary, especially when our limited in-house staff is stretched thin. Without third-party programming, many opportunities would be out of reach due to staffing and scheduling constraints. While keeping costs low remains a priority, these partnerships allow us to offer experiences that might otherwise be unavailable. If we can balance in-house and third-party offerings, we can better serve our community’s needs without overburdening our team.

Conclusion: A Balanced Perspective for Lasting Impact

Reflecting on my early ideals and today’s realities, I realize that my core commitment to community-centered recreation hasn’t changed—but my approach has evolved. Balancing idealism with practical insight allows me to navigate the complexities of our field more effectively. In parks and rec, it’s essential to keep our mission focused on enriching lives while adapting to the constraints and opportunities of our ever-evolving environment.