The Foundation of It All: Parks and Recreation at the Base of the Totem Pole

Today after an event, someone offered me and a colleague some kind words—but then added, “It’s tough—you’re at the bottom of the totem pole, just like IT support.”

At first, I thought, Wait—how can anyone not appreciate IT support? Then I wondered, was that supposed to be a dig? I didn’t have a clever comeback in the moment, but as I drove home it hit me: we are at the bottom of the totem pole—and that means we hold the whole thing up.

Too often, Parks and Recreation is considered “last in line” when compared to police, fire, and public works. But here’s the truth: just like the base of a totem pole, our work carries the weight of everything above it. Without parks, communities are less safe, less healthy, less resilient, and less connected. The totem simply can’t stand without us.

Being “lowest on the totem pole” doesn’t mean weak—it means essential.

Quiet, Preventative Power

Parks and Recreation may be quiet, but it is far from passive. We work preventatively, creating spaces and programs that keep communities healthy, active, and connected.

You can’t measure the crimes that didn’t happen because kids were at summer camp instead of wandering the streets. You can’t count the heart attacks that never came because someone walked the trail every morning. But prevention matters. Safe gathering places, engaged youth, and green spaces that protect the environment are the first line of defense in community well-being.

Neglected parks mean neglected communities—and the costs show up fast.

We’re also highly visible. Police and fire often meet residents during moments of crisis. Public works maintains the infrastructure that keeps daily life running. Parks and Recreation meets people on their best days—family picnics, yoga classes, concerts, and community events. Over 90% of Americans visit a local park each year, often making it the only regular interaction residents have with local government.

This daily visibility allows us to build relationships, strengthen neighborhoods, and create opportunities for collaboration across all municipal services.

Public Safety: A Reciprocal Partnership

Well-used parks, trails, and programs create natural supervision, build neighborhood pride, and give residents—especially youth—positive outlets. Research shows neighborhoods with accessible parks consistently experience lower crime rates.

This is the yin and yang of public safety:

• Police respond when incidents occur.
• Fire protects when emergencies arise.
• Public works ensures roads, utilities, and infrastructure function.
• Parks and Recreation prevents, activates, and connects the community.

And when crises happen, parks step in: staging grounds for first responders, cooling centers during heat waves, and gathering spaces during emergencies.

We don’t compete—we strengthen each other.

Together, we form a seamless balance: we prevent, they respond; we maintain spaces, they protect; we activate the community, they enforce and safeguard it.

Health, Wellness, and Connection

Parks are the most accessible health system we have. No membership card. No prescription. No appointment. Just open space waiting for people every day.

Trails, fields, pools, and playgrounds help prevent obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Green spaces reduce stress and improve mood. Programs, camps, and events bring neighbors together across ages and cultures.

By keeping communities active, we reduce the demand on police, fire, and healthcare systems, reinforcing a collaborative web of support that makes municipalities resilient.

Healthy communities are safer communities.

Economic and Environmental Impact

Parks power economies and protect the environment. Homes near parks and trails see higher property values. Businesses are drawn to communities with strong recreational amenities. Every tournament, festival, or outdoor event brings visitors into local shops, restaurants, and hotels—turning parks into engines of economic vitality.

Parks also serve as living infrastructure:

• Trees clean the air, manage stormwater, and reduce urban heat.
• Wetlands filter pollutants.
• Trails and bike paths reduce traffic and emissions.

These natural systems save municipalities millions in hard infrastructure costs while complementing the work of public works departments.

Parks aren’t extras—they’re essential infrastructure.

The Base That Holds Everything Up

If Parks and Recreation is the “lowest man on the totem pole,” I’ll take that proudly. In reality, the base isn’t weak—it’s what holds the entire structure tall and strong.

Police, fire, and public works may be the first responders everyone sees, but parks quietly prepare the ground—literally and figuratively—for them to succeed. Without parks, communities would be less safe, less healthy, less connected, and less sustainable.

The totem can’t stand without us.

And to all my IT support friends—you’re not at the bottom either. You’re the foundation, just like us. Together, we hold the whole totem up.

A Call to My Fellow Parks and Recreation Professionals To everyone working in parks and recreation: never forget the power of what you do. You’re not “just” running programs, maintaining fields, or checking permits—you’re shaping the health, safety, and spirit of your community every single day.

We’re the ones who give kids safe spaces to grow, families places to gather, and neighbors reasons to connect. We’re the ones building stronger bodies, calmer minds, and more resilient neighborhoods. And when challenges come—whether it’s a storm, a crisis, or a community in need—we’re there, ready to hold people up.

So stand tall in your role. Be proud of being the base of the totem pole, because without us, the whole structure falls. Parks and Recreation isn’t just a service—it’s a movement. And together, we’re holding communities strong.