What are important topics/contestations should my students hear about. Mountain bikes for sure. Ebikes as per Bev I think is another. The tension about dogs off leash in the river valley. What else? Are there some particular locations/sites in the river valley we should be especially protective of? What are there characteristics? I would love to take our bike tour to those sites to raise awareness.
Hi Robert! Laura Smith from Park People. I am now the senior project manager for our Canadian City Parks Report and we'd be thrilled to share it with your class. 2024's edition will be focused on de-siloing the parks sector and finding meaningful collaborations and is set to launch first week of November! From what we hear at Park People, one of the biggest challenges for Park Planners is the diverse pressures now being placed on Parks staff as we come to better understand the multitude of benefits city parks provide. With exciting new opportunities for parks to be seen as more than leisure spaces along with unprecedented times, comes with intense pressures for parks staff to be responding to all of the issues Beverly noted (and more!!!). This year's CCPR will focus on how parks staff can collaborate with more municipal departments, other levels of government, NGOs, etc. to address the increasing scope of their work while also reducing the burden on parks departments.
I appreciate your willingness to support my planning students! Your last line is interesting all on its own. Parks have always been the poor sister in municipal governments whose outsized benefits provided are minimized at budget time, necessitating more and bigger partnerships. Partnerships are and should be part of any municipal service, not limited to the parks function. I want to shine a light on the diversity of park partnerships. Lets talk more!
Parks are common public spaces used for many different recreation and non-recreation activities which sometimes conflict. Take for example, the conflict between dog off-leash areas and bike paths. Several years ago there was a park policy to avoid putting dog off-leash areas and bike paths in close proximity. That policy no longer exists, perhaps due to the increased demand for both uses.
Another change creating increased conflict in park activities is the introduction of e-mobility devices on multi-use trails. Motorized vehicles were once prohibited from multi-use trails for safety reasons and to reduce damage to trails. Policies around e-mobility (i.e. motorized) devices in parks have not yet been addressed in Edmonton or in many parts of the world.
The biggest challenge for parks planners is creating the perfect balance between a natural park setting and the development of buildings on park space. Politicians and special interest groups view park land as free space on which to create what they believe is most needed for the City. It could be a public building such as a library or recreation centre, community garden, or it could be private buildings such as a cultural centre, or "affordable "housing.
Worst of all politicians and planners may view parkland as a source of funds. They may sell parcels of parkland to pay for park "upgrades" or housing, or whatever else is believed to be urgently needed.
Thanks Bev. All your comments are well taken. I have wondered myself about ebikes. Dogs, parks and trails will be a discussion in class. Your last two paragraphs are what I see as well, and still keeps me awake at night.
So many issues, where to start.
What are important topics/contestations should my students hear about. Mountain bikes for sure. Ebikes as per Bev I think is another. The tension about dogs off leash in the river valley. What else? Are there some particular locations/sites in the river valley we should be especially protective of? What are there characteristics? I would love to take our bike tour to those sites to raise awareness.
Hi Robert! Laura Smith from Park People. I am now the senior project manager for our Canadian City Parks Report and we'd be thrilled to share it with your class. 2024's edition will be focused on de-siloing the parks sector and finding meaningful collaborations and is set to launch first week of November! From what we hear at Park People, one of the biggest challenges for Park Planners is the diverse pressures now being placed on Parks staff as we come to better understand the multitude of benefits city parks provide. With exciting new opportunities for parks to be seen as more than leisure spaces along with unprecedented times, comes with intense pressures for parks staff to be responding to all of the issues Beverly noted (and more!!!). This year's CCPR will focus on how parks staff can collaborate with more municipal departments, other levels of government, NGOs, etc. to address the increasing scope of their work while also reducing the burden on parks departments.
I appreciate your willingness to support my planning students! Your last line is interesting all on its own. Parks have always been the poor sister in municipal governments whose outsized benefits provided are minimized at budget time, necessitating more and bigger partnerships. Partnerships are and should be part of any municipal service, not limited to the parks function. I want to shine a light on the diversity of park partnerships. Lets talk more!
Parks are common public spaces used for many different recreation and non-recreation activities which sometimes conflict. Take for example, the conflict between dog off-leash areas and bike paths. Several years ago there was a park policy to avoid putting dog off-leash areas and bike paths in close proximity. That policy no longer exists, perhaps due to the increased demand for both uses.
Another change creating increased conflict in park activities is the introduction of e-mobility devices on multi-use trails. Motorized vehicles were once prohibited from multi-use trails for safety reasons and to reduce damage to trails. Policies around e-mobility (i.e. motorized) devices in parks have not yet been addressed in Edmonton or in many parts of the world.
The biggest challenge for parks planners is creating the perfect balance between a natural park setting and the development of buildings on park space. Politicians and special interest groups view park land as free space on which to create what they believe is most needed for the City. It could be a public building such as a library or recreation centre, community garden, or it could be private buildings such as a cultural centre, or "affordable "housing.
Worst of all politicians and planners may view parkland as a source of funds. They may sell parcels of parkland to pay for park "upgrades" or housing, or whatever else is believed to be urgently needed.
Thanks Bev. All your comments are well taken. I have wondered myself about ebikes. Dogs, parks and trails will be a discussion in class. Your last two paragraphs are what I see as well, and still keeps me awake at night.