Greensboro Parks and Recreation Annual Report 2020-2021

they could deliver exceptional program and cultural experiences at a time when being in the same space with others was dangerous. We changed face-to-face classes to virtual formats, invented socially distant events, and developed completely new health and safety guidelines. We kept building, growing, and planning for the future. We developed a park scorecard that considers a wide range of equity factors – including household income, minority status, disability, environmental quality, education level, and language usage – to ensure we are making improvements in neighborhoods that need them most. And there was another ray of hope: We were awarded the 2020 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA). It served as a reminder that we were doing what was important, even when it was hard. Thank you to every parks and recreation team member who put in the hard work to selflessly serve our community, and to our elected and City leadership, community partners, and our residents for their constant support and appreciation for all that we do.

It was a year of reinvention.

For many of us in Parks and Recreation, 2020 2021 was a year of reflection and reinvention. The pandemic brought new challenges and obstacles for our community and our department. The calls for racial and social justice spurred us to reevaluate how we serve communities of color. An even brighter spotlight was cast upon the need for us to prioritize ensuring that the outdoors are more accessible and equitable. This season of change – and at times, uncertainty – changed us. Our green spaces became both recreational and social refuges. Our parks, trails and greenways, lakes, gardens, and Gillespie and Bryan Golf Courses all saw record-breaking visitation. People turned to these spaces like never before – for exercise, reflection, fresh air, or just to simply take a break from the stress of the world around us. We never shut down, and we never stopped serving our community. Our team quickly reimagined how

Nasha McCray Director, City of Greensboro Parks and Recreation

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