Greensboro Plan2Play Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019

120 - FEBRUARY 2019

#5 EXPAND Create Transformative Programs Goal: Provide a range of community programs that are adaptable to resident needs, inclusive, informed by trends, and delivered efficiently and effectively. Transformative programs are activities, classes, sports, and events that make a significant impact on residents lives. They are creative and engaging programs that touch important social and cultural issues. For example, these programs may seek to teach residents to grow and cook healthy fruits and vegetables in neighborhoods designated as food deserts or offer couples opportunities to reconnect through dance, local travel, or new experiences like kayaking under the stars. Transformative programs can also be centered around new and innovative concepts, or provide a fresh take on existing offerings. Basketball might be a common youth program, but midnight basketball for at risk teens run by engaged and active community members offers a new perspective and means of creating positive impacts. Finally, transformative programs, can simply be what the Department already offers. From a T-ball game to a financial literacy class, residents’ lives are

impacted everyday by their participation in Department offerings. In addition to reaching out for more innovative program offerings, Plan2Play also suggests filling in existing programming gaps based on regional and national trends to create a more robust and equitable catalogue of opportunities. Action 5a. Address Existing Program Gaps and Invest in Competitive, High Quality Programming. The Department currently provides a robust program offering both in-house and through outside partnerships. However, Plan2Play identified gaps in current offerings and resident needs. The Department should use the following list to consider new program additions, expansions, and enhancements based on regional trends, staff feedback, and community input: Expand Youth Programs - • Add more youth programming for children ages 0 through 5 for all Department program areas. The majority of programming currently begins at age 12 and there is a gap

for younger community members, particularly for children under five and mothers with infants. This was identified as a community-wide gap through interviews. • Develop instructional camps and clinics for sports programs. Outside of Smart Start Baseball, the Department does not offer any youth development programming focused on providing instruction. This is an opportunity for the Department to get children active and involved in sports and recreation early in their lives, allowing them to try various activities in the form of week- long camps or instructional clinics. Expand Environmental Programs - • Expand the locations of all-ages environmental education programming within Greensboro to include lakes, gardens, parks, and recreation centers. • Provide additional staffing for environmental education. Currently, the Eco-bus provides a large portion of the Departments environmental education programming. However, the bus can only be utilized when staff are available. Additional staff dedicated to environmental education could allow