Greensboro Plan2Play Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019

GREENSBORO PLAN2PLAY MASTER PLAN - 29

Measuring Impacts The Department is one of many across the country facing funding challenges requiring them to “do more with less.” At the same time, the economic benefits of parks and recreation services are becoming more known and measurable. The National Recreation and Parks Association created a report called the Economic Impact of Local Parks which estimated that (in 2015): • Combined, America’s local public park and recreation agencies created more than $154 billion in economic activity. • Operations and capital spending supported more than 1.1 million jobs. • In North Carolina, this contribution is estimated to be $2,768,897,361 in economic impact and 24,303 jobs.

Figure 13. Environmental education activity, led by Michael Romano at the Kiwanis Nature PlayYard in Ole Asheboro.

encourage development by providing a strong framework for private investment across a system. Parks and recreation facilities can also serve as destinations for visitors and direct revenues from tourism, can contribute funding for specific facility or park fees and services, and through indirect retail spending. Other ways to generate direct revenues for parks include lease payments from concessions, venue rentals, parking and permit fees. Ongoing investments in parks and open spaces also contribute to a strong quality of life for residents, a factor that is equally important to companies seeking to relocate. According to a May 2018 report from the National Recreation and Parks

Association, though not the highest priority for companies identifying a new home base or satellite office, investments in public spaces and the public realm contribute to a ‘community’s “curb appeal”’ and impress site selectors who often visit cities multiple times throughout the selection process and look for positive change that support their own potential future investments.

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