Park Stories

PRB+ Magazine

PRB+ Magazine presents Park Stories - articles from the magazine, interviews with parks and recreation pros and more.

Play

Open in

20 episodes
weekly
Avg 9 min
English

Episodes 20

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

S1 · E26
Friday · 12 min
Five lessons from MOmentum Bike Park in Joplin, Mo.
PARK STORIES A podcast from PRB How Great Bike Parks Become Community Destinations Five lessons from MOmentum Bike Park in Joplin, Missouri By Bianca Montoya Welcome to Park Stories, a podcast from PRB. Every park has a story. In Park Stories, we bring you the people, ideas, projects, and places shaping parks and recreation—and the lessons you can take back to your own community. Today’s story takes us to Joplin, Missouri, where a new bike park is showing how thoughtfully designed recreation can become much more than a place to ride. It can bring people together, attract visitors, support local businesses, and become part of a community’s identity. Our story is “How Great Bike Parks Become Community Destinations: Five Lessons from MOmentum Bike Park in Joplin, Missouri,” written by Bianca Montoya. Every community wants a park that convinces people to return. But the most successful parks become something bigger. They become places where kids ask for one more lap, families spend entire afternoons outdoors, and visitors discover another reason to explore the community. Long before they become tourism assets or economic drivers, they become part of everyday life. Destination parks rarely happen by accident. They’re designed to deliver more than recreation. They strengthen public health, support local businesses, attract visitors, create opportunities for youth, and improve quality of life. After more than 25 years designing and building wheeled recreation facilities around the world, American Ramp Company has learned that destination parks share a common philosophy. They’re planned around long-term community outcomes—not just opening day. MOmentum Bike Park in Joplin demonstrates what those principles look like in practice. Read the full story here.
May 25 · 7 min
Parks: Bringing People Together
Sport and social clubs look to parks for fitness and community By Mary Helen Sprecher The fastest-growing demographic of athletes in parks isn’t made up of youth athletes, although it does include many people who once were. Adult participants are joining the rapidly proliferating leagues of sport and social clubs.
May 18 · 10 min
Programming: Why Should Kids Have All The Fun?
Inside Moreno Valley’s Adult Flashlight Egg Scramble By Jeremy Bubnick Egg hunts are traditionally associated with children, baskets, and daylight—but the City of Moreno Valley, Calif., has proven that play has no age limit. Produced by Moreno Valley’s Parks & Community Services Department, the Adult Flashlight Egg Scramble has become a signature spring event, selling out every year and drawing 1,000 adults eager to relive childhood fun with a competitive, after-dark twist.
May 12 · 11 min
Parks: Letters To Jack
A creative Halloween letter-writing program sparks local—and global—connections By Chris Orr The Tulare Parks & Recreation's "Letters to Jack Skellington" is a community-engagement program designed to promote literacy, community connection, and a holiday spirit. In 2025, the program went viral as the department received 5,000 letters from all 50 U.S. states (as well as Guam and Puerto Rico), Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, and Australia. This year, the program not only connected local residents but also facilitated a global connection through a shared, themed activity, creating a sense of belonging and community excitement during the Halloween season.
April 27 · 8 min
Rec Facilities: Swimming More Sustainably
Eco-friendly elements improve operating efficiency at new aquatic facilities By Brianne Sanchez Coloradans who love to swim, splash, and soak with a view of Mount Sopris will soon do all three more sustainably at a new Carbondale Aquatics Center, scheduled to open in May 2026. The Western Slope’s first all-electric aquatic facility replaces a crumbling, vinyl-lined 1970s-era pool, fulfilling long-term goals within the town’s parks master plan.
April 20 · 9 min
Aquatics: Noting And Floating Kids Nationwide
The Note and Float Life Jacket Fund boosts water safety with life-saving donations By Rachel Griffiths Nearly two decades ago, the Note and Float program was created by Dr. Tom Griffiths while he served as the Director of Aquatics at Penn State University. The program is a free drowning-prevention strategy for facilities to adopt, identifying weak and inexperienced swimmers, and requiring them to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. The program was piloted at Penn State. Beautiful life jackets in different pastel colors and sizes were displayed on a rack at the entrance of the Penn State Natatorium. In front of the rack was a 48” Note and Float logo children could use to measure themselves, or parents could use to help measure children, akin to a “you must be this tall to ride” sign at amusement parks. Non-swimmers and those under 48” were required to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
April 13 · 11 min
Aquatics: The Backbone Of Reliable Aquatic Operations
How preventive maintenance reduces downtime, controls costs, and protects community access By Myles Phelps Every community pool tells a story—from early-morning swim practices to first lessons and lifelong fitness. These facilities quietly support daily life in ways most patrons never see. But their success depends on more than construction or programming. It depends on preventive maintenance—the behind-the-scenes work that keeps aquatic facilities safe, reliable, and open to the communities they serve.
March 23 · 7 min
Parks: The Frontlines Of Community Health
Parks can be a prescription, but who gets them? By Karen Fischer
March 17 · 8 min
Parks: Keeping Up
Working smarter to improve waste collection in Georgetown County, South Carolina By Jackie R. Broach
March 9 · 7 min
Grounds Maintenance: More Than Mowing
The maintenance blueprint that sustains Inland Greens By Jonathan Batts and Charles Davis Long before Wilmington, N.C., wakes up, before the first golfer tees up the day’s opening shot, work at Inland Greens is already in motion. At 6 a.m., crews step onto the course with mowers humming, sand moving, and turf shaking off the night’s heaviness. By the time the course opens, every green is rolled, every tee box is prepped, and every detail is refined. With nearly 40,000 rounds played a year, nothing about this routine is optional. Turf doesn’t care about tee times, but the community does, so staff members show up early, every day, to make sure the course is ready.
February 16 · 10 min
Parks: From Parks To Profit
How Miami’s The Underline built an economy of connection By Eulois Cleckley Miami has always been a city that moves fast and dreams big. From its art deco past to its tech-forward present, this community thrives on reimagining what’s possible. That same energy fuels The Underline, a 10-mile, multimodal, urban park beneath Miami’s Metrorail that serves as a corridor of connection, commerce, and culture.
February 9 · 8 min
Parks: Following A New “Greenprint”
How Louisville is using science to shape a healthier downtown By Travis Ragsdale When city leaders in Louisville, Ky., signed the Greenprint Charter, they weren’t launching another beautification project. They were testing whether science and collaboration could reshape the future of an urban core. The initiative brings together government, researchers, and community partners to examine how targeted greening can improve public health and support downtown recovery.
February 3 · 7 min
Conservation: Unknown Lands
Midewin Tallgrass Prairie offers a new blueprint for conservation By Karen Fischer I don’t know what a prairie looks like, yet I spent years living in the Midwest. But neither do you, even if you’re reading this, from the Midwest, right now. In fact, no one knows what a prairie really looks like because it has long been gone.
S1 · E8
January 20 · 13 min
Where Nature Meets Rhythm: Creating Pollinator Gardens That Sing
Discover how camps across the U.S. are transforming outdoor spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens filled with music. In this CampFest webinar, Percussion Play explores how nature-inspired outdoor musical instruments invite campers to slow down, connect with the environment, and create music together. Learn how these multi-sensory spaces support wellbeing, environmental education, and inclusive play—while buzzing with bees, butterflies, and rhythm. Presenters are Alex Cook, Camp Specialist and Kate Mannerings, Client Services Manager. This session is FREE to all camp and parks professionals. It takes place Wednesday, February 25, 2026 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM MST Register for FREE here. If you'd rather watch this (and future podcasts), follow Park People on YouTube.
January 19 · 9 min
Programming: Guiding Our Youth
How Asheville Parks & Recreation is building a mentorship program that works for its community By Christo Bubenik Parks and recreation professionals often see their roles as providing spaces and opportunities for people of all ages to stay connected, discover new things, and reach their highest potential. However, one age group is notoriously hard to reach: teens and tweens. As young people straddle the time between childhood and adulthood, fostering the people and leaders they will become is essential to community health. https://www.prbplus.com/guiding-our-youth/
January 12 · 9 min
Rec Facilities: Future Readiness
How civic architecture can redefine resilience By Jeff Kuhnhenn As communities face frequent climate events, social disruptions, and infrastructure challenges, civic architecture is being reimagined as a front line of resilience. Libraries, recreation centers, and municipal buildings—once regarded as the background fabric of civic life—are increasingly recognized as essential public assets that can sustain communities during crises. https://www.prbplus.com/future-readiness/
January 5 · 8 min
Parks: Fun On Wheels
Mobile recreation units help residents access amenities and build community By Brianne Sanchez Can giant yard games like Connect Four encourage neighbors to connect more? Leaders in the rapidly growing suburb of Bondurant, Iowa, believe so. Recreation plays an important role in strengthening relationships in the city, which experienced an astounding 90.8 percent population increase from 2010 to 2020. https://www.prbplus.com/fun-on-wheels/
Dec 15, 2025 · 15 min
Parks: Winning The Vote
How to run a successful recreation facilities referendum By Emily Gebhardt Recreation centers, public parks and trails, pools, and athletic facilities form the foundation of community wellness and engagement. Successful funding for park districts and projects requires a multifaceted approach. Community support and funding are critical; without that backing, a parks and recreation project is less likely to flourish. https://www.prbplus.com/winning-the-vote/
Dec 8, 2025 · 10 min
Parks: Leading With Purpose In Parks & Recreation
By Dave Herpy In today’s dynamic world of parks and recreation, effective leadership is more essential than ever. This field plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life in our communities, yet the challenges facing our teams—staffing, burnout, and ever-evolving public needs—require intentional leadership grounded in purpose. Drawing from my book, Leading with Purpose: Achieving Your Highest Potential in Work and Life, this article explores how leaders in parks and recreation can lead with authenticity, clarity, and impact. https://www.prbplus.com/leading-with-purpose-in-parks-recreation/
Dec 1, 2025 · 8 min
Programming: The Power Of Immersion
A unique outdoor program for adults By Leah Carlson For over 25 years, Wilderness Awareness School's Immersion program has transformed the lives of adults through an intense, nine-month, nature connection experience. Located on a 60-acre campus in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains, the program is a powerful model for how immersive, holistic outdoor education can inspire personal growth, foster community, and build tomorrow's environmental leaders. https://www.prbplus.com/the-power-of-immersion/

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes