Park People

Regular discussions with parks and rec pros about what's happening in their communities and how it might impact yours. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Also available in video format on YouTube -- https://www.youtube.com/@prbmagazine/podcasts And in written version at https://www.prbplus.com

Park People is a government podcast hosted by PRB+ Magazine, with 31 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

PRB+ Magazine hosts Park People, a government show with 31 episodes published.

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  Episode #30

  Lessons Through Lessons

  Jul 21, 202614 minS1

  The opening of Blue Surf Bay Waterpark at the Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex in 2024 marked a major shift for Blue Springs, Mo. It introduced the community’s first public aquatic facility and re-established an aquatic division within the parks and recreation department after several years without one. Because both the facility and division were developed simultaneously, anticipation around community response and operational readiness was doubled. To prepare, leadership made intentional decisions to demonstrate value and build trust from the beginning. The 170,000-square-foot aquatic addition to the existing fieldhouse and fitness center introduced destination-level amenities, including a surf simulator and one of the longest stand-up waterslides in the country. The membership model for the field house expanded to include waterpark access, creating a strong, initial draw. Those decisions successfully brought people through the doors. The next step focused on helping residents feel prepared to use the space safely and confidently. In this episode, we talk with Chase Coffee, Manager of Aquatics for Blue Springs Parks & Rec about lessons learned and advice for others looking to build a new facility. You can read the story here: https://www.prbplus.com/lessons-through-lessons/ You can watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/@prbmagazine/podcasts

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  Episode #29

  Digging Into Sand Play

  Jul 14, 202630 minS1

  Today’s playgrounds can trace their origins to sand play. The playground movement grew out of ideas championed by child advocates in the 1880s. First, Friedrich Froebel, the German educator known as the father of kindergarten, introduced a movable sandbox in his “children’s garden.” The idea of using sand as a material for play expanded into “sandcastles,” or piles of sand. A Berlin-born doctor, Marie Zakrewska, brought the idea to the U.S., and in 1885, the first sandcastle was built in Boston’s North End. By 1899, Boston had 21 sand piles. “Sand play is a timeless, universal outdoor activity that engages children from an early age,” says Nilda Cosco, a co-founder and the director of programs at the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) at N.C. State University College of Design. “Its moldable quality invites digging, building, storytelling, and collaboration,” and inspires imaginative and constructive play. Its sensory qualities are great for relieving stress. What’s more, sand play promotes self-determination. “Children are the designers here, and even though they are under adult supervision, they have more autonomy than within the fenced and labeled precincts of fixed equipment,” the pioneering child psychologist G. Stanley Hall notes in The Story of a Sand-Pile. Today, we talk with Julia Rousakis and Chelsea Hoffman, Principals at APE Studio about how to bring sand play to your park or open space. You can read the article here: https://www.prbplus.com/digging-into-sand-play/ Or, watch the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@prbmagazine/podcasts

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  Episode #28

  Rethinking Playground Design For Continuous Play

  Jul 7, 202624 minS1

  Community playgrounds strive to be spaces that families return to many times. For this to happen, playgrounds need to keep ideas and opportunities for play fresh so children remain engaged, challenged, and eager to come back. Today, we sit down with Scott Roschi, Creative Director for Landscape Structures, to discuss how a circuit-style design approach keeps children engaged and coming back. Watch podcast here. Read article here.

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  Episode #27

  Reimagining A Civic Landmark

  Jun 30, 202635 minS1

  Designing urban parks typically does not start from scratch. More often, designers inherit not only complex sites and aging infrastructure, but also sites and spaces deeply rooted in city and community history. Today, we sit down with Todd Martin, City Landscape Architect for the City of Columbia, S. C., Mark Johnson, FAIA, FASLA at Civitas and Jenny Horne, Project Manager at Stantec, to talk about how Finlay Park’s redesign rekindled a community’s heart. You can watch the podcast here . You can r ead the article here .

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  Episode #26

  Lessons From Connor Park

  Jun 23, 202623 minS1

  Today, we sit down with Rowena A. Young, Executive Director of the Palmetto CRA, to talk about Connor Park in Palmetto, Fla. and how a CRA turned contamination into climate infrastructure. You can view this podcast here . You can read the article here .

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