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<br /> INSIDEWASHINGTON
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<br /> Lawmakers Face Parks Dilemma By Cathy Dombrowski
<br /> roviding the park' and recreational activities required by you have a tremendous capital investment in existing tecrea-
<br /> an increasingly,active American society is a major task tion resources. They get worn out. There are more people,
<br /> confronting local governmentrs and one expected to gat- more pressure, more demands."
<br /> her more attenth n, though not tiecessarily more dollars from The commission also identified the need for an "entity" at
<br /> Washington. A presidential.commission recently spent 18 the national level to encourage leadership on recreation issues.
<br /> months examining outdoor recreation and found the greatest "That's where my organization may have a serious diversion of
<br /> demand is for recreational activities close to home—within 15_ opinion with the commission," Tice says. "We think there
<br /> minutes by foot or bike and within 10 miles by car or public needs to be something much more substantial than that."
<br /> transportation. There are many federal programs that could be used to benefit
<br /> The commission's work, culminating in a final report this recreation, he points out.
<br /> spring, is doing much to focus attention on society's tecrea- • The clean water program is based on two recreational objec-
<br /> tional needs and the role local government plays in this area, tives, fishable and swimmable waters. "Yet we have no one in
<br /> says R. Dean Tice, executive director of the National Recrea- EPA, to my knowledge, expressly looking at the recreation po-
<br /> tion and Park Association (NRPA). tential . . . if the clean water planners in Dayton,Ohio, talked
<br /> Creation of a trust fund providing $1 billion per year for to the park and recreation planners in Dayton,we'd have some
<br /> park and recreational lands was recommended by the commis- marriages that would have mutual benefit to the public, far be-
<br /> sion, which did not suggest yond our lifetime. But they
<br /> any specific formula fot - - – - don't have that now."
<br /> splitting the money among In addition to the envi-
<br /> government agencies. Tice + ,, - ,: sht, . , """ ."` ronmental programs, there
<br /> says, however, the commis- , 4 s p .,,,� xe,4 ,tare transportation, housing
<br /> sion did suggest the funds a";'4a There i5 r10 and agricultural activities
<br /> would have the highest so- fi" ` ',, - ' ` entityof with recreation as a sec-
<br /> cial and environmental ondary j ondary beneficiary if prop-
<br /> merit if applied to services ,'" `a `,,, t,OVe/71�1`1G1"lt at erly planned, he adds.
<br /> that are most used — those the national "There is no entity of gov-
<br /> closest to home.
<br /> z' � ernment at the national
<br /> • Legislation already has ; = level level that has either the
<br /> been introduced by Sen. J. �` ;s ,' to look perspective or the capacity
<br /> Bennett Johnston of for- - ,_fra';'�`� �a� � `' f ' to look comprehensively at
<br /> ida, who chairs the Senate t. ;tr,;114n: comprehensively parks, recreation and lei
<br /> Energy and Natural Re- ,4:F+� l at parks sure." The NPRA would
<br /> Sources Committee, au- ' ` ? p?k. ' like to see that change, Tice
<br /> thorizin $1 billionperyear LAR" ,*w "4 recreatiot1
<br /> g :, says, so one organization
<br /> in funding. Appropriations ) " k u" , `� ' and leisure." would examine how agen-
<br /> may not reach that level cies work together. how
<br /> since about $125 million si,Ms d^ P. Dean Tice programs work together,
<br /> annuallyhas been budgeted `� ���
<br /> g ��9a�,t��,„ ,, .' " how funds can best be used
<br /> in recent years. "I think the - for mutual advantage, how
<br /> prospects are very good in a technical inquiry can be
<br /> the 100th Congress that we answered and how research
<br /> I will see an expanded capital investment program come out for can be focused.
<br /> parks and I would think that a major element of that will be The budget deficit is real, he says, "but how much are We
<br /> responsive to city and county heeds," Tice says. "But again, losing by not doing better by these things? it's a question of
<br /> only if the cities and counties make sure they're heard on this priorities, and our hope is that the work of the commission, as
<br /> thing. in the past, they've been underrepresented." a starting point, can engender a greater attention by all kinds
<br /> Tice notes federal funding increases may not be immediate. of people — county executives, members of Congress, state
<br /> "it's important to keep in mind that the last effort similar to legislators."
<br /> the current commission was one that functioned from 1958 Parks and recreation will continue to be of major public in-
<br /> through 1962. Some of its recommendations, even the good terest, guaranteed by growing demand as the population grows
<br /> ones, went six to eight years before getting on the books." and becomes increasingly health-conscious, Tice says. Also, he
<br /> Even without more federal dollars, local governments have notes, people are concerned with the land.
<br /> many options, Tice says, citing partnerships with the private "There's a high public interest in wildlife. People are inter-
<br /> sector, creative taxation, user fees and charges on those pro- ested in natural resources. They want cities to be attractive.
<br /> viding services at recreational facilities. "Local governments They want services when they get there." The previous com-
<br /> have tremendous assets," he says. "Those guys want your wa- mission said the greatest recreational challenges were in met-
<br /> terfront. They want to sell food to your visitors. They want to ropolitan regions, and Tice says that is still the case. "Forget
<br /> • transport people, entertain people and cart away their wastes. who's in the White House or the city manager. Recreation in a
<br /> All of these, no matter how mundane, are opportunities for social context is a demand for space and resources, and is a
<br /> someone to make a dollar." function of people." O
<br /> Local governments must explore all these options, he notes.
<br /> "At the local level, there are more than 100,000 park and rec- Cathy Dombrowski is the Washington correspondent for
<br /> reation places. if you were never to create another new park, American City&County.
<br /> a American City&County/April 1987
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