Benefits of Parks and Recreation to You - the Individual
Open spaces, parks and recreation provide opportunities for living, learning and leading a full and productive life as well as act as avenues for purpose, pleasure, health and well-being.
Parks, recreation and the arts help you:
* Be happier
* Relax
* Conquer boredom
* Feel great
* Lose weight
* Build strong bodies
* Build self-esteem
* Reduce stress
* Meet friends and make new friends
* Eliminate loneliness
* Enhance relationship skills
* Learn vital life skills
* Live longer
* Improve the quality of our lives
* Diminish chance of disease
* Prosper
Just the facts:
A study published in the journal Health Affairs found that people who are obese have 30 to 50 percent more chronic medical problems than smokers or drinkers. Health complications linked to obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke and certain cancers raise an individual’s healthcare costs by 36 percent and medication costs by 77 percent. Less physical activity, more hours in front of the television, and a car-obsessed culture were all cited by the author as significant causes of America’s growing obesity problem. “Obesity Harder on Health than Smoking,” Reuters, March 12, 2002.
Eighty-eight percent of parents believe that participating in outdoor activities strengthens family relationships according to an REI national survey of parents with children ages four to 14. Parents ranked camping as the number one “great outdoor family experience” (33%), followed by hiking (14.5%), bicycling (13.3%), and fishing (12.8%). Sports Edge Newswire, May 29, 2002.
Benefits of Parks and Recreation to the Community
No man is an island. We live and interact within our family, work groups, neighborhoods, communities, and the world. Recreation and parks play an integral role in providing opportunities for these types of interactions.
Parks, recreation and the arts in our Community:
* Builds family unity
* Provides child care
* Promotes sensitivity to cultural diversity
* Increases community pride
* Reduces crime
* Increases property value
* Strengthens neighborhood involvement
* Provides safe places to play
* Educates children and adults
Benefits of Parks and Recreation to the Environment
Providing and preserving parks and open spaces enhance the desirability of Fairfield as a place to live and work as well as contribute to the safety and health of its inhabitants.
Our care of our parks, natural habitats and open spaces:
* Provides clean air and water
* Protects the environment
* Fosters a sense of community pride
* Encourages appropriate uses of outdoor areas for activities
* Increases physical health and well-being
* Reduces stress
Just the Facts:
Six in ten Americans participate in outdoor recreation at least monthly. Their motivations for participation vary, but the top objectives are fun, relaxation, stress relief, experiencing nature and exercise. Americans who recreate frequently are notably happier with their lives than are other Americans: among active recreationists, the one in five Americans who recreate at least twice weekly, 45% report “complete satisfaction” with their overall quality of life and 49% report being “fairly well” satisfied.
Sixty-four percent of Americans consider it very important to conserve and protect wetlands, and 46 percent say they believe there are too few wetlands in North America according to a study conducted by Responsive Management. However, 63 percent could not name a single non-governmental organization that helps conserve wildlife and natural resources, and 57 percent could not identify a non-governmental group that protects the environment. Responsive Management, Spring 2002.
The Benefits of Parks and Recreation to our Economy
Parks, recreation, and open space are not mere expenditures, but an investment in the future well-being of individuals and groups, our future, as well as the continued viability of communities and the world.
Parks, open spaces, the arts and recreation:
* Attract new businesses
* Increase tourism
* Boost the economy
* Lower health care costs
* Decrease Insurance premiums
* Reduce unemployment
* Boost employee productivity
* Curb employee absenteeism
* Generate revenue
Just the Facts:
A Brown University study reported that the United States could save $20 billion per year in healthcare costs if every American walked for an hour a day. (As reported in “One Small Step for Mankind,” in the Hartford Advocate, 10/12/95. p.23)
The American Hotel & Lodging Association reported that Americans spent $150 billion on leisure related stays in 2000. That’s 59% of the total American hotel/motel industry ($2.54 billion) for the year.