SUBJECT:
Title
Proclamation of Park and Recreation Month; Sponsors Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell and Council Member Brian O’Connor
Department
DEPARTMENT: Parks & Recreation
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Luke Bolinger, Director of Parks & Recreations
Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell, Sponsor
Council Member Brian O’Connor, Sponsor
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Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 0 minutes
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For time estimate: please put 0 for Consent items.
Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY:
N/A
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
Town Council may approve Proclamations for issues and causes they support.
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Proclamation.
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
• Since 1985, people in the United States have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation.
• This celebration also recognizes the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals - along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers - who maintain our country’s local, state, and community parks.
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
This year’s theme of Park and Recreation Month highlights “The Power Of…” - the power of parks and recreation, play, nature, community, belonging, well-being, and the people who make these experiences possible. Throughout Park and Recreation Month, Erie Parks & Recreation celebrates the ways parks and recreation reveals the power of what connects us:
• The Power of Connection: Parks and recreation provides spaces where relationships grow, cultures meet, and communities bond. More than 227 million adults or a household member in the United States visited a local park or recreation facility at least once between August 2024 and September 2025.
• The Power of Play: From playgrounds to programs to youth sports, play fuels creativity, joy and lifelong learning. Through sports, children build confidence, connection, and character - skills that carry them from the playground to the classroom and beyond.
• The Power of Community: Public spaces offer room for everyone to gather, celebrate, and heal. Roughly 3 in 5 U.S. residents (63%) say proximity to park and recreation facilities is highly important when choosing a place to live.
• The Power of Nature: Access to nature restores, inspires, and improves quality of life. 86% of U.S. adults have had a healthcare provider recommend non-medication methods for improving physical and/or mental health. Parents, Gen Zers, and Millennials are most likely to have healthcare providers recommend park and recreation-related activities like spending time in nature or engaging in creative activities.
• The Power of Belonging: Welcoming parks and programs provide spaces where everyone feels valued. 95% of agencies say that promoting social connection and addressing social isolation are top benefits of their older adult programming.
• The Power of Well-Being: Parks and recreation advances health, resilience, and shared community benefits. 93% of U.S. adults agree that both older adults and children can benefit from spending time together in organized programs like those offered by many park and recreation agencies.
priorities
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attachments
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Proclamation