SUBJECT:
Title
Proclamation of Park and Recreation Month; Sponsor Erie Town Council
Body
DEPARTMENT: Parks & Recreation
PRESENTER: Town Council of the Town of Erie, Sponsors
Luke Bolinger, Director of Parks & Recreation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Proclaim July 2025 Park and Recreation Month in the Town of Erie
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
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 and to recognize 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.
According to NRPA’s 2024 Engagement with Parks Report, people place a high value on the programs and services that park and recreation agencies deliver to their local communities every day and strongly support their mission.
• 276 million people in the United States visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the past year.
• Nine in 10 people agree that parks and recreation is an important service provided by their local government.
• 97% of visitors report feelings of inclusion or belonging at their parks and recreation spaces.
• 86% of U.S. adults seek high-quality parks and recreation when choosing a place to live.
The 2025 theme for National Park and Recreation Month is “Build Together, Play Together.” This theme celebrates the many ways park and recreation professionals make a lasting impact in communities across the country. Park and recreation programs are essential to community health and well-being and help cultivate lifelong friendships, memories, and family bonds that people hold dear decades later.
• Together, we’re building and maintaining sustainable parks and green spaces for current and future generations.
• Together, we’re building a thriving community focused on health and well-being.
• Together, we’re creating high-quality programs and spaces accessible and inclusive for all.
• Together, we help people play and connect - through yoga, art classes, picnics, and more.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ü Small Town Feel
ü Safe and Healthy Community
ü Effective Governance
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Park and Recreation Month Proclamation