Park People

Egg hunts are traditionally associated with children, baskets, and daylight—but the City of Moreno Valley, Calif., has proven that play has no age limit.Today, we sit down with Jeremy Bubnick, Director of Parks & Community Services for the City of Moreno Valley, CA (pop 215,000) to discuss how you can bring this program to your community. Prefer to watch? You can view this podcast here. Or, you can read it here.

Today, we sit down with Kate Mannerings from Percussion Play to discuss how a remarkable Girl Scout, working on an outdoor-music park for her Gold Award project, raised the funds, designed the space, and got it installed at the popular Rotary Youth Camp in Lee's Summit, Missouri. If you prefer to watch the podcast, you can access it on our YouTube channel. Or, you can read the story on our website. 

Today, I sit down with Jill Moore, an inclusive play expert for Landscape Structures. She walks us through why an intentional design approach is needed -- and shares some laughs with me as we talk about her experiences navigating the world with mobility issues. Its a fun conversation. I hope you enjoy it. If you want to watch, you can access the Park People podcast on our YouTube channel. Or, on our website. Also, read her May online-only story here.

Today, I sit down with Robert McDonald of OLC -- a firm that specializes in designing community centers, recreation centers, and other municipal buildings for both form and function. They want their buildings to be beautiful, structurally sound, and efficient to operate, but where they separate themselves from others in their field is the desire to build wellness into the space -- places in not-so-random corners of the community center that promote community and friendship and relationship-building. It is a fascinating conversation. I hope you enjoy it. If you want to watch the podcast, you can access it on YouTube or on our website at https://www.prbplus.com/park-people-podcast/.

Today, we talk with Tyler Sultenfuss, President of Life Academy, Inc. about his empowering approach to water safety for kids. At Life Academy Inc. in Apollo Beach, Fla., water safety is more than a program — it’s a mission rooted in generations of aquatic education and community engagement. For decades, the Apollo Beach Racquet & FitnessClub has been a place where local children learned to swim, compete, and connect. Out of that legacy grew the Lifeguarding for Kids program, an innovative curriculum designed to teach children how to recognize danger,respond safely, and protect one another around the water.The idea came from a simple yet powerful observation: kids are often the first to notice when something is wrong in the water. By equipping them with knowledge and practical rescue tools, they can act quickly and safely whilealerting adults. The program bridges the gap between swim lessons and formal lifeguard training, creating confident young leaders who understand that water safety is everyone’s responsibility.Prefer to watch? You can access this podcast on YouTube. Prefer to read? You can read the article at https://www.prbplus.com. Enjoy!

Today, we talk with Nicolas Breedlove, CEO and Founder of MVP Playgrounds, about the ever-exploding trend of building fitness trails in parks around the country. Adult fitness trails are growing in popularity. They turn parks into a low-cost way for community members to be outside and invest in their health. When well-made, trails provide a pleasant blend of strength and cardio stations that allow individuals to get a good workout. Trails also double as opportunities for quality social interaction when they’re designed the right way.The problem is that, while there is a wealth of information available about the right machines and routines for fitness, social interactions are often overlooked. And yet, it is this element more than anything else that turns many adult fitness trails into neighborhood hot spots, while a lack of social opportunities leaves other trails empty and unused.For parks and recreation leaders involved in or considering creating an adult fitness trail, there are some social cues and environmental factors to consider with every layout. The following are subtle design decisions that can turn a standard fitness trail into a social motivator and a true training hub.If you prefer to watch this episode, you can access it on our YouTube channel. If you'd prefer to read this article, you can do so on www.prpblus.com.Enjoy!

Today, we talk with CampFest 2026 presenters Angelina Stancampiano (Wyoming State Parks) and Kyle Bernis (Kansas State Parks) about how state parks across America are located on lands with deep Indigenous histories and ongoing tribal connections. They offer a preview of their CampFest session, which will provide practical guidance for park professionals seeking to build respectful, collaborative relationships with tribal nations and Indigenous communities. Drawing from successful partnerships developed in Wyoming and Oklahoma state park systems, they'll share real-world strategies, challenges overcome, and lessons learned from working directly with tribal entities on cultural interpretation, resource management, and community engagement initiatives. Participants will gain actionable approaches for initiating tribal consultation, navigating sovereignty and protocol considerations, developing co-interpretive programming, and creating mutually beneficial partnerships that honor Indigenous knowledge while enhancing visitor experiences and resource stewardship. This session was successfully presented at the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference and has been adapted for virtual delivery to reach park, rec, and camp professionals nationwide. You can watch this podcast on YouTube. Join us for the live session on Thursday, February 26, at 12 p.m. ET. You can register here for FREE.

Today we talk with Karen Fischer about her article on how the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie offers a new blueprint for conservationAs Fischer says, "I don’t know what a prairie looks like, yet I spent years living in the Midwest. But neither do you, even if you’re reading this, from the Midwest, right now. In fact, no one knows what a prairie really looks like because it has long been gone."Gerald Heinrich, the main character in this story, also mourned for something long lost as a young kid growing up in proximity to the Joliet Arsenal in Elwood, Ill. The Arsenal opened in 1940 to manufacture ammunition and explosives for the U.S. military in World War II. Prior to that, the plains were home to small, agrarian communities with numerous small farmers. Every square mile, there were two to three families, Heinrich says, and prior to 1800, the land was “very much unsettled” by Europeans. At that junction, numerous Indigenous tribes had continuously settled or passed through the land for over 12,000 years. Over time, there were agricultural villages established in the region to till and cultivate the dense, dark soil beneath the tall, swaying tallgrasses.But with new European settlers came plows, and with the passage of time, more and more people. That was the beginning of the end of the iconic tallgrass prairie.You can read the whole story at www.prbplus.com or watch this interview on our YouTube channel. 

Today, we talk with Rachel Williams, Co-founder & President, Rec about her session titled Where AI Meets Camp & Recreation Operations. This session is free and open to all. It takes place Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM MST. You can register for FREE here. AI is unlocking a new era for camps and Parks & Recreation—automating the busywork, surfacing insights teams have never had access to, and making it easier to deliver better experiences at scale. This session explores how modern AI can help recreation and camp leaders run smarter operations, grow participation, and spend more time doing what matters most: serving their communities.Register for FREE here. Watch on YouTube. 

Today, we talk with Dave Herpy, Extension Organizational Development Coordinator, NC State Extension about his CampFest session titled Leading with Purpose in Camps. This session, open and free for all, will be held February 24th at 9 am. You can register for FREE here. Purpose-driven leadership is one of the most powerful tools we have in the camp world—especially today, as camps work to build strong staff cultures, nurture young leaders, and create meaningful experiences for campers. In this dynamic, interactive session, participants will explore how to lead with purpose in every aspect of camp life—from staff hiring and training to daily operations, relationship-building, and camper engagement. Drawing from Dave Herpy’s new book, Leading with Purpose, as well as his 25+ years of experience as a camp counselor, trip leader, wilderness instructor, camp director, NC 4-H Camping Specialist, and leadership trainer, this session offers practical tools to help camp professionals strengthen their team culture, increase staff motivation, and build deeper alignment around mission and values.Participants will walk away with actionable strategies they can apply immediately to create a more positive, energized, and purpose-filled camp environment. Whether you lead a day camp, overnight camp, nonprofit camp, or municipal camp program, this session will help you level up your leadership and inspire others to do the same. Register for FREE here. Watch this podcast on YouTube. 

When city leaders in Louisville, Ky., signed the Greenprint Charter, they weren’t launching another beautification project. They were testing whether science and collaboration could reshape the future of an urban core. The initiative brings together government, researchers, and community partners to examine how targeted greening can improve public health and support downtown recovery.Today, we talk with Dr. Ted Smith to learn how the Greenprint Chart was born, how it's evolved and how you can bring it to your community. You can read the story online at www.prbplus.com or watch the interview on our YouTube channel. Enjoy!

Today, we talk with Brian Hill, Project Manager & Aquatics Consultant at Waters Edge Aquatic Design about his upcoming CampFest Session titled 5 Linchpins of Aquatic Facilities.Many factors contribute to a successful aquatic facility. Join us as we identify the five linchpins that will pivot you to success or possible failure.Learning Objectives:Identifying critical components of your operation.Strategies to stay ahead of maintenance issues or concerns that could threaten your operations.Ideas to help create the type of staff culture that will help focus on safety and success.Speaker BioBrian Hill spent nearly 20 years in the public sector of the aquatics industry before joining Waters Edge Aquatic Design. He has extensive experience managing and staffing facilities, overseeing special events, and understanding the daily maintenance needed to keep facilities functioning smoothly. He excels at understanding how a facility operates and what it takes to keep the pool itself running while also meeting community needs. Brian’s knowledge and expertise help guide each project he takes on.CampFest - February 24-26, 2026FREE FOR PROS IN CAMPS, PARKS & RECJoin the best virtual conference that brings together three industries for one epic event!Register to attend Brian's session for FREE. Watch this podcast on YouTube. 

A conversation with Wyatt Moore, Supervisor Naturalist at Big Break Visitor Center. Moore connects people to nature, promotes Delta education, and builds community in East Contra Costa County.This episode offers an inside look at East Bay Regional Park District’s birding programsBirding is more than a recreational activity—it's an invitation to observe, appreciate, and profoundly connect with the natural world. At the East Bay Regional Park District, a regional park system encompassing Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, enthusiasm for birdwatching has grown from casual park visitors curious about a bird's call to dedicated birders with binoculars and field guides in hand. Recognizing this surge in interest, a slate of birding programs has been developed and tailored to different experience levels, age groups, and interests. This approach ensures that birdwatching remains an accessible, inclusive, and educational experience throughout the East Bay. Whether visitors prefer a peaceful morning hike, an interactive, community science event, or even a kayak excursion, the Park District provides diverse opportunities to observe and learn about the region's incredible avian diversity.This episode is made possible by BCI Burke.Play is where development soars and communities come together. At BCI Burke, we believe outdoor spaces should be thoughtfully designed, built to last and welcoming to everyone. Because when design is intentional, people feel it. Learn more at bciburke.com. Want to watch instead? You can view this episode on YouTube. Or, read the article here. Enjoy!

Discover how camps across the U.S. are transforming outdoor spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens filled with music. In this CampFest 2026 webinar, Percussion Play explores how nature-inspired outdoor musical instruments invite campers to slow down, connect with the environment, and create music together. Learn how these multi-sensory spaces support wellbeing, environmental education, and inclusive play—while buzzing with bees, butterflies, and rhythm.Presenters are Alex Cook, Camp Specialist and Kate Mannerings, Client Services Manager. This session is FREE to all camp and parks professionals. It takes place Wednesday, February 25, 2026 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM MSTRegister for FREE here.If you'd rather watch this (and future podcasts), join us on YouTube. 

Growing up outside Columbus, Ohio, Daniel Robey was a summer camp kid.Church camp. Scout camp. Scout camp counselor. Program director. He even taught scout leaders to lead camps.Starting in middle school, the camp kid was also a theater kid. He now teaches high school theater in Worthington, Ohio.Take any town camp or church camp or make-fire-with-sticks camp and add theater, he says, and you’ve got something special. “There are so many leadership skills that theater can teach, problem-solving skills that go really nicely with what's happening at a summer camp,” he says. “The art of theater is inherently a group project and a team sport and requires leadership and setting the example.”Who better than Robey—with his feet firmly in the theater and camp worlds—to help shape Camp Broadway MyWay, a new program that makes it easy for camp directors to add theater to their programming? (Details at https://www.campbwaymyway.com.)This conversation with Peter Kramer, an award-winning journalist who shines a light on high school arts across New York's Lower Hudson Valley and beyond explores ways you can make theater a camp-ready sport this summer. This episode is brought to you by BCI Burke. Play is where development soars and communities come together. At BCI Burke, we believe outdoor spaces should be thoughtfully designed, built to last and welcoming to everyone. Because when design is intentional, people feel it. Learn more at https://www.bciburke.com.Want to watch this episode instead? You can access wherever you get yoru podcasts. Want to read the article? You can access it here.Enjoy!

A conversation with Rachel Williams, the co-founder and President of Rec Technologies (rec.us), building the technology to power the world’s recreation. Previously, Williams was one of Uber's earliest employees, helped found Uber Eats, and led launches at MasterClass.This conversation focuses on the parks and recreation challenge that doesn't always make headlines but touches the daily lives of millions: outdated technology that causes headaches for both staff and residents. For families, registering for a swim class or reserving a tennis court can feel harder than booking an overseas flight. For staff, hours are lost to manual phone calls, paperwork, and patchwork systems that don’t speak to one another. At Rec, our first question to recreation and parks departments is always, “Does your current recreation technology allow parents to register their child for summer camp, on their phone, in under three minutes?” If the answer is no, the baseline problem is clear. In 2025, being mobile-first isn’t optional. It’s foundational. Yet too many departments still treat mobile access as an afterthought. From seniors booking fitness classes to busy parents juggling childcare, everyone relies on phones. Mobile-first design builds trust, speeds adoption, and removes friction.The good news? Recreation departments don’t have to reinvent the wheel. By borrowing ideas from consumer apps that leaders already know and love—like Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon—departments can modernize their technology to reach more residents, empower staff, and bring recreation into the digital age.This episode is brought to by BCI Burke.Play is where development soars and communities come together. At BCI Burke, we believe outdoor spaces should be thoughtfully designed, built to last and welcoming to everyone. Because when design is intentional, people feel it. Learn more at https://www.bciburke.com.Want to listen instead? This conversation is available wherever you get your podcasts. Want to read the article? You can access it here.Enjoy!

A conversation with Emily Gebhardt, Communications Specialist and Rich DePalma, Principal at FGM Architects (FGMA) where they bring design and community to life through storytelling and strategic communicationIn this episode, we discuss how recreation centers, public parks and trails, pools, and athletic facilities form the foundation of community wellness and engagement and how successful funding for park districts and projects requires a multifaceted approach.A vote on a bond referendum truly is the culmination of a marathon of assessments, surveys, data points, and community engagement. A successful recreation referendum starts years before a vote. The following are real-world lessons, success stories, and suggestions to help get a community’s next big project across the finish line.This episode is sponsored by BCI Burke. Play is where development soars and communities come together. At BCI Burke, we believe outdoor spaces should be thoughtfully designed, built to last and welcoming to everyone. Because when design is intentional, people feel it. Learn more at bciburke.com.Prefer to watch? You can access this conversation on YouTube @prbmagazine/podcasts. Want to read the article? You can access it here. Enjoy!

A conversation with Jacob Fedosky, President of Step ‘n Wash, the leading manufacturer of step stools for commercial restrooms. Step 'n Wash is trusted by 30,000 customers, including Target, Home Depot, and thousands of parks, airports, and healthcare facilities.Signed into law 35 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in everyday activities, including recreation. Parks and recreation buildings and spaces, such as community centers, athletic facilities, public parks, and more, are intended to facilitate leisure, entertainment, and recreation for all residents, and play an essential role in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life for entire communities. However, only 52 percent of people say their local parks are accessible to all. It’s not surprising, given a significant portion of parks and rec buildings and spaces predate the ADA. Even facilities constructed post-ADA are often not optimally accessible. Common issues include physical barriers (for example, pathways and trails lacking smooth, even, accessible surfaces for wheelchairs and other mobility aids); communication barriers (like lack of braille signage, audio descriptions, and assistive listening devices); and inadequate facilities (such as outdated bathrooms, lack of adaptive playground swings or picnic areas, and tables that don’t accommodate wheelchairs). This conversation focuses on easy ways to improve your facility accessibility without breaking the bank. Enjoy!

A conversation with Sarah Fingerhood, Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) Senior Associate about how to turn brownfields and abandoned or under-utilized spaces into safe, viable public parks. Parks are powerful antidotes to many social, economic, political, and environmental ills. They improve public health by reducing stress and supporting physical activity, foster social cohesion and communal gathering, reduce crime, and increase community engagement.Yet, despite wide-ranging superpower benefits, parks often rank lower on funding priority lists compared to other forms of infrastructure. So, the national nonprofit Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) partnered with landscape architecture and urban planning firm WRT and a Community Advisory Panel composed of park professionals and community leaders to publish Let’s Create a Park: Planning a Creative Park Funding Strategy. Through conversations with communities with park-development projects across the West Coast, CCLR Senior Associate Sarah Fingerhood found the two biggest barriers to park development are a lack of financial strategy and limited institutional capacity. This conversation provide ideas and strategies for solving these two problems and creating more parks for your community. Enjoy!

A conversation with Dave Herpy, Extension Organizational Development Coordinator at NC State University and author of Leading with Purpose. In today’s dynamic world of parks and recreation, effective leadership is more essential than ever. This field plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life in our communities, yet the challenges facing our teams—staffing, burnout, and ever-evolving public needs—require intentional leadership grounded in purpose.This episode covers strategies and ideas to become an effective leader in the parks and rec space. Enjoy!

A conversation with Leah Carlson, Marketing Director at Wilderness Awareness School, about a unique outdoor program for adults.For over 25 years, Wilderness Awareness School's Immersion program has transformed the lives of adults through an intense, nine-month, nature connection experience. Located on a 60-acre campus in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains, the program is a powerful model for how immersive, holistic outdoor education can inspire personal growth, foster community, and build tomorrow's environmental leaders.As interest grows in nature-based wellness, organizations are uniquely positioned to offer life-changing experiences like The Immersion. But what does it take to run a program of this scale and depth?