Case Study
Access for All: Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District
A big idea unifies community action to increase access to parks and recreation for people of all abilities and backgrounds.
Objective: Local park leaders in Washington County, OR needed to reach more people with the social, emotional, and physical benefits of recreation by delivering parks and activities to underserved members of the community.
Challenges: Joining the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District in 2013, I realized that the agency wanted to provide recreation services to everyone in the community, but its efforts needed direction and action. The organization did not have a mechanism to effectively reach those members of the community it intended to serve. Public funding was limited and partnership with private sector leaders was needed. A big idea was called for that would unite key departments, including planning, communications, recreation programming, finance, and administration. The idea also needed to attract community leaders to invest their time, energy, and funds.
Solution: My solution was to bring the internal departments together around a shared idea that would ultimately become THPRD's Access for All initiative. Beginning in 2014, Access for All supports programs that expand access for:
• Children and adults with physical and/or developmental disabilities
• Individuals and families in low-income situations
• Patrons experiencing language and/or cultural barriers
• People limited by mobility or transportation
• Senior citizens and other groups facing barriers to full participation
I directed THPRD's park planning and design department to work with existing public bond funding and private philanthropy to launch the initiative. The department designed a 21.5 acre, $14 million, all-abilities community sports park in Aloha, an underserved community. THPRD then worked with the Timbers/Thorns and Providence Health Systems to invite all Portland area service providers in the disability space to design the new park. Many of these service providers and THPRD have since partnered on all abilities recreation at the park. I then built new leadership for the Tualatin Hills Park Foundation centered on the Access for All initiative to raise money for the park's construction and for all abilities programming.
Results:
■ 30% increase in the number of people experiencing disabilities participating in recreation programs.
■ $14 million invested in Mountain View Champions Park, a 21.5 acre community sports park built with public funding and private philanthropy to serve people of all abilities.
■ 6 new community partnerships between park provider, foundation and organizations in the disability space and an ongoing commitment by these entities to advance recreation for people experiencing disabilities.
■ $2 million raised in philanthropy and grants through increased collaboration with community leaders to support all abilities parks and recreation.
Results:
■ 30% increase in the number of people experiencing disabilities participating in recreation programs.
■ $14 million invested in Mountain View Champions Park, a 21.5 acre community sports park built with public funding and private philanthropy to serve people of all abilities.
■ 6 new community partnerships between park provider, foundation and organizations in the disability space and an ongoing commitment by these entities to advance recreation for people experiencing disabilities.
■ $2 million raised in philanthropy and grants through increased collaboration with community leaders to support all abilities parks and recreation.