Building Better Communities Through Water and Nature-Based Play — August Bonus Episode

The August issue of Parks &
Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus
episode, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature
stories, “Restoring Nature’s Playground.” We’re thrilled to be
joined by the two authors, Patti Sterling, the grants coordinator
for Town of Bel Air, Maryland, and Akosua Cook, a park planner
for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to talk
about the importance of water and
nature-based amenities in their local parks and the projects
they have put in place to raise awareness and
education. We’re also joined by Carrie Williams,
president of American Water Charitable Foundation, who has
supported these projects through the Building Better
Communities Grant program. 


Patti and Akosua have been instrumental in
implementing these water play and nature-based
amenities in their communities through the Chesapeake
Sensory Plaza in the Town of Bel Air and “The Spring” in
Chattanooga. Tune in to the full episode below to hear our
conversation with them about how these projects have gone,
how they are creating educational play experiences, and how they
are providing opportunities for future environmental
stewards.  


Other topics we discuss on the episode include:


The benefits of water and nature-based amenities in raising
awareness and educating the public about natural resources, as
well as fostering new generations of environmental stewards.

Challenges that may arise with similar projects.

The importance of community engagement.

How park and recreation professionals can pursue similar
nature-based or water play projects.

Tips on applying for grants to support your projects.

And more.