April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 9

Edito r 's L e t t e r

Anticipating the Future

B

y now dutiful citizens have completed their census forms, helping de-

velop the 10-year snapshot of the American population and demographics.
Most likely, the 2010 edition will reflect a jump in population, but nothing compared with what we can expect by the year 2050. At NRPA's recent Legislative Forum
in Washington last month, White House urban policy chief Adolfo Carrion told us to
expect a population of 440 million (versus our current 309 million).
So what to make of the country we will leave our
children and grandchildren that in 40 years will
have the equivalent of seven additional New York
Citys? If there was ever a need for far-reaching strategic vision in the field of parks and recreation, it's
now. Not tomorrow or next year or some other date
put off into the future. As Mr. Carrion told the Forum,
the work of the White House " is central to that conversation-we have to get it right. "
Our cover story this month was already well
underway in its production when Mr. Carrion addressed the NRPA. But I like to think that this feature on how cities and counties are converting the
most unlikely of sites into parks as a ingenious example of the type of thinking needed to anticipate
the America of 2050. Author Rachel Roberts found
examples of thriving parks made from a psychiatric hospital in Georgia, a Super Fund site in California, a landfill in North Carolina, and a former prison
in Virginia.
Lorton Reformatory (1917) occupied close to
2,000 acres in Northern Virginia and was, in its day,

so sophisticated it had its own railroad along with
agricultural and industrial vocation training facilities. Overcrowded and functionally past its prime,
Lorton was transferred to Fairfax County in 2002.
Ironically, it was the great parks pioneer, Theodore
Roosevelt, who in 1908 pushed for the creation of
the reformatory in an effort to overhaul antiquated
penal practices in America. The county could have
developed the Lorton tract into a massive housing
project at great profit but instead assigned the Fairfax Parks Authority to create a 50-year parks plan.
When complete, the $100 million project will have
a sportsplex, a fieldhouse, 15 multi-use fields, a
ball diamond, picnic areas, dog parks, and a skate
park. Like Biblical swords into plowshares, the
prison buildings will become cultural centers and
a former Nike missile site will accommodate athletic fields.
Not all cities and counties will have 2,000 acres
fall into their laps like Fairfax did. Still, it's an example of long-range thinking worth emulating whenever and wherever possible.


Phil Hayward
Editor and Publisher

w w w . NR P A . ORG

APRIL 2010

Parks & Recreation

7

April 2010 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2010 - Parks & Recreation

April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 1
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 2
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 3
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 4
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 5
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 6
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 7
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 8
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 9
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 10
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 11
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 12
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 13
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 14
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 15
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 16
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 17
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 18
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 19
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 20
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 21
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 22
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 23
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 24
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 25
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 26
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 27
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 28
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 29
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 30
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 31
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 32
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 33
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 34
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 35
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 36
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 37
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 38
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 39
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 40
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 41
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 42
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 43
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 44
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 45
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 46
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 47
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 48
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 49
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 50
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 51
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 52
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 53
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 54
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 55
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 56
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 57
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 58
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 59
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 60
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 61
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 62
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 63
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 64
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 65
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 66
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 67
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 68
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 69
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 70
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 71
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 72
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 73
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 74
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 75
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 76
April 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 77
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com