January 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 21

plementary assets and strengths to
jointly deliver a service. Second,
stability may be enhanced because
future continuation of a service may
be more probable when multiple
parties make a commitment to it.
Third, enhanced status on one or
more of the partners may occur. For
example, in communities where there
is widespread resentment of government, linking with nonprofit or commercial organizations may enhance a
park and recreation agency's reputation and image.

Illustrating the Service
Delivery Options
If a policy decision is made that
all children in a community should
be provided with the opportunity
to learn to swim, the second task
is to optimize the production options that are available. These may
include:
* Hiring instructors to teach classes in a recreation department's
own pools
* Setting up the learn-to-swim program as an enterprise fund
* Contracting with private instructors, YMCA, American Red
Cross, a fitness club or another
entity to teach classes in the department's pools
* Allowing other organizations to
lease space in the city's pools and
to take responsibility for arranging and teaching the classes
* Organizing and teaching classes using contracted employees
and leasing pool space from a
nonprofit organization (e.g.,
YMCA), a commercial health
and fitness club, a motel, a school
or some other entity
* Permitting nonprofit and commercial organizations to offer
classes to the general public, and

subsidizing those children unable to afford the classes

Aligning Goals
The first challenge is for partners to
understand, reconcile and accept
as legitimate their different value
systems, constituent expectations,
objectives, reward structures and
codes of conduct.
The primary goals of recreation
departments relate to social outcomes, equity and benefits that are
relatively intangible and difficult to
measure. A department is likely to
be concerned about inclusiveness
and serving the most disadvantaged
members of the community. Further, they are constrained by bureaucratic procedures that are necessary to ensure accountability for
their expenditure of public funds.
In contrast, the goals of business
partners focus on the easily measured metric of financial return on
investment. This is likely to be best
achieved by focusing on narrowly
defined, responsive target markets;
businesses are relatively flexible
with the ability to respond quickly to shifts in the marketplace and
new opportunities.
Clearly, there is inherent potential for frustration, friction and conflict between those focusing only
on responsive market segments
with willingness and ability to pay,
and those concerned with equity
and social outcomes. As an example, a senior park manager who is
experienced in developing partnerships stressed the importance of
reconciling these ostensibly antithetical goals before entering into a
partnership, says:
" The reason to partner is
to provide the best delivery
option. You want to find a

Partnerships are most likely to
ﬂourish in jurisdictions where
leadership in the park and
recreation department, nonproﬁt
and private sectors is relatively
stable, enabling networks
of trusting interpersonal
relationships to evolve.
partner who can complement
your strengths and improve on
your weaknesses, and every
department has both. When
partnerships fail, it is often because the parties were too eager to close a deal before they
have squared their visions and
clearly communicated their
goals and expectations to each
other. "
There are no generalizable formulas for forging partnerships
because personalities, local conditions, state and local enabling
laws, community values and other factors vary widely, but the elements of personal relationships,
mutual trust and effective communication are common principles
that determine the effectiveness of
partnerships.
This suggests that partnerships
are most likely to flourish in jurisdictions where leadership in the
park and recreation department,
nonprofit and private sectors is relatively stable, enabling networks of
trusting interpersonal relationships
to evolve.
John L. Crompton, Ph.D., is a University Distinguished
Professor, Regents Professor and Presidential Professor for
Teaching Excellence in the Department of Recreation, Park
and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University and an
elected Councilmember for the City of College Station
(jcrompton@tamu.edu).

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January 2021 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2021 - Parks & Recreation
