March 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 12

EDITOR'S LET TER

It's All in the Details

As someone who has visited New York City many
times over the years, I can honestly say there's nothing
like strolling through Central Park on a beautiful spring
afternoon. Although the park initially opened in 1857,
it was landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and
architect Calvert Vaux who would later help to make
this urban park one of North America's most revered
landmarks. It all began in 1858 when their " Greensward Plan " won a design competition for improving
and expanding Central Park. When the park reopened
in 1873, it boasted 36 bridges; the Bethesda Terrace
and Fountain; naturalistic landscapes featuring more
than 4 million trees, shrubs and plants; and innovative designs - such as " separate circulation " systems
for horseback riders and pedestrians - along with
sunken roadways for keeping crosstown traffic flowing without disturbing the park's overall rustic charm.
It's that critical attention to detail during the planning
phase that made New York City a blueprint for other
U.S. communities to follow.

Nearly 144 years later, New York City continues to set
a high bar for parks and recreation. On page 40 of this
issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver highlights the
agency's Parks Without Borders initiative, which focuses on inconsistent park design and is working to seamlessly incorporate the entrances, edges and areas adjacent to parks to better integrate
parks with their neighborhoods. In addition to promoting freedom of movement, the initiative's
goal is to maximize the impact of this limited, yet vital, public resource.
Continuing this month's theme on planning, author Eric Moreno discusses the complexities of
park projects in " Planning a Park: From Concept to Reality " on page 36. Several park and rec
professionals offer their best practices for overcoming challenges and share some of their most
memorable projects.
Another engaging story I highly recommend reading is " Reflections on a Career. " Beginning on
page 44, contributor Tom Dellner goes one-on-one with Joe Turner, director of the Houston Parks
and Recreation Department. Turner, who will retire this month, reflects on the highlights of his
long career along with the lessons he's gleaned over many years working in parks and recreation.
I do hope you find the information in this issue not only helpful, but also inspiring - especially
as you move forward in planning your own park project.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN
Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing
Editorial Director

Parks & Recreation

| M A R C H 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

PRESIDENT AND CEO
Barbara Tulipane, CAE
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING,
COMMUNICATIONS AND
PUBLISHING, AND EDITORIAL
DIRECTOR
Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Samantha Bartram
sbartram@nrpa.org
MANAGING EDITOR
Sonia Myrick
smyrick@nrpa.org
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR
Catrina Belt
cbelt@nrpa.org
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Creative By Design
www.creativebydesign.net
SENIOR SALES MANAGER
EASTERN REGION AND EUROPE
Kip Ongstad
703.858.2174
kongstad@nrpa.org
SALES MANAGER
WESTERN REGION AND ASIA
Michelle Dellner
949.248.1057
mdellner@nrpa.org
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Mike Abbaté
Keith Anderson
Gerald Brown
Ernest Burkeen
Gwendolyn Chambers
Brendan Daley
Anthony-Paul Diaz
Ryan Eaker
Mariela Fernandez
Robert García
Kathleen Gibi
Paul Gilbert
Greg Harrison
Tim Herd
Mareya Ibrahim
Edward Krafcik
Todd Lehman
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis
Gil Peñalosa
Dr. Kevin Riley
Matthew Rudnick
Paula Sliefert
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
Randy Wiger

March 2017 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2017 - Parks & Recreation