Next Best Thing or Passing Fad? - greenplayllc.com · There are many ways to stay current on trends sweeping through the field of parks and recreation. Perhaps the easiest method

From the — Summer 2017Email: [email protected]

In the parks and recreation industry, activity and

programming trends change as regularly as the seasons. Some of them eventually stick around to become departmental mainstays, including health and wellness programs, organized sports and other fitness related activities. However, others seem to fizzle out as quickly as they appear, such as inline skating or hacky sacks. Incorporating trends into your parks and recreation curriculum can be a successful means of introducing new users to your system, but how do you determine whether or not to offer these new programs and/or services?

Identifying TrendsThere are many ways to stay current on trends sweeping through the field of parks and recreation. Perhaps the easiest method is to read trade publications and newsletters that routinely highlight new movements in facilities and programming. Others include watching changes in other aspects of our society and seeing how our field might be affected – for example, the accessibility of drones in the marketplace, or the shifting demographic make-up of our communities.

Some agencies are more invested in identifying and implementing trends that may be beneficial to their agency. In the March 2017 issue of Parks and Recreation magazine, published by NRPA, Keith Hobson and Katherine Stokke of the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District in Oregon contributed an article titled, “Staying Ahead of the Curve: Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s Future

Trends Team.” The article highlights the District’s development of a Trends Team, which is tasked with identifying macro trends that can be used to direct strategic planning for the future. “…we recognized that we operate in an environment of continuous change and we should identify long-term trends driving this change. By identifying the trends, we believed we could get ahead of the change rather than just react to it. Out of these recognized needs, THPRD developed an internal think tank of futurists in training, and the team continues to evolve much like the trends it researches.” While the Trends Team at THPRD is more focused on larger trends that affect the District on a more global level, employing this type of strategic thinking can benefit an agency at all levels, since trends in the industry have the potential to impact everything from programming to administration.

Next Best Thing or Passing Fad? Know when to act on the latest trends

By Alaina Brandenburger

Photo: Flickr User Archives New Zealand Via Creative Commons for Flickr

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What is Best for Your Market? Before hopping onto the latest trend in parks and recreation, it’s best to do some market research. According to Chris Dropinski, CPRE, and Senior Principal of GreenPlay, LLC, “You have to know your community’s demographic profile; what resources you have, or can make available; and identify potential partners.”

Chris also mentions that there are instances in which trends are initiated by community members themselves. One example is pickleball. While the sport originated in the northwest in the 1960s, it has more recently exploded throughout the country, turning into a popular recreational offering for many agencies. Dropinski states, “Pickleball eventually became very popular, first in areas with a high ‘snow bird’ population, and then moved north as snow birds returned home, taking this easy-to-play social and physical game with them.”

She advises agencies to pay attention to similar trends which are coming from community members, such as Indian Associations desiring Cricket pitches. It is important that proactive members of the community know who to contact if they have ideas for new programming, and that agencies are prepared to work with potential new partners, where appropriate, based on a well thought out partnership policy and process.

Determining Whether to Jump on BoardIn addition to trend watching, keep tabs on new recreational offerings desired by the community. If your agency utilizes features such as

customer comment cards or Facebook messages, keep track of programs and services that are repeatedly mentioned. Many trendy programs and services can seem enticing at first glance. If a program or service is popping up all over your community, it can be tempting to simply develop an offering for the public.

States Dropinski, “If you’re interested in trying out a trend, figure out how to test it using minimal resources. There is no definitive way to tell if a trend will stick, but you don’t want to over-invest, it may not be worth the time and effort. If your agency can’t provide the service for little cost up front, or without a strong cost recovery strategy, it may be best to let another provider offer the service. The market may already be saturated with providers. Unless there is a target market that is not being reached, it is not the role of public parks and recreation to compete, causing unnecessary duplication.”

When a Trend is On a Downward SpiralEventually, some “trends” will fizzle out. The lifecycle for these programs usually features a period of strong interest, followed by a leveling out and an inevitable decline. Just as you should be aware of emerging trends, you should also pay attention to those that may no longer benefit your community. Dropinski says, “Monitoring a program’s popularity through registration, attendance numbers, and financial reporting allows you to recognize a waning trend and provides information for data-driven decision-making. Have the courage to make significant revisions to the program, or scrap it altogether. The key is to determine the cost of providing the service versus the benefit it provides. Staff should be trained in how to measure the cost/benefit ratio, so that your agency can be nimble and quick to redirect resources.

From the — Summer 2017Email: [email protected]

Photo: Pixabay. Creative Commons, Public Domain

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When a program is in decline and providing it is no longer cost effective, you will need to manage remaining customers to mitigate their disappointment. This can be achieved by helping patrons find a different program or service, or referring them to another provider to meet their needs. Determine how they are benefiting from the current service, and how they can fulfill these benefits in a different way. For example, if your customers are attending a program for a social benefit or to help them lose weight, direct them toward activities that also serve these purposes.

While parks and recreation staples such as trails, aquatics, running tracks and fitness will likely always have a stable user base, other programs and facilities may come and go. By routinely monitoring up-and-coming parks and recreation, demographics,

and social, as well as administrative and planning trends, you can better assess how your agency can respond, or even get ahead of the curve. However, it is important to know your market, and leverage your resources to assure your agency maintains its fiscal health.

Chris Dropinski, Senior Principal and Managing Member of GreenPlay, LLC, has presented at several conferences on various topics related to trends. She will be presenting a session at the upcoming NRPA conference in September entitled, “How Do I Keep My Head Above Water: People are trying to use parks for everything and anything. Do I sanction, disallow, permit, charge for, move, share, mediate, facilitate, or what?”

References: “Staying Ahead of the Curve: Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s Future Trends Team” by Keith Hobson and Katherine Stokke, Parks and Recreation magazine, March 2017, p. 18-19

From the — Summer 2017Email: [email protected]