III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 569 

Recognizing the importance of public park and recreation facilities and activities and providing for the designation of the month of July 2018 as 

‘‘Park and Recreation Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 9, 2018 

Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mr. CARPER, Ms. STABENOW, Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. HIRONO, and Ms. 

HARRIS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of public park and recreation 

facilities and activities and providing for the designation 

of the month of July 2018 as ‘‘Park and Recreation 

Month’’. 

Whereas Federal, State, and local public park and recreation 

systems are dedicated to conservation efforts and enhancing the quality of life for all residents in communities 

across the United States; 

Whereas public park and recreation facilities and activities— 

(1) provide opportunities for young people to live, 

grow, and develop into contributing members of society; 

(2) create lifelines and continuous life experience for 

older members of a community; 


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•SRES 569 IS 

(3) generate opportunities for people to come together and experience a sense of community; 

(4) play a vital role in creating active and healthy 

communities; 

(5) pay dividends to communities by attracting businesses and jobs and increasing housing value; 

(6) connect people to the outdoors, creating a respect for and understanding of nature; 

(7) lower the risk of chronic disease by improving 

access to opportunities for physical activity, reducing 

stress and depression, and improving environmental conditions; and 

(8) bolster environmental and community resilience, 

allowing people and places to more quickly recover from 

natural disasters; 

Whereas public park operations and capital spending in the 

United States generate nearly $154,000,000,000 in economic activity each year and support 1,100,000 jobs; 

Whereas 92 percent of people in the United States agree that 

public park and recreation facilities and activities are important government services, displaying a base of support 

that spans across all people in the United States, regardless of race, income, gender, or political party affiliation; 

Whereas 77 percent of people in the United States agree that 

ensuring all members of a community have equitable access to public park and recreation facilities and activities 

is important; 

Whereas the most economically sound communities are those 

with ample and healthy public park and recreation facilities and activities; 


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•SRES 569 IS 

Whereas a key factor in business expansion and location is 

the quality of life for employees, with a premium placed 

on adequate and accessible public parks and open spaces; 

Whereas people who use public parks and open spaces are 3 

times more likely to achieve the recommended levels of 

physical activity than nonusers; 

Whereas public park and recreation facilities and activities 

foster a variety of activities that contribute to a healthier 

United States, including— 

(1) providing injured veterans of the Armed Forces 

and individuals with physical disabilities opportunities for 

physical activity; 

(2) encouraging communities to promote outdoor activities to prevent and manage symptoms related to 

chronic diseases; 

(3) working with local school systems to develop 

science-based curricula to educate children on nutrition 

and activity; 

(4) connecting children with nature; and 

(5) combating obesity among youth; 

Whereas many parks provide green infrastructure that reduces the heat island effect in urban areas and reduces 

storm water impacts by as much as 90 percent; 

Whereas 84 percent of park agencies invest in sustainability 

activities and practices for the benefit of the environment; 

Whereas people living within a 10-minute walk of a park have 

higher levels of physical activity and lower rates of obesity; 

Whereas the positive impact of outdoor play on the brain of 

a child has been well documented; 


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•SRES 569 IS 

Whereas, of the people in the United States— 

(1) 70 percent go to local parks; 

(2) 83 percent personally benefit from local parks; 

and 

(3) 92 percent say that communities benefit from 

local parks; 

Whereas community recreation programs at public park and 

recreation facilities provide children with— 

(1) a safe place to play; 

(2) access to healthy foods; 

(3) opportunities to be physically active; 

(4) opportunities for social and emotional learning; 

and 

(5) academic enrichment activities that greatly assist 

working families with childcare service and help reduce 

at-risk behavior among youth, such as substance use and 

gang involvement; 

Whereas nutrition education provided at public park and 

recreation facilities results in a 20-percent increase in 

fruit and vegetable knowledge among youth; 

Whereas local parks serve as important transportation hubs 

for communities, providing access to pathways for walking, running, and biking; 

Whereas 73 percent of adults believe parks, trails, and open 

spaces are an essential part of the healthcare system; 

Whereas residents in low-income areas with more tree canopy 

and street level vegetation had a 37-percent reduced risk 

of depression; and 

Whereas public park and recreation facilities and activities 

reduce fuel costs and commute times by providing a place 


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•SRES 569 IS 

close to home to relax, exercise, and reduce stress: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the great societal value of public 

3 park and recreation facilities and activities and the 

4 importance of those facilities and activities in com5 munities across the United States; 

6 (2) recognizes and honors the vital contribu7 tions of employees and volunteers for public park 

8 and recreation facilities and activities; and 

9 (3) designates the month of July 2018 as 

10 ‘‘Park and Recreation Month’’. 

Æ 


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