COLUMN: Viewpoint – Finding value in parks and open spaces

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/08/2024 (309 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

My husband and I took our granddaughters to one of Winnipeg’s public wading pools and splash pads the other day. It was in a park where I counted about a hundred kids enjoying the water or playground equipment. Others were participating in pick-up games of soccer and some gathered around picnic tables eating and laughing with their families. None of the children I saw were on their phones. They were out in the fresh air, getting exercise and having fun in natural surroundings. It reminded me what a valuable role public recreation spaces serve.

When I was growing up in Steinbach in the 1960s I spent hours every summer in the Kinsmen Pool located where you’ll find the present Jake Epp Library. Just behind the current Shopper’s Drug Mart Store there was a forested area where kids from all over town came to build forts. In winter, weekend evenings found me at the arena skating on the indoor and outdoor ice with my friends. When I lived on Highway 12 close to where the Tim Horton’s is now, there was a huge toboggan slide in the field behind our house. It provided endless Saturday afternoons of entertainment to local children. These public spaces gave us opportunities for imaginative play, fostering relationships and enjoying physical exercise in the great outdoors.

When we raised our sons in Steinbach they played on ball teams at the A.D. Penner Park and on hockey teams at the local arena. They took swimming lessons at the public pool and got their first jobs at the Fly In Course which also afforded them an opportunity to develop their golf skills on the fairways and greens. Their love of sport continues to this day and they are passing it on to their children. I am grateful for the recreation facilities and volunteer coaches in Steinbach who made this possible.

Investing in parks, playgrounds and recreations facilities is a win for communities. A big problem in society today is isolation and loneliness. Parks and other public spaces provide a place for people to be around others in a natural way. When my Dad was in a nursing home in Winnipeg we would take him on outings to nearby Kildonan Park. He loved looking at the flowers, watching the children play and sitting on a bench enjoying the trees and birds.

Public recreation facilities can address inequalities and differences that may cause divisions in the community. Because these spaces are usually free and open to those of any income level, race, religious background, nationality or culture they become congenial meeting places. Go to any public playground or swimming pool in Canada and you will be surprised and delighted by the diversity of the kids there.

Support of public parks and recreation spaces is good for the economy because it provides jobs not only for workers who create and build the facilities and green spaces, but also for those who maintain and supervise them. One of our sons helped pay for his university tuition by working at a community centre where he supervised free activities for the neighbourhood children during the summer.

An added benefit is that local parks and recreation facilities can help address climate change. People use their cars less if they walk to free public spaces in their neighborhoods for fun and activity. The trees in parks help keep the air cleaner.

I’m grateful for the way parks and public recreation spaces have contributed to the health and well-being of my family and many other Canadian families. It’s one government expenditure I’m happy my taxes support.