Parks & Recreation

[From my March 25 article in the Colchester Bulletin]

Pesticide application rules. Playground safety regulations. Background check policies. Funding to support land conservation and access to recreational and athletic facilities. These are but a few of the areas where laws and policies developed and implemented at the state level have a direct impact on the citizens of Colchester and the way our department operates.

While it may be apparent that legislation has a profound influence on our lives, what may not be as clear is the magnitude of impact our citizens can have on crafting and molding that legislation. The old adage that one person can make a huge difference is borne out on a daily basis each year during the legislative session. Well-placed phone calls, emails and letters with thoughtful, and sometimes passionate, requests backed by solid information and personal examples can easily change the course of the discussion on a bill.

The amazing thing, and the reason that one person can have such influence, is the fact that our state legislators hear from relatively few people on any given subject. And when they do, it is often from lobbyists and professionals, who, while well intentioned, usually have a vested interest in the issue. What really makes legislators take notice is when they hear from their constituents – the people who got them elected and whom they represent at the capitol.

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This "Healthy Sports" message is a direct result of the Parks and Recreation Department working with partners to bring you up-to-date information about healthy living. The following article is courtesy of Dr. Alessi of Backus Hospital from his blog.

Keeping youth sports safe
Aside from the physical benefits, youth sports are an effective means of shaping a child’s work habits and character. Approximately 30 million children under the age of 14 participate in organized youth sports throughout the United States. The problem is that many of these activities are unsafe.

The statistics are staggering:

• Approximately 8,000 children are treated in emergency rooms each day for sports-related injuries
• 62% of injuries occur during practices
• There are five times as many catastrophic football injuries in high school athletes as opposed to college athletes
• Cardiac and neurological injuries account for the predominance of sports related deaths.

To read the complete article visit: http://dralessi.blogspot.com/2010/01/keeping-youth-sports-safe.html

[From my March 18 article in the Colchester Bulletin]

If fun is our pilot here at Parks & Recreation, then safety is surely our co-pilot, helping to avoid things that might spoil the experience. Whether participating in our many programs and events, or enjoying the town’s parks and fields, it is a top priority of our department to ensure that no one is injured.

This is called risk management and avoidance, and it comes in many forms. It is virtually impossible to remove all risk. And it would be pretty boring even if we could, as illustrated by one of my favorite scenes from “The Simpsons”: in an effort to keep children safe, Homer covers every piece of playground equipment and every child in bubblewrap.

While this might prevent injuries, kids would hardly have a good time. Nor would they gain the immense benefits of play, including challenge, experimentation, exercise and more. The goal is to strike a fine balance between risk and fun.

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[From my March 11 article in the Colchester Bulletin]

After a year of pounding away at the job, day in and day out, it’s wonderful to take some time off. An opportunity just to clear your head and relax a bit. The recuperative power of simply giving your body this break from the routine is extraordinary. By the end of the respite, you are ready to hit the ground running and get to work with renewed vigor.

The same holds true for athletic fields. Week after week, season upon season, the fields bear the load of thousands of players enjoying healthy physical activity, from soccer to lacrosse, baseball to football, softball to cheerleading, and more. However, they cannot perform this Herculean task without a respite, or they will cross the tipping point into a condition that becomes unsafe for play.

In order to accommodate this need, the Parks & Recreation Commission implements an annual field resting program. Each year, the Facilities Subcommittee reviews the conditions of the fields and determines which one is in most need of a break and develops a plan for its temporary closure, working with impacted leagues and stakeholders to ensure that the overall effect on users is minimized.

Of course, as great as a break from work is, investing a bit in yourself during this time can affect your outlook dramatically. When funds are available, scheduling a massage, spa visit or even a tropical vacation during this downtime can pay great dividends. These interventions can take the relaxation of a vacation to a whole new level.

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[From my March 4 article in the Colchester Bulletin]

With Spring at our doorstep, thoughts turn to caring for the nation’s single largest agricultural crop: grass. More land is devoted to growing decorative lawns and athletic turf than any type of food source. As anyone who has worked to grow grass in more challenging areas of their yard knows, developing a strong stand of grass can require significant cultivation. Not only do we need to create hospitable conditions for the seeds to germinate and flourish, but at the same time we need to discourage the growth of weeds, which tend to be much more resilient and adaptable to poor conditions.

Traditionally, these two efforts have been fought through separate methods. Grass is nourished through the application of fertilizers, while weeds are killed off by pesticides; often these two elements are combined into one product, referred to as a “weed and feed”.

Like many things in our society, however, our desires for quick results have supported scientific advancements that can give our lawns the short-term result that we seek at the long-term detriment of not only the lawn, but the general environment. Synthetic fertilizers are analogous to the many energy drinks that have proliferated in the market. There is no denying that they give a quick jolt of growth and “greening” of the lawn, but they undermine the overall health of the crop.

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