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Recreation
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City of Roswell
P.O. Drawer 1838
Roswell, NM 88202-1838
(505) 624-6700
Fax: 624-6889 |
THE LEISURE INCIDENT
Chapter Four - Economic Benefits - Part 1
By Kim Elliott, CLP
Recreation Director
City of Roswell
How many times have you heard the phrase, "You can pay me now, or, you can pay me
later?" We usually hear this phrase where it is important to plan for quality.
Sometimes it can be very tempting to choose the cheapest item on the shelf. But, what
usually happens when we go this route? We end up buying more of the same item and spending
more in the long run.
The same applies to the provision of leisure services in a community. Parks, recreation
and open space are not mere expenditures, but, can be seen as an investment in the future
well being of individuals and groups in the community. Leisure services not only take from
the community, but, they also contribute tremendously and give back to the community.
Quality leisure services provide considerable benefits for the individual and the
community.
Since we have already discussed some of the individual benefits, we want to focus on
the benefits that the community gains from leisure services, specifically the economic
benefits received.
Leisure services and facilities can act as an economic stimulant, help reduce
healthcare costs, reduce vandalism and crime, produce revenue, enhance land values, be a
catalyst for tourism and help the communities workforce be more productive. These can be
measurable benefits.
We might be able to use the new Cielo Grande Recreation Area as an example of the
above. This new park site will have various leisure facilities within its boundaries like
a new soccer complex, large group picnic areas, additional sport practice fields, a
special event area, a prairie arboretum, a park maintenance yard, an indoor multi-purpose
recreation center, walkways and trails, and a new family aquatic center. What will the
further development of Cielo Grande Recreation Area do for the community?
First of all, the construction will provide needed jobs which channels funds into the
community.
The soccer complex will promote larger soccer tournaments. The family aquatic center
will encourage people to use Roswell as a destination point instead of just a stop on the
way to another attraction. Our special event area will enable us to hold large festivals
and concerts which will bring people to Roswell and the large group picnic areas will
allow for a place for larger company picnics and family reunions to be held in a location
specifically designed for this type of use.
Industry looking to relocate scrutinize the communities leisure services and facilities
to make sure that their employees will have a good quality of life in the community.
Modern leisure facilities and services consistently rank in the top 3-4 reason why
industry relocates to a specific area. Development of Cielo Grande Recreation Area will be
a sign to industry that Roswell has a commitment to providing modern, leisure facilities
for the community, encouraging industry to relocate.
The development of a family aquatic center along with a future indoor multipurpose
recreation center will create new jobs. The development of a family aquatic center will
also help to reduce the current drain on the city’s general fund by being able to
produce the revenue to cover operating expenses.
By developing the new Cielo Grande Recreation Area, property values surrounding the
site will increase. This helps to improve the overall tax base of the community.
The nation could save $20 billion per year in the United States if every sedentary
American walked an hour a day according to a study conducted by Brown University in 1995.
Roswell, the last time we checked, was still in the good old United States and would also
benefit. The trails and walkways planned for Cielo Grande would contribute to this
savings.
This savings also relates to the workforce that recreates. If the general workforce is
healthier, then studies have shown that they are also more productive, and the money they
would have spent on healthcare is available in the community to be spent in other ways.
This one example of the development of Cielo Grande Recreation Area having an economic
impact on the Roswell community can be expanded even more if we were to break down the
park site elements and concentrate on each part as an individual asset. As a whole, the
continued development of this new park site and its many leisure areas will benefit the
entire Roswell community.
There is another major economic impact that the development and maintenance of quality
leisure services and facilities in a community can have on the health of a community.
Sharp James, the former president of the National League of Cities, said, "We are
going to recreate or we are going to incarcerate" and cited that in 1992, 21.8
million youth under the age of 21 were arrested and the cost of incarcerating these youth
was $2.3 billion annually as reported in Healing America’s Cities, 1994. The
governor of California, Mr. Pete Wilson made this statement, "For a relatively
modest investment in what we generally term preventive programs, the return is
extraordinary. A choice between prison and preventive services is a false choice. Simply,
we do not have a choice."
We’ll discuss this economic benefit for the community next time.
Parks and Recreation - The Benefits are Endless...TM
