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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
"The New Economy and The
Leisure Incident"
January 15, 2026
Mr. Kim Elliott, CPRP
Recreation Director
City of Roswell, NM
The world is changing! We have touched on this
before, but it bears revisiting over and over again. Why? Because the world is
changing so fast it is hard to keep up with the changes! One of those changes is
the coming of a new economy.
That is not so bad, is it? A new economy may be
just what we need. However, a new economy scares many of us who have based our
whole lives on the consistency of the old economy and in some cases the
predictability of its ups and downs. The facts and figures that we have received
in economics, business and education have changed so much that most of what we
have learned in these areas will be obsolete in ten (10) more years, if it isn't
already!
Yes, the world is changing. It is changing -
FAST!
A recent White Paper (April 1998), Linking
the New Economy to the Livable Community prepared by Collaborative Economics
and sponsored by the James Irvine Foundation sheds some light on the direction
we are heading and just why it scares some economists, business people and
educators. One quote from this paper says, "The
New Economy values quality of life more than the old economy, because it values
people more than the old economy."
Economists, business people and educators are
afraid of what is coming because people are going to run the new economy and
people are unpredictable. To improve the economy, we used to be able to provide
funds for the business or the school and that would be all that was needed. Now
we have to provide for the person who runs and works in that business, or for
the person that works for or is being educated in that school in addition to the
people that live in the community! It is a shift in thought that affects our
economy.
Dr. Ellen O'Sullivan says it pretty well in the
following excerpt from Setting a Course For Change:
"While the agricultural era and the
early industrial era placed a heavy emphasis upon physical attributes of a
location from access to waterpower and weather, the new economy values place
as well. However, this new economy values different features such as the
natural environment, a distinctive quality of life, and vital centers offering
amenities and opportunities for social interaction. Since the new economy
requires a skilled workforce more than the old economy, it is heavily reliant
upon people. And today people want to live and work in places that foster a
desirable lifestyle." (pp. 7)
How does all of this affect The Leisure
Incident?
The Leisure Incident is already people
oriented! The many leisure industries, to include your local park and recreation
service providers, deal with the business of helping people to improve their
quality of life. Quality of life just happens to be one of the main factors that
attract new business to a community!
If the New Economy values quality of life more
than the old economy, then it appears that we are already on track with The
Leisure Incident! The main issue that we now need to face is to figure out how
to ease the fears of those who do not want to face reality about leisure issues
being important as it relates to the economy!
Is it a bad idea to try and improve the quality
of life for your own people? We do this instinctively in our own family
situations. We want the best for our own, first. Sometimes, that means that we
will even relocate to another part of town, city or state just so we can provide
for our own quality of life, first. Should this concept be any different in
terms of a community? Probably not!
Since the new economy is people oriented, then
it stands to reason that whatever our community can do to improve the quality of
life for our people first, will also benefit our economy. As our own local
economy is strengthened, then other outside businesses will begin to seek us out
for relocation because they will see our community as one for which the quality
of life will benefit their employees.
Change is inevitable. It is going to happen.
The new economy is on its way. We will be prepared for it? Parks and Recreation
can help.
Remember! Parks and Recreation - The Benefits
are Endless!
