Since 1985, the United States has celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. This year marks the 41st anniversary of Park and Recreation Month. The services that park and recreation professionals provide are vital to our communities — from protecting open spaces and natural resources to helping fight obesity and providing activities and resources for all people. Park and Recreation Month encourages everyone to reflect on the exponential value park and recreation professionals bring to communities. This year’s Park and Recreation Month theme — “The Power Of…” – the power of parks and recreation, play, nature, community, belonging, well-being, and the people who make these experiences possible. Each July, Park and Recreation Month recognizes the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals, along with hundreds of thousands of part-time, seasonal and volunteers, who maintain our country’s local, state and community parks. According to NRPA’s 2023 Engagement with Parks Report, people place a high value on the programs and services that park and recreation agencies deliver to their local communities every day and strongly support their mission. <ul style="list-style-type: circle;"><li>In the United States, 84 percent of adults seek high-quality parks and recreation when choosing a place to live.</li><li>Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults agree it is vital for local park and recreation agencies to engage with every member of their community to ensure offerings meet their needs.</li><li>Visitors who find their parks and recreation facilities to be inclusive, visit these areas nearly two times as often as those who do not hold this view.</li><li>In the United States, 86 percent of adults believe it is helpful that they and their families have access to the outdoors and nature during stressful times.</li></ul> According to NRPA’s The Economic Impact of Local Parks report, local public park and recreation agencies in the United States generated nearly $201 billion in economic activity and supported almost 1.1 million jobs that boosted labor income by more than $63 billion from their operations and capital spending in 2021. Travis County Parks welcomes visitors to its 30 parks comprising over 13,000 acres of public space. The parks provide a wide range of recreational opportunities, including activities such as baseball, softball, soccer, cricket, trails, skateboarding, tennis, BMX racing, picnic facilities, rock climbing and hiking, as well as river and lake access.