As Director and on behalf of my staff, welcome to our Spring/Summer brochure. As the spring weather begins to emerge, I encourage you to take a moment to look through this publication, but more importantly to take advantage of the many recreational opportunities that are available through your Parks and Recreation Department.
As part of my message, I would like to focus on a few of the well documented social benefits of parks and recreation. Parks and recreation is essential in strengthening and maintaining a more livable community. Recreation brings neighbors together, encourages safer, cleaner neighborhoods and creates a livelier, more vibrant community atmosphere. In addition, we know that parks
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Spring/Summer 2012 Guide |
and other recreational facilities help improve the image of Pocatello and enhance our area's desirability. The addition of Brooklyn's Playground, thanks to the efforts of Valley Pride and the whole community, is certainly a testimonial to such benefits in our community.
Also, families that recreate together
tend to be closer and
more cohesive, as well as having
a greater chance of staying
together. By participating in
such activities together, family
members elicit feelings of loyalty,
trust, harmony, teamwork and
good will. Many families use recreation
as a way to form bonds
and transfer important values to
children.
And finally, as studies have documented,
parks and recreation
programs can do much to reduce
juvenile delinquency and crime
in a community. Recreation can
provide safe, developmental opportunities
for kids, keeping them
from being bored and keeping
them out of trouble. Statistics suggest that it costs approximately
$30,000 to incarcerate a juvenile
offender for one year. If that
money was available this summer,
we could: Take him swimming
at Ross Park pool three
times per week for 14 weeks, and
visit the Pocatello Zoo 2 times
per week for 10 weeks, and participate
in the five summer Fun
Runs, and take 2 weeks of rock
climbing classes, and go on a 4
day rafting trip, and play golf every
day at our municipal courses,
and visit Fort Hall Replica with
his family...
After which, we could return
$29,188 and one much happier,
healthier kid.
Sincerely,
Jerry Sepich, CPRP
Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Pocatello
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