Many people don’t even know to celebrate parks and recreation month – or they don’t hear about it until it randomly comes up in watercooler talk at the workplace from their most outgoing outdoor enthusiast friends. So, here’s to getting an early start on using Parks and Recreation month as a catalyst for getting more done outside, or picking a new outdoor hobby.
If you didn’t already know: July is Parks and Recreation Month. Furthermore, we celebrate Park and Recreation Professionals Day on Friday, July 21 this year to recognize the brilliant human capital behind the wonderful parks and recreational facilities that we have all enjoyed throughout our lifetimes.
This article will discuss how parks are perfectly poised to position you to pursue plenty of popular pursuits in the hobby space. Say THAT 3 times fast!
How Parks and Recreation Month can be a catalyst for trying out something new
Parks are outfitted to keep visitors engaged, enjoying the outdoors, and in a relaxing setting compared to most landscapes the mainstream public are usually engaged in. That is to say: they’re more inviting, and they are thoughtfully designed to help you do something different than the Monday through Friday grind.
We’re working with thousands of parks, municipalities, agencies, and other organizations to outfit parks and recreational facilities with the world class outdoor furniture that we design and manufacture – if you’re not familiar with the catalog of picnic tables, park furniture and other outdoor amenities that we offer, we’d love to have you take a look. (We also sell our commercial quality outdoor furniture to residential customers).
But this article is meant as a resource for helping you understand why we’re so passionate about Parks and Recreation Month, and all of our fantastic clients that help promote healthy, active lifestyles with beautiful public spaces in the outdoors.
So let’s show you why parks are so well-positioned to help you find a new hobby.
Why a new hobby might be just what you need right now
After an awkward few years with the pandemic and economic changes, work/life changes, and all kinds of new things we all think about – it may be a perfect time to find something new and fun to keep your stress levels low, and help you reconnect with family, friends and connecting with new people. Outdoor hobbies offer just the right mix of recreation, exercise and social interaction to be a fantastic balance. And everything feels better in the sun! It’s Summertime, and it’s time to get out and do things.
But it’s not just about being active, or getting outdoors. We believe that a fundamental shift in how people view quality of life in relation to historical work and “duties” has changed a lot over the past few years. And everyone has different ideas, preferences and desires. So a new hobby might mean dominoes in the park – as a newbie just looking for some new friends, or it might mean taking up trail riding on that new bike you haven’t yet put into regular service.
Whatever you choose – the hobby is likely to help you feel less anxiety, more engaged and better equipped to handle whatever life throws at you. Even if anxiety and stress aren’t big issues for your day-to-day life. Hobbies have a tendency to help us do everything better. The engagement and social aspects of hobbies are usually super helpful in connecting us more fully to our community. Which itself, is a core tenet of what we celebrate in Parks and Recreation Month.
Some new hobbies have a low barrier to entry and are still incredibly rewarding
Some new hobbies are super easy to get into. Sure, you’re probably reading this and saying: I already have lots of toys, and hobbies and pastimes that I regularly engage in; why would I need another thing to do? But sometimes a simple, casual interaction and a little bit of fun is what it’s all about. It doesn’t have to be too serious. Anything that gets you out and having more fun is a great thing!
A lot of the parks we work with are full-fledged theme parks, like waterparks, and amusement parks – you can take up the hobby of enjoying a day here and there in a place optimized for adventure and relaxation with integrated food, fun and family.
Or it could be as simple as playing cornhole or horseshoes at the local park. Many parks in your community are embracing the huge growth in interest in professional (and casual) cornhole competitions, and have spaces dedicated to it.
We like sometimes just enjoying the sunset sitting on a swinging bench, or having a BBQ with friends and family beachside or in the park at a comfortable picnic table.
Feel a little more adventurous? Here are some more hardcore hobby ideas:
And it’s OK too, if you decide on a hobby that is a little more serious. A new serious hobby might be in your future and maybe even a long time coming. Like off-road bike riding, or kayaking, or trail running, or fishing for trophy largemouth bass.
Just because these hobbies take a bit of money, and some work fine tuning technique, and planning for optimal outcomes more than a casual game of cornhole or sitting on a swing bench watching the sunset, doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring. Just do your own research to figure out if you’re wanting to commit your time and energy to a less casual hobby.
You might find that returning to your college sports obsession, to the tennis or racquetball, or volleyball courts, is just what you’ve been missing lately.
We have parks and recreational facilities that we work with all the time that cater to these types of hobbies – and they build amazing spaces to help you enjoy the hobby you love.
Premier Polysteel is an advocate for anything parks and Rec Related – we love to engage with outdoor enthusiasts
We’re super proud of the projects we’ve been a part of in the past. We’re humbled by the beautiful spaces that our clientele build and the wonderful adventures and memories created in those spaces.
We’re really excited to see each year as we attend trade shows and other events for the Parks and Recreational community – the new and amazing ideas that are gaining traction.
We love to honor the ingenuity, creativity, and balance that the professionals who work in this industry put into their work. We encourage you to thank those people you know in this profession on the 21st of July this year (or any day really) for their contributions. They’ll be touched – we are sure!
And if you are a procurement specialist, a designer for recreational spaces or parks, a builder, an architect or a team member engaged in servicing and building outdoor spaces, we’d love to show you what we can do to help you do your best work. We’d love to hear from you.
