Parks and Recreation Month | Where You Belong 

Celebrating the many ways park and recreation fosters a sense of belonging

• Welcoming and inclusive programs
• Essential services for all ages and abilities
• Safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connection

This July let’s unite and share the many reasons why local parks and recreation truly embodies the essence of belonging.

Meet Our Team

Follow Us @chapelhillparks on Facebook and Instagram all month long in July, and meet many of the members of our parks and recreation team.

Great videos, where we share a little about ourselves, and the programs and facilities where people come together. 

We want to see how you’re celebrating, too. Share your photos and videos using the hashtags #WhereYouBelong and #ParkAndRecMonth2024

Parks and Recreation Professionals Day on July 19

Can we get a round of applause? Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation wouldn’t be the wonderful resource it is without our incredible staff! We are so thankful for the team we’ve built and the passion that drives their work forward every day.

More than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals, along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers ... maintain our local, state, and community parks.

You're Invited to a Park Facility Tour 

Sunday, July 14, 1-4pm | Hargraves Community Center Park  (departure location)

You're invited to join us on a unique opportunity to tour many of our Parks and Recreation facilities. 

We’re planning a tour by bus that’ll start at Hargraves Community Center and make stops at the newly remodeled Teen Center, Pritchard Park, Chapel Hill Community Center, and Community Clay Studio. Homestead Aquatic Center, Cedar Falls Park, and Umstead Park. 

We'll hear from our staff at various facilities along the way.   

To help us plan, please RSVP with this easy sign-up form.

The tour will provide lots of great information about our parks and recreation facilities and allows members of our community to interact together with our staff.

NRPA Park and Recreation Month Key Messages

According to a 2023 NRPA Park Pulse poll, nearly nine in 10 U.S. adults look to their local park and recreation agency to take the necessary steps to make sure everyone in their community feels welcome. 

Since 1985, people in the U.S. have celebrated Parks and Recreation Month in July.

More than 280 million people in the United States have visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the past year.

In the United States, 84 percent of adults seek high-quality parks and recreation when choosing a place to live.

More than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals, along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers ... maintain our local, state, and community parks.

Health and Wellbeing

Parks and recreation encourages physical activity by providing space for popular sports, hiking trails, swimming pools, and many other activities designed to promote active lifestyles.

In the United States, 92 percent of adults say they experience a positive mental health boost after spending time at their local parks.

Environmental Resilience

Parks and recreation encourages physical activity by providing space for popular sports, hiking trails, swimming pools and many other activities designed to promote active lifestyles.

Parks lower ground temperatures with tree canopy, clean water, reduce flooding, and contribute to healthier air.

The most common park and recreation agency sustainability actions are planting trees, transitioning to native and climate-adaptable plants and trees; and updating and retrofitting buildings and other park infrastructure.

Economic Impact

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.

Economic research has demonstrated consistently that homes and properties located near parklands have higher values than those located farther away. Higher home values not only benefit the owners of these properties, but also add to the tax base of local governments.

Many local park and recreation agencies spur tourism to their respective locales, generating significant economic activity, including (but not limited to) increased sales at local restaurants and hotels.