As we move into the summer months, a time for outdoor celebrations and family togetherness, we have occasion to consider how our community programs compare to the offerings of other communities. For the sake of perspective, review the following list of community program resources to see how you measure up.

• Read through the Davenport, Iowa’s Program Excellence Awards Nomination Form for information on how the city was able to engage local youths in the summer months.
• Kill two birds with one stone, like the City of Germantown, Tennessee did when it developed a working suburban farm to help sustain the community.
• The County of Mayo, Ireland took advantage of its bountiful natural resources to become one of the nation’s longest off-road trail.  Learn about their successes in this case study.
• The City of Durham, North Carolina serves its community, inclusively, by ensuring accessibility in its parks. Read about their efforts in “Accessible Skate Park and Other ADA Success Stories.”
  
  

Take some time to think about all that you have learned in reviewing these resources. Can you improve your community’s community programming offerings? Share your thoughts and stories about in the comments section below; and be sure to check out the Parks and Recreation and Community Relations topic pages.

Aloha,

James Davidson

James Davidson is an intern for ICMA’s Knowledge Network. You can reach him for questions and comments at jdavidson@icma.org.