Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 66
CHAPTER 131
Relative to “Parks Make Life Better!®” Month.
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Filed with
Secretary of State
August 22, 2023.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 66, Wilson.
“Parks Make Life Better!®” Month.
This measure would recognize the importance of access to local parks, trails, open space, and facilities for the health, wellness, development, inspiration, and safety of all Californians and would declare the month of July 2023 as “Parks Make Life Better!®” Month.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee:
NO WHEREAS, Park and recreation entities, through, among other things, cultural and inclusive program offerings, provide communities of color with the opportunity to explore the past and celebrate the future; and
WHEREAS, Parks build communities by eliminating economic, social, ethnic, and racial barriers through the sharing and experiencing of common spaces at no cost; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreation promote physical, emotional, and mental health and wellness through organized and self-directed fitness, play, and activity and help prevent health problems; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs support the economic vitality of communities by partnering with local businesses and nonprofits and offering events for residents’ engagement; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs create memorable experiences through youth sports and enrichment activities, teen centers and programs, senior activity centers, adult fitness and enrichment programs, free community events, and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs foster social cohesiveness in communities by celebrating diversity, providing spaces to peacefully gather, modeling compassion, promoting social equity, connecting social networks, and ensuring all people have access to those benefits; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs help encourage community cohesion and facilitate the formation of deeper connections with one another; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreation support human development and provide endless learning opportunities that foster social, intellectual, physical, and emotional growth in people of all ages and abilities; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs strengthen community identity by providing facilities and services that reflect and celebrate community character, heritage, culture, history, aesthetics, and landscape; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs facilitate community problem and issue resolution by providing safe spaces to peacefully gather and serve as key points of service, which helps our communities heal both physically and emotionally; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs increase mental and emotional health, as evidenced by studies that have found that individuals living close to parks have lower levels of stress and depression; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreation sustain, and are stewards of, our natural resources by protecting habitats and open space, connecting people to nature, and promoting the ecological function of parkland; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreation emphasize the importance of nature and teaching future generations to value nature and the outdoors as part of their development; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreation support safe, vibrant, attractive, and progressive communities that make life better through positive alternatives offered through recreational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational programs are versatile and innovative in providing vital services to communities through local, national, or global emergencies, while also adhering to guidelines set forth by governing agencies; and
WHEREAS, Parks and recreational facilities provide more affordable options for many communities without easy access to state
parks; and
WHEREAS, The California Park & Recreation Society has released a statewide public awareness campaign, “Parks Make Life Better!®”, to inform the public of the many benefits of using parks, facilities, programs, and services; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the importance of access to local parks, trails, open space, and facilities for the health, wellness, development, inspiration, and safety of all Californians; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature declares the month of July 2023 as “Parks Make Life Better!®” Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.