Kingsport celebrates July as Park and Recreation Month

Kingsport’s Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of athletic programs and events throughout the year to ensure the health and improve the quality of life for all citizens within the greater Kingsport area.

To help bring attention to the importance of these programs and events, Mayor Pat Shull has proclaimed July as Park and Recreation Month in the City of Kingsport. Shull read the proclamation during an event Wednesday afternoon at Ridgefields Park.

“We encourage citizens to recognize the benefits derived from parks and recreation resources and to support efforts to preserve and enhance our local parks and recreation services,” Shull said.

Park and Recreation Month is an initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) – the leading non-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation.

According to a study conducted by the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University and NRPA, local park and recreation agencies in the U.S. generated more than $166 billion in economic activity and supported more than 1 million jobs from their operations and capital spending alone in 2017.

The more than 10,000 local park and recreation agencies across the U.S. employ more than 165,000 full-time and hundreds of thousands part-time and seasonal park and recreation professionals.

For more information about Kingsport’s Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.