One of the highest priorities for our community in my view is to expand and enhance our parks and recreation systems for the health and wellbeing of our children and families.  This has become even more critical given the gravitation to remote learning and working over the past year.  Getting outdoors and being active is extremely important for mental and physical health, and research has shown that students perform better scholastically when their days include time for recreation.

Recent studies performed by UNICEF, the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and sporting marketing surveys have revealed some startling statistics:

• The United States ranks last – 38^th out of 38 rich countries in the physical health of our children, and 32^nd out of 38 countries in mental health and wellbeing
• Children in the United States ranked 47^th out of 50 countries in fitness
• Ninety-three percent of children in the United States are not active according to CDC physical activity standards
• Sixty-two percent of all children in America cannot afford to play sports
• Inactivity leading to major physical and mental health issues is dramatically higher in low-income families

We can help change these statistics for the better by getting the word out about Palm Beach County's award-winning Parks & Recreation Department facilities and programs.  The County operates 110 parks and recreation facilities, including athletic facilities, campsites, trails and beaches, as well as two water parks.  These parks include more than 8,000 acres of land for residents and visitors to explore, offering more than 50 miles of trails.

The county expands its reach in offering programs accessible to all residents through public/private partnerships with nearly 500 teams, leagues, service clubs, agencies, homeowner associations, neighborhood groups, schools, companies and non-profit organizations.  Whether you are interested in having your child play in a league sport, enroll in a summer camp, or just increase their time outdoors, there are a wide array of options in our community.

Here are just a few of the exciting happenings in Palm Beach County parks in District 1:

• The Gardens North County District Park is meeting the need for additional multi-purpose fields for soccer and other field sports.  A partnership of the City of Palm Beach Gardens with Palm Beach County brought this to fruition.  Phase 2 of the project will include a state-of-the-art indoor recreation facility and will be constructed through a public/private partnership between the City, the County and a not-for-profit foundation.
• Limestone Creek Park, one of our oldest neighborhood parks, just received a basketball court expansion with new backboards.  Resident input will help finalize plans for native landscaping.
• West Jupiter Recreation Center plans to host JTAA basketball and volleyball youth sports programs this winter with additional COVID-19 protocols in place.
• North County Aquatic Complex has worked closely with youth swim and dive teams, master swimmers, water aerobics and public participants to allow safe continued activity at the pool, allowing for fitness and achievement in aquatic sports.
• Carlin Park is a great place to visit the beach, play some tennis, or have a small family picnic, and now offers a free, new “Functional Fitness" program outdoors for adults & seniors.  See the calendar and register at this site
• Infrastructure Sales Surtax dollars funded a recent renovation of Juno Park's playground on Ellison Wilson Road.
• Small groups of volunteers are getting outdoors to help clean our County public park beaches with an eye toward eliminating discarded plastics that wash shore, contributing to a healthy environment while enhancing their own physical fitness.  Friends of Jupiter Beach has regularly scheduled small group clean-ups for youth, family and individual participation.  You can obtain more information at https://friendsofjupiterbeach.org/.
• County Parks' staff have produced several videos for you to enjoy at home, featuring yoga, animal encounters, workouts, DIY activities and more.  Check out all the videos on PBC Parks TV [youtube.com].

As an athlete since my youth and a professional golfer, I know first-hand how physical activity enriches our health, our quality of life and stimulates learning, and I look forward to developing additional programs to help our children, families and seniors stay active.

Please contact me with your ideas and let me know how I can assist you.   You can reach me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.