HLS 23RS-441 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 41
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHEXNAYDER
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates May 16, 2023, as Parks and Recreation Day
at the state capitol and July 2023 as Parks and Recreation Month in Louisiana
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To designate Tuesday, May 16, 2023, as Parks and Recreation Day at the state capitol and
3 to designate the month of July as Parks and Recreation Month in Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, the National Recreation and Parks Association has announced "Where
5Community Grows" as the 2023 theme of Parks and Recreation Month; and
6 WHEREAS, parks and recreation are essential to communities for health and
7wellness, childhood development, driving economic opportunities, providing space for
8people to connect and socialize, and providing adaptable infrastructure for resiliency in the
9face of natural disasters and climate change; and
10 WHEREAS, local parks departments throughout Louisiana provide families with
11space to gather and make memories, opportunities to introduce Louisiana children to
12different sports and to nature, and other wholesome recreational activities outside of school
13hours and during the summer; and
14 WHEREAS, parks and recreation add to the economic prosperity of communities by
15increasing property values, expanding the local tax base, increasing tourism, attracting and
16retaining businesses, and reducing crime; and
17 WHEREAS, local parks are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our
18communities through conservation of wildlife habitats and nature; parks also provide green
19infrastructure to mitigate the effects of localized flooding in communities; and
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HLS 23RS-441 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, parks across the state provided Louisiana residents with places to
2exercise and enjoy fresh air during the COVID-19 pandemic when Governor John Bel
3Edwards declared such activities essential during the statewide stay-at-home order; and
4 WHEREAS, personnel from local park and recreation departments and agencies from
5all areas of Louisiana come to the capitol to promote the vital assets and services they offer
6to their communities; two park systems in Louisiana are accredited through the National
7Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): New Orleans Recreation Development
8Commission and the capitol region's Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East
9Baton Rouge, known as BREC; less than two percent of park systems in the United States
10receive this accreditation; and
11 WHEREAS, BREC is a 2022 NRPA National Gold Medal Award winning park
12system.
13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
14recognize the great societal value of parks and recreation facilities and programs and their
15importance in local communities across the United States; does hereby recognize and honor
16the vital contributions of employees and volunteers in park and recreation facilities; and does
17hereby designate May 16, 2023, as Parks and Recreation Day at the state capitol and the
18month of July 2023 as Parks and Recreation Month in Louisiana.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
20executive director of Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 41 Original 2023 Regular Session Schexnayder
Designates May 16, 2023, as Parks and Recreation Day at the state capitol and July 2023 as
Parks and Recreation Month in La.
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