Recreation & Parks News

Massachusetts Recreation & Parks Association Members Go “Back to School” During the 30th Annual Conference in Amherst

Landscape Structures Inc., a Delano, Minn.-based commercial playground equipment manufacturer, along with its Massachusetts playground consultants, M.E. O’Brien & Sons, Inc., will exhibit at the 30th Annual Massachusetts Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) Conference, taking place from March 10-12 in Amherst. The Conference will feature Fran Mainella, co-chair of the U.S. Play Coalition steering committee, visiting scholar at Clemson University, and Former National Park Service Director. This learning experience was made possible through the 2014-2015 State Association Speaker Scholarship program from Landscape Structures.

Mainella will present two 70-minute sessions on Wednesday, March 11, at 11:20 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Room 162. The first session is focused on how parks and recreation build community through leadership, during which she’ll discuss the 3Cs of leadership and share her experiences as the first woman to head the national park system. During her second session, Mainella will discuss the current trends in society, parks, and recreation, and the implications for all professionals and interested citizens.

In addition to hearing from Mainella, Landscape Structures Regional Sales Manager Mike Fingeroth will present a session on designing fitness-focused playgrounds on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. Later that afternoon, attendees can visit M.E. O’Brien & Sons and Landscape Structures in the exhibit hall to learn about the newest playground innovations, including new nature-inspired colors, the Canyon Collection™, and the refreshed design of the HealthBeat® outdoor fitness system.