Op Editorial by Dennis Perkins, First Ward Candidate

This opinion piece was written and submitted by Dennis Perkins, First Ward candidate for the Democratic Party in Danbury.

Opinion

Tarrywile for Children and Families

Children in the U.S. currently spend a paltry 4-7 minutes per weekday outdoors. We can all bet that this number is near zero for most adults in our community as a lack of resources and the stress that comes with today’s economic realities has us all running harder and faster to keep up with our demands. Childhood obesity rates in the U.S. are among the highest in the world (from the new book “Parenting Without Borders” by Christine Gross-Loh). Diabetes now impacts American adults and children alike. One well-known reason for obesity and diabetes is a lack of availability for consistent, low-cost options for exercise and outdoor activity.

Tarrywile Park is simultaneously Danbury’s most precious and most underutilized natural resource. Nestled on 700 acres of open space and adjacent to downtown Danbury, the park offers miles and miles of possibilities for outdoor exercise and family recreation free of charge. Tarrywile Park also cuts across the First Ward of Danbury. As the City Council candidate for the First Ward, I would make it a priority to ensure that our fine city focuses on opening Tarrywile for all Danbury youth and families.

The benefits of outdoor activities are simply remarkable. We engage all our senses, flex more groups of muscles and engage our minds on the natural world around us. Moreover, all volunteers from recent studies on the benefits of exercising outdoors reported “enjoying the outside activity more and, on subsequent psychological tests, scored significantly higher on measures of vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure and self-esteem and lower on tension, depression and fatigue after they walked outside.” (“The Benefits of Exercising Outdoors” by Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times Blog, February 21, 2013). Most importantly, being outdoors allows us to connect with nature, unplug, unwind and spend time remembering each other.

In 2004, the Tarrywile Park Authority developed a comprehensive Master Plan that was adopted by the City of Danbury promising to “promote the preservation of historic sites and structures, to provide passive recreational opportunities and appropriate community activities, and to protect the environment and promote a greater appreciation of natural resources” (http://www.danbury-ct.gov/content/21015/21035/22766/23482/default.aspx)

Yet one glance at the community calendar of Tarrywile Park proves that it is currently used by only a small group of community members providing programming on their own (see http://tarrywile.com/events). Danbury and Immaculate High Schools as well as Western Connecticut State University only use the park on a limited-basis. Activities for elementary and junior high school students between the crucial developmental years of ages 5 to 15 are notably missing. As a City Councilmember, I would work with the Tarrywile Park Authority, the non-profit volunteer group Friends of Tarrywile, and the Danbury schools to ensure that this resource goes unused no more.

As a City Councilmember, I would think creatively about ways to promote and fund these efforts. For instance, I would suggest connecting the Tarrywile Park Authority with the great educational resources in our city. Western Connecticut State University could be asked to establish internships or thesis projects focusing on developing and supporting the park’s educational programming, such as creating nature hikes that educate about local plants and wild life and teach about environmental sustainability.

I would encourage the coordination of Friends of Tarrywile  with the Danbury Public School System. For example, studies show that peer-to-peer education is a very effective model for encouraging engagement among youth. Friends of Tarrywile and the area schools could create voluntary, youth-led after-school environmental educational headed by junior high and high school youth for K-12 students in Danbury.

I would also explore creating a Parks Outreach and Educational Coordinator to improve the environmental education and program coordination between Tarrywile Park and the Danbury Public School system, focusing on both curricular and after-school programming. I would also work with other departments in the city to encourage the development of a family-friendly area of the park for young children and families to spend time in activities together. Through these efforts, new generations would learn about environmental sustainability, the history of the park and of Danbury, and the great benefits of outdoor exercise.

Encouraging healthy, engaged youth and families would dramatically improve the quality of life in our community. I am running for City Council in the First Ward to ensure that our community assets are leveraged to support all youth and families in Danbury. I seek your support in November to ensure that the promise of Tarrywile Park as a hub of community and recreation be realized for generations to come as the jewel of Danbury.

Dennis Perkins

Candidate for Danbury City Council, First Ward