Community Connections

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

Community Connections is a long-term initiative aimed at equal representation and inclusion of minority populations as customers, park users, and park supporters. It is part philosophy, part policy, part listening post, and part marketing strategy. It is the Fairfax County Park Authority’s answer to understanding and managing the change that comes with a population that’s increasingly diverse. Implemented in 2006, Community Connections’ first year was spent listening and building relationships, trust, and credibility with the diverse populations that grew at triple the rate of the overall county between 1990 and 2006. Lines of communication opened, leading to knowledge of needs and preferences. Partnerships were established to stretch resources, and leaders and organizations based in diverse communities were involved in developing programs targeted to their communities.