{"id":3021,"date":"2026-11-04T15:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T20:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/assetworks2stg.wpengine.com\/eam\/?p=3021"},"modified":"2026-11-04T15:49:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T20:49:26","slug":"people-are-living-longer-can-your-parks-keep-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.assetworks.com\/eam\/blog\/people-are-living-longer-can-your-parks-keep-up\/","title":{"rendered":"People Are Living Longer. Can Your Parks Keep Up?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3021\" class=\"elementor elementor-3021\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a065fe e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8a065fe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ea20ce elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ea20ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A retired schoolteacher walks the same two-mile loop every morning. It\u2019s the best thing she does for her health, and her doctor knows it. Then the bench at the halfway point cracks and gets pulled. A few weeks later the trailhead restroom is closed for repairs, with no reopening date posted. She starts doing the short loop instead. Eventually she stops coming.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nobody cancelled a wellness program. A couple of assets just wore out.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That small story is going to play out in a lot of communities over the next decade, because two trends are colliding: people are living longer and leaning on parks to stay well, and the infrastructure they depend on is getting older too.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e8917f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6e8917f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The people side of the equation <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2809214 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2809214\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The demographic shift is no longer a forecast. A Stateline analysis of Census Bureau estimates found that 11 states now have more residents over 65 than under 18, up from four in 2020. The national median age hit a record 39.1 in 2024.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Park and recreation agencies have already stepped into this. NRPA\u2019s Park Pulse found that 92% of U.S. adults look to their local park and recreation agency to provide activities for older adults, and 77% of agencies offer programs specifically for them. NRPA\u2019s Healthy Aging Framework, supported by the RRF Foundation for Aging, frames well-being across seven dimensions, from physical and social to environmental and economic.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So the vision is in place. Parks as a wellbeing ecosystem for people living longer is a real strategy, with real programming behind it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The question is whether the physical system underneath that strategy is built to last as long as the people using it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef6aba2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ef6aba2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The asset side of the equation <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-396eee3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"396eee3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The answer, for many agencies, is <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">not yet<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ASCE\u2019s 2025 Infrastructure Report Card gave public parks a C-. That\u2019s an improvement from a D+ in 2021, but the details are sobering. Deferred maintenance at state parks rose from $6.5 billion in 2021 to $15.9 billion in 2024. For city parks, a 2022 estimate put the backlog at $65 billion, and that only covers the 100 most populous cities. ASCE also notes that city park maintenance data is \u201cextremely limited.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That last point matters as much as the dollar figures. Plenty of agencies can\u2019t say with confidence what condition their trails, restrooms and courts are in today, let alone what they\u2019ll look like in ten years.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Meanwhile, the amenities residents value most are exactly the ones that age quietly. In a recent NRPA poll, the public\u2019s top three park amenities were seating and shade, open green space, and trails. None of those make headlines when they\u2019re working. All of them change behavior when they\u2019re not.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5232d5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5232d5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why aging assets belong in the wellness story <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2b1562 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b2b1562\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For an older adult, small infrastructure details decide whether a park visit happens at all.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A restroom that\u2019s reliably open often determines how far from home someone is willing to go.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A heaved trail joint or a cracked court surface is a trip hazard, and a fall can end an active routine for months.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A bench every quarter mile turns a walk that\u2019s \u201ctoo long\u201d into one that\u2019s doable.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lighting and shade decide what hours of the day a space is usable.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When those assets fail, the impact shows up in participation, not in a work order. That\u2019s why condition and lifecycle planning deserve a seat at the same table as programming. If an agency is promising healthy aging, the maintenance plan is part of that promise.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-121a8d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"121a8d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Treat condition data like health data<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1427f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e1427f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The good news is that this is a solvable problem, and agencies don\u2019t need a perfect dataset to start.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Know what\u2019s out there.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> An inventory of the assets that support older adult use (trails, restrooms, seating, courts, lighting, parking near entrances) is the foundation. GIS helps a lot here. ASCE points to state park systems already using GIS to track assets and infrastructure needs.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rate condition on a regular cycle.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Even a simple 1-to-5 scale, applied consistently, beats a perfect assessment done once every eight years. Field crews already see this every day. The trick is making it easy for them to capture what they see on a phone, in the moment, instead of trying to remember it back at the shop.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Prioritize by who uses it.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> A worn-out restroom at a trailhead with 200 daily walkers is a different priority than one at a lightly used corner of a park. Connecting condition data with usage (counts, program enrollment, reservation data) turns a repair list into a ranked plan.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Plan replacement before failure.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Every asset has an expected life. Trails, restrooms and court surfaces can be forecast years ahead, which means budget requests can be, too. Running to failure is the most expensive way to manage a park, and the hardest on the people using it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tell the budget story in human terms.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u201cReplace restroom building, $180,000\u201d is easy to defer. \u201cKeep the trailhead open for the 200 older adults who walk there every morning\u201d is a lot harder to cut. The data behind both sentences is the same. The second one is the one council members remember.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60d658e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"60d658e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Design for the long haul <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2158af3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2158af3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When an asset does come up for replacement, it\u2019s a chance to build for the next 30 years of users, not the last 30.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That might mean firmer, smoother trail surfaces, more frequent seating, family and adult changing restrooms, or better lighting along the routes people walk most. At NCOA\u2019s 2025 Age &amp; Action Conference, architects Chris Wante and Doug Gallow made the case for involving older adults directly in senior center design, with flexible, accessible spaces that adapt as programs change. That same principle applies outdoors. The people walking the loop every morning know exactly which bench is wobbly and which restroom is always locked. Ask them.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f217d17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f217d17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A practical place to start <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54c1d51 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54c1d51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Agencies don\u2019t have to tackle the whole system at once. Pick one heavily used corridor, like a popular loop trail and its trailhead, and treat it as a pilot:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ol><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inventory every asset along it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rate condition and note who uses it and when.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Set a target level of service (for example, restroom open and clean during posted hours, no trip hazards over a set height).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Build a five-year replacement forecast for that corridor.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Share the results with your aging services partners and your council.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One well-documented corridor makes a far better case than a systemwide estimate nobody trusts.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Parks are already part of how communities help people live longer, healthier lives. The trails, courts and restrooms that make that possible need the same long-term thinking. Which asset in your system do your older residents depend on most, and do you know what condition it\u2019s in today?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7286c66 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7286c66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fill out the form below to see how AssetWorks can help your agency build a more proactive approach to managing park and recreation assets.<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A retired schoolteacher walks the same two-mile loop every morning. It\u2019s the best thing she does for her health, and her doctor knows it. Then the bench at the halfway point cracks and gets pulled. A few weeks later the trailhead restroom is closed for repairs, with no reopening date posted. She starts doing the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"post_folder":[33],"class_list":["post-3021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>People Are Living Longer. Can Your Parks Keep Up?\u00a0 - Enterprise Asset Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As communities age, parks play a vital role in health and wellness. Learn how asset management helps keep trails, restrooms, and amenities safe and accessible.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.assetworks.com\/eam\/blog\/people-are-living-longer-can-your-parks-keep-up\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"People Are Living Longer. Can Your Parks Keep Up?\u00a0 - Enterprise Asset Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As communities age, parks play a vital role in health and wellness. 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