Role of Park and Recreation Advisory Boards in Developing Social Capital in Mid-Size Midwest Communities.

This paper suggests that park and recreation provisions and programming can be an important generator of social capital, particularly bridging social capital. It is further suggested that the degree to which park and recreation activities create social capital can be strengthened by advocacy from Park and Recreation Boards and that these voluntary citizen advisory boards can influence park and recreation policies in directions favorable to social capital formation. This paper is partly prescriptive, suggesting park and recreation policies that are likely to contribute to the development of social capital in local communities. It also recommends a research agenda, urging further study of the relationship between social capital formation, park and recreation policies and the role of advisory boards in local government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]