Striving to Serve: Parks and Recreation Providers’ Responsibilities and Challenges in Rural Communities

Abstract

Parks and recreation opportunities are critical to the health and well-being of residents, communities, and the environment and further improve the quality of life. However, previous research has predominantly examined parks and recreation within urban contexts, leaving an incomplete understanding of how rural agencies function under conditions of limited resources, sparse populations, and socioeconomic inequities. Therefore, this study examines the roles, responsibilities, and challenges of delivering parks and recreation services in rural communities, focusing on South Dakota. Data were collected from 119 municipal parks and recreation service providers representing communities of fewer than 500, 500–4,999, and 5,000 or more residents.

Using an online and mail-based survey, participants rated their perceptions of service importance, responsibilities, and challenges. Exploratory factor analyses identified five responsibility dimensions, including health and well-being, community growth, conservation and recreation, maintenance, and property value. and three challenge dimensions, including operation and budget, improvement and promotion, and staffing and public awareness. A series of MANOVAs were used to compare these responsibilities and challenges with various community characteristics, such as population size, staffing, and budget changes.

Results indicated that larger municipalities offered more diverse programs, had stronger partnerships, and secured more external funding, while smaller communities faced greater resource constraints. Having a dedicated parks and recreation professional was linked to higher recognition of health, community growth, and conservation responsibilities. However, budget fluctuations did not significantly alter perceived challenges, pointing to deep-rooted financial and organizational limitations. These findings highlight the need for targeted policies, collaborative approaches, and workforce development initiatives to ensure equitable access to parks and recreation in rural areas. This research offers valuable insights into how rural municipalities can address resource constraints to enhance public health, social cohesion, and quality of life while also revealing critical disparities that affect program offerings, facility maintenance, and ongoing community engagement statewide.