Getting Out in Nature with Kids with Jana Cunningham

Join us this week as we talk to Salt Lake City Public Lands Communications Manager, Jana Cunningham, about what she does to get her kids out in nature. The episode is full of fun recommendations, tips/tricks, and more!

Kick off the summer with your family at Children's Day on June 6 from 11 a.m. -  2 p.m. at Meadows Community Park. You wont want to miss it!

Transcript

Kim Davison 0:10

Hi everyone, I'm Kim,

Finola McDonald 0:12

and I'm Finola.

BOTH 0:13

Welcome to the Public Lands Podcast.

Kim Davison 0:17 Kim Davison 0:17

Okay, we are so excited to welcome today's guest, Jana Cunningham. Jana is the communications manager for Salt Lake City Public Lands. Before this role, she worked as the Director of Communications for the College of Humanities at the University of Utah.

Finola McDonald 0:30 Finola McDonald 0:30

We work very closely with Jana because she's our boss and she's a great boss who gives us a lot of opportunities to try new things and be very creative in our roles, which we so appreciate. So really everyone can thank Jana for the Public Lands podcast coming to life.

BOTH 0:45

Welcome, Jana. Welcome.

Jana Cunningham 0:46

Thank you. First of all, I have to say, no one can thank me for the podcast. I do approximately 0% of the work. Y ou have final approval. You do such an awesome job. And so it's so cool to see how the podcasts have been coming out so well.

Kim Davison 1:01

Thank you. We're excited to have you as a guest because you kind of were there for the inception of this. So we love it.

Jana Cunningham 1:08

Perfect. Perfect.

Finola McDonald 1:10

Okay, before we get into the topic um of the episode today, we'd love to hear more about you. So more about your journey with public lands. Where were you before this? Your comms career. Are you from Salt Lake? What about public lands kind of drew you in to work here?

Jana Cunningham 1:26

Okay, so I am from Salt Lake. I grew up in Cottonwood Heights. So um, and I went to the University of Utah. I worked at the University of Utah, so I've kind of been in Salt Lake and right here in the city for a really long time. Um as far as my career, I graduate after I graduated from college, I didn't really know kind of I graduated with a public relations degree, um, which I don't even have now, it's communications, but um I didn't really know where I wanted my career to go. Um, but I was really drawn to the public sector simply because they had it aligned well with my values, and I could really f see myself in their missions, and so I really started gravitating toward the public sector. And I got my first comms job um with Utah Symphony and Opera, which was an amazing first experience. Um, I was really passionate about the arts growing up, and so it was really uh uh relevant to um what I was hoping for. And then I moved up to the University of Utah, which also really aligned with kind of my values and passions, is that I loved higher education. I loved my time at the University of Utah. I'm a strong advocate for higher education, um especially holistic higher education. And so I got up, I went up to the University of Utah, have a f had a few roles up there. I worked at the Moran ICenter, I worked at Central Communications, and then I also oversaw communications at the Department of Humanities or the College of Humanities, which is a really great experience. I loved higher education, and then it it came time to move on, and I kind of wanted to start broadening my horizons. I had been up at the U for about 12 years and I wanted kind of a different experience. And so when I saw the job posting for public lands, that really aligned well with kind of where I am in my life right now, is in like having kids and being very active in parks and public spaces simply to get kids out in outside and out in nature. And so that's kind of where I fell, and that's um what I have really enjoyed so much about the Department of Public Lands is everyone's passion here for outdoor spaces and for the public spaces in the city.

Kim Davison 3:38

Yeah, well, and we are selfishly very happy that you made that switch because you've helped, I think, build a really robust communications team for the public lands department, and so now we're really able to help tell the story effectively, which everybody who's on the podcast just seems to appreciate.

Jana Cunningham 3:54

So we have we have an excellent, excellent team, and I've been really excited about kind of the direction we have been going, and everyone is so um, I think, skilled in what they do and their roles. So we're very lucky.

Finola McDonald 4:07

Well, and so you've been here for about a year, right? The Department of Public Lands. So in that year, what are some of your favorite projects that you've worked on?

Jana Cunningham 4:15

So one of them that always comes to mind is uh the Jefferson Playground, the Jefferson Park Playground. And it's kind of it's interesting because it's probably the smallest project communications-wise that I've um have worked on. So we have opened Glendale Park, we have done, you know, press conferences for Pioneer Park, and we for pickleball, I mean the pickleball grand opening at Glendale Regional was wild and so much fun. Um, but I would say the opening for the playground at Jefferson Park was my absolute favorite project. So when the park opened, it got done really quickly and it was way ahead of schedule. And so the planner came to me and said, We're opening this park within a week. And I said, There is no way, not just the park, it was specifically the playground. Jefferson Park is still going to be undergoing improvements through the GOBond. But the playground was finished and it was way ahead of schedule, and I was like, we don't have time to put together a press conference. Like we had, I think this was on a Monday, and they were taking the fencing down on Friday. And I was like, there is no time. And I kind of had said to the project manager, there's just really nothing we can do. Just open the park, and we'll just, you know, make an announcement on um social media. And then I was thinking about it and I was like, we really should do something about this playground. It's a really cool playground. The surrounding community really deserves kind of a celebratory um opening for this space. The Jefferson Park is really surrounded by a lot of housing developments, a lot of um families who don't necessarily have backyards. And so I thought it would be important to open something for Jefferson Park. And so we quickly threw together kind of our the vibe was like kids' birthday party. And so we got face painting, we got a uh balloon artist, we had cupcakes. Like I ran to Target and got a bunch of cupcakes and drinks and like juice boxes, and we tied a giant red ribbon around the entire play structure. And probably, I mean, Fanola, you were there, 30 minutes, even about 30 minutes before we opened, tons of kids just started coming. And they were so excited, and they were just running around, but we wouldn't let them get on the play structure yet because we're like, the red ribbon's up, you have to wait, you have to wait until we can cut the ribbon. And so finally we kind of let them gather around and cut the ribbon with us, and they were so excited, and we had so many kids, and they were like running and screaming and jumping all over this playground. And as I was kind of like standing under the canopy, this little boy, and you know, not even little, I mean, he was probably 10 or 11, like standing there with his little balloon animal and his face painted all crazy, and he like screams, this is the best day of my life. And I was like, Oh, and we didn't do a press conference, we had no media there, but we had tons of community, and it was really a moment of like, this is why I love public lands. This is why we do what we do, to have an impact on people, to provide spaces where community can gather, to provide spaces where, you know, maybe kids who don't have a backyard can come and play in this open space, or just have a really great fun gathering space, and it was such like a fun um celebration, and that is like the moment where I was like, Oh, I just love Jefferson Park and I love public lands, and so it was a really impactful moment for me in my career.

Finola McDonald 7:39

Yeah. Oh, sorry. I was gonna say I remember that, and there's this one clip that I have that I recorded of um Makayla like cutting the ribbon with the kids and the look on those kids' faces. So when that ribbon came down and they like stormed that playground, you can see how how much it means to them. It was it was amazing.

Jana Cunningham 8:00

We were really expecting like I we thought we'd be successful if we had like 15 kids. And we probably had 50 kids plus their parents, we had tons of people. We ran out of food and drinks like pretty early, but they stayed and had so much fun, and it was just such a wonderful event. And I was so happy that we at the last minute we're like, we gotta do something for these kids. We're gonna have a celebration and we're gonna open this playground for them. And so it was really fun and really um a wonderful moment.

Finola McDonald 8:27

It was, yeah.

Kim Davison 8:28

And I think it's been really smart that you've kind of pushed this idea that people can be the first to play on this playground as kind of a way to draw people in. That's really exciting. That like they'll think back years from now, like I got to play on, and it just is really meaningful again for those people who live in the community.

Jana Cunningham 8:45

And I will say really quickly, that first to play idea came from Ashlyn Larson, who works on our channel. Oh my gosh, she was the one who came up with that, so I want to give her credit.

Finola McDonald 8:52

Ashlyn, we'll get Ashlyn on the podcast soon.

Kim Davison 8:55

Absolutely. Oh, I love it.

Finola McDonald 8:58

Um, okay, so you have two kids of your own, Jana, um, who you bring outdoors parks um in Salt Lake, out of Salt Lake. Is this something that they've always loved doing, being outside? And is it something that you've always implemented for them to bring them to these public spaces?

Jana Cunningham 9:15

Yeah, you know, I think as a parent, taking kids to the playground has just kind of been a default of mine. Of like, so when my first daughter was born, um, I joined kind of like this mom group that met at a park by my house. And that kind of like started. So, like, we started going to this park once a week when she was like, I mean, maybe six months old. And I was like, parks are the best space for play dates, for group gatherings, and then it's always just been default of like we need something to do. We're going to a park, we're gonna find a different park, we're gonna go to a new park, no matter what time of year. We're going to park to get energy out, to play. Like, we don't have like in at our house, we have a backyard, but we don't really utilize it very much. Um, I prefer to walk the kids to a park just for variety and like I don't need to put a playground in my backyard. We'll just walk to we'll just walk to the park and there's bacon play there. And so that's always just been a default. Even when we travel, we'll look at um parks to to visit while we're there because they're free and they're fun and they're different, and there's always a friend to be made there. And so it's they're perfect.

Kim Davison 10:22

I know kids, I'm jealous. Like they're so good at just going into a space and immediately making friends.

Jana Cunningham 10:26

Yes, absolutely. That especially my my son, he's so good at just like inserting himself into a group of kids and just like becoming best friends. Uh-and they they don't know each other's names, they don't know where each other's never see each other. They'll never see each other. It doesn't matter. Those two hours are besties.

Kim Davison 10:44

Oh yeah. So I because you're taking your kids to parks pretty often, are there specific things that you found that your kids really love and are a hit or that you kind of seek out when you're picking a park? Like do you look up amenities beforehand or do you just kind of go and see what they have to offer?

Jana Cunningham 11:02

I wouldn't say a necessary. I mean, I guess sometimes I look up amenities, especially if I'm outside of Salt Lake. Um, I would say I'm pretty familiar with the parks. Yeah, you specifically. Um but mostly what I'm looking for are amenities that are gonna keep them engaged for extended periods of time. Um so for my son, that's gonna be sandboxes. Um, he is absolutely fully obsessed, and he will play in a sandbox for 10,000 hours. Like it is the best. Um, and so the sandboxes like the ones we visit quite frequently, Laird Park, Laird Park has um a lot of toys. The community really um supports that space and provides a lot of toys, so there's always 400 trucks and shovels in that park. Um, but we also like to visit Imperial Park, it has a really big sandbox and Davis Park, which has a smaller sandbox, but uh the community still like comes and brings toys, and so that's a fun one. Um for my daughter, she's a little bit older, she's 10, and so it's starting she's starting to get at that age where she's not so into the playgrounds anymore. Um, but I know if there's a zip line, so like at Glendale, she will be on that sucker forever. And if there's water, she's really into if there's water that she can kind of like get her feet in or splash in or um do whatever that that will keep her engaged for a long time. So those are kind of like right now with the ages of my kids, what we're looking for in a space.

Finola McDonald 12:36

Yeah. That's so sweet that those communities add to the parks themselves with toys and stuff. That's such a sweet little touch.

Jana Cunningham 12:42

Yeah, I have not been to a sandbox yet in in Salt Lake City Parks where um the community hasn't brought in toys for the kids to play with. And I think that's kind of like it doesn't it does not matter the state of the toy. It's a new toy to them at the park. It does not matter if it only has two wheels and it's supposed to have four. Yeah. Like it's still gonna be fun at the play at the sandbox.

Finola McDonald 13:05

So besides sandbox and zip line, or maybe this is the answer to it, but are there things that your kids are loving specifically at the parks right now, or maybe at one park?

Jana Cunningham 13:15

So um we went to Washington Park on Sunday and like they they have a playground, it's great, it's beautiful if you haven't been up there, it's up Emigration Canyon, it's really quiet and beautiful. Um they have because this is the silliest thing, but they have like kind of a a spring drinking fountain. I don't know what if that's what you would call it, but where the water runs continually.

Finola McDonald 13:41

Oh, yeah, like at Liberty. Yeah, it's exactly like at Liberty.

Jana Cunningham 13:44

So they have one up at Washington Park, two hours. My kids sat there and played in this drinking fountain and sprayed each other, and my son ran around in circles with a stick for two hours. So I mean, so sometimes it's like you don't know what amenity is going to perk their interest. You just kind of gotta go and let them kind of like explore the space, and they will find something. Yeah, yeah. And they found this drinking fountain, it was all the rage. I feel like and they still talk about it.

Kim Davison 14:12

Sometimes I feel like kids pick the most unexpected things, like you get them a toy and they play with the box for like 10 hours.

Jana Cunningham 14:18

So, same with that, the stick and the water. It was gold. Yeah. And they keep asking about when we're going back, and I was like, because whenever you want.

Kim Davison 14:25

Yeah. So because your kids do have a fairly big age gap, you kind of talked about it a little bit, but how do you balance that when thinking about how you're going to get outside? You said maybe your daughter likes specific amenities, so you might gear where you go towards that, but as she continues to get older and then your son ages as well. Yeah. How do you think it'll balance that?

Jana Cunningham 14:47

So that's actually um really difficult right now because they do have a big age gap. They're five and ten. And m the five-year-old, literally the absolute perfect age for a playground right now. Like you can take him to any playground and he will have a blast. I think all playgrounds are have in mind a a five-year-old age group. Um at 10, my daughter's kind of like she does not interested in going down a slide. Um so one thing she's interested in is um places where she can climb. Um, she still really likes um swings and like the zip line, but the zip line at Glendale is really the only one in our city parks, I think, um, that it that exists. But what I'm looking for is a playground that can meet each of their needs that has a really wide that kind of attracts a wide variety of ages. And I think um our parks are really moving in that direction because Glendale is a great example of a toddler up through a teenager. Like if you go to Glendale, there will be teenagers swinging on like the bird nest swings. Um, there's something for a really wide variety. There's also like foosball and basketball, right? So it it really uh applies to a lot of ages. I think um the new rotary playground that's um being worked on at Liberty Park right now will be a really strong example of that as well. Um I think um some other projects that are underway uh uh through the GObond are also taking that into consideration. And so that's really something that I look for because I need something that's going to keep the older one engaged because if the five-year-old right now is is really easy. Um but also bringing a friend. If the 10-year-old has a friend, she's good to go.

Kim Davison 16:32

Oh, interesting. Yeah, that kind of changes the whole game.

Jana Cunningham 16:35 Jana Cunningham 16:35

I feel like once you have a friend with you, you can make any game happen. Or they just will like they can just go and explore on their own, or they will like she and her friend can just like sit on the swings and they they're good. Yeah, they're good for the afternoon. Um, so that's kind of kind of where I gravitate when I have to find spaces for both of them.

Finola McDonald 16:55

Yeah, and a place that you're going to enjoy as well. Yeah, right. For sure. Yeah. Do you have any tips for people? You've been bringing your kids to parks um for at least five to ten years.

Jana Cunningham 17:07

So I guess one of my biggest tips is parks are really, especially I mean playgrounds, I'm I'm specifically referring to playgrounds with kids, um they're really a year-round activity. And so I would say like don't be deterred by snow. Or I mean, of course, we're not gonna go when it's heavy rain or heavy snow, but I mean I have pictures of my kids at Wasatch Hollow Park on the swing when this the snow almost came up to the bottom of the swing. Um, I mean, put them in their snowsuits and take them to the playground. I mean, we go to the parks year-round, and so it's also good to know in the summer which parks are shaded and when, because like we I know, like, okay, it's Saturday at 10 o'clock here, the parks we can go to that we need to be gone by noon because it's gonna be too hot. Or which parks have the slides that are facing the sun and they're just gonna be way too hot because there's nothing worse than like amping your kids up to go to the playground and you get to the playground and it's too hot to go down the slide. Um, or you can bring like a water bottle, pour it on the slide and pull it down. I mean, we'll sometimes like bring a towel to like wipe down in the winter, wipe um to to dry off the swings and the slides and stuff. Um but that would be my biggest tip is to year-round. I think when we did the grand opening for Glendale Park, we were kind of hesitant because it was in December and we were like, oh no, you know, it's gonna be so cold. Oh my gosh, it was such it turned out to be a great day. Um that park, I think because of the mild winter, it was perfect to do an opening in the winter. It is has been activated like crazy all winter long. Um and so that that their parks are open every single day. So I mean, know which ones are best in what type of weather and go and go there.

Kim Davison 18:53

Yeah. I think that's such a good tip. My late claim to fame as a child is as a toddler. I was at a park in my snowsuit on the swing, and they put me on the front page of the newspaper because everybody like there's a picture of me, yeah, like in the little swing because everybody was like, Yeah, they're activating the park in the winter. Like, what is this? So people should.

Jana Cunningham 19:10

Yeah. We'll take we would take and we don't do it now because kids are too big, but when they're little, put them before like the sidewalks would get plowed, put them on the sled, drag them on the sled to the playground in their like snow clothes, and then like some of the parks, especially when they're little, they have like if a park has like a little hill, they can like sled on the little hills, but then they can play on the playground. And honestly, in really deep snow, it's really, really fun. Yeah. So that's and if in if in the middle of the summer, summer, I mean go somewhere where there's gonna be water. Yeah, that they can that they can walk in and splash in. So yeah, that makes it like a whole experience from leaving the house to getting back with the sun. And it makes it and it's totally different in the in the winter than in the summer, and they're gonna find different things to do.

Finola McDonald 19:55

Yeah. Is there anything that stands out maybe here or elsewhere park wise that you wish other cities were taking note of when it comes to kid-friendly spaces?

Jana Cunningham 20:06

Well, I think this kind of goes back to what we were talking about um just a few minutes ago. In um, I think a lot of playgrounds right now kind of are really geared toward a certain age group, and I think that age group is like four to like eight. And kids outgrow seems to out outgrow it so fast, and I feel like there's not a lot of playgrounds that really meet the need of like an older kid, a 10-year-old, a 12-year-old. And I think in our new spaces, we're doing that really, really well. Um, you can see that, like we mentioned, Glendale, Rotary, and I think in like a lot of the other um spaces that are coming up are doing that. Um, and I think that's really, really important. I think it's important to include um on for all to include all abilities and all ages. Um, because I mean kids, I mean, still at like 12, they need to get their energy out and they want to play and they want to explore, but they're not gonna play and explore the same way a four-year-old is going to do it. And so having a space that's accessible to all of them is really great. And I've really seen that change, and I've seen it also in other cities when they're building their new parks. So I'm really excited to see that path of like understanding that you know, even you know, older kids want to play on a playground, but they need um a specific way to do it that's not, you know, a little slide or a little tunnel, or it's just it's totally different. And so I'm excited, I'm excited to see that. I'm excited to see that changing and I'm excited to see how those um our new spaces are growing to meet uh those needs of all abilities and all ages. But yeah, Glendale is so great.

Finola McDonald 21:45

Um I was over there not too long ago doing something with the park rangers and just like looking at it again after a few months of the opening. I was like, this really is like there's there really is something for everyone, even if you wanted like even if you had Teenagers who just wanted to go play basketball.

Jana Cunningham 22:02

Yeah. And you had like, I don't know, maybe they were babysitting their younger siblings or something like that. It's not far. Yeah. And that's I think one of the things too is um having these spaces close to each other. Like if I'm at Glendale or I know that Rotary will be like this, um, I can like sit somewhere as a parent and I can like see my kids over there playing basketball and then I can see my kids um the toddler playing on the crane or something, you know. Um, and so that's it's it's just a really convenient space for families with all different ages. Um and even for toddlers too, I think it's just so important. I think that I see a lot of this as well is a separate spaces and structures for like the really little ones. Cause I can get like so terrifying when your two-year-old is up like climbing with with a 12-year-old, like it can get really scary. Um, and then as a parent, you're having to like climb up the playground yourself, and that's not fun for anyone. I mean for some parents it might be, not for me. Um and so having that separate structure, so it's really accommodating the little tiny ones and the older ones.

Kim Davison 23:09

Yeah. And something that I just kind of want to plug with our stewardship program are the Perky Park events, because I think that we've talked about a lot in our comms meetings, how like these are city parks in an urban space. And so as people like I don't have kids, but I can do my part by going to one of these perk your parks, keeping the spaces nice and clean so then kids and families can come and enjoy, I think is like a good mindset for people to have.

Jana Cunningham 23:34

Oh, absol absolutely, and then keeping and and especially but keeping them safe for the kids, and so yeah, that's um amazing, yeah.

Finola McDonald 23:42

Yeah. Well, kind of piggybacking off of liking those areas that are close by, is there anything I mean not just as a parent, but just uh you as a human, is there anything about a park that you specifically love? Because it's important that you're happy there too, even if you're bringing your kids there for them.

Jana Cunningham 24:00

So thankfully, like my kids are at an age where they're old enough I can kind of like let them go and explore. I I don't have to like follow them around. Um so I need personally a shady place to sit. And so like that's it kind of goes back to like knowing where the sun is and the different parks throughout the day because I know at each of these parks where I'm where like I can sit and where I can have like a shady place to sit. My like my literal favorite is at Westminster Park because there's like this little teeny tiny pavilion. And um, so like my friend and I will meet there with our kids, and sometimes our kids are like, Oh, the playground's kind of small, let's go somewhere else. I'm like, no, this is the best scene in the city. Yeah, this is this is what this is where I'm going. I'm sitting here, you guys go play.

Kim Davison 24:48

Absolutely.

Jana Cunningham 24:49

But definitely like somewhere comfortable and um uh where I where I can kind of hang out and then the kids can go do their thing. Yeah, that's I know it's simple, but that's like my favorite. No, it's important.

Kim Davison 25:03

S o I have kind of like a few rapid fire. You've talked about this a little bit, but what would you say your favorite park is right now?

Jana Cunningham 25:10

Okay. Obviously Glendale, because I talk about it so much and I'm so obsessed with it. Um but I also really love um Donner Park, and I'm really, really excited because Donner Park's going under construction soon and they're getting new play spaces and pathways, and I'm real so I'm really excited to um experience Donner when it's complete. But I love it now because it's shaded and quiet and um it's it's good views too. Beautiful views. Um my son did go down the hill where he wasn't supposed to and ended up rolling down the hill.

Kim Davison 25:44

Oh so an adventure.

Jana Cunningham 25:46 Jana Cunningham 25:46

And then ended up, I don't know where he ended up. We had to go search for him. He was with his friends though, so they were fine. But they were kind of exploring, and the older, the older of the friends kind of took him awry. Well, and they they went down all the bushes and trees down the hill because there's not a path.

Kim Davison 26:03

That's a steep hill.

Jana Cunningham 26:04

It's a very steep hill, and they all went down it and kind of got lost in the bottom of the hill, didn't know where to go.

Finola McDonald 26:08 Jana Cunningham 26:08 Jana Cunningham 26:08

Oh no.

Kim Davison 26:09 Jana Cunningham 26:09 Jana Cunningham 26:09

And then, okay, what would you say is your kid's favorite park right now? So I asked them yesterday and it was like no um surprise. So my daughter said um Glendale, and I will say her favorite park is Glendale, not just because I think um she helped, she we go there all the time, but because she came to the Grand Opening.

Kim Davison 26:33

We've been talking about that

Jana Cunningham 26:34

and she talks about it constantly on how like she came and helped with the Grand Opening, and she got first one to go down the blue slide. And she has a really strong connection with that park now. Not just because we visit it all the time, but that's her favorite, her favorite park. And Fletcher, my son, his favorite park is is Laird Park. He, I mean, he would go there every day if we left. Classic. Right now, there's there's a very popular blue plastic shovel that is it's a hot commodity. It's a hot commodity. We have to go multiple times a week to visit the shovel. If that disappears, it's it will be sad. I we have had that conversation of just so you know, these are the community's toys. They get broken, they get taken, just it may not always be here. And then I just have like an extra little rapid fire.

Kim Davison 27:19

Okay. What is your favorite like snack to bring to the park? Yeah, for you and or your kids.

Jana Cunningham 27:25

Um, so it depends on if how long we're staying and um what the weather is. Yeah, because like if we're just staying for a couple of like an hour or so, I'm just gonna bring like a little baggie of snacks that won't melt. Um, that's important. Or I mean my kids are big on like all the granola bars. Um and so like just like pre-packaged stuff. And with me, I just bring like a soda. Yeah.

Kim Davison 27:50

Classic.

Finola McDonald 27:51

Yeah.

Jana Cunningham 27:51

So if anyone knows me, I know. I got obviously gonna be there drinking a soda.

Kim Davison 27:55

Sugar free cream soda at Dr. Pepper.

Jana Cunningham 27:57

Or if it's in the morning, I'm gonna have my coffee with me. But or um one of our favorite things to do is stop and get donuts and then take them to the park. Oh we used to have a tradition where we'd go to Tulie and get croissants and coffee, and then we'd walk to Wasatch Hollow.

Kim Davison 28:12 Jana Cunningham 28:12 Jana Cunningham 28:12

What a lovely morning.

Jana Cunningham 28:13

This is such a lovely morning.

Kim Davison 28:15

I know. We're gonna have to recreate it.

Finola McDonald 28:17

Oh, I love it. Um, okay, and then last but not least, um, why do you think it's important for kids to get out in their local spaces as a Utah local? Do you feel it changes the way that they connect to the community long term? Um, kind of just outside of it being something easy to bring your kids to go do as a parent?

Jana Cunningham 28:37

Yeah, definitely. So I I really think it creates a sense of community and a sense of connection to your community when you're in these public spaces and in the parks. Um, I think it's easy uh to become an advocate when you've been there, like is like with Molly, right? Like she was at the Grand Opening, we go there all the time. She's a she loves Glendale Park, and I know that she kind of like always will because it will be like the park where we kind of like brought her up uh through her childhood. And I think it's important to the I think the more you visit the spaces, the more of an advocate you will become, and the more of a sense of pride you'll have over the spaces. And one of the things I have found is it's a really great way to um organically talk to your kids about public spaces and about stewardship and about the importance of taking care of them. We were at Laird Park the other day, and um my son was shaking a little new tree. And I was like, What do you have to stop doing that? And but it brought up he was like, Why? This other kid was doing it. And so we sat and talked about trees and the value of trees and how important they are to our parks and to our community. Um and we've also talked about like when we're at parks, we also talk about the importance of picking up trash, and like so now my kids will just go and like pick up trash. Um, we were at a park at uh in St. George uh for spring break, and I was really nice, but like I saw some man walk, he didn't pick up after his dog, and I kind of yelled to him because he was away at the trail for me, and I kind of like was like, Hey, excuse me, your dog went to the bathroom, can you pick it up? And he's and um he was like okay, okay, I'll come and get it. And my daughter was like, Mom, that was so embarrassing. And I was like, I was really nice. But it we so then we started talking about the importance of picking up after your pets and keeping your spaces clean. And I think that also creates a sense of pride in your spaces and uh an understanding of the importance of public spaces to our community.

Kim Davison 30:37

Yeah. And they'll just grow up with that mindset, which is I mean,

Jana Cunningham 30:40

I hope so.

Kim Davison 30:41

I mean they for sure will. They're if they're already if he's stopped shaking the trees, Tony Tony must be so proud from Urban Forestry.

Jana Cunningham 30:47 Kim Davison 30:48 Kim Davison 30:48

I should I should tell Tony, I'm like, we gave him a lecture. I was like, please, you can't make it a baby tree, a new tree. You can't be shaking it like that. Be nice to it. No, but that's important. And I think all of us who work here, it's easy for us to implement it in our day-to-day lives because we come to work and think about it all the time. But it's really also important for kids and then they'll go to school, right?

Jana Cunningham 31:12 Kim Davison 31:12 Kim Davison 31:12

And like and hopefully like teach their friends and talk to their friends and um I don't know. I think I just think it's um uh it's important to teach them the value of the spaces so we keep them clean and um accessible for like their kids. I mean, they're public spaces, their parks are gonna be around probably forever, and so like my kids will be taking their kids to the maybe these same parks. Yeah, and so we want to, you know, keep them nice and keep them safe and and clean.

Finola McDonald 31:40

Yeah, that's so sweet to think about. Yeah, all the generations that can turn this part of.

Kim Davison 31:46

Well, thank you so much, Jana, for joining us.

Jana Cunningham 31:48

You're welcome.

Kim Davison 31:49

We were very excited to have you on the podcast, and I think people are gonna get a lot out of this, especially like pre-summer. It's the perfect time. So, with that, we do kind of want to take a minute before you go to promote a kid-friendly event that our team has coming up, Children's Day.

Finola McDonald 32:03

Yes, you can head to Meadows Community Park on Saturday, June 6th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for interactive booths, live music, crafts, and more from organizations around the city. So make sure to bring your family and friends for a day of fun in the sun. And for more information on the event, you can follow us at SLC Public Lands on Instagram or find us on Facebook.

Kim Davison 32:25

So thank you, Jana. We really appreciate you.

Finola McDonald 32:28

Thank you all for joining us for this week's episode of the Public Lands Podcast.

Kim Davison 32:32

Chat soon.

Finola McDonald 32:33

And we'll see you on the trail.