Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project

What is InRRDP?

The Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project's (InRRDP) mission is, by using an ecological framework and through a self-help community development approach, to develop sustainable local park, recreation, leisure, and tourism services that achieve individual, community, economic, and environmental benefits in rural Indiana communities through active and representative civic participation, youth development, collaboration, and research.

To date, the InRRDP has successfully assisted communities develop varying levels of sustainable local park, recreation, leisure, and tourism services. Those communities are:

• Rockville - Recreation and park services are administered by the Rockville Park Board.  InRRDP assisted the Rockville Park Board with a Recreation and Leisure Needs Assessment for Teens.  To date, the Rockville Park Board used the data from the needs assessment to build a new soccer field at the town park, and the park board planned a Movie in the Park special event that took place in July 2006. 

• Town of Rockville, Indiana Final Report Recreation and Leisure Needs Assessment for Teens

• Town of Rockville, Indiana Final Report Recreation and Leisure Needs Assessment for Teens - Power Point Presentation

Currently, the InRRDP is working with communities to develop sustainable community park and recreation systems.  Communities currently collaborating with the InRRDP are:

• Clay City - Harrison Tonwship - Recreation and park services are administered by a variety of non-profit norganizations, which include: the Fair Association, the Youth Baseball Association, and the R.E.I.N. Coalition.  The InRRDP is working with the R.E.I.N. Coalition to develop a Master Plan for Parks and Recreation.
• Clay City Harrison Township Master Plan

Core Values and Professional Ethics

The InRRDP believes in the following core values:

• Recreation and leisure are essential to enhance individual and community life.
• Rural communities are valuable to the State of Indiana and deserve park, recreation, leisure, and tourism opportunities.
• The InRRDP staff believes in and follows the Community Development Society's (CDS) Principles of Good Practice:
  • Promote active and representative participation toward enabling all community members to meaningfully influence the decisions that affect their lives.
  • Engage community members in learning about and understanding community issues, and the economic, social, environmental, political, psychological, and other impacts associated with alternative courses of action.
  • Incorporate the diverse interests and cultures of the community in the community development process; and disengage from support of any effort that is likely to adversely affect the disadvantaged members of a community.
  • Work actively to enhance the leadership capacity of community members, leaders, and groups within the community.
  • Be open to using the full range of action strategies to work toward the long term sustainability and well being of the community.

Rural recreation development projects have been utilized as a tool for community and economic development since 1981 when Dr. Patrick Long established the Colorado Rural Recreation Development Project at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  In 1995, Dr. Jim Brademas began the Illinois Rural Recreation Development Project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation and served as Project Director until 2001.  In 2001, Dr. Brademas retired and Dr. Laura Payne became Project Director of the Illinois Rural Recreation Development Project.  Dr. Nathan A. Schaumleffel served as Project Manager of the Illinois project from 2001 to 2004 while completing his Ph.D. in the Department of Leisure Studies at the University of Illinois.  In August 2005, Dr. Nathan A. Schaumleffel, CPRP established the Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project (InRRDP) in the Department of Recreation and Sport Management at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Rural recreation development projects also operate in South Carolina at Clemson University and in West Virginia at West Virginia University.

The InRRDP received initial funding from the Indiana State University Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Since the InRRDP's inception, several people have made significant contributions to the evolution of the Project. These people include:

• Dr. Nathan A. Schaumleffel, CPRP (Project Founder and Project Director)
• Tonya Gimbert, Graduate Assistant  (Web Designer and Project Support)

Awards

In 2006, the Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project received a $4,000.00 Curriculum and Research Support for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement Grant from Indiana State University's Alliance for Excellence through Engagement and Experiential Learning.

In 2007, the Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project received a $10,000.00 grant for students, service to communities, and research to create a model for sustainability from the Alliance for Excellence through Engagement and Experiential Learning, from Indiana State University.

In 2008, the Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project received a $5,000.00 grant for an integrated project to engage students and serve communities from the Indiana Campus Compact.