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Recreation director says programs and walkable parks are improving county health, seeks green space and grant funding
Summary
Morgan County recreation director Lydia Hebden told commissioners participation in parks and recreation programs has grown and outlined health, economic and social benefits; she asked for continued budget and grant support to expand fields, open space and outdoor recreation.
Lydia Hebden, Morgan County's recreation director, told commissioners on Jan. 7 that local participation in parks and recreation programs has grown markedly and that evidence links greater park access to better physical and mental health.
Hebden said the county's recreation department has expanded since it formed five years ago and that the agency works with the Utah Recreation and Parks Association and the University of Utah College of Health on research showing parks and recreation yield health and economic benefits. She described a wellness wheel used in outreach and said the department runs multiple youth and adult programs, partners with the school district and keeps a scholarship fund to help low-income residents enroll in activities.
Hebden told commissioners she used state public-health indicator data to identify mental-health need in Morgan County, reporting roughly 20% of residents self-reported mental-health concerns. She said outdoor recreation, programming and social opportunities provided by parks departments are correlated with improved mental health and reduced health-care costs, citing national research summarized by the National Recreation and Park Association.
The recreation director described three economic-evaluation approaches (economic impact, cost-benefit and social return on investment) and said local and national studies show public investment in parks yields payback in health-care savings and local economic activity. She told commissioners the department has applied for grants to add open-field space on county-owned land and said most of the fields currently used are owned and prioritized by the school district, which limits county program access.
Hebden described participation metrics since 2020, saying the recreation program had roughly 1,800 participants in 2021 and then grew substantially in subsequent years. She also described a scholarship process the department uses informally to assist residents who cannot afford fees.
Commissioners praised Hebden's work and asked about plans to develop county-owned property into ball fields, walking trails and outdoor-recreation sites; Hebden replied that grant funding and site suitability analysis will determine the timeline and scope. Commissioner Packer and others said outdoor-recreation expansion could further community mental-health goals.
Why it matters: Commissioners heard that parks and recreation expansion can reduce long-term health-care costs, support social cohesion, and help meet demand as Morgan County grows. The department is seeking grants and budget support to convert county-owned land to fields and trails.
What's next: Hebden said staff will continue to apply for grants and evaluate county land for fields and open space. Commissioners encouraged planning and finance staff to coordinate on potential grant matches and development timelines.
