July was National Park & Recreation Month. During this time of year we like to recognize the importance of parks and recreation while celebrating their beautiful, functional, outdoor spaces and the pivotal role they serve in communities like ours.
Here in the Greater Daytona Region, our diversity of parks consists of scrub-lined sandy beaches, natural freshwater springs, natural wildlife refuge, miles of hiking and biking trails, and lush fields for athletic fun. Now more than ever, these open-air expanses represent what we love about living, working, and playing in the Sunshine State! Read on to learn more about parks and recreation opportunities in the Greater Daytona Region—and how they help make the area an attractive place for young professionals to call “home.”
Beautiful beach escapes
The Greater Daytona Region is home to the “World’s Most Famous Beach” and attracts millions of visitors to its shorelines each year. However, there are many more coastal escapes to explore up and down the East Coast— ranging from the serene escape at Al Weeks Sr. North Shore Park in Ormond Beach, to beautiful water views at Lake Ashby Park in New Smyrna Beach.
Historic destinations
Because the Greater Daytona Region is so thoroughly steeped in Sunshine State history, there are also many historic park destinations to discover, each adding to a rich local culture. These include the Sugar Mill Ruins in Port Orange, James Ormond Tomb Park in Ormond Beach and many more.
Gone to the dogs
According to TD Ameritrade, seven in ten millennials own a pet—which makes pooch-friendly green spaces an especially attractive draw in areas seeking to cultivate a thriving, fulfilled workforce. Here in the Greater Daytona Region, there is no shortage of dog parks to explore. These include everything from pet-friendly beaches like Smyrna Dunes Park in New Smyrna Beach, to the lush pond and green space provided by Barkley Square in DeLand.
The economic impact of local parks
According to the National Recreation and Park Association, local parks generated more than $10 billion in economic activity in 2017, with more than 70,000 jobs supported by the local parks and recreation industry. In addition to directly generating income for states and local areas like the Greater Daytona Region, these beautiful outdoor spaces attract a thriving workforce and talent pool. Young professionals are increasingly drawn to areas that provides for an active lifestyle offering a diversity of parks and outdoor spaces; plus, access to green spaces and fresh air is proven to have a powerful impact on your employees’ productivity and quality of life.
The bottom line? Parks are good for more than just play—they can be powerful economic drivers in your decision to grow or relocate your company to the Greater Daytona Region, too.
A breadth of beautiful parks is one of many ingredients that make the Greater Daytona Region an increasingly popular place to live, learn, work and play! Be sure to partner with Team Volusia EDC for all economic development questions in Volusia County and the surrounding areas. Whether you are searching for local talent opportunities, or are considering a corporate move to our vibrant slice of Florida, we look forward to helping you chart your next steps.
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