Doctor John Crompton from Texas A&M was given a tour of several city parks, including Founders Park, which is undergoing a million dollar expansion. He says Rapid, just like other growing communities, can find it difficult to keep the value of parks in mind when developing, but says the payoff for keeping green space is substantial.

Crompton says, "If you look at economic development today, it's all about attracting talent. It's where young people, especially with technological skills and when you ask them the places they want to live, you will find their answers invariably incorporate recreation, cultural, parks amenities. I mean, they like to be where there is a big outdoors like you have here. So, parks have a role in economic development in that sense."

Crompton says over the last 10 years, 75% of bond issues pertaining to parks passed in city government. He says that number is higher than bond issues pertaining to police and fire departments.

-Justin Pazera