Access To The Outdoors

MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 4 FEBRUARY '26

I just got back from a trip to New Zealand with Jennifer as we visited our daughter who's lived there now for two years. Obviously spending time visiting our daughter was fantastic, but also spending time down in the vast expanse of the South Island was an incredible experience too.

I'm always wonderfully reminded when going and visiting "outdoor Meccas" that "if you build it, they [sic] will come" (anyone get that movie reference?) When communities build access to the outdoors, people get outdoors. Walkability, bikeablity, easy parking, access to water (rivers and lakes), trails, signage, etc. - if done right - open up a world to people and create a "community" that's environmentally focused. Seems logical, right?Well why doesn't that exist in most medium to large cities? It could be for many reasons, but if I had to narrow it down to just two, it would be greed and ignorance. In most cases, building outdoor access cost money (land and infrastructure) with no apparent monetary return on investment. And in a world where profit is king, it's a tough sell for the folks leading these cities and counties.

With developers promising increased "heads in beds" which addresses the shortage of housing while simultaneously increasing the tax base, it's challenging for city councils and county commissioners to say "no" to that and "yes" to a plot of land or new a greenbelt that doesn't make money and require upkeep. But here's the deal: if communities invest in access to the outdoors, it will improve the quality of life for those that live in those communities. When people have access to "green spaces", maintained pathways, trails, safe walking and biking within a city, etc. they will use these spaces.

When people use these spaces, they see and interact with other people. They routinely gain a better sense of nature, the weather and even the animals around them. People build a sense of community which fosters a certain amount of "give a shit". People start to care about the environment they live in and the people they live with.

I'm extremely fortunate to live in an area that has built all these "access to outdoor" projects, and I never take that for granted. Traveling around the world, I've found I'm even more aware when these opportunities exist. And there's a difference in the communities that built them - a difference that I like.

Gratefully,

Mark

CEO Team MPI