Boyd Park, Eau Claire

City parks aren’t just quiet places to swing, picnic, and observe squirrel behavior (although squirrels are pretty funny). They’re also the catalysts for a lot of economic activity. How much economic activity? The Eau Claire Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department tried to answer that question with the help of Visit Eau Claire. Between November 2013 and last August, a research intern for Visit Eau Claire, the local tourism promotion group, surveyed more than 800 people at 26 different events at city parks, from youth hockey tournaments to Taste of the Valley to hot summer days at Fairfax Pool. Those who answered the survey were asked about how far they had traveled, whether they were staying in a motel, how much they had spent on food and transportation, etc. That data was then plugged into a calculator created by the National Association of Sports Commissions to analyze visitor spending. The result: The events in question had an estimated economic impact on the Chippewa Valley of $3.67 million  – or more than $141,000 per event! “Parks and recreation programs are invaluable with regards to self-development, enjoyment, and living life better,” Phil Fieber, Eau Claire parks director, said in a press release. “But this study also shows that great facilities and great programs also are great for a community’s economic well-being.” Considering that hundreds of additional events, tournaments, and games are held at city parks during the course of the year, the true economic impact of all that squirrel habitat is much, much bigger.