Mobile recreation units help residents access amenities and build community
Can giant yard games like Connect Four encourage neighbors to connect more?
Leaders in the rapidly growing suburb of Bondurant, Iowa, believe so. Recreation plays an important role in strengthening relationships in the city, which experienced an astounding 90.8 percent population increase from 2010 to 2020.
“That means new neighborhoods are being built," says Katie Klus, communication and event coordinator for the city of Bondurant. “There is a disconnect between some of the older residents who have been here through generations, and newcomers to town."
Bondurant saw an opportunity to help people build social capital, as local infrastructure investments, including a 46-acre civic campus, city-park master plan, and a 25-acre, mixed-use “Grain District,” transform the city map. Strategically wrapping recreation into redevelopment could help preserve the “hometown charm” of a tight-knit community.
Launched in late fall 2022, Bondurant's Rec-N-Roll trailer serves as a mobile, one-stop shop for organizing block parties. Free for residents and businesses to reserve on a first-come basis, it's equipped with everything needed to host a great gathering: folding tables and chairs, coolers, 10’ x 10’ tents, traffic cones, extension cords, plus supersized Sorry! pieces, bocce ball, and other portable activities and resources. The trailer also pops up at special events like “Bondu Blues and Brews Festival” or at outdoor movie screenings on Main Street.
“Neighborhood block parties and community events strengthen relationships within and among neighborhoods and help Bondurant be a more welcoming and inclusive community,” Klus says.
Adapted from Ames' Street 'N' Greet Block Party Trailer concept, the Rec-N-Roll Trailer was made possible through a collaborative effort among community partners. The Bondurant Chamber of Commerce secured grant funding, including from Amazon, which recently built a fulfillment center nearby. The Public Works department drops the trailer off on a Friday before a weekend event, then picks it up on Monday.
Klus says residents are taking advantage of the resource, as envisioned. Some on an annual basis.
“We have a gentleman who uses it to host a big football tailgate block party every September. They close down their section of the street, and then they get the trailer, and all the neighbors bring food."
Community Priorities Drive Pop-up Play
Bondurant’s Rec-N-Roll Trailer received the Iowa League of Cities' All-Star Community Award in 2024. The concept continues to spread across the state and country as a replicable model that can be tailored to meet specific community needs.
Each Monday morning, the City of Dubuque Parks & Recreation posts its weekly Rec-N-Roll trailer schedule on social media. The unit sets up at parks throughout the community, offering activities and yard games, including Imagination Playground blocks, bubbles, a bean bag toss, a scoop ball, a large dart board with kick balls, and more. The games and activities are free and open to all, no registration required.
“Typically, we try to keep [park pop-ups] between an hour and two hours per event, just to promote that socialization piece,” says Tony Elskamp, City of Dubuque recreation supervisor. “It's definitely a great marketing tool because kids see that Rec-N-Roll trailer with the pictures on the side, and they know what's coming. A lot of times, they'll come out of their house to participate.”
Dubuque Parks & Recreation also uses the trailer to help prevent summer learning loss, in partnership with the local school district’s summer-reading program. They’ve stocked literacy materials and received grant funding to distribute free books. After in-class time, students engage with enrichment materials provided through parks and recreation.
“We do a lot of team-building work and use play to reinforce the curriculum," Elskamp says. “We’ve even incorporated science and made slime. When it’s fun, kids don’t even realize they’re learning, but they are.”
Elskamp appreciates the convenience the mobile unit offers to pull up and partner. Dubuque also brings the trailer to community events, like neighborhood block parties, farmers’ markets, and the Juneteenth celebration.
Repurposing A Community Resource
Pull-behind trailers aren’t the only way to get rec rolling. In Plant City, Fla., the parks and recreation department wanted to find a creative way to fill gaps and bring opportunities to neighborhoods lacking easy access to a recreation center or park. Their Rec & Roll Mobile Unit, which utilizes a decommissioned and retrofitted ambulance, began from a desire to keep youth engaged, active, and connected.
“The ambulance was the perfect fit because it was already designed for mobility, storage, and accessibility,” says Daisy Lumbreras, special events coordinator for Plant City Parks & Recreation. “It’s easy to drive and maneuver into neighborhoods, schools, and event sites, which makes setup much simpler than towing a trailer. Plus, its unique look draws attention and excitement right away. It’s not every day you see an ambulance pull up ready to play!”
The purple, patterned unit appeals to teens, with neon lighting and amenities that include an indoor and outdoor video-game system, bracelet-making materials, a musical sound system, and larger-than-life outdoor games.
“This mobile masterpiece is a modern solution for getting our community involved,” says city manager Bill McDaniel in a promotional YouTube video that gives residents a peek at what is inside and the story behind the collaborative project.
Coordination between Plant City’s recreation team, fire department, and other city staff ensured the vehicle could be safely repurposed, redesigned, and rebranded to serve its new role. Startup costs for the program were $12,000, which included wrapping the vehicle to reflect its new use and equipment.
"The investment is small compared to the positive impact,” Lumbreras says. “Bringing fun, recreation, and community-building directly to neighborhoods breaks down barriers and shows families that they matter. Recreation on wheels makes it possible to reach everyone, no matter where they are. Our experience shows that even something as simple as repurposing a decommissioned vehicle can spark new possibilities, reminding us that small ideas can create lasting change in ways we might never expect.”
