The City of Kirksville says Mayor Zac Burden has signed a proclamation recognizing July as National Parks and Recreation Month. Parks and recreation programs are an integral part of communities throughout this country, including the City of Kirksville. Our parks and recreation programs are vitally important to establishing and maintaining the quality of life in our communities, ensuring the health of all citizens, and contributing to the economic and environmental well-being of a community and region. Parks and recreation programs build healthy, active communities that aid in the prevention of chronic disease, provide therapeutic recreation services, and improve the overall mental and emotional health of all citizens. Parks and recreation areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our community by improving water quality, protecting groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, providing vegetative buffers to development, and producing habitat for wildlife