August 2022
Volume 21 | Issue 1
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Parks & Rec Business is written by parks and recreation directors and staff. If you’re in the industry, PRB is an amazing resource that’s full of real-world experience that you can use to solve problems, create new opportunities, and keep your community healthy and happy.
This Month’s Articles
Ninja gyms are exploding in popularity across the country, driven largely by the fanfare around NBC’s American Ninja Warrior reality-competition series. But this extreme sport provides much more than weekly entertainment or an occasional adrenaline rush.
Within one of the most diverse ZIP codes in Seattle, Wash., Brighton Playfield sits between a public middle school and a residential neighborhood, serving as a hub for students, neighbors, and community groups. Allied8 was hired by Seattle Parks & Recreation to renovate the existing comfort station, a classic brick structure built in 1923, which included an office and storage.
JiffPom, the Pomeranian, has over 10-million followers on Instagram. As a point of comparison, the current vice president of the United States has about 16-million Instagram followers.
Participation by senior citizens at recreation centers across the country has significantly increased over time, and along with it the offerings that beckon them. One example of a successful program is the Georgia-based Macon-Bibb County Department of Parks and Recreation’s Elaine H. Lucas Senior Center.
It’s easy to host. It’s affordable to maintain. There are plenty of potential players. And it’s hot and growing and can bring a younger demographic into your park.
One of the struggles people encountered during the pandemic was a feeling of isolation. This was especially true for adolescents—a lack of in-person school and extra-curriculars made keeping in touch with friends and developing important social skills more difficult than usual.
Each league has its own set-up and needs for staffing and referees. Some programs may be reliant on volunteers to supervise fields, keep score, and referee while other organizations are able to staff these positions.
If you ask runners why they love to run, most will say it’s the sense of freedom and adventure—the power of forward momentum. When the pandemic forced countless races and programming to halt in 2020, the running community was deeply affected.
Continuous evaluation may be the single-most important aspect of operating a successful leisure-service agency. The worldwide onset of the pandemic has caused every profession and industry to evaluate all aspects of daily operations and adjust how programs are delivered and services are maintained.
Of all the programs initiated by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, my favorite one is the Start Smart Sports Development Program. It began, in part, because of the shocking statistic that many kids quit sports by the time they turn 13 years old.
I was pounding tomato stakes along the side of the house where the sun shines most of the day. With a five-pound sledge in one hand and a bundle of twine in the other, I rounded the front of the house.
I checked my watch. It was 3 am. I was still tossing and turning. At wits end, I eased out of bed, trying not to wake my wife, walked into the bathroom, and started doing pushups.
A collection of news items, product announcements and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.
Industry events you won’t want to miss. Check out what’s coming up.
Product Review
The Club Car Carryall 500 has the power to replace pickup trucks at a fraction of the cost. With a rustproof, aircraft-grade aluminum frame, chassis, and cargo box, it is ideal for industrial and commercial jobs. Designed with tools in mind, the easy-to-use Versattach system makes hauling cargo safely and securely a problem of the past. Zero-emission, electric models are also available for applications where quiet, environmentally friendly operation is a must.
www.clubcar.com
Hydrel, a provider of outdoor architectural and landscape lighting products, expanded its SAF floodlight luminaire family with the SAF28 luminaire. It features a 16-inch diameter floodlight that delivers powerful lumen output with less luminaire. It offers the versatility of 12 beam distributions and delivers up to 18,000 lumens. To ensure uniform color illumination for wall wash and wall grazing applications, SAF28 offers high-performance optics with a quad chip LED that delivers brilliant light quality and optimal color mixing.
www.hydrel.com
ASV’s smooth turf tracks minimize damage to soft, delicate surfaces. With a combination of greater ground surface area and the benefits of ASV’s Posi-Track undercarriage, the turf tracks can achieve equal or better traction than treaded tracks on dry surfaces. As one of the only completely smooth tracks on the market, ASV turf tracks can be trusted to minimize damage to topsoil and root systems, allowing for faster job completion in landscape, hardscape, and golf course applications.
www.asvi.com
Renolit, makers of weld-in-place PVC membrane for pool liners, now offers a new designer PVC membrane called Alkorplan Touch-Vanity that gives commercial aquatic facilities a high-end designer look to match the latest in outdoor décor. This new textured liner membrane pattern is inspired by nature and imitates the look and feel of white marble using a white base color with subtle threads of grey throughout to give the material the realistic appearance of white marble. The 80-millimeter thick reinforced membrane can be used for new pool construction or completely encapsulates and renovates leaking or deteriorated pools. Available for immediate shipment.
www.renolit.com/pool
LEXX is a broad-spectrum disinfectant, meaning it can eliminate a wide range of germs, bacteria, and pathogens. It is EPA-registered and on the EPA’s List N, proven to eliminate the pathogen that causes COVID-19. Made from safe but effective citric acid, this is a multi-purpose, one-step cleaner disinfectant and sanitizer. It requires no rinsing and is non-corrosive.
(844) 836-3856
https://bit.ly/38pb1Yx
The 22-ounce fuel tank feeds a 25.4cc displacement engine pushing 1.34 horsepower. Concealed cables prevent snagging and damage, while the solid steel driveshaft and rugged skid plate offer increased durability. Weighing only 11 pounds, the string trimmer also incorporates LowVib anti-vibration technology, rubberized grips and flexible trigger, reducing stress and strain on hands and arms, and offering extended comfort throughout the workday.
www.husqvarna.com/us
The original, patented, touchless, cost-effective, EPD-Certified XLERATOR is the revolutionary product that created the high-speed, energy-efficient category of hand dryers and provides a 95-percent cost savings over paper towels. The XLERATOR’s no-touch, hands-under design, combined with HEPA filtration that removes 99.999 percent of viruses from the airstream, always ensures a hygienic experience.
www.exceldryer.com
This single-component, flexible, water-based non-skid coating was created to renovate pool decks. It uses a unique process of cross-linking urethanes, acrylics, co-polymers and recycled rubber granules to create a long-lasting non-slip finish. It can be used in and out of water on splash pads, wave pools, spray parks, restroom floors, pool deck surfaces and other areas requiring slip resistance. Hides significant imperfections on any surface and improves existing non-skid finishes to provide additional safety.
(877) 252-9457
www.tuffcoat.net
Buyer’s Guide
Marketspace Spotlight
Coming Up
September 2022
Fall Park Maintenance
Pool Maintenance
Special Needs Programming
Outdoor Structures
Stadiums, Outdoor Facilities & Surfacing
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I was pounding tomato stakes along the side of the house where the sun shines most of the day. With a five-pound sledge in one hand and a bundle of twine in the other, I rounded the front of the house.