A young duckling emerges from the shallow, cool waters of his birth lake and creeps warily through the tall, damp cattails. The sun's rays begin to dry the previous night's dew. He shakes the last dro
Read More
Years ago, swimmers of all ages flocked to public pools to take a refreshing break from the summer heat. Frolicking in the water and swimming a few laps satisfied a craving for fun, provided a
Read More
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Superintendent Jayne Miller closed her eyes and took a deep breath amid a buzz of last-minute preparations on a sweltering, mid-summer afternoon.
Read More
There’s something magical about living at the beach. The United States features more than 90,000 miles of coastline, and Oregon features 1,410 of those miles. For me and many of the residents who find coastal
Read More
Ammonia is a colorless strongly alkaline gas with a very familiar pungent odor. The first complex molecule discovered in space in the galactic dust clouds of the Milky Way. It also makes up the rings of the planet
Read More
In 2009, a proposal crossed my desk that couldn't be passed up. With cost savings, a reduction of the environmental impact and an innovative transformation in the way the city of Saint Paul, Minn., ma
Read MoreMarina Park—located on Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, Calif.—officially opened in December 2016 after more than 10 years in the planning, design, and construction process. The park site and the story
Read More
A recreational professional at a pool can prevent a drowning by teaching a young child to swim, provide the gift of mobility to a grandmother, introduce a toddler to water, build the self-esteem of a
Read More
It seems like every day the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other governmental agencies are passing a new regulation prohibiting yet another activity on waterfront property.
Read More
Rather than traditional flat-water rectangular pools, stimulating waterparks are becoming the norm for today’s recreational aquatic experience. Once the decision has been made to build a mini, medium, or
Read More
This past June, I paused to observe an energetic 5-year-old who was getting a lifeguard’s attention by yelling, “Hey, lifeguard, look at me!” As an aquatic manager, I’ve heard those five
Read More
Many people try to improve their physical fitness by lifting weights or performing different cardiovascular exercises. However, those who continue to do the same routines
Read More
It has been named the best beach in the United States and is arguably one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.
Read More
What does a new administration of an agency do when it inherits poorly maintained facilities? That was exactly the position I found myself in when I accepted the position as recreation director in Thibodaux, La.
Read More
In the world of aquatics, you are only as good as your team of lifeguards. Aquatic facilities across the nation have struggled to recruit lifeguards, and the city of Round Rock, Texas, was
Read More
A Thousand Oaks, California swim school was the setting of the recent accidental exposure of 19 people to a surge of chlorine gas into the pool area. Likely generated during an equipment
Read More
A Cincinnati Parks Master Plan called for a new riverfront park that would extend the chain of existing waterfront parks and reconnect the downtown area to the Ohio River.
Read More
In 1988, there wasn’t much in the way of parks or recreation opportunities in Allen, Texas. Back then the city had no recreation centers and fewer than 600 acres of parks to serve a
Read More
Ask any water-park operator about the park’s top priority, and hopefully he or she will say guest safety. Danger is inherent anytime millions of gallons of water are mixed with thousands
Read More
As winter approaches, many parks and recreation centers have concerns about possible flu or virus outbreaks. For example, during the winter of 2012-2013, a serious flu outbreak occurred,
Read More