Articles
Counting The Impact Of The Pandemic On Parks And Trails
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, park and trail managers have seen visitation like never before. Parks have become “essential spaces” for people to safely recreate and have fun during this difficult time.
Hand-Picked Life Lessons
The one-square acre contained a house, an efficiency cottage, a garage that had been converted from a haybarn, and an attached single room for storage behind the barn.
Youth-Sports Administration
Having written this many times before, I will say it again: youth-sports administrators are some of the most dedicated public employees in our communities. In “normal” times, they are forced to wear several
An Expert Witness In The Field
Approximately one-quarter million children are injured each year on playgrounds. Not all of these injuries go to litigation, but how well prepared are you to defend a case? Do you keep weekly, monthly, and yearly
Rectangular Pools
Aquatic programs must use water time effectively to meet the needs of the community. In other words, programming needs precede design needs. Communities can keep building “cookie-cutter designs,”
A Closer Look
Based on National Sporting Goods Association’s (NSGA) Total Participation Points (TPP) measure, team sports increased 1.6 percent in 2019 compared to the prior year, while individual sports increased 1.2
A Message Etched In Concrete
Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Morganton, N.C., is a story of community-powered transformation. Once a park with aged and outdated equipment, it is now a local favorite on spring and summer days, with its first-
Playground Perspectives
If your organization has a serious playground claim—which we hope you never do—you may be contacted by several parties to help resolve the issue. Additionally, your organization may wish to reach out to other
WONDER, DREAM, IMAGINE
Design inspiration is vital to developing creative and imaginative playgrounds. Gathering ideas for inspiration is a critical part of the process. Sometimes, in the calmness of the day, your thoughts wander
One Size Does Not Fit All
Today’s recreation centers are more than just spaces in which to work out. When designed with a focus on the facility’s users, they can foster and grow connections within the community. Through an inclusive
Simple But Effective
When it comes to rural, underserved areas, few are more remote than Bethel, Alaska. Located 400 miles west of Anchorage—40 miles off the coast of the Bering Sea—the region is only reachable by plane or
One Emergency
On a hot summer day, a woman collapses near a baseball field. Bystanders jump into action and quickly realize she isn’t breathing and has no pulse. Someone calls 911 and others begin CPR. The dispatcher asks