Articles
Up Your Game
The term “21st-century skills” has been commonplace for a couple decades. The idea is that opportunities, challenges, and events that have not yet occurred in the industry may become prevalent in the future, so workers need to possess the skills to be able to adapt, overcome, and succeed.
Creating Positive Experiences
“Yes, I was upset over a bad call, but I would never fistfight anyone in front of kids! I will stand up for my team 10/10 times, and you tell me one coach who wouldn’t.” This quote is from a recent article on another alarming youth-sports incident—this one involving as many as a dozen parents and coaches fighting on a baseball field full of 5- and 6-year-old T-ball players in Kentucky.
How To Haunted Swamp
I know what you’re thinking. “Haunted swamp is not a verb. That is an improper sentence!” I agree. It is an improper sentence—until you host a haunted swamp. That is when you realize it is very much an action.
On The Road To Remediation
Saginaw River Headwaters Rec Area is giving a long-abandoned piece of property a new lease on life.
Aligning Infrastructure And Environmental Priorities
By 2050, the population in California is expected to increase to 50-million people, while rainfall is projected to decrease by 10 to 15 percent due to climate change. With Californians using the equivalent volume of water of Shasta Lake—the state’s largest reservoir—every 40 days, a new model for urban-water use is being considered at every level of government.
Paddling To Success
Parks and recreation professionals know that a successful event can have far-reaching benefits for the community. Special events help establish a strong identity, foster a sense of pride, help us connect with residents through involvement, and attract visitors to an area, bringing positive economic and social impacts.
The Best Of Both Worlds
Coming soon to Park Forest, Ill., Somonauk Nature Adventure Park combines adventure and nature in one park-redevelopment strategy. Planned renovations for the 16-acre park include construction of a two-acre pond with native, prairie, and emergent wetland, recreational fishing, and kayaking.
Start A Water-Polo Team
With the Tokyo Olympics having taken place recently, water polo is in the spotlight, which is bolstering local interest in the sport. Adding a water-polo program to an agency’s offerings can be both lucrative and a great addition to a sports lineup for kids in the community, but how do you begin a successful program?
Achieving Access Along The Potomac River
Visit Seneca Landing Special Park on any weekend—or most weekdays for that matter—and you are sure to encounter a crowd. The park, located in Poolesville, Md., adjacent to Lock 24 on the historic C&O Canal, is a draw for birders, bikers, history buffs, and boaters.
For The Love Of Chocolate
The absence of fun gatherings during a year of lockdown was especially deflating for parks and recreation staff in the city of Fairfax, Va., a small community located 20 miles west of Washington, D.C. The staff members take pride in organizing large community events throughout the year for residents and visitors, and canceling one event after another was very dispiriting.
The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
Although the term “latchkey kid” entered everyday speech in the 1980s, both the term and the condition of unsupervised children alone for hours existed long before. Wikipedia notes the first use of the term in a 1942 Canadian study on the effects of World War II on children with fathers in the military and mothers working in the war effort.
Gentle Guidance
Americans seem to acknowledge the age of 18 as the defining point for adulthood. That threshold allows a former child to vote, drink, and make decisions independent of parents.
Public Restroom Advertorial
Public restrooms are a standard feature at most parks, but post-COVID, several park managers and municipalities face an uphill battle reopening restrooms and keeping them cleaner with reduced staff. Here are some simple design considerations for future restroom builds to help.