Articles
Cultivating A Community Gathering Space
What began as a homestead fueled by the Gold Rush and then turned into an agricultural hub, the town of Berthoud, Colo., has not-so-slowly morphed into a growing destination for young families and modern-day Coloradans looking for a slower pace of life and lower living costs than in its neighboring cities.
Beyond Accessibility
Sure, your indoor rec area complies with ADA regulations. The bathrooms, water fountains, and doors are accessible. The parking lots have handicap-friendly parking, and there are curb cuts where
Out And About
Local fitness, recreation, and aquatic centers have long been pillars of their communities, and for good reason. Within those walls, they serve a vital function—to help people lead richer, fuller lives by promoting
A First For Naperville
When a park district has the chance to throw open the doors to welcome the public to a new facility, it’s always an exciting day. The Naperville Park District in Illinois did just that not long ago.
Out Of Commission
Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s (CRC) network of recreation includes 23 recreation centers, 33 aquatic facilities, 6 golf courses, and hundreds of playgrounds, sports courts, and fields. Often, these
Harboring Hot Air
The expansion of the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre in the city of Bellville (Ontario, Canada), is designed to do more than deliver heart-pounding exercise on state-of-the-art equipmentСit also r
A Beneficial Relationship
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / KurhanIn January 2000, the Lower Paxton Township Parks and Recreation Department (Harrisburg, Penn.), completed construction of a 59,000-square-foot recreation
Indoor-Outdoor Appeal
The town of Castle Rock, Colo., developed the Miller Activity Complex (MAC) to meet the needs of a growing 65,000-resident community. The MAC blends recreation and entertainment
When A Community Strikes Oil
What was once a quiet community in the rolling hills of Western North Dakota, Williston saw its population boom after striking oil in 2008, transforming from a town of 12,500 to a city of more than 40,000 permanent and transient residents.
REC, WET And WOW!
An extraordinary transformation occurred in the Dallas-Fort Worth MetroPlex Parks, Recreation and Aquatics scene in 2015; The REC (Recreation-Education-Community) of Grapevine opened to great fanfare for area residents.
Not Your Daddy's Locker Room
Growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s, I saw a locker room as a cavernous, uncomfortable, smelly public space whose functional design focused less on personal space and more on efficiently serving a large number of people.
A Roadmap For Rec Centers
The feasibility of developing a new recreation center is determined by what a community can afford to build and operate. Before this process can be undertaken, it is imperative that a needs-assessment study is completed for the community.
Run From Red To Black
Photos Courtesy Of City of BrunswickIn 2006, The Brunswick Community Recreation and Fitness Center, located in Brunswick, Ohio, was operating at its lowest level since opening in 1991. Over the
Special Moments
Following our Monday weight workout, my 15-year-old son and I bid the ladies manning the desk a good night as we headed for the door of the Medina Community Rec Center. As we approached the doors, my
Missouri Training Event
Planning or building a new recreation center? Remodeling? Curious about LEED certification or ADA updates?Come to the Missouri Park and Recreation Association's Recreation Facility Design and
Facility Design School
Planning, building or remodeling a recreation center?Join the Missouri Park and Recreation Association for its Recreation Facility Design and Management School Aug. 7-11 in Kansas City.And if you
Sweeping Up
Broomfield was a beneficiary of the Internet boom as thousands moved into the area to take advantage of a burgeoning Silicon-Valley like valley between Denver and Boulder.Though the boom busted, the
Two Cities Redux
It's a numbers game. At least that's the way it panned out over the past year at recreation centers in Longmont, Colo., and Medina, Ohio. This particular numbers game was beneficial and challenging
Fitness Cycles
The biggest lesson learned at Medina and Longmont's fitness centers inside their new recreation centers was to make them bigger."If there's one thing we could change, it would be the size of the
Swim Lessons
Adaptability is an important concept for Medina's recreation center. The adaptability thread goes from room to room and area to area. In the aquatics area, one of the important adaptable features is