Articles
Perfect Harmony
There are times when two projects coincide and achieve a perfect outcome. A prime example was in 2020 when the Modesto ROTARY Club (MoRo) in California was preparing to celebrate its centennial year.
Playground Inspections
Thousands of children are injured on playgrounds across North America each year. The majority of injuries occur from falls.
Award-Winning And Lifesaving
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4,000 unintentional drownings occur in the United States every year. The town of Marana, Ariz., hopes to reduce that number.
Aquatic Exercise
There are more than 3-million U.S. fitness professionals helping more than 73-million Americans stay healthy through exercise, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. The fitness industry plays a central and essential role in promoting and maintaining mental, physical, and social health and well-being.
Remaining Relevant
To remain relevant and attract visitors, municipal aquatic centers must make upgrades and add interest despite the challenges presented by budget constraints and the fluctuations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of forced closures of facilities, many aquatic leaders lost revenue, and funding for programs was cut, although some cities have managed to pass referenda during that time to start projects.
Renovation Vs. New Construction
Continued facility maintenance and upkeep are an essential part of an effective operations strategy, but inevitably, a department will need to choose between renovating existing facilities or building new ones; which option is better depends on a variety of factors.
We Bought A Golf Course
On February 2, 2021, the Pontiac City Council voted to purchase the Pontiac Elks Club property. In Illinois, golf unofficially begins in mid-March, weather-dependent, which gave us roughly two months to open the facility as a public golf course.
Learn How To Landscape Responsibly
In many parts of the country, fall and spring typically deliver lots of rain. The fate of all that rainwater depends on the surface where the rain happens to fall.
An Award-Winning Sustainability Initiative
Sustainability is a top priority for many of the nation’s parks, but passion doesn’t always translate to an impact. Park leaders are tasked with building and maintaining sustainability programs that deliver long-term results—even after initial enthusiasm wanes.
If A Tree Could Talk
“You wouldn’t believe the things I have seen during the more than 200 years since I put down roots here on the north side of the rugged ridge that overlooks more than 58 acres of a beautiful remnant of the Eastern Cross Timbers.”
Nature As Art
How do people engage with nature? Are they so far removed from it in their daily lives that it has become impossible? Is a connection to nature something people inherently crave?
Celebrating Diversity Through Sport
I often see the single word “sports” posted on my social media timelines. It usually refers to a great play, an incredible ending, or something more powerful. It is said that sports can heal and unify. In Philadelphia, this occurs every year through the Philadelphia International Unity Cup.
A Trifecta Of Fun
As the fifth-largest city in Tennessee, Clarksville has had a growing need for more local sports and activities for younger age groups. To meet this need, the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department athletics staff created the Wonder Kids Triathlon.
Inside The Silver Screen
Many park and recreation departments struggle to serve teen populations. Whether it is finding programming that appeals to this age group or offering volunteer opportunities that are creative enough to keep their attention, teens are a difficult demographic to engage successfully.
With A Little Help
In late September 2020, a lunch conversation at a local pizza shop in Clayton, N.C., spurred the idea for the Friends of Johnston County Parks—a volunteer coalition advocating in support of parks, open space, the arts, and recreational opportunities.
Turn The Page
Now, in my second year of retirement, my children tell me I am assembling a sizable list of “get-off-my-lawn”-type platitudes. Until they are pointed out, I am pretty unaware of how they sound, but once they’re repeated, I understand the looks my children give each other as I pontificate.
A Father’s Pledge
My father, Ronald Henry Ciancutti—son of Henry Ronald Ciancutti and future father of me, Ronald Drew Ciancutti—stared at the ceiling in the gymnasium as the light grew brighter in the early morning hours.
Restroom Renovation
When it comes to facility renovations in many park and recreation facilities, the one area that nearly all administrators want to upgrade is the restrooms.
A Bump In Activity
One of the up-and-coming forms of volleyball is played on snow. In fact, the sport is expected to experience a veritable blizzard of growth in years to come.
Youth Sports Administration 101: Proper Planning
Proper planning is the cornerstone of any well-run, community-recreation program. In coordinating any high-level program, planning is customizable in how an organization chooses to operate. Below are some guidelines to have in place for these programs.