November 2023
Volume 22 | Issue 4
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Parks & Rec Business is written by parks and recreation directors and staff. If you’re in the industry, PRB is an amazing resource that’s full of real-world experience that you can use to solve problems, create new opportunities, and keep your community healthy and happy.
This Month’s Articles
The only thing more prevalent than pickleball these days is this question: “Should we line our tennis courts for pickleball, too, or just have separate pickleball courts?”
Many parks, recreation, and athletic facilities serve as community hubs where residents gather to compete, play, socialize, and enjoy the outdoors. These prized community assets can play an even bigger role by incorporating infrastructure to manage stormwater, mitigate flooding, and achieve water-quality goals.
Park planning has become increasingly data-driven in recent years. For instance, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) collects and analyzes a high volume and variety of data to prepare major plans and studies, with key examples including the 2016 Parks Needs Assessment (PNA), Community Parks and Recreation Plans (CPRP) for the most park-poor communities, and the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+).
Envisioning the possibilities of a new community center or sports facility is exciting, but when the costs of a project add up, the last thing anyone wants to see is a surprise. To bypass aggressive finger-pointing, the best advice is to avoid any comparison with similar facilities and to invest in information-gathering that will help determine the true cost of a project.
The heart and soul of any fitness center is its group-exercise program. Nearly 40 percent of members will participate in these classes at some point, and the American College of Sports Medicine designated group fitness within the top-three trends of 2020 (Thompson, 2019).
At the center of Geauga County, Ohio, along the main artery Route 44, lies a new park with more heart than most. Veterans Legacy Woods quickly gained recognition as the county’s 27th park and its first dedicated to U.S. veterans.
Visitors to Horseshoe Bay Nature Park are welcomed at the entrance by a cedar coyote fence bearing the park’s distinctive logo: a purple Texas thistle nestled in the curve of a horseshoe. It’s a fitting symbol for a place whose existence bridges the past and future and strengthens the ties between thriving ecosystems and thriving communities.
My memories of being a volunteer coach of my kids’ teams rarely involve anything to do with the sport I was coaching. Sure, I remember some of the conversations with players after a particularly fun game, certain kids making great plays, and those times when one of my lesser-skilled players rose to the occasion and did something in a game that he had struggled with throughout the season.
Long before business meetings included projections and metrics, the people sitting around a table talked about how things were going. They asked about the families and inquired about the “work family”—the gang that worked together all day.
It was late spring in 1979 and my dad was looking for a new project. Well, that’s a bit superfluous. He was looking for more room for our growing family in our split-level ranch in rural Wisconsin.
A collection of news items, product announcements and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.
Industry events you won’t want to miss. Check out what’s coming up.
Product Review
Altoz, a manufacturer of commercial outdoor power equipment, has introduced a new 16-inch Deck Wing Extension for the all-terrain deck on the TRX 766 tracked zero-turn mower. This accessory is designed for mowing solar fields, under fence lines, shorelines, ditch banks, orchards, water retention ponds, and anywhere you need to mow. Increase your bottom line by reducing both the amount of string trimming needed and man hours. The extension provides 16" of additional cutting width (82 inches total) and flexes up to 12 degrees to follow the terrain.
www.Altoz.com
The redesigned Forestry Disc Mulcher quickly eradicates 6- to 14-inch diameter materials and standing or felled trees. A 60-inch fully machined disc includes 44 beaver teeth located on the top, bottom, and perimeter of the disc, with five additional beaver teeth located on the inside of the deck. An angled throat design guides material into the mulching chamber to speed the shredding of brush. Available with either 150cc motor that requires 32 to 44 gpm of hydraulic flow, or 200cc motor that requires 45 to 60 gpm of hydraulic flow. All models feature a 1” hinged deflector and 3/8” thick deck and reinforced sides for longer service life.
www.ironcraftco.com
Comprised of six models, including the MCL2, MCL4, MCL4+, MCL6, MCL6+ and MCL8, the series presents versatility and agility for industries ranging from agriculture to landscape, forestry, snow removal, utility and construction. The M-Drive and speed control features allow the loader to function as a tool carrier, providing control of RPM by hand throttle and speed via a foot pedal to enable more precise and controlled operation of a wide variety of hydraulic attachments.
(508) 921 3076
www.mecalac.com
Hunter’s field servers connect the irrigation system to a configurable building and industrial automation gateway. Integrators can easily interface irrigation control from Hunter ACC2 and ICC2 Controllers to networks in commercial buildings, industrial plants, and smart cities. The field servers also allow access to other devices in the customer network, including water tanks, pumps, weather stations, and sensors.
www.hunterindustries.com
LyteHorse takes advantage of the incredible torque and power of electric motors. Silent, powerful, agile, able to carry 500 pounds and tow 1,000 pounds. The maneuverability and tight turning radius is made possible by the combination of patent-pending steering geometry, off-set wheel alignment, and independent, custom designed coil-over shock absorbers from Elka (the racing shock absorber specialists). Instant power to the four 3,000-watt hub motors (one in each wheel) is supplied by the 9.6 kWh rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
www.LyteHorse.com
With a universal design to fit most pet-care and first-aid products, it provides ideal storage that is also easy to maintain. This is powder-coated aluminum box has a larger overhanging top to keep the contents dry, and can be used for indoor or outdoor facilities. It is available as an optional add-on to The Pet Waste Station.
(800) 931-1562
www.ThePetWasteStation.com
Buyer’s Guide
Marketspace Spotlight
Coming Up
December 2023
Leadership And Management
Marketing and Social Media
Staff Training & Succession Planning
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
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Much about fitness has changed over the last few years, including the advent of virtual classes and the meteoric rise of pickleball. However, in gym facilities across the country, one of the more noticeable changes has little to do with exercise.