October 2022
Volume 21 | Issue 3
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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
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The short history of skateparks is complicated. The first parks were retail, pay-to-play, concrete landscapes in the 1970s.
“Organizations need to think outside of their traditional audiences if they want to continue to grow and have an impact,” says Marci Mowery, President of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF). Videos are one effective way to reach and engage with new and diverse audiences.
A paintbrush. A cooperative game. A bike-skills playground. A collection of musical instruments. At first blush, it may seem as though these items have nothing in common. But the winners of the inaugural Great Fall Giveaway agree the prizes are sparking creativity and confidence in the kids who are enjoying them.
After a nearly two-decade hiatus, the Kansas City, Mo., Department of Parks and Recreation (KC Parks) is bringing park rangers back into the fold to assist with public safety and education.
What are the unique needs of rural areas, and how do park and recreation departments best address them? Agencies like the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) have been seeking answers to these questions.
The city of Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department in Texas maintains 23 trails throughout the park system, including hard and soft surfaces. This provides residents of all ages attractive, safe, accessible, and low- or no-cost places to cycle, walk, hike, jog, or skate.
Owners of children’s water features run a full gambit of risks. One of those risks should not have to be contending with apparent mandates to purchase and install surfacing systems that are certified.
Those who manage a youth-sports program know there will be times when parents complain. Incidents also may occur at the fields and sports venues that may have to be dealt with on a game day. Regardless of the type of complaint or severity of an incident, it should be taken seriously.
The pandemic had a great impact on fitness facilities across the nation. Now, there’s a growing sense that many Americans want to get back to the gym and interact with their friends and neighbors while getting fit.
About 10 years ago, the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) received a call from one of its largest member organizations: “What does NAYS have for us on bullying prevention?” I immediately recognized this was a subject missing from our training. NAYS contacted organization officials to discover the extent of the problem.
Ever been accused of being a one-trick pony? In the animal kingdom, it’s probably a compliment: the dog that jumps through a hoop, the elephant that sits up. But clearly NOT Koko, the gorilla that mastered sign language. But if you’re a one-trick pony in the human species, that accusation can be quite an insult:
The text pinged on my phone. I looked down to see a picture of my youngest twin daughter accepting a homecoming proposal from some young man who looked slightly embarrassed to be holding his sign in the middle of the high school hallway. I texted back: “What the heck’s going on there? I leave town for five minutes and boys show up?”
Industry events you won’t want to miss. Check out what’s coming up.
A collection of news items, product announcements and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.
Product Review
The Wall Mount Cylinders offer an adjustable beam angle from 35 to 55 degrees with Selectable CCTs—Warm White 2700K, Pure White 3000K, and Cool White 4000K color temperatures. Less than 7 inches tall, the diminutive fixture provides field-adjustable uplighting, downlighting, or both. All are offered in bronze, black and white finishes on an aluminum body.
WACLandscapeLighting.com
The Arena Pro 1000 and 2000 are designed for full court and crowd coverage, projecting clear and intelligible concert-quality sound from fully-aimable speakers that reach the ears of every spectator over crowd noise itself.
The Arena Pro 1000 is a wall-mounted system made for complete coverage of smaller venues, ideal for a space no larger than 130 feet by 120 feet in size, while the Arena Pro 2000 is designed as a center-hung cluster, dedicated to larger venues with a size of 160 feet by 120 feet, respectively.
https://nevco.com/products/indoor-sound-systems/
ASV Holdings RT-50 Posi-Track loader is now powered by a Yanmar engine. The new machine boasts 53.8 horsepower, up 8 percent from the previous model. It also offers improved serviceability, allowing owners to have the Yanmar engine serviced at ASV dealers. In addition to these benefits, the new RT-50 features new comfort, visibility and performance features, elevating it as one of the top compact track loaders in both performance and comfort in its class. The Yanmar-powered RT-50 provides construction-grade performance in a small package, and is ideally suited for work in tight spaces, such as for rental, landscaping, construction, snow clearing and more.
www.asvi.com
Passing a 4,000-hour durability test, this backpack blower was built to keep lawn maintenance professionals working comfortably all day. The power and performance are made possible by the higher engine compression from the RedMax Strato-Charged 2-stroke engine. Paired with the high-flow volute, it produces 1,000 CFM of air volume at speeds of 220 MPH at the nozzle. For all-day comfort, this backpack blower features cushioned straps and a ventilated back pad to reduce fatigue.
www.redmax.com
Buyer’s Guide
Marketspace Spotlight
Coming Up
November 2022
The Trails Issue
Aquatic Centers & Natatoriums
Exercise, Fitness & Recreation Centers
Playgrounds
Indoor & Court Sports
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Perhaps there’s no greater symbol of Halloween—and to a greater extent, the fall season—than pumpkins. Intricately carved or plain, stand-alone décor or part of a larger motif, pumpkin fever is hard to escape.