Learn-to-swim programs are an essential tool in your aquatics programming kit. Learn about how some facilities are reaching out to new swimmers to bring more people to the pool.

A dog park can be more—much more—than a simple fenced-in area where dogs can roam. Offering a bit more for our canine friends—and their owners—can boost a park’s success in the community.

With new ADA rules set to go into effect, it’s important to understand how recreation, sports and fitness facilities will be affected.

In this first installment in our series on maintenance issues, we take a look at the basic requirements for maintaining sports fields. Whether your fields are synthetic or natural turf, there are steps you can take to maximize their playability.

Less than 10 years after his tragic death on a flight destined to crash in a Pennsylvania field, the city of Fresno, Calif., celebrates Todd Beamer’s legacy with a new park.

When the rules for handling water treatment at splash play areas were updated, the design team of this new sprayground was ready to roll with the changes.

Many communities take a build-it-and-they-will-come approach to skateparks. But when you also offer programming to introduce new skaters to the sport, you’ll get the most out of your facility.

Many think it’s enough to install ramps to make a playground accessible. But a playground that truly includes disabled children and immerses them in the activity involves so much more.

When you don’t offer skaters and BMX bikers a place to show off their skills, you invite them to use your parking lots, streets, parks and other locations. Learn how communities across the country are doing it right.

Before you can get your team onto the field, you have to take care to ensure your fields are properly designed. Close attention to the soil and other factors is essential.

From the beastly bleachers to the beautiful flooring and beyond, gymnasiums require your attention to maintenance issues to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort.

Budgets for parks, recreation, sports and fitness have been hit hard, and many argue that it’s time to get used to a new normal. From adopting smart business sense to developing partnerships with others in your community, there are steps you can take to survive—and even thrive.

A creatively designed space offers a perfect backdrop for an impressive sculpture collection.

When this ice arena needed a lighting solution, they found the right choice was something unexpected.

Choosing the right materials for your locker room will help ensure its long-term aesthetic appeal.

Before you open the doors and let your members loose in your fitness center, be sure you understand the risks involved, and train your employees to handle problems before they become disasters.

On the playground, it’s all about fun and games for the kids, but beneath and surface and behind the equipment, there’s a whole world of careful design and research to help improve safety.

Fitness fads come and fitness fads go, and it’s important to know which bandwagon to jump on. This month, we take a look at some of the latest trends to hit the health club scene.

Good customer service is critical to running your business or facility. We talked to some experts and distilled their advice to help you keep your clientele happy.

Once you’ve got a sprayground in place, it’s critical that you don’t forget about it. Constant maintenance and attention is required to keep the splashes coming.

Phoenix residents who are looking for a place to get away and enjoy nature need look no further than Camp Colley, a haven away from the big city where nature rules and visitors can immerse themselves in the experience.

When this upscale facility’s swimming pool started showing its age, an innovative solution for renovation provided a like-new pool.

With budgets stretched to the limit, many facilities are wondering how they can run their aquatic facilities without running into the red. Here are some ideas on making things more cost-effective.

Artificial turf sports fields are a great option for facilities that want to get more play in more weather. But before you buy, you need to know a thing or two about the surface—and what lies beneath it.

Want to keep your budget off the chopping block? One way to get through the ideological clouds surrounding budgetary issues is to offer hard evidence of what the people in your community really want.

From themes and a colorful variety of product types to improved technology for managing water quality and efficiency, splash play areas are adapting to new trends that make them even more valuable to the communities they serve.

Whether you need to revamp your existing wall to refresh visitors’ experience, or you’d like to add something completely new, there are ways to get what you need without breaking the bank.

With a large number of soldiers deployed and returning from conflict, and an increasing population of wounded veterans, military installations and communities are improving programs and offering new services to bring recreation to wounded warriors and military families.

To get a green facility, you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch. Simply adapting your maintenance practices to be a little eco-friendlier can help you use what you have more effectively.

When this high schools synthetic turf field was due for replacement, a unique solution allowed them to reduce costs, while recycling much of the old field. The results were delivered in record time, to much applause.

If you boost your energy efficiency by focusing on the design of your walls, but ignore the windows, you’re missing a great opportunity to really make an impact.

There are many reasons why fewer women are participating in intramurals. Encouraging participation requires a different approach.

When it’s time to replace your court surfaces, here are six steps to take to ensure you get the right fit for your facility.

We’ve selected the winners of our ninth annual design awards competition. We’re proud to showcase those facilities here, from college and community recreation centers to pools, soccer stadiums and more. Read on to see how these cutting-edge projects raise the bar for recreation, sports and fitness facility design across America.

Winners

THE SALVATION ARMY RAY & JOAN KROC CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER
CARY STREET GYM, VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS RECREATION & WELLNESS CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
LARGO COMMUNITY CENTER
STUDENT RECREATION & WELLNESS CENTER, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
TELLEPSEN FAMILY DOWNTOWN YMCA
THE SUMMIT
THE WELL, SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY

Editor's Choice Winner

Highlights
We are also pleased to showcase the following facilities that were submitted and sponsored by the firm that entered them:

MAVERICK CENTER, MESA STATE COLLEGE
CAMPBELL COUNTY RECREATION CENTER
CHUCK BAILEY RECREATION CENTRE
VAN ANDEL SOCCER STADIUM, HOPE COLLEGE
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RECREATION CENTER
GROTON SENIOR CENTER
HPER BUILDING, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
BARRINGTON PARK DISTRICT FITNESS & RECREATION CENTER
THE AMBLER AREA Y
LINDON AQUATIC CENTER
HOLLYBURN COUNTRY CLUB

Ensuring proper water quality requires the right approach. Here’s a rundown of how to guarantee your pool can pass the smell test, meaning you’ve solved the chloramines problem.

With children getting less exposure to nature, play equipment manufacturers are finding creative ways to engage them—not only in play, but also in their natural surroundings.

More than 2,000 professionals responded to our call for information about their facility operations. Here, we summarize their responses, including current trends in operations, staffing, programming, construction and much more.

This section breaks survey results down according to region, taking a look at trends in facilities across the country. Learn how facilities in different regions are experiencing the recovery, and which programs and amenities are most popular across the country.

From indoor natatoriums to outdoor pools, spraygrounds and full-blown waterparks, aquatic facilities are a unique breed. This section breaks down survey information for facilities that include aquatic elements.

Respondents from parks and recreation organizations have been hit hard by the economic downturn, but still have a positive outlook going forward. Find out which trends are taking hold in parks and recreation.

Colleges and universities have long been engaged in a battle for the best and brightest, and many aim to attract them by offering outstanding recreational facilities. This section looks at trends in campus recreation facilities.

Schools and school districts are still deeply affected by the fallout from the economic recession. Learn how these facilities are doing in 2011.

This section summarizes the survey results from health, fitness and sports clubs, and reveals the flexibility enjoyed by respondents who work for private, nonprofit facilities.

Nonprofit facilities such as YMCAs serve a crucial mission, reaching out to community members with programs and services that often can’t be found elsewhere. This section looks at the current trends in these types of facilities.

Often operating with a smaller economic footprint than other types of facilities, respondents from camp facilities are among the most positive in terms of their outlook for the future. Find out about other trends affecting this group of survey respondents.

Based on a survey of more than 2,000 professionals in the managed recreation, sports and fitness market, our fourth annual survey of salaries and careers offers a positive outlook for years to come.

Through industry collaboration and scientific study, big advances are being made in aquatic safety. From training lifeguards to creating codes for every pool to follow, there are plenty of new developments to follow.

The design of sports facilities has gone far beyond big boxes to hold gymnasiums and now increasingly incorporates social elements, while also taking into account environmental, compliance and liability issues.

Great grounds can make a great impression, but only if they are properly cared for. This month we take a look at grounds maintenance practices.

When designing this new park space and playground, the planning team looked to a sister city in England—and took some cues from the story of Peter Pan, as well.

For community centers to be effective centerpieces for those they serve, the planning team must take into account the building’s design, programming and operations.

Members of the Armed Services and their families have given so much. Here is a way that fitness facilities can give something back.

The news of the past couple of years has been filled with tragic disasters, from tornadoes to tsunamis, oil spills to wildfires. Proactive planning for a disaster that may never come is a necessity, just in case, and makes recovering what was lost simpler.

With best practices for programming to help foster children’s connection to nature still in its formative stages, many park and recreation facilities, nature centers, preschools and communities are diverging from the traditional programming trails to forge their own paths.

From vault restrooms to plumbed facilities, it’s important to find the right fit—and ensure that it will last for the long haul. Learn about the latest trends in restroom structures.

Over the past several years, many facilities have had to tighten their belts, but facility directors and owners are still finding innovative ways to make sure that water plus play equals fun.

Proper maintenance is an essential element of playground safety. This feature will examine the to-dos to ensure playgrounds are well-maintained.

When Kids Express Preschool needed a lower-cost playground solution, school leaders took their time to find the right fit.

Concession foods still remain one of the best ways to make a big impact for the recreation industry. They can boost revenue, encourage families to stay longer and return more often, and set you apart from other local entertainment options.

Facility audits impact how organizations prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. An audit is an important part of the risk management plan. Find out how to do it right.

Everyone wants to have a ball! Noncompetitive playcourts can help get kids more active and encourage play in ways ordinary playgrounds can’t always achieve.

Despite efforts to combat the problem, drowning still occurs at aquatic facilities across the country. New technologies can help add a layer of protection.

From sun protection to aesthetic element, from a home base for visiting families to a beautiful backdrop for a wedding ceremony, shelters and shade structures can serve myriad functions on your site.

With right-minded design teams in place, you can ensure a landscape design for your sites and parks that takes aesthetics, technology and economics into account.

Between upgrades to LED and wireless technology and a growing focus on environmentally friendly solutions, the world of scoreboards and sports lighting continues to evolve.

If you're not adhering to best practices in pool maintenance, you might not know what's in your water. To ensure swimmers are safe, pool maintenance is crucial.

This year, the Buffalo Bills bring a new player to the field—the field itself.

The Texas Swimming Center turned to a unique solution to improve its ventilation to deal with higher temperatures, greater use and improved air quality.

Ensuring the air quality within a natatorium is safe for swimmers means careful attention to the tools you use to circulate that air. New solutions are making it easier to keep swimmers healthy.

Outfitting your pool to comply with ADA requirements is not only the law, it's also smart business. With therapeutic aquatics on the rise, your traffic will increase if you provide amenities and programs specifically for this audience.

Untangling the requirements of the recent ADA design guidelines updates is tricky business. Here an expert guides miniature golf course owners through the new requirements.

Across the country, more colleges and universities are building facilities that combine traditional student union functions with campus recreation centers spaces. Learn more about how to make this type of fusion facility work.

Despite the economic downturn, fitness facilities have continued to thrive and grow. Learn about the latest trends in design and programming that help fitness clubs stand out from the pack.

From intergenerational access and nature-inspired play to custom elements, there are myriad trends that affect playground design. Find out more about these trends, and read about play spaces that are putting them into action.

Going green is good for the environment, but if you do it right, it can also be a boon for your facility's budget.

Graffiti and vandalism in your parks and facilities can be a slippery slope, sliding toward even more damage and even crime. Here we offer tips on preventing small problems from developing further.

When this YMCA wanted to help kids get fit, they looked into a new approach that integrated youngsters into the general facility, rather than separating them. Find out more about how it works.

The summer's news of a drowning in Massachusetts prompted many to exclaim that such a tragedy could never occur at their facility. But is that true? And what should you do to be sure?

If your latest construction project presents flaws that must be fixed, turn to the experts before calling in the legal team to address the problem.

Metal buildings offer a savvy way to impress your existing and potential members and customers. Find out more about how such buildings can deliver the right brand message for you.