Of all the facilities we cover—from aquatic complexes to yoga studios—one of the main challenges they all have in common is finding the right flooring.

Of course, a facility’s flooring needs are as vast and diverse as its program offerings. Not to mention other little considerations like design, installation, maintenance issues, and, oh yeah, cost. The whole process of choosing the best sports surface can get complicated quickly—and that’s even before you even start worrying about friction coefficients, force reductions, ball rebound or ISO 9001 standards—all that fun technical stuff. You definitely, well, have to watch your step.

This special section is devoted exclusively to helping you understand and choose the right sports surfaces, whatever your needs and budget, indoors and out. From industry standards and vocabulary to flooring categories and characteristics, this report will help you figure out which surfaces work best for what uses and programs, examining all kinds of factors from aesthetics and durability to performance and safety.

Does your facility have the right identity? Find out how to cost-effectively make indoor spaces more inviting, energizing and engaging for patrons and staff. With the right balance of light, color and materials, develop a unique image for your interior that is not only functional but also interesting and comfortable.

What goes into the whole journey of planning, funding and building multi-use trails and bridges? We'll follow the footsteps of some successful trail projects, giving you a glimpse of common obstacles, tips for gaining public support and some practical construction ideas.

In city and suburb, land development is occurring at breakneck pace. That vacant lot that seemed ideal for a playground? Gone. The old farm field that would have made a great ball field? Now filled with townhomes.

Park and recreation agencies may feel boxed in—that their opportunities to save parks and open space are slipping through their fingers. But being landlocked, without room to expand, does not mean being without options. You can create new parks, trails, greenways and open space on property that was once used for other purposes.

Our recreation landscapes often hold wonderful opportunities for educational experiences. Each place has a voice that carries messages about our past and our environment. Whether it is a rich cultural heritage or diverse natural ecosystems, the greatest challenges recreation providers face are how to best communicate that message to visitors and gain funding for the project.

Sometimes great things come from joining forces.

Faced with two old, deteriorating buildings and the need for more space and a fresh image, the Decatur Family YMCA and the YWCA of Decatur and Macon County in Illinois decided to jointly develop a new 67,750-square-foot facility known as the Greater Decatur Y.

What happens when you mix an athletic club, two ice rinks, a tennis center, skate park, professional salon and spa, and corporate offices?

You have just a portion of RDV Sportsplex in Orlando. Located within a 365,000 square-foot facility, this complex includes the Orlando Magic corporate offices as well as a complete health and wellness facility. With this year marking the Sportsplex’s fifth anniversary, some new additions to the facility are up and running, including a new home for the wheeled set.