It takes more than just a hammer and some nails to build the perfect shelter or gazebo. These days the process requires creativity, forethought and lots of information. We give you the tools for selecting the ideal outdoor structure, from prefab to custom-made—and how to protect it from vandals and the elements.

When lighting is done incorrectly, it's really done incorrectly. It can make it difficult or impossible for athletes to play their sports. Illuminating a venue may be no easy task, but it's a manageable one. We show you the steps you can take to make sure you do it effectively and efficiently.

Step classes and water aerobics are fine, but to keep women interested in their fitness regimens, recreation facilities are offering a lot more. The hottest trend in women's fitness is programming that celebrates femininity, classes that engage female patrons physically and indulge their imagination.

From lights and latches to HVAC and pool systems, the devil, as they say, is in the details. Keeping a complex facility humming year after year starts with asking the right questions. Find out from experts in the field how to achieve a cost-effective and sanity-saving maintenance approach with results you, your staff and your patrons will definitely notice.

Participation in fitness and wellness activities and in recreational team sports contributes to the health, well-being and education of the whole student, helping to render his or her academic life more productive—and successful, which is the ideal held dear by all educators.

For decades pool operators have used chemicals to neutralize the effects of chloramines and bacteria. A costly battle in time and material, but there is a solution.

Sure, you’ve heard the term batted around, but what exactly is a green building anyway?

While one of the most common complaints of swimmers entering a pool is "cold" water, summertime swimmers at Rahway Branch YMCA in Rahway, N.J., regularly voiced criticism that the 200,000-gallon indoor pool was too hot.

When Chuck Haines left sunny California to return home and take over operations of Shady Creek RV Park & Campground, he knew that the facility would consume all of his time. With aspirations of improving the campground, Haines realized he would have to find a new way of doing things if he planned to fit in more than just day-to-day upkeep.

This mother-daughter duo was the catalyst for a new playground at McCosh Park—perhaps one of few fully accessible play systems in the state of Washington.