Energized staff, maintenance, and planning are essential for strong operations By Brian Hill and Sophia Young With proper preparation, the outdoor pool season will start out strong, but keeping up the momentum month after month can become a challenge. Lifeguard staff may begin to experience burnout, the water chemical balance can change, reducing i…

Equity, accessibility, and variety attract teens to aquatic pipeline By Jefferey Spivey Though no two parks and recreation departments are the same, many seem to be stumped by the same problem – creating aquatic programming for teens. This demographic is especially vulnerable to peer pressure, with friends and trends dictating how they spend their …

How aquatic group-exercise classes enhance lifelong health By Haley Ragan Health is the most important aspect in life. An individual’s health allows one to experience life freely and make the most of it. Holistic wellness considers multidimensional aspects of wellness. It encourages people to think about physical, mental, emotional, social, intelle…

Wayfinding signage project cleans up safety and navigation concerns By Colleen McCarty Signage in Saw Wee Kee Park once consisted of an inaccurate map on a kiosk in the parking lot, and painted stripes on trees along the 11 miles of mountain-biking trails. This not only made the trails difficult to navigate, but local authorities expressed concerns…

Investing in campers builds a bridge to create leaders By Katie Ridinger The Counselors in Training (CIT) program—a camp-leadership initiative for 7th and 8th graders that began in summer 2023—was the beginning of a program that will last for years. Younger campers began asking where the CITs were every day and expressing their dream to someday be …

Sparing parks and open spaces from the worst of the damage caused by wildfires By Cassie Olgren Monument, Colo., is a small, historic town sitting in the shadow of the eastern-most edge of the Rocky Mountains. Locals refer to this area as the Front Range. Living along the Front Range affords residents spectacular views and sunsets, proximity to cou…

Striking just the right balance makes for happy visitors and habitats By Jane Peterson Parks and recreation is all about balance. While there is a desire to provide guests with access to an abundance of recreational opportunities, Michigan’s Oakland County Parks staff members also recognize it’s important to care for the land to which the public en…

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is a destination for conservation education By Patrick Thibaudeau The need for transformation is more urgent than ever. The threat is no longer invisible; we can feel it and see it. Record temperatures and weather events are killing many people and sickening others, damaging property, crops, and treasured…

Although a powerful conservation tool, maintenance and funding limit widespread installation By Jefferey Spivey For more than a decade, green roofs have taken hold in various North American cities, with some serving a purely ecological purpose, while others have grown into major tourist attractions. Despite this track record, many park departments …

Getting It Right Before Anything Goes Wrong By Danielle Spence In an age of increasing threats to student safety, collaboration between school districts and park districts has become a vital part of emergency preparedness. Natural disasters, unforeseen security threats, and shootings are only a few of the possible situations. Over the past 5 years,…

Active Shooter Preparedness in Parks By Josh Campbell Imagine a holiday weekend at a park bustling with visitors when you hear what sounds like fireworks. After all, it's summer and fireworks complaints have been non-stop for a week. But these fireworks are different; they are not the usual bottle rockets or lady fingers. Something must have gone w…

Weighing the Benefits of Organic Management of Natural-Grass Fields By Jefferey Spivey When it comes to improving natural-grass fields—be it bare spots, pooling, or other problems—many park departments turn to tried-and-true solutions. “One way is to use a chemical-intensive system and have the lawn people come every few weeks and lay down chemical…

Creating a program to show that every employee matters By Annie Olson No matter the size of a park agency, all of them struggle with resource needs. However, what some people often don’t recognize is that the most valuable resource of any organization is its employees. At the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), a 2015 assessment of employ…

A Chaska redevelopment project pays tribute to its industrial past while embracing a favorite local sport By Tom Betti and Tracy Nicholson “Chess on Ice” has come a long way from the frozen ponds of Scotland. While the sport of curling rewards great skill and precision, Chaska, Minn., wanted to reward the community with a great place to play, pract…

A framework for implementing these principles in today’s park design By Troy Houtman With many changes in programming, ADA-access, and opportunities to inclusively serve all members of a diverse community, a paradigm shift has occurred, and it’s time that it is recognized in the way parks are designed.…

Reach out to the elderly and children with messages of kindness and caring By Ron CiancuttiBy PRB Magazine

Take a step back and look at what players need to aspire to be great By John Engh When I run into people from my youth-sports days, they tell me what a great coach my dad was and how they still remember some of the ways he motivated them to work harder and be better.By PRB Magazine

How do you know when you’re ready to lead? By Bill Plessinger I had been at my previous parks and rec position for more than a decade when I landed a great job in central Ohio for a Gold Medal-winning agency, with more responsibility and many more employees to lead. It was tough saying goodbye. The position and the people had been good to me. Befor…

ADA requirements for digital parks and recreation communications By Brian Stapleton In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, technology holds a paramount position in the functioning of local governments, influencing every facet of their operations. From streamlining administrative tasks to enhancing civic engagement, technology assists in mod…

By any other word would be a logo re-design By Sara Green, Shannon Palmer, and Stephanie McDermott Since 2020, state parks have seen massive upticks in visitors. The pandemic forced people to self-reflect and find new ways and places to interact. As a result, the outdoors became a safe haven for many, and state parks became an avenue for those look…

Tips to create simple marketing messages that work By Ryan Wille It takes a lot of effort and planning to stand out in today’s world full of people constantly being treated as potential customers. Studies show the average person is exposed to roughly 4,000 marketing messages every day, and the number is growing.…

How to evaluate (and justify) potential revenue streams By Mark Nagel As one final project before I retired from the city of Elko New Market, Minn., I was asked to scan the nation for potential revenue sources for evaluation, and make recommendations to diversify our current revenue base for future park projects.…

All I know I learned from my horses By Shannon Coates I’ve never heard an effective leader say that leadership is easy—it’s not. In fact, it can be incredibly difficult at times. Not only does an individual in charge have to make sure the day-to-day needs of an organization are met, but he or she is also responsible for helping each person become t…

In 2024, effective park management will require balancing staff and visitors’ evolving needs By Jefferey Spivey Change management is crucial for leaders in any field. Whether it’s adopting innovative technology, navigating employee turnover, or launching new programs, successful leaders are often those who handle curveballs with ease and expertly g…

Universal locker rooms evolve to offer more utility, accessibility, and privacy By Jefferey Spivey 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.…

Understanding all components of a project budget By Thomas Betti 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 an…

Drawing the line for optimal playability By Mary Helen Sprecher 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?”By PRB Magazine

Using data and partnerships to determine sports-field placement By Clement Lau 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 20…

Retaining instructors is the key to a quality program By Stephanie Chelar 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). So,…

How a former golf course became the first veterans park in Geauga County, Ohio By Sandy Ward 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.…

Horseshoe Bay Nature Park offers visitors an opportunity to explore the region’s natural heritage By Sarah Yant 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 …

Making the position part of the youth-sports lineup By John Engh 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 p…

Conversations can lead to common-sense solutions By Ron Ciancutti 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. In the park system where I worked, there wer…

Score a victory by incorporating infrastructure to mitigate flooding By Thomas P. Shay 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, mi…

Aquatic-fitness classes explode in popularity thanks to a dedicated instructor By Mike McLaughlin Envision 112 people in a pool jumping and shooting baskets, pulling aqua dumbbells through the water and thrusting them into the air, while doing kicking exercises underwater. They smile, laugh, and sing along with the music as energetic instructors ru…

Creating a rec center with a farmhouse feel By Zach Bisek and Lauren McKissack What began as a homestead fueled by the Gold Rush and then turned into an agricultural hub, the town of Berthoud, Colo., has not-so-slowly morphed into a growing destination for young families and modern-day Coloradans looking for a slower pace of life and lower living c…

From napkin sketches to developing lasting landscapes By Douglas Gerber Whether a master-planning idea emerges from public-outreach efforts, community initiatives, or common needs, an idea takes hold and exploration ensues. These flashes of brilliance may have significant impacts on the built environment, but where to begin? This article will explo…

Use shade to increase use of sports facilities By Mary Helen Sprecher One of the great advantages of sports is they bring people together. Let’s face it—it’s just plain fun to catch up with friends, whether watching kids in Little League or finishing a great game of pickleball or tennis and wanting to unwind and talk. In other words, the social exp…

Help players develop a lifelong love for a sport By John Engh When I was younger, I couldn’t wait for the next season to start, and it didn’t matter for what sport. Baseball was my first choice, but basketball, football, soccer, and wrestling were all big in my house. My two older brothers were big into wrestling. And while my mom was the real jock…

Focus on ability instead of disability By Heidi Lemmon Public skateparks have come a long way in the last 25 years; they are no longer single- or even double-use facilities. Chances are your park is being used by skateboarders, BMX riders, scooters, rollerbladers, roller skaters, and even wheelchairs. All genders, all ages, abled and disabled rider…

Carousel restorations honor tradition while preserving recreation for the future By Jefferey Spivey When visitors buy a ticket to the Balboa Park Carousel in San Diego, their likely objective is a few minutes of traditional, family-friendly fun. But they’re actually experiencing part of the city’s history.…

Building cool parks to beat the urban, heat-island effect By Rupsa Roy, Julie Eaton Ernst, and Indrani Ghosh Parks and open space function as critical infrastructure for public health as well as for mitigating and adapting to climate change. This is especially evident in island environments, where there is limited vegetation, paved surfaces, and de…

Day-to-day communication keeps MLB coming back to Lee County facilities By Jefferey Spivey Throughout 2023, one of the biggest stories in major league baseball has involved new rules with the addition of a pitch timer, bigger bases, and limitations around defensive shifts. The changes are designed to shorten the average length of games and encourag…

From less mowing to attracting pollinators, there are plenty of reasons to consider them By Lydia Major and Nikki Schlepp The benefits of turf alternatives have been debated for years. Members of city councils, the parks commission, or perhaps even community members have touted the benefits: fescues that need only occasional mowing, saving staff ti…

Attracting teams for tournaments and the keys to keep them coming back By Mike McLaughlin So, you have built a premier sports complex. How do you make it pay? By keeping it busy every day. “When you build a leading-edge, multi-use facility, sustainability is the number-one concern,” says Darren Tolin, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation (SCP+R) sport…

Driven by demographic shifts, the sport is growing at the municipal level By Mary Helen Sprecher There’s no end to the number of sports that have been brought to the USA through immigration, such as soccer, field hockey, and rugby. And that’s not even taking into consideration other popular fixtures on the competition calendar like wrestling and tr…

Dividing a baseball field brings three times as much activity By Casey Wooddell “The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” --Moliere, French Playwright In Oxford, Ohio, this quote fits well for a field-renovation project that’s been ongoing for nearly half a decade and has finally wrapped up. Divvying up one adult softball field into th…

Using synthetic turf to minimize dark days and maximize facility usage By Haley Darling It’s no secret that northern climates impose challenges to practice and game time for outdoor sports like soccer, football, and baseball. While southern states enjoy the outdoors, their northern neighbors endure drastic conditions, from blizzards and ice to rain…

A betrayal of trust destroys credibility By Ron Ciancutti I do some consulting work regarding the completion and structure of bid documents and contracts. Unlike my previous career in government work, these private-sector clients can make decisions based on emotion and preference. In the public work, agencies were obliged to research bids to determ…

Senior programming evolves to meet modern needs By Jefferey Spivey Some longstanding senior programs endure regardless of trends. “There’s still the staple bingo that seniors absolutely love,” says Mercy Santoro, Assistant Director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. But that hasn’t stopped her department or other depar…