The safest playgrounds require continual attention. Ensuring children's safety means understanding best practices and constantly updating your knowledge to be sure you're ahead of the curve.

Preventing drowning means getting everyone on board, from yourself to your staff to the people who visit your aquatic facility. Here, we examine some smart strategies to keep swimmers safe.

While military bases often provide their own recreation, sports and fitness outlets, local communities would be wise to partner with them to provide additional outlets. We talked to some experts to find out the best ways to do just that.

It is possible to get kids involved in youth sports programs at fairly young ages, as long as you acknowledge that it's not about prowess, but about learning how to move and cooperate.

When this YMCA wanted to ensure its pool could be used no matter what the weather was doing, it went with a unique solution that provides protection in bad weather without completely shutting out the good.

When UNC needed a new practice field, the school's team went to great lengths to stay with natural turf.

Planning for a new pool or renovation takes time and money. But one of the biggest challenges is ensuring that you don't lose money after it's built.

There is no more critical issue to pool owners than the safety of swimmers and staff. Failure to maintain safe water and good air quality can lead to health issues, and problems for your aquatic facility.

Plenty of research has shown that working out and relaxing in the water can provide a wellness boost. Here, we talked to experts about adding wellness programming at aquatic facilities, to the benefit of all.

No matter which sport you're playing, sports fields can take a serious pounding, and most people expect the field to bounce right back for the next game. Staying on top of maintenance requirements is one way to prevent problems.

Advances in engineering and evolving technology have made less conventional structures a viable alternative to brick-and-mortar construction when you want to enclose sports, swimming and other programs.

Much of the focus of inclusion efforts in parks and rec, sports and fitness facilities has been placed on physical disabilities, but developmental disabilities are just as common and also may require a unique approach. So how do you ensure everyone can be included?

Group fitness classes continue to inspire people to show up at the gym and get in a good workout. This month, we take a look at what makes group fitness so successful, as well as ways to improve your options.

This intracoastal recreational area, accessible by car or boat, was isolated and underused for years, but now, thanks to a complete revitalization, it's a whole new waterfront.

When it came time to upgrade this park that sits amid a range of recreational opportunities, the whole community got involved.

Proper design of your recreation center will address long-term programming needs, ensuring diversity and flexibility.

When planning a new restroom facility, there are many questions to answer. First and foremost, figure out what type of solution will work best for your site.

Successful dog parks require more than a simple fenced-off area. To ensure success, start with intense community involvement, and don't let your focus drift until you've got a park full of playful pooches.

For many cities, large and small, the waterfront has long been an industrial hub. But now, as industry leaves the waterfront behind, we're finding new ways to rejuvenate these areas for recreation and more.

From hardwood floors to synthetic floors designed to look like hardwood floors to weight-room surfacing and beyond, it's important to know the ins and outs of indoor flooring.

The loud, smelly locker room of yesterday is best left in the past. Nowadays, designers are focusing on inclusion and privacy, while manufacturers are creating more options than ever for securing stuff.

At this retreat, a new gym floor is providing an outlet for adults and kids who just need to take a little time out.

When planning a fitness facility, it's important to keep one eye on what members want now, and another on what might work best in the future.

Do you want to ensure your outdoor event goes off without a hitch? One crucial piece of the puzzle may be out of your hands, but by partnering with the right professionals, you can stay one step ahead of the weather.

When hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and other disasters threaten, parks can be on the front line. Being prepared before disaster strikes is the key to success.

Screen time might be tempting a lot of kids to forgo activity, but that doesn't mean you should sit back and let it happen. Designing active playgrounds is one way to encourage kids and their families to put down the device and get moving.

Whether your park setting is a peaceful wooded area or a bustling city square, there are furnishings that will meet your needs, providing comfort for visitors and the right aesthetic for your park.

There are more options than ever, if you want to add more thrill to your recreational lineup. From climbing walls and challenge courses to zip lines and free-fall devices, you can provide the adventure your visitors are looking for.

Parks and recreation facilities, as well as schools and college campuses have long been at the forefront of innovative and sustainable design. Find out how some facilities use small steps to go greener.

Maintaining good water and air quality requires careful attention to all of your pool's systems and infrastructure. Following regular, recommended maintenance practices helps keep things in working order.

Designing good multi-use trails takes careful planning and teamwork. Here, we take a closer look at how some greenways have gotten started, and how others are continuing to develop.

Providing a place for military members and their families to let off a little steam and have a little fun helps contribute to mission success.

If you want to retain members, one of the best tools you can use is data. Learn more about how to collect and make use of data to understand how to make your facility even better.

The opening of the swim season is just around the corner. Is your facility ready?

YMCAs and community recreation centers have seen a lot of changes over the years, and most of them arc toward greater inclusiveness. Here's the latest trends in designing facilities for multiple demographics and functions.

At colleges and universities, and even some high schools, design for sports facilities caters to the needs of athletes. But lately, these designs are aiming to take everyone into account.

Waterpark-like amenities have taken over outdoor swimming pools, but indoor pools also are adapting with the needs of modern swimmers, incorporating more fun and fitness.

The best parks are not just pieces of land set aside for sports and recreation, but rather, take the needs of the community into account and make careful use of landscape design to maximize their potential.

Campus recreation centers are still a centerpiece, providing a useful tool in recruiting new students and ensuring good quality of life for existing students.

To succeed, this martial arts gym had to adapt to the needs of the surrounding community, expanding from programming focused on experienced patrons to include newcomers and more.

When an indoor waterpark saw trouble with eye and respiratory symptoms among staff and swimmers, this investigation uncovered the culprit and suggested solutions.

Ensuring good customer service to your patrons means providing changing areas that are clean, private, safe and aesthetically pleasing.

Nearly 1,600 professionals responded to our call for information about their facilities, budgets, construction plans, operations, programming, staffing and more. Here, we summarize their responses.

In this section, we break down the trends by region of the country.

In this section, we cover the trends in aquatic facilities, including indoor and outdoor pools, splash play areas, waterparks and spas.

The largest number of survey respondents come from parks and recreation organizations. In this section, we take a look at trends in their parks and facilities.

Colleges and universities continue to struggle with state-level budget cuts, but providing wellness, sports, fitness and recreation to students is still a way to stand out from other campuses.

Schools and school districts provide a huge range of services, from simple youth sports programs to shared community facilities. This section takes a look at trends among school respondents.

Respondents from health clubs, fitness clubs, sports clubs and medical fitness facilities provide unique offerings focused on fitness and wellness. Here's a look at the trends among these facilities.

These nonprofit facilities tend to provide a huge range of programs for people of all ages. Here we take a look at the latest trends for these facilities.

As a follow-up to our annual State of the Industry Report, we cover the careers and salaries as reported by nearly 1,600 professionals working in the recreation, sports and fitness industry.

From climbing higher to making things more inclusive for people of all abilities, the latest trends in playgrounds are creating innovative destinations that families can't resist.

Keeping your pool’s water safe and free of waterborne pathogens is crucial for aquatic facility operators. From vacuuming and keeping debris out of the pool to ensuring you’ve got the right systems in place, find out more to keep your operations up to par.

Active agers need a variety of programs to stay engaged. Here, we talked to some experts about how to make sure you’re creating a programming lineup that’s a good fit for your community.

When this beloved camp needed an update, it turned to a local manufacturer to give its restrooms a facelift.

If you operate a sports facility, it's important to keep an eye on equipment and ensure it's functioning safely and properly. Learn more about the importance of regular equipment checkups.

When you’re building a new facility, it’s important to take the future into account. Sure, you might know just what your community wants and needs now, but how do you anticipate future needs, and ensure you have the budget to accommodate them?

Welcome to our annual Problem-Solver Idea Book.

Packed with scores of ideas, this reference tool was designed to help you tackle your most persistent and universal challenges, covering all the big basic questions. Consider it an industry guidebook of sorts, chock full of straightforward problem-solving tips.

AQUATICS

Heat Your Pool Efficiently

Transform Your Nightmare Pool to a Dream

Add Fun to the Waterfront

Conserve Energy & Pool Resources

Keep the Pool Clean

Enclose Your Pool

Provide Safe & Simple Pool Sanitization

Create an Inclusive Sprayground

Ensure Water Quality

Identify & Solve Pool Problems

Promote Interactivity on the Sprayground

Build a New Pool

PARK & SITE FURNISHINGS

Encourage Biking in Your Community

Get Your Message Out

Make Your Park Pet-Friendly

Manage Waste Wisely

Create Beautiful Gathering Places

Choose Materials to Meet Site Needs

Help Fund Your Dog Park

CONCESSIONS & EVENTS

Provide a Large Menu in a Small Space

Provide Seating When & Where It's Needed

SHELTERS, SHADE & RESTROOMS

Find Durable, Cost-Effective Restrooms

Provide Shade That Adapts to the Weather

Add a Unique Focal Point to Your Park

Coordinate Shelters for Your Site

Create an All-Inclusive Park

PLAYGROUNDS

Provide Play to Encourage Child Development

Encourage Adventurous Play

SPORTS & FITNESS FACILITIES

Provide Fitness for the Whole Community

Improve Ongoing Equipment Cleanup in Your Fitness Facility

Simplify Locker Management

Improve the Locker Room Experience

Add Space for Sports & Recreation

Get Quality Sound Where You Need It

Simplify Purchasing for Your Facility

Ensure Reliable Operation of Field Lighting

Take Sports Programs Year-Round

Keep Locker Room Floors Dry

Baby boomers are rapidly reaching retirement age, posing a unique challenge for municipal parks and recreation organizations. To deal with the problem, it’s important to understand the best methods for recruiting younger workers.

When communities want to reach a diverse audience with fitness opportunities, nothing beats outdoor fitness zones that combine a variety of equipment and exercise possibilities.

When you want to create a great and successful event or festival, there are a lot of to-do’s. Here, we talk to some folks in charge of some unique and successful events about what keeps people coming back every year.

Getting everyone into the pool can be a simple task, when you outfit your pool to meet your community’s needs.

Restroom structures provide a necessary comfort for guests in your parks. Finding the right fit can be simple, as long as you take your site and visitors’ needs into account.

Having the right tools and equipment makes a big different in fishery management for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

When this local recreation center saw its memberships decline, it turned to a unique approach to find new ways to structure pricing and offerings, bringing people back in droves.

In recent years, unstructured play has often lost out to more structured educational time. But parents and leaders are pushing back, recognizing the myriad benefits—physical, emotional and cognitive—that play can deliver.

Effective fitness facilities are carefully planned and thought out. Here are some tips to making the most of your space, whether you’re a small boutique club or a large fitness center.

Waterparks continue to grow in popularity, and designers and operators are always looking for the next new thing that will get patrons through the gate and keep them coming back for a splashing good time.

Splash play areas continue to be a hot item among parks and other providers of recreation. As these amenities grow in use, manufacturers have done their research to better understand what makes them more successful.

Here, industry experts share their thoughts on the best practices in waterpark safety and resource management, as well as lifeguarding trends.

Shelters and shade structures not only provide patrons with a little respite from the blazing sun or bad weather, they can also create a unique focal point for a site, providing a beautiful aesthetic or highlighting a lovely view.

Sports facilities are all about providing a great experience for both team players and spectators, and one of the essential elements is the way the game is viewed and communicated. Advances in scoreboards, lighting and sound make more possible.

From greener practices to smarter use of turfgrass and other plants, grounds managers are on the cutting edge, wisely using resources to provide more effective and efficient sites and sports fields.

Nature has long been one of humankind’s most common sources of inspiration. Parks have stepped up to provide an outlet both for artists and for those who want to view the beauty.

After the city of Blue Springs, Mo., purchased a building in late 2014 to renovate and transform into a state-of-the-art recreational fieldhouse, one of the top goals was to install new flooring.

Recreational water illnesses are a real threat to swimmers, and to the facilities that must combat them. Chlorine is your essential tool in keeping the nasties out of your pool.

Functional fitness is all the rage, and fitness equipment manufacturers are providing new and innovative machines that can accommodate it. Here, we take a look at this and other trends in fitness equipment.

Learn-to-swim is the foundation of most aquatic facilities, but to ensure you are earning revenues to cover your operations, it’s wise to expand your options.

You don’t need a huge marketing budget to be effective at getting the public into your facilities and programs. You just need to take advantage of the tools at your disposal.

Given that falls to the surface are the cause of most playground-related injuries and E.R. visits, understanding playground safety surfaces is crucial.

When you have a sports facility that needs to serve multiple purposes, modular sports flooring can provide the flexibility you need without sacrificing player safety and aesthetics.

Walk back with us through the history of the Special Olympics, and consider how to move the movement forward.