The Only Constant

A pal of mine calls the crickets and locusts "school bugs," and sure enough, you can count on a crescendo of their nightly symphony right around the same time that you start getting ready to go back to school. Soon enough, the sun will be setting noticeably earlier, the leaves will be starting their annual art show, the garden will deliver its final cascade of fresh veggies…

Some things seem constant, but we all know the adage: The only constant is change.

When it comes to your facilities, whether you're managing the wide-ranging places and programs of a park district, the complicated chemistry of an aquatic center, or the constant demands of a sports or fitness club, you rely on best practices to keep things running effectively and efficiently. You have your tools and strategies, and your long experience in the industry, to ensure your facility is successful. But you can't pretend that change isn't coming for you, too.

Some of those changes can be small but mighty—such as switching out your lighting or HVAC for something more efficient, freeing up budget dollars for more fun or better services. Some of the changes can be dramatic—after a year of pandemic-related closures and restrictions, there's no need to elucidate the powerful impact dramatic changes can have on your facility.

Either way, you need to be prepared—well-equipped with your expertise and savvy partners to apply the lessons of change to keep your facility successful not only for today, but also for tomorrow.

We're here to help you stay on top of those changes, as always, with stories about the latest developments in every issue. This month, we've got an up-close look at how outdoor fitness is booming in the wake of a year of closed gyms, as well as the ins and outs of adding shelters and shade to your park. We also provide some ideas that might help you adapt your aquatics to be more diverse and inclusive—as well as more fun! And with winter coming, we talked to professionals who have delivered some innovative cold-weather programming for the outdoors.

You know that nothing stays the same. You know you have to not only roll with the changes as they come, but also plan in ways that will make it easier to do so.

As Isaac Asimov said, "It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."

Cheers!

Emily Tipping
Editorial Director,
Recreation Management
[email protected]