The Dog Days Are Early This Year

Hellllooo, heat wave! Sitting here in the midst of it (OK, really, it's starting to peter out at this point; yesterday "felt like" 110 degrees), I'm hoping you're all coping as best you can. In addition to the extreme heat that comes and goes (and comes and goes) all summer long for most of the country, some of you are dealing with rain issues: either too much at once (enough to shut down Yellowstone National Park) or too little overall (for about half of the lower 48 states).

All of it has an impact on us, personally (don't forget to grab an extra water bottle before you get on the bike!) and professionally (making sure everyone stays safe at your facilities and venues).

The weather might get weirder (and weirder), but those of you working in recreation, sports, fitness and aquatic venues will continue to make strides forward, from devoting time and effort to maintaining spaces that are more eco-friendly (hello, pollinator-friendly plantings and energy-

efficient buildings) to providing new and innovative ways for visitors and members to beat the heat (welcome to the sprayground!) or get a workout when it's too cold outside (welcome to the cardio floor!). And thank goodness for that!

This month, we've got a nice roundup of stories to help you keep on keeping on. First off, our annual Salary Survey appears in these pages. As if the vagaries of a too-early summer aren't enough, the economic seas have been churning, with inflation woes and a stock market just dipping its toes into the waters of bear territory. How have you fared the past year? And importantly, how does that measure up to your peers' performance? Find out on page 12.

Besides that annual must-read feature, we also report in this issue on the continued growth of inclusive (not just accessible!) playgrounds (go to page 20), innovative aquatic programming ideas (see page 28), and ways to enclose all your visitors' favorite activities without building a brick-and-mortar building (see page 36).

So fill up the kiddie pool, grab an icy cold beverage and settle back and enjoy those dog days while they last.

Cheers!

Emily Tipping
Editorial Director,
Recreation Management
[email protected]