Getting Colder, Getting Darker

"Autumn wins you best by this, its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay."
— Robert Browning

Autumn is officially here. With bells on. From up here on the fourth floor in downtown Palatine, Ill., I can look out at the tops of trees going red, orange and yellow. It's getting to be sweater weather, flannel-shirt weather, make-sure-you-grab-a-jacket weather.

And so, like they always do, the days are getting shorter, which means less time for fun in the great outdoors, more time for programs and activities that take place inside. Why not settle in for some good reading?

This month, we've got a lot of material to help you keep your facilities running effectively and attract a wide range of patrons to keep coming back for more fun and fitness, whether indoors and out of the weather or outdoors in all seasons.

We begin on page 14 with a feature exploring some of the most important factors in purchasing restroom structures for your sites. The options for providing this kind of service in your parks are always expanding, so you can get a restroom that's safe, cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and perfect for your site.

On page 22, we turn to waterparks—both indoor and out. Here, we take on some of the top strategies that destination waterparks have employed to keep the excitement up and keep guests coming back for more.

From there, we turn to festivals and events, on page 30. Despite the slow decline of autumn, many communities are still hosting street fests, fun runs and other events, and even if your season of festival fun has ended, there's always next year. Learn more about how to get a fest up and running, or how to improve on what you're already doing.

Playground safety surfaces are one of the most important factors in protecting kids from injury on the playground. On page 34, we take a look at these crucial playground elements, exploring how your decision about what type of surface is best is influenced by everything from your ability to handle maintenance to cost, environment and more.

Finally, on page 40, we take a look at indoor sports and fitness surfaces. For many facilities, these surfaces need to serve multiple purposes, so it can be tricky to find a surface that will meet all needs.

And as always, we have the usual lineup of expert input, examples of facility success, professional profiles and product spotlights—all of which can help you keep things running right at your own facility.

So grab a cup of coffee, settle into your easy chair by the fire and enjoy some good reading. Before you know it, the long dark of winter will be past, and it'll be time for fun in the sun again.

Cheers!

Emily Tipping
Editorial Director,
Recreation Management
[email protected]