NOVEMBER 2002

Now ranking as the nation's leading provider of water-based recreation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is no rookie when it comes to successful management-on-a-shoestring, public relations and conservation. Find out how inventive management solutions and identifying the latest trends in water-based recreation have helped put the Corps on top.

From pavilions and gazebos to restrooms and bandshells, provide a little indoor comfort in the great outdoors with creative and practical shelters and structure design.

How do you decide the type of structure that's right for your facility? You need to consider the three Fs: Form, Function and Frills.

No matter what your facility, improving outdoor athletic playing surfaces is always a major goal. Of course, almost any sports field could be a superior performer with an unlimited maintenance budget. But since "unlimited budget" is an oxymoron, one constant struggle for field managers is to find the way to get the best field for the least amount of money.

Take a closer look at new systems and strategies for maintaining high-quality sports fields and landscaping as well as other good groundskeeping tips and solutions.

Today, splash play areas are growing in popularity at a phenomenal rate, yet there are widespread concerns and misinformation regarding their design, use and regulation. In much of the country, local and state agencies have either little or no knowledge of what these facilities are, how they should be designed and who should regulate them. Many are scrambling to catch up with this rapid growth. Find out what you need to know.

Have you sensed a need to upgrade your sports lighting but put it off because of the immensity of the task? It helps to have a game plan for breaking down the project into manageable segments. Updating sports lighting represents a significant upfront capital outlay, with service and maintenance implications extending far into the future as well. Although a lighting project scope may seem overwhelming, recreation departments often face critical needs that cannot be delayed. Addressing the project sequentially can shorten the process and make it more manageable, resulting in good lighting performance within budget guidelines.

With its perfect, endless curl, The Wave Waterpark gives the nearby San Diego beaches a run for their money. The municipal park's not-so-secret weapon is its FlowRider, which is a continuous, simulated wave system, moving 30,000 gallons of water per minute. It's the park's most popular amenity, attracting bobyboarders (and sometimes surfers) of all ages.

When Hononegah High School was badly in need of some elbowroom for its physical education classes and practice space for its sports teams, it decided to think, well, outside the box. In fact, there's not really a box at all: The school chose an inflatable dome, the first in Illinois high-school history.