RecReport

A quarter of Americans age 6 and up—a record 77 million people—were members of a gym, studio, or other fitness facility in 2024, according to new data from the Health & Fitness Association (HFA). 

Natural-surface trails not only boost local economies, but also enhance community well-being and resilience according to a new report, “Economic Benefits of Mountain Biking,” from Trust for Public Land (TPL). 

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recently awarded grants totaling nearly $1 million to 68 agencies in 33 states to help transform the youth sports landscape and ensure that more young people will have access to quality youth sports experiences. 

A new study from the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) examining the potential health risks of synthetic turf fields for athletes, referees, coaches, and spectators found no significant risk from exposure on or off the field to crumb rubber infill. 

Only 5% of public space professionals think public spaces are meeting community needs according to the recent State of Public Space Survey Report from Project for Public Spaces.

Some 247.1 million Americans participated in at least one activity in 2024, an increase of 25.4 million more active Americans per year since 2019. 

In February U.S. Rep. Donald Davis (D-N.C.) and Del. James Moylan (R-Guam-at-large) reintroduced H.R. 1506, or the Safe Water Instruction for Minors (SWIM) Act. 

There’s news in flag football at both the college and high school levels, with the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommending that Divisions I, II, and III sponsor legislation to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, and the NFHS Flag Football Rules Committee meeting to develop the first national rules for high school flag football.

According to a new study, getting children involved in outdoor recreational activities can do more than help them make friends. 

Project for Public Spaces has announced the availability of Community Placemaking Grants: Civic Spaces, a new initiative in partnership with Culture House and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.