Facilities: Rec Center

by Jason Scott July 2017

Louisiana State University recently unveiled a new component of its recently renovated and expanded student rec complex ­— an outdoor leisure pool in the shape of the letters “LSU.”

by Courtney Cameron July 2017

The prison commander at the Guantanamo Bay naval base has filed notice with a federal court of plans to demolish the former detention site Camp Iguana and reclaim the area for recreational use.

by Andy Berg July 2017

Detroit is set to more than double the city’s public rec centers this summer.

A partnership between the city of Detroit and Detroit Public Schools Community District will grow the number of public rec centers, which serve children ages 6 to 17, from 11 to 27 locations.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said the new rec centers are an important part of revitalizing the area.

“Detroiters all remember when rec centers across this city shut down,” Duggan said in a joint statement with the DPSCD. “If we are going to build a stronger Detroit, we’ve got to focus on creating safe spaces for our youth and opportunities for them to be successful.”

Detroit shut down 16 recreation centers due to funding cuts from 2006-2013. In order to provide more recreation opportunities for Detroit children this summer, the city approached DPS officials about partnering to provide Detroit youth more options more quickly. The cost of the five-week program is approximately $625,000 or about $40,000 per location for the summer. 

Detroiters like 14-year-old Marquis Hare will have access to recreation opportunities right outside of their home. pic.twitter.com/IpI6Ned2rR

— City of Detroit (@CityofDetroit) July 6, 2017

“When the mayor's team approached us with this concept we moved with a sense of urgency to ensure that as many students as possible continued to have access to a safe and productive learning environment while parents and caregivers work over the summer,” said DPSCD Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti in a statement. “I believe this is the first of many partnerships between the city and school district to better utilize and share resources to support our students and communities.”

The 16 new locations will be called “Summer Fun Centers.” Those centers will be in addition to the existing 11 traditional recreation centers. The city has hired 190 “Play Leaders” and supervisory staff to provide adult oversight and structure to the programming. 

After the five-week pilot has ended, the City and DPSCD will evaluate the approach as a possible long-term solution toward filling the recreation center gap that has existed in many neighborhoods for more than a decade.

by Stephen Springs July 2017

In previous posts, I wrote about six factors that impact recreation facility design: the importance of holistic planning, the drive for self-sufficiency, the impact of sharing spaces, never-ending technology demands, generational changesand the importance of offering healthcare options. The seventh and final factor — embracing a culture of ethnic diversity — also might be the most important one, considering the divides that exist in the United States today.

by Andy Berg July 2017

by Paul Steinbach July 2017

The entry plaza to the Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness at the University of North Carolina Greensboro is not only beautiful but hard-working.

by Andy Berg June 2017

Authorities are investigating a fire that destroyed a playground Wednesday at a St. Paul, Minn., recreation center.

According to a report from the Star Tribune, the fire at the Baker Recreation Center caused an estimated $25,000 damage to the structure itself, and an additional $6,000 damage to a nearby building. Only metal parts of the playground’s play structure were left standing after the fire had been extinguished. The playground was a total loss but no one was hurt in the fire. 

The official cause of the blaze was undetermined, but St. Paul fire marshall, Steve Zacard, told the Tribune the fire was “suspicious,” noting that it was “surprising” how quickly the flames grew.

A spokeswoman for the parks department, Clara Cloyd, said the city has filed a claim with its insurance company and plans to rebuild the playground.

by AB Staff June 2017

Check out the newest products as seen in the June 2017 issue.

by Courtney Cameron June 2017

The University of Missouri is reducing on-campus facility hours and staff in an effort to address nearly $60 million in budget cuts for the fiscal year 2018. The cuts are expected to reach into Mizzou's student recreation center, and beyond.

by Courtney Cameron June 2017

Breaking Ground