T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F C A L I F O R N I A PA R K & R E C R E AT I O N S O C I E T Y
California
Volume 79 • Issue 3 • Summer 2023
Champions of a Lifesaving Culture How Cosumnes Community Services District Fosters an Unwavering Duty to Act
Parks & Recreation
Improving and Creating Sports Facilities Through Data and Partnerships
Why Work-Life Balance Doesn’t Matter…and What Matters Instead
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 1
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Events
WHITAKER PARK, CITY OF BUENA PARK
The transformation of Parque Del Arroyo Verde is an eagerly anticipated project. This enhanced playground will feature an array of thrilling elements, such as zip lines that promise exhilarating adventures for children and families. Additionally, the incorporation of boulders for climbing will encourage physical activity and provide an exciting challenge for visitors.
G N I COM N! SOO
PARQUE DEL ARROYO VERDE PARK, CITY OF PLACENTIA
Designing landscapes that create community. Like us on Facebook! CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 3 Email us for more information at dvd@dvolzdesign.com Follow us on Instragram Visit our website for more parks! www.dvolzdesign.com @davidvolzdesign
T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F C A L I F O R N I A PA R K & R E C R E AT I O N S O C I E T Y
California
Parks & Recreation
Volume 79 • Issue 3 • Summer 2023
IN THIS ISSUE COLUMNS Message from the President...................................6 From the Executive Director..................................9
FEATURES Why Work-Life Balance Doesn’t Matter… and What Matters Instead.. ................................... 10 Champions of a Lifesaving Culture..................... 20 Want to Offer Some Meaningful Benefits to Your Community? Think About Soccer...............24 Improving and Creating Sports Facilities Through Data and Partnerships.......................... 30
DEPARTMENTS Parks Make Life Better!.. ........................................ 14 Advertising Index.................................................. 34
48
Buyer’s Guide......................................................... 36 CPRS Spotlights.....................................................45
50
On the cover: Cosumnes Community Services District
24
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION MAGAZINE EDITOR Stephanie Stephens, CAE Executive Director stephanie@cprs.org
MANAGING EDITOR Alisha Herriott Communications and Marketing Manager alisha@cprs.org
ADVERTISING MANAGER Todd Pernsteiner todd@pernsteiner.com (952) 841-1111
ADVERTISING ASSISTANT/DESIGN Amy Pinkston amy@pernsteiner.com (952) 841-1111
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION (ISSN 0733-5326) is published quarterly by the California Park & Recreation Society, Inc., 7971 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95832-9701. Opinions expressed in credited articles are those of the author and not necessarily those of the society. Subscription rate is $30.00 per year and is included in membership dues. Individual subscriptions apart from CPRS membership are available only to colleges, libraries and members of CAPRCBM. Single copy price for all other issues is $7.50 for members and $12.50 for nonmembers. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, California, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION, 7971 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95832-9701. Send manuscripts, query letters and artwork to Alisha Herriott. Advertising materials should be sent to Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or call (952) 841-1111. Guidelines for submitting articles and advertising rates are available from same address, or from the CPRS website. (www.cprs.org). ©2023, California Park & Recreation Society, Inc.
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2023-2024 CPRS BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Doug Grove, RLA, ASLA, LEED AP RHA Landscape Architects 951-781-1930 dougg@rhala.com PRESIDENT-ELECT Kyla Brown, CPRE Riverside County Regional Park & Open Space District 951-955-4306 kylabrown@rivco.org VICE PRESIDENT Cindy Bagley City of Rohnert Park 707-588-3452 cbagley@rpcity.org
FAIR OAKS PARK, SUNNYVALE
SECRETARY-TREASURER Victoria Reyna, CPRP Jurupa Community Services District 951-727-3524 vreyna@jcsd.us REGION 1 REPRESENTATIVE (Dist 1, 2, 3) Adam Chow, CPRP City of San Ramon 925-973-3321 achow@sanramon.ca.gov
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING SPORT PLANNING & DESIGN
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REGION 2 REPRESENTATIVE (Dist 4, 5, 6) Patricia Mullan City of Menlo Park 650-330- 2225 pmullan@menlopark.gov REGION 3 REPRESENTATIVE (Dist 7, 8, 15) Lauren Cronk Standard School District 661-392-2110 lcronk@standarschools.net REGION 4 REPRESENTATIVE (Dist 11, 13, 14) Candice Smith City of Ontario 909-395-2020 csmith@ontarioca.gov
JOHN D. MORGAN PARK, CAMPBELL
SPORTSFIELD PARK, NEWARK
KAY SAKAMOTO PARK, ROSEVILLE
RAILROAD PARK, MORGAN HILL
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REGION 5 REPRESENTATIVE (Dist 9, 10, 12) Jenni Worsham City of Fountain Valley 714-593-4447 jenni.worsham@fountainvalley.org SECTION REPRESENTATIVES Administrators, Recreation and Recreation Therapy Janine Andrade City of Bell 323-773-1596 jandrade@cityofbell.org Aging, Aquatics, Development & Operations and Educators Teri deRosier Cosumnes Community Services District 916-405-5605 TerideRosier@csdparks.com Please contact any Board Member with questions or concerns.
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CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 5
Message from the President Fall is here and that means trainings, socials and a lot of networking! I hope you all had a great summer and are ready for the busiest time of year for CPRS members. There are exciting events happening all across the state and I encourage you to check the calendar on the CPRS website to make sure you don’t miss any. As I travel around the state as a park professional and CPRS member I am amazed at the amount of planning that is going on in agencies for parks and recreation. There is an energy in the profession that I have not felt in the 38 years I have been involved in the field. Aided by federal, state and local funds agency boards, councils, commissions, and department leaders have become a driving force behind many positive changes. The commitment to providing quality parks, facilities, and programs reflects a dedication to improving the overall well-being of all communities. A wide range of new recreational facilities and programs highlights a commitment to catering to the diverse interests and needs of community members. All of this presents many of you with exciting
opportunities to expand your career and grow your knowledge of park and facility planning and recreation programming. I encourage you to embrace these opportunities and learn as much as you can. And what better place to do that then through CPRS trainings and intensives. Plan to attend one or more of the events this fall and at conference next year. The opportunities in the field of parks and recreation abound and are just waiting for you to reach out and grab them! Cornhole is here! As I mentioned in San Diego and my last message, we will be holding the Park, Rec & Toss It! Cornhole Tournaments at many of the trainings throughout the state starting with the Recreation Section in September and ending with the Region 5 Mini-Conference in February. Boards and bags have been ordered and I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the tournaments. The top teams from each tournament will advance to the finals on Thursday night at the Connections Conference in Palm Springs. It is going to be an amazing night of fun so don’t miss out!
The annual Leadership Summit took place on September 14 as the CPRS State Board and CPRS HQ staff welcomed over 60 leaders from all over the state. The event was held in Jurupa Valley at the Riverside County Regional Park & Open-Space District headquarters. Led by president-elect Kyla Brown, the attendees discussed the 4 pillars of CPRS; Community, Advancement, Resources, and Development and how they can be applied at the regional and local levels. Many great ideas were shared and the collaborative approach created new friendships and professional networks that is vital to our organization. More on this to come at the Connections Conference in Palm Springs! The Park, Rec, & Roll It! Challenge is moving along at a record-breaking pace! As of September 19, we have collectively traveled over 125,000 miles, well beyond our goal of 100,000. So, what are we going to do now? Shoot for the stars and go for 250,000 miles! If you are not already participating you can sign up at any time on the CPRS website…..and it’s
CPRS Leadership Summit
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free! So come join us and walk / run / bike / roll / swim your way to Palm Springs. We are well under way with the update to the CPRS Region and District Map. As I mentioned in San Diego, we are creating a map using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that will allow members to access Region and District data with the click of a mouse or touch of the screen. We are excited about this new resource and the information it will provide to all CPRS members. As I travel to many of the events and trainings this fall and winter, I look forward to seeing many friends and meeting new ones. The value of CPRS in our lives and careers cannot be overstated. The friendships and networks we build provide a life-long resource that we can draw upon in good times and bad. With many professionals moving into new roles, the importance of understanding leadership is so important to success. Having the heart of a leader and developing leadership character is a critical step in this process and something I will be sharing at several of the events. If you have not already signed up, I highly encourage you to do so. I will promise that if you invest your time into this organization, it will pour out blessings on you in ways you cannot imagine. - Doug Grove, CPRS President
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 7
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From the Executive Director I hope this issue finds you all well. We are excited to unveil the facelift of our oldest publication, California Parks & Recreation magazine. We are delighted to announce that we have partnered with Pernsteiner Creative Group (PCG) to publish our quarterly magazine starting with this summer issue. We hope you love the new design as much as we do! And now for your part… With your wealth of expertise and outstanding projects, we have a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and highlight your achievements. Whether you have implemented innovative safety measures, organized a successful marketing campaign or someone on your team deserves a shoutout for their
excellent contributions, we would love to hear from you! We’ve created a new editorial calendar that highlights the topics that will be featured in that issue. You can see the calendar and topics on page 29 of this issue. The submission deadline for submissions for the next issue, fall 2023, is October 19th, however, I encourage you to send in your articles as soon as possible. Please note that even after this deadline, we will continue to accept articles for future magazines, so don’t hesitate to send them in whenever it’s ready. If you have article topic ideas beyond the ones listed in the editorial calendar, please feel free to share
those with us as well. We are open to expanding the knowledge shared with members. By sharing your expertise and success stories, you not only contribute to the magazine’s longrunning success but also inspire others in the field – benefitting both visitors and staff. For article submission details and inquiries, please contact our new Marketing & Communications Manager, Alisha Herriott, at alisha@cprs.org. If you would like to advertise, please contact our publisher, Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111. Thank you for your continued partnerships. We look forward to receiving your contributions! Best wishes, Stephanie Stephens CPRS Executive Director
Save the date!
2024 CPRS Conference & Expo February 27-March 1, 2024 • Palm Springs Convention Center EXHIBITORS: BOOTH REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN AT CPRS.ORG/EDUCATION/CONNECTIONS.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 9
WH Y FE
I L K WOR NCE BALA
T ’ N S E DO … R E T MAT HAT W D N A RS
E T T MA D A E INST & CEO, ou nde r F t, t a h lay B LLC By Nee r tners , ctice Pa ra P t x e N
10 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Prologue Person 1: “Hi there” Person 2: “Hey!!” Person 1: How are you?” Person 2: “Busy” Over the years, I have lost count of how many of my interactions resembled this. Ask yourself, how often have you responded similarly or heard a similar response to the simple question: “How are you?” It seemed as if the only way to justify one’s importance is by indicating how overworked and busy one always is. If you weren’t busy or overworked, you would not be working hard enough. Then the pandemic hit and everything we thought we knew was turned upside down. It had far more downsides but if there was a silver lining: it has shown people what truly matters? And it’s not busyness! Today, people are seeking greater meaning and impact and as they say it “better work life balance”. To that I say, we don’t need worklife balance!
Why Work-Life Balance Must Be Eliminated
embrace the next practices of “lifework” balance. In a digital era where you can attend a Zoom meeting dressed in business on top and beach below aka in a coat with shorts, life-work balance becomes more than a luxury – it’s a necessity.
The Significance of Life-Work Balance Life-work balance, in contrast to the conventional work-life balance, is a way of re-setting priorities and acknowledging that work is a part of life and not life itself. However, let’s face it – achieving life-work balance isn’t exactly a walk in the park (unless your park has Wi-Fi, then it’s a virtual walk). The siren call of deadlines, the endless email notifications, and the eternal quest for the perfect meme can distract us from what truly matters. And let’s not get started on those self-imposed standards that make us believe we need to answer work emails while mastering a soufflé and teaching our dog to dance the Macarena simultaneously. It’s like we’re competing in the “Olympics of Overachieving,” and the gold medal is a ticket to exhaustion.
Here’s the key: If we talk of balance and we start with work before life, we already have it wrong.
Why is it so hard to switch to Life-Work Balance?
With growing awareness of depression and mental health and where the constant pressures of modern living, social media and technological advancements intertwine, we must let go of the old practices of “work-life balance” and
1. Societal Pressure and Cultural Norms: In many cultures, including in the US, an individual’s worth is closely tied to their professional success. People brag about how early they wake up, how little they sleep, how they’ve rarely
taken a vacation, the grind and the “hustle” culture. No one speaks of how these professional accomplishments nearly always come at the expense of personal health and family. As someone who spent nearly 15 years travelling over 150 days a year, I can personally attest to this. 2. Ping ping ping: The technological infiltration with digital devices, constant connectivity and nonstop “pings” of notifications makes it challenging to disconnect even when one is off. 3. Guilt: The notion of prioritizing personal passions or downtime can evoke feelings of guilt, stemming from the perception that time could be better spent on work-related tasks or that you’re not being productive enough.
What can YOU do to embrace a Life-Work mindset? Embracing life-work balance isn’t as daunting as solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded (though that would be impressive). Here are three strategies to make it all feel more doable: 1. Take value-based decisions and delegate: Let your values guide you, even if that value is “thou shalt not miss the season finale of your favorite show or binge watch the new season of Squid Games.” Additionally, share responsibilities and delegate more, because even superheroes need sidekicks. 2. Disable notifications and digitally detox: Don’t let every ping distract you. Allocate time for work, personal pursuits, and a cup of tea
IT’S LIKE WE’RE COMPETING IN THE “OLYMPICS OF OVERACHIEVING,” AND THE GOLD MEDAL IS A TICKET TO EXHAUSTION. CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 11
RECOGNIZING THAT FOR PEOPLE TO PERFORM THEIR BEST AT WORK, THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND A SENSE OF BELONGING IS KEY. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s also the best way to counter the Great Resignation and build a culture that will ensure greater staff retention and performance.
or coffee that’s gone cold while you answer one last email – because, priorities! Set intentional time to disconnect from digital devices like you’re Neo dodging bullets in “The Matrix.” I try to make my Sundays no email days and though I don’t always succeed, just like the tennis players trying to beat Rafa Nadal on clay, I persevere. 3. Remember that you are replaceable at work: I say this as someone who is running a company, that work is overrated. The work you have will still be there the next day but if you lose your health (or worse, your life), your work will replace you instantly while your loved ones won’t.
What can an Organization (and it’s Leadership) do to foster LifeWork balance? The responsibility of nurturing a lifework balance doesn’t fall solely on individuals. If you are in a leadership role, it is your responsibility to create an environment that supports employees’ overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.
1. Lead with Sonder: Sonder is when you realize that everyone you see, everyone who passes you by has their own complex life. As leaders, one must lead with empathy and by example. Recognizing that for people to perform their best at work, they need to feel safe and a sense of belonging is key. Often leaders talk the talk but don’t walk it themselves when it comes to taking time off and prioritizing nonwork activities. On a recent family cruise vacation, I switched my phone off when we boarded and didn’t switch it back on until I landed back a week later. Unless leaders practice the same, it becomes challenging for employees to feel safe to do so. It helps that we have incredible team members who I trust to handle anything that comes. 2. Make flexibility the norm: Introduce flexible work arrangements that allow employees to seamlessly integrate personal pursuits into their professional routines. Today’s employees value a culture that provides flexibility in work hours and hybrid work, understand care giving needs for kids or parents, and focus less on hours worked and more on work completed. We don’t track time off, actively discourage work on weekends and
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have a hybrid work requirement that is capped at three in-person office meetings weekly. 3. Encourage growth outside of work: Encourage employees’ personal growth by providing opportunities for skill development and pursuing passions outside of work. Recognize and accommodate diverse approaches to achieving life-work balance, understanding that one size does not fit all. From boxing lessons to TEDx events and US Olympic swimming trials, our team members continue to explore interests outside of work and provide richer perspectives because of it.
The Unending Journey A life-work balance is a neverending journey that demands ongoing introspection and adjustments. As life evolves, so do our priorities, making it essential to adapt our strategies accordingly. Embracing change, practicing self-compassion, and seeking help form the cornerstone of this transformative mindset. Transitioning to a life-work balance mindset isn’t a task for the fainthearted. Life is an unpredictable roller coaster – sometimes you’re screaming, other times you’re laughing, and occasionally you’re doing both at the same time.
My moment of Zen: Whether you’re embracing life-work balance or working hard on your Netflix marathon skills, remember that the joy is in the journey and this journey is about progress, not perfection. Learn more at BeNextPractice.com
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Parks Make Life Better!
The Parks and Recreation Professional By Chris Wilson, Deputy City Manager, Greensboro, NC
In honor of Parks and Recreation Month (July), I would like to highlight something most of us may not think about. Quality of life is a driver in our community. Perhaps if we label parks and recreation as quality of life, we may better understand their value. Public safety, economy, health, and the environment are all impacted by the parks and recreation profession. So why is it that so many of the people parks and recreation professionals serve have no real sense of what it is they do? Simple. If they do their jobs well, it appears as if things just happen. Parks and Recreation professionals aren’t narcissistic and aren’t necessarily pursuing individualized, ambitious desires. They make things happen for the right reasons and very little self-gain outside of the intrinsic pleasure for serving others. They just do. They provide quality of life, they spur the economy, they protect the environment, they support, they teach, they promote wellness, they…..well you get the point. I cannot identify many other professions that impact others in so many different ways. I have heard that sometimes people just don’t see what they do. I have also heard that perhaps they just aren’t as topical as other priorities like public safety or development. I don’t believe any of that. I actually believe it is the opposite. They are perhaps, a little too good at what they do and maybe they are a little too selfless at announcing their value. Let me explain. When you attend an event that draws 100,000 people,
you are there to have fun. Your focus is on the experience, as it should be. When you learn about the indigenous wildlife around you for the first time, in a class, your focus is on the excitement of the live animal in front of you. When you ask that special someone to spend the rest of their life with you as you stand in a beautiful garden or park, your thoughts are on the moment in all its perfect surroundings.
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The impacts and details are their job. It is visible, but sometimes you just don’t see it. The millions of dollars parks and recreation professionals bring in through those who traveled to that event and decided to shop, rent a hotel room, and eat at restaurants are the things that occur around your experience. The passion they ignite for environmental stewardship, with one simple environmental class, turns into a flame for those who will
“My passion has not changed, my motivation remains the same.” carry the torch of preservation tomorrow. One small instance can create a whole movement, but rarely does anyone reflect on the influence that started it. When you step into a garden or park that is maintained through countless hours of meticulous work that often includes blood, sweat and yes, some tears, you see the backdrop for a great experience. How it got that way becomes irrelevant to your cause. In my career, I have managed construction, finances, human resources, and natural resources. I have repaired, taught, provided lifesaving support, rescued, inspired, sparked initiatives, and enjoyed countless other opportunities to serve. At heart, I was and still am a parks and recreation professional. I am today, by title, an Assistant City Manager. I still employ all the great things I learned as a parks and recreation professional. My passion has not changed, my motivation remains the same. No other career would have allowed me to be ready for the challenges and opportunities I have faced in this role. The City Manager of my community has a parks and recreation background. Many of the community leaders around me tell stories of their love for parks or the job they once had at an amusement park or community center. The influence is everywhere. Like so many things though, the experience doesn’t always translate into the overall impact.
Park Planning Design Build Plan Checking Budget Analysis Consensus Building Inclusive Playgrounds Demonstration Gardens Skateparks Splash Pads Feasibility Studies Historical Site Design Park & Recreation Master Plans Athletic Field Planning
The irony is parks and recreation professionals wear the lack of recognition like a badge of honor. Our impact is the long game. We seek to provide equality in quality of life. We wish to serve and support. Being under the radar allows us to do that free of pitfalls that become those constantly seeking recognition. Our schedule is to work when others do not. Our pride is to elevate others ahead of ourselves. Our joy is your smile. Our reward is your success. When we do the job well, you get to enjoy without worrying about the details and that is the ultimate thank you. July is Parks and Recreation month. If you want to thank your parks and recreation professionals, go out and enjoy what they produce. After all, that’s why they do it.
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CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 15
Parks Make Life Better!
Parks Make Life Better On Social Media A huge shoutout to all the incredible teams for their amazing social media coverage during July, Parks Make Life Better month! Your creativity knows no bounds, and you truly made it a month to remember.
ON FACEBOOK
City of Menifee The City of Menifee showered social media with fantastic videos with host- the fabulous Mrs Rogers. With infectious enthusiasm, she embarked on a trip around Menifee showcasing all the enjoyable places, outdoor spaces, sports, programs and special events that took place during Parks Make Life Better month.
City of Folsom Oh, what a delightful July it was in the City of Folsom. The team pulled off a cheerful social media campaign with videos including Recreation Supervisor, Nick Coleman talking about the incredible parks maintenance team & their magical touch that keeps parks safe and clean. And let’s not forget, Recreation Coordinator, Nadia Khhokhhar Roberts, who took us on a whirlwind tour of the CAVE Teen Center and Folsom Senior Center. Hurrah for Parks! The Folsom City Council proclaimed July as Parks Make Life Better month and Councilmember Sarah Aquino handed over the proclamation to Kelly Gonzalez, the Parks & Recreation Director, along with the fantastic department that brings the fun to Folsom!
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Parks Make Life Better!
City of Atascadero The Atascadero Recreation Division shared a bunch of photos from their parks and open spaces, spilling the beans on the coolest hiking and biking trails in town.
CPRS District 2 District 2 jumping for joy on #NationalParksandRecreationProfessionalsDay!
City of West Sacramento The City of West Sacramento Parks & Recreation shared their Proclamation video offering a glimpse at the many ways that West Sac Parks work to Make Life Better, not only in July but throughout the year.
City of Santa Rosa Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks shared photos celebrating their residents, asking ‘What are your favorite GATHERING PLACES to share good times together at our parks, trails, open spaces, or facilities?’
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 17
ON INSTAGRAM South Gate Recreation and Park District Southgate Recreation and Park District kicked off a series of videos featuring their team members favorite spot in this District.
Hermosa Beach Parks and Recreation Hermosa Beach turned up the fun with daily theme posts, like “gathering places,” all month long.
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Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District dropped an epic activity guide and events calendar filled with awesome ways to celebrate and #RECreate through Parks Make Life Better month.
Freemont Parks and Recreation Fremont Parks & Recreation put the “party” in Parks and Recreation Professionals Day with a fantastic collage video featuring their awesome team members.
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CHAMPIONS OF A LIFESAVING CULTURE How Cosumnes Community Services District Fosters an Unwavering Duty to Act
Llifeguard Gabe (center) with Cosumnes aquatics managers
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By Colin Smith, Recreation Supervisor, and Jenna Brinkman, Public Affairs Manager, Cosumnes Community Services District
Step into the scorching heat of a 108-degree July day in 2023, where Gabe, a 16-year-old lifeguard at Cosumnes Parks & Recreation, proved that the call to duty is more
than just words—it’s a way of life. In the heart of Elk Grove, Calif., the Cosumnes Community Services District stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment to act in an emergency, whether on- or off-duty. This gripping narrative sheds light on the critical significance of early Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and showcases the inspiring stories of Gabe and his fellow lifeguards, Saul and Nick. Together, they embody a powerful lifesaving culture that has saved lives and touched hearts, proving that the impact of CPR goes beyond the confines of any pool or park, and serves as a beacon of hope for all communities.
On the way to the movies with his family, Gabe noticed a concerning scene: a man lying on the ground near a parking stall and a woman attempting chest compressions. Gabe immediately stopped the family vehicle and rushed to the site to assess the situation. He took over the lifesaving chest compressions and guided the woman in providing rescue breaths until Cosumnes Firefighters arrived. The firefighters on-scene commended Gabe for delivering high-quality care and remaining calm under pressure. Gabe’s quick action and effective CPR saved a life that day. In 2022, a similar situation unfolded involving Saul and Nick, two pool
Gabe and his parents (center) with Cosumnes board members
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 21
CPR TRAINING AND A DUTY TO ACT CAN EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME HEROES IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.
managers at Cosumnes Parks & Recreation. While off-duty, they were alerted by PulsePoint, a smartphone application, of someone nearby who needed CPR. Unfortunately, despite their quick response and high-quality CPR administration, the person did not recover. However, their heroic action emphasized the significance of their duty, even off-duty. There’s a common thread between these situations. Gabe, Saul, and Nick - all trained American Red Cross Lifeguards - carried out their duty to act beyond the lifeguard stand. Additionally, Saul and Gabe share more than their profession; they are brothers who prioritize the same lifesaving values alongside their friendly sibling rivalry. These values were recently recognized at a Cosumnes Parks & Recreation staff meeting while celebrating National Park and Recreation Month. The Acting Director of Recreation & Community Services, Traci Farris, could not hide her admiration and expressed her pride in the brothers’ actions. Their mother was in attendance as they received a standing ovation. The entire room, filled with park and recreation professionals, was visibly moved by their commitment to duty. Gabe, Saul, and Nick showed us that a lifesaving culture can make a world of difference, not only on the lifeguard stand but in the very fabric of a community. CPR training and a duty to act can empower individuals to become heroes in the face of adversity. By nurturing and celebrating a lifesaving culture within our communities, we can create an army of everyday champions ready to answer the call of duty and save lives when it matters most.
Gabe (center) with his parents
22 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
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24 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
By Dick Carle, CalSouth
The California State Soccer Association – South (CalSouth) offers a cornucopia of resources and turnkey programs for rec departments that have literally changed lives. It’s there for the asking. Enrique Duran is a District Manager of San Diego’s Parks & Recreation Department. He is also Chairman of its Sports Committee. He saw that at-risk kids from lower income areas loved soccer but were significantly underserved by the privately funded “club” programs aimed at privileged youth. So he turned to CalSouth for help. For those that don’t know, CalSouth offers numerous programs for recreation departments including coaching education, referee education, youth talent development and hands-on assistance with overall soccerprogram development. The education programs award the required licenses and certifications that enable those that earn them to develop a career as a coach,
a referee, or both. Certain high schools are now using these programs for class-credit and vocational training. Some of the programs are weekend-long; others are longer, and all can be administered through recreation departments - simply for the asking. Enrique first raised the caliber of their rec department soccer program by having CalSouth train and certify his own staff as capable/ certified referees for their spring soccer schedule. Concurrently, he worked with CalSouth to create a clinic that introduced the fun of soccer to ALL kids - regardless of income. Both steps utilized turnkey CalSouth programs and made a big difference for many families in the community. It bridged the income gap and raised
the quality of officials. In fact, the referee education worked so well that Enrique hopes to have CalSouth train his staff as coaches next. But while CalSouth programs can help recreation departments “raise their game” of soccer, they can also enable rec departments to offer “vocational” training and certifications to the public. This training requires no prior experience, and can lead folks in the community to exciting careers as a coach, a referee or a talent scout. Juan Guzman was a recreational soccer referee in SoCal. He took the courses, got the required experience by officiating recreational soccer matches and received ever-higher certifications. Juan soon became a highly accomplished professional referee
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 25
26 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Bringing community together....
with match experience in Major League Soccer, international clubs and national teams. He now oversees all referee assignments in the state of California…from youth games to professional matches. He is also Head of Referees for Cal South and wants to “give back” to those in communities served by rec departments. Peter Moore became a licensed coach and then helped CalSouth administer coaching education and certifications while working his way through grad school. Soccer stayed in his blood throughout a successful executive career. A few years ago, as CEO of Liverpool FC, he helped LFC add to their heritage as champions of the English Premier League and the coveted UEFA Champions League …an event that’s five times bigger than the Super Bowl. Peter has since returned to SoCal, is launching a pro soccer team, and created a soccer foundation to create opportunities for at-risk kids in the Santa Barbara region - SB Fundación Cielo - Santa Barbara Sky FC. For rec departments that would like to take a first-step, CalSouth offers the “Fields of Opportunities” Soccer Program. This turnkey initiative simply trades occasional use of local soccer fields in exchange for an arrangement whereby CalSouth conducts nationally-recognized education & certification programs for prospective local youth soccer coaches and referees. Concurrently, it arranges for US Soccer and the state’s Olympic Develop program to scout local youth players. The program allows participating rec departments to offer the following benefits to their community: I)
Official entry-level education and certification to prospective new coaches and referees;
II)
Official opportunities for continued education and certifications for players & refs
.......through park
Revitalization
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III) Opportunities for local youth to be scouted and evaluated by US soccer officials
- commensurate with the level of response i.
IV) A plethora of trained and certified local coaches and referees to assist recreational soccer programs While the program will be customized for each city/town, the following illustrates a “typical” execution: a.
b.
- in front of US Soccer scouts & state’s Olympic Development Program ii.
CalSouth then uses those showcases for Using those matches for
CalSouth and the rec department jointly announce the program well in advance
- A weekend-long class for prospective new refs taught by master referees
- for a weekend when local soccer fields are available
- A weekend-long class for prospective new coaches taught by master coaches
Local teams and interested community members are invited to “sign up” - for a player-showcase, a coaching course, and/or a referee course
c.
Selected local teams organized by CalSouth will play in those matches
Cal South then arranges a “weekend of showcase matches” on the local fields
d.
Upon conclusion of the weekend long program
i.
CalSouth awards coaching and referee certifications
ii.
US Soccer follows up with players that exhibit significant potential
e.
Subsequently, rec departments can schedule further CalSouth programs as desired.
The rejuvenated effort to expand CalSouth’s reach to more recreation departments is part of its 50th anniversary celebration of providing safe and rewarding recreational and competitive opportunities in soccer for players of all ages, genders, and skill levels. CalSouth has dozens of stories where lives have been changed through its soccer programs… and is calling upon all recreation departments in Southern California to help change a life in your community by offering coaching education, referee education, and youth talent development programs to your staff and to the public. It’s there for the asking. Contact: Dick Carle (800) 990-5266 or dc@hypmgmt.com
Mackay Park Rain Water Catchment, Cypress
Gilroy Gardens Splash Pad, Gilroy Pedestrian & Bicycle Paths Long Beach
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I A
Patrick Hirsch
President pat@hailandarch.com 714.776.4340
H
Hirsch & Associates, Inc. Landscape Architecture & Planning
28 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Charles Foley
Vice President chuck@hailandarch.com www.hailandarch.com
Be seen. Be heard.
Your NEW California Parks & Recreation magazine can help you and your agency get noticed. Have something to share? There are multiple ways for you to do so! GET FEATURED IN CPRS SPOTLIGHTS – Spotlights is a regular feature highlighting agency and member updates. Articles can be as short as one sentence or up to 300 words and can include 1-3 photos.
SUBMIT ARTICLES – We welcome article submissions from CPRS agencies about topics relevant to our mission. Articles should be between 250 and 500 words and include 3-4 high-resolution photos. SEND ARTICLE LEADS/IDEAS – If you don’t have the bandwidth to submit an article but have an idea about a topic that would fit one of our issues, please share it with us! Send us a brief explanation of the article and who to contact. If chosen, we will do the leg-work to research and write the article for you.
2023-24 California Parks & Recreation Editorial Calendar* *Content subject to change.
FALL 2023
WINTER 2024
SPRING 2024
SUMMER 2024
FALL 2024
Deadline
October 18, 2023
January 9, 2024
April 1, 2024
July 1, 2024
October 4, 2024
Cover Theme
Community Events + Event Resource Guide & Planning Kit
2024 CPRS Conference Preview
2024 Awards of Excellence Winners
CPRS Park & Recreation Heroes
Tech4Rec Park & Recreation Technology
Athletics & Sports Focus
Managing your spaces, making the best use of athletic fields
Non-traditional sports and athletic spaces
Culturally relevant sports; increasing participation
Promotion to help grow lessons and leagues
Coaching coaches; recruiting volunteers
Facilities Focus
Partnerships - public/ private partnerships, miracle league, sponsored spaces
Renovating and repurposing existing spaces
Athletic & aquatic facility design, engineering, construction
Accessibility; creating gathering spaces for all ages
Historic venues and Preservation; recreating history
Leadership Focus
Training & mentoring younger employees; helping seasoned professionals continue to grow
Staffing (seasonal employees, creating new positions, preparing for retirements, unique ways to find talent)
Training managers to be better leaders; overcoming micromanaging
Empowering employees, creating a team culture
Cross-training staff; creating room for growth
Parks & Playgrounds Focus
Trails and wayfinding; signage design
Unique playground challenges, opportunities and design features
Big spaces, little spaces, and everything in-between
Landscape design; creating living gardens; social media worthy spots
Adventure courses; outdoor fitness; trails
Programming Focus
Recreational therapy; therapeutic recreation
Programming partnerships schools, outside companies, group tours, new programs
Creating new out-of-the box programs
Marketing your programs; social media; giveaways; and selfie spots
Partnering with Convention Bureaus, Events + Event Resource Guide
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: If you would like to submit an article, please contact Alisha Herriott at alisha@cprs.org.
Includes Expanded Buyer’s Guide!
ADVERTISING: If you would like to advertise, please contact Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or call (952) 841-1111. Visit www.bit.ly/CPRSmagazine or scan the QR code to view the advertising media kit.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 29
Improving and Creating Sports Facilities Through Data and Partnerships By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP, Departmental Facilities Planner, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
Park planning has become increasingly data driven in recent years. For instance, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) collects and analyzes a high volume and variety of data to prepare major plans and studies, with key examples including the 2016 Parks Needs Assessment (PNA), Community Parks and Recreation Plans (CPRP) for the most park-poor communities, and the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+). Building on the data collected from the PNA, DPR has completed further analyses to identify areas of the county with the greatest need for sports facilities for youth, including baseball fields, basketball courts,
3. Market potential index (MPI) which is an indicator of a sport’s popularity
and development of sports facilities for residents, especially youth. This article explains how data and partnerships have supported the recent improvement and development of facilities in underserved communities for three of the most popular sports amongst youth in L.A. County: baseball, basketball, and soccer.
4. Existing availability of sports facilities in a community
Baseball
Not only do the results of such analyses guide DPR’s work, they have also helped cities and other organizations, such as the foundations of professional sports teams, to more objectively decide where to invest in the improvement
L.A. County has eleven baseball fields per 100,000 residents which is below the national average of 14.6. DPR’s key partner in the development of baseball and softball fields is the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) which builds Dodgers Dreamfields in
and soccer fields, based upon four key variables: 1. Level of park need which is based on the findings of the PNA 2. Percentage of youth population which is based on Census data
Figure 1: Sports and Recreation Needs Assessment Map Viewer (Source: DPR)
Data and partnerships have supported the recent improvement and development of facilities in underserved communities for three of the most popular sports amongst youth in L.A. County: baseball, basketball, and soccer. 30 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Dodgers Dreamfields have been built at seventeen DPR parks, including ones in East and South Los Angeles which are two of the most underserved areas of the county.
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neighborhoods across Los Angeles as safe havens and points of pride. The addition of revitalized baseball and softball fields improves existing County parks, promotes physical activity, and creates additional opportunities for play and exercise for residents in underserved communities. To-date, LADF has invested more than $18.7 million building 58 Dodgers Dreamfields and plans to complete 17 more fields to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 2033.
Madhavan can provide the professionalism you will appreciate • Renovation Analysis • Needs Analysis • Master Planning • Programming • Architecture • Engineering • Aquatic Design • Construction Administration Dominguez Aquatic Center
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LADF selects Dreamfield sites based on the following criteria: 1. High need for youth baseball/softball recreation space 2. Racial and ethnic diversity 3. High “park need” metric (per the 2016 PNA) 4. Amount of youth living in the surrounding community 5. Current baseball/softball popularity and participation rates Dodgers Dreamfields have been built at seventeen DPR parks, including ones in East and South Los Angeles which are two of the most underserved areas of the county. Using data collected through surveys, focus groups, and interviews, LADF studies and documents measurable positive changes brought forth by Dreamfields, including increases in youth participation in baseball and softball, as well as overall park usage, programming, and visitorship.
Basketball L.A. County has just ten basketball courts per 100,000 residents which is significantly below the national average of 63.1. Recently, DPR entered into a partnership with the Los Angeles Clippers Foundation (LACF) to upgrade indoor and outdoor basketball courts at County parks. LACF is a non-profit organization established in 1994 by the L.A. Clippers professional basketball team to promote positive educational, environmental, and humanitarian values through community
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| SUMMER 2023 31
Parks Foundation (LACPF) to fund the Clippers Community Courts program, a countywide initiative to refurbish and improve all basketball courts operated by DPR. Currently, DPR operates 117 basketball courts at 60 parks countywide, including in many park-poor neighborhoods which are lacking in quality recreational facilities and programs. This effort builds upon the work that LACF did in the City of Los Angeles which included renovations of 350 public basketball courts and took four years to complete.
Soccer
Figure 2: Clippers Foundation Donation Infographic (Source: DPR)
outreach events and programming. For several years, the LACF has supported DPR with uniform donations and sponsorship of the Jr. Clipper Youth Basketball Program, with over 3,000 youth participating in DPR basketball leagues and over 100,000 youth program-wide across Southern California. The latest partnership with DPR involves LACF donating $5.3 million to the Los Angeles County
L.A. County has a ratio of four soccer fields per 100,000 residents which is much lower than the national average of 16.7. To expand opportunities for soccer, DPR has partnered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Target for the development of mini-pitches for soccer in Florence-Firestone and Lennox. These two communities were selected because they have very high levels of park need (per the PNA) and soccer is a very popular sport in both communities. Mini-pitches are small, customized spaces created for organized soccer programs and pick-up games. Not only do mini-pitches provide quality playing surfaces for children and adults, they also help to transform
Figure 3: Mini-pitches at Lennox Park (Source: DPR)
32 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
the look and feel of neighborhoods. They are most suitable for urban areas and other communities where finding a safe place to play and exercise can be difficult. Founded in 1994, the U.S. Soccer Foundation offers programs that support youth development in underserved communities. Specifically, the Foundation has established programs proven to help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth beyond sports. Its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives provide safe environments where kids and communities thrive. The Foundation plans to create 1,000 new mini-pitches by 2026.
Final Thoughts DPR is committed to addressing the significant park and recreation needs documented in the PNA and PNA+ in ways that produce tangible results, provide multiple benefits, and improve the quality of life for L.A. County residents. However, this is not easy to do and DPR cannot do it alone. As exemplified above, data and partnerships with other organizations are critical to highlighting and meeting the need for additional and improved sports facilities, especially for youth living in underserved communities.
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Advertiser Index
Aqua Source (209) 745-6401 aquasource.com Page: IBC
David Volz Design Landscape Architects, Inc. (714) 641-1300 dvolzdesign.com Page: 3
Jones & Madhavan (805) 777-8449 jmae.com Page: 31
Public Restroom Company (888) 888-2060 publicrestroomcompany.com
Page: 7
Aquatic Design Group (760) 438-8400 aquaticdesigngroup.com Page: IFC
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness (888) 315-9037 greenfieldsfitness.com Page: 8
Most Dependable Fountains, Inc. (901) 867-0039 mostdependable.com Page: 47
Architerra Design Group, Inc. (909) 484-2800 architerradesigngroup.com Page: 53
Hirsch and Associates (714) 776-4340 hailandarch.com Page: 28
Crane Architectural Group
Integra Planning & Landscape Architecture
(949) 754-0503 musco.com Page: 49
Schmidt Design Group, Inc. (619) 236-1462 schmidtdesign.com Page: 19
My Bark Co., Inc. (209) 786-4042 mybark.net Page: 53
(707) 852-0500 integrapla.com Page: 27
(714) 525-0363 cranearchitecturalgrp.com Page: 27
(951) 781-1930 rhala.com Page: 15
Musco Sports Lighting
Columbia Cascade Company (503) 223-1157 timberform.com Page: BC
RHA Landscape Architects Planners, Inc.
Stand Out Merch (415)425-1824 standoutmerch.com Page: 23
NUVIS iZone Imaging (254) 778-0722 izoneimaging.com Page: 33
David Evans and Assoc. Inc. (909) 481-5750 deainc.com Page: 49
34 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
(714) 754-7311 nuvis.net Page: 51
Turf Star, Inc. (800) 585-8001 turfstar.com Page: 26
Advertiser Index
Verde Design, Inc. (408) 985-7200 verdedesigninc.com Page: 5
Via Promotionals, Inc. (661) 254-4910 viapromos.com Page: 26
Water Odyssey By Fountain People, Inc. (512) 392-1155 waterodyssey.com
California
Parks & Recreation
Reach California park & recreation decision-makers! CPRS’s newly updated, hyper-targeted California Parks & Recreation magazine helps you reach the people who need your products and services – thousands of CPRS members . New sizes and value-added packages are available for 2024!
LOOKING TO ADVERTISE? If you would like more information about advertising, contact Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or call (952) 841-1111. Visit www.bit.ly/CPRSmagazine or scan the QR code to view the advertising media kit.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 35
CALIFO R NIA PAR K & R EC R E ATI O N S O C IE T Y C O MPANY ME MB E R S
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide
COMPANY MEMBERS AS OF AUGUST 16, 2023
A-G Sod Farms, Inc.
Aqua Source
(951) 687-7581 www.agsod.com 2900 Adams St., Ste. C-120 Riverside, CA 92504 SERVICE: Five farms in California & Colorado producing high quality sod for sports fields and parks.
(209) 745-6401 www.aquasource.com P.O. Box 1146 Galt, CA 95632 SERVICE: Commercial swimming pool equipment, automated chemical & filtration systems, commercial pool vacuums, heaters, deck equipment.
Agents of Discovery (855) 564-7328 www.agentsofdiscovery.com 201– 2040 Springfield Road Kelowna, British Columbia V1Y 9N7 SERVICE: Agents of Discovery is an education technology platform empowering parks to create engaging, personalized content.
All About Play/Little Tikes Commercial Nor Cal (916) 923-2180 www.littletikescommercial.com 3844 Presidio Street Sacramento, CA 95838 SERVICE: Accessible outdoor playground equipment including unique theme playscapes and park service equipment.
American Ramp Company (417) 206-6816 x 107 www.americanrampcompany.com 601 S. McKinley Ave. Joplin, MO 64801 SERVICE: Design and build services of wheeled action sports parks (skate parks, bike parks, and pumptracks).
American Solutions for Business (714) 504-2274 www.pmlbstore.com 400 Princeland Ct, Unit #1 Corona, CA 92879-1341 SERVICE: Providers of printed documents, promotional products, corporate logo apparel, brochures, uniforms, stationery, catalogs, forms.
Aquatic Design Group (760) 438-8400 www.aquaticdesigngroup.com 2226 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 SERVICE: Programming, planning, design and engineering services for competition, recreation, and leisure aquatic facilities.
Aquatic Service, Inc. (949) 493-4390 www.aquaticserviceinc.com 32236 Paseo Adelanto, Suite A San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 SERVICE: Commerical pool equipment maintenance, service, repair, installation, and equipment provider.
Architectural Nexus (916) 443-5911 www.archnexus.com 930 R Street Sacramento, CA 95811 SERVICE: As a full-service architecture design firm, we are people driven in pursuit of meaningful experience.
Architerra Design Group, Inc. (909) 484-2800 www.architerradesigngroup.com 10221-A Trademark Street Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 SERVICE: Landscape architecture and site planning: new and renovated parks, streetscapes, community gardens, nature parks, trails.
36 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
B SAFE Playground Inspection Services, Inc. (916) 850-5071 10349 Ormond St Sunland, CA 91040-1413 SERVICE: Playground and athletic field inspection services.
BCI Burke Co, LLC (920) 933-6711 www.bciburke.com P.O. Box 549 Fond Du Lac, WI 54936 SERVICE: BCI Burke has been manufacturing high-quality and innovative playground equipment for 95 years.
Beginners Edge Sports Training, LLC (623) 748-9453 bestsportsca.com 24654 N Lake Pleasant Parkway Peoria, AZ 85383 SERVICE: We offer sports classes for kids through partnerships with City park and rec.
Berliner Seilfabrik Play Equipment Corporation (864) 627-1092 www.berliner-playequipment.com 96 Brookfield Oaks Dr. Suite 140 Greenville, SC 29607 SERVICE: State of the art play structures from the world’s leader in net climbing playground equipment.
BFS Landscape Architects (831) 646-1383 www.bfsla.com 425 Pacific Street, Suite 201 Monterey, CA 93940 SERVICE: Parks, trails and open space planning; design for healthy and sustainable communities.
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide BMLA Landscape Architecture
Calsense
(951) 737-1124 www.bmla.net 310 North Joy Street Corona, CA 92879 SERVICE: BMLA Landscape Architecture - Designs that build lasting communities.
BrightLife Designs (714) 326-8326 www.brightlifedesigns.com 16351 Gothard St., Suite C Huntington Beach, CA 92647 SERVICE: Decorative commercial lighting & Christmas holiday decor. Offer purchase and lease, installation, removal and storage.
BrightView Design Group (949) 238-4900 www.brightview.com/services/ design 8 Hughes Irvine, CA 92618 SERVICE: Landscape Architecture practice with extensive experience in designing parks, civic spaces, sport complexes and private developments.
(760) 438-0525 www.calsense.com 2075 Corte Del Nogal #P Carlsbad, CA 92009 SERVICE: Calsense helps organizations save water, time and money with smart irrigation solutions.
Capital Program Management, Inc. (916) 553-4400 www.capitalpm.com 1851 Heritage Lane, Suite 210 Sacramento, CA 95815 SERVICE: Planning and project management, construction management, and budget and accounting services for capita outlay programs.
CivicPlus (888) 228-2233 www.civicplus.com 302 S. 4th Street, Suite #500 Manhattan, KS 66502 SERVICE: CivicRec (r), the park and recreation management software from CivicPlus(r), is built specifically for local governments.
Brock USA
Coast Recreation Inc.
(303) 544-5800 www.brockusa.com 3090 Sterling Circle Boulder, CO 80301 SERVICE: Playground/ Athletic Consult and Supply
(714) 619-0100 www.coastrecreation.com 3151 Airway Avenue, Suite A-3 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 SERVICE: Representing Landscape Structures play equipment, DuMor site furniture, and Surface America in Southern California.
California Dinner Adventure (714) 690-1497 www.piratesdinneradventure.com 7600 Beach Blvd. Buena Park, CA 90620 SERVICE: Restaurant and show with pirates theme.
Callander Associates Landscape Architecture, Inc. (916) 985-4366 www.callanderassociates.com 12150 Tributary Point Drive, Ste. 140 Gold River, CA 95670 SERVICE: Landscape architects.
Columbia Cascade Company (503) 223-1157 www.timberform.com PO Box 1039 Camas, WA 98607-0039 SERVICE: TimberForm and PipeLine playground and outdoor fitness equipment, TimberForm site furnishings and CycLoops & CycLocker bicycle security products.
Community Works Design Group (951) 369-0700 www.comworksdg.com 4649 Brockton Avenue Riverside, CA 92506 SERVICE: Your source for creative park planning, landscape architecture, irrigation design, and CASp/ADA services.
Counsilman-Hunsaker (310) 734-2282 www.chh2o.com 10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 400 Saint Louis, MO 63127 SERVICES: Aquatic design, engineering, and operation services.
Crane Architectural Group (714) 525-0363 www.cranearchitecturalgrp.com 110 E Wilshire Ave # 300 Fullerton, CA 92832-1934 SERVICE: Architectural services - community centers, senior centers, sports complexes, concession stands, park restrooms, ADA improvements.
Dahlin Group Architecture Planning (925) 251-7200 www.dahlingroup.com 5865 Owens Drive Pleasanton, CA 94588 SERVICE: Architectural and planning services with a passion for placemaking, including community, senior, recreation, and aquatic centers.
Dave Bang Associates, Inc. (800) 669-2585 www.davebang.com P.O. Box 1088 Tustin, CA 92781 SERVICE: Suppliers of highquality park, playground, athletic equipment, & site equipment since 1979.
THANK YOU CPRS COMPANY MEMBERS! A big THANK YOU to our Company Members for your continued support! Interested in Company Membership? Visit www.cprs.org/cprs/membership to see benefits and join us.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 37
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide David Evans and Assoc. Inc. (909) 481-5750 www.deainc.com 4141 E. Inland Empire Blvd. Suite 250 Ontario, CA 91764 SERVICE: Multidisciplinary firm specializing in landscape architecture, civil, and transportation engineering, surveying, and construction management.
ELS Architecture and Urban Design (510) 549-2929 elsarch.com 2040 Addison Street Berkeley, CA 94704 SERVICE: Architecture and planning services for sports/ recreation/aquatics, education, theaters/performing arts, mixeduse, historic renovations, and urban design.
David Volz Design Landscape Architects, Inc.
EventHub
(714) 641-1300 www.dvolzdesign.com 151 Kalmus Drive, Suite M-8 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 SERVICE: Award winning park planners and sports facility experts! DVD provides assistance with project planning budgets.
(310) 405-9447 eventhub.net 6523 California Ave SW, Ste.148 Seattle, WA 98136 SERVICE: Event Management Software for special events vendors and sponsors with interactive booth maps.
DeltaPlan Systems, Inc.
FirstService Residential
(424) 444-8214 deltaplansystems.com 9010 Owensmouth Avenue Canoga Park, CA 91304 SERVICE: Biotechnology lab - Our DeltaPlan Soil System aids in 50% water conservation among other attributes.
(949) 338-1908 LaderaLife.com 28192 O’Neill Drive Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 SERVICE: Property Management company offering recreation and community services to residents living within the property.
Disc Golf Landscape Architecture (DGLA)
Flexground
(775) 301-3721 www.discgolfla.com 975 Starlake Avenue South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 SERVICE: Disc golf course design through the broad lens of landscape architecture.
(916) 275-3588 www.flexground.com 2029 Opportunity Drive, #3 Roseville, CA 95678 SERVICE: FlexGround is the premier provider of rubberized poured in place and recreation surfacing.
Eco-Counter
Fun Express, LLC
(514) 849-9779 www.eco-compteur.com/en/ 3981 St. Laurent Blvd. Suite 604 Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y5 SERVICE: Pedestian and bicycle counters, counter installation and maintenance, data analysis platform and services.
(800) 228-2003 www.funexpress.com/corporate 4206 S. 108th Street Omaha, NE 68137 SERVICE: Crafts, art supplies, educational items, active play, camp, and seasonal items at discounted prices.
GameTime (800) 235-2440 www.gametime.com 150 PlayCore Drive Fort Payne, AL 35967 SERVICE: GameTime is the leading manufacturer of commercial playground and outdoor fitness equipment.
38 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Gold Bug Park and Mine (530) 642-5207 www.goldbugpark.org 2635 Gold Bug Lane Placerville, CA 95667 SERVICE: Gold Bug Park is Gold Rush History! Offering mine tours, gem panning, blacksmith, stamp mill, museum, and hiking trails.
Grand Slam Safety, LLC (315) 301-4039 www.Grandslamsafety.com 9793 Bridge Street, P.O. Box 35 Croghan, NY 13327 SERVICE: Impecable and removeable or permenant, indoor/outdoor fencing system; netting, divider curtains and batting cages.
Great Western Recreation (435) 245-5055 www.gwpark.com 975 S. State Hwy 89 Logan, UT 84321 SERVICE: Turnkey design-build firm providing playgrounds, shade/shelters, surfacing, site amenities, splash pads, beachers, etc.
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness (888) 315-9037 www.greenfieldsfitness.com 2617 West Woodland Drive Anaheim, CA 92801 SERVICE: Outdoor fitness equipment.
Gro-Power, Inc. (909) 393-3744 www.gropower.com 15065 Telephone Avenue Chino, CA 91710 SERVICE: Go “green” with GroPower products. They’re safe for the environment and naturally conserve water.
Group 4 Architecture Research + Planning, Inc. (650) 871-0709 www.g4arch.com 211 Linden Ave South San Francisco, CA 94080 SERVICE: Architectural, research, and planning services.
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide GSM Landscape Architects, Inc.
safety surfacing, shade structures, and fitness/sport/site amenities.
(707) 255-4630 www.gsmlainc.com 1700 Soscol Avenue, Suite 23 Napa, CA 94559 SERVICE: Award winning landscape architectural design for parks, sports fields, recreational, and educational facilities throughout California.
Inspector Playground
HAI, Hirsch & Associates, Inc. (714) 776-4340 www.hailandarch.com 2221 E. Winston Rd. #A Anaheim, CA 92806 SERVICE: Landscape architecture, park planning, master plans, sports facilities, redevelopment, & public work projects.
Hermann Design Group, Inc. (760) 777-9131 www.hermanndesigngroup.com 77899 Wolf Road, Ste.102 Palm Desert, CA 92211 SERVICE: Landscape architecture, planning, and project management for community parks, sports parks, and dog parks.
Hunter Industries (760) 583-4479 www.hunterindustries.com/ contact-us 1940 Diamond St. San Marcos, CA 92078 SERVICE: Irrigation Manufacturer MP Rotator, Sprays, Rotors, Smart Controllers, Valves, Drip.
Imagen (626) 593-9618 www.imagenagency.com 421 E Route 66 Glendora, CA 91740-3502 SERVICE: We are a promotional marketing agency that produces custom branded apparel, promotional products, and print.
Innovative Playgrounds Company (877) 732-5200 www.innovplay.com 12407 East Slauson Avenue, Unit D Whittier, CA 90606 SERVICE: Sales, designs, and project management for BCI Burke playground equipment,
(888) 293-7889 www.inspectorplayground.com P.O. BOX 16654 Encino, CA 91416-6654 SERVICE: Independent inspector, surface impact testing with Triax, early childhood certified, playground inspections, compliance certificates, insured.
Integra Planning & Landscape Architecture (707) 852-0500 www.integrapla.com 1506 4th Street Santa Rosa, CA 95404 SERVICE: Planning and landscape architecture design services including parks, aquatic centers and recreation facilities.
Interwest, A SAFEbuilt Company (714) 899-9039 www.interwestgrp.com 1 Jenner, Suite 160 Irvine, CA 92618 SERVICE: Comprehensive community development services including planning, ;andscape architecture, land devcelopment & urban design.
iZone Imaging (254) 778-0722 www.izoneimaging.com PO Box 368 Temple, TX 76530-0368 SERVICE: Sign Solutions and Custom High Pressure Laminate (CHPL) graphic panels and decorative surfaces.
JetMulch (866) 306-8524 www.jetmulchinc.com P.O. Box 1667 Capitola, CA 95010 SERVICE: Blown-In Mulch and ASTM certified playground materials.
Jones & Madhavan (805) 777-8449 www.jmae.com 100 E Thousand Oaks Blvd Ste 211 Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-8134 SERVICE: Planning, architecture, & engineering services for public aquatic facilities.
Kay Park-Recreation (319) 987-2313 www.kaypark.com 1301 Pine Street Janesville, IA 50647-0477 SERVICE: Manufacture bleachers, picnic tables, grills, fire rings, drinking fountains, bike racks, pedal boats, litter receptacles, outdoor games, & more!
Kimley Horn (619) 234-9411 www.kimley-horn.com/markets/ parks-recreation/ 401 B Street, #600 San Diego, CA 92101 SERVICES: We offer expertise in the planning, design and implementation of parks and recreation facilities.
King Plastic Corporation (941) 493-5502 www.kingplastic.com 1100 N. Toledo Blade Blvd North Port, FL 34288 SERVICE: King Plastic is the leading manufacturer of quality polymer sheets, slabs, and massive shapes.
KOMPAN Playgrounds (800) 426-9788 www.kompan.com 605 West Howard Lane Austin, TX 78753 SERVICE: KOMPAN is a world leader in playgroud and outdoor sport & fitness solutions.
KTU + A Planning & Landscape Architecture (619) 294-4477 www.ktua.com 3916 Normal Street San Diego, CA 92103 SERVICE: We Provide Award Winning Landscape Architectural Planning and Design Services for Parks and Recreation Facilities.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 39
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide Landscape Structures, Inc.
MIG, Inc.
MRC
(763) 972-5200 www.playlsi.com 601 7th Street S Delano, MN 55328 SERVICE: Commercial playground designer and manufacturer.
(510) 845-7549 www.migcom.com 800 Hearst Ave. Berkeley, CA 94710 SERVICE: From playgrounds to park systems, MIG advances strategic, equitable and community-based planning and design.
(800) 922-0070 www.mrcrec.com 2130 Route 35 Bldg B, Suite 222 Sea Girt, NJ 08750 SERVICE: Leading supplier of playground, park, recreation, fitness and sport equipment; site amenities and surfacing.
Miracle Playground Sales/ Miracle Recreation
(949) 754-0503 www.musco.com 3002 Dow Avenue, Suite 504 Tustin, CA 92780 SERVICE: Providing sports lighting solutions for your budget, for the environment.
Lincoln Aquatics (925) 687-9500 www.lincolnaquatics.com 2051 Commerce Avenue Concord, CA 94520 SERVICE: Distributors of commercial swimming pool equipment, chemicals, and aquatic supplies since 1954.
LPA, Inc. (408) 780-7203 www.lpainc.com 60 South Market Street, Suite 150 San Jose, CA 95113 SERVICE: Sustainable design solutions in architecture, landscape architecture, and engineering for community centers, aquatics, and parks.
Mack5 (510) 595-3020 www.mack5.com 1000 Broadway Suite 260 Oakland, CA 94608 SERVICE: Project/Construction management and cost planning/ estimating services for park & recreation capital projects.
Malmsten Inc. (602) 818-4791 malmsten.com/en-US 8270 S Kyrene Road, Suite 104 Tempe, AZ 85284-2118 SERVICE: Swimming pool lane lines and water polo equipment.
Melton Design Group, Inc. (530) 899-1616 www.meltondg.com 820 Broadway Street Chico, CA 95928 SERVICE: Landscape architecture, providing design services for parks, sports complexes, skateparks, & masterplans. We focus on providing personal service.
(800) 264-7225 www.miracleplayground.com 1101 California Avenue, Suite 209 Corona, CA 92881 SERVICE: Innovative playground equipment, playground safety surfacing; park shelters & gazebos; tables, benches & athletic equipment & splashpads.
Miracle Playsystems Inc. (800) 879-7730 www.MiraclePlayGroup.com PO Box 263 Alamo, CA 94507 SERVICE: Play equipment design, distribution, and specialty contracting firm serving all of central and Northern California.
Most Dependable Fountains, Inc. (901) 867-0039 www.mostdependable.com 5705 Commander Dr. Arlington, TN 38002-0587 SERVICE: Outdoor drinking fountains, pet fountains, showers, misters, play towers, hydrants, jug fillers, handwash stations, & grills.
Motz Group (513) 371-5520 www.usgreentech.com 3607 Church Street Cincinnati, OH 45244 SERVICE: USGreentech provides progressive infills for the synthetic turf market including their products Envirofill and Safeshell.
40 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
Musco Sports Lighting
My Bark Co., Inc. (209) 786-4042 www.mybark.net P.O. Box 932 Linden, CA 95236 SERVICE: ReadyPlay, EWF from virgin forest wood, bark products, colored enhanced mulches, and soil amendments.
MyRec.com-Recreation Software (802) 465-9732 www.myrec.com P.O. Box 16997 Salt Lake City, UT 84116 SERVICE: An Industry leader providing robust, web-based software with all-inclusive features that simplofy your Recreation Management.
National Academy of Athletics (707) 541-2365 www.NationalAcademyofAthletics.com 1260 North Dutton Suite 243B Santa Rosa, CA 95401 SERVICE: Year round Sports Camps and Clinics offering 8 different sports for players, coaches, and parents.
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide NGI Sports a Division of River City Athletics (775) 544-6306 www.ngisports.com 2807 Walker Road Chattanooga, TN 37421 SERVICE: NGI Sports’ tennis and track surfaces-guaranteed solutions. We specialize in innovations for sports construction.
Noll & Tam Architects (510) 649-8295 www.nollandtam.com 729 Heinz Avenue, Suite 7 Berkeley, CA 94710 SERVICE: Architectural design, programming, and planning for recreation/community/senior centers and other civic buildings.
NUVIS (714) 754-7311 www.nuvis.net 20250 SW Acacia Street, Suite 260 Newport Beach, CA 92660 SERVICE: NUVIS landscape architecture - over 40 years of design solutions for people, environments, and experiences worldwide.
O’Dell Engineering (209) 571-1765 x102 www.odellengineering.com 1165 Scenic Drive, Suite B Modesto, CA 95350 SERVICE: Multi-disciplinary firm providing landscape architecture, civil engineering, land surveying, and 3D laser scanning.
Omnify Inc. (650) 800-3732 www.getomnify.com 800 West El Camino Real Mountain View, CA 94040 Service: Technology platform for registration and service commerce.
OpenCounter (800) 216-7360 131 Dartmouth Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02116 SERVICE: OpenCounter is on a mission to build a better permitting experience for all!
Opti-Fit International Inc.
PlayCore
(916) 939-3690 www.opti-fit.com P.O. Box 6716 Folsom, CA 95763 SERVICE: Opti-Fit Inc. is your one stop total fitness solution. Planning, design, supply, and service.
(423) 425-3168 www.playcore.com 544 Chestnut Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 SERVICE: PlayCore helps build stronger communities by advancing play and recreation through research, education, partnerships, and products.
Pacific Park and Play (714) 846-4885 www.PacParkPlay.com 3640 N Pankratz Way Meridian, ID 83646-6866 SERVICE: Providing park and playground products and services to Southern California cities, counties, schools, churches, and others.
Paddock Pool Equipment Co. (803) 324-1111 www.paddockindustries.com 555 Paddock Parkway Rock Hill, SC 29730 SERVICE: Paddock is a leading manufacture of commercial swimming pool equipment; gutters, filters, bulkheads and deck equipment.
ParkInk (800) 423-8478 www.advisorsmarketing.com 7040 Avenida Encinas #104 Carlsbad, CA 92011 SERVICE: Everything imprinted for Park, Recreation, Camps & Community
PDPlay (760) 597-5990 www.PDPLAY.com 2235 Meyers Avenue Escondindo, CA 92029-1005 SERVICE: California manufacturer of commercial play structures, site furnishings, and poured-inplaced rubberized surfacing.
Play & Park Structures (800) 727-1907 www.playandpark.com 544 Chestnut St., Suite 310 Chattanooga, TN 37402 SERVICE: Play & Park delivers a boutique experience with every playground design, from start to finish.
Playcraft Systems LLC (888) 571-7640 www.playcraftsystems.com 123 North Valley Dr. Grants Pass, OR 97526 SERVICE: Seller of playground equipment (commercial type).
Playgrounds Unlimited (408) 244-9848 www.playgroundsunlimited.net 980 Memorex Drive Santa Clara, CA 95050 SERVICE: Construction services; site preparation; play equipment; water play; shade shelter installation; pour-in-place & synthetic turf safety surface.
Powerland Equipment, Inc. (760) 749-1271 www.powerlandequipment.com 27943 Valley Center Road Valley Center, CA 92082 SERVICE: Joh Deere, Mean Green, STIHL, Generac & Milwaukee
Productive Parks, LLC (630) 765-4252 674 Rochelle Terrace Lombard, IL 60148 SERVICE: Maintenance & asset management software for parks and recreation: work orders, task scheduling, inspections.
Public Restroom Company (888) 888-2060 www.publicrestroomcompany.com 2587 Business Parkway Minden, NV 89423 SERVICE: Public Restroom Company is a design build specialist for odor free, vandal resistant, park restroom, and concession buildings.
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 41
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide R. E. Schultz Construction, Inc.
RJM Design Group, Inc.
RRM Design Group
(714) 649-2627 www.reschultzconstruction.com 1767 N. Batavia Street Orange, CA 92865 SERVICE: General engineering contractor/playground eq. installation/park rehabs/ fitness eq. installation. Site work/concrete/shade shelter installations.
(949) 493-2600 www.rjmdesigngroup.com 31591 Camino Capistrano San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 SERVICE: Park and sports facility master planning and design; park and recreation master planning; landscape architecture; LEED Certified; community consensus building.
(805) 543-1794 www.rrmdesign.com 3765 South Higuera Street, Suite 102 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 SERVICE: RRM Design Group designs award-winning recreation areas by collaborating with people who use them.
R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co./ Pilot Rock
Robertson Industries, Inc.
(800) 762-5002 www.pilotrock.com P.O. Box 946 Cherokee, IA 51012-0946 SERVICE: Manufacturing and direct sales of park grills, picnic tables, benches, campfire rings, trash receptacle holders, etc.
(800) 858-0519 www.totturf.com 1027 W. 9th Street Upland, CA 91786 SERVICE: Furnish and installation of recreational and playground safety surfacing. New construction, renovations, maintenance and repairs.
Re-Tek Products, Inc.
ROMTEC, Inc.
(502) 744-9946 retekproducts.com P.O. Box 22015 Louisville, KY 40252 SERVICE: We provide all rubber and binder materials for playgrounds and running tracks.
RecWest Outdoor Products, Inc. (818) 735-3838 www.recwest.com 31316 Via Colinas, #118 Westlake Village, CA 91362 SERVICE: Representing Landscape Structures Inc., DuMor Site Furnishings.
RHA Landscape Architects Planners, Inc. (951) 781-1930 www.rhala.com 6800 Indiana Avenue, Suite 245 Riverside, CA 92506 SERVICE: Park & sports facility planning, LEED certified, water conservation design, community consensus building, park rehabilitation.
(541) 496-3541 www.romtec.com 18240 North Bank Road Roseburg, OR 97470 SERVICE: Design, build, and install recreational structures ie: restroom buildings,concessions, kiosks, pavilions, storage buildings, gatehouses, cabins, sidewalk restrooms, etc.
Ross Recreation Equipment Company, Inc. (707) 538-3800 www.rossrec.com 100 Brush Creek Road #206 Santa Rosa, CA 95404 SERVICE: 44 years of providing superior recreational & outdoor products and service with attention to quality, safety, and design.
Royston, Hanamoto, Alley & Abey (415) 383-7900 www.rhaa.com 225 Miller Avenue Mill Valley, CA 94941 SERVICE: Landscape architecture, site planning, master planning, urban design, and recreation planning services locally, nationally, and internationally.
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RRM-CLM Services, LLC (602) 569-2333 www.clm-services.com 11811 N Tatum Blvd, Ste 4095 Phoenix, AZ 85028 SERVICE: Provides professional park management, security, maintenance, ranger patrol & related services.
Ruff Ruff Poop Bags (949) 243-0623 www.ruffruffpoopbags.com 3160 E. La Palma Avenue, #D Anaheim, CA 92806 SERVICE: We provide dog waste bags for communities, parks & HOAS, for the dispensers. We provide low cost and high quality products.
S.R.Smith LLC (503) 266-2231 x2278 thermalpoolcover.com 1017 SW Berg Parkway Canby, OR 97013 SERVICE: Manufacturer of “EnergySaver” thermal swimming pool covers, storage reels, and automatic re-winders.
Safe 2 Play - Certified Matters (925) 999-0117 PlaygroundSafetyInspections.net PO Box 945 Leander, TX 78646 SERVICE: Certified playground safety inspections, safety surface impact testing on playgrounds, & sports fields.
Schmidt Design Group, Inc. (619) 236-1462 www.schmidtdesign.com 1310 Rosecrans Street, Suite G San Diego, CA 92106 SERVICE: Landscape architecture, park planning, and design that balances artistic expression with environmental sensitivity.
2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide Shade ‘N Net (800) 290-3387 www.shade-n-net.com 5711 West Washington Phoenix, AZ 85043 SERVICE: Tension cable breathable fabric shade structures/vents out heat/88% sun blockage/97% UV ray protection.
Smart Rain (801) 295-3339 smartrain.net 1343 West 75 North Centerville, UT 84014 SERVICE: Offers a complete stateof-the-art smart irrigation package, combining our sophisticated commercial-grade controller with an extremely intuitive water management software application. Our average customer saves 3040% on their water usage. Smart Rain’s smart controller is EPA WaterSense Certified and qualifies for LEED points.
SofSurfaces Inc. (800) 263-2363 x230 www.sofsurfaces.com 4393 Discovery Line Petrolia, ON N0N 1R0 SERVICE: Rubber tile solutions for playground, fitness facility, and architectural applications.
Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation (626) 448-0853 x16 www.scmaf.org 823 Lexington-Gallatin Road South El Monte, CA 91733 SERVICE: Professional training, education, and networking; insurance services; sport rules, training, and competition for youth and adults.
Spohn Ranch, Inc. Custom Skate Parks (626) 330-5803 www.spohnranch.com 6824 S. Centinela Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90230 SERVICE: Skate park design, construction, operation, and insurance. The leader in responsible skatelite, concrete, and hybrid parks.
Spurlock Landscape Architects (619) 681-0090 www.spurlock-land.com 2122 Hancock Street San Diego, CA 92110 SERVICE: Spurlock Landscape Architects provides landscape architecture, urban design, and planning services.
SSA Landscape Architects, Inc. (831) 459-0455 www.ssala.com 303 Potrero Street, 40-C Santa Cruz, CA 95060 SERVICE: Award winning parks & recreation master planning, community workshops/ consensus building, construction documentation/administration.
St. Nick’s Commercial Design & Decor (562) 438-0017 www.st-nicks.com 527 E. 1st Street, Suite 101 Long Beach, CA 90802 SERVICE: St. Nick’s does it all: we imagine, build and install large Christmas displays (other holidays too)
Stand Out Merch (415)425-1824 www.standoutmerch.com 35688 Cathedral Canyon Dr. Ste. 208 Cathedral City, CA 92234 SERVICE: We find promotional products that are eco-friendly and give back 10% of the profits to support your organization.
Stover Seed Co. (213) 626-9668 www.stoverseed.com P.O. Box 1579 Sun Valley, CA 91353 SERVICE: Turfgrass and sportsfield seed mixtures, wildflower and native seed mixtures.
StructureCast (661) 833-4490 www.structurecast.com 8261 McCutchen Road Bakersfield, CA 93311 SERVICE: Precast, pre-engineered restroom, & concession buildings.
SVA Architects, Inc. (949) 809-3380 www.sva-architects.com 6 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 1150 Santa Ana, CA 92707 SERVICE: SVA Architects is a full-service architectural firm committed to creating sustainable environments for our communities.
SyberTech Waste Reduction Ltd. (888) 888-7975 www.swrl.com P.O. Box 3009 - 33191 1st Avenue Mission, B.C. V2V1G0 SERVICE: Our in-ground trash system, self-watering planters, and other products greatly save operational costs.
TinyMobileRobots (888) 844-8111 tinymobilerobots.us 1634 Cobb International Blvd NW Kennesaw, GA 30152 SERVICE: Autonomous robots for athletic field line marking and onfield logo painting.
TMT Enterprises, Inc. (408) 432-9040 www.tmtenterprises.net 1996 Oakland Road San Jose, CA 95131 SERVICE: Bulk Material Supplier - baseball surfaces, playground materials, top dress sand, topsoil, soil mixes, decomposed granite, organics.
Trueline (951) 817-0777 gotrueline.com 12397 Doherty Street Riverside, CA 92503 SERVICE: Resurfacing of tennis courts, basketball courts, game courts, playgrounds, striping, installation of equipment, and refurbishment.
Turf Renovation Machinery, Inc. (562) 696-5780 www.turfrenovationmachinery.com 19858 Eyota Road Apple Valley, CA 92308 SERVICE: Manufacture and Sales of Sports Turf Renovator Machines.
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2023 CPRS Buyer’s Guide Turf Star, Inc. (800) 585-8001 www.turfstar.com 2255 Meyers Avenue Escondido, CA 92029 SERVICE: Commercial mowing equipment & irrigation.
USA Shade & Fabric Structures (707) 257-7296 www.usa-shade.com PO Box 3467 Coppell, TX 75019-3406 SERVICE: USA Shade provides shade solutions for everything under the sun!
Verde Design, Inc. (408) 985-7200 www.verdedesigninc.com 2455 the Alameda, Suite 200 Santa Clara, CA 95050 SERVICE: Multi-disciplinary office of landscape architects and civil engineers with a focus on community projects.
Via Promotionals, Inc. (661) 254-4910 www.viapromos.com 25845 Railroad Avenue, Unit 6, Saugus, CA 91350 SERVICE: Promotional items, tradeshow accessories, embriodered and screen printed apparel, graphics creat custom apparel websites.
Water Odyssey By Fountain People, Inc.
Willoughby Stainless Fountains - WSF
(512) 392-1155 www.waterodyssey.com P.O. Box 807, 4600 Hwy. 123 San Marcos, TX 78667-0807 SERVICE: Leading manufacturer of aquatic playground and fountain equipment.
(317) 875-0830 www.wsf-usa.com 5105 W. 78th Street Indianapolis, IN 46268 SERVICE: WSF manufactures outdoor site furnishings and plumbing fixtures for parks and recreation.
Waterline Technologies (714) 564-9100 www.waterlinetechnologies.com 620 Santiago Street Santa Ana, CA 92701 SERVICE: Sales and service for aquatic facilities - chemical delivery
Wood Rodgers, Inc.
West Coast Arborists, Inc.
Wyatt W. Underwood & Associates
(714) 991-1900 www.wcainc.com 2200 E. Via Burton Street Anaheim, CA 92806 SERVICE: WCA provides public agencies, school districts, and colleges with urban forestry management and maintenance services.
West Coast Turf (760) 340-7300 www.westcoastturf.com P.O. Box 4563 Palm Desert, CA 92261 SERVICE: Growers and installers of premium quality natural turfgrass sod.
Vineyard Rock Products
Western State Builders
(831) 637-6443 www.vineyardrockproducts.com 1781 Limekiln Road Hollister, CA 95023 SERVICE: Decorative granite products.
(760) 270-8639 www.westernstatebuilder.com 2141 Orange Avenue Escondido, CA 92029 SERVICE: Playground Installation, shade structure installation, site furnishing installation.
Vortex Aquatic Structures Intl. (877) 586-7839 www.vortex-intl.com 3500 South Dupont Highway, Suite EP-101 Dover, DE 19901 SERVICE: We create water play experiences for children to develop, communities to flourish, and businesses to thrive.
Who Built Creative Builders Inc. (707) 763-6210 www.whobuilt.biz P.O. Box 1568 Shafter, CA 93263 SERVICE: Installation of play equipment and athletic equipment.
44 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
(916) 341-7760 www.woodrodgers.com 3301 C Street, Bldg. 100-B Sacramento, CA 95816 SERVICE: Landscape architecture design consultants
(213) 279-2455 www.wyattunderwood.org 19360 Rinaldi Street - 150 Northridge, CA 91326 SERVICE: Playground design & build, playground equipment, shade, shelter, site amenities, and sports flooring since 1992.
Youth Evolution Activities (805) 202-8620 www.youthevolutionbasketball.com 191 S Oak Park, Suite 11 Grover Beach, CA 93433 SERVICE: Youth Recreation Backetball & Soccer Programs
Zasueta Contracting, Inc. (619) 589-0609 www.zasuetacontracting.com P. O. Box 866 Spring Valley, CA 91976 SERVICE: Playground equipment installation.
ZGolf Food & Beverage Services, LLC dba Wedgwood Weddings (951) 491-8110, Ex. 326 www.wedgewoodweddings.com 43385 Business Park Drive #210 Temecula, CA 92590 SERVICE: Professional full service food & beverage management and operations with a focus on weddings, special events, and golf course F&B operations.
CPRS Spotlights CITY OF FOLSOM
Kelly Gonzalez selected as the next Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Folsom The City of Folsom announces the selection of Kelly Gonzalez as its next Parks & Recreation Director, effective May 8. Gonzalez brings more than 23 years of experience in public service, administration, and parks and recreation. Gonzalez will oversee the operations of 48 parks, over 50 miles of paved trails, facilities, and recreation programs. She will manage current and future park development initiatives and serve as an advisor to the Folsom Parks & Recreation Commission. She will oversee the department’s 48 full-time and 200+ seasonal employees. “Kelly joins our leadership team with a wealth of experience in parks, recreation, leadership, and administration, as well as a proven track record of cultivating a strong sense of community,” said City Manager Elaine Andersen. “I am confident Kelly’s leadership and expertise will serve the Folsom community extremely well by providing abundant opportunities to learn, play, grow, and do.” Gonzalez served as a division head for the Cosumnes Community Services District for the past 16 years in both the Administration and Parks and Recreation Departments. The Cosumnes CSD serves a population of over 200,000 residents in South Sacramento County and provides emergency medical service, fire protection, parks, and recreation services. Her senior leadership roles included Director of Administration, Director
“I am honored to have been selected to serve the community of Folsom by providing high-quality facilities and recreational opportunities,” said Gonzalez. “Parks and recreation are an integral part of the health and vitality of a thriving community.”
of Business and Public Affairs, Superintendent of Recreation and Community Services, Management Analyst, and Recreation Manager. Gonzalez’s experience consists of facilitating the budget process, policy development, revenue generation, public affairs, facilities operations, program development, long-term planning, and building sustainable parks and recreation systems. Gonzalez was instrumental in the development and implementation of multiple parks and recreation master plans and strategic plans. Under her service areas of responsibility, Cosumnes CSD has been recognized for several awardwinning programs, events, facilities, community outreach, and marketing efforts. Gonzalez has worked to develop multiple partnerships for nonprofit, private, and governmental agencies. She recently served on the project team with the City of Elk Grove facilitating community engagement to prioritize services that will enhance the quality of life for all residents in Elk Grove.
Gonzalez holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration from California State University, Sacramento, and holds certification as a Parks and Recreation Professional from the National Recreation and Park Association. Gonzalez is a member of the California Park & Recreation Society and the National Recreation and Park Association. She has volunteered in leadership positions in the Sacramento region, advocating for quality-of-life services. In her time at Cosumnes CSD, Gonzalez also served as a champion for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Outgoing Parks & Recreation Director Lorraine Poggione retired April 28 after serving the City of Folsom for 21 years, the last five as director. The Folsom Parks & Recreation Department’s mission is to establish and maintain facilities, parks, and services that enhance the quality of life for all ages, cultural origins, and abilities. As stewards of the public trust, it is the department’s purpose to reflect on the changing human service needs of our community. www.folsom.ca.us/Home/ Components/News/News/3226/211
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 45
CPRS Spotlights CITY OF PASADENA
City of Pasadena Appoints Koko Panossian as Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services “I am very excited to have Koko join our leadership team,” said Márquez. “His extensive experience in all aspects of a large municipal parks and community services department is invaluable, as is his ability to connect with a variety of constituencies regardless of interests, level of involvement, or socioeconomic status. I look forward to our residents getting to know Koko in the months ahead.”
After an extensive recruitment process, City Manager Miguel Márquez is pleased to announce the appointment of former Pasadena resident and long-time City of Glendale Parks & Recreation leader Koko Panossian as the new Director of Pasadena’s Parks, Recreation & Community Services (PRCS) Department. Panossian will begin his service in Pasadena on October 2, 2023. Panossian currently serves as the Deputy Director of the City of Glendale Community Services & Parks, directing all aspects of park operations and planning, managing 46 park and recreation facilities, creating and overseeing innovative programming, and providing support to cultural and arts programs and personnel.
In May 2023, the City solicited feedback from Pasadena residents on the Director’s position, which oversees recreational programs, sports leagues, community and social services, and educational activities, facilities, and citywide celebrations and cultural events such as the Latino Heritage and Black History parades and festivals. Panossian has worked in various roles in the City of Glendale Community Services & Parks for two decades. Prior to being appointed as Deputy Director, he served as a Parks Services Administrator, a Senior Park Services Manager, and as an Administrative Assistant. In addition to his experience in managing parks, facilities, and programming, he has extensive experience in budgeting, personnel, communications, government relations, and capital planning. A certified arborist, Panossian holds numerous certifications including from the National Recreation and Park Association, the California
Park and Recreation Society, the National Playground Safety Institute, and the International Society of Arboriculture. “I believe in the profound impact public spaces and programming can have on a community,” said Panossian. “As a public servant, l strive to give my best to our profession. To serve as the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services in Pasadena-the community where I grew up--is an opportunity of a lifetime. I am honored to lead the Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. As someone who grew up in this great city, I recognize the strength of our community and the potential for what we can do together. I cannot wait to get started.” Panossian has volunteered his time with the American Red Cross, the American Youth Soccer Organization, and the University of California, Riverside, among many organizations. He is a proud graduate of Pasadena’s John Muir High School, earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of California, Irvine, in Political Science and International Studies, and he holds a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Southern California. Panossian and his wife, Azig, have two daughters, Haylee and Aleena.
“I am very excited to have Koko join our leadership team,” said Márquez. “His extensive experience in all aspects of a large municipal parks and community services department is invaluable, as is his ability to connect with a variety of constituencies regardless of interests, level of involvement, or socioeconomic status.” 46 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
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CPRS Spotlights CITY OF FOUNTAIN VALLEY
$1 million for Universally Accessible Playground at Fountain Valley Sports Park The City of Fountain Valley is proud to announce that they, and the Fountain Valley Community Foundation, received 1 million dollars in funding from the state of California to build the first-ever Universally Accessible Playground (UAP) in Fountain Valley. The funding was secured from Tri Ta, Assemblyman from the State’s 70th Assembly District who presented a check to the Fountain Valley Community Foundation at the July 18 Fountain Valley City Council meeting. Designed to bring people together, a UAP is a sensory-rich recreational environment that enables children and adults of all abilities to develop physically, socially, and emotionally. Centrally located at the Sports Park, this playground will provide accessible and inclusive recreational amenities and is sure to become a highlighting attraction in our community. What is a Universally Accessible Playground (UAP)? • A playground and recreation area built specifically to facilitate opportunities for all abilities, UAPs blend physical play with sensory, communicative, cognitive, and social/emotional amenities to offer an inclusive recreational environment.
• Universally Accessible Playgrounds remove barriers between kids, despite any differences, and give them the chance to play and grow together. Why a UAP at the Fountain Valley Sports Park? • Play is a universal language. When people play together, we realize that we are all the same and we want and deserve the same things…Dignity, Respect, and Opportunity! • It is for everyone. Adults with disabilities can spend time with
their kids or grandchildren in an inclusive and multigenerational playground. • The Fountain Valley Sports Park is a regional attraction within Mile Square Park. Centrally located and with ample parking, the FV Sports Park provides the perfect backdrop to house this sensational playground and recreational area! The playground and recreational area are scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2024. www.fountainvalley.gov/Blog. aspx?IID=696#item
HAVE SOMETHING EXCITING TO SHARE? CPRS Individual and Agency members are invited to submit Spotlight articles for inclusion in a future issue of the magazine. Send your news briefs (up to 1,000 words) and images to: Alisha Herriott | alisha@cprs.org | 916-665-2777
48 CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023
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CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 49
CPRS Spotlights CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
Outdoor Recreation in Santa Clarita With more than 13,000 acres of open space green belt and a trail system that spans over 130 miles, the City of Santa Clarita is an outdoor recreational haven. For decades, residents and visitors have taken advantage of the welcoming landscape by way of hiking, trail running, bicycling, mountain biking and horseback riding. Over the last two years, the City has developed and currently offers a variety of multi-generational outdoor programs that take place on the trails and in the open spaces. Outdoor Recreation programming provides a wide range of benefits for the community including improved physical and mental health, education and awareness of the natural environment and opportunities to connect with other like-minded folks. One program that has stood out over the past year is the Youth Outdoor Adventures (YOA) program, which debuted in September 2022, and continues to run every fall and spring for youth ages 7-12. Activities in the program include hiking, archery, first-aid instruction, lessons about camping, trail clean-up, arts and crafts and more. The goal of the YOA program is to provide a unique and multifaceted experience that includes elements of education, exploration, skill building and healthy lifestyles. There are a number of creative and innovative approaches used to provide these meaningful experiences within this program. For example, staff utilizes the Agents of Discovery augmented reality app, which is family-friendly and integrates technology with nature and the outdoors by guiding and educating participants with fun trivia questions along designated trails.
Staff also created a trail game called Nature Bingo where kids are given a bingo card with images of plants, insects and other natural objects to look for while walking along a trail. The kids had a blast with this game and often identified or questioned items not listed on their cards. This dynamic created great learning opportunities and led to conversations about a variety of natural environment topics including rattlesnake identification,
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photosynthesis, poison oak, types of birds and bugs and much, much more. Another activity that helped to promote kids’ appreciation for the natural environment was a trail clean-up day at the Iron Horse Trailhead. When the group first learned that they would be spending time picking up trash, they were not excited nor looking forward to the task. Before the activity began, staff explained the importance and
benefits of keeping our trails clean. Grabber tools were then distributed to each participant, while staff members carried trash bags and the one-mile-loop trail clean-up activity was underway. Instinctively, the kids began to compete with one another to see who could pick up more trash. The attitude and spirit of the group completely changed within a matter of minutes. Along the way, kids made comments questioning how and why there was so much trash on the ground, which led to discussions about littering, preservation, plant and animal protection and safety for the different types of trail users. By the end of the trek, two large trash bags were filled to the brim and a number of passersby expressed their gratitude and appreciation. In collaboration with Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, YOA visited and toured the Placerita Nature Center, which is nestled in the southeast corner of the Santa Clarita Valley. The Nature Center is filled with interpretive and educational components which are utilized to teach participants about the local habitat and history of the surrounding land, including information about the indigenous Tataviam people who once called the area home. Diurnal, Crepuscular and Nocturnal exhibits that depict life-size mammals, insects, reptiles and birds were used to educate participants and spark imagination. Additional displays of Riparian Woodlands, Chaparral and Oak Woodlands were analyzed
and described to the kids as they visualized the surrounding natural environment. A guided hike provided a first-hand look for the eager and excited kids. All of these components were utilized to help tell the story of the local history and habitat. The YOA program serves as a fantastic alternative to traditional sports leagues and special interest classes, and is just one example of quality outdoor recreational offerings in Santa Clarita. In fact, the Outdoor Recreation industry as a whole is growing at a rapid rate. According to findings from the Outdoor Industry Association
and the Outdoor Foundation, “The outdoor recreation participant base grew 2.3 percent in 2022 to a record 168.1 million participants or 55 percent of the U.S. population ages six and older.” With exponential growth and impact across the nation, outdoor recreation programming is becoming the new normal, with a variety of activities, offerings and exploration for people of all ages. Being a family-focused and forward-thinking community, Santa Clarita is excited to lead the way for other cities looking to incorporate outdoor recreation into their programming and to share ideas, events and offerings with our CPRS community.
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CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 51
CPRS Spotlights LETTER TO THE EDITOR - PHU KIENG DUI & FAMILY
We’re the Family from the Cover – Happiness Does Live Here! As the family featured on the cover of the Spring/Summer 2023 guide, imagine our surprise when we found out that we were honored with being on the cover. In the words of our daughter, “How embarrassing!” We are completely unaffiliated with the Southgate Parks. Whenever we talk about our hobbies or recreation though, we always mention taking our children to the parks as one of the things that makes us happiest in our day-to-day lives. Just seeing greenery or green space improves our psychological well-being. The children are able to burn all of their youthful energy in the playground. By going regularly, our kids have made park friends. The adults have made park friends. We are able to feel a social connection that makes us a part of the community. The best thing about all of this is the parks are free! It’s free in the sense that residents have already paid taxes for it, so might as well take advantage of it. There are also many other types of activities listed in the guide that are very affordable and accessible. Every summer our children love their swimming lessons at the Christine Thompson Aquatic Center. We still boast about the $5 West Elm lamp we bought at the Community Yard Sale. We still laugh at ourselves for winning the Halloween costume contest dressed as Pokemon characters. You can even sign up for a photography session and get a photo similar to our cover photo. There are many more memories, and we’re fortunate to have a capable Parks & Rec department that has organized so many of these fun and accessible activities.
If you haven’t already, take the first step and go for a walk through the park. Sign up for the summer swim classes. Look through the activities guide and join one of the many activities that interests you. Don’t be surprised if you start making
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friends. Don’t be surprised if you start enjoying your time and having a little bit of fun. Don’t be surprised if you feel a little bit happier. Happiness does live here. You just have to seek it out. -The Kieng Family from Vineyard
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION | SUMMER 2023 53
CPRS Spotlights ALISHA HERRIOTT
LAUREN OAKLEY
New CPRS Communications and Marketing Manager
New Director of Professional Development Joins CPRS
Alisha Herriott (she/her) joins CPRS as Communications and Marketing Manager after relocating from the UK to California just last year. Alisha graduated with an MSc in Medical Anthropology from University College London in 2019, gaining communications experience from her roles within the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. As a social media aficionado, Alisha hopes to help the CPRS community stay connected and share ideas within its supportive network. Inside and outside of work, Alisha is enthusiastic about sustainability and conserving the environment and volunteers at Davis public gardens during the summer. Whilst at University, Alisha spent a year studying abroad in Malta joining the fashion and photography society. She loves to try her hand at new creative projects involving knitting and sewing to bring her fashion projects to life. During her personal time, Alisha also enjoys traveling, taking tennis lessons, and exploring the state with her partner and golden retriever, Dandelion.
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Sacramento native, Lauren Oakley (she/ her), joins the CPRS HQ team as Director of Professional Development. With a history as a competitive soccer player and coach of recreational youth teams, it should come as no surprise that Lauren took the opportunity to work for the local park and recreation department while completing her undergraduate studies. Since receiving her degree in marketing from Linfield University (fka Linfield College), Lauren continued her experience in the food service industry while working on retirement plans before joining the professional team of the California Lawyers Association (“CLA”). In the five years Lauren spent with CLA, she worked with attorneys volunteering their time to advance initiatives of importance to the greater California legal community. Some of these initiatives included the diversification of the pathway to the legal profession, prioritizing the health and well-being of legal professionals, and enhancing Californian’s access to legal services across the state. Lauren’s experiences working with sections and committees of volunteers catalyzed her engagement with CalSAE to learn all things Associations. She continues to serve on the Capital Region Council and the DEI Taskforce of CalSAE in the interest of better serving her members and organization in addition to herself as an association professional. Lauren is currently exploring the topic of accessibility as it relates to the larger conversation about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Away from the office, you’ll find Lauren with her spouse and their dog, Mister. Weekend mornings are usually reserved for walks with good coffee and horticulture lessons about the local flora. In her free time, Lauren enjoys cooking (don’t ask about baking), listening to funk music, sudoku, hiking, and spending time with her local family.
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