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REintroducing
PlayCubes
™
Designed by Richard Dattner, Architect
In the 1960s, Richard Dattner, one of America’s eminent architects, introduced PlayCubes. This open-ended play solution is making a comeback through an exclusive partnership between Richard Dattner and Playworld. With five different options to choose from, PlayCubes are adaptable to your space and simple to install and maintain.
To see PlayCubes in action, go to Playworld.com/PlayCubes
Back View
Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 16 No. 2 | Summer 2016
10
Features
Ready to Get Wet?
8
By Pat Rumbaugh
Keeping it Fresh
10
Suggestions on improving the fan experience at your facility By Peter Beireis
Surf Parks & Man-Made Waves
16
Coming To A City Near You
Photo courtesy of Peter Beireis
16
By John Luff
22
Water: Discovering the Extra Dimension of Play By Marie-Catherine Dubé
26
How Does a Company’s Hiring Process Make for a Better Water Play Experience? By Megan Krentz
30
Waterplay and Safety By Juliene R Hefter
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com
22
DEPARTMENTS 5 31
CPSI Course Calendar Water Play Buyers Guide
About the cover: cooling off at the spray park. Photo courtesy of Gametime.
Photo courtesy of Gametime 4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
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CPSI Course
Calendar July 12-14
Raleigh, NC
919-515-7118
18-20
Little Rock, AR
501-416-6700
August 29-31
Golden, CO
303-231-0943
September 6-8
Berkeley, CA
916-665-2777
7-9
Roanoke, VA
804-730-9447
12-14
Famington, NM
505-599-1402
19-21
Hoffmand Estates, IL
708-588-2287
27-29
Dublin, OH
614-895-2222
T H I N K I N G T O DAY
October
A B O U T T O M O R R O W ’S P L AY ™
Magazine
11-13
Cerritos, CA
916-665-2777
12-14
Camillus, NY
518-584-0321
19-21
Grand Rapids, MI
517-485-9888
25-27
Phoenix, AZ
602-335-1962
26-27
Verona, NJ
609-356-0480
31-2
Wisconsin Dells, WI
414-423-1210
November 2-4
Lexington, SC
803-808-7753
2-4
North Salt Lake, UT
801-782-5512
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Get Social With PGP Get the latest updates about today's play and playground news and views. SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Aaron Hamilton writes… Magazine Publisher Tate Schuldies
Editor Amy Henderson
Advertising Director Aaron Hamilton
Design Jake Amen
Accounting Ron Walker
Webmaster Jake Amen
Contributing Authors Peter Beireis
Marie-Catherine Dubé
Juliene R Hefter
Megan Krentz
John Luff
What does water play mean to you? Welcome to the summer issue of Play and Playground Magazine! I am Aaron Hamilton, the new Advertising Director, and I’m excited for the opportunity to be involved in the world of play and playgrounds. Summer months bring a wide variety of activities, usually including water. In fact, more so than any aspect of play, water brings all ages together. Since water is the basis of life, it’s no surprise that it becomes an element that enhances play. Water play brings an element of danger and risk, in turn, a respect that provokes wonder and fascination. I can’t help but remember my childhood and teenage years as I embrace my new role with Play and Playground Magazine. I was fortunate to grow up in a rural town that had a city pool. Socializing and swimming with friends was a way of life and riding our bikes to the city pool became a daily routine. Little did I know at the time, that this routine was so vital to my own health and development. The pool had already become a home away from home and seemed the perfect transition for my first job, so I became a lifeguard at the city pool as a teenager. It is obvious to me now that water play has come a long way since I made those memories! Bringing water play to focus in 2016 has been informative and exciting for me, and has been a reminder of just how much of an impact those childhood days at the pool made on me. Summer brings opportunity for families to come together: friendly gatherings, vacations, reunions, and any reason to be together with people we care about. While children have a break from daily academics and structure for a few short months, the need for recreation, activity, and hands-on play reaches peak levels. Hot temps mean seeking ways to cool down. This is why we at Play and Playground Magazine have reached out to experts in the industry to provide ideas, solutions, and innovations in products, as well as updates on the latest trends surrounding water play. Water play is becoming a more expansive industry as there seems to be no shortage of design ideas and products aimed to keep the blistering heat a manageable, and useful element in enjoying the summer. We want to stay on the forefront of an ever-changing industry that involves water and play, and hope we can inspire the desire to play - Summer Style!
Pat Rumbaugh
Copyright, 2016 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits.
CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 192 Saint Anthony, Idaho 83445
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Water: the focal point of most communities during the summer months. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com
6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
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Ready to Get Wet? By Pat Rumbaugh
DID YOU LOVE to play in water when you were a kid? I know I did. We used to set up a sprinkler and run through it - oh that sure was a good way to cool off and have some fun. Actually, I recall some adults joining in on the fun also. My non-profit www.Letsplayamerica.org organizes and holds fun, free play events in our community of Takoma Park, Maryland. Whenever we have the chance during warm weather months we bring out the spray water bottles and as many children’s wading pools as we can get our hands on. Let’s Play America’s mission is to encourage people of all ages to play by helping them create play-filled events in their OWN communities. Does a playground in your community have a spray area that is inviting to kids and adults? If not, maybe you can approach your city government and see if they can budget for one. In the meantime, I recommend saving plastic spray bottles and/or gallon jugs and when
the weather warms up, fill up the bottles, invite kids and other families and go outside and have some good old fashion water play. Let’s take a moment to “wet” your appetite and share ways my non-profit, Let’s Play America, will get you out playing. In 2009, a play committee was formed in Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb adjacent to Washington, DC. I had witnessed a decline in seeing children and adults going outside to play. Rarely did I see kids of different ages playing outside in neighborhoods. Adults weren’t outside as much either. You used to see parents playing catch with their kids when I was young, but it almost seems like those days are behind us. Now you see kids getting in the car, dressed to go to soccer practice or a game, which is an adult-led activity. Please don’t misunderstand, this is a wonderful way to get exercise and play, but it is not the same thing as going outside on your own and playing with neighborhood kids where there
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
aren’t any adults telling kids what to play and how to play. Kids used to make up their own games, their own rules, and work things out on their own. On March 15, 2009 seven of us got together to share how we wanted to encourage people to play, we went around the oval table each sharing our ideas. Our mayor at the time joined us and shared how he would like to see more whimsical play, like creating animals out of blown up balloons. One of our seniors, Colleen, wanted us to organize an annual inter-generational picnic to bring people of all ages together to play. Once everyone gave their ideas I began to share mine, which I told them I recently had heard about the national non-profit KaBOOM! They wanted cities to map their playgrounds, share what they played, plan a Play Day and apply to be named A Playful City, USA. So we all agreed this was a good way to keep us organized, so we decided to follow this plan.
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Community water parties are a great way to keep cool while encouraging play. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com
Photo courtesy of Pat Rumbaugh www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
On September 26, 2009 we held our first Play Day and it was a whopping success. We met our goal by more than 200 people attending. We had about twenty different activities people could play. The head of the Recreation Department at the time, Debra Haiduven, waived the permit fee for us to rent a playground and the small building that we used for a couple of inside activities. We had all kinds of fun activities for people of all ages to play, blowing bubbles, corn hole, hula-hooping, jump roping, face painting, playing with PlayDoh, dress-up and a dress-up parade. We had Turkish dancers who performed with people joining in on the fun. Also, children and adults played at the playground. Our State Senator, Jaime Raskin wrapped up Play Day with Simon Says. It was one fun exciting Play Day. Our town has a Fourth of July parade. The parade goes right in front of my house. We have had seven Picnic, Play and Parade Watch events. Every year we invite people to join us to play. Do you have a parade in your community? Does the parade go on during warm weather months? If a parade is when the weather is warm, you may want to consider bringing out the water supplies, so you can stay cool, have fun, and get wet while cheering on the parade.
In seven years, we have put on more than 60 fun, free play events; Play Days, closed streets to play and joined already organized events by adding play. KaBOOM! has named us A Playful City, USA for seven years straight. I encourage you to check out our website; see the articles, the TED Talks I gave on play, videos by NBC4 for our Playful Cookout in 2015, a documentary called The Play Lady, and more. In closing, let me share with you a couple of examples of how we get wet when we play; we have held two Splash and Play Indoor Pool Parties in our community. We have an indoor pool at one of our elementary schools. We qualified for a grant that helped pay for this event, so people can come swim and play for free. By the way, all of our events are free. During warm weather months we always remember to bring out the water bottles to squirt each other and the kiddie pools, so we can get wet when we play. One summer we were closing a street in July and one side of the street lost power, so this two-hour event turned into an entire day of fun and play. People were grilling, there were kiddie pools and sprinklers set-up and kids got out their water toys or made some out of squirt bottles. Children and adults played freely for hours. Just thinking about that play event puts a smile on my face. Playing with water during warm weather is a great way to play. I hope you will consider organizing a play committee in your community, plan a Play Day and contact us if we can help in any way. Everyone deserves to play! Are you ready to get wet?
PAT RUMBAUGH Pat has spoken all over the country about the importance of Play. On the LPA website you can see Pat's speaking engagements. Also on that website is the cover of Pat's children's book, Let's Play at the Playground published in 2013.
www.Letsplayamerica.org
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
Photo courtesy of Dean Bradshaw
Keeping it Fresh
by Peter Beireis
Suggestions on improving the fan experience at your facility
Changing up the fan experience does not need to be difficult and it may or may not be a matter of a big financial investment. However, it does take some planning. First, identify what part of the experience needs to change. I would caution you not to undertake this on your own. Utilize your staff and gather data from your customers, either with a survey, direct engagement, or with social media. The strategy we undertake in our operation utilizes all three of these elements.
To preface this, I should let the reader know that we run a year-round indoor waterpark and are busy all year. We know we see twice the visitors in the summer season than during the other seasons. To paint a brief picture, we have a children’s play pool with a play feature, a lazy river that encircles two 20 foot water slides, a four lane lap pool which becomes a leisure pool during recreation swim, a 15 person spa, a cafÊ, event rooms for birthday parties, and a cabana area for small groups.
Developing a Plan
Photo courtesy of Edda Rivera 10 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
From the Staff I meet with key staff members at the conclusion of the busy summer season to do a wrap-up. What went well? What did not go well? What were our www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
challenges? What should we be doing that we are not doing? What were our biggest complaints and how do we fix them? Based on the information we receive and evaluate, we may implement some easy fixes but some of the information is just that, information to build on when we meet again three months later to start planning for the next summer. Then at the summer planning meeting, we bring forth the comments from the planning meeting as well as the planning meeting notes from the previous year to see what we did or didn't incorporate. From the Customer During these meetings, we also bring forth information from customer surveys, as well as what we are seeing on our social media content. We also do a simple search of our facility and pull up everything we can from that past year (Facebook, Yelp, Google, Twitter, etc.). These all have relevance to make us stay fresh for the next season. Since we operate year-round, we stay engaged in these outlets and respond to comments both positive and negative. We learn something from all of them. From the Industry The last element we use is what we are seeing in the industry from training, trade shows, or anything else we may encounter. Some of the best changes we have incorporate, are things we learned from all of you. We present and analyze all of the relevant information and make a decision on which items we will incorporate and which areas to improve upon. This planning meeting can become heated at times, as there is a lot of ownership in each of the program areas; however, it is also very productive for staff to see different perspectives.
Putting the Plan into Action
After the planning meeting, a list of comprehensive action items with the time lines to accomplish these tasks is sent out. As indicated above, some of these are low, no-cost changes, while some require a financial element. Changes or additions which typically have little to no-cost can be some of your biggest enhancements that give your guests a better fan experience. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
For example, many times we will have a line out the door of guests waiting to come in, which can cause a long wait time (sometimes as long as two hours). We received complaints about this and continue to work on this challenge. At this time, we have incorporated an “all hands on deck” at the beginning of recreation swim which utilizes a team approach and helps to get through the initial line quickly and minimize the wait. We added a Voucher/Pass Only line to create two lines (as opposed to just one) and allow entry into the facility prior to the opening of the pools to give guests time to pay and suit-up in time for the opening of the facility pools. Additionally, we have put out signage informing guests of the facility rules and information outside the entrance so they can see it before they come in. We also have someone available at the head of the line prior to letting them in to answer questions or deal with issues. We have given our Customer Service Agents a script so that all items are covered when they first engage with us so that we lessen the issues on the deck side. These changes cost little to no money. We continue to evaluate these changes yearly and tweak them when necessary to improve the guest experience.
Modest Budget
WOW Factor Solutions
Photo courtesy of Amy Davis
Cabana
Low cost solution for large groups with high rate of return on initial investment. Photo courtesy of Edda Rivera
Spending Money
At some point you will need to reinvest in your facility and spend some money to continue to have that WOW factor. As a municipal operation, we have to get approval and plan in advance to get multiple bids and quotes. These can all be challenges, but remember, we are entrusted by the public to be fiscally responsible with public funds. For those of you in my situation, I understand what you go through. Even with this, if you are diligent and try to create the WOW factor you can do so by spending a modest amount each year. I look at modest as being between 0-$3000. Some of the things we have done… Cabana One of the physical changes that we added was a cabana area. We had an operational issue with limited seating from the original design and large groups who were coming into the center for group reservations. We had a
Inflatables
Blow up the fun for your patrons without letting the air out of your budget. Photo courtesy of Edda Rivera
Log Rolling
Even old dogs will love this new trick! Keylog Rolling offers great instructional videos.
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
lot of issues with not only the number of people but their “stuff � (clothing/ backpacks/towels, etc.). During our pre-season planning session, we looked at our site configuration and developed a solution by creating a cabana area in which two areas were formed with temporary PVC walls, as well as a table and chairs for ten people. Knowing that most guests would be swimming so we did not need a large number of seats; our idea was to create a meeting area for those who were tired, wanted to eat, or to just hang out. The key piece was getting an industrial size laundry bin so that all the cabana users had a place to put their belongings. This solution has worked really well. The overall cost was about $500 and some labor. Beyond our groups, we have added the Cabana feature for rental to our guests. This feature is very popular and has exponentially paid for itself many times over. As part of the rental we also provide water and snacks, and the large families have an area all to themselves with guaranteed seating. Additionally, it has functioned well for families that want a lower price option to hold their
birthday parties or as an alternative if our birthday packages are completely booked up, which is frequently the case. The last enhancement on the Cabana feature, which we incorporated this past summer, was online booking for the cabana which has really taken off. Inflatables About three years ago, we were looking for something new to give our guest beyond the great features we have. We knew budget was a big factor as we were very limited, and we were also limited by our water depth (we have mostly shallow pools of less than five feet). We have seen a lot of inflatables and have played on many over the years but cost was a big factor, as was pool profile. We had our work cut out for us. Our Aquatic Coordinator took on the challenge, did the research, and came up with an option that would work. However, the purchase was the first step in the process. The more important aspect was to incorporate the training and operation within the program so that our guest would not
only have a WOW experience, but do so safely. We incorporated everything and launched our new feature. I wish I could say everything went as planned but we did have to make some adjustments after first introduced. I think this is the case with anything new as you learn to make it better. We do not put the inflatable out every day but have a schedule for when they are to be put into place. We also market it on social media. It has been a very successful addition to our operation, so much so that we are adding a new piece this summer. We will continue to look to add pieces to keep it fresh and relevant for our guests. Log Rolling We were introduced to log rolling a little bit over a year ago at an educational conference. There was a practical in-water session that gave us the initial training, I took part in this practical session and up I went onto the log, albeit for a few seconds. I kept trying and each time I got a bit better and was having fun doing it. If an old dog like me can do it, why not explore this
Inflatables are great for any water play scenario. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com 12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
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further? The Keylog folks were very forthcoming in providing additional information and guidance into their product. They had great instructional videos that were free and available on YouTube, they also had a deal at the show which they honored for a short window after the event. This gave us the opportunity to research and find funding to introduce this over the past summer. With what we learned from our inflatable addition, we were prepared with staff and processes to incorporate this. This also allowed us to feature different elements throughout the summer to keep it fresh and different every day. Smaller Items We also utilize many smaller features within our facility. One of these includes water basketball. We have one for our children’s play pool for the younger kids and one at our lap pool for older folks. We also utilize a water polo cage for interactive play (just one goal set up and they swap out). We also have a football toss in our smaller activity pool. Most of these elements
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com
Photo courtesy of Edda Rivera www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
are less than $500 and an easy addition to add to any facility. Programs Throughout this article I have been focusing on physical elements, but there is a lot more you can do by adding, changing, and/or enhancing your recreation swim with programs. This could be as simple as creating a theme or by adding additional elements. For example, we have a whole program each day that falls in line with our general theme for that week. We have trivia days, dress up days, tattoo days, game days, and any other fun interactive theme we may come up with. The limitation is only based on your imagination. We also have held cardboard boat races and specialized days around holidays such as pumpkin patches and egg hunts.
Photo courtesy of Dean Bradshaw
Conclusion
Staying fresh and remaining relevant to your guest is an ongoing, never-ending process. As much as we have done over the years, we are still challenging each other to be better and to provide a great, and ever improving, fan experience to everyone we engage with. We have just implemented a new wait list element utilizing restaurant software and tablets. Hopefully you can take some of what we have accomplished and create the WOW factor for your guests. If you get stuck, simply check out our Facebook or others around you and use it for inspiration. Remember, imitation is the highest form of flattery. We hope you will flatter us.
Photo courtesy of Edda Rivera
PETER BEIREIS Peter Beireis is the Sr. Recreation Supervisor for the City of Newark, CA at the Silliman Activity & Family Aquatic Center. The center is visited by over 200K guest each year. Peter also runs his own Aquatic Consulting Business (Beireis Aquatic Safety Services) and helps clients with operations and training.
Read More from Peter at playgroundprofessionals.com 14 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
Photo courtesy of Allie Schirripa www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
ESTB
2016
SURF PARKS
16 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
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James Harold aka DJ James Z at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Wave Pool - Surf Park Central
Coming
TO A CITY NEAR YOU
by John Luff A future full of surf parks and man-made waves is nearly upon us. With several new venues having opened over the past two years and many more coming online in the near future; it’s now, more so than ever, becoming a relevant topic in today’s destination development conversations. The state of surf pools and manmade wave technology is evolving at www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
a rapidly increasing pace throughout the world and within the next 5-10 years there may very well be surf parks and man-made surfing destinations in major cities throughout the world. From our perspective at Surf Park Central, it’s important to first define what we believe a surf park should encompass. At the base level, a surf park is a recreational action and adventure water sports facility for enthusiasts
of all ages who have an interest in surfing and riding waves. Surf parks are man-made surfing destinations that feature surf pools, wave machines and/or surfing lagoons offering high quality waves and encompass the best of beach culture and the surf lifestyle. Unlike your typical day at the beach, surf park experiences can guarantee ideal conditions for surfing in a safe and controlled environment.
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 17
Conceptual Rendering of the SurfLoch SurfPool Rif010 Project in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Photo: Wave Loch
Why Surf Parks? Surf parks are ideal sports, leisure and entertainment anchors for hotels, resorts, shopping centers, entertainment districts and sports parks but can also work as stand alone venues. Using less space, less water and requiring far less maintenance than a ski resort or golf course, but with a much greater appeal and focus on surfing and the beach lifestyle environment. Surf parks serve to create a unique real estate development initiative that will stand well clear of the competition, increase the geographical reach of the available market and increase overall demand, price and sales rates for new property developments. Centered around large surf pools and man-made surfing lagoons, surf parks are commercial venues offering better waves than those in the ocean the majority of the time. These include beaches, crystal clear waters, bars and restaurants, retail, outdoor event space, hotels, spas, gyms, athlete training facilities, ancillary sports and significant expansion possibilities. Surf parks are designed to accommodate global events and in addition to being used on a daily basis by the local populations, they will also rank amongst the most iconic and marketable tourist attractions, giving a boost to the real estate in the immediate vicinity, and to the image, economy
and sporting level of the regions and countries in which they are located. Even though wave pools capable of producing waves suitable for surfing have been around since the late 1960s when Phil Dexter revealed Big Surf Arizona to the world; it’s only been in the past few years that dedicated surf parks have begun to enter the realm of viable business opportunities. A variety of surf venues featuring a broad range of wave generating technology types have opened for business over the past 2-3 years. The largest of these, Surf Snowdonia in the UK, opened last fall and is now in its first full season of operation. There’s currently several more under development domestically including Doug Coors’s NLand Surf Park set to open in Austin, TX this spring. Globally there’s significant activity with projects in various phases of development in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Thailand, South Korea, the UAE and beyond. This doesn’t even begin to take into account all of the projects early in the conceptualization / planning stages that are still flying under the radar. To put it simply, the surf park industry is gaining momentum and already making waves available to people around the world in places far beyond the oceans and coasts.
18 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
1. What has recently changed that makes now a good time to develop a man-made surf feature/venue? a. There’s a variety of factors that make now the best time in history to begin development on manmade surf destinations. Between the International Surfing Association’s big push for Olympic Surfing potentially being made official in August of this year to the experience driven economy that is changing the way people spend money, now is the time. b. The advances and innovations that have been made in the wave technology sector over the past few years were in large part made possible by the correlating advances in computing power. With wave technology companies now having access to reasonably priced computing power they’re able to simulate, test and rapidly innovate their new wave generating technology and pool / lagoon designs. This has led to some of the best manmade waves the world has ever seen being brought to the market in the past six months. 2. Why aren’t there already dozens or hundreds of surf parks in existence around the world today? a. There’s many reasons that could be listed here although it’s worth noting perhaps the two biggest factors that to a certain degree run in parallel. i. As of today there’s still no dedicated surf park venue on the planet featuring a large wave / surf pool capable of generating a full spectrum of waves ranging from beginner (1-2’) – professional/elite level (6’-8’+) that has proven the long-term economic viability of these types of projects. Once we begin to see the current generation of surf parks continue to be developed and achieve stabilized (and profitable) operations you’ll soon see surf parks being developed in major markets on a global scale. ii. Perhaps one of, if not the largest variables at play here that has enabled a profitable surf park business model is the technology innovations in the wave www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Albee Layer on his path to victory at the Red Bull's Unleashed event in the Wavegarden at Surf Snowdonia. Photo: Red Bull / Olaf Pignataro generating sector that have taken place over the past few years. While not every business model can support every wave technology there’s certainly several that should work quite well as long as these surf pools and man-made surfing lakes are able to perform to the level their manufacturers are promising. 2. What is the demographic profile of the average surfer and surf park customers? a. Surfing is an interesting recreational pursuit / sport when evaluating the demographics as it encompasses people from both genders and nearly every age, nationality, religion, ethnicity and culture. b. In the U.S., the common surfer has a median age of 34 years old, household income exceeding $75,000 USD and a willingness to travel significant distances in search of waves. On a ‘per-surf ’ basis the average U.S. surfer is spending nearly $40 per session www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
chasing waves found in nature. c. When we begin to take into account demographics specific to surf park customers what we often find is that it’s a very broad spectrum. The ages vary greatly and oftentimes you’ll see 3 generations participating and sharing waves simultaneously within a single surf session. The majority of the customer base within a surf park is made up of first-time beginners to beginner / intermediate surfing ability levels. This is generally rounded out with both the local / destination crowd and membership base that have more advanced surfing skills and desire larger / more high performance waves.
Some of the most common questions arising from developers contemplating investments in wave machines, surf pools and surf parks include:
1. How much land is required / how much space do I need for a wave machine, surf pool or man-made surfing lake? a. This is a question with a broad range of potential answers which ultimately depends on the vision of the developer / investment group and the potential constraints of site size and the project budget. b. If you’re taking into account only the wave machine / surf pool size this can range in space allocations comparable to a tennis court (2,000+ square feet) to that of over 10 football fields (57,600 square feet each) and nearly anything in between. 2. What are the capital requirements? How much is it going to cost to build? a. With a large range of wave generating technologies, manufacturers and overall man-made wave system sizes there’s a correspondingly large range in overall capital requirements.
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 19
Rob Kelly on the SurfStream by American Wave Machines at Surf's Up NH. Photographer: Carter McCoy
b. When assessing the landscape of wave technology choices capable of delivering waves suitable for surfing it’s also important to take into consideration the capital / cost implications of delivering different types of surfing experiences. i. For example: If you want to build a standing wave / stationary wave machine this can be achieved within budgets ranging from +/- $1m to $3m USD. If you’re looking to build a world class surf pool / manmade surfing lake this will likely require investments ranging from +/- $10m - $25m and beyond. With this in mind, it’s good to understand that a surfing feature / attraction is capital intensive and will require investment levels ranging from $1m-$25m+++. 3. What’s the best business model? a. Depending on what the surrounding real estate currently is (hos-
pitality, retail, residential, sports park, etc…) or what the proposed master plan calls for there are several models that can perform well depending on the developers / investors definition of success. Developing the appropriate size and type of venue will depend upon a variety of factors that will ultimately need to be explored and discussed in detail prior to committing to a specific business model. b. If you’re a municipal or government entity your definition of success is likely different than that of a private development / investment group. There’s several ways and operating models in which you can design and build a surf park facility that earns revenues exceeding the operations / maintenance costs while still providing a positive socioeconomic impact. 4. Is our city / market a good candidate for a surf park? a. Determining the feasibility and
20 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
economic viability of developing a surf park is serious business. Prior to making major decisions on wave technology choice, size of the surf feature / attraction and the overall feature / amenity offering there should be a focus on market research and gaining a clearer understanding of what the market can sustain. b. It’s also important to take into account the local, regional, domestic and international destination appeal of your venue if designed, built and marketed appropriately. If you’re looking to draw a significant amount of your customer base from distances far and wide this needs to be a clear goal from the outset and made known to your entire project team from day one of your feasibility and planning process. 5. What’s the optimal feature and amenity mix within a surf park? a. This is one of the most important questions when it comes to the www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Pro Surfer Kalani Chapman at Surf's Up NH
Kelly Slater enjoying his Super Session Saturday.
Photographer: Nick Tribuno
Photo: Kelly S later Wave Company
conceptualization, planning and design of your venue. Variables at play include the market you’re in, the primary customers you’ll be targeting, the capacity of your venue and the estimated average amount of time people will be spending on your property. b. The feature and amenity mix can vary greatly depending on the property type and the overall business model. Generally speaking, the primary elements include a surfing feature, food & beverage component, retail space and supporting facilities (admin, restrooms, locker rooms, etc…) If it’s a larger venue and the owner / investor group is looking for a greater destination appeal then the necessity of a broader amenity / attraction mix comes into play. 6. What are the key positions and areas of expertise that a surf park project team should be comprised of? a. From the outset it’s critical to the future of your project to assemble a team that will give your surf park development the highest likelihood of making the journey from concept to an operationally successful reality. b. Key team members may include those with relevant experience in aquatics development, design, architecture, engineering, finance, project management, operations real estate development and specialty expertise in the planning, development and operations of surf parks and man-made surf venues. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Now, more so than ever in history, the world is talking about investing in and developing man-made surf destinations. In 2015, more people surfed outside the ocean in pools and on man-made waves than ever before. This is not a fad, it’s already proving to be a trend that will continue to grow at a rapid pace. To learn more we encourage you to attend Surf Park Summit 2, the international conference on manmade surfing destinations. Hosted by Surf Park Central and San Diego State University’s Center for Surf Research in conjunction with Surf Expo on September 7, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. Request an invitation at SurfParkCentral.com/SurfParkSummit2
JOHN LUFF President and Founder of San Diego based Surf Park Central, the world’s leading resource for surf parks, surf pools and the development of man-made surf destinations. John is also CoFounder and a Managing Director at Surf Park Solutions. Together, these businesses are leaders in development, consulting and media services to the emerging surf park industry.
surfparkcentral.com SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 21
Discovering the Extra Dimension of Play By Marie-Catherine DubÉ
Think back to your childhood. Did you play around fire hydrants, hose pipes, swimming pools? Did the children of the neighborhood gather around those oases on hot summer days? People, especially kids, love to play with water. It’s fascinating. Water based attractions have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. Photos courtesy of Vortex Aquatic Structures International 22 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Solitary play with water is often discovery-based.
WATER IS TIMELESS; it has a universal appeal. It transcends cultures and generations and appeals to all age groups. Water draws people in and brings people together. It unites people in a shared sensorial experience that is, at once, refreshing, relaxing, thrilling and exciting. Yet, when we think of the word ‘play’, we’re more likely to think of sports, dry playgrounds or games we play at home or in schools. We tend to underestimate the fun and benefits of water play. Given that water is the perfect vehicle for play, it isn’t surprising that attractions devoted to water play have seen a steep increase in popularity over recent years. Together with the rise in demand has come more effort to understand the psychology behind water play in order to design meaningful play experiences. Designers of today’s most successful water playscapes increasingly take into account the physical, cognitive and social development of their users. They know that nurturing development leads to individual growth and promotes social cohesion. The challenge is now to give our children the same fun experiences we had with our garden sprinklers, while providing the maximum opportunity for childhood development.
parallel, imaginative, cooperative, associative or competitive, each eliciting various interactions between children and the outside world, and each providing important development opportunities. Each of these types of play elicits different types of interaction. Solitary play, involving child to water interaction is discovery-oriented, or contemplative. Collaborative play will involve a lot of child to child interaction, helping to develop social behavior. There is also child to adult interactions - something we know to have significant influence in a child’s physical growth, behavior patterns, social-emotional development, language formation and even academic outcomes – can be fostered in a number of play types.
Healthy physical and social development begins with the acquisition of necessary neurological building blocks essential to forming connections with the world around us. A concept called Executive Function aids to develop these building blocks; it encompasses important abilities like self-control, focus, staying on task, remembering details, managing time and problem solving, and are critical to academic success. In childhood, free play exercises these skills to help children regulate behavior and build the social and emotional awareness fundamental to future success. Executive function skills also give children the tools to understand educational concepts, which establish positive future attitudes towards learning and discovery. Stimulating water play has proven effective in encouraging the development of these skills, and is invaluable for learning and discovery in the early years of life.
Encouraging physical activity and development
Something special happens when water is added to play. Think for a moment about what it sounds like when kids are playing in water – the screams and shrieks of joy – it’s unique to water play environments. Aside from the fun, when water is added to play, we see enhanced physical development opportunities that help foster the gross and fine motor skills essential to healthy physical development.
Play types and interaction
Play that is freely chosen and personally directed is one of the most important contributors to physical, cognitive and social development in the early years of a child’s life. Within water playscapes, users can experience many types of play; solitary, www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Physical development while playing with water play products. SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 23
With Water Journey, children can discover cause and effect individually or collaboratively.
Water playscapes encourage gross motor movements such as running, dodging, standing under, jumping over or jumping in, while interactive water features like pumps, movable cannons, or floating objects stimulate the development of fine motor skills. The sensory aspects of water also help users understand the physical connection between water and our bodies through different textures like misting, sprinkling, dumping, raining, splashing, and squirting.
Designing development into water playscapes
At Vortex, we’re taking all of this very seriously when designing products and playscapes that utilize the magic of water. In fact, we’ve been working closely with experts at McGill University in Montreal to make sure we’re designing products with the maximum opportu-
nity for learning. We’ve designed products specifically with these concepts in mind, like our Water Journey play modules that combine the universal appeal of water with the inspiration of nature to provide an accessible and playful experience to children of different ages and various levels of development. Water Journey is a collection of four different play events, inspired by nature’s flowing streams. Each event can be used separately or connected to provide unique play experiences and provide guests with the ability to engage with different water behaviors. By dropping gates, turning levers or blocking nozzles, children can play alone or with others to achieve certain effects. They may choose to play in a solitary way, watching the journey the water takes and discovering what happens if they adjust the flow. They may work
24 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
with a friend to manipulate the water in certain ways (collaborative play), or race objects downstream (competitive play). They may even imagine that they’re having an exciting river adventure. Gross and fine motor skills are developed as children transition between crawling, kneeling, and squatting while using strength, balance and weight transfer to manipulate objects. Concepts like cause and effect help develop cognitive skills, while the interactive nature of the module helps children build their social skills as they interact with their parents or with other children.
The net effect - revitalizing communities
Over 20 years, we’ve found that if we make water playscapes interesting for the children, the adults follow. The water play area becomes a focal point for the community. We have a long list of previwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Maintaining your parks and playgrounds just got a lot easier.
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A well designed water based play area can bring communities together.
ously derelict and under maintained spaces being revitalized by well-designed water play environments. Water is an instant attraction as a play space. Families can come spend the day being together and in community while the children are unknowingly experiencing a plethora of development.
stages of life, while still maintaining a focus on imaginative, creative and freely chosen play experiences. Maybe all we need to do to “Reboot Play” is add water?
Rebooting Play
I recently had the pleasure of speaking about these concepts at the U.S. Play Coalition’s annual Play Conference, themed “Rebooting Play” for 2016. As part of my initial preparation, I Googled “Rebooting Play”. The results were pages of everything and anything about technology and gaming systems! In an age where play often takes a back seat to busy schedules and glowing screens; water play reboots the play experience by providing the physical proximity and real life interactions necessary in forming interpersonal connections through the sharing of emotions and experiences. As we’ve seen, incorporating water to play adds an extra dimension that encourages the compound physical, social and cognitive development skills necessary for learning and growth in all www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
MARIE-CATHERINE DUBÉ A graduate of Purdue University’s CO-OP Industrial Design program, Marie-Catherine Dubé has experience designing a range of products, from lighting to faucets to waterparks. Her passion though is play; in 2015 she was recognized with a Core77 design award for her playground design for disadvantaged children in Nepal, built with only local resources. MarieCatherine spends her days designing interactive water-based playscapes as an Industrial and Project Designer at Vortex Aquatic Structures International, and her free time traveling and adventuring outside.
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AquaPlay Rain Fortress - Aquaventure Atlantis The Palm Photo courtesy of WhiteWater
How Does a Company’s Hiring Process Make for a Better Water Play Experience? by Megan Krentz
DO YOU REMEMBER running through the sprinkler in the yard as a kid? There is this intrinsic joy derived from splashing in the sunshine and water play is a key childhood experience. Municipal and waterpark designers know this; which is why ‘water play’ features are so common, and why companies like WhiteWater have been manufacturing them for decades. What you may not realize is that water play is also a developmental activity for children and that is why those play structures are designed by childhood experts – perhaps not what you’d expect
from the world’s largest manufacturer of water park attractions. WhiteWater has been working on perfecting the experience of playing with water since 1980 by building the perfect team equipped to do so. Creating an exceptional team was not by accident. Throughout WhiteWater’s 35 years in business, industry experts, visionaries, and creatives have joined the organization to contribute to developing exceptional products and bringing interactive water play to the industry. Building that team has been a result of staying ahead of the trends in
26 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
water play by hiring the talent to lead the market. Careful hiring practices, innovative screening processes and a collaborative approach to human resources has allowed WhiteWater to build the team that effectively brings laughter to waterparks and aquatic facilities all over the world.
Creativity doesn’t work nine to five; flexibility is key During an in-depth interview with Rick Briggs, the inventor of the Tipping Bucket and mastermind behind the original multi-level water play
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
structures, we uncovered how he fosters creativity within his design team to continue innovating the next big thing in water play. We also caught up with WhiteWater’s human resources team to learn about all the changes recently made in how they decide if a candidate is the right fit. WhiteWater’s creative design team is spread all over the country with much of the team working remotely. Remote teamwork can be highly challenging when it comes to collaboration, but as it turns out, it’s actually a great advantage. “Working independently in different locations means we are surrounded with different influences and get the space needed to focus on our specific projects. This also means when we come together, we come with different perspectives to share, and we help each other by collaborating to solve challenges together,” explains Briggs. The design team attends weekly sessions to discuss their current projects and they use the time to bounce ideas off each other, dive into individual projects and celebrate successes. Briggs finds these sessions invaluable to the creative process, “This is where a lot of the magic happens, we can come up with great things on our
own but having broad perspectives on a challenge we’re facing can open up a new ‘can’ of ideas or solutions.” The team is able to problem solve as a unit; making sure that everyone is heard and judgement stays far away from the weekly sessions. Outside of the weekly sessions, the team is left to work on their own time and in their own space and never feeling ‘cut off ’ because they chat online using tools like Skype. “There’s actually a huge benefit to working remotely. Creativity doesn’t work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; however, our head office does. We define our work by our results,” says Briggs, “one individual might have more creative juices flowing on Saturday at 9pm whereas others may be early risers, finding their most effective hours before the sun rises.”
Getting the right people on the bus, and it's heading towards innovation
Creativity may seem like it should be at the top of the list when considering key characters members of the creative team should possess, but it’s not. Rick Briggs seeks to work with individuals who are committed to their ideas:
“Having a commitment to implementation and execution of an idea is just as important as the idea themselves. We like to joke about a formula we use for product development: its 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.” WhiteWater’s hiring process has adapted in the last few years to become more effective in screening for the characteristics WhiteWater looks for in a candidate. It can be difficult to qualify a candidate, but modern tools help predict success and build a 360 degree view of a potential hire. “The traditional way of hiring used to be matching a candidate's resume to a list of essential skills, essentially ticking the boxes of a list,” explains Alda Law, WhiteWater’s Human Resources Manager. “We used to simply check the boxes but now we focus more on behavioral and character attributes instead of hard skills alone.” Working in a large and matrixed organization means talent and experience alone is not enough to be successful – above all you need to be a collaborative team player. We’ve probably all seen gifted people in the workplace not achieve their potential because they don’t have the right attitude to working with others.
There’s actually a huge benefit to working remotely. Creativity doesn’t work Monday to Friday. Illustration courtesy of WhiteWater www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
Coleen Hunter, the HR team’s Director, has lead the charge with her team at her side to a new way of recruiting, leveraging new tools, online assessments and a more collaborative approach to screening. “We’ve had a total shift in thinking in regards to our hiring process. It seems to defy the logic of traditional hiring: it takes longer and it seems counterintuitive, but when you think about it logically it makes sense.” Hunter and her team recently hired a new Marketing Director and explains how their shift in thinking seemed slightly backwards: “You need a Marketing Director to be creative but that characteristic was near the bottom of our list because even more importantly you need someone that is accountable and has strong leadership,” Coleen describes. It’s difficult to hire using quantitative metrics when measuring “creativity” in a candidate. Characteristics such as collaboration, accountability, communications, and initiative are great indicators of potential success. Law shares that “it’s hard to screen someone for ‘creativity’ but if they are a good fit for the company and are engaged in their work, they’ll naturally be an employee who succeeds and can make a difference through their work.”
A secret weapon used within WhiteWater to hire the right person for the right job is a single question. Asking the question, “Why do you want to work at WhiteWater?” can be a key indicator to measure the passion they have for the role and for the organization. “Our awesomely-fun water play attractions are a by-product of our engaged employees,” says Hunter. “It’s our job to hire the right people who will commit themselves to producing the best possible product that is operationally efficient and helps our clients succeed.”
What does Successful Water Play Look Like?
The world of water play is full of interactive elements such as water cannons, jets or spray umbrellas that make up a splash pad or could be a play structure that has multiple levels and interactive elements throughout, even waterslides! With his years of experience, Briggs knows what makes water play successful: “Good water play spans all age groups, offering thrills for older kids and calmer areas for young tots, all while mom and dad lounge in the surrounding areas or follow along within the structure.” “Water play is not much different
This is what successful water play looks like! 28 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
than playing in a playground, but there is an advantage over dry playgrounds because we can create cause and effect activities,” explains Briggs, “this provides new opportunities for interaction in a way that could never be achieved in a dry environment. For example, in a playground you couldn’t push a button and have sand spray out, but a wet environment allows features like that.” Water play can provide a facility’s guests with a deeper level of engagement and more opportunities for development and learning. Wet or dry playgrounds both fill similar needs, but an environment with water offers much more flexibility and variability. Playgrounds are all about variety, keeping kids engaged by providing constant stimulation through activities within the structure. Ensuring variety is just as important when designing a water play landscape to keep families engaged and within the aquatic facility for longer.
The Evolution of Water Play and what’s next
Water play has become increasingly important throughout the last decade. Clients have recognized the role of interactivity within their waterpark. Slides are great fun, but a park needs to offer a variety of experiences and interactive play is a core part of the product mix. “With an interactive play structure, guests can choose how they play, children’s imaginations can run wild and families end up staying longer in the park to play together,” says Briggs. Storytelling is also becoming more prominent throughout the aquatic industry with play structures leaning heavily on theming to engage guests on multiple layers. There’s been a surge in including popular brands within waterparks and we shouldn’t expect that to come to halt any time soon. Water play has evolved to include large structures that provide the experience of a full-fledged water park in an all-in-one structure with a pool underneath, an expansive beach area, multiple areas www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
for different aged kids and of course water slides. This development helps an aquatic facility attract a broader audience with a waterpark feel but within a compact footprint. The inclusion of water play in general; including water play in plans and designs from the beginning of a project has definitely become prominent throughout the community aquatic industry. No longer does a pool alone meet the expectations of the community or allow aquatic facility owners to be competitive with other recreational activities offered. Water play and waterpark attractions are a great way to differentiate. Great water play experiences are a bi-product of engaged employees hiring engaged employees will naturally improve internal processes resulting in higher quality products and in turn happier customers. Human resources is an ever evolving practice, as is the development of water play. WhiteWater is evolving the two alongside each other to keep the creative juices within the development teams flowing smoothly.
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MEGAN KRENTZ Megan is a marketing professional and content specialist currently working with WhiteWater telling the great stories of waterpark and attractions development. WhiteWater is a leading global designer and manufacturer of waterparks and active family attractions. WhiteWater’s wide range of innovative products are a perfect match for enhancing the overall guest experience in waterparks, amusement parks, hotels, resorts, family entertainment centers, recreation and aquatic centers, cruise ships, shopping centers and more. WhiteWater has a rich history of success because we constantly strive to innovate and evolve.
www.whitewaterwest.com www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 29
Waterplay and Safety With the summer upon us there are so many things to be excited about. Warm weather is one of them, and with that warm weather comes lots of water activities that we find families participating in. Water play is one of the most exciting things for anyone to take part in. Partly due to the fact that anyone can participate in some sort of water activities or play, and because it is a
great activity to do to cool off during the summer months. With the warmer weather, water play safety in and around any body of water is of the utmost importance. Water safety begins with educating both children and adults regarding how to be safe in and around the water. The first step in water safety is a good drowning prevention education program. The
Our approach is as simple as
RESPECT:
great thing about this is that there are many programs out there that provide the important water safety message and provide great resources as well. One of those programs is the RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention Campaign that was developed through the Association of Aquatic Professionals. The Association of Aquatic Professionals (AOAP) is proud to offer free drowning prevention resources on their website, www.aquaticpros.org, to aquatic professionals worldwide including the innovative water safety program — RESPECT. This program has modules created especially for children, instructors, and supervisors/caregivers. Learn more about this free program by visiting AOAP's Drowning Prevention Education page: goo.gl/1CqDpu.
R
ecognize - recognize the signs of nonswimmers, tired swimmers, distressed swimmers and potentially unsafe situations.
E S P
ducation - learn what factors can lead to drowning. upervision - direct, constant supervision is key. hysical barriers provide fencing, safety covers, alarms, and life jackets.
by Juliene R Hefter
Photos courtesy of Juliene R Hefter
The Association of Aquatic Professionals is committed to helping prevent drownings nationwide. We believe with a little education and training, learning to RESPECT the water and prevent drowning tragedies is within our reach. There are three (3) parts to the RESPECT program that may be downloaded and utilized within your communities to educate children and caregivers about water safety. The RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention program instructor guide and presentation outline assists those providing the program with the tools necessary to implement
E
xpectations understand what to expect from the aquatic environment and the body's response, know your limits.
C
ommunicate warn and inform, communicate the dangers that are present in, on and around the water.
T
raining - learn to swim and how to respond to an emergency. 30 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2016
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Water Play Buyers Guide the program in their communities.
RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention Program Instructor Guide and Presentation Outline: goo.gl/IYm9hh
Find aquatic park designers, as well as manufacturers for spray parks, water slides, and even water toys.
RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention Program Children's Presentation: goo.gl/3YAhsk RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention Program Caregivers Presentation: goo.gl/OJQxaA
The final portion of the program is a video that promotes water safety and provides valuable information to both children and caregivers. The video may be found at: youtu.be/2wFjzyDC-Zk. For more information go to www.aquaticpros.org.
In addition to the AOAP RESPECT the Water Drowning Prevention Program there are many other programs promoting drowning prevention. Some of those programs are: • SafeKids Worldwide:
ACM PLAYGROUNDS, INC 914-739-6858
PLAY MART INC 800-43-PLAYS
ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND SYSTEMS 713-935-9684
POOL DOCKS 800.477.6434
ARC - AQUATIC RECREATION COMPANY 877-632-0503
goo.gl/21DmmD
• NDPA (National Drowning
Prevention Alliance): ndpa.org
BISON PUMPS 800-339-2601
gl/8drryb
BisonPumps.com
• Drowning Prevention Foundation: goo. • Safer 3 Drowning Prevention: goo.gl/wvZCKL
JULIENE R HEFTER
www.aquaticpros.org www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPLASHTACULAR™ (800) 844-5334 SURF PARK CENTRAL surfparkcentral.com
CEMROCK 520-571-1999
THE PLAYGROUND SHADE AND SURFACING DEPOT (817) 585-INFO
CRE8PLAY 612-670-8195
Juliene R Hefter is the Executive Director for the Association of Aquatic Professionals. The Association of Aquatic Professionals is a NonProfit 501(c)3 Organization. The AOAP is a cutting edge professional membership based organization. It is our goal to bring together professionals from all aspects of aquatics to network, educate, advocate, enrich, and improve the aquatics industry across the United States and internationally.
SLIDE INNOVATIONS 404.304.9239
playgroundshadeandsurfacing.com
UNITY SURFACING SYSTEMS 877.41.UNITY
INTEGRATED DESIGN SOLUTIONS, LLC (IDS) 970-641-1747
VORTEX AQUATIC INTERNATIONAL 514-694-3868
KEY LOG ROLLING 763.544.0047 NO FAULT SPORT GROUP, LLC 866.637.7678 PHUN ZONE 800.477.6434
WATER DESIGN INC. 801-261-4009 WHITEWATER WEST INDUSTRIES LTD 604.273.1068
SUMMER 2016 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 31
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