Recreation Facilities
Management
Chapter 4
Planning
Dr. Magdy Mayouf
Learning Objectives of Chapter 3
By the End chapter 3, you should be able to:
• 1. Define the concept of project planning and explain the two approaches in project
planning.
• 2. Recognize the types of individuals who should be included in a project planning
committee.
• 3. Explain the concept of a master plan and understand how it is related to facility
planning.
• 4. Explain the various development options and when each would be appropriate.
• 5. Understand the purpose of the project statement and the components of it.
Introduction
This chapter outlines the critical planning process for a recreation
facility, which is the foundational stage that transforms the ideas from
the initial assessment into a detailed plan for construction or
renovation.
1. Planning Options
There are two main approaches to planning a facility, and the
choice depends on the agency (public vs. private) and its
management philosophy.
• Administrative Approach: A top-down method where the
administration or executive level makes all the key decisions.
This is common in the private sector where tax dollars are not
involved.
• Participative Approach: A collaborative method that
involves a wide variety of people (users, staff, consultants).
This is typical for public agencies, as it encourages input,
builds support, and assumes administrators don't have all the
2. The Planning Committee
For a participative approach, a planning committee is formed with key
representatives:
1. User Representatives: Provide a unique perspective from their hands-on experience
using the facility.
2. Staff Representatives: Offer insight into the operational shortcomings and consequences
of facility limitations.
3. Administrators (or Owners): The ultimate decision-makers who oversee the budget,
priorities, and master plan.
4. Consultants: Hired experts (in design, architecture, or engineering) who provide
technical information, trends, and guidance.
5. Maintenance Representatives: A crucial but often forgotten group that provides insight
on support functions like custodial needs, storage, and equipment repair.
6. Architects: The technical experts who translate the committee's needs and concepts into
the final construction documents.
3. The Master Plan.
The planning committee's work is heavily influenced by the agency's master plan.
This is a formal, comprehensive, long-range (5-15 year) document that:
• Inventories all existing facilities and their conditions.
• Identifies the community's needs (using demographic data, etc.).
• Prioritizes which construction or renovation projects should happen and
when.
It serves as a "road map" for the agency's future and is continuously updated
as funding and priorities change.
4. Planning Considerations
Before a final design is made, the committee must gather preliminary information:
• Site Analysis: Studying the potential location's factors, including terrain, utilities,
zoning laws, and environmental aspects.
• Assessment Information: Reviewing all the data gathered during the initial
assessment phase.
• Structure: Creating a conceptual representation (like a sketch or rendering) of the
potential facility.
4. Planning Considerations (Follow)
Before a final design is made, the committee must gather preliminary information:
• Cost Projections: Developing a "ballpark" estimate of the project's cost, which is
critical for determining feasibility.
• Area Impact: Analyzing the project's two-way relationship with its surroundings:
– Impact of the Area on Facility: The service area (how far people will travel)
and accessibility.
– Impact of the Facility on the Area: The economic (spending), environmental
(pollution, sustainability), and social (effects on residents) impacts.
5. Development Options
When planning, there are four main options for a facility project:
• Repair: The simplest option. Restoring a facility that is worn out from overuse or
age.
• Renovation: A more extensive rehabilitation that involves rearranging space to
make it more efficient, attractive, or safe.
• Retrofitting: Updating a functional but outdated facility by adding new
technology (e.g., security systems, new computers, Wi-Fi)
• New Construction: The most significant, demanding, and costly option, which
involves building a brand-new facility from the ground up.
A common rule of thumb is that if a repair or renovation costs more than 50% of the
price of new construction, building a new facility is the better option.
6. The Project Statement (or Program Statement)
This is the most important document in the planning process. It is the formal written
report that transitions from the planning stage to the design stage, giving the
architect all the necessary direction.
A detailed project statement includes:
1) Objective: The ultimate goals of the facility (e.g., "to
increase aquatic activities").
2) Basic Assumption: How the new facility will solve the
current problems.
3) Trends: Societal changes driving the project (e.g.,
technology, population growth).
4) Comparison: Benchmarking against competitors or other
desirable facilities.
6. The Project Statement (or Program Statement) (Follow)
5) Primary Space: Details on spaces for the core product (e.g.,
pools, courts).
6) Auxiliary Space: Details on spaces for core product
extensions (e.g., lobby, offices, parking, snack bar).
7) Service Needs: A list of maintenance and support functions
(e.g., custodial rooms, storage, mechanical rooms).
8) Space Relationships: Describes how all the areas will
connect and how users will flow through the building.
9) Environmental Impact: The facility's effect on the natural
surroundings (e.g., water runoff, tree loss).
10)Equipment and Furniture List: An extensive list of all
items needed for the facility.
Case Study Questions
Case 1:
A city's public recreation department manages a community ice rink
built in 1980. The roof leaks, the ice-making plant is inefficient, and
the locker rooms are too small. A consultant estimates that a full
renovation will cost $3 million. An architect estimates that
building a brand-new, modern twin-rink facility on the same site
would cost $5 million. According to the "50% rule" mentioned in
the chapter, what is the best development option and why?
Answer: The best development option is New Construction. The 50% rule states
that if a renovation or repair costs more than half (50%) of the cost of new
construction, it is better to build new. In this case, the $3 million renovation cost is
60% of the $5 million new construction cost, which is over the 50% threshold.
Therefore, building a new facility is the more cost-effective and logical long-term
decision.
Case Study Questions
Case 2:
A public university decides to build a new wellness center using a
participative approach. The university's Vice President, who is the
lead administrator on the project, forms a planning committee. He
intentionally leaves out the custodial and groundskeeping staff,
calling them "just the cleanup crew." Why is this a major planning
mistake, and what is the proper title for this "often forgotten"
representative?
Answer: This is a major mistake because it ignores the crucial Service Needs of
the facility. The Maintenance Representative (the proper title) is the "often
forgotten" member who provides essential insight on support functions like
custodial closets, trash removal, storage, equipment repair access, and delivery
routes. Forgetting this member in the planning stage can lead to major operational
and efficiency problems after the facility is built.
Case Study Questions
Case 3:
A planning committee is writing its Project Statement for a new
outdoor sports complex. In the "Primary Space" section, they list
"four tournament-quality baseball fields." In the "Auxiliary Space"
section, they list "a large parking lot." Why is this project statement
incomplete, and what are three other examples of auxiliary spaces
they must include to support the primary space?
Answer: This project statement is incomplete because the auxiliary (or support)
spaces are just as important as the primary spaces for the facility to function. A
parking lot alone is not enough. To support four baseball fields, the committee
must also list other auxiliary spaces such as:
• Restrooms (for players and spectators)
• Concession Stands (food and beverage)
• Spectator Seating (bleachers) (Other valid answers include: ticketing
booths, offices, or equipment rental/storage.)
Case Study Questions
Case 4:
A new parks director inherits a department that only performs
repairs when a facility breaks. They have no long-term vision. As a
result, many facilities are outdated, and the department is always
reacting to problems instead of planning for the future. What single,
comprehensive document is this department missing, and how
would it help them?
Answer: The department is missing a Master Plan. This formal, long-range (5-15
year) document would help them by serving as a "road map." It would allow them
to stop being reactive by:
• Inventorying all current facilities and their conditions.
• Identifying community needs.
• Prioritizing all future construction and renovation projects, allowing them to
plan and budget proactively.