Park and recreation professionals are facing a dual challenge: to offer comprehensive recreation programs for all ages and income levels; and to establish trends, providing opportunities for development and assimilation of new skills and interests into the public's repertoire of leisure activities. (Author)

To promote aquatic facilities, it is essential to assess the attitudes, needs, and desires of the community. Effective promotion, use of available community resources, and cost-effective operation are the realities of the future. (JMK)

The park and recreation department of Kettering, Ohio has begun to promote volunteerism both as a way to involve citizens and as an effective way to make money. Benefits include positive attitudes toward programs, cost reductions, and the availability of persons with special, unique skills. (JN)

Project INSPIRE (Indiana Special Population Institutes for Recreation Educators), assisted by a team of 61 experts, identified 16 minimum competencies necessary for entry-level professionals in the field of recreation to serve special populations in community recreation. (JN)

A successful community festival will be unique, will fit the character and interests of the community, and should be headed by a versatile coordinator who can administer fund raising, publicity, and recordkeeping. (RJG)

When community groups assume stewardship of underused properties and turn them into recreational spaces, park agencies can save money on overhead and construction. Three stewardship projects in New York State, involving a playing field, gardening areas, and a historical restoration, are described. Criteria for successful projects are included. (PP)