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B *KING <br />�k & ASSOCIATES LTD <br />Recreation Planning and Operations Consultants <br />• Gymnasiums <br />• Pools (especially leisure pools) <br />• Weight/cardiovascular equipment areas- especially functional training space <br />• Indoor running/walking tracks <br />• Meeting/multipurpose (general program) space <br />• Senior's program space <br />• Pre-school and youth space <br />• Teen use and e-sports areas <br />• Fieldhouses (turf and hard court) <br />As a result, many providers have attempted to include these amenities in public <br />community recreation facilities. With the growth in youth sports and the high demand <br />for school gyms, most communities are experiencing an acute lack of gymnasium <br />space. Weight/cardiovascular space and more specifically functional training space are <br />also in high demand and provides a facility with the potential to generate significant <br />revenues. <br />The success of most community -based recreation providers is dependent on meeting <br />the recreational needs of a variety of individuals. The fastest growing segment of <br />society is the senior population and meeting the needs of this group is especially <br />important now and will only grow more so in the coming years. Indoor walking tracks, <br />exercise areas, warm water pools, pickleball courts and classroom spaces are important <br />to this age group. Marketing to the younger more active senior (usually age 55-70) is <br />paramount, as this age group has the free time available to participate in leisure <br />activities, the desire to remain fit, and more importantly the disposable income to pay for <br />such services. <br />Youth programming has always been a cornerstone for recreation services and will <br />continue to be so with an increased emphasis on teen needs and providing a deterrent <br />to juvenile crime. With a continuing increase in single parent households and two <br />working parent families, the needs of school age children for before and after school <br />child-care continues to grow as does the need for preschool and daycare programming. <br />Youth Sports Trends <br />Participation in youth team sports reached an all-time low during COVID-19. Progress <br />has been made, however still recovery in participation lags 2019, and significantly below <br />the high in 2008. In addition to the participating rate falling, the pure numbers are as well <br />due to the declining birthrate. Interesting though, the household expenditures related to <br />playing sports have stayed steady. <br />Early Specialization vs. Multi -Sport Participation: There has been ongoing debate <br />about whether young athletes should specialize in one sport at an early age or <br />participate in multiple sports to develop a broad range of skills. Some experts have <br />advocated for multi -sport participation to prevent burnout and overuse injuries. <br />521 Page <br />