Ice Arena

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Robert Giermann

I enjoyed the tour of our University’s Ice Arena, but I must say I was not impressed. After examining the flooring and surfaces during the tour, I came to realize that our Ice Arena will is in BAD shape. I know finances are tight, and the Ice Arena is not on the top of the list in regards to renovations or additions, but it seems that since the Ice Arena was built in 1967, not much has bene done at all over those years. I stress the importance of the Ice Arena taking better shape because it is one of the few sports Bowling Green athletics is consistently competitive in, and it is probably the most popular sport around town. I am sure the looks of our arena make many solid recruits choose other schools because our facility just does not compare to theirs. If we had a solid team and the facility looekd nicer for incoming recruits, we would have a contending team and this would help bring in revenue to the program, thus making it a little easier to build renovations. So after all of this ranting, I would say the locker rooms, hallways, lobby, etc has poor efficency and does not meet the recomendations that are required in our text. If the author of our text book came to Bg’s ice arena I am sure he would be appalled.
I think my overall impression of our Ice Arena have already been clearly stated. I would say the only part of the facility I was impressed with was the new lounge for the players, unfortunately this does not affect the fans or people in the community. I was glad to learn on the tour that our guide really wants to make positive renovations, but like most cases, you can only do so much at a time. Future updates are very much necessary, and I hope the Ice Arena continues ot go in the right direction and the “Bring Back the Glory” campaign is achieved, and when I come back years from now, I will see a noticeable difference in the Ie Arena and have a better impression of this facility.

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Brooklyn Bridge Financing

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Robert Giermann

In terms of financing, I think it is very important to be aware of the site condition. Having a poor site condition will make construction unsafe, putting people’s lives in danger. It would also force a challenge that could have easily been avoided by choosing a better condition site. Problems like these may elad to harder accesibility and proper clientle if the site is not deemed safe. I regards to facility financing, I think financing alternatives privately would be the route I would choose. I say this because if one has the proper clientele, people who are willing to lend or give money to finance the facility, will be found. According to our text having ideas such as club seating or naming a particular section, structure, etc after a person may help to pretty sway them into giving more money. According to one site I found, it talks about the struggles with facility financing and how it is diffciult to get money from the public, and the numerous appraoches companies take, and they still do not receive much at all. I do not beleive it rasing taxes or going after the public in any way to help finance a majority of a facility. According to willdan.com, it is said that keeping the surrounding public happy when a facility is open will ensure a steady crowd and income from those same people you thought about asking money from. I beleive this to be true. There is no easy way to finance a facility, but with proper planning and the right tools, it can be done on time and hopefully at a cost that is in the range of what was orignally planned.
http://www.vusd.k12.ca.us/Departments/BusinessServices/facilities/Pages/LocalFacilityFinancingCommitteeReportRecommendations.aspx
http://www.willdan.com/financial/ffp.html

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S.W.O.T.

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Robert Giermann

The blog I came across is written by Charlie Dixon in regards to recreational therapy. I thought the blog was a good read and found elements relating to the S.W.O.T. analysis throughout.

Strengths- multiple tags for finding categories, each post in in its own topic with a proper title to distinguish from others stories on the website, easy to acess archives dating back 2 years plus, nice use of colors to design the page, making the more popular tags larger and easier to locate, links related to recreational therapy at the top of the page.

Weaknesses- The comments are difficult to locate, external links are at the bottom of the page and could easily be skipped over, the homepage seems clustered and should be moved to another page, no listing of references, a CTRS dictionary is blogged and it seems a bit confusing so more information on that would probably be helpful.

Opportunities- external links, archives page, page explaining recreational therapy, over 2000 comments by various people, link on how to continue education on this topic.

Threats- Not enough information in regards to recreational therapy, not having a well formatted description on how to find certain topics for people new to blogging, not understanding affects both positive and negative regarding recreational therapy.

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Capital Planning

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Robert Giermann

I thought Bob Waddle’s presentation was very intriguing and informative. I would have liked to have al ittle more time to ask and hear questions, but with capital planning I am aware there is alot to talk about. One thing I got out of of Mr. Waddle’s presentation is that capital planning may not seem as easy as people think. People may think of his job as just wanting to tear down a certain building, and build over that, or add somethign specific to another building. What people aren’t aware of is how many restrictions must be passed and of course, money being the biggest issue. I am glad we got to see plans for BGSU’s future, and it doese seem veyr positive. Of course money is always an issue, but from what Mr. Waddle was saying, it seems BG has a pretty set time table for when and what they want done. I think one major reward is having many options. Although money is always an issue, capital planning is always open to many options and a vast majority of different aspects to choose from.
After reading a few of my fellow classmates blogs concerning capital planning, I liked what Scott Harmon mentioned in his post. Scott talks about how he sees Bob’s job as challenging, but in a good way because he has a first hand view of the changes over time BGSU experiences. I think this is a well made point, and I agree with this statement. (http://blogs.bgsu.edu/sharmon/) I also like what Gregory Bunn hadto say about BGSU’s capital planning in relation to the University of Akron’s capital planning. I have been to Akron many times, and as Bob was pseaking I was able to see a correlation between our university and Akron’s about capital planning, and Gregory mentions this as well, so I think with the good news heard about Akron’s renovations, BGSU is trying to follow in their footsteps. (http://blogs.bgsu.edu/gbunn/) All in all I enjoyed this speaker very much and was able to learn alot about capital planning.

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No Impact Man Author Visit.

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Robert Giermann

Beavan, author of the book, No Impact Man came and spoke to the student body on October 26th. I thought the speech by Beavan was informative and enthusiastic. I could tell Beavan was very focused on helping the environment, and thinking of new ways to make America “Greener.” He did not really speak to much about experiences from his book, but rather about the environment in general, and ways we could help improve upon it. Coming in to this lecture, I was aware that more and more people are trying to make America a and I suppose earth in general a greener planet. I personally have not taken much interest in events relating to going green or recycling. I do recycle, and I do care about the environment, but I personaly never put much thought into what I myself can do to help better our planet, or more specifically state or city. After hearing Beavan speak, I realized there are many ways, even simple yet small ways that I myslef and anyone else could help our environment. I think with Beavans examples and metaphors, he really did a good job utilizing both to reach out to a college-aged audience in telling us what we can do, or hwo ot reach out to others in ways Beavan has. (Not as intensive as his book indicates of course) Listening to Beavan’s speech really made me think abouit the environment more, and how difficult and uncomfortable it would be living in an area with high pollution, and a polluted air. BEavan did a really nice job in letting us know, as individuals we can make a change, and we can make the environment better, even by the simplest of acts.
Based off of what we have learned in class, I can collaborate environmental necessities in planning and designing facilities with some points Beavan made in his lecture. I read that when planning or desiging a facility, the environment, and its surroundings can have a major impact in doing so. If the environment is clean and follows guidelines, planning for a new structure would be easier to build and not as many restricitions would have to be cleared. But like Beavan stated, if we continue to not care and be dependent on others to make our environment better, it would have an impact on everyone. If planning or designing for a facility has poor environmental areas and hazards risks, it makes it that much more difficult to complete a job. This would most liekly be the result of people simply not caring .The planning for a new facility would most likely to longer ot develop, and have multiple restrictions and guidelines to go through before an area may be deemed safe or clean for somethign specific to be built or designed. This would simply be able to be avoided if people did their own just a little, as beavan states, and it owuld be beneficial to all. Not only would having a clean environment be easier for designing and planning, but also would make for a more beautiful surrounding and more attractive for future customers.
IMG00261-20111026-2032[1]Colin

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Perry Field House Tour Reflection

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Robert Giermann


I thought the tour of the Perry Field House was insightful and a nice experience. I have been to the field house multiple times as a student here, and it was nice to go inside some rooms I have never seen before and hear a brief history about the facility. For being built almost 20 years ago, I think the field house is still in very nice condition and is an attractive facility that may draw in future students. One area that met my expectations was the overall use of the field house. I was glad to see both NCAA, club, and intramural sports are all used on a daily basis in the field house, including high school event as well. I think this takes pressure off of the Stroh Center and other sporting facilities around campus to try and manage all of these teams. There is more than enough room to support an event with a large enough crowd to view what is going on as well. The facility seems to have enough staff on hand to help assist and clean up after each event, helping make this facility an attractive place to come and view sporting events, and to also draw in other events that will help make the field house and university money. I think it is a great idea to hold other events other than sports when the times are open, giving out a name for the facility as well an earning extra income.
One of the areas that did not meet my expectations was the lack of room for much of the equipment. I think this decreases the overall look of the field house by having much of the wreslting and gymnastics equipment stuffed in the corner around the track area. I know room is limited, but it would be nice if that equipment found a place of storage to possibly make more room for other events, and be less of a distraction to the facilties audience members during an event. I do not know of any short-term resolutions to this, but in the future, if funds are adequate, making one more storage space as cheaply as possibly for the equipment around the track would be alot better in my opinion. Other than the lack of storage space, I really enjoyed this tour and am excited to see renovations to the field house in the future, and to hear about the positive direction that this facility plans on heading.

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Thoughful Systems- Software improving the Event Planning Field.

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Robert Giermann

Technology has come a long way recently, and I think this could be said in the aspect of the recreation, tourism, and event planning field very much so. I think technology has been a lot more benficial to these occupations as opposed to negatives aspects for it. I think some of the biggest ways it has helped these occupations is organization for sure. I think with technology and the internet these days, it has really helped these field to beocme organzied in daily routines or activities that one may pursue, because these occupations require a lot on a daily basis. I think another positive apsect technology brings is the way people may look at the building and designing of these facilities. Technology can definitely hlep make some recreational facilities look fascinating and stand out differently from other facilties, which may help when competeing with naother facility that may be close by. I think two negative aspects technology may bring forth is that it is becoming so advanced people may be losing their jobs. I say this because with the advancements in particular areas, technology may be brought in to a company to do a job that normally a human might do, which would help save the company in the long run, but it would still provide a person who used to do that job, jobless. I would say another problem it may bring to the table is making people lazy. This stand firm with my last statement about the development of technology, and how it is becoming so advanced it may make people more lazy, and too dependent on technology alone.
A software I came across is thorugh the company Throughful Systems. What this company did was design a “Scheduling Manager” software that basically makes up one’s schedule for you. This is specialized in the event planning occupation throught this company. All a person needs to do is post in a certain event and time, and they will constantly be reminded when their next meeting, event, etc. is. It also may cancel out and help replace a new date if a customer is unable to attend or must change the time of a particular event. I really like this software just from just discovering it, and I think it makes the event planners job easier, and more helpful. I would say the major positive aspect is organization, because this software has the ability to open up new dates and help cancel if a problem were too occur. I also know this job may get stressful, and I believe this software will cause less stress just from the amount it is able tyo help a person do. I would say the next positive from this technology would be improving the business in general. This software has the ability to make the job easier on everyone, and open up more time for other aspects of the job instead of worrying about dates and times on one’s schedule. Going off the last sentence, I beleive it also helps to save time for people. This software can be planned out months ahead of ther current date, which would help people concentrate on other functions of their job because they have more time to focus on them. I would say the last positive thing that comes from this software is that it may help grow business’ and influence people to pursue this occupation. If this software becomes more popular, I believe it may attract more people to this field, mainly because of what I think people will have ot say about this software and how beneficial it is to their jobs. I think this company has a great idea and I hope this software continues ot grow and be helpful to the event planning field.

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My Take on Risk Management.

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Robert Giermann

1.) I do not believe negligence was demonstrated in this articles. From what we learned in class about negligence as being an unitentional tort that injures an individual in person, porperty or reputation, I do not beleive either article could justify having the right to claim negliegence over the facility. In the Popke article, there are obvious dangers that come with this sport, and although coaches werep resent during the practice, these were normal drills that were being run, that parents and the participants knew there could be potenital consequences if something were too go wrong. If the parents or participants thought it was too dangerous, then they simply should not have taken part in the sport. The Popke accident was very unfortunate, but something that people knew could happen, and that everyone knew about the risks at all times.
2.) I believe that the staff needs to be aware of potential dangers its respective facility could cause, and if there is a problem the result of negligence should occur. Say a ceiling fan was becoming more unstable as it worked to cool down its members, and it was an obvious problem that the staff knew about. Althought the staff knew about the problem, they believed it was not a big issue on wouild be resolved later. Unfortunately, the fan did end up coming down and striking a member of the facility. This would obviously result in a negligence act against the facility and its employers/owners. Risk management should always be of top concern when constructing a facility, and all potenital dangers should be targeted as things the staff will need to do to try and eliminate the fact they are “potential” dangers.

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Sustainability Terms.

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Robert Giermann

The first term I have chosen to post about is Master Plan. According ro greenriver.edu, they state that the Master Plan is updated every two years two reflect the companies and facilities funding decisions. After every two years, a major re-evaluation takes place and it is important to keep the Master Plan updated so they know if they have sufficient funds a particular project. I think the Master Plan is definiately a positive in advancement for facility design. The Master Plan may also be referred to as a mini blueprint in my opinion. If a company is up-to-date on its Master Plan, and funds are where they should be, then rennovations and design can easily take place without any problems and it may show a positive sign for the company as a whole that they are on the right track, doing positive things for their respective company.

The second term I chose was the 50% rule. According to staeblerappraisal.com, they talk about the 50% rule as a rule or statement made by FEMA that if damage from a fire, storm, etc. does not exceed 50% the building will be oreder for repair. If it is dtermined more than 50% of the building needs fixed then the building will most likely be ordered to be terminated. They continue ot go into detail about some controversy that may arrise if a company thinks damage does not exceed 50%, but they state that in the long run, FEMA’s decision usually stands firm.

I do not think the 50% rule is a positive advancement for facility design. I say this because I think it is just too controversial. Too many companies would argu that their building damage does not exceed 50%, and they have the right to do so, and some of the time they may be correct. I do not think it is fair to let FEMA decide the outcome of a companies building, as more people should be involved in the decision making process. I think there could be more and better options that would be more positive for future facility design advancement that could eliminate this sill rule.


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Program Statement for Eppler renovations

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Robert Giermann

The first step in the beginning of the program statement to renovate the Eppler Center would be to start in the gym. The gym would need furnished and replaced with new equipment. I would put in for better lighting, new basketball rims, fresh paint on the court, more basketballs. That gym is at the gym of the building and it needs a major upgrade. I would then move onto spatial relationships. I would put in for new workout equipment and make space in the gymnastics practicr area for better use. Although the workout area will be closed during the practices, it is still a better place for it without any additions, than where it was in the corner of the basketball courts. Many of the classrooms in Eppler are quite small and very close together. I would also put in my program statement to tear down a wall between classrooms to make one big classroom that may also by classifed as a lecture room. Eppler is an older building, and servicing facilities is a major issue in any building that is getting old. I would put in an order for the electrical, and pipe lning to be check thoroughly to avoid any major problems in the future, and to ensure the building is still in good shape. Going off of the age factor with Eppler, I would have the roof checked over to make sure the panels and wooding are still in tact, and to make sure any uneccessary flooind is avoided. Accoridng to ehow.com, a solid program statement can be done cheaply, and doing minor things such as the roof inspection would help avoid any major costs in then ear future if a problem were ot be discovered. According to cpluplus.com, a solid ending to a good program statement is going over data. This is meaning to review everything that looks ot be furnished, to make sure the price is not very high, and to go over the statement mulitple times to make sure nothing has been skipped or missed.

Program statements are critical to a successful construction because it is just like a companies blueprint. The program statement lays down the foundation and explains what needs to be done in order to make construction successful, and a building stay intact or improve its image. A program statement helps to ensure goals of a company and would give a solid base for particular costs for each area that needs assitance. The program statement makes thingas much easier on the company and its contractor and ensure signifcant improvement on that project at hand.

www.ehow.com/facts_7313261_program-statement_.html”>

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/program_structure/

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Reflection of tour of the BGSU Rec. Center.

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Robert Giermann

On Thursday, September 8th, my classmates and I took a tour of the BGSU Recreation Center. I thought the class tour of the BGSU rec. center was very informative and insightful. I expected to hear facts i already knew about this facility and visit rooms i have been in multiple times. I am glad to say we viewed parts of the facility on our tour I have never seen before, and recieved good history about the rec. center’s 32 years of existence.

Coming into this tour, I did not think too highly of our rec. center. I thought it was too out of date, and did not have enough workout equipment in the heart of its facility. I have always thought the rec. center needed to receive an up-to-date upgrade that would increase its overall look. This is a facility that had a positive and nice image and structure in the 1980’s, but it quickly looked old and dull as structures of facilities quickly became revamped in the 1990’s. What made me think the rec. center looked out-of-date was the wood paneling all around the downstairs area, and alot of the equipment that seemed like it had not been upgraded for many years. What else bothered me about this facility was the raquetball courts. Unfortunately, this is a declining sport, and it is rarely played now-a-days in this facility, and many of the courts are used for storage or just take up room.

I am glad some of my concerns were ansered during this tour. It was refreshing to knaw that in the near future or rec. center would be receiving some upgrades to give it a better up-to-date look. Our tour gave us good insight by our instructor as to what the university officals and rec. leaders were planning on doing to upgrade the rec. He told us the wood panelling would soon be replaced by some metal structures or new wood that would not make the rec center so old. He also said that they had plans to get rid of some of the raquetball courts to build areas of recreation that were more popular in todays society. This was nice to hear that people had serious plans to help the image of this facility and work would begin within the next couple of years. I am excited to come back in the future to see how it looks a few years down the road. I hope this would bring in more occupants of the facility from around town, to help fund the rec. center so even more renovations could happen in the future.

Overall, I thought the tour went well. i really enjoyed the downstairs view of the Cooper Pool and seeing the equipment that helpes run the pool on a daily basis. I enjoyed hearing the history of the rec. center and hearing the unique ideas they had 20 plus years ago. I hope the rec. center continues ot be a positive place for students and residence and renovations will conttinually help out this facility.

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Cleveland Browns.

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Robert Giermann

Browns open up their season this sunday against the Cincinatti Bengals.

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Blog S.W.O.T.

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Robert Giermann

Strengths and weaknesses noted in today’s class.

Sponsors, information, images.

Sports

 

 

 

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