Archive for September, 2011

Risk Management and Negligence


2011
09.29

After reading the Steinbach article about the increase of track & field event injuries/deaths I believe that there was negligence throughout the majority of the article.  The article explained a numerous amount of incidences of field related injuries and deaths, however, in general I felt that there was some negligence in most of the cases.  To support this opinion I will review the four elements of negligence that ultimately define what is negligent and not: Duty, The Act, Proximate Cause, and Damage or Harm.

Duty:

Many of the incidences occurred at either a high school or college level event.  There is a duty by the coaches and the event officials to oversee that the event is ran properly.  It was brought up through the article that the officials would only govern the field when the actual competition was going on — not during warm-up or practice times.  This meant that the players, some of which might have been inexperienced, were allowed to throw their objects at any given time.  The officials and coaches have a duty throughout the event that everyone is safe, no matter when the competition is being held.

The Act:

The throwing and field events are inherently dangerous.  However, not many people see them as dangerous because incidences are thought of to be rare.  The article even states “Still think such incidences are far-flung?  A single track practice…resulted in unrelated injuries to two students.  One, a 12th grader, was impaled through the chest by a javelin.  Minutes later a 7th grade shot-putter ran out to retrieve his throw when a shot hit him in the head.”  Since many people do not realize that such incidences are common, it is up to the people in charge to make sure that they know.  Between 1983-2007 there were 59 total direct, catastrophic injuries resulted from field events alone.   Yet, only in recent years have they started to post warning signs and make the play of field safer with more netting/fencing and bigger “safety areas.”

Proximate Cause:

For proximate cause, it is likely that the event in which officials were required to watch over and regulate warm-up times, many of these injuries would not have happened.  Coaches should have also made stricter rules on the time intervals and safety when it comes to throwing the objects.  It would have been safer to say that you can’t throw for 2-3 minutes in between throws to allow ample time for the field to be cleared.  Many of the incidences were caused by people not having enough time to clear the field and as a result, the thrower would throw the object, unaware that someone was walking across the field that wasn’t there when they began their throw.  Tighter safety observations would have prevented many of these injuries.

Damage or Harm:

Obviously many of these incidences were very serious.  There were fractured skulls, comas, stitches, impalement, and even death.  The harm done to some of these individuals can never truly be compensated for because of the extent of their injuries.  some of the injuries required reconstructive surgery or resulted in brain damage.  The negligence of the event staff for the field events were ultimately at fault for failure to recognize these safety concerns that resulted in damage and harm among the individuals and their families.

 

The facility itself plays a major role in the safety of the contestants and onlookers.  It is difficult for an official or a coach to protect everyone at the facility if the shot put area is within 15 feet of the long jump area.  If that were the case then it would be very difficult to make sure that no errant shot puts go near the long jump track.  The way the facility is designed and its proper use of signage plays a major factor in how to keep everyone safe.  In Chapter 2 of the book, it is recommended that “at the very least, the jumping and vaulting runways can be placed outside the track.”  This can be to make room for the other field events or the same recommendation can be for the other field events if space is willing to accommodate.  The major factor within a high school facility is that there is often not enough room to move all field events outside of the bleacher area so they must make short cuts in order to keep all field events within the football field confines.  A way to also prevent injury and death if the space is limited is to simply add signs warning people of the potential dangers of flying objects.  With these signs it is very important that they be placed near the throwing areas or before entering the field.  Since the age ranges of the spectators and competitors may vary, the book suggests “it is also important to place signs in normal sight lines.  Placing signs too high, too low, or off to the side makes them less visible.  It is important to remember that sight lines vary according to the user’s height.”  It is difficult to gauge who will be reading the signs, but it is important for facilities to put more signs in more places to avoid people overlooking them or not seeing them at all.

 

Sustainability Advancement Opinion


2011
09.21

Water Harvesting: Doing some basic research on this topic has led me to believe that this is a great idea for the advancement of facilities.  It is a great way to avoid some municipal costs of getting city water and avoids putting chemicals in the ground.  The basic process is shown below:

Depiction of Rain Water Harvesting

As seen in the image above Rain Water Harvesting is relatively simple and sustainable.

For larger facilities, this process is genius to help conserve water costs and make sure that the landscaping is receiving natural water.  For facilities that might experience droughts this system helps preserve the little rainwater that happens to fall down or can act as a long-term storage system before the drought hits.  Since all of the water is being put back into the earth at some point or another, the mass production of these storage tanks shouldn’t disrupt any sort of water cycle over a period of time either.

Natural Lighting: This when a facility decides to incorporate more windows and glass structures to help light the building during the day and avoid high energy costs associated with heat.  It has also been proven that natural lighting help with overall mood and energy in some facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals.  I do believe that this is a great advancement with new facilities, however, it would be costly and time consuming to produce the same effect on outdated buildings.  If facilities can incorporate natural lighting into their building structure then there could be a significant reduction in energy being used and that in turn will help the environment and help create a sustainable facility environment.  To read further about this topic and a case study conducted by the University of Florida and Emory University, view this PDF website:

 

Program Statement – Eppler Complex


2011
09.19

The Eppler Complex, located to the right, is a three story academic building that features gymnastics rooms, a basketball court, and many classrooms and office space

The Eppler Complex, located in the middle of campus near Olscamp Hall and the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, is home to the Tourism Leisure and Event Planning (TLEP) offices and advisers.  It has a full-size basketball court, gymnastics rooms, an indoor track, and some weight lifting equipment.  The building was originally two separate buildings that included a Men’s Gymnasium and a Women’s Gymnasium.  These were built around 1927 and were not connected.  Between 1979 and 1980, renovations were completed to connect the two buildings and completely form a new building, the Eppler Complex (BGSU, 2011).  Seeing as it has not been renovated since 1979-1980, the building is relatively outdated and seems to have much of a defined function, especially since the Rec Center was built around the same time the building was undergoing renovations.  Part of the planning process is the Program Statement which is a detailed description of the requirements to build a new facility or renovate an existing one.   The top ten elements of my proposed Program Statement would be:

1.) Objectives:  The main objective in the renovation of the facility would be to define the purpose of the building.  The purpose would be a building would be to combine recreation and academia.  There would be classrooms just outside the recreational facilities that still exist and the offices would be relocated.

2.) Basic Assumptions of the Facility:  The facility would be used solely for the purpose of classroom instruction and learning within actual recreational facilities.  The building is confusing right now with the mixture of offices, recreational facilities, classrooms, labs, and resource centers.  The building needs to be a strict classroom and educational recreational facility.

3.) Factors Affecting Planning:  The biggest factor that I would see that would affect planning is the size of the building.  The renovation that would take place would take offices out of the building and leave rooms vacant.  The building is a very large building, however, the size of the building also adds to the confusion of the building.  I would tear down some walls and expand some of the classrooms into mini-lecture hall classrooms.  If need be, the South and Center sections of the building would still be connected but the North end would be walled off from the building and made available for other departments or the remaining office space.  This would not be the first option though.

4.) Explanation of Current and Proposed Programming:  The building would still be open to rent the gymnasium and other recreational equipment on the weekends to all students.  The primary focus of the building would be to create a recreational learning environment for those who have to take classes that include recreational activities.  With the facilities being renovated as well, it would certainly serve as a secondary location for rented space outside of the Rec Center on campus.

5.) Space Needs and Allocation:  The current building is very confusing with the long hallways north-south hallways and the maze-like hallways that run east-west.  The renovated building would need to seek a solution to the confusing layout by re-evaluating the floor plan and wall structure to see if there is a way to tear down walls and make the hallways and classrooms easier to navigate.  The classrooms need to be bigger and have varying classroom spaces.  The current building has a few dozen rooms that all hold between 25-40 people and are in long rectangles that make the learning environment cramped and uncomfortable.  Classroom space would definitely be a major concern for the renovation.

6.) Purpose and Use of Auxiliary Space:  The auxiliary space would be used classroom learning objectives throughout the week and then be of use during the weekend for campus organization rentals.  The auxiliary space would be newly renovated so it would be an attraction for students to want to rent out the space and could potentially attract outside sources for rental.

7.) Service Facilities:  The renovated building would include newly renovated bathrooms and locker rooms for the gymnasium and areas near the classrooms. It would also include a front office that would be in charge of the building and the rental information.  The office would not take up much space and would be more a “welcome” desk for any visitors that may have questions about the facility or renting equipment.

8.) Spatial Relationships:  As mentioned earlier, the renovation would have the classrooms more centralized to the gymnasium and other recreational facilities within the building.  the classrooms would be connected to the facilities and would require the soundproofing feature to be added so as to not disturb any classes.  The classrooms would be bigger and would be shapely to help students focus and be more comfortable in the classroom setting.

9.) Environmental Necessities:  The newly renovated building would include an updated lighting system, heating system, and water/sewage system to help ease the costs to the environment.  Lowering the amount of energy used and the resources used to operate the building could have a significant impact on the environment and could help set the example for other buildings to start updating their energy conservation plans.

10.) Equipment and Furnishings:  Virtually everything in the building is outdated or uncomfortable.  The gymnasium does not need to be state of the art but the floor should be replaced, the lighting needs to be brighter, and the walls need to be renovated to be more acoustically pleasing.  The classrooms need to be re-painted and the desks need to be replaced.  Many of the desks are mismatched, broken, and highly uncomfortable.  The chalkboards need to be replaced by dry-erase boards and the sporting equipment needs to be updated as well.

Program statements are extremely important to the development of buildings and facilities because it lays out the project’s purpose and what the expectations are for the development.  They are meant to guide the planning process and give a general visualization of what the building will be like after it is completed.  It is meant to be more of an outline and generalized statement then a fully-detailed plan and that allows for the flexibility of the master plan for the building.

 

 

BGSU Rec Center


2011
09.12

This past Thursday, September 8, my class went to the BGSU Rec Center for a facility tour.  The Rec Center is complete with a cardio floor, weight lifting, full-size basketball courts, two swimming pools, a rock climbing wall, and many, many racquetball courts.  The various features of the Rec Center are, for the most part, up-to-date by current standards.  It was obvious at first impression that the building has been remodeled countless times over the past 30 years but it has still remained a fully functioning Recreation Center nonetheless.

As highlighted in the tour, we visited the Rock Climbing Wall.  The Rock Climbing Wall was built in 20o2 to meet the recent demand to have rock climbing walls in various recreation centers.  Mr. Long mentioned that Ohio University has a rock climbing wall that is the focal point of the entire recreation center.  BGSU was unable to compete with this design due to the overall age and architecture of the building.  Instead they decided to remodel on of the gym rooms called the “Racquet Room” and install a 35′ rock climbing wall.  Due to financial constrictions, the Rec Center could only afford to install the wall and the ensuing safety equipment.  The rest of the room remains as it was when originally built and even doubles as 500 person bleacher stadium for swim meets.

Although, the room is not very aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it seems to have met the requirements as set forth by the textbook, Facility Planning and Design. The textbook states that the climbing walls should have color-coded handholds to properly show the routes that depict a certain difficulty level.  Judging by observation, there seemed to have been quite a few difficulty levels and routes.  It was mentioned by Mr. Long that the Outdoor Program, which is oversees the rock wall, would like another rock wall of even more difficulty that included miniature “caves” to climb through.  It seems as if the Rec Center could do all that it could given the limitations of space and money.

The other highlight of the tour was the swimming areas.  We specifically looked at Andrews Pool which is the leisure pool and spa.  Andrews Pool has been around since the opening and has had a few remodeling features since its opening.  The most notable remodeling feature was the flooring.  The floor was originally a green turf that surrounded the entire pool.  It was hard to maintain and after a few years it became out of style and not very practical.  It was replaced with a brown tile that is easier to maintain and more aesthetically pleasing.  The second renovation was the removal of the diving board.  The diving board was getting old and it was deemed unsafe by the administrators due to the lack of width in the pool.  it was also removed to add to the desired atmosphere of a leisure pool.

The pool seems to be within requirements of the textbook’s standards.  The flooring for the pool that would be ideal would be a 1″x1″ tile.  This type of tile is “the best non-slip, attractive, and long-lasting surface” according to the textbook.  Another feature of the pool is the lighting.  The pool features both natural and electric lighting sources.  The natural lighting comes from the windows along the far wall and the electric lights are normal fluorescent lights.  The natural lighting gives the feel of being outside while the electric lighting allows for the use of the pool after daylight hours and provides additional light for seeing clearer.  The natural light seems to be dimmed through the windows so as to not cause a distracting glare on the water and to not excessively heat the pool area through natural sunlight heat.

Below are the Recreation Center Industry Standards that I felt upheld the highest quality of facilities within a college recreation center.  The first is Ohio University’s Rock Climbing Wall.  The second is Texas Tech Leisure Pool.

***Click on photos for links to websites***

Clearly the focal point of the OU Recreation Center and a recreation standard that BGSU tried to emulate with the building of their rock wall

The Texas Tech Leisure Pool that cost over $8.4 million and features a swim up cafe, spray pad, a 25 person hot tub, and a lazy river.

It is pretty obvious while comparing the pictures from the ideal facilities and industry standards that the BGSU facilities do the basics in order to get the job done.  The pool is nice but it is still only a small heated pool with a hot tub.  The Rock Climbing wall is 35′ and hidden in a former multi-purpose room that doubles as a bleacher stadium on various occasions.  With time – and money – the BGSU Rec Center should be able to boast a few industry standards and ideal facilities that could compare to the two pictured above.

Blog SWOT – Cedar Point Blog “OnPoint”


2011
09.04

The blog I chose to do a SWOT analysis of is Cedar Point’s Blog “OnPoint.”  It has been in existence since June 24, 2005 and has around 40-50 posts per calendar year.  It gives behind-the-scenes interviews and pictures to help give the average Cedar Point guest a unique viewing experience outside of their time at Cedar Point.  Here is my SWOT analysis of this blog:

Strengths:

  1. Behind-the-scenes information
  2. Authentic
  3. Easy to navigate
  4. Simple
  5. Up to Date
  6. Responds back to questions and comments promptly
  7. Personal
  8. Official
Weaknesses:
  1. No “About” section
  2. No “Search” feature
  3. Lack of visibility within main homepage
  4. Doesn’t automatically go from blog-to-blog
Opportunities:
  1. Good Public Relations
  2. Help with other social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
  3. Easy communication between management and guests
  4. Promotional advertisement
Threats:
  1. Other websites
  2. Negative comments
  3. Not enough views
  4. Outdated form of social networking
The blog really is well-done and professional.  I think it has an appeal to readers who have a genuine interest within the tourism industry and cedar Point specifically.  It is very informative and helps answer a lot of questions brought forth by guests.  It is a good blog with a lot of great attributes.
My link button still isn’t working.  Total Bummer 🙁

Favorite Facility – Newport Aquarium


2011
09.01

Newport Aquarium located in Newport, Kentucky is located directly on the Ohio River just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.

My favorite facility is the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky.  I have only been here a few times but everytime I go I am always amazed about how great this facility truly is.  My most memorable experience at this facility was for my sister’s wedding.  She had the wedding in January of 2010 and it was a great experience.  The facility has a multi-purpose room that can be used for just about any banquet style of event and holds up to about 200 people.  Renting out the facility also includes free tours of the aquarium and other various perks for you and your guests.  The thing I loved most about the facility was the atmosphere and uniqueness.  Nowhere else can you have an event and then during the event walk around the aquarium with h’orderves and a glass of wine or beer.  The facility is very large and includes plenty of behind-the scenes space for any event.  The location is also a huge plus because it is located directly next to a mall and the Ohio River gives a stunning view during the day and night.  If you’ve never been there or are looking for a great venue for your next event, this is the place to go.


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