Convertible Facilities

"When the Sun Comes Up, the Top Goes Down"

By Joseph H. Schultz, Director, Westmont Park District

Probably in no area of facility design has there been more serious questioning of traditional approaches than in the area of "permanent" facility construction. One of the key elements in creative programming in contemporary recreation and park facility design is the imaginative use of space. Park and recreation municipalities are facing a very serious shortage of open space. Park and recreation boards and commissions must explore ways of using available open space for needed community recreation.

Multiple use of facilities is as simple as adapting an indoor ice rink for roller skating or concerts, art and craft fairs, etc.

The Westmont Park District has pioneered a new form of multi-use open space programming that is unique to the State of Illinois, specifically the suburbs of Chicago, where land for recreation is becoming a scarce commodity. Westmont is a community that is listed third out of one hundred twenty two communities in number of building permits issued in the Chicago suburb area in 1976! In late 1976, the park district was also defeated in a referendum attempt of $50,000 which was allocated to purchasing and developing open space where there is currently only 50 acres of open space within a community of 14,000 people, far below the national average of one acre per one hundred people.

The bubble provides a unique way of utilizing tennis courts In the winter.

Out of necessity, the district began to look into multiple use of existing facilities for recreation programming. A new company named Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Systems proposed a service contract which would allow them to erect an air-supported structure, or "bubble," over five adjoining outdoor tennis courts throughout the winter months. Snow and ice would normally sit on the tennis courts and damage the stripping and color coating and possibly buckle the asphalt, making them totally unplayable until late Spring.

Our Park Board commissioned the attractive air-supported structure which consists basically of a "skin" that serves as walls and roof and can be anchored in place, blown-up, and made ready for use within a day. Also, it can be deflated, untied, folded like a tent and stored in even less time. These air-supported structures are comfortable and safe and easily maintained. "Bubbles" provide great flexibility in that the same area may be kept open during the warm months of the year and then quickly enclosed during the colder weather.

Thirty years ago tennis as a recreational activity in parks was an isolated phenomenon. The game was almost exclusively restricted to the private club scene where tennis pros were engaged by the clubs to give individual lessons to members. Group instruction in such a complex many years ago was out of the question.

What brought about the dramatic change in tennis from a private club event to a community-oriented program such as the Westmont Tennis Club?

It was a combination of forces working together — increased leisure, more emphasis on physical fitness, and many more people are being exposed in high schools and colleges to "carry-over" sports, like tennis, for lifetime participation. These circumstances have suddenly triggered a demand on recreation agencies for the construction of new facilities as well as for more and better tennis instruction.

The Service Contract entered into by Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Systems and the Westmont Park District provides that the District assume none of the costs. By erecting the air-supported structure during the Winter months, the park district did provide an aesthetically pleasing indoor tennis club for Westmont and the surrounding communities and also provided a much needed recreational service. There are five private indoor tennis clubs in the area and still the Westmont Tennis Club realizes a 80% to 90% "booking." As the contract between the corporation and the park district states, the district receives rent for each court hour sold. Tennis courts that were originally going to sit idle for many winter months now realize approximately eight to nine hundred a month in rent.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 January/February, 1978

Although it is -17 degrees outside, the participants can enjoy tennis at the indoor temperature of 68 degrees.

Obviously this revenue can help the corporate (general) budget for the entire agency. Many administrators would be wise to investigate this unique type of programming, either by entering into a service contract or the outright purchase of the entire system with revenue bonds. Studies have been made by Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Systems showing that a district which purchases the entire system can show a profit of $65,000 to $70,000 after expenses, and this for 80% occupancy per winter season. After the repayment of revenue bonds in the first few years. Districts can use the profit to combat the dwindling dollar for capital improvement projects throughout the community.

To summarize, Park Boards and administrators must deal at length with planning, design, and development of recreation and park facilities. In this day and age where open space is fast becoming scarce, multiple use of existing facilities has to be considered. Financial resources to acquire and develop facilities can be a reality if careful thought is given to using existing facilities where ordinarily they would not be used because it is the "wrong season'' or because the participants would be exposed to the winter elements.

Careful consideration should be given to the flexibility of air-supported structures to enclose outdoor swimming pools, greenhouses, ice skating rinks, miniature golf courses and, of course, tennis courts.

(Editor's note: Several other agencies in Illinois have had experiences with air structures and we welcome opposing viewpoints.)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 January/February, 1978