The fall issue is packed with practical insights and expert guidance for recreation operators across our province.

Cover Story:

Mundy Park Outdoor Pool – Explore how Coquitlam has transformed a beloved 50-year-old facility into a modern, inclusive, and sustainable aquatic destination.

Parks & Sport Fields:

BC Place Project – Andre Dionne discusses how his team tackled the unique challenge of transforming the iconic turf-covered BC Place stadium into a natural grass field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Programs & Services:

Building Certified Lifeguards in the Community – Charity Nelson spotlights Fort St. John’s innovative school lifeguard program, a partnership with the school district that’s helping students launch aquatics careers straight from the classroom.

Facility Leadership:

Building a Resilient & Increasingly Successful Team – RFABC Past President Kurt Houlden recommends the Team Improvement Program (TIP), a team-driven approach empowering operators to identify, implement, and celebrate workplace improvements.

Facility Operations:

Planning For Success – Allyson Friesen from Innovate Planning & Co makes the case for embedding operations into facility planning, sharing a simple who-what-where-when framework drawn from firsthand recreation operations experience.

Arena Operations:

From Gas Guzzlers to Genius Gliders – David Quaschnick with Global Sport Resources, explores how intelligent ice resurfacers—from laser leveling to 3D autopilot—are transforming the pursuit of “perfect ice” in modern arenas.

Pool Operations:

From Epoxy Paint to PVC Membrane – Jeremy Heersink, from Poolside by CGT, shares how Bow Island’s community pool broke free from endless repairs with a long-term PVC membrane renovation that transformed both durability and design.

Find your people. Fuel your purpose. Penticton 2026.

April 20–23, 2026 | Penticton Lakeside Resort

Join 200+ recreation professionals from across BC for four days of learning, connection, and fun. Dive into sessions across Aquatics, Arenas, Facility Leadership, and Programs & Services, while reconnecting with the deeper meaning behind your work.

Golf Tournament, Welcome Social, Trade Show, Awards Banquet, & more.

Early Bird Registration opens January 2026!

Zone Meetings give recreation operators the chance to connect with peers in their region, share challenges and successes, and hear the latest from RFABC. Led by your Zone Reps — your local link to the Association — these gatherings are a chance to network, exchange ideas, and make sure the unique needs of your zone are part of the conversation.

We’re looking for passionate professionals to teach Pool Operations, Refrigeration, Arena Ice Making and Parks courses.

If you’ve got 5+ years of hands-on experience in your field, this is your chance to give back, grow professionally, and help train the next generation of operators across B.C.

WHERE WE NEED INSTRUCTORS

Refrigeration & Ice Making

Urgently needed across the province

Pool Operations

All regions except Vancouver Island

Parks

All regions except Vancouver Island

General Need

North, Interior, Kootenays, and Lower Mainland

Share Your Input on TSBC Draft Directives

Technical Safety BC (TSBC) is seeking feedback from our members in the industry on two draft directives. They'd like your input on whether these draft directives help to clarify questions you have, and if you feel you can meet the requirements.

Your input is important to ensure that these directives are practical, clear, and effective for our sector.

The consultation will close on Friday, September 12.

We encourage all members to take part and share their perspective before the deadline.

Supporting prevention of refrigerant leaks within secondary coolant systems

To support continued collaboration with the refrigeration industry, we would like to invite industry experts to review the draft directive linked below, then share your feedback by answering a short survey. Your feedback will help shape the final directive.

Clarifying expectations for supervision at boiler and refrigeration plant premises

We invite plant owners, chief engineers, power engineers, and plant operators to review the draft directive linked below, then share your feedback by answering a short survey. Your feedback will help shape the final directive.

Discover Two Award-Winning Venues!

IAKS Canada is thrilled to continue its popular Facility Tour Series with a free, behind-the-scenes look at two of the Greater Vancouver area’s most exciting new recreation facilities. This is a unique opportunity to explore the future of sport and community infrastructure – up close and in action.

CPRA is now accepting applications for the 2025 Reaching Each and Every One Initiative, a national funding opportunity that will support nearly 60 non-profit organizations across Canada delivering recreational sport programming. 

Funded by the Government of Canada through Sport Canada, this initiative aims to remove barriers and increase sport participation among under-represented groups—particularly those who are Indigenous, racialized, or living with a disability. 

The program’s goals are to: 

• Support inclusive community sport initiatives 
• Increase participation and retention in sport among equity-deserving groups 
• Break down barriers to access in recreational sport 

Applications are open until end of day Wednesday, September 3rd. 

Ammonia Safety Training Essentials – Burnaby, BC 

September 24, 2025

This one-day conference is designed to give you the tools to recognize hazards, respond effectively, and protect your team in ammonia-related emergencies.

•  Expert-led sessions
•  Real Canadian case studies
•  Hands-on tabletop exercise

Don’t wait - Early Bird pricing ends August 31.

BC Turf Management Field Day – Abbotsford, BC

September 18, 2025

Turf managers from all sectors are welcome to attend this once-per-year, outdoor, on-field opportunity for hands-on applied learning, networking and to check out all the latest turf management gear, services, and supplies.

Come see the special sod being grown at Bos Sod Farms for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches to be played at BC Place Stadium. Of the 16 venues, Vancouver is one of only two in Canada and will host 7 games between June 13 and July 7, 2026 on locally grown, natural/hybrid grass.