LEISURE FACILITY MANAGEMENT I BRE205


This comprehensive introductory course focuses on the management and development of recreational facilities as well as enhancing your ability to plan, develop, and advise on facilities for a range of recreation and fitness activities.

This course can be taken on its own or as part of a Certificate or higher level course.

Leisure Facilities include:

  • Community Centres
  • Sporting Clubs
  • Gymnasiums
  • Playing Fields 
  • Stadiums
  • Swimming Pools

These can be commercial facilities (privately owned) or public facilities. Whatever the case, leisure facilities are often expensive to build and equally costly to operate and maintain. This course provides a foundation for understanding the management and operation of leisure facilities, and as such is a valuable course of study for anyone working or wishing to work in such a facility, from the manager, right down to the cleaning staff.


Course Content and Structure
Thirteen Lessons as follows:

  1. Scope of Recreation Facility Management
  2. The Nature of Recreation Facility Management
  3. Legal Requirements for Construction
  4. Planning Construction Work
  5. Indoor Equipment
  6. Outdoor Equipment
  7. Safety Procedures
  8. Equipment Needs
  9. Purchasing 
  10. Bookings
  11. Contingencies -Risk Management
  12. Insurance Issues
  13. Managing a Recreation Facility

Course Duration   100 hours


Leisure Facilities Need to Serve a Purpose

A leisure facility provides a place for a particular activity or series of activities. At the same time the site must provide a welcome, "use me", feeling which can be achieved by a sensitive use of space, light and materials. The overall environment must be functional and comfortable. 

Local and regional needs for leisure activities are always changing; if for no other reason, because the demographics of an area will be fluid. When the local population is mostly young families; a facility may need to cater for more active and physical pursuits; but as the population ages, new needs may develop (catering for the elderly) while old needs may diminish (eg. catering for children). Facilities that are easily able to adapt to changing needs; will be more viable to develop, maintain and continue to operate over long periods of time.

A sharing of facilities is both more economic, but also provides a more viable social structure for the community. If facilities can be used throughout the day and evening they become safer places with a "use me" feeling.

An indoor facility will provide protection from the weather.  An outdoor facility is more exposed to weather; but it should also provide elements of shelter (eg. wind breaks, shaded areas, under cover pavilions or shelters to escape the rain or unwelcome conditions.

Another purpose "to provide a place with a soul" is related to the characteristics of the users and the local environment. A leisure facility needs to be designed with the users very much in mind.  Building should be to a human scale, trying to avoid vast open spaces in favour of warm and friendly small areas.