The Alberta Association of Recreation Facility Personnel is a provincial organization dedicated to providing excellence in training and professional development for individuals involved in the operation of recreation facilities. AARFP is a member-driven organization managed by a Board of Directors who represent the membership on recreation industry issues. We host a conference in April each year where scholarships and awards are presented. The Association was established in 1978 to build linkages among recreation facility operators across Alberta. The Association has a membership of over 1,200 people and manages services and training programs through a balanced budget of over $650,000. Each year people participated in arena, pool, parks and sport field, building maintenance and supervisory courses, conferences and seminars organized by the Association. The Association offers courses in Alberta, in several provinces in Canada, the United States of America and Europe. There was a gradual growth in the development of facilities, and in the early 1960s, the Alberta Government recognized the need for community recreation services and provided grants to communities for facility development. Recreational areas of focus include: Arenas, Swimming Pools, Curling Rinks, Building Maintenance, Custodial, Parks, Natural Ice, Ice Re-surfacer maintenance, Lifecycle/Risk Management planning and Supervisory skills for facility operators.