We’ve all been there. Somebody calls off. An emergency repair is needed. Something breaks down in the field. In these instances and others, maintenance managers have to make tough decisions about what tasks to do and what needs to be deferred. With a growing list of deferred maintenance tasks, more things start slipping through the cracks, and even…

Certain parts of the United States will soon experience a surge of visitors, but they may not be the typical visitors we’re used to seeing. Billions, even trillions of cicadas, will emerge from the ground in some areas as two overlapping Broods come out to mate. Are you not even sure what that means? And how will it affect your parks and landscapin…

Parks maintenance workers are on the frontlines of ensuring our parks, playgrounds, green spaces, and facilities remain beneficial community resources. The work can be hard and sometimes only gets noticed if a problem arises. When individuals feel heard and appreciated, you will have a better chance of retaining your park maintenance staff. Agencie…

From playgrounds and gyms to paths and ballfields, parks and recreation agencies have a lot going on and many different types of assets. Managing and tracking those assets can be a complicated balance of scheduling, budgeting, and labor management. Without a clear plan for managing parks and recreation assets, things will fall through the cracks. A…

Are you looking to cut your parks maintenance supply and labor costs? Has your parks and recreation agency developed a sustainability plan requiring more environmentally friendly practices? Do you want safe places your visitors can enjoy and be proud of? Sustainable landscape management and natural lawn care limit or eliminate the use of harmful, d…

As the weather gets nicer, more children and families will head to your parks and playgrounds. Are your playgrounds ready for the extra traffic? One of the most important responsibilities of park maintenance workers is ensuring playgrounds are safe, free of hazards, and ready for action. Do you have a plan to make sure your outdoor assets are prepa…

As we get closer to the spring and summer seasons, you probably have some extra seasonal staff openings that need to be filled. Attracting great seasonal employees takes more than putting a “We’re Hiring” sign in front of your administration building. So how can you reach potential employees and get them excited to work for your agency? In this epi…

During the winter, there’s a good chance your recreation facilities get a workout. Recreation Center parking lot maintenance ensures your guests and employees can park their vehicles and get to your facilities safely. But winter is hard on parking lots. Extreme weather, freeze-thaw cycles, and snow removal equipment can damage parking lots and surr…

What parks and recreation trends will define 2024? After all, staying on top of the latest parks and recreation trends helps keep the public engaged and makes your agency more relevant. If the start of this decade has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. However, we feel a few trends will emerge or continue to be on the radar of sever…

During the winter months, many parks and recreation agencies switch the focus to their facilities. The public takes advantage of community centers, recreation complexes, and gyms for their leisurely pursuits. The maintenance department plays a key role in ensuring these facilities are safe, comfortable, and clean. Developing a preventive maintenanc…

Maintenance management software is an investment to improve operations for your agency. You want to ensure you're getting the best option for your money. The implementation process is a crucial step while transitioning to a CMMS. If the implementation doesn’t go well, you may be paying for software that no one uses--and you’ll probably have to answ…

Making outdoor playgrounds available to visitors is important for every season. After all, even during winter, many children and families brave the elements for physical outdoor play. BUT…Winter weather--like snow, ice, and fluctuating temperatures--can hasten the wear and tear of playground equipment. Extreme winter weather can create hazards and …

Are you looking to reduce labor and maintenance costs? Maybe decrease the wear and tear on your equipment and vehicles? Do you have large areas of turfgrass that hardly ever get used? Then we may have a solution for all these issues and a lot more. Replacing turfgrass areas with locally native plants can positively affect maintenance operations, th…

You heard the public's demand for pickleball courts. You transformed some older, hardly used tennis courts into pickleball courts. And now you're hearing the public's complaints about pickleball noise! Ironically, a sport created decades ago allowing families and friends of all ability levels to play together is causing a serious rift between Pickl…

You want your recreational areas to be a source of pride for your department and joy for the public. Preventing and eliminating litter is a top priority. Public parks offer many benefits for those who use them. Litter, however, can distract and degrade the experience. In fact, poorly maintained sites with visible debris distract from patrons' perce…

You’ve just about made it through another busy growing season. Chances are you had some smooth patches and some challenges along the way. The season has added to your parks maintenance wisdom. So put that wisdom to good use! As things start slowing down for the season, now is an excellent time to prepare for next year. Sure, you may not even want t…

If your team finds its workflow disrupted by equipment breakdowns, facility issues, and constant park repairs, it may be time to examine your preventative maintenance plan. The best way of dealing with problems in parks and facilities is by catching them before they become major issues. Scheduling routine preventative maintenance for your assets he…

A well-maintained recreation facility gives the public a safe, welcoming, functional environment to enjoy programming and events. As the winter months approach, you may find your recreation facility getting even more use…and abuse. Is your recreation complex, fitness facility, or community center ready for it? Like our playgrounds and park assets, …

If not already, there will probably come a time when everything your maintenance department does will need to be outlined in a maintenance program. For those who have worked in the field for a long time, this may mean taking everything that’s become instinctual and turning it into something tangible. In other words…no small task. You may not even k…

Trails are excellent features that encourage the public to get active and enjoy nature. Carefully planned and constructed trails can be a major attraction at a park or natural area. And that means they can also get a lot of traffic. And, as you probably know, lots of traffic can cause trail issues. Even well-constructed trails need routine inspecti…

Playgrounds are one of the most popular features in our parks. They are an excellent place for kids to blow off some steam, socialize, and develop their strength and motor skills. In most areas, more children and families use playgrounds during the summer months. As the summer wears on, the increased usage often means a greater risk of damaged equi…

Park surfacing is a key feature of a safe playground. We’ve come a long way from the sand and gravel playgrounds of future generations. In the last episode, we discussed the various loose-fill materials used for playground surfaces. For some playgrounds, loose-fill materials make a suitable playground surface solution. However, this type of playgro…

Playgrounds are some of a parks and recreation agency’s most important assets. But they could also be some of the most dangerous. According to the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI), over 79% of all playground accidents are from children falling onto improper or poorly maintained surfacing. In fact, surfacing is number 1 of the NPSI’s Dirt…

Your turfgrass survived another summer. With a lot of hard work--and a little luck--it still looks pretty good. Great! It’s time to keep the momentum going because the end of summer will come soon enough. As we get closer to the cooler, shorter days, we're easing into a critical time for turfgrass health. It's an opportunity to provide the conditio…

If you have trails and paths that joggers, cyclists, and moms with strollers all use, there’s a good chance they’re made of asphalt. And it makes sense. Asphalt has plenty of benefits. It provides a smooth surface. The color allows for high-contrast markings helping manage pedestrian traffic. The flexibility of asphalt allows it to withstand freeze…

As the weather gets nicer, more activities get held outdoors. Some of those activities may go on until well after dark. Many parks have lighting systems to accommodate those that prefer evening recreation. But what impact are those lights having on the local area? Light pollution is an often overlooked and misunderstood problem affecting our commun…

One type of playground gaining more popularity may be surprising. Some parks and municipalities go more “natural” with their playground features. After all, there are so many benefits of being in nature. As parks agencies, we have the opportunity and obligation to encourage those of all ages to reconnect with nature. Natural playgrounds provide uni…

When you notice something strange happening to your turf, there’s a good chance that fungus is to blame. Fungal lawn diseases are common lawn issues--Some fungal more severe than others. Luckily there are ways to prevent and help your turf bounce back from fungal lawn diseases. It starts with understanding the often subtle differences among the dis…

It may be just 10 or 15 minutes of your morning, but it could significantly impact how your team handles the rest of the day. Yes, team huddles can be effective--essential even. Leaders who take advantage of team huddles can align the team, focus on the day, and help build rapport with each other. Are you ready to lead your maintenance team into th…

It’s that time of year again. Baseball and softball leagues are squaring off on your baseball diamonds. Maintaining ballfields helps keep the players safe and the fields looking great. Your fields will probably take a beating throughout the summer. The best way to keep your fields maintained: scheduling ballfield preventative maintenance early…and …

We’re doing fine with paper work orders. Why bother with digital work orders? As a maintenance manager, you’ll probably deal with this comment at some point. Everything is going more digital, paper records are becoming a thing of the past. So is it time to switch to a digital work order system? Every agency is different. The personnel, procedures, …

Increasing concerns about food sources have a lot of people considering growing their own food. Growing food in a garden provides fresh organic produce for a healthier lifestyle. There’s also a sense of satisfaction after harvesting your own fruits and vegetables. Community gardens offer an excellent opportunity for both gardening enthusiasts and n…

Linear parks are growing in popularity in many urban areas. They offer a unique opportunity to transform old, unused infrastructure into spaces for recreation. These parks do more than breathe new life into unused land. Linear parks also offer the community several social, economic, and environmental benefits. In this episode of the Productive Park…

Making the best use of your time when planting new trees or shrubs for your outdoor assets. Investing a little extra time in the planning and preparation of a planting site helps to ensure your trees or shrubs establish and flourish for many years to come. In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we discuss the best practices fo…

You’ve probably heard…There was a pet owners boom during the pandemic. Over 23 million households (about 19% total) bought a pet during the pandemic. And many of those pets and their owners will be looking for something to do for the next ten years or so. Inflation and other economic issues are causing more people--including pet owners--to choose a…

When a park or facility has a maintenance issue, time matters. Minor issues often become big problems if they are not addressed promptly. Establishing a work order system is one of the best ways to identify and fix issues efficiently. Work orders play a fundamental role in most maintenance departments. When the system operates well, maintenance man…

Few things are as satisfying as seeing lush, full lawns in your parks or athletic fields. It takes a lot of work to get them there. And just as much--if not more-- turf maintenance to get them through the growing season. Taking care of your turf in early spring helps prepare it for the growing season. Strong, healthy lawns are more resilient to wea…

Signs convey an important message and impression to those who see them. Depending on the type of sign, they could be a sizable investment. And, with any investment, you want to make sure you get the most out of it. Protecting that investment from the elements and vandalism ensures signs serve their purpose for as long as possible. Sign maintenance …

Signs serve a vital purpose in our parks and facilities. In fact, park and facility signs may be one of the biggest amenities most people take for granted. Visitors use them for direction, instruction, education, and even their own protection. Often, signs are the first thing that welcomes visitors and are present throughout the whole user experien…

Now that many conferences and trade shows are returning as in-person events, it’s a great time to brush up on the best practices to make the most of these networking opportunities. Networking at a conference is an excellent opportunity to connect with potential mentors, support systems, and future employers. For many, conversations initiated during…

Playground technology has come a long way since most of us were kids. And playground trends have changed. Complete playground systems have replaced the days of the slide, swings, monkey bars, and teeter-totters. These playgrounds are safer, more interactive, and provide enjoyment for a diverse range of youth and young-at-heart. And there are so man…

Parks and recreation agencies have the responsibility to protect the safety of those using their parks and facilities. This responsibility includes identifying, addressing, and minimizing risk in areas and programming. Risk occurs when a hazard may cause personal injury, property or environmental damage, economic loss, or death. Hazards are conditi…

Winter is tough on facility roofs, especially in the northern climates of the United States. A roofing issue can lead to a variety of problems affecting the operations of a facility. But, as we’ve all witnessed, winter weather can strike just about any place in the country. The snow, wind, ice, and frigid temperatures can quickly turn a minor roofi…

Some great leaders are born that way. But, in reality, most aren’t. In fact, it’s estimated only 10 percent of people are natural-born leaders. So how do the others develop effective leadership skills? They learn how to lead. They cultivate excellent leadership skills through trial and error and spend time in self-examination. These emerging leader…

The beginning of the year is when many people try to create (and stick to) healthier routines. According to IHRSA, gym membership usually spikes 4 percent points in January, accounting for 12% of all new annual memberships. Another significant number to consider: about 50% of new gym members are lost by six months. There are several reasons people …

In 2022, the National Interagency Fire Center reported over 7.4 million acres were burned by 65,646 wildfires--the most recorded in the past ten years. We’ve all seen the headlines about wildfires. They cause disruptions to transportation, communications, utilities, and water supplies. Wildfires cost the economy billions annually. Uncontrolled fire…

If you live in certain parts of the country, snow is inevitable. If your agency does snow removal in-house, drivers will face some hazardous conditions. Routine vehicle inspections and staying stocked with emergency equipment like fire extinguishers, reflective warning devices, and road flairs are good starting points for preparing your plows. But …

Seasonal and lower-wage positions are common for many maintenance teams. Parks maintenance managers often struggle to keep these employees motivated. We all wish there were enough money to pay higher rates for all the help, but budgets only stretch so far. While pay can be a strong motivator, it’s not the only thing compelling people to show up and…

To those that don't know, invasive plant species can be attractive, fragrant, and even welcomed additions to gardens and landscaping. Actually, many invasive plants started in people’s gardens. They got introduced to an area from different countries. Since they lacked natural predators, they were able to thrive. And then they started taking over… I…

We all want to love our careers, especially if we work in parks and recreation. Being outdoors, using our skills for better parks and facilities, and making a difference in the community can be very rewarding. But almost every job has some level of stress. A parks maintenance team gets pulled in a lot of directions. The growing season can get extre…