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 landscaping? No problem. We have you covered. This episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is all about cicadas. Learn more about this interesting...

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.  Agencies that have more success filling roles and keeping them filled often examine and refine their approaches to employee culture and morale. In this...

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. And little issues are going to become big, expensive problems. The good news is that once you have a system to manage your park and facility...

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, dangerous chemicals while ensuring the areas are healthy and resilient. These practices can also help reduce costs and labor hours at parks while...

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 prepared for the increased traffic? In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, learn what to look for and do to help ensure your...

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 episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, learn the dos and don’ts of attracting seasonal employees. Also, learn how to focus your efforts to...

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 surrounding landscaping--especially when proper precautions and maintenance aren’t used.  The good news: a little planning, preparation, and training...

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 several parks and recreation agencies in 2024.  In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we highlight some of the more popular recent...

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 maintenance plan for HVAC systems ensures guests and staff will remain comfortable throughout their visit. In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute...

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 answer some tough questions next time budget meetings come around. The good news: Choosing the most appropriate software that offers support during...

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 unsafe conditions on playgrounds. A parks maintenance team that takes proper safety precautions and promptly addresses weather-related issues...

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, the community, and the environment. But it will take some planning and possibly an upfront investment. In this episode of the Productive Parks...

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 Picklers (Pickleball players) and non-players living near the courts.   It's not an uncommon situation. Pickleball is America's fastest-growing sport....

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' perceived quality and safety of an experience.  It's probably not the most glamorous decision you'll make, but choosing suitable trash receptacles...

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 to think about next year’s park maintenance right now. But starting to plan how to maintain your parks can make next year go so much smoother. In...

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 helps prevent breakdowns, injuries, and workflow disruptions.  Of course, parks and recreation agencies have a lot of moving parts. Finding the time...

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, facilities benefit from routine inspections and maintenance tasks to catch minor issues before they lead to damage or disruptions. In this episode...

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 know where to begin. Initially, organizing your maintenance program may feel overwhelming. The benefits, however, will make it well worth your...

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 inspections and maintenance. Resolving any emerging drainage, erosion, and tread issues quickly saves time, money, and resources in the long run. In this...

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 equipment or unsafe conditions.  Regular playground inspections are one of the most effective ways of discovering and addressing safety issues before...

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 playground surfacing has some drawbacks, which may make you wonder what else is available. Parks and recreation agencies looking for more accessible,...

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 Dirty Dozen playground hazards.  Choosing and maintaining suitable surface material for a playground helps reduce the risk of serious injuries.  But...

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 conditions to help lawns recover from summer and grow stronger as the cooler weather arrives.  In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we...

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-thaw cycles and last longer. When properly installed and maintained, it could last well over twenty years. This episode of the Productive Parks...