In areas with cooler climates, the winter can be harsh on recreation facilities. Freezing temperatures, heavy snow, high winds, and other weather can cause damage and hazardous conditions.
With some preparation and planning, you can reduce the risk of common issues recreation facilities face during the winter.
In this article, get some ideas for planning exterior facility maintenance in the winter. Also, learn some inspections and maintenance tasks helping to prepare and monitor your facility during the winter.
Develop & Refine Winter Maintenace Plan
The last thing you want to do is scramble to create processes and procedures with winter weather in the forecast. As soon as possible, outline a clear plan for maintenance staff to follow during the winter and inclement weather.
Your winter maintenance plan can include details about:
- Preparing for winter weather
- Areas or routes that need snow removal
- Appropriate & safe use of removal equipment
- Areas to store snow
- Using deicing agents
- Maintenance team’s duties during winter weather
- Maintaining inventory during the winter
- Winter recreation facility inspections
- Preventative facility maintenance
Provide an in-service to review your maintenance plan. Also, keep the plan handy in the maintenance office, recreation facility, or as a file in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software for easy access.
Prepare for Winter Weather
Take inventory of all your winter-related maintenance supplies. As we all know, winter weather can be unpredictable, so knowing the best inventory numbers for the season may be a guessing game. Inventory records or receipts from previous years can help you make more educated guesses.
Also, thoroughly inspect and perform preseason maintenance on your snow removal equipment. Stock your plow vehicles with the necessary supplies. Place visible markers along curbs, the perimeter of parking lots, parking islands, and any other potential obstacles for snow plow drivers, like speed bumps.
Inspect and Repair Hardscapes
The freeze-thaw cycle many regions experience causes pavement cracks and holes to get worse. As water seeps into the cracks, it freezes and expands. Once the ice melts, it leaves behind larger cracks–and safety hazards.
Inspect parking lots, playground surfaces, pathways, and outdoor courts for cracks and damage. Seal or repair the areas as needed.
Also, level uneven surfaces like shifting pavers. These surfaces are challenging to spot under a couple of inches of snow and can easily be a trip hazard. Snow removal equipment can also snag an uneven surface, causing damage to the equipment and hardscape.
Check Drainage
Water not only impacts your parking lots and walkways. Poor drainage can create dangerous conditions and damage the recreation facility’s foundation and other systems.
Clogged gutters trap water. The water expands as it freezes, which may damage or rupture gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters may also trap snow on certain spots of a roof, adding extra weight that may eventually lead to leaks or structural damage. Once all nearby leaves have fallen from the trees, clear gutters, downspouts, and drains of leaves and other debris.
On the ground, check for clear drains. Make sure the ground’s grade leads water away from your facility. Also, check for nearby puddles. When the weather drops below freezing, the pooling water becomes dangerous, slick spots. When possible, level dips in pavement and walkways near your recreation facility.
Maintain Landscaping
Your maintenance team works hard to keep the grounds safe and looking great during the growing season. While outdoor landscaping may not be the central focus during winter, regular inspections and maintenance may be needed.
For example, a dead or dying tree limb can easily fall during an ice storm or heavy snow. Prevent severe injuries or damage to your recreation facility by removing weakened tree limbs. Fallen logs or other debris can become hidden in a heavy snowfall. Unseen fallen objects can damage your snow removal equipment and create dangerous conditions for your operators.
Secure Outdoor Features
If you have outdoor amenities that don’t get used during the winter, store or cover the equipment. Place clear signage that the amenity is closed to prevent usage that can lead to injuries or broken equipment.
Also, inspect and reinforce any playground structures that may still be used to handle the weather. Late fall is an excellent time to perform a thorough low-frequency playground inspection.
Check Safety Signage & Lighting
Wet, slippery conditions and shorter days can be a dangerous combination. Alerting staff and visitors about potentially hazardous areas and providing proper lighting helps prevent falls and other injuries.
Make sure recreation facilities have adequate signage available when floors are slippery during winter weather. Instruct staff on the appropriate times and places to put signs.
Also, check the lighting regularly to ensure everything is functioning properly. Adjust lighting to illuminate areas where falls may occur. Repair or replace any malfunctioning bulbs or fixtures as soon as possible.
Schedule Regular Inspections
Set up regular inspections to monitor your facility and detect new issues throughout the season.
Exterior facility inspections can include:
- Nearby Grounds
- Roof
- Walkways and Sidewalks
- Parking Lots
- Drainage Systems
- Outdoor Recreation Amenities
- Lighting
- Snow Removal Equipment
- Recreation Building Entrances/Exits/Accessible Ramps
- Speed Bumps
Document Everything the Maintenance Team Does
A slip and fall or other injury can be a major hassle for your agency. Documenting the inspections, preventative maintenance, and repair tasks shows that your team did their due diligence in making areas as safe as possible.
Documenting isn’t just for risk management. Records and data from your maintenance team help you make informed decisions about future tasks, replacement schedules, and improving processes. A detailed record of previously performed tasks can be a future resource when issues arise in your recreation facilities.
Reviewing documentation at the end of the season allows you to refine your snow removal routes and winter maintenance to be more efficient in the future. Be sure all maintenance records are kept in an easily accessible spot or available with software like computerized maintenance management software.
The Takeaway
You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you prepare for it. By taking the time to inspect the exterior of your recreation facility, perform necessary maintenance, and monitor conditions throughout the season, you can catch problems that may become unsafe or disrupt programming. Documenting the inspections and tasks performed helps with accountability and future planning.