Parks and recreation agencies come in all shapes and sizes. And at some point, all of them will come across challenges or problems. Despite how varied parks departments are, they have a lot of the same issues arise.

In this article, learn six common challenges park maintenance teams face and some ways other agencies have successfully approached them.  

Parks and recreation agencies require effective communication to ensure the smooth running of their programming, special events, and everyday operations. Countless interpersonal interactions occur throughout the day, yet communication remains one of the greatest challenges within many organizations. 

Winter often brings more people to indoor recreation facilities. The weather conditions, additional programming, and increased foot traffic can all impact how staff maintain these facilities.

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.  

Investing in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software can be an exciting time for a parks and recreation agency.

But it can also be a stressful transition. 

Hopefully, summer provided a wealth of experiences and memories for your playground visitors. The extra traffic often means that work needs to be done to ensure the playground remains in good, usable condition. 

You found new parks maintenance staff that will be an excellent fit for your team. Ideally, you want them to get into the flow long-term. 

So what happens when a new maintenance staff joins the agency? What type of maintenance onboarding is available for them?

In the perfect world, our park maintenance budgets would have the funds to complete everyday operations, necessary repairs, and improvement projects. However, the reality of limited budgets has many maintenance managers making tough decisions about what needs to get done and what needs to be deferred until more funds are available. 

Park maintenance is the backbone of a dynamic parks and recreation agency. The varied duties of a parks maintenance worker help ensure that recreation programming, special events, and visits to parks and facilities are safe, positive experiences for the public.

Let’s explore park maintenance and better understand its critical role for parks and recreation agencies.

Most people work better when they have a clear path to follow–when they understand what needs to be done and why. 

Unfortunately, some teams aren’t as focused on their agency’s short and long-term goals. They may come to work and do what they believe is right but still fall short of the agency's overall vision.