Maintenance & Operations

Photo: Project for Public Spaces, Inc.

A significant portion of any park budget goes to simple tasks like lawnmowing and trash-emptying - which means that developing an efficent, cost-effective M&O system is critical for an overall park budget.

• Conducting a System-Wide Park Assessment

  Examples and strategies adapted from Portland Parks & Recreation's Parks Assessment Summary.

• Rating New York's Parks and Playgrounds

  New York City's Park and Recreation Supervisor Henry Stern walks us through an evaluatory process to rate the city's playgrounds.

• Graffiti Primer

  An overview of important graffiti issues facing park planners and managers, from the Urban Parks Institute.

• What Role Can Maintenance and Operations Play in Creating Safer Parks?

  Advice and strategies on using maintenance and parks staff to enhance perceptions of security. From Toronto Parks & Recreation's Planning, Designing and Maintaining Safer Parks

• Management Innovation Results in Cleaner City Playgrounds

  Thanks to quicker detection of problems and the use of welfare workers, New York City's playgrounds are cleaner and their equipment is in better structural condition. A Success Story from the Urban Parks Institute.

• Local Churches Pitch in to Maintain Indianapolis Parks

  A Success Story from the Urban Parks Institute.

• Maintenance Partnerships: Sample Agreement

  Parkway Partners, a New Orleans parks nonprofit, offers a sample agreement used with organizations or individuals who wish to provide park maintenance.

• Zone Gardening: A Report from Central Park

  A change in management style helped Central Park make dramatic improvements in its overall park maintenance.

• Clean-Up Crew: Pocket PC-Packing Students Take Stock of City Parks

  In Hartford, CT, the City Scan Project equips ordinary citizens with high-tech tools to help them improve their neighborhoods and cities. From Government Technology magazine.

• Outsourcing

  A relatively new concept in the urban park business, outsourcing is now a high-growth industry. A chapter from Trust for Public Land's Local Parks, Local Financing.

• The Greening of Chicago

  Chicago Park District CEO David Doig discusses land acquisition, revenue generation, and how to outsource operations effectively in this interview conducted by Peter Harnik, author of Inside City Parks. Courtesy of the Trust for Public Land.

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