Preparing for Winter Weather

With snow-covered trees and hanging Christmas lights, the winter season can be quite the wonderland. However, salt-covered shoes and slick sidewalks can be a disaster for community rec centers. To avoid disaster striking, your facility needs to properly prepare for the winter weather.

While ensuring your facility is clean and safe, Scott Hammonds, the facilities director of the Hanover Area YMCA, said the winter preparation should not interfere or affect members’ use of the center.

There are many things to do in order to prepare for the winter weather, both inside and outside of your facility.

Below are a list of things Hammonds does to prep the outside of his facility:

• Put down rock salt on the sidewalks.
• Place snow shovels inside all entryways.
• Clean all lawn equipment, fill with gas, add stabilizer and put away for the winter.
• Fill all gas cans.
• Inspect all snow blowers and winter equipment to ensure it’s ready for use.
• Make sure there are extra pins for blowers.
• Mark corners of soccer lines with plastic stakes.
• Put away trash cans that are on outdoor fields.
• Clean out the gutters.
• Check outside lighting.
• Drain outside water lines.

Below are a list of things Hammonds does to prep the inside of his facility:

• Set/check thermostats throughout facilities.
• Preventative maintenance on HVAC units.
• Buff floors throughout facilities.
• Order extra neutralizer for cleaning floors after people have come in with rock salt on their feet.

Taking preventative measures for the facility can be a lot of work, but in the long run it’s a valuable investment for your facility. Preparing in advance will ensure safety, be more cost efficient and overall will create a space where members feel safe.

Hammonds final winter prep tips are, “Pre-inspect equipment, keep plenty of fuel and have extra pins for snow blowers on hand.”