All over the district, mower decks are coming off tractors and snow blades and cabs are going on – the Facility Services team is preparing to battle the elements for another winter.Everyone in Facility Services helps in the effort – custodians, groundsmen, mechanics and supervisors all pitch in – often starting work at 3 a.m. or earlier during winter weather.
At MCC-Maple Woods, for example, the equipment being prepared includes two pickup trucks with blades, a Bobcat skid steer loader, five tractors of varying sizes with blades and brooms, and several types of spreaders. A unique feature of the Maple Woods operation is storage sheds that permit ice control sand and salt to be purchased in bulk and loaded into spreading equipment with front end loaders – saving time and money over the use of bagged products.
At MCC-Maple Woods, for example, the equipment being prepared includes two pickup trucks with blades, a Bobcat skid steer loader, five tractors of varying sizes with blades and brooms, and several types of spreaders. A unique feature of the Maple Woods operation is storage sheds that permit ice control sand and salt to be purchased in bulk and loaded into spreading equipment with front end loaders – saving time and money over the use of bagged products.
“During the winter of 2009-2010 we moved snow or treated for ice around 20 times,” said Jeff Allen, Superintendent of Facility Services at Maple Woods. “We have to take care of parts of the campuses even on weekends and the week between Christmas and New Years because tenant-occupied buildings and fitness centers are open. We hope that this winter, it is not required quite that often – the fun kind of wears off after the first few times. We pride ourselves on the campus drives and walkways being in better shape than surrounding public streets and business parking lots after a winter storm.”
“One thing folks may notice this winter season is that some sections of sidewalk may be treated with ice melters as we have done in the past, while other sections may be treated with sand only after some storms,” Allen said. “This is because quite a few sections of deteriorating sidewalk were replaced this summer, and it is recommended that the use of chemicals be kept to a minimum on concrete that is less than a full year old. As part of our district sustainability and green efforts we also will be testing some products this season that are designed to be gentler on both our concrete and the environment.”
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