Surveys of city residents show they overwhelmingly approve of spending more money on improving bicycle infrastructure in their towns

By Erica Puisis

Make way for more bicycles - plus bike lanes and outdoor bike racks, in cities across the United States.

As two-wheeled commuters, errand-runners, and leisure riders continue to increase the number of bikes in cities of all sizes, the demand for bike infrastructure continues to grow.

The collective pedal power of these cyclists is more than just eco-friendly. It can be economically-friendly also since communities and businesses that support a biking lifestyle can attract new residents and customers who value an outdoor-oriented lifestyle.

What are the benefits to embracing the bicycle movement, and how can cities meet the unique infrastructure challenges posed by an increase in bicycle traffic? These questions and more have been tackled by metropolitan areas in every corner of the country.

Mayors add outdoor bike racks and bike infrastructure

Metal picnic tables from The Park and Facilities Catalog at a community in La Palma, California. These tables are treated with a special thermoplastic coating that resists ultraviolet rays to prevent fading in the hot sun

Picnic tables are generally the most important outdoor site furnishing you will place at your park or facility.

People will interact with these commercial site furnishings the most and they will make the greatest impression about your park, school grounds, outdoor restaurant area, HOA common areas, campgrounds, theme parks, universities or business campus.

Why not install picnic tables on your grounds that are appealing and inviting?

The tables should be easy to maintain and keep clean since this is where people will be eating.

And they also need to be a safe and trustworthy place to sit.

Since outdoor picnic tables will be exposed to the elements 24/7, it is critical that these furnishing can withstand the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, heat, moisture, temperatures,

The Park and Facilities Catalog now offers a new line of high-quality aluminum bleachers in several sizes and styles

The Park and Facilities Catalog is pleased to announce it now offers a new line of high-quality aluminum bleachers manufactured in a newly-built, state-of-the-art 70,300 sq. ft. facility.

The bleachers come in a variety of sizes such as 3-row, 4-row, 5-row, 10-row and 15-row and are all manufactured in the USA with top-grade anodized aluminum plank seating.

"We are very excited to be able to offer these aluminum bleachers to our customers," said Chris Luyet, Vice President and General Manager of The Park and Facilities Catalog. "The craftsmanship and detail that goes into designing and manufacturing this selection of aluminum bleachers is just superb. This assures our customers that they are installing top-tier bleachers at their facility."

The plant follows strict 5S workplace practices and features state of the art laser cutting, welding, warehousing and packing stations.

Commercial bike racks in the shape of bicycles. Bike parking racks can now be ordered in any shape imaginable. These unique bike-shaped bike racks were added to the city by the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District

Cities are finding out that when people see more bike share programs and commercial bike racks around town, they start to think about riding their bicycles more as an alternative means of transportation.

It's a simple chicken and egg on a bike premise. For example, one woman recounts about how she noticed a large bike parking corral in front of her favorite coffee shop. There were several bicycles locked to the bike parking racks installed there.

That prompted her to think, "Wouldn't it be fun to ride my bike to get coffee in the morning instead of driving?"

That's how the proposition of adding more commercial bike racks and bicycle infrastructure works. When people see how easy it is to bike around town, they start bicycling around town.

Commercial bike racks add to the perception

Picnic table called the picNYC table includes the grass. Photo courtesy of Haiko Cornelissen Architecten - Amsterdam

By Erica Puisis

Picnicking on picnic tables is an occasion for food, fun, and frivolity enjoyed by people of all ages worldwide. During the summer months, even more people are finding time to take their favorite snacks to the great outdoors. While many of these picnics take place at standard picnic tables dotting parks and city centers, there are some more unusual pieces of furniture that make for an interesting outdoor dining experience.

The picnic table well-known and well-loved is often a simple wooden or metal table, accompanied by long benches on either side. These simple surfaces have seen parties and potlucks, feasts and fun, and more graduation parties than you can count. They've evolved over the years into different shapes (round, square, ADA-accessible, and more), and have been made of many different materials - including metal, concrete, recycled plastic, aluminum,

Metal benches with a thermoplastic coating and expanded steel surface are an effective way to deter vandals

Metal benches are one way park and facility managers can fight back against vandalism committed by idle teens during the summer months.

Many parks and recreation departments across the country face this challenge every year. When school is out some teens decide to occupy their time by defacing or destroying park outdoor furniture.

Take Ashland, Ohio for example.

That park system faces an onslaught on a regular basis.

Nearly every week the park crew pulls a picnic table out of a creek (perhaps it's time to add concrete picnic tables. They have to be installed with a forklift).

Then the crew spends time cleaning up and repairing wooden benches. These acts of vandalism have negative consequences for any parks and recreation department or also for facility managers at malls or restaurants with outdoor seating.

For one, the graffiti and ugly drawings must be removed immediately. Most times

Metal picnic tables and metal benches are some of the best choices for outdoor school furniture because of advances in thermoplastic coating technology

Metal picnic tables and metal benches are the smarter choices for outdoor school furniture because of the intense wear these products are subjected by students every semester.

Kids. You got to love them. They are capable of making a mess without even trying.

Spilled grape juice boxes all over the table. One side of a peanut butter sandwich stuck on a bench.

Let's face it. Students are a rough bunch. Of course, most of their destructive ways are unintentional. But it happens.

What's a school facility manager or administrator to do?

Fight back, with sturdy, thermoplastic coated metal picnic tables and metal benches.

Wooden picnic tables and benches are traditional but they do require maintenance and care.

Concrete picnic tables are super-durable, like a concrete bunker, but you need a forklift to set them in place and after that, they are

The ultimate location for a picnic table in honor of National Picnic Month in July

By Erica Puisis

Summer is in full swing, and there is no better time than now to grab your picnic blanket or stake your claim at one of the local park picnic tables for an afternoon or evening of food and fun!

July is National Picnic Month and green spaces near and far are filling up with hungry nature-goers seeking a break from the demands of day-to-day life with a simple meal taken on the go.

Where did the idea of the picnic originate, and how has the concept been transformed over the years? Read on for these answers, and tips to plan your own picnic party to celebrate National Picnic month.

How the concept of dining on picnic tables came to be

While picnics have been advertised, romanticized, and commercialized over the years, the start of this simple tradition dates back to hunting expeditions of the Middle Ages. Affluent hunters engaging in a day of sport would bring a meal to enjoy in the great outdoors.

Picnic tables in the education area at the Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center at the popular Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Visitors to the Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center will now be able to sit on new wooden picnic tables to learn about the vital role these little flying workers play in the world's ecology.

The world-renowned research center is part of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum at the University of Minnesota in Chaska, MN.

The arboretum covers 1,137 acres and offers an amazing display of gardens, trails and natural areas with 5,000 different species of plants. It is considered to be one of the premier horticultural field laboratories and public display areas in the world and was named Best Botanical Garden in the country by USA Today's Reader' Choice Awards.

The bee studies at the center are generating quite a bit of "buzz."

In case you didn't know, bees play an incredibly important role in creating our food supply. It is estimated that as pollinators, bees contribute

 

More and more people and organizations are turning to the idea of placing memorials benches in public places as a tribute to local relatives and those who contribute to the betterment of the community

By Gerald Dlubala

The use of memorial benches as structures to honor someone is becoming more common among individuals, groups, and organizations.

We've all walked by, or perhaps even sat on, a smartly placed park bench in our local park and noticed a nameplate or plaque on the bench, designating it as a bench for an historical event, local good Samaritan, or outstanding park fundraiser, supporter, or donor.

Their legacy lives on because of a funded or donated memorial park bench, installed in a public place for all to see, take notice, and remember.

Memorial benches have caught on in a big way, and are now being erected by diverse groups for a number of unique circumstances and occasions.

Today it's not just municipalities and government organizations funding a memorial for a city leader

July is National Park and Recreation Month and a time to get outdoors and appreciate your national, state and local parks and the effort that goes into providing these open, green spaces for all to enjoy

July is the time to get out of the house, replace your desk with a picnic table and your office chair with a park bench.

Every year, this month is officially designated as Park and Recreation Month by the National Recreation and Park Association.

How important are parks to Americans?

According to the NRPA:

There are 108,000 parks in the US, ranging from gigantic national parks to tiny pocket parks. Americans visit a park about 29 times a year. Nearly 60% of respondents to a survey said the main reason they visit a park is to spend time with family and friends. 48% said they go to parks to be closer to nature. 52% reported they visit a park to exercise or do a physical activity. About 75% of Americans would support increased spending for parks and recreation. Seven out of 10 Americans

Bill Golson, Parks and Recreation Director for the Village of Palm Springs, stands with the new set of 10-row aluminum bleachers recently added to the sports complex

The Village of Palm Springs in South Florida recently upgraded a set of their aluminum bleachers and now local residents have a bright new place to sit under a welcome shade canopy.

Bill Golson, Parks and Recreation Director, said the 10-row bleachers were installed to replace older bleachers at the field and they feature new improvements in design and safety. The new seating also includes fencing at the back and sides plus handrails in the center aisle.

"They are going to be safe and functional for many years to come," Golson said.  "We can have peace of mind and our safety concerns will be alleviated."

The bleachers are located at the village's main ball field complex at 226 Cypress Lane in Palm Beach County which features four fields. The multipurpose field is usually busy not only with baseball games, but also hosting

There are some very interesting facts surrounding the Fourth of July in the US

When families venture out this Fourth of July to gather at picnic tables in local parks, barbecue on grills and wait for the fireworks to start, consider these interesting and strange facts surrounding the Independence Day holiday.

The Second Continental Congress actually approved a resolution of independence from Great Britain on July 2, not the fourth. The first official Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia, on July 8. The signing of the Declaration of Independence started on July 4, 1776, but most historians believe it was actually completed a month later. The British didn't hear of America's declaration until Aug. 30. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the only signers of the Declaration of Independence to later serve as presidents of the United States. They both died on the same day. That day was July 4, 1826. As Adams was dying, he apparently claimed that at least "Jefferson survives."

 

The "Fund Your Park" crowdfunding platform from NRPA makes it easier for groups to raise money for park improvements and furnishings

With advancements in fundraising technology, the ability for people to improve parks and other recreational facilities in their towns is now a whole lot easier.

That's because there is now a park fundraising program that not only helps them collect funds but shows them how to conduct a successful fundraising campaign.

"Fund Your Park" is a "crowdfunding" program offered by the National Recreation and Parks Association. The online platform can be a game changer when it comes to empowering people to improve their communities.

At first glance, the web-based service is similar to crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe or Kickstarter.

NRPA's program allows participants to create their own web page to promote the project, upload photos, and videos and collect payments. When a person makes a donation, they automatically receive a receipt letting them know their donation

Two friends on a buddy bench

Buddy bench - that simple solution to schoolyard loneliness - is catching on across the country in a number of interesting and heartwarming ways.

What is a buddy bench? Most of you by now have heard the buddy bench story. The concept was made popular in the US by first-grade student Christian Bucks after he learned about the idea from a school in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The youngster's family was scheduled to move there after his father's company planned to transfer him there.

While looking at the school's website, Christian noticed a peculiar bench that seemed to continually attract students.

Turns out, the bench was the school's official "buddy bench." It's designated as a place where a student can sit if he or she feels lonely. Then other students notice this and are encouraged to visit the student and help them make new friends.

Very straightforward, right? Christian's family never moved to Germany and the young man returned to his old school at Roundtown