Page 7 - Commercial Site Furnishings

More towns are implementing Adopt-A-Park programs to keep their parks clean and foster more involvement by local citizen

What's one way to keep your local park clean and help out your community with just a few hours a month's efforts?

What about this idea?  Adopt-a-park.

More and more parks and recreation departments are implementing the benefits of Adopt-A-Park programs.

The concept is a simple one.

1. Allow groups to organize and focus on cleaning or "adopting" one park or a section of a park in town.

2. Provide them with some simple materials - gloves, trash bags, rakes, trash receptacles, etc.

3. Give them some direction, eg, "Please focus on cleaning up this area over here. We've had quite a few birthday parties recently and there is trash strewn all around the picnic tables."

4. Reward the group with a nice sign acknowledging their efforts.

Hundreds of towns across America are promoting this Adopt-A-Park concept.

Participation in Palm Beach County program growing steadily

In Florida,

Jose Grosfeld, kennel technician and Leighan Vinciguerra, administrative manager, stand next to dog park equipment donated by The Park and Facilities Catalog to Big Dog Ranch Rescue

The Park and Facilities Catalog recently donated several pieces of  dog park equipment to Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee. Fl.

Their motto is "Big and small, we save them all."

 The spacious facility is truly an outstanding place for dogs. Since it started 10 years ago as Florida Weimaraner Rescue by local resident Lauree Simmons, and later expanded to help all breeds, the non-profit has rescued more than 19,000 of our furry friends.

In fact, Big Dog Ranch Rescue is the largest no-kill, cage-free dog rescue facility in the Southeast.

On a daily basis, the organization rescues dogs from shelters, unwanted litters or people who can no longer take care of their pets.

The group has also gained recognition for helping to rescue dogs from hurricane-damaged areas in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.

According

A catered meal on a picnic table or a blanket in a favorite park is the newest trend to hit major metro areas

Catering has become a popular concept for corporate events, graduation parties, family reunions - and now you can order a catered meal on a picnic table or a blanket in your favorite park.

Catered picnic services are popping up in some of the most iconic parks and cities across the world.

You can enjoy a gourmet meal packed on a picnic table with all the essentials delivered to a spot of your choosing in locations such as Central Park in New York City, London, Paris, and Sydney, Australia.

Gourmet food delivered to you in some of the most beautiful locations in the world isn't cheap though - most catered picnic services charge a premium for the convenience and charm of having a hand-delivered picnic.

The convenience is worth the cost, though. In many instances, the picnic will be brought to you in your chosen spot complete with everything you need for the meal. And when you're done,

Clever strategies to keep those trash receptacles filled

According to Keep America Beautiful, one of the bad aspects of litter is that it encourages more people to litter. Researchers from KAB observed that if people see garbage scattered around public or commercial trash cans, they tend to drop their litter on the ground nearby.

This is why it is imperative that cities mount aggressive and clever anti-litter campaigns and provide more trash receptacles for people to get rid of their trash. Several cities as indicated in the infographic above have instituted innovative anti-litter programs that have had very positive results.

Toronto public officials gave people a big jolt when they saw negative words spelled out with garbage. In Hong Kong, municipal officials claimed they could track down litter-bugs through the use of DNA (not true). But it did catch the attention of the local populace and made them think twice about littering.

Another good idea is to tap into the artistic community

Here's an idea. Try visiting parks later in the day and enjoy quiet time dining on picnic tables in front of an awesome sunset

Who says you can only enjoy meals on picnic tables in a park from 10 a.m. to 4 pm?

If you think about it, there are several reasons why other times can be just right for a picnic at your favorite park!

While picnic tables are usually filled with food and festivities during early hours, a picnic at dusk can be the perfect time to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature while enjoying your favorite meal al fresco.

So before you make plans to fill those picnic tables at high noon, consider these three reasons to host an evening picnic for two or twenty later in the day - and some tips to make it fun for everyone!

Picnic tables are more available

If you need a little more motivation to actually pack up your car and head to the park as the sun is setting, think about these three reasons why an evening picnic is a great idea:

Fewer people. Peak park hours tend to mean crowded

Elevated aluminum bleachers provide better "sightlines" for spectators to see the field of play

One of the most important factors to consider when ordering aluminum bleachers is a term referred to as "sightlines."

The word is bleacher industry jargon that refers to a spectator's ability to view the action on the playing field without obstructions. Those sightlines might be the ability to see over the person seated in front of them or spectators walking back and forth in front of the bleachers.

As you know, not everybody sits still during a sporting event, especially a school sporting event. Restless teenagers walk up and down the aisles, stroll back and forth in front of the bleachers, hang out in back of the stands and then repeat those steps during every time out and halftime.

There is actually an algorithm for sightlines in aluminum bleachers. The vertical distance from someone's eyes seated in the stands is called the C-Value. Factors that go into the formula include D- the horizontal

The Park and Facilities Catalog announces the introduction of its latest bicycle parking rack invention - the space-saving MK1 Bike Dock.

The MK1 Bike Dock has a unique, patent-pending design that helps bicycle planners park a large number of bicycles in locations where space is limited. Those locations typically include universities, colleges, schools, urban areas and office complexes.

"We know the challenges that architects and planners face when they need to provide bicycle parking for hundreds if not thousands of bicycles," said inventor Chris Luyet, Vice President and General Manager of the Park and Facilities Catalog. "So we designed the MK1 with the smallest footprint possible to accommodate a large number of bicycles and to create an atmosphere that encourages more people to RIDE than drive."

The MK1 Bike Dock keeps bikes upright

What makes the Mk1 so unique? For one, size. Unlike larger traditional commercial bike racks such as Wave racks or Grid racks, the Mk1 is only 10.5" wide

The construction forecast for 2018 is positive due to support from such factors as growing GDP and low interest rates.

The construction forecast for 2018 is certainly looking like a positive one, as several upbeat indicators point to a strong economy next year.

Let's start with the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This number reflects on the nation's economic outlook in general. And that outlook is a bright one.

Starting with the Great Recession in 2008, here's a rundown of the annual GDP.

2008: -.3%

2009: -2.8%

2010: 2.5%

2011: 1.6%

2012: 2.2%

2013: 1.7%

2014: 2.6%

2015: 2.9%

2016: 1.5%

2017: this is when the tide turned. In the second quarter of the year, the GDP took off to 3.1%. For the third quarter, the GDP ticked even higher at 3.2%. After a strong holiday season, the number for the fourth quarter should be very promising.

A strong economy certainly creates an atmosphere for a strong outlook for construction overall.

Here's another factor that will foster growth - mortgage rates. That

"Sandi" the world's only 600-ton sand Christmas Tree created by the city of West Palm Beach. This is the time of year to show appreciation for all the effort by municipalities to create festive holiday events for the public

When people think of Christmas and the Holiday Season, they usually think of families gathered in a cozy home around an inviting fireplace.

But what about all the fantastic holiday displays and events that your local parks and recreation departments, city crews and retail centers work so hard to put together every year?

The lights, decorations, parades and fireworks shows! These are big attractions in every community and take quite a bit of hard work by local parks and recreation crews to put together.

Most of these events are truly fantastic and a great excuse to get that family OUT of the house during the holidays.

Park holiday events have 90% participation rates

Here are just a few of them:

1. San Jose, CA, puts on a "Christmas in the Park" event that breaks records.

Ilia Evans, a mechanic with the "Jack the Bike Man" charity in West Palm Beach, Fla., holds two galvanized outdoor bike racks donated by The Park and Facilities Catalog

The Park and Facilities Catalog recently donated three outdoor bike racks to the "Jack the Bike Man" non-profit organization in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The charity was started more than a decade ago by Jack Hairston, a retiree who one day happened to notice a man struggling with a broken bike.

Jack pulled some tools out of his garage and fixed the front brakes on the bike. The grateful man told his friends and afterward some of them brought their bikes to Jack to be repaired. Eventually his backyard started filling up with a steady stream of broken bikes and Jack kept on repairing them.

Word about Jack spread. Not only throughout the local community, but also the local news media. Fast forward to today and Jack the Bike Man now operates out of a gigantic warehouse on Florida Avenue and employs a handful of people who gather,

Vlad Gawlikowski, Health, Sports and Fitness Coordinator with the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County stands with the outdoor bike racks donated by The Park and Facilities Catalog

The Park and Facilities Catalog recently donated two outdoor bike racks to the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County.

This worthy cause is making a difference in the lives of young people. There are 13 Boys & Girls Club facilities in the county and they serve more than 8,000 children ages 6-18.

The first Boys' Club was started in 1860 by three women in Hartford, CT. Since then more than 4,000 clubs have been established across the country serving more than 4 million boys and girls.

One of their most famous alumni, Denzel Washington, is a spokesperson for the organization.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County were founded in 1971.

The idea behind the not-for-profit is to promote education, vocation, health leadership and character in a safe and nurturing environment.

According to their website, "The

Great quotes about the joy of sitting on park benches with a beautiful view

The following is a collection of sayings about park benches and what this simple little seat means to so many people.

1. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spates of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops. - Maya Angelou 2. A bench in the street can be a good writer because all kind of material comes onto it like a heavy rain! ― Mehmet Murat ildan 3. Always find a time to sit on a humid autumn bench to feed the poor birds or to think the dying leaves! ― Mehmet Murat ildan 4. There's something very enticing about an empty bench under a tree. And if it's facing a river, that's the bench for me.― Joyce Rachelle 5. They sat on a park bench, held hands, and told each other their stories hour after hour. They were not lonely anymore.

How to enjoy a winter picnic - at least you know there will be plenty of picnic tables available with great views

This winter, why not plan to go to the park where you will have plenty of space to move about and your choice of picnic tables?

The change of seasons is sweeping across the country, and winter may be settling in - but don't pack up your picnic gear just yet!

A winter picnic is a great way to get outside and enjoy the season.

You'll need to dress a little warmer and plan your menu and activities a little differently, but dining al fresco on picnic tables in a park during the winter can be a fun and exciting activity to brighten up the season.

Why picnic tables in the winter?

You might be wondering why you should embark on a winter picnic when temperatures are falling and daylight is dwindling. There are actually a number of factors that make winter a great time for a picnic, including:

- Plenty of choices: How many times have you visited a park during the summer only to find

Make your aluminum bleachers stand out with powder-coated colors

By Gerald Dlubala

Powder-coated aluminum bleachers turn your stadium or event venue into an eye-catching, color-matched, personalized, home-game event.

By adding a color aspect to standard aluminum bleachers, your venue seating will take on a personalized look and feel because you can choose the color.

What better color to choose than those of the team that calls your field their home. Powder-coated, custom-colored bleachers allow you to show off your creative side by being the artist in erecting a unique aluminum bleacher structure customized for your fans and teams.

What exactly is powder coating

Powder-coating is a process similar to painting. But instead of wet paint spray, you are spraying a finely ground (think baking flour) mixture of paint pigment, polymer resin, leveling agents, and other additives.

That mixture of powdery particles is electrostatically charged, making them attracted to the intended part of the structure

In a study commissioned by the EPA, it was determined that using plastic picnic tables and other plastic lumber is a recommended way to "green" a landscape product

It's an ongoing argument - buy traditional outdoor furniture such as wooden picnic tables for less or pay more for plastic picnic tables and save later on maintenance costs.

Both products have their plusses.

But in several studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, researchers found several compelling reasons to use plastic picnic tables and plastic lumber as a "greener" and smarter alternative to wood.

Plastic picnic tables save resources and create jobs

Here are some of their arguments:

1. Variety - Recycled plastic scrap is now being manufactured into a wide variety of landscaping products and not just for plastic picnic tables or recycled plastic benches. Those other uses include guardrails, posts, bollards, parking stops, speed bumps, signage, barricades, fences, retaining walls, decking, gazebos, boardwalks,