Community Building

Concrete bollards protecting a sidewalk. Notice how the cement is painted the same color as the building, another option available with concrete bollards

By Gerald Dlubala

Bollards as protective devices have been used going back to the late 1700s, when the first ones were crafted using everything from heavy tree trunks to old, vertically planted cannon barrels to the modern concrete bollards used today.

As they have become more sophisticated, modernized, and more skillfully manufactured, concrete bollards are now more personalized and aesthetically appealing.

And even though bollards are used as barriers to keep pedestrians safe from vehicular traffic, they have become just as important in keeping motor vehicles out of specific

"Road diet" cities place more emphasis on pedestrians and bicycles than cars. Photo source: Sixthreezero.co

Whether you recognize it or not, wide, open roads psychologically trick you into driving a little faster and that is why cities are deciding to go on a "road diet."

Many roads in America are designed to accommodate a significant number of cars moving quickly, but sometimes the road is wider than is really necessary.

Downtown main streets are especially effected by this. As areas of high pedestrian activity, they are usually not accommodating to foot traffic or bicyclists, with high-speed roads and wide lanes taking up all of the space, leaving narrow sidewalks as an afterthought.

If drivers naturally feel like they need to increase their speed because the

An outdoor stone altar with wooden benches at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, CA

The members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, CA, wanted to create a special place outside their church where people of any faith would feel welcome to participate in everything from religious services and weddings, to concerts and poetry reading, sitting on wooden benches under a beautiful blue sky.

But what they created is no ordinary place. St. Stephen's Church succeeded in such a way that is sure to catch the attention of everybody in their community, along with

A couple lock their bikes to commercial bike racks near a facility. Developers can earn LEED credits for adding bicycle parking racks to their apartment or office buildings

Did you know that you can earn LEED credits for  providing commercial bike racks at your facility?

LEED is a highly recognized third-party verification program for green buildings—it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Its innovations are changing the way people think about planning and constructing buildings. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, an incredible 1.85 million square feet of space is certified daily.

Property managers, homeowners, CEOs of businesses, and all kinds of people are interested in earning LEED credits with a

Attention Architects and Construction Project Managers: The Park and Facilities Catalog is a leading supplier of commercial bike racks, products for bike rooms, aluminum bleachers and hundreds of other durable and attractive outdoor furnishing products for facilities and schools. Go here to see our complete catalog of