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PARKS SERVICE LEVELS

Public Works Department

May, 2019

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Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2

Overall Principles .......................................................................................................................................... 2

Parks Program 1 – Cemetery Operations ..................................................................................................... 3

Parks Program 2 – Open Space Turf Maintenance ....................................................................................... 4

Parks Program 3 – Playgrounds & Outdoor Venue Maintenance ................................................................ 5

Parks Program 4 – Tree & Shrub Maintenance & Horticulture .................................................................... 6

Parks Program 5 – Trail, Pathway & Sidewalk Clearing & Maintenance ...................................................... 7

Parks Program 6 – Litter & Garbage Control ................................................................................................ 8

Parks Program 7 – Service for Special Events ............................................................................................... 9

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Introduction During the 2019 Budget deliberations, Council directed Administration to prepare a presentation on Parks Service Levels, with an emphasis on how Parks maintain green space.

This document provides an overview of parks programs and highlights each of them in term of description, volume and demand, costs and service levels.

Overall Principles Several factors influence how service levels and associated performance criteria are set in a municipality. In Parks, they generally include:

1. Council’s direction 2. Legislation 3. Liabilities 4. Service requests 5. Best practice

Services provided by the Parks Unit are weather dependant. This means that the weather directly influence the volume, demand, costs associated with service levels. A dry season can result in reducing the need for grass mowing but may require watering or additional weed control. A series of windstorms can result in additional tree pruning/removals and branch clearing in the community.

General principles apply to the maintenance of green space:

1. The grass is kept shorter and mowed more often in popular areas such as public parks, City buildings, cemetery and sport fields than other areas such as natural areas, boulevard, and highways. The cutting height for a sport field is 60mm to 90mm while a highway roadside mowing is between 90 mm and 150mm.

2. Weed control service level follow legislative requirements. 3. Trees are cared based on size, species, location and condition. Trees on boulevard and parks are

maintained every 7 years based on specific clearance criteria and to ensure overall health, while highway buffer or natural areas are cared for as needed.

4. Shrub beds are maintained 3 times a year, with major work occurring in May/June, and lighter maintenance in the summer and fall.

5. Playgrounds, outdoor venue and trails are maintained to meet user demand, as well as to ensure user safety and address legislative or liability requirements.

6. Snow removal and ice control on City building, trails and sidewalks follows a priority chart. Higher priority is given to City buildings, and sidewalks on popular routes.

7. Litter and garbage control is prioritized based on volume and demand seen in public places.

The following sections describe the current seven Parks programs. Additional information and details are available through policy and procedures linked to each program and service level sections.

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Parks Program 1 – Cemetery Operations

1.1 Description

Maintain cemetery turf and infrastructure. Process requests to access sites, sale of plots and services. Open and close sites and provide access to columbarium areas. Manage cemetery expansion through the Cemetery Master Plan. Maintain records. Manage and operate in accordance with the Cemetery Bylaw and Cemeteries Act. 1.2 Inventory/Volume/Demand

Land 4.23 ha

Interment 3,628 plots

Cremation 288 niches

Gravel Road 1.5 km

Event / Request 100 per year

1.3 Resources

STAFF - FTE REVENUE EXPENSE NET 0.85 $82,000 $88,000 $-6,000

Note: Resources are not limited to the Parks business unit budget and may include other Public Works costs.

1.4 Service Level

GEN-038-A Parks Waste & Recycling Management

GEN-042-A Snow Removal & Ice Control

GEN-043-A Turf Installation & Maintenance

• Mowing: 1 time per week. • Waste Removal: 1 time per week. • Snow Removal: Priority 4. • Spring water: Pump surface water over 2 days. • Requests: Process about 100 requests/events per year, sale plots and services, open and close

sites during weekdays and weekends, within 2-business days’ notice.

https://www.fortsask.ca/uploads/7/Doc_636905928122194305.pdf?ts=636923000118973194



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Parks Program 2 – Open Space Turf Maintenance

2.1 Description

Maintain outdoor public open spaces through the scheduling and implementation of mowing, weed control, pest control, aeration, and fertilization programs. Liaise with community Minor Ball Association for the Maintenance Agreement and other groups as required. Review Area Structure Plans. Inspect new developments at Construction Completion Certificate (CCC) and prior to Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) is issued. Answer and address public requests and complaints.

2.2 Inventory/Volume/Demand

Sports Fields 16 ha

Park Turf 158 ha

High Profile 30 ha

Rural Road / Reserve 6 ha

Highway Buffer 167 ha

Highway Ditch 50 ha

Total 427 ha

2.3 Resources

STAFF - FTE REVENUE EXPENSE NET 7.81 $79,000 $713,000 $-634,000


2.4 Service Level

GEN-036-A Integrated Pest Management Program

GEN-043-A Turf Installation & Maintenance

• Mowing: Push Mowing, Cemetery, High Profile/Visibility Mowing, Parks Mowing and Sports fields: 1 time per week. Highway Buffer Mowing: 1 time per week. Secondary Roads and Reserves Mowing and Highway Road Side Mowing: 3 times per year. Nordic Ski Trails: 2 times per year.

• Weed Control: Applied as follows: High quality sports fields and high visibility areas: 3 weeds/m2. School, playgrounds and day cares: 6 weeds/m2. Parks and open Spaces: 6 weeds/m2; Highway buffers, ditches and secondary roads: 10 weeds/ m2. Landscaped and naturalized beds: number of weeds in relation to size of bed. Hard landscaping and undeveloped areas: As required.

• Vertebrate Pest Control: Moles: Action taken when 3 mounds/m2, with mound appearing overnight. Gophers: Action taken when 3 burrows/5m2, with consistent activity in the area.



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Parks Program 3 – Playgrounds & Outdoor Venue Maintenance

3.1 Description

Inspect and maintain toboggan hills, all outdoor ice surfaces, snowbank ice surface and all City playgrounds. Inspect and maintain all school playgrounds under the conditions of Reciprocal Use Agreements. Ensure facilities are safe to all users, and compliant with CSA standards. Liaise with School Parent groups to advise on acceptable playground equipment for new or replacement school playgrounds. Answer and address public requests and complaints.


Playgrounds 31

Outdoor Rinks 2

Snowbank Rinks 3

Toboggan Hills 5

3.3 Resources

STAFF - FTE REVENUE EXPENSE NET 5.27 $1,200 $454,000 -$452,800


3.4 Service Level

GEN-037-A Outdoor Rinks Maintenance and Repair

GEN-039-A Playground Installation & Maintenance

GEN-041-A Toboggan Hill Inspection Repair & Maintenance

• Toboggan Hills: Pre-season inspection for hazard and clean up: Once a year. Post season inspection for clean up: Once a year. In-season: weekly inspection for hazard and clean up.

• Boarded Outdoor Ice Surfaces: Daily: inspect and ice surface, board and associated amenities located at RCMP Park and Mowat Park. Staff on site: 7 days per week. Public hours: 4 pm to 9 pm weekdays; 1 pm to 8 pm weekends and holidays.

• Snow Bank Ice Surfaces: Weekly: inspect and maintain snow banks ice surfaces. Clear and flood surface as required. Public hours: 6 am to 11 pm.

• Playgrounds: Weekly routine inspection and maintenance from May 1 to August 31. Monthly, in depth inspection for hazards. Scheduled inspection by third party auditor every 3 years. Compliance CSA inspection upon installation of new playground.




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Parks Program 4 – Tree & Shrub Maintenance & Horticulture

4.1 Description

Inspect and maintain shrub beds, newly planted trees, all boulevard trees, park trees, highway buffer trees, River Valley trees and annual City flower program. Respond to tree and plant damage caused by extreme weather conditions. Perform tree removal and stump treatment/removal. Manage the annual tree replacement program. Review Area Structure Plan. Inspect new development at Construction Completion Certificate (CCC) and prior to Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) is issued. Apply prioritization schedules in relation to areas, functions, trees/plants and weather conditions. Answer and address public requests and complaints.


Trees 20,000 +

Shrub Beds 887

4.3 Resources



4.4 Service Level

GEN-040-A Shrub Bed Installation & Maintenance

GEN-044-A Tree Installation & Maintenance

• Shrub Beds: 3 major inspections/detailed maintenance per year, spring, summer and fall. • New Trees: To be maintained (watered, staked, trimming, removal of leaves and litter, weeding,

and mulch…) for 2 years. • Boulevard trees: Pruning to give 14 feet street clearance and 10 feet sidewalk clearance, every 7

years. • Park trees: To give 10 feet mowing clearance, every 7 years. • Highway Buffer Trees: Inspected annually. • River Valley Trees: Inspected bi-annually as part of trail inspections. • Electrical Pruning: 7 meters clearance, as per Fortis notification. • Tree Removal: As required.



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Parks Program 5 – Trail, Pathway & Sidewalk Clearing & Maintenance

5.1 Description

Remove snow, sand and rocks from walking trails, sidewalks and City buildings to provide safe access and activities to users. Apply prioritization schedules in relation to areas, functions and weather conditions. Inspect and maintain trails and pathways by grinding, crack filling and asphalt patching. Direct contractor for large asphalt repairs. Liaise with Nordic Ski Club for Track Setting Agreement. Answer and address public requests and complaints.


Paved Trails 77 km

Sidewalks 22.5 km

5.3 Resources

STAFF - FTE REVENUE EXPENSE NET 5.57 - $537,000 -$537,000


5.4 Service Level

GEN-042-A Snow Removal & Ice Control

Trail Snow Clearing Map

• Priority 1: City Buildings and Median, within 24 hours of snowfall. • Priority 2: City sidewalks S1 route, within 24 hours of snowfall, except on Sundays and holidays.

S2 Route, within 48 hours of snowfall. • Priority 3: Bus stops, as soon as priorities 1 and 2 are complete. • Priority 4: Cemetery, Monday to Friday, no weekends or holidays with the exception for a

request for a large funeral. As soon as priorities 1, 2 and 3 are complete. • Priority 5: Trails (T1, T2 and T3 routes), Monday to Friday, as soon as priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4 are

complete. • Priority 6: Boarded ice surfaces, within 24 hours of snowfall. May be forgone by Priorities 1-5. • Priority 7: Leisure ice surfaces, within 24 hours of snowfall. May be forgone for Priorities 1-5.


https://www.fortsask.ca/en/living-here/resources/Documents/Trail-Snow-Clearing-Map.pdf

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Parks Program 6 – Litter & Garbage Control

6.1 Description

Empty and maintain in all outdoor public spaces waste receptacles and dog bags. Apply prioritization schedules in relation to areas, functions, and special events. Follow regular routes and waste pick up schedules. Litter picking throughout City. Answer and address public request and complaints.


Receptacles 505

Dog Bag Dispensers 68

Benches 375

Bollards 218

6.3 Resources



6.4 Service Level


• Outdoor rinks: Daily, during season. • Wetlands, parks open spaces, city trails, schoolyards and non-school playgrounds: 1 time per

week. • Downtown, highway, Bulk Water Station, dog Park, Henderson Park and River Valley trails: 2

times per week. • WRE Pavilion & site, and Spray Park: 2 time per week or 3 times per week, during peak season.


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Parks Program 7 – Service for Special Events

7.1 Description

Support approved City and public events hosted in outdoor public places. Review event permits for compliance. Remove garbage bags and waste from event site.


Special Events 54

7.3 Resources

STAFF - FTE REVENUE EXPENSE NET 0.98 - $67,200 -$67,200

7.4 Service Level


• Event Permits: Review Special Event permit within deadline provided by Special Event Coordinator.

• Garbage Control: Provide garbage receptacle as required in event permit. Empty receptacles and remove waste from event site on following weekday.

• Canada Day / Legacy Park Family Festival: Provide 2-4 staff to manage waste on site.
