By John Dwyer, Food Service Director, YMCA Camp Chingachgook At Camp Chingachgook, we use Earth Tub Technology for group composting. (And if you come to the maintenance conference in March you can see it in person!) It’s a composting program for … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Example-Property
You have a good paper map that you hand out to guests and campers. How about posting the map AT the lake so it’s easy to see? Here’s an example at Trillium Lake in Oregon. It’s simply put the map … Continue reading
Is Preventive Maintenance (PM) worth the time and effort? YES! Here’s an anonymous, true story that shows: 1-the importance of PM, 2-how PM can be shown to save money, and 3-how PM systems can work (using the manufacturer’s recommendations, developing … Continue reading
Do you have an old waterline part that is no longer in service? Make a sculpture! Possible uses for a sculpture: Educate people about your waterlines Thank a waterline funder (add plaque) Ask people to compute their water consumption based … Continue reading
Here are some clever ideas for pavilions: 1) counters around the sides, 2) electrical outlets for crock pots and other items, 3) LED overhead lights in ceilings to extend the daylight, and 4) picnic tables that are accessible. Click on … Continue reading
Whenever a volunteer group (and sometimes even licensed contractors) come to CrossRoads, we end up supplying tools to finish the job. At the end of the day or at the end of the weekend, everything can get mixed together. To … Continue reading
Often, participants are bringing their own water bottles and filling them on site. Is it easy for them to fill their bottles? In a recently modeled building, the Warren Willis Camp, installed regular drinking fountains with a second spigot to … Continue reading
When Camp Stevens in Julian CA, was re-building their structures damaged by the fires, they continued their efforts to have art included in every building. For example, behind the sinks in an outdoor bathroom area is a mosaic. Several buildings … Continue reading
At Camp Winacka, this new straw bale welcome center includes a metal interlocking panel system that has a 50-year life span and is fire rated. Other buildings are scheduled to have a cement-based siding material (also fire rated). Text and … Continue reading
Take a look at your Web site. Are there enough photographs to showcase the beauty and inspiration of the buildings? Will guests positively anticipate their arrival to your property? Below are some tips to consider for photographs: Show more than just … Continue reading
At Lake Yale, each of the cabins looked alike, with the same paint color, building size, and layout. This made the camp look institutional, which was far from the atmosphere the camp was trying to create. For about $200, the … Continue reading
Silver Bay YMCA in New York is in the midst of a capital campaign. To educate guests about the projects, they have erected several signs throughout the property. Each sign is located in an area that has a specific capital … Continue reading
Birding is one of the more popular hobbies for people. Do you make it convenient for people to identify birds while they are staying at your site? Here is a great way to educate–make a tri-fold brochure. It’s also a … Continue reading
Outdoor properties are doing great things with making their sites green or greener. And yet, if you visit the organization’s Web site, it’s rare to find a page with a summary of what they are doing. Benefits of describing your … Continue reading
Are your trails marked for your guests to easily follow? Are the construction materials easy to maintain? Many years ago, it was common practice to blaze trails by cutting into the inner bark, permanently scarring the tree (shown on left). … Continue reading