Winter clouds fill the skies and trees are bare, but it certainly isn’t time to hibernate for the staff at the St. Charles Park District. Winter is a time to care for the blossoms that will greet park visitors in the spring, tune up mowers, give a fresh coat of paint to the picnic tables and keep parks in shape for winter visitors.

When it comes to managing 67 parks, three community and activity centers and approximately 1,500 acres of land, there is no quiet time, said Laura Rudow, superintendent of parks and planning for the St. Charles Park District.

“We’re busy all year round, but in the winter it’s a different kind of busy,” Rudow said.

Starting in the fall, the crews begin tackling maintenance projects, from repairs at the pools to equipment repairs for mowers that need their blades cleaned and sharpened. The St. Charles Park District has its own fleet technicians to oversee repairs and preventative maintenance.

When the temps turn chilly outside it’s warm and humid inside the park district’s greenhouse where it grows many of its own plants. The landscape designers develop sketches for the landscape beds, and the grounds grew starts with seedlings to bring ideas from paper to plantings that will be ready by spring.

“It’s really impressive how all the plant beds are designed,” Rudow said, adding that each design is carefully considered for its colors, textures and what will work best for each location. Most park districts do not have their own greenhouse and must rely on wholesale purchases for their plantings.

“They’re growing plants all year,” Rudow said.

When fluffy white flakes begin to accumulate children aren’t the only ones dreaming of a snowy day. Snowfall means park district crews are busy prepping sled hills and clearing pathways. The park district brings in temporary lights so families can enjoy sledding for a few hours in the evening. The park district also places up temporary fencing, to help keep those sledding safe.

Rudow said a few years ago the park district began clearing some of the interior park pathways for visitors to continue to enjoy a walk through the park and it has proven a welcome treat.

“We try to pick a park location in the east, west, north and south,” Rudow said.

And park district crews monitor forecasts for cold temps to support the temporary outdoor ice rinks. Rudow said the conditions for supporting the outdoor rinks includes at least seven to 10 days of below freezing temps.

Colder temps and the frozen ground are a good time for outdoor maintenance as crews spend time in the natural areas to clear away dead trees, prune as necessary, Rudow said. With the ground frozen, it’s easier to move heavy equipment into the area.

Winter is also an important time for planning as Rudow and her staff have lots of paperwork to prepare, reviewing bids and projects.

“Come May and April we’ll be able get started as soon as the ground is thawed,” Rudow said.