SportsTurf

August 2012

SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.

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Facility&Operations ByRobert Kravitz up the windows to begin ventilating the area, removed what was salvageable, and then looked for a wet/dry vacuum system to soak up the water. However, like many gyms, this facility did not have a wet/dry vacuum or any equip- ment that could be used to remove the water. Although the manager knew a wet/dry vac- uum was called for, he did not know specifi- cally what type of machine was needed, where to turn for advice, whether the neces- sary equipment must be purchased or could be rented, how to rent a machine, or what to look for in the machine once located. Equipment renting options for inside facility managers A 24-HOUR GYM in the Chicago area decided to fudge a bit on its "always open" commitment and close at 10 pm on Saturday and Sunday. According to the manager, there simply were not enough late night users of the gym, lo- cated in a downtown business section of the city, to warrant the 24-hour week- end staffing. However, if the change had been post- poned just a couple of weeks, a serious problem likely could have been averted. On a Saturday night shortly after the cutback decision was made, a leak developed in the plumbing in the deserted men's locker room. By Sunday morning when the gym reopened, the locker room was flooded 24 SportsTurf | August 2012 with several inches of water that was find- ing its way to the floor below. The manager, who rushed to the scene, was not only astute at running a gym but also savvy about this kind of construction emergency. He and his staff turned off all water to the gym, located the source of the water damage, called the plumber, opened THE RENTING OPTION As with most gym facilities, the man- agers of this gym had purchased its entire inventory of most frequently used cleaning tools and equipment—everything from cleaning cloths and chemicals to vacuum cleaners and a floor machine, used mainly to scrub tile floors. However, especially when emergencies arise, managers should also know what types of cleaning tools and equipment are available, where to get them, and whether it is best to purchase the equipment or simply rent it. Managers should purchase equipment that is used on a regular basis. This does in- clude vacuum cleaners and floorcare equip- ment—any tool or machine that is used from a couple of times per month to daily. However, for equipment used less fre- quently than this, renting might prove to be a better and more cost-effective option. This is true for the following reasons: • Renting allows users to test before they buy. Cleaning a gym can be demand- ing, and not all tools and equipment are up to the job. It is often a good idea to test different machines and models first to find those that are best up to the challenge, perform well, are ergonomically designed making them easy to use, and are most cost effective. • Renting may allow for tax savings and tax simplification. In most cases, renting cleaning equipment can be treated as a simple business expense; rarely does depre- ciation, maintenance, or other tax-related issues come into play when renting equip- ment. www.sportsturfonline.com

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