Chicago Park District

Parks Improve Locker Room Facilities and Patrons' Experience

Challenge

The Chicago Park District spans across more than 7,300 acres of parkland, 552 parks and 33 beaches, as well as museums, conservatories, wildlife gardens and historic lagoons. The vast Chicago park system has a network of more than 220 facilities. Many are recreation centers that have become the cornerstone of neighborhood activities that range from senior events to early childhood programs and after-school activities including swimming, basketball and gymnastics.

After years of service, the old metal lockers in most of the recreation locker rooms were falling apart. For its renovation efforts, the Chicago Park District sought out a durable, yet attractive locker solution that would give the facilities a more modern look and protect patrons' belongings. The existing lockers had been painted numerous times and were dented, corroded and rusting from the damp restroom and locker room environment.

Solution

Over the last several years, the Park District began replacing its traditional metal lockers in high-use facilities with new solid plastic Lenox™ Lockers manufactured by Bradley Corp. Lenox Lockers were initially specified for maintenance reasons - plastic lockers never need to be painted, will not rust and the textured surface can be easily wiped clean with everyday cleansers.

Most recently, the lockers at Independence Park have been replaced. Lenox Lockers were specified for the project based on the district's experience with the lockers in about 25 previous installations. They have proven to be durable enough to withstand the everyday abuses and will stand up to Independence Park's 400-500 daily users.

According to Anthony Hayes, project manager in facility management for the Chicago Park District, "Bradley's plastic lockers have been a money saver for the district, and we have not had any maintenance problems. We're very pleased with them."

The district has found that replacing the old lockers is a cost-effective way to update its facilities, while solving many traditional locker problems and helping to reduce maintenance time and costs. Solid plastic lockers and benches are an innovative solution for today's locker rooms because they are available in a range of sizes and colors, and can be easily customized for each individual application.

Locking Out Maintenance and Vandalism

Bradley product supplier, Larry Cirincione of Division 10 Supplies in Wood Dale, Ill., says updating the old metal lockers has been a priority for the district. "The lockers at facilities with swimming pools have been the primary focus because of the heat, steam and rust issues," said Cirincione. "Vandalism in public areas is also a concern, and the feedback we have received from the Chicago Park District has helped improve the Lenox Locker line."

Based in part on the district's input, Bradley developed a patented, full-length latch bar that prevents tampering along the entire length of the door. The Lenox Lockers also have an ergonomic, ADA-complant handle which operates with less than five pounds of force. The handle is secured through the door latch bar with stainless steel security screws. The one-piece locker box is designed to be rigid and secure.

"The new lockers are clean and modern - they have improved the look of our locker rooms and ensure the safety of users' belongings," added Hayes. "They also improve the overall atmosphere. Our patrons keep the lockers rooms cleaner because the facilities look great and they want to keep them that way."

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