Behind the scenes: the work that keeps RDCO parks thriving

When visitors arrive at an RDCO park, they’re greeted by beautiful landscapes, clean facilities and well-maintained trails. What often goes unseen is the dedicated operations team working every day behind the scenes, to make those experiences possible.

The operations team, consisting of labourers, operators, facilities, infrastructure and bylaw staff, are the backbone of RDCO Parks. They ensure each site is safe, accessible and ready for the community to enjoy. Their work begins early and spans everything from routine maintenance to urgent repairs, often across large and diverse landscapes.

Early starts and constant care

Each day starts with crews heading out to inspect parks, check facilities and address any issues that may have arisen overnight. On high-use corridors like Mission Creek Greenway, this might include clearing fallen branches after overnight winds or checking trail conditions during spring runoff.

Regular tasks like garbage collection, trail grooming, vegetation management and infrastructure upkeep are essential to keeping parks functional and welcoming. At parks such as Reiswig Regional Park, this also means maintaining busy picnic areas, beaches and turf spaces that see constant summer use. These tasks may seem simple at a glance, but across dozens of parks, they require careful planning, coordination and persistence.

Keeping parks safe and accessible

Safety is a top priority. Crews monitor for hazards such as fallen trees, erosion or damaged infrastructure and respond quickly when issues arise. In areas like Scenic Canyon Regional Park, this includes monitoring slopes, assessing rockfall concerns and maintaining narrow natural trails with a low-impact approach.

Accessibility is equally important. Whether maintaining smooth pathways, ensuring clear signage or upgrading amenities, the goal is to keep parks inclusive for all visitors. Along the heavily used Mission Creek Greenway, ongoing work on bridges and boardwalks helps ensure the route remains safe and accessible for everyone.

Supporting parks from the ground up

Much of the work that keeps parks running happens out of sight. Beneath the surface lies a network of infrastructure, including water lines, irrigation systems and utilities, supporting everything from washrooms to landscaped areas.

At parks like Kaloya Regional Park, underground utilities quietly power day-use areas while preserving the natural lakeside setting. Meanwhile, irrigation systems at locations such as Reiswig Regional Park help maintain green spaces through the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers.

Crews rely on a wide range of tools and equipment to manage this work. From hand tools used for detailed trail repairs in places like Scenic Canyon to ride-on mowers and utility vehicles maintaining open spaces at Reiswig, to specialized equipment navigating steep terrain in Kalamoir Regional Park, these tools are essential to keeping parks in top condition.

Responding behind the scenes

Many of the most critical tasks happen without public awareness. When a washroom issue is quickly resolved, a trail is cleared after windstorms or a broken bench is quietly repaired, it is the result of proactive attention and responsive action by these staff members.

The team also supports seasonal transitions. In spring, they prepare parks for increased use by inspecting infrastructure, addressing winter damage and readying amenities. During peak summer months, the focus shifts to high-frequency maintenance and visitor support. In fall and winter, crews manage leaf removal, weather impacts and seasonal closures while planning improvements for the year ahead.

Investing in aging infrastructure

RDCO recognizes that some park infrastructure is aging and requires renewal to continue meeting community expectations. Operations teams are actively assessing assets across the system and prioritizing upgrades based on safety, accessibility and long-term value.

The approach focuses on smart, phased investment. Amenities are modernized as efficiently as possible while making the best use of available funding. This includes improvements to washrooms, utilities, irrigation systems and other core infrastructure using more durable and sustainable designs.

At Kaloya Regional Park, for example, upgrades to day-use areas and facilities help address growing demand. Along Mission Creek Greenway, aging bridges and boardwalks are reinforced or replaced over time. In more rugged parks like Kalamoir, improvements are carefully planned to maintain the natural character while enhancing long-term durability.

Where possible, these upgrades are coordinated with broader park improvements to reduce costs and minimize disruption. While renewal takes time, work is continuously underway to ensure parks remain functional, reliable and ready to serve the community now and into the future.

Pride in the details

What truly defines the operations team is pride in the details. A freshly maintained trail, a clean picnic area or a smoothly functioning facility may go unnoticed by most visitors, but these are the touches that shape the overall experience.

Every cleared pathway, repaired structure and maintained landscape reflects a commitment to stewardship and public service. The work is physical, often demanding and sometimes unpredictable, but it is driven by a shared dedication to keeping RDCO parks safe, beautiful and accessible for all.

See something? Say something.

Visitors play an important role in helping keep parks safe and well maintained. With such a large and diverse park system, operations crews rely on timely public information to help identify issues that may not be immediately apparent during routine inspections.

If you notice something that needs attention, such as a damaged trail, a fallen tree, a broken facility, an irrigation issue or a safety concern, reporting it helps crews respond quickly and prioritize repairs.

Reports can be made through RDCO’s website or by contacting the parks team directly. Providing details such as the park name, location within the park and a brief description helps ensure the issue can be addressed as efficiently as possible.

This shared stewardship helps maintain the quality of RDCO parks and supports a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

A quiet commitment

Many of the most important tasks happen without notice, including quick repairs, early morning preparation and ongoing maintenance that keeps parks operating smoothly. Whether it is restoring a washed-out trail, maintaining a busy waterfront park or managing sensitive natural areas, operations crews are constantly adapting to the unique needs of each site.

The next time you visit an RDCO park, take a moment to appreciate the work that makes it all possible. From visible care to underground systems, the operations team is always at work, ensuring these spaces remain places of connection, recreation and pride for the entire community.

Their work may happen behind the scenes, but its impact is everywhere.