Glencoe Campus Snow Removal
Whether you love it or hate it, here in Illinois, snow is a regular happening through
three seasons. Here’s the 4-1-1 on snow removal on the Glencoe campus:
• The Horticulture staff—who are responsible for clearing snow from Garden
paths—rotate being “on call” for weekends, holidays, and during Lightscape.
Otherwise, they typically start removing snow at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Because ice-melt products have a negative effect on plants and some of the
hardscape paths, we primarily use sand to address slippery areas. All staff are
advised to be sure their footwear is appropriate for winter conditions when
coming to work and walking around the Garden.
• There is a separate snow removal program for roads and parking lots, which is handled by the
Construction and Maintenance department. Stakes with reflector tape mark the edges of turf where
roads curve and help both guide the snow drivers when working in the dark and minimize damage to
the turf from their plows.
• And of course, working in cold weather is plenty challenging. Tim Johnson, senior director,
Horticulture, provides these Garden guidelines:
o As the “feels like” temperature drops below 0 degrees, the snow removal process will slow down
as staff need to take more warming breaks. This also can happen when temperatures are much
warmer if the staff get wet from the snow.
o When the “feels like” temperature approaches the -10 degree range, some paths may not get
opened, especially by any specific time.
o Once the “feels like” temperature drops to -15 degrees or lower, snow removal operations will
cease until the weather warms up.
o There will be more impact on weekends when the snow removal team is much smaller.