Technology is making life a little easier—and a lot more efficient—at Midlakes Schools, where new robotic equipment is helping maintain athletic fields and clean the pool with precision and speed.
A Tiny Mobile Robot Pro X, deployed this summer, is now striping sports fields using GPS-guided templates, while a Wave 200XL robotic vacuum is keeping the new pool surface spotless—all while saving time, water, and labor.
“We’re saving quite a bit of time on the athletic fields, and we’re saving water with the pool robot,” said Ryan Tilburg, Director of Facilities for the Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District.
On the field: GPS-driven precision
The field robot uses pre-programmed templates for soccer, lacrosse, football, baseball, and softball. Once set up, the robot “scurries” across the grass, painting lines with impressive accuracy—finishing a football field in under a half-day. That same job used to take up to three days using manual guidelines.
And it’s not just for turf: the robot can also be loaded with different paint to re-stripe parking lots and bus loops, a time-consuming summer job for maintenance crews.
“Our campus is used widely by the community,” Tilburg said, noting that in addition to Midlakes teams, the Phelps Community Center and Clifton YMCA youth leagues also rely on the fields.
In the pool: cleaner, smarter, and more efficient
Meanwhile, in the Aquatic Center, the Wave 200XL robotic vacuum is diving into the deep end—literally.
“This can cover the entire pool in about three hours, easily and efficiently,” said Jack Hauber, Director of the Aquatic Center. The robot launches itself into the pool, uses rubber fins to move, and cleans using reusable filtration baskets—no extra pumps or water loss needed.
It operates after hours and requires minimal supervision. And unlike human scrubbing, it avoids wear on the new pool surface, helps prevent rust stains from fine debris, and ensures a more consistent clean.
The tech has also allowed Midlakes to extend the use of its facilities to more groups, including the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department and community swim programs.
High-tech, high-impact
Between prepping 125 acres of greenspace, maintaining gymnasiums and learning spaces, and handling back-to-school prep, summer maintenance is a crunch. These robotic helpers are freeing up staff and enhancing service for both students and the community.
“It’s kind of crazy, when you stop and think about where we are with this technology,” Tilburg said. “But this is the type of thing that allows our facilities to be used to the maximum of their hours of operation.”
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