Bentonville Parks and Recreation
2018 A NNUAL REPORT
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CONTENTS
Our Team
2
Letter from Director
4
Mission
5
Facilities
6
Parks
8
Trails
9
The Cool Stuff
10
Financials
14
Maintenance
18
Advisory Board Chris Sooter
Mike Power
Cortney Carlson
Steven George
Courtney Schaefer
Tom Butrynski
Craig Gilbert
Whitney Sutherland
Michelle Malashock
Our Team David Wright
Crant Osborne
Lee Farmer
Amanda Brothers
Emily Krol
Josh Stacey
Rick Brown
Bobby Hinton
Gerry Mendoza
Katie Beaver
Rick Gaddie
Chris Cuchia
Hayden Bough
Kelsey McIntyre
Ryan Ward
Chris Flores
Jerome Todd
Kyle Dixon
Scott Mendenhall
Chris Kester
Jimmy Hutchinson
Kyle Payne
Steve Parker
Cody Batchelder
Jimmy Walden
Layne Hyatt
Tracy Acosta
Dana Torczon
John Casson
Michael Thomas
Zach Skinner
Danny Bartlett
John Francis
Michael Van Horn
Devin Strickland
Jorge Chavez
Patrick Morrison
2 | OUR TEAM
Hello Friend, It is my pleasure to present to you Bentonville Parks and Recreation’s 2018 Annual Report. This report highlights the many successful park projects and recreation programs completed by our team this year. These programs, events and projects are the result of remarkable support from our citizens, along with strong partnerships with other government agencies, non-profits and local businesses. In 2017, the Play Bentonville Plan provided a number of recommendations for our team to take that would position Bentonville to become American’s next great park city. These improvements included tournament quality ballfields, a continuous trail on the west side of Bentonville and park development west of Walton Boulevard. Projects like the Citizens Park pavilion and amphitheater, 28th Park master plan, construction of the Applegate Trail and the renovation of the Memorial Park ballfields; we took a great first step to achieving the goals of the parks master plan. In closing, I am very thankful of the great people I work with on a daily basis. These individuals, are true servants of our community and have one common goal, which is to enrich the lives of our citizens. They are motivated, not by paychecks, but by seeing people enjoying our parks and facilities. If you see them while visiting one of our facilities, please reach out and express your gratitude as well. Thank you for your continued support of Bentonville Parks and Recreation. Sincerely, David Wright, CPRP Bentonville Parks and Recreation Director
Fun:
Enjoyment, amusement or lighthearted pleasure. The children were having fun in the park.
- Google Definition
4 | LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
OUR MISSION
Our Mission "To Enrich Lives Through Recreation, Leisure and Culture"
Our Vision Bentonville Parks and Recreation is the choice provider of recreation, leisure, and culture. Our parks, trails, programs and events make Bentonville a premiere destination for residents and visitors. The parks system and its beauty encourage active lifestyles and enhance quality of life for citizens. We shape the character of Bentonville with parks, greenways and trails that are sustainable, well-maintained and safe. As an innovative organization, Bentonville Parks and Recreation offers comprehensive and diverse recreation programs for people of all ages, abilities and interests.
5 | OUR MISSION
FACILITIES
Bentonville Community Center 1101 SW Citizens Circle 84,000 square foot facility Family Leisure Pool, Indoor Water Park, Competition Pool, Fitness Center, Gymnasium, Indoor Track, Kids Center, Locker Rooms, Multi-Purpose Rooms, Arts and Crafts Room
Downtown Activity Center 215 SW A Street 8,400 square foot facility Wellness Studio, Conference Room, Locker Rooms, Lobby Area, Department Administrative Offices
Lawrence Plaza 214 NE A Street 7,000 square foot multi use facility Splash Park with water jets during summer months Ice Skating Rink during the winter months
Melvin Ford Aquatic Center 2000 NE Memorial Park Square 75,000 square foot outdoor aquatic facility Olympic Size Pool, Wading Pool, Locker Rooms, Dive Well, Concessions Area
6 | FACILITIES
13 | THE COOL STUFF
PARKS
Austin-Baggett Park One-acre park with playground, pavilion, and picnic area Bark Park/Bike Playground Nine-acre park with dog park, childrens bike playground, and restroom facility Bella Vista Lake 132-acre park with trail, pavilion, fishing lake, and playground Citizens Park 35-acre park with multi-purpose fields, trail, pavilion, and amphitheater Dave Peel Park Two-acre park with pavilion and playground Downtown Bentonville Square One-acre park serving as Bentonville’s city center. Durham Place Park .4-acre neighborhood park with playground Enfield Park 2.5-acre neighborhood park with pavilion and open turf area Gilmore Park One-acre park with playground and picnic tables Lake Bentonville Park 20-acre park with pavilion, playground, and fishing lake Memorial Park 73-acre park with tennis, basketball, volleyball courts, soccer, baseball, and softball Merchants Baseball Park Eight-acre baseball complex with concession facility Old Tiger Stadium Six-acre park with track and multi-purpose field Orchards Park 16.5-acre park with walking trails, tree orchard, pavilion, amphitheater, and pond Park Springs Park 14-acre park with pavilion, soft surface trails, and playground Phillips Park 40-acre park with baseball complex, multi-purpose fields, concessions, and playground Slaughter Pen Mountain Bike Park 27 miles of single track trail with restroom facility Town Branch Park one-acre park with gazebo Train Station Park .4-acre park with gazebo Wildwood Park 1.5-acre park with tennis complex, pavilion, and playground
8 | TRAILS
TRAILS Applegate Trail 1 mile trail that connects 3rd St. to 8th St. Arkansas Missouri Trail .75 mile trail that parallels the AR/MO Railroad Bella Vista Lake Trail 1.75 mile hard surface /2.5 mile mountain bike trail Citizens Park Trail 1 mile paved trail at the Bentonville Community Center Crystal Bridges Trail 1 mile trail including sculptures and the Sky Space Downtown Trail 1.5 mile trail downtown connecting to Razorback Greenway Enfield Park Trail .21 mile connects Greenway to Enfield Park and to Crystal Bridges Memorial Park Fitness Trail 1 mile trail at Memorial Park Moberly Lane Trail 2 mile trail that connects to Memorial Park Trail NE J Street Trail 1.23 mile trail connecting to Memorial Park North Bentonville Trail 2.2 mile trail that is part of the Razorback Greenway Park Springs Park Trail 2.5 mile trail through wooded areas with a natural spring Slaughter Pen Mountain Bike Trail System 27 (+) mile mountain bike system – Silver Level Ride Center South Bentonville Trail 2.5 miles connecting Bentonville trails to Rogers trails Tiger Trail 1.5 miles of trail connecting N. Bentonville trail to NE J Street Trail Town Branch Trail 1.1 miles of trail traveling through downtown neighborhoods Trail of Two Cities 1.5 mile trail connecting SW Bentonville to Razorback Greenway North Walton Boulevard Trail 2.5 mile trail running length of N. Walton Boulevard Wishing Springs Trail 1.5 miles of trail connecting Slaughter Pen to Bella Vista
9 | TRAILS
THE COOL STUFF
Synthetic Turf Installation Memorial Park softball fields underwent a project converting four infields from dirt to turf. This project brought the fields to a tournament quality level; a goal of the Play Bentonville Plan.
Citizens Park Pavilion Using funding from impact fees, a new 1,600 square foot pavilion was added with a 17-space parking lot adjacent to the recently completed one-mile loop fitness path that circles the perimeter of Citizens Park. The lighted pavilion features four large picnic tables.
Citizens Park Stage A 1,650 square foot stage was added on the west side of the Bentonville Community Center. The stage will have a variety of uses such as, weddings, small concerts, fitness classes, and performances.
Melvin Ford Aquatic Center Staff performed a complete renovation to the mechanical and filtration systems at Melvin Ford Aquatic Center. The new mechanical system will provide a higher quality water for swimmers, use less power and require fewer daily maintenance hours to run the system.
10 | THE COOL STUFF
THE COOL STUFF
Lighting of the Square The holiday light display features 25 miles of lights hung on trees, light poles and covering the ground of the Downtown Square. The Lighting of the Square event saw over 10,000 patrons and the display receives tens of thousands of visitors each holiday season.
An Evening at Orchards Park Our Independence Day Fireworks Celebration is held on the 4th of July at Orchards Park annually. Over 10,000 guests gather each year for great music, food, and the biggest firework show in Northwest Arkansas.
11 | THE COOL STUFF
THE COOL STUFF
8th and J Street Tunnel Project Through a $1.65M grant, the Parks and Recreation Department worked with the Transportation Department to construct a new tunnel at the intersection of 8th and J Street. The tunnel, which will eventually have three access points, allows pedestrians and cyclists to safely maneuver through the 8th and J Street intersection. This improvement saves cyclists and pedestrians up to ten (10) minutes during a commute.
Parking Lot Maintenance The parking lots at Orchards Park, Memorial Park Soccer, Memorial Tennis, Memorial Skateboard and Memorial T-ball were resealed and striped at a cost of $42,000. This project will help prolong the life of the parking lots.
Orchards Park Stone Work Native stone was installed at Orchards Park. The stone borders of the landscaped area will contain mulch and grass lines providing a clean, natural look.
Phillips Park Fencing An existing two-rail wooden fence around the play structure and pavilion was replaced with a 5 foot black vinyl commercial grade chain link fence. This new fence will help provide a safe environment for children and other patrons by protecting them from adjacent drives and parking lots. 12 | THE COOL STUFF
THE COOL STUFF
Halloween Spooktacular The first annual Spooktacular took place at Citizens Park and featured a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting and decorating stations, and inflatables. A live DJ, Touch-A-Truck event, candy, treats, and glow bracelet giveaways was capped off by the showing of Hotel Transylvania 2. Over 1,200 patrons attended the event in its first year.
Swim Meets The Melvin Ford Aquatic Center hosted several meets including the Arkansas State Long Course Swim Meet. This swim meet is a qualifier for Sectionals and features hundreds of swimmers from the region.
Easter at Orchards Park This annual event features 40,000 Easter eggs, inflatables, and games at Orchards Park. Over 4,500 adults and children attended this event in 2018.
USSSA Midwest National Fastpitch Championship There were 66 teams represented in this year's tournament representing 12 states. The opening ceremonies were hosted at Arvest Ballpark which featured a double header baseball game played by NWA Naturals. The teams also participated in a parade around the field. This event generated an economic impact of almost $1M. 13 | THE COOL STUFF
FINANCIALS
2018 Revenue
Cost Recovery We aimed to continuing a sustainable revenue growth rate, as growth caused expenses to compound and ultimately increase from the previous year. The success has caused an increase in recreation participation,
$3,960,176
increasing the revenue for the department. We achieved a cost recovery rate of 62% in 2018 which was led by impact fee funding. This will provide future funding of capital projects. The National Recreation and Parks Association compares at an average rate of 29%, ranking us among the top departments in the nation.
62% Cost Recovery
OPERATING 46% Operating 46.4%
EXPENSES
$6.3
PERSONNEL 54%
MILLION
Personnel 53.6%
14 | FINANCIALS
FINANCIALS
Economic Impact SPORTS PROGRAMS $2,178,338
Total 2018 Economic Impact $2,934,554
COLLEGIATE SPORTS $88,193 RUNNING/CYCLING EVENTS $668,023
Economic Impact Growth From 2014 - 2018 4,000,000
3,000,000
$2,975,039
$3,093,290
$2,934,554
$2,422,797
2,000,000
$1,399,220
1,000,000
0
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018 15 | FINANCIALS
FINANCIALS
Program and Event
SPECIAL EVENTS 10.7%
ADULT PROGRAMS 8.4%
415,756 Participation
FITNESS PROGRAMS 25.3%
We host several free community events during the year including Easter at Orchards, In the Park Series, Halloween Spooktacular and Frosty's Flicks. Over 19,000 people participated in these community events in 2018.
YOUTH PROGRAMS 48.7%
COMMUNITY EVENTS 6.9%
ADULT PROGRAMS 1.4% YOUTH PROGRAMS 30.9% COMMUNITY CENTER 50.4%
Department
$3,960,176 SPECIAL EVENTS 14.8% FITNESS PROGRAMS 2.4%
Revenue
Revenue is generated through program and event registrations, rentals, membership revenue and sponsorships.
16 | FINANCIALS
MAINTENANCE Maintenance
50,240 Hours Worked
ATHLETIC 14% TURF/TRAIL 37% FACILITIES 19%
The maintenance department totaled over FIFTYthousand hours of maintenance to parks, trails, ball fields, and facilities in 2018.
Preventative
72% Maintenance
Major Accomplishments 310 trees planted in parks 16,000 tulips planted in parks 2,500 trees pruned and mulched 1,976 hours spent on event support 5,594 annuals and perennials planted 748 playground inspections completed 3,091 hours of Christmas light installation 6,300 hours of trail maintenance completed 2,522 ballfields prepared for sports programs $24,900 in savings from greenhouse operations
18 | MAINTENANCE
LANDSCAPING 11% SANITATION 20%
Downtown Activity Center 215 SW A Street Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 464-7275 www.playbentonville.com
Bentonville Community Center 1101 SW Citizens Circle Bentonville, AR 72713 (479) 696-0200 www.playbentonville.com
Lawrence Plaza 214 NE A Street Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 271-3390 www.playbentonville.com
Melvin Ford Aquatic Center 2000 NE Memorial Park Square Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-9206 www.playbentonville.com