Annual Report 2021 by City of Billings Parks and Recreation Department

2021 Annual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS Orgizational Chart Who We Are Developing our Parks Celebrating our Newest Community Park Improving our Parks Upcoming Projects Maintaining our Parks Maintaining our Playgrounds Maintaining our Trails Events in our Parks Engaging our Community Community Gardens Communicating with our Community Urban Forest & Natural Areas Mountview Cemetery Keeping Billings Active Staying Cool at the Pool We Make Aging Fun! Patrolling our Parks

OpƟmist Park

1 2 4 6 7 10 14 17 17 18 19 22 23 24 28 32 39 41 42

Parks & Recreation Department Director: Michael Whitaker Customer Service Coordinator

Administrative Support II

Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Park Police Officer

Park Planner

Parks, Urban Forestry & Cemetery

Recreation & Senior Services

Parks Superintendent

Recreation Superintendent

Parks, Supervisor

Parks, Cemetery Supervisor

6 Senior Equipment Operator/ Maintenance Workers

1 Senior Equipment Operator/ Maintenance Workers

9 Equipment Operator/ Maintenance Workers

2 Equipment Operator/ Maintenance Workers

3 Recreation Specialists

Forestry/ Natural Resource Supervisor 1 Arborist

Recreation & Wellness Specialist Recreation & Wellness Support II

Facility Maintenance Support II

1 Mechanic

50 Park Seasonal Employees Mowers, Bathroom Attendants, Forestry, Park Attendants, Trash Collector, Cemetery Attendants

Recreational Seasonal Employees 75 35 20 100 Aquatic Staff

Camp Counselors

Fitness Instructors, Special Interest

Seasonal Coaches Referees

Who we are

Our Mission To provide accessible, safe and quality parks, facilities, open spaces and recreational opportunities for all.

Our Vision To be Montana’s Leader in connecting people, nature and healthy lifestyles.

Who we are

of Billings Residents Believe Parks and Recreation is an Essential Service.

of Billings Households responded they Have used a City Park in the past 12 months.

(National Benchmark is 79%)

- 2017 Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Comprehensive Master Plan

Developing our Parks Poly Vista Phase 1 Development The Parks and Recreation Department and the Landon’s Legacy Foundation have collaborated to develop the first phase of Poly Vista Park. This phase of development will include important park infrastructure improvements, laying the groundwork for fully-accessible park features. Development includes mass grading of the site, paving parking areas, installing accessible sidewalks and walkways, construction of an ADA accessible restroom facility, and replacement of the irrigation system at the existing four baseball fields.

Budgeted Amount: $1,000,000 Project Expenses to Date: $775,092

Landon’s Miracle Field Most notably, phase one will include the installation of Billings’ first Miracle League Baseball Field, a special needs baseball field built with customdesigned rubberized turf that accommodates wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment. A Miracle Field will provide significant opportunities for individuals who experience physical or mental disabilities that exclude them from other baseball leagues.

Developing our Parks

Poly Vista Groundbreaking Ceremony Construction of the project kicked off this fall after a Groundbreaking Ceremony held in September. The project is expected to continue through the winter, weather allowing, and conclude in late spring, early summer 2022. Planning for the Grand Opening of Poly Vista and Landon’s Miracle Field is currently in the works.

Miracle League of Billings The Recreation Division is working closely with Landon’s Legacy Foundation and The Miracle League to develop programming of the new field! Recreation Staff is exploring opportunities to offer a non-competitive spring and fall season for children, as well as adults. Miracle League games are typically two-innings long and provide a chance for all players a turn at bat. In non-competitive games, everybody hits, everybody runs, and everybody scores each inning! Parks and Recreation will also work with community partners to arrange volunteer opportunities as “Buddies” to help with the games. For more information, or to register a player, go to the Parks and Recreation website, BillingsParks.org. To learn more about Landon’s Legacy Foundation, go to landonslegacy.com.

Celebrating our Newest Community Park

Centennial Park Grand Opening This past summer, we celebrated the completion of the first phase of development of Centennial Park! Centennial is our newest Community Park and Billing’s second dedicated Dog Park! The grand opening celebration took place on June 5th and included dog demonstrations, food trucks, live music, an inflatable obstacle course, games, and more! The event began at noon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the

First Park Arboretum

Second Community Dog Park

official opening, followed by festivities for the whole family. This event was made possible by the members of the Centennial Park grand opening planning committee and our generous event sponsors: Century 21 Hometown Brokers, Mayor Bill and Anne Cole, SCHEELS, Faith E Church, Dee-O-Gee, Gordon and Robin Olson, and Little Horn State Bank.

Additional Parking & ADA Accessible Sidewalks

ADA Accessible Restrooms

Open Turf Space for Community Events & Atheltics

Improving our Parks Rose Park Playground Replacement In the summer of 2020, Billings’ citizens had a chance to take part of the selection process for the new playground equipment at Rose Park through an online voting competition. A series of playground design concepts were presented through an online portal and citizens were able to place their votes for their preferred playground design. There were over 700 votes cast and the winning design was installed in the park. The Parks Crew removed the old playground

equipment and performed site preparations to save money on the project. The installation began in early January and was completed in Spring of 2021. The project received a matching Land Water Conservation Fund grant in the amount of $150,000.

Budgeted Amount: $420,000 Project Expenses to Date: $402,122

Coulson Park Phase 1 Staff is currently working on the first phase of development at Coulson Park. This work will include the location of an ADA-accessible modular concrete restroom structure, a boat ramp, parking, and a picnic area. Due to a 2 year construction project on the I 90 bridges over the Yellowstone River adjacent to Coulson Park, the north end of Coulson Park will be used as construction staging. This will delay the project until the bridges are replaced.

Budgeted Amount: $110,000 Project Expenses to Date: $3,550 7

Improving our Parks Terry Park Playground Replacement Terry Park will soon have new playground equipment! and will begin installation, weather pending, when the Terry Park is a neighborhood park located near 5th installer becomes available. We anticipate the project Street West and Terry Avenue. This park is very will be complete in spring of 2022. popular, especially in the summer time, because of the splash pad and playground. However, many of the play features at the current playground have been removed because they are either obsolete or unsafe. Existing play features are aging rapidly, dramatically reducing the play value of the equipment. This past summer, the citizens of Billings were able to help choose the new playground equipment that will be installed at the Park through a voting contest held on Facebook. Over 1,200 votes were cast with 84% choosing the winning concept as their preferred playground design! The new playground will include features that are accessible and inclusive, so that Budgeted Amount: $300,000 children of all abilities can play side-by-side with their Project Expenses to Date: $190,808 friends. We are awaiting the arrival of the equipment

Terry Park Picnic Shelter The Terry Park picnic shelter is completed! Located near the playground in the southwest corner of Terry Park, this new picnic shelter will be a great asset to the community for family gatherings and other events. The shelter will be available for reservation on the Billings Park and Recreation website, Billingsparks.org, or on a first-come, first-served basis. The funds used to purchase and install the shelter were generated from of a cell phone company purchasing the right to install a tower at the fire station near the park.

Budgeted Amount: $50,000 Project Expenses to Date: $48,485

Lillis Park Playground Replacement The playground at Lillis Park will also be replaced this coming spring/summer Concepts of new playground equipment were voted on by over 1,200 people in the same way Terry Park playground equipment was selected. This will be a welcome upgrade to this busy neighborhood park.

Budgeted Amount: $300,000

Improving our Parks Optimist Park Improvements Work is underway to build a new picnic shelter at Optimist Park. A contractor was selected and the shelter materials are being ordered. Improvements to lighting in the park will also be included in this portion of the porojects. The site work began this past fall and will be completed in Spring of 2022. Additionally, Public Works staff is assisting the Parks and Recreation Department to design and build two parking lots on the west side of the park. The northern parking lot will be accessible from Mitchell Avenue and will have approximately 48 stalls. The South Billings Urban Renewal Association (SBURA) is partnering with the Parks and Recreation Department to fund these projects. The parking lot project will go out for bid over the winter with an anticipated spring construction time-frame.

Budgeted Amount: $804,978 Project Expenses to Date: $138,502

Riverfront Park Road Paving Another section of Riverfront road was completed in June of 2021. The City Engineering Division managed this project for the Parks Division. This is the third section completed, leaving just one more portion to complete the road down at Riverfront. The last section is in the 2022 CIP, completing the Riverfront Road and parking areas with all new asphalt.

Budgeted Amount: $175,000 Project Expenses: $136,108

Castle Rock Park Playground Replacement The master plan was completed and adopted by City Council in January of 2021. One of the first projects will be to construct a new playground. Staff is working with the Heights Task Force to select several concepts for the playground that will be showcased online for citizens to view and vote for their favorite play features. Look for these concepts over the winter. The goal is to have the playground completed this coming summer/ fall.

Budgeted Amount: $400,000 Project Expenses to Date: $8,751

Upcoming Projects Arrowhead Park Playground Replacement The playground at Arrowhead Park has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. Part of this project will be to make the playground ADA accessible and inclusive so that children of all abilities can play side by side with their friends. Design of the playground is under way with an anticipated construction time frame of summer of 2022.

Budgeted Amount: $200,000

North Park Playground Replacement The playground at North Park was installed in 1992 and needs to be replaced. The goal is to develop a destination playground with a lot of play value, that meets all ADA guidelines and is inclusive for children of all abilities. The playground design is under way with the goal of construction this coming summer of 2022.

Budgeted Amount: $400,000

Riverfront Park Paving The City Engineering Division is managing this project for the Parks Division. This will be the final portion to complete the road paving project at Riverfront Park. The last section is the fourth and final phase of the project. When this final area is complete, Riverfront road and parking areas will have all new asphalt.

Budgeted Amount: $312,000

Ponderosa Park Irrigation Replacement The irrigation system at Ponderosa Park is currently a manual system requiring an attendant to place and move irrigation heads during the day in order to water the park. The primary source for water is a small well. This project will upgrade the system and pump with automated components allowing irrigation to take place over night and making the pump and motor operate more efficiently. This will free up the attendant to perform other duties and make the park more available during the day for public use. Design of the improvements will take place over the winter with construction anticipated during the summer of 2022.

Budgeted Amount: $215,000

Rose Park Pool Liner Replacement The PVC liner in the 50-meter pool at Rose Park is scheduled to be replaced at the end of the 2022 operating season. The liner was last replaced in 2011 and had a 10 year warranty.

Budgeted Amount: $150,000

Upcoming Projects South Billings Aquatic & Recreation Center Master Plan The City of Billings has long been under served with facilities to meet the indoor recreation needs of the community. In December of 2021, the Billings City Council formally adopted the South Billings Aquatic & Recreation Center Master Plan & Feasibility Study, which was completed in July of 2019. The year-long process to create this document included numerous work sessions with an advisory committee composed of community stakeholders, a series of public community meetings to gather input, as well as a statistically valid community survey to identify the highest ranking needs of the Billings community. The Parks and Recreation Department has hired A&E consulting to provide conceptual design and cost estimating for a multi-generational community recreation center located on City owned land next to Amend Park. An important part of this work will be to seek public input and comments about the new recreation center. This design effort will identify what the building will look like, what amenities it will contain, the cost of operation, and an overall construction estimate. Once approved by City Council, the project will move into design development and construction documents with the goal of bidding the project in January of 2024.

Aquatic & Recreation Center Concept Drawings Programming efforts resulted in a two option approach, both with phasing options to account for available funding and opportunity to expand in the future. Option A proposes a smaller footprint and as a result, more feasible funding strategy. Both options were designed in context of the Amend Park site; orientation and access on the site informed programmatic adjacencies and overall layout. A series of drawings with different base options were created as part of the master plan and feasibility study. A phased approach was developed to help envision possibilities of ‘what can be afforded’ at each funding level. To view the full Master Plan document, or to follow project updates, go to Billingsparks.org.

Concept A Drawing (Full Build Out)

Upcoming Projects CDBG-CV Funded Projects In the fall of 2020, the City of Billings concluded two surveys designed to gather feedback from community members and social service agencies in Billings regarding how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected through both surveys suggest low-income Billings residents may be experiencing gaps in services or a lack of basic needs regarding employment, housing, food security, and mental health. The City’s Community Development (CD) Division has Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds to allocate to nonprofit organizations and other governmental entities that exclusively support coronavirus and other infectious disease response; Primarily benefit low-income individuals and families in Billings; and

avoid duplication of other local, state, or federal service or support to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. The Community Development Advisory Board discussed that park improvements in low-income areas may reduce the spread of COVID-19 by implementing touch-less features and other elements in park facilities. Some improvements discussed may also positively affect mental health by encouraging socially-distanced exercise and outdoor activities. The CD Board prioritized the following projects, which were concurred by the Parks, Recreation, and Cemetery Board, and ultimately was approved by City Council in December of 2021.

Wi-Fi in the Parks In the 2020 Coronavirus Response Community Assessment, virtual needs was identified as one of the needs not being met during the start of the pandemic by both service providers and community members. Among lowincome community members, 28% reported having less reliable internet access than they need. Installing free wifi in eight low-income parks would enable access to internet for virtual healthcare visits, virtual learning for school, and video calls with others to subdue feelings of isolation. The parks that are scheduled to receive wifi, if feasible, are North, South, Pioneer, Optimist, Central, Comanche, Highland and Arrowhead.

North Park Restroom, Picnic Shelter & Adult Exercise Equipment Projects at North Park include replacing the restroom that is located in the center of the park with upgraded facilities that include touch-less restroom fixtures. Additionally, the project will add an additional shade structure/picnic shelter near the playground and Adult Exercise Equipment adjacent to the playground.

Comanche Park Playground & ADA Accessibility Comanche Park will see a new playground equipment and ADA Accessibility upgrades. The existing playground is very outdated and many parts have been removed, reducing the play value. The new playground will also include an ADA Accessible walkway to the equipment.

Pioneer Park Heritage Trail Replacement & Restroom Repairs This route is now part of the City’s first neighborhood bike way, a 4+ mile route connecting residents living in housing of all income levels to everyday needs such as schools, health care, healthy foods, jobs, etc. The route runs from the North Park area to a little north of Rose Park connecting 3 community parks. The section of trail running through Pioneer Park was identified as the weak link due to its condition, reducing the effectiveness of the route for more cautious users such as seniors, families, and people with disabilities. The restrooms near the tennis courts at Pioneer will also receive upgrades to improve the condition of the facility.

North Park Center & Zimmerman Center Accessibility Improvements The North Park Center and the Zimmerman Center at Pioneer Park will receive upgrades that will improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities, as well as install touch-less features to restrooms and kitchen areas.

Park Staff closing Sky Point Downtown for the winter

Maintaining Our Parks

2,704 Acres of Parkland

1,223 Acres of Developed Parks

1,213 Acres of Natural Area Parks

Parks Overview Parks and open lands are a critical part of a vibrant, healthy community. Since the first park was dedicated in 1913, we have been creating and maintaining Billing's public space and protecting the environment. Today woven throughout the city are 2,704 acres of park land. Almost 10% of the land area of the city is set aside for Parks for the public to enjoy and recreate in. Parks vary in size and function from large community parks like Castle Rock, Pioneer and North, to smaller neighborhood parks like Trails End, Ponderosa, and Francis. The 2,704 acres consists of 1,223 acres of developed parks such as Sacajawea Park and 1,481 acres of undeveloped and natural area parks like Riverfront. The diversity in the parks system provides for a wide variety of activities and experiences. Besides providing scenic beauty, parks serve as sites for scientific inquiry and educational opportunity, contribute environmental benefits like oxygen production and filtering particulates from the air, and provide a vast array of recreational opportunities for almost everyone’s interests and abilities. The Parks and Public Lands Division uses modern science to maintain and prepare park spaces for public use. Integrated management practices like soil tests, targeted pesticide applications, and precise irrigation practices are used to safely and efficiently keep the parks healthy, whether it is in a developed park like Optimist or in an undeveloped park like Pow Wow.

24,000 Acres Mowed

29 Restrooms Cleaned Daily

240,000 Mutt Mitt Bags Provided

950 cu yds of Garbage (65 dump trucks)

Maintaining our Parks Seasonal Staff Shortages The largest hurdle the Parks Division faced again in 2021 was the lack of seasonal employees. In 2021, seasonal employee levels hovered around 60%, with only 30 out of a potential 50 positions filled all season long. The shortage of labor required staff to focus on basic day-to-day maintenance items like opening restrooms, clearing trash, looking for hazards, preparing playgrounds, trimming and mowing turf. Over 560 additional man hours in overtime pay occurred for cleaning and closing restrooms due to seasonal labor shortage. There was a number of maintenance activities that were either delayed or canceled for the year including spraying herbicides for weeds, turf fertilizer applications, turf aeration, and large improvement projects throughout the parks. A number of incentives were offered to attract more employees including raising the hourly wage, offering sign-on bonuses, flexible work schedules, training for future advancement, and other team building events. Staff also explored other options including contracting out certain maintenance activities and recruiting more volunteers with limited success. Improvements in efficiency of both seasonal and full-time staff with training and use of technology will be essential to continue in the current challenging environment. In 2022, the hope is the labor market improves with plans being made to use full-time staff to provide some of the extra services necessary to maintain a healthy and safe parks system.

Integrated Turf Management An integrated management approach is used to provide a healthy stand of grass in all parks, and provide a safe surface for sporting events. This integrated management approach includes using proper irrigation, fertilizer and targeted plant protectants along with proper mowing and other cultural practices like aeration. Using this integrated approach produces a healthy stand of turf while minimizing inputs like herbicides.

Intake Structure Repairs Each year staff inspects and repairs the seven intake structures installed in the ditch that allow us to use ditch water to irrigate parks. The nice weather in late winter allowed for a more extensive cleaning and repair of all the structures. One of the biggest problems we encounter with using ditch water to irrigate is with the silt load it carries. The silt wreaks havoc on the irrigation system components causing a range of problems. One common problem we see is plugged zone valves causing them to stick open. Silt also wears out the gears which turn the irrigation heads. Our systems use a number of methods to minimize the damage from screens on the intake structures and filters to remove the silt. Staff used a loader to remove the silt from around the structures in an attempt to keep the silt from entering the structures.

Maintaining our Parks Downtown Planter Beds The Downtown Park Maintenance Districts have proven difficult to establish plant material. The environment is very harsh with all the traffic, heat, pets, and events. In the past, the Parks Division has tried different plants including yucca, installed large rocks, and used signs to help us establish plants. All had minimal effectiveness. This season at Broadway and 2nd, staff installed decorative fencing to enhance the protection of the plants. The fence is working to deter pedestrians and pets from the plants. The plants have begun to thrive and have become well established.

Energy Efficient Tunnel Light Replacement Working closely with Northwestern Energy, the Parks Division was able to replace all the lights in the tunnels managed by the Department. Northwestern Energy helped with the design and provided a rebate to assist in paying for the new lights. The new lights are LED and are controlled by both a motion detector and light sensor. Utilizing this new technology makes the new lights 30% more efficient than the old lights, so the return on investment is around 3 years. Additional advantages with the new lights are they are vandal resistant, cheaper to replace, and provide better illumination in the tunnels.

Variable Frequency Drive Pumps During the off season, the Parks staff thoroughly inspects every pump station looking for worn seals, bearings, loose fittings, and valve issues. These inspections ensure the pump stations, which are the heart of the irrigation system, keep pumping all season long. During the irrigation season, staff checks every pump station daily looking for potential issues and clogged filters. The newer pump stations, and ones that have been rebuilt, utilize computer controlled

variable frequency drives (VFD). VFD Pumps can control the pump rotation so the pump spins only as fast as is necessary to provide the correct amount of water. This saves up to 30% on electricity usage, saving the City money. Staff can also track the pump station remotely so they don’t have to travel to each station saving valuable time. This year, we replaced pumps at Lillis Park, Castle Rock Park, North Park and two pumps at Pioneer with VFDs.

Castle Rock Irrigation Pump Repairs Irrigation water for Castle Rock Park is transferred from the ditch up to the pond in the middle of the park. From there, it is pumped from the settling pond out to the system. In the last couple of years, the pumps that transfer the water up the hill to the pond have been slowing down and delivering less water. Staff removed the pumps and had them rebuilt over the winter. With the help of Public Works and their crane, the pumps were reinstalled this winter.

Maintaining our Playgrounds Playground Inspections The Parks Division has 6 certified Playground Safety Inspectors on Staff who inspect and monitor the conditions of our playground on an ongoing basis. There are currently 39 Playgrounds located within city parks that are inspected by our staff. Additionally, the engineered wood fiber fall protection is raked routinely to ensure adequate protection in areas of high use. When playground features are deemed to be unsafe, they are temporarily closed until replacement parts can be ordered and installed.

Maintaining our Trails

Miles of Paved Multi-Use Trails

Miles of Soft Surface Trails

As the Heritage trail system develops throughout the community, it will provide recreational opportunities as well as an alternate transportation corridor. Benches, picnic tables, shelters, trail heads, signage and restrooms are in place or being added to enhance the trail. As part of our trail maintenance program, the Parks Division mows trail edges once per month in natural

Snow removal locations including Heritage Trail system

area parks during the growing season to prevent tall grasses from encroaching onto the trails. All hard surface trails were swept four times during the summer to remove debris and materials that may be hazardous to trail users. Additionally, we do our best to keep the trails open year round, removing snow from all paved multi-use trails throughout the winter months. The trail system is checked daily for trash, graffiti, and other potential problems.

Events in our Parks

Kids aƩend the South Side Gardeners’ Market hosted every Thursday at South Park June through September

Community Connections In a typical Year, The Parks and Recreation Department works with around 80 organizations throughout the community to facilitate events in our Parks, ranging from large community events to company picnics. Some of the most notable events include Billings Symphony in the Park, Big Sky State Games, Saturday Live, Healthy By Design Southside Farmers Market, Heart & Sole Run, and many more! The following are organizations that we work with in 2021 to ensure successful community events: •

Symbols of hope

•

Scorpions Youth Lacrosse

•

Billings Clinic

•

Lockwood Volleyball Club Pandemic Memorial Pathway

• •

LIFTT

Billings Tennis Associa on

•

Annafeld

•

Yellowstone Coali on of Home Educators

St. Vincent Healthcare

•

P210 Produc ons

•

Yellowstone Youth Football

•

YSA Soccer

•

Billings Family YMCA

•

Rocky Cross Country

•

South Side Neighborhood Task Force

•

Kids Dash ‘n’ Pedal

•

Montana Women’s Run

•

Billings Commuter Challenge

Taproom

•

Healthy by Design

•

All Euro car show

•

The Children are heard

•

Healthcare for the Homeless Day

Billings Public Schools summer food program

•

Now Billings (night of worship)

•

Black Heritage Founda on

•

MSUB So ball

•

Billings Kiwanis Club/ Youth Fishing Jamboree

Ins tute of Peace Studies/Fes val of Cultures

•

Billings Symphony in the • Park • Goal Fest Soccer Tournament

Ironwood Stock

•

Gracepoint Block Party

•

Costco Employee Club

•

Billings All Original Car Show

•

Phillips 66

•

Riverstone Health

•

MT Pride

•

The Global Impact Trek by Global Village

•

#Groundedforlyfe Outreach Event

NICA Billings Bike Club

•

Rimrock Lacrosse

Montana Amateur Sports

•

Go Kickball/Billings Jaycees

Big Sky State Games

•

Stewart Title

•

Magic City Rugby Club

•

Chilling in Billings Car Show

• •

Rimrock Block party

•

Billings Bible Reading Marathon

•

Crowley Fleck PLLP

•

Firefly Outdoor Movie Co.

•

Billings Kiwanis

•

Crown of Thorns Fest/ Project 22:9

•

406 Kitchen and

•

Ul mate Frisbee (YUPA summer league)

•

Billings Catholic Schools

•

School District 2

•

Disc Golf Billings

Billings Public Library

•

Substance Abuse Recovery and Mental Health Recovery

•

Big Sky Interna onal Balloon Rendezvous

406 Race Series

•

Billings Hispanic Fiesta

•

Run for Her

•

Fervent Fire ministries

Peoples Community Outreach

•

Dinner Church

•

Billings Worship

Saturday Live (educa on founda on for Billings Public Schools)

•

Top Tier Disc Golf

•

Run For Heaven’s Sake

Yellowstone Roaring 20s • Auto Club

Montana Marathon (Billings YMCA)

•

Racers Set Free

•

Tractor & Equipment Co. •

Trail Trek

•

McDonalds

Rimrock Founda on

•

Engaging our Community

Volunteers from the Rocky Mountain College Volleyball Team help remove trash at the base of the Rims Volunteers Clean up a SecƟon of Rims

Volunteer Programs and Projects The Parks and Recreation Department formally began a volunteer program in 2013 when the Volunteer Coordinator was hired. The program began with the focus of connecting community members to volunteer experiences in the Parks and Recreation Department. The duties quickly evolved into the broader focus of community outreach. The outreach program includes special events, volunteer projects and programs, community garden oversight, grant writing and special projects. Through these community engagement efforts, citizens have the chance to learn more about the department’s mission while getting involved through volunteerism. Volunteer groups make up the bulk of the projects that take place during the year. Some of the volunteer groups that we typically work with include churches, service clubs, athletic teams, corporate volunteers and the universities. They complete a wide-variety projects throughout the park system. Common projects include painting structures, graffiti removal, rims cleanups, planting trees and helping at the community gardens.

2,956

1,322

Volunteer Hours

Volunteer Visits

Volunteers help clean up a sec on of trail near 24th St W.

Volunteers help plant the flower beds at Yellowstone Family Park

Engaging our Community Amend Garden Compost Bins Eagle Scout Project

An Eagle Scout took on the project to replace the compost bins at Amend Park Community Garden. The compost bins that were previously in place were made from old shipping pallets and were deteriorating quickly to the point of becoming unusable for

gardeners. The new design increased the size of the compost bins by nearly double and were constructed out of treated lumber to increase longevity. The project was executed in late April just before the start of the gardening season.

Pioneer Park Creek Plantings The Parks and Recreation Department worked with the Peter Yegen Jr. office on a project at Pioneer Park to help plant wild and region-specific flowers along the creek area of the park to provide a small natural area that will attract pollinators such as butterflies. This will not only enhance the beauty of the creek area, but will also provide a natural area for young kids to explore and discover various insects. The Peter Yegen Jr. office donated $1,000 to the project which helped pay for flower plugs, an ornamental flowering tree, and large rocks to create sitting areas.

Skate Park Murals Skate Park occupies a very visible corner of Billings. For years, the Parks Division has struggled with unsightly graffiti. The Department has held numerous volunteer events to clear the graffiti using everything from grinders to chemicals and a pressure washer. Gallons of paint have been applied to cover the surfaces, only to get tagged again. Thanks to the “Space to Place” grant from Big Sky Economic Development Association (BSEDA), funding was made available for a more permanent solution. Tyson Middle, a local artist, received the grant to create an artistic cover for the bowls of the skate park. Parks staff cleaned and primed the surfaces, and Tyson went to work with help from the local skaters. The final product is an exciting design that the skate community can take ownership and pride in!

Engaging our Community Arbor Day

Our Parks are home to over 10,000 trees and we understand the many benefits that trees provide to our park users and community as a whole. From providing shade to storm water management, urban temperature regulation to increasing property values, trees have a larger impact on our everyday lives than we often recognize. The Parks and Recreation

Department has a long history of celebrating Arbor Day and was recognized in 2014 by the Arbor Day Foundation as having one of the best Arbor Day Celebrations in the country. This year, we continued our rich history by celebrating Arbor Day at North Park! This past year, due to COVID-19 and SD2 travel restrictions, we held two Arbor Day Celebrations.

Spring Arbor Day Our Spring Arbor Day event provided a significant opportunity to make needed improvements to North Park. Spring Arbor Day took place on May 12th and consisted of volunteer-related projects including tree plantings, landscaping projects, painting projects, and other park improvements. The forestry activities there began with acquiring a contractor to remove 15 white poplar trees that were old and increasingly decrepit, requiring frequent arboricultural interventions to maintain them in a safe condition. Soon after their removal, we planted 17 new trees as part of the volunteer projects on May 12. Our Spring Arbor Day brought 56 volunteers contributing 170 hours of volunteer time.

Fall Arbor Day Our Fall Arbor Day celebration was held on September 23rd and consisted of 18 local organizations providing educational booths for around 250 fifth graders. Mayor Cole joined us for the official Arbor Day Ceremony, the acceptance of the Tree City USA award for the 38th consecutive year, and the ceremonial planting of the Arbor Day Tree.

Kids learn about Bee Keeping at Fall Arbor Day

Engaging our Community Refresh the Rims The Ninth Annual Refresh the Rims Event took place on October 17th! The event had around 180 volunteers who had preregistered for the event to help clean up 5 sections on the top of the Billings’ iconic rims. The Parks and Recreation Department partnered with the MSUB Outdoor Adventure Leadership (OAL) Program for the event giving OAL students a chance to hone their leadership, judgment, and guiding skills leading volunteers across the rims. This partnership has been in place since the inception of the event and continues to be a staple of running a successful rims cleanup event of this scale.

2021

Volunteers gather and receive instruc on from their MSUB group leader before the cleanup start

Growing Together Community Gardens The Amend Park Community Garden was started in 2014. It began with 26 plots and harvested just over 700 lbs of produce the first season. The Songbird Community Garden was added in 2017 and is operated by The Songbird Community Garden non-profit organization in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department. In 2021, the two gardens served a combined 73 households and produced over 13,137 lbs of produce. Plots in each garden vary in size ranging from 3x6 up to 20’x20’. Each gardener is able to choose a plot that fits their needs. Plots are rented to gardeners for a small fee. Amend Park Community Garden

Communicating with our Community Website Updates The BillingsParks.org has seen some small updates that will be sure to have a large impact on how we communicate with our community. Our website now includes an “upcoming events” calendar, which will be updated with upcoming events, recreation programs, and other helpful information for community members looking to stay active during the year. Additionally, we have included an Instagram feed on the bottom of our pages so folks can see the latest photos from our programs, projects, and events. We have kept the “news items” section of our website to keep visitors updated on the latest department news. We hope with these updates that all of the most important information will be just a click away from those looking to stay up to date on Parks and Recreation happenings.

Parks and Recreation Mobile App In an effort to enhance and expand our ability to communicate with our current and future customers, the Recreation Division has developed a new mobile app. Having the ability to send notifications to our customers’ smartphones will provide a new medium for our staff to communicate in areas such as program updates, registration deadlines, new program

development, pool closures, facility and project updates, public events, full-time and temporary employment opportunities, etc. Our ability to bring information directly to our customers’ smartphones will only enhance our ability to grow and connect with our community.

Urban Forestry and Natural Areas Forestry Overview The Forestry Division is staffed by a City Forester, a full-time Arborist, and 4 seasonal employees. The primary responsibility of the Forestry Division is the care and maintenance of approximately 10,000 trees distributed throughout 47 developed parks covering 1,223 acres, including Mountview Cemetery. In these parks we prune, water, mulch, plant, and remove trees as necessary to maintain a diverse array of attractive trees providing beauty, shade, and more for Billings’ residents. We inspect large trees and trees near areas in which people congregate annually to ensure the safety of park visitors. Additionally, we prune trees on a 7-year cycle to make sure trees are well-maintained and structurally sound, ensuring a growth trajectory that and work to eliminate invasive plants. Buckthorn at maximizes each trees potential and realizes the most Riverfront Park and Russian Olive and Salt Cedar benefits for Billings’ taxpayers. anywhere there is water are the largest threats and the most challenging to maintaining ecologically An increasingly important aspect of the Forestry congruent natural areas. We also work hard to control Division’s work is maintaining the approximately 23 other invasives such as leafy spurge, poison hemlock Natural Areas covering 1,213 acres in Billings with and houndstongue, among others. Natural Areas are the most well-known and well-used of these areas managed using almost exclusively grant funds and being Phipps and Riverfront Parks. In these areas, volunteer labor. we maintain sustainable vegetation of native species

Forestry Crew waters a young tree at High Sierra Park

Urban Forestry and Natural Areas Forestry Operations The signature feature of 2021 was the significantly hot, dry weather that arrived in early in June and did not depart until September was nearly gone. Weather caused us to shift operations and spend much more time watering than usual. We also composted mulched intensively to help trees retain moisture but were delayed in getting this out by the time we spent watering. In part because we have a new park (Centennial), we planted more trees than usual. The hot weather caused us to shift some planting from spring to fall as it was too hot in early summer for trees to have a good chance at survival. The combination of newly planted trees and higher than normal deer damage, particularly in the cemetery, led us to fence 63 trees, more than normal. Ordinarily, we do not move trees once planted but to accommodate changing management objectives at one location and ensure the best match of tree to site, 29 trees were moved this year.

Storm Responses 2021 was also marked by three consequential storm events, one each occurring in January, July, and November. Collectively, these storms knocked down three trees and large branches or tops out of 21 trees. Occasionally, trees are damaged so badly by storms that trees must be removed and the damage to trees losing tops and branches typically requires an Arborists’ care to remain safe to the public. Storm events typically also knock out small branches across parks which Park staff quickly pile and remove making an exact count of material removed difficult. This was not an unusual amount of storm activity and Forestry staff are always aware of the possibility that storm damage response might alter plans and work priorities at any time.

193 Trees Planted

1000+ Trees Watered

591 Trees Pruned

110 Trees Removed

System Wide Tree Inventory The Forestry Division completed several significant projects in 2021. One of these was the completion of a multi-year, re-inventory of Park trees in 2021. The inventory is simple – checking to make sure that the tree species listed is correct and then getting an updated diameter for the tree. Trees are also inspected using a level 1 inspection protocol. The original inventory of Billings Park trees was collected in 2010 and some trees had not been updated since then.

881 Trees Mulched

Memorial Tree Survey We undertook a survey of all Memorial Trees planted in Billings Parks to make sure that we know where they all are, ensure plaques are present and visible, and the trees are thriving. Our records are now complete and current.

Urban Forestry and Natural Areas Emerald Ash Borer Trapping The Emerald Ash Borer remains a threat and on account of that, we survey for its presence annually. In 2021, we put up 27 green conical traps in June and removed them in August, the beginning and end of the period in which they are active.

Annual Inspections Lastly, we did our annual tree inspections. As we move into the spring growing season, the City Arborist evaluates trees growing in areas that have “high value” targets (playgrounds, picnic tables, shelters, etc.). This inspection was done again this year as usual.

Trash for Trees Program The City of Billings Forestry Division maintains four “Trash for Trees” bins. This program is in its 41st year and in a typical year we garner enough to purchase about 20 trees from the program. We appreciate the people who have stayed loyal over the years and continue to bring their aluminum and newspaper recycling to us! You can find the Trash for Trees Bins in the Lowe’s parking lot on West King Street, and at Veterans and Castle Rock Parks.

Weed Abatements The Weed Abatement Program is a complaint driven program aimed at ensuring vegetation on private lots throughout the city is cut so as to prevent the buildup of hazardous fuels, control the spread of noxious weeds, and maintain an aesthetically pleasing built environment. Weed Abatement “cases” are routed to the PRPL from the Code Enforcement Division which receives citizen complaints. Code Enforcement

Officers review complaints, and when they find situations that are not in compliance, provide owners with warnings to bring their property into compliance. Owners are advised that if they do not do so, a city crew will cut vegetation and landowners will be charged for this service. Payment to the city is secured by putting liens on the properties treated which are added to annual taxes owed.

Urban Forestry and Natural Areas Buckthorn Removal The European or Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is an invasive shrub that is present in sometimes dense patches in Riverfront Park throughout the area east of the South Billings Boulevard Bridge. Buckthorn comprises almost the entire shrub layer north and east of Cochran Pond. In all, about 80 acres are overgrown and significantly affected by this invasive shrub. Buckthorn grows more densely than does native vegetation, dramatically changing the character of cottonwood-dominated riparian areas from scattered tall cottonwood trees with an understory that varies from open savannah grasses to areas with shrubs and small trees, to an understory that is a uniform, dense, nearly impenetrable 10 to 20 foot tall shrub monoculture.

Berries carrying the seeds of the Buckthorn Plant

Buckthorn Control Efforts It is a high priority for Natural Area management in Billings that Buckthorn not be allowed to spread to areas in which it is not yet present and be removed immediately from areas in which it is a recent invader but still in very low numbers. Acting on this, for the second year in a row, the Forestry Crew removed buckthorn from areas across the city where it was found including at Primrose and Pioneer Parks and at Norm’s Island. Buckthorn is sparse at Norm’s Island but was found to be more common than anticipated once a careful search for it was made. At least 4 days were spent clearing Norm’s Island of buckthorn in 2021. Other steps taken in 2021 included working with two students at Rocky Mountain College who developed an app that can be used to record geographical locations using a GPS. After recording the location, they then fill out a survey with questions about the height and density of buckthorn in the area; the height and density of over-story, focusing on cottonwood trees; the abundance of other invaders (Russian Olive and Honeysuckle); and the presence and status of native shrubs and grasses. Using this tool, they’ve prepared a map of buckthorn density throughout Riverfront Park which will be used to develop a management plan aimed at eventual eradication using an approach that will clear out the

lowest density areas first, re-claiming the maximum number of acres in the near term, and ensuring that the significantly more difficult restoration required after a dense infestation is avoided. Retaining as much native vegetation as possible will be the most cost-effective way to proceed. Once the areas of given densities are known, cost estimates to obtain control can be made and grants and other sources of funding will be pursued. Other work done in 2021 was to make an actual beginning on eradicating buckthorn from low density areas. Control began on a strip of land along the western edge of Riverfront Park. A single seasonal employee using loppers and occasional help from the city arborist with a chainsaw to cut the occasional plant too big for loppers cleared 3.65 acres in 5 days of work. Chemical control was also attempted on a minor scale. The Yellowstone County Weed District, working with the City Forester, sprayed plants in the one-acre demonstration unit cut in 2019 to test its efficacy against buckthorn plants that seed in after the shrubsized plants are removed. Test plots were established at 3 separate locations and these will be monitored in 2022 and compared against control areas that had Buckthorn removed but the new growth not sprayed.

Mountview Cemetery

Cemetery Overview Mountview Cemetery is the oldest continually operated cemetery in the area. The cemetery includes the old Billings Cemetery that was run privately beginning in the late 1800s. With over 25,000 interments, the cemetery is the largest in the state of Montana. Buried in Mountview Cemetery are many individuals influential to our regions history. Cemetery staff work year round to assist families with funeral services for their loved ones. In addition to the burial services, cemetery staff work diligently to keep the 65 acres of grounds in pristine condition. This includes mowing, string trimming around monuments, snow removal, and maintaining facilities like the mausoleum and columbarium.

2021 Operations Overview 2021 ended as one of the busiest for Mountview Cemetery in recent years. Interments increased 22% over 2020 levels to end at 121 total interments. Additionally, grave and niche sales remained high. Casket burials made up 40% of total interments, which is slightly higher than the 36% average. These increases made for a busy year operationally.

2021 Statistics 82 48 72 1 121

New Graves Full Burials Cremation Burials Infant Burial Total Burials

1 15 44 1

Veterans Grave Immediate Use Sales Future Use Sales Contract for Deed

Mountview Cemetery Cemetery Road Improvements The Cemetery collaborated with the City Streets Division to host two staff training days at the cemetery. Streets staff worked on adding, leveling, and compacting millings onto dirt roads in the old portion of the cemetery. This project improved the cemetery visually and assisted cemetery visitors while navigating the old part of the cemetery by vehicle.

Headstone Repairs Cemetery maintenance staff continued to work on repairing old headstones throughout the cemetery. Many of the damaged headstones are made of materials that do not tolerate decades of exposure to the elements. In 2021, staff repaired over 30 headstones.

Cemetery Events The cemetery hosted a variety of events in 2021. A documentary film company used the cemetery to shoot a scene for film on Veteran’s mental health. The Western Heritage Center held several walking tours in the cemetery. They also collaborated with the cemetery to hold a very successful new event titled, “Voices of the Past”, that was a living history presentation. The event featured actors portraying a diverse mix of historical figures buried in the cemetery. Lastly, the cemetery held a holiday wreathe laying event in the Veteran’s sections. Kathy Gordon, a Gold Star Mother, planned and coordinated this event with the cemetery staff to honor Veterans.

Memorial Day Celebration The 2021 Memorial Day celebration resumed in pre-pandemic fashion. Many community members attended the program. The event was again planned in cooperation with the Friend of the Yellowstone National Cemetery and was supported by a myriad of Veteran’s organizations. A flag ceremony, taps, speeches, and wreathe laying were all featured during the program.

Mountview Cemetery Volunteer Projects Throughout the year, the cemetery hosted numerous volunteer groups. These volunteers worked on projects focused in the Veteran’s Sections and Section 5. Volunteers helped remove sod from and unearth hundreds of sunken headstones around the perimeter of Section 5. Many of these headstones were installed in the 1920s-30s without a concrete foundation. This caused them to sink and become overgrown. Volunteers also helped clean up edging of the concrete curbing in the Veterans’ sections.

Section 15 Expansion Section 15 is the last undeveloped section in Mountview Cemetery. The six acre area is designed to have 456 lots with roughly 3,650 graves. During 2021, cemetery staff took on several projects to begin preparing the site for future use. In cooperation with the Forestry Division, staff planted a row of spruce trees to separate the Veteran area from the Civilian area. Additionally, staff placed lot markers in half the section to assist in future tree planting and irrigation projects.

Winter Tree Trimming The warm and dry beginning to 2021 allowed the cemetery maintenance staff to work with the Forestry Division to prune trees in the cemetery. Pruning took place in sections 1,2,3,4,5, 6, 99N and 99S. Hundreds of trees were pruned to remove dead limbs and eliminate low hanging limbs that partially obstructed roads in the cemetery. Additionally, several nuisance trees were removed from the southern edge of Section 15.

Mountview Cemetery

Mausoleum National Historic Registry In 2021, the Mausoleum at Mountview Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination application was prepared by the Western Heritage Center and City Staff, in conjunction with the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board. The Mausoleum received a new interpretive sign near the entrance to highlight the recognition and add historical context to the facility. The Montana Mausoleum company commissioned prominent Montana architect John Gustave Link, who designed the wings of the Montana Capitol building, to create the 330-crypt mausoleum in 1920. Construction began in 1920, and the city dedicated it in 1924.

Mausoleum Maintenance Cemetery maintenance staff completed several projects on the mausoleum to improve its aesthetics. The stained glass windows were reinforced and cleaned. Staff also pressure washed the building’s exterior. They removed overgrown shrubs from the front of the building and installed new landscape material. Lastly, the floors were scrubbed. These improvements greatly enhanced the appearance of the facility.

Keeping Billings Active

Keeping Billings Active Recreation Programs The Recreation Division had another successful year in 2021. The City of Billings Recreation Division saw record enrollment in many activities, especially in youth camps, sports, aquatics, and special interest offerings. Annually, the Division also offers recreational programs to active older adults. The wide range of activities the Recreation Division offers ensures there are opportunities for participants of all ages. The Recreation staff takes pride in providing quality programs that are affordable and accessible to all members of the community.

1,758 Youth Athletes

Youth Summer Camps Adventure Camp, Magic City Camp, and Pioneer Playhouse continued to be our summer staples. These camps were at capacity all summer with exceptional early registration numbers. We also saw record numbers in all of our summer 2021 special weekly camps. These camps include favorites like Girls Ninja Warrior, Kids in the Kitchen, Youth Cycling Camp, Rocket Camp, Rock Band Camp and more. Additionally, our Rose Park Camps also saw added participation numbers in the second year of offerings. Junior Lifesavers, Jr. Aquanutz, Lifeguard Certification, and Babysitters Camps were strongly attended. Rose Park also reached the highest amount of Swim Lesson participants in recent history. Summer Sports Camps equally saw higher enrollment every week in 2021. Sports like golf, soccer, tennis, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and cheer and dance had many community kids staying active this past summer. In all, the Rec Division provided safe and affordable programming to over 5,400 Billings participants.

1,470 Summer Camp Participants

1,311 Adult Program Participants

882 Senior Program Participants

5,421 Total Recreation Program Participants 33

Keeping Billings Active Youth Summer Sport Camps The Recreation Division had many well attended youth summer sport camp offerings in the Summer of 2021. Camps included Golf, Cheer, Basketball, Volleyball, Flag Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, and a week-long Sports Sampler camp where kids were able to try out a variety of sports. All told, these camps had close to 340 participants.

Outdoor Recreation Programs The 2021 Outdoor Recreation programs saw 74 participants enjoy the beauty of Eastern Montana between cross-country skiing, fly fishing, and whitewater rafting. Additionally, other programs such as Rappelling the Rims, Backpacking 101, and Youth Cycling all provided the opportunity for recreationists of all ages to enjoy the surrounding areas of the Magic City.

Youth Cycling Camp For the second year in a row, our Youth Cycling Camp was well attended as our partnership with Kids in Motion continued. Separated into two different, week long camps, 16 kids, ranging from 9-14 years old, enjoyed the backwoods trails and bike paths at Riverfront Park. Our instructors led the bike enthusiasts on rides from Norms Island to Josephine Crossing, while the campers also learned safety, hand signals, and proper bike maintenance.

Outdoor Climbing & Rappelling

Learn to Fly Fish

2021 saw the return of Climbing and Rappelling sessions that took place on the rims overlooking the Magic City. Occuring on Saturday mornings, 5 dates were offered that were professionally managed and guided by Steep World Fitness from Billings. 22 brave men and women harnessed up for the adventure!

Learn to Fly Fish (LTFF) continued its tradition as an adult recreation program that is highly popular amongst Billings residents. Aimed at beginners, LTFF participants learned how to properly cast a fly rod, identify fish, and read water currents, among a variety of topics discussed in class. Each year, two separate classes are offered in the spring and early summer that consist of 5 days of instruction. For the first time, a fall class was offered that saw our class near capacity at 14 individuals. In its 8th consecutive year, this class continues to gain in popularity with 29 individuals signing up in the 2021 calendar year.

Backpacking 101 This program was in partnership with the Outdoor Adventure Leadership program at MSUB. Led by students and staff at MSUB, ten participants spent an evening learning equipment needs, safety precautions, and how to properly plan for an outdoor adventure.

Keeping Billings Active Youth Sports Billings Parks and Recreation prides itself on providing quality, low-cost introductory level youth sports to the Billings Community. The Recreation Division continues its longstanding partnership with School District 2, utilizing the 6 Middle School gymnasiums to provide these sports. 2021 started with Boys Basketball. The Recreation Division added 7th and 8th grade Basketball to help lighten the load for the School District. Same was done for Girls Volleyball with grades 3-8 all covered by our staff. Over 450 kids participated in these two sports alone. Finally, Girls basketball concludes our year of youth sports. Being back to our normal 4th – 6th grade participants, we still showed strong triple digit numbers in participation.

NFL Flag Football NFL Flag Football continued to show its popularity with over 125 participants. Thanks to the addition of our newest Community Park, we played our games at the Centennial Park open fields. Games were previously played at Gorham Park, a neighborhood park, due to lack of available large open athletic spaces. Centennial park was an amazing upgrade for this sport and to the fan experience. Overall, Centennial provided better access to parking, the restroom facilities, and an overall smoother experience for parents to watch their kids play flag football.

Club Baseball Club Baseball enjoyed much success this year with 5 club teams playing games and practicing at North Park in the 13U division, while 4 teams played at Central at the 15U level. The Recreation Division employed a staff of 14 umpires that worked in 2-man crews to cover about 70-80 games from April to July. Our club teams utilized practice opportunities at Poly Vista, sharing fields with 10 softball/baseball

teams. Additionally, the 13U teams hosted a round robin tournament in May at North and Poly with teams coming to the Magic City from Gillette and Cody. In total, 12 games were played in the two day tournament. Furthermore, we hosted a 12U one day tournament in May with 6 teams playing 9 total games on the day. The 2021 season wrapped up in July.

Keeping Billings Active Tennis Programs Billings Parks and Recreation saw increased participation in all of its tennis programing in 2021. We provided 24 unique tennis programs for both youth and adults throughout the calendar year. New programing for 2021 included the addition of Future Stars Super Saturday, a one-day non-elimination junior event held in partnership with the Elks Tennis Center. Additionally, we provided a Junior Varsity Tennis Program for all non-traveling High School Players during the tennis season. This program was made possible through our partnership with School District II.

2021 Total Tennis Participants 211 38 52 18 139 17 9

Tennis Academy Junior Beginner- Intermediate Tennis Academy Junior High Performance Tennis Academy Adult Programs End of Summer Junior Non-Elimination Tournament Tennis is Elementary (Winter and Fall) Future Stars Super Saturday Ten and Under Tennis @ North Park Center

USTA Grow the Game Grant Award Billings Parks and Recreation secured $1,400 in grant funding from the USTA’s Grow the Game Program. This grant was awarded to entities providing “grassroots” tennis programming for both youth and adults.

Pickle Ball Programs Billings Parks and Recreation greatly expanded Pickleball offerings and programming in 2021. With the completion of the Lillis Park Pickleball courts, we offered beginner adult boot camps, intermediate level lessons and tournaments throughout the spring and summer. The Pickleball season kicked off in May with our first annual Pickleball Doubles Tournament at Lillis Park. We had over 50 participants in 3 divisions. Throughout the summer, we had 68 individuals participate in beginner pickleball boot camps and lessons. The high interest in the sport led to our department hiring two certified pickleball teaching professionals. These professionals facilitated camps, lessons, and clinics. The popularity and heavy traffic at the Pickleball complex led to the design of an online court reservation system. Using Serve Tennis, a

USTA facilitated program, the public is able to reserve specific times they would like a court at the complex. This online court reservation will be made public in March 2022.

Keeping Billings Active Adult Sports Adults sports continued to be popular throughout 2021 with approximately 1,000 individuals participating in a variety of sports including City League Basketball, Adult Soccer, and Adult Volleyball. Additionally, Pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, kicked off a tremendous summer with a tournament, boot camps, and lessons.

City League Basketball

Adult Soccer

City League Basketball begins the yearly programming campaign at Parks and Recreation. 48 men’s and 8 women’s teams comprised the 56 team League. All skill levels find a place to compete in our league, with divisions from Competitive, Masters, and purely Recreational to choose from. Each team average 8 players for a total of around 450 unique participants.

For Adult Soccer, we ran a successful spring co-ed season from April to the beginning of June. We had 7 teams compete at Amend Park on Sundays for this season. After this season most teams roll right into the summer season which goes through August. The summer season had 6 teams. We finished out the 2021 year with Fall Soccer which also had 6 teams. A yearly total of 19 teams and 120 Unique Participants.

Adult Coed Volleyball

Coed Sand Volleyball

From September through April, Sunday afternoons at Castle Rock Middle school were filled with spikes, bumps, and sets. In our winter/spring season, 24 teams participated and our fall/winter season contained 21 teams. Each team consisted of approximately 6-8 players for a total of about 350 unique participations. After 9 regular season games, a double elimination tournament concluded the end of each season.

Fresh off of a year hiatus and back by popular demand, Adult Coed Sand Volleyball aced its way on to the court, May 19th. The seven week league consisted of 10 teams with games played on Wednesday evenings at Rose Park. The summer league, designed for fun, recreation, and exercise, was concluded with two days of playoffs in a double elimination format on July 14th.

Keeping Billings Active Music Programming Billings Parks and Recreation provided several music camps and classes in 2021. We held our fourth annual Rock Band Camp in late June. The camp had a record number of participants with 17. The group rehearsed all week at Ben Steele middle school and preformed to a crowd of over 200 at Veterans Park at the end of the week. In August, we held our 3rd annual Keyboard Camp that hosted 10 participants and was held at the Billings Community Center. Throughout the year, we held three, six-week long sessions of Adult Piano classes, held in the evenings at the Community Center and Rose Park activity building. We had over 15 participants in these sessions. These camps and classes are made possible with partnerships with School District II, Billings Music Teachers Association, and the support of our local music teachers.

Rock Band Camp a er performing at Pioneer Park

Shared Facility Use We are fortunate and grateful to have such a great partnership with School District #2. Through our partnership we are able to offer accessible recreation programs for all ages year round and throughout the entire community

Youth Scholarships The Billings Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to have a Youth Scholarship Fund that provides a means for under-privileged children to participate in Parks and Recreation Programs throughout the entire year. Over each of the last 3 years, we have received a generous contribution of $2,000 from Scheels to assist in providing opportunities for youth in the Billings Community. Over the past 5 years, we have awarded $10,306 in scholarships that allowed 187 children to participate in programs they may not have been able to afford otherwise.

Strike Zone Batting Cages The Strike Zone Batting Cages opened up on April 1st. A staff of 10 seasonal workers were hired to work the cages to cover the hours needed to stay open Monday-Sunday until August 1st. The spring saw the Parks staff help the Rec staff with some net repairs and putting up lights to ensure the safety for all participants and spectators. The hours of operation from month-tomonth changed with generally shorter hours of operation as the season gets into the hotter parts of summer and as baseball leagues around Billings wrap-up. The cages completed another season in early August with most of our staff departing for school.

Staying Cool at the Pool

Patrons at Rose Park Pool cooling oﬀ on a hot day

Summer Aquatics Operations The Recreation Division oversees the staffing and operations of the Rose Park and South Park pools, as well as the Pioneer Park and Hawthorne Park wading pools. We employ 45-55 lifeguards annually, all of which receive rigorous American Red Cross Lifeguard and CPR/ AED training before the pools open. We

751 Swim Lesson Participants

ensure each guard receives the proper training they need to respond to any situation that arises. This year, our lifeguards supervised 53,673 visitors (38% increase from 2020) at Rose and South Park pools and thousands more uncounted visitors at Pioneer Park and Hawthorne Park wading pools. Additionally, 259 reduced price pool passes were sold in 2021 to help residents in low-income households cool off on our hot summer days. Not surprisingly, with the dramatic increase in daily attendance at the pools, we saw a 73% increase in concession sales since 2019.

53,673 Pool Visits

43,746 Food Items Eaten 39

Staying Cool at the Pool Aquatic Programs & Swim Lessons To go hand and hand with recreational open swim for children and families, the Recreation Division also provided popular aquatic programming, which included 751 children enrolled in our American Red Cross Learn to Swim program (112% increase from 2020), 55 adult lap swimmers, and 64 children enrolled in our new allday aquatic camps. The aquatic staff was commended for doing a tremendous job, during one of our busiest summers on record, keeping our facilities safe and enjoyable for the community.

Dog Days of Summer In 2021, we celebrated our seventh annual Dog Days of Summer! On the closing day of the pool, we close the pool to human swimming and open it to our fourlegged friends. The entry fees are waived for humans, but pet owners are charged $4 per dog. This year, 418 dogs enjoyed the water all to themselves as Rose Park pool was temporarily turned into a pool dog park. The event has become a community favorite and a tradition that is sure to last for years!

Wading Pools Pioneer Park wading pool and Hawthorne Park wading pool operate free of charge for the public to use. These facilities are extremely popular for small children, and widely used by day care programs throughout the community. Both of the wading pools

are staffed by 2 lifeguards daily from 12-6pm. Around 90 seasonal aquatic employees are employed at the aquatic facilities annually. Many of these employees are high school students, college students, and School District 2 employees.

We Make Aging Fun! Billings Community and Senior Center The Recreation Division has been providing recreation programs for our senior population since 1969. Since opening our main facility in 1978, we have provided a wide variety of classes, recreation opportunities, and services to meet the needs of our senior adults. Programs for senior adult’s consisted of social services, games, and clubs with a small amount of recreation and wellness opportunities. Over the years, there has been a gradual shift from sedentary activities to a focus in recreation, fitness and wellness programs for senior adults. What once was a place predominately looked at for cards and games for seniors is now the go to for senior recreation, fitness, and overall wellness.

and increased fitness and wellness programing. We increased our program offerings by 30% in 2021. As our population shifts into higher percentages of seniors, we are seeing a correlation in demand for programming for this population. For recreational programming in the winter of 2021 and spring of 2022, senior programming accounts for nearly forty percent of the programs offered. We look forward to meeting the needs of our senior adults while making aging fun!

In 2021, we have nearly doubled our attendance with the reopening of the meal site, games, clubs,

A Shift in Senior Programming Over the last four years, we have seen a gradual shift towards increasing active recreational activities. The greatest amount of change has occurred after the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been a significant increase in demand for recreation and fitness programming. Many of our seniors reporting that they have seen the need to stay strong and healthy can help lower their risk of diseases that are associated with being sedentary. While many find it hard to navigate what normal looks like two years into this pandemic, our senior adults have embraced it and are changing what they once deemed as normal. Our seniors who once prioritized cards and games now seem to be picking fitness and wellness classes first!

lineup, we have started to see some familiar faces again. Over the six-month period, we increased these offerings by 10 percent adding in new opportunities for seniors to socialize with their peers. While we see a decline in the demand for games and clubs which once accounted for 75 percent of the services offer, we have shifted to closer to 25 percent.

In June of 2021, our games and clubs started back up and while there were many changes to the previous

Adult Resource Alliance Meal Site In 2021, we were given the opportunity to reopen our doors for more than fitness. In March of 2021, we restarted the Adult Resource Alliance meal site with three days a week and a gradual progression in May to the Monday through Friday offerings. With this partnership, the Adult Resource Alliance has added in a salad option, which has given many of our seniors

increased access to fresh vegetables and healthy foods along with the traditional entrée options. We receive consistent feedback that this option has been a great addition. Many of our seniors would not have access to healthy meals otherwise.

We Make Aging Fun Adult Resource Alliance Program Partnership In June, we resumed our partnership with the Adult Resource Alliance, providing fitness, recreation, and wellness programming at their two locations. The demand for programming at the Heights locations has increased dramatically, giving us the opportunity to double the classes offered starting in January of 2022. Seniors at the Heights location have given feedback that they enjoy the addition of the heights location because it is closer to their homes, decreased the barrier to getting to classes in bad weather. We will continue to work closely with the Adult Resource Alliance to expand the programming offered in our community to help bridge any location barriers.

Patrolling Our Parks In January of 2021 Billings Parks and Recreation welcomed Officer Schara to our team. Officer Schara has worked for the Billings Police Department for the past 6 years. Now as the City Parks Officer, his duties include assisting parks employees, patrolling trails and keeping our public parks safe. During 2021, Officer Schara worked on public relations with community members around the parks. This included assisting our vagrant population, working special park events, and explaining the position’s duties to nearby residents. Officer Schara also enforces city park laws to try and combat the main issues within them. These violations included, but were not limited to, alcohol in the park without a permit, and camping in the parks, two of the city’s parks most prevalent violations. Officer Schara worked with the Downtown Billings Alliance Officers to build relationships with business owners. Additionally, Officer Schara worked on creating a safe exchange zone for the residents of Billings to use for online purchases. Officer Schara spoke with businesses to receive funding to create this exchange zone. Scheels partnered with the Billings Police Department to create the cities first safe exchange zone. This safe exchange zone includes designated parking spots, good lighting, and video surveillance. Officer Schara is also a member of the south side task force and meets with people within the community to share local crime stats and answer questions. Officer Schara will continue to focus on public relations and safer parks as he moves into 2022. As a Police Officer, he is looking forward to building positive relationships with community members and assisting those in need.

120

May

Citations Issued in 2021

Busiest Month for Citations

Alcohol in the Park Most Common Park Citation