Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department Annual Report 2014-2015
Message From The Director I recently read an article about a survey that was conducted with patients at a hospice facility. The patients were asked what regrets they had about their lives. Almost all of them answered that they wished they had more time to spend with their family and loved ones; more time to smell the flowers and to appreciate nature; more time to enjoy life. It seems very sad to have these regrets, especially when there are so many opportunities to make life more enjoyable and memorable. Our City leaders are committed to making our community a fun, familyoriented city. One of the many ways this is accomplished is by making a commitment through the City’s Strategic Plan to have plenty of “fun opportunities” available for families here in Boynton Beach. Through such things as top quality parks with amenities, a variety of recreational programs for all generations, safe bikeways, and events and festivals for residents and visitors to enjoy, residents are able to enjoy a vast array of activities that add to their quality of life. This Annual Report provides a summary of the offerings of the Recreation & Parks Department. And, as you’ll note, residents have many opportunities for living healthy lifestyles and creating wonderful memories with their families through recreation events and services. All they have to do is reach out and grab those chances. We are here to help and have done just that this past year. Sincerely,
Wally Majors Wally Majors, CPRP Recreation & Parks Director
The City of Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department 100 E Boynton Beach Blvd P.O. Box 310 Boynton Beach, FL 33425-0310 561-742-6650 www.boynton-beach.org/recreation recdept@bbfl.us fb.com/boyntonbeachrecandparks twitter.com/@boyntonbeachrec 2
Vision and Mission Our vision is to be a leading and well-respected, nationally accredited agency providing exceptional, widely accessible facilities and services that meet the needs and contribute to the health and well-being of the community while preserving its history and embracing its future. We seek to lead our diverse and ever-changing neighborhoods and communities in discovering the unique parks and open spaces and exceptional and essential recreation facilities, programs and opportunities available in Boynton Beach. Boynton Beach’s Recreation and Parks Department inspires patrons to create lifetime memories and provide healthy indoor and outdoor recreation experiences while preserving the history of the community and embracing its future. The Department will conduct its recreation programs and preserve and maintain parks, open spaces and facilities and contribute to the economic impact, environmental sustainability and social well-being of our broad community while making life fun for all citizens. Together and in partnership with other organizations, we: Contribute to Economic Impact Developing and providing enriching programs helps to create healthy communities, reduce crime and vandalism, foster business retention and expansion and enhance tourism. Recreation and Parks is good for the entire community. Contribute to Environmental Sustainability We strive to make the importance of recreation and parks more evident to the public, by promoting parks as the center of communities and City facilities as safe havens. The Department will continue to serve as stewards by maintaining and preserving parks, open spaces and natural areas while addressing accessibility for all. It is vital to encourage environmental and natural resource management – through public awareness and preservation. Recreation programs and parks enrich our human and natural resources. Contribute to the Social Well-Being and Safety of the Community Residents have long valued neighborhood and community parks as special natural places where they can relax, walk, meditate, play, enjoy family time and seek spiritual renewal. As our quality of life has changed and grown, the Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Department has formed partnerships with many other organizations including the Palm Beach County School District, The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and community-based organizations and businesses to provide services to increase community stability. The Recreation and Parks Department provides a full spectrum of recreation and park services for residents that are affordable and accessible, and will continue to provide and expand all-inclusive programs and services, particularly to the City’s youth and senior populations. The Department continues to encourage volunteerism through recognition and training. One objective of the Recreation and Parks staff is to have an impact on others, and ultimately the world in which we live, in a positive way. Our humanity – our children’s future – depends on the choices we make today. Reaching out to people who care about recreation and parks, and who care about their community, is our job. Everyone can benefit from physical activity, time spent in nature, and revisiting their heritage. Providing information and services to the citizens of our community, as well as the businesses in our community, helps build strong resources for recreation and parks. Mission Statement Recreation and parks enhances the quality of life and nurtures the health and well-being of our community, economy and environment. The professional staff of the Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Department strive to meet the needs of the greater Boynton Beach area by offering high quality, diverse recreational opportunities that promote physical health, social well-being and a strong sense of community. Slogan We Make Life Fun! 3
Department Overview Recreation Facilities There are seven recreation centers, one community pool and a public beach that serve the needs of all age groups and all sectors of the city. While residents pay a reduced fee for programs and services, all are welcome to participate in recreation activities at any of the centers, each of which has its own unique features. • Art Center, 125 SE 2nd Avenue, features a pottery studio, art and craft classrooms • Civic Center, 128 E. Ocean Avenue, features a full size auditorium, classroom and dance studio • Denson Pool, 225 NW 12th Avenue, features splash buckets, slides, lap lanes and deck space • Hester Center, 1901 N. Seacrest Blvd., features a park, playing fields, tennis courts, outdoor basketball and racquetball courts and a playground as well as an indoor gymnasium, weight room and a game room • Intracoastal Park Clubhouse, 2240 N. Federal Highway, features classrooms, an event room and catering kitchens with a 10’ wrap-around deck on the second floor • Oceanfront Park, 6415 N. Ocean Blvd., features 900’ of guarded beach, a boardwalk, concession building, playground, picnic tables and covered pavilions • Senior Center, 1021 S. Federal Highway, features fitness, meeting and multipurpose rooms, a computer lab, dining room and the Seaside Café • Sims Center, 225 NW 12th Avenue, features a large catering kitchen, large multi-purpose room, classrooms and a game room as well as outdoor basketball courts, a playground and playing field • Tennis Center, 3111 S. Congress Avenue, features 17 Har-Tru and 4 composite courts, a Pro Shop and access to Barrier Free Park
Accreditation
The Department is proud to be a nationally accredited agency. Accreditation was initially conferred in 2006 and re-accreditation was granted in 2011 by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). National accreditation requires recreation and park agencies to respond to 151 standards, representing elements of effective and efficient recreation and park operations. To become accredited, agencies must demonstrate their ability to meet 37 fundamental standards and currently 95% of all other standards. The City of Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department is one of only 145 agencies in the nation and 23 agencies in the state of Florida to have gone through the process and received national accreditation. The next review is scheduled for May 2016. 4
Department Overview Parks The City features over 200 acres of beautiful neighborhood, community and waterfront parks. Barton Park, 1110 NW 5th Street, historical cemetery Betty Thomas Park, 2882 SE 2nd Street, neighborhood park Boynton Beach Memorial Park, 1611 S. Seacrest Blvd., cemetery Boynton Lakes Park, 300 Boynton Lakes Blvd., neighborhood park Congress Avenue Barrier Free Park, 3111 S Congress Ave., regional park Dewey Park, 100 NE 4th Street, passive park Edward F. Harmening Arbor Park, 124 E. Woolbright Road, passive park Ezell Hester, Jr. Park, 1901 N. Seacrest Blvd., regional park Forest Hills Park, 2500 SW 8th Street, neighborhood park Galaxy Park, 301 NW 4th Ave., neighborhood park Harvey E. Oyer, Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Hwy., waterfront park Heritage Park, N Seacrest Blvd. & NW 10th Ave., passive park Hibiscus Park, 660 SW 1st Ave., passive park Intracoastal Park, 2240 N. Federal Hwy., waterfront park Jaycee Park, 2600 S. Federal Hwy, waterfront park Kids Kingdom Playground, 129 E. Ocean Ave., playground area Kiwanis Sierra Park, 554 NE 22nd Ave., passive park Knollwood Park, 8121 Lawrence Road, neighborhood park Laurel Hills Park, 515 NW 7th Street, neighborhood park Little League Park, 300 W. Woolbright Road, ball fields Mangrove Nature Park, 700 NE 4th Ave., mangrove preserve Meadows Park, 4305 N. Congress Ave., neighborhood park Oceanfront Park, 6415 N. Ocean Blvd., waterfront park Palmetto Greens Linear Park, 421 NE 13th Ave., greenway/bikeway Pence Park, 600 SE 4th Street, neighborhood park Pioneer Canal Park, 848 NW 13th Ave., neighborhood park Rosemary Scrub Natural Area, 2901 N. Seacrest Blvd. Sara Sims Park, 209 NW 9th Ave., neighborhood park Seacrest Scrub Natural Area, 3400 S. Seacrest Blvd. Veterans Memorial Park, 411 N. Federal Hwy., passive park with monuments Wilson Park, 225 NW 12th Ave., neighborhood park
5
FY 2014-2015 Successes Contribute to Economic Impact • Hosted the 3rd Annual Barrier Free 5K to benefit Congress Avenue Barrier Free Park, raising $3,600 for future park improvements by 219 registered participants. • Completed improvements to the Tennis Center, including replacement of court lighting with energy-efficient Musco Sports Lighting and resurfacing of four Har-Tru courts. • Partnered with over 65 local businesses and individuals who sponsored and donated to various events and programs. This cooperative effort helped to offset the cost of these programs by over $24,000 and provided exposure to potential customers for the businesses. • Improvements, funded through the Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor’s office, were made to the pathway at Hester Center to better accommodate voters with disabilities. • Improvements were made to the John Denson Pool, including the resurfacing of the pool and installation of a new heater pump. • Improvements were made to Hester Center, including refurbishment of the weight room, removal of old fencing and the installation of a new gate surrounding the playground and tennis courts.
Contribute to Environmental Sustainability • Received a Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. grant to install cigarette receptacles and to distribute pocket and car ashtrays to beach patrons to reduce litter at Oceanfront Park. • The Department was awarded a Recreational and Trails grant to install non-motorized vessel launching at Intracoastal Park. • Completed the updating of the Greenways, Blueways and Bikeways master plan. • Continued to host the Boynton Beach Fishing Club meetings, open to the public, at which educational topics are presented. • The Adopt-a-Park program has 11 park adopters. Parks adopted are Congress Avenue Barrier Free, Dewey, Harvey E. Oyer, Jr., Ezell Hester, Jr., Intracoastal, Jaycee, Knollwood, Oceanfront, Palmetto Greens Linear, Pence and Veterans Memorial. During the year, a total of 933 volunteers donated 1,754 hours of time performing maintenance and clean up. • Partnered with local schools to provide environmental education: St. Joseph’s Episcopal School participated in Arbor Day at Boynton Lakes Park and staff attended a career day at Omni Middle School. • The Parks Maintenance Division continued to maintain over 180 acres of parks and open space which provide residents and visitors access to the environment to use walking paths and trails, play on the playgrounds, opportunities for passive and active recreation purposes as well as access to inland waters, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
6
FY 2014-2015 Successes Contribute to the Social Well-Being and Safety of the Community • The Department offered a variety of programs for youth and teens including sports, fitness and enrichment activities. Programs such as gymnastics, basketball, dance, art, specialty and summer camps and a quality, licensed afterschool program help to keep kids active and healthy throughout the year. Approximately 3,650 children participated in registered recreation programs. • 1,200 adults participated in registered recreation programs to improve their physical and mental health and wellness. • There were over 9,600 visits to open recreation programs like orchestral dances, daily tennis play and walk-in athletic and fitness programs. • Nearly 1,500 seniors participated in social, health and wellness programs at the Boynton Beach Senior Center, including 483 newly registered participants. • Our workforce was supported by volunteer and community service assistance equivalent to over 11,700 staff hours. • At Oceanfront Park, there were over 200,000 visitors and 2,002 preventive actions which helped prevent potential drownings and/or injuries. First aid was administered to 101 patrons and 28 swimmers were aided to help them avoid dangerous situations, such as rip currents and 471 patrons were treated for marine pest stings. • Awarded $10,000 in scholarship assistance to local families so 30 children could attend summer camp. • Provided swimming lessons to over 280 children, of which 12 were provided free lessons through the Drowning Prevention Coalition. In addition, there were also over 3,200 visits to the pool for “open swim.” • Received a $16,000 grant from Comcast which provided technology training to 645 seniors, empowering them with computer skills to keep them current with technology and increase cognitive learning. • Continued for another year trial period of allowing leashed dogs at 4 parks in each quadrant of the city. This allows citizens to exercise with their four-legged friends in a park setting.
7
FY 2014-2015 Successes Contribute to the Social Well-Being and Safety of the Community, cont. • Held a variety of events for the community, including July 4th, the annual “Egg-Stravaganza”, Tennis Carnival, Daddy/ Daughter Dance, local Hershey Track & Field Meet, Breakfast with Santa and Senior Health Fairs, many of which were free. • Continued the Play Outdoors...Unplugged events, a series of free, family events in parks. Events included the Fall Festival, Bark in the Park, Spring into Summer, Let’s Get Physical, Wacky Water Day and Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play. Over 2,300 parents and children took advantage of these free outdoor events. • The Karate class from the Civic Center competed in the Karate Champions Cup in Hialeah Gardens, a regional USA Karate Federation Tournament, bringing home three gold and five bronze medals. • The Boynton Beach Blazers Swim Team finished in 5th place in the South Florida Recreational Swim League Spring Championship and several team members took 1st place in individual events. • The Youth Empowerment Center (YEC) served 60 students with 6 different types of classes and programs, including mentoring, tutoring and employment skills, Beginning Theatre, the Business Side of Art, Digital Hip Hop and Mixed Martial Arts. This program assists local at-risk youth by providing the skills and tools necessary to graduate from high school, register for college and/or obtain employment. The Fit Zone at Barrier Free Park opened in February 2015. The Fit Zone is an easy to use, accessible outdoor gym designed to promote general health within a park experience, creating a supportive social context for getting fit. Using only a gravity and resistance weight system, the Fit Zone requires no electricity and employs the user’s body weight to engage different muscle groups. The exercise equipment is durable, vandal and weather resistant, and appropriate for people 14 years of age and older of all fitness levels. The Fit Zone at Barrier Free Park includes 17 pieces of exercise equipment, five of which are wheelchair accessible, and provides our community an exciting alternative to indoor gyms. Located adjacent to the Tennis Center, the equipment is also very complimentary to this facility, and provides convenient access to restrooms and water fountains. The development of a Fitness Zone® at Barrier Free Park helps promote health and fitness among park patrons, and makes one of our most popular City parks even more attractive. 8
FY 2014-2015 highlights Contribute to the Social Well-Being and Safety of the Community, cont. In the summer of 2015, 10-12 year olds enrolled in the City of Boynton Beach summer camps were chosen to participate in Project Seahorse. Project Seahorse, a non-profit group, is all about taking kids out to introduce them to the reefs just off our local shore. The kids spent three consecutive Mondays learning how to snorkel in a local pool to prepare for the trip. On July 28, the minnows, flying fish and sharks (titles based on their swimming abilities) had the opportunity to snorkel the Lofthus wreck just north of the Boynton Beach Inlet. On the day of the trip, the kids spent close to four hours snorkeling the reef and the wreck. After being introduced to snorkeling and the treasures just off the shore, the kids realized just how much fun they could have exploring in just 10 feet of water. The experience sparked a new interest in swimming and the ocean for 35 kids. The City of Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Department and the Boynton Beach CRA were proud to partner with Project Seahorse to offer this special experience to summer camp kids and are looking forward to working with the non-profit group again in 2016.
Other Successes • In partnership with the Education & Youth Advisory Board, raised over $3,000, using the proceeds to make donations to several local schools and award the annual Bob Borovy Student Citizen of the Year to a graduating high school senior. • Staff continued their professional development by participating in various trainings and conferences, including: Florida Recreation & Parks Association’s (FRPA) Conference, FRPA’s BizSense Workshop, RecTrac and Publisher software training, as well as National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) training and CPR/AED.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
FY 14-15
Number of Recreation Classes Held
584
Visitors to Oceanfront Park Lifeguard Actions Volunteer Hours Value of Donations/Sponsorships Number of Beach and Boat Decals Sold Number of Tennis Permits Sold People Utilizing Rented Recreation Facilities and Park Pavilions Revenue from Facility and Pavilion Reservations 9
206,880 2,002 11,738 24,881 4,329 173 35,883 $112,101
Financial Facts Operating Budget $3,000,000
$2,750,000
$2,500,000 Budget Expenditure
Revenues
FY 11-12
FY 12-13
FY 13-14
FY 14-15
$2,833,308
$2,810,429
$2,823,614
$2,927,630
$2,678,715
$2,683,349
$2,765,587
$2,863,551
$1,600,000
$1,400,000
$1,200,000
$1,000,000
$800,000
$600,000
$400,000
$200,000
$-
FY 11-12
FY 12-13
FY 13-14
FY 14-15
User Fees
$471,699
$519,679
$560,175
$579,370
Program Registration
$776,919
$723,140
$691,274
$723,260
Sales/Rentals/Concessions
$111,517
$113,653
$141,113
$147,007
$5,933
$9,513
$5,845
$3,392
$1,366,068
$1,365,985
$1,398,408
$1,453,029
Donations/Misc Total
10
What Our Customers Said What a wonderful time my family and I had at Breakfast with Santa. The price of $7 is unbelievably low for what is provided. The food was perfect, light, but satisfying. A balloon elf, holiday song karaoke, and art projects kept the kids busy between visits to Santa. In addition to that, books given as a gift, as well as a goody bag to go, was icing on the cake. The Santa looked so authentic, the center pieces on the tables were gorgeous, the room itself was beautiful, and the view is amazing! We had a really nice time and we will definitely be back next year! Thank you so much to those who put this together. Christy Abel, Boynton Beach
My little guy had a blast! Every day he came home saying it was his “best day ever�! It was his first time in summer camp. Bari Magnetta, Boynton Beach Gloria enjoys camp every day, year after year. This is a great program and I feel like the adults truly enjoy themselves and the kids. Thank you for everything. JoAnn Zalesky, Boynton Beach
The Senior Center is a great place to meet new friends, dance, sing, and play cards. Joe Levy, Delray Beach
Acknowledgements City Commission Mayor Jerry Taylor Vice Mayor Joe Casello Commissioner Michael Fitzpatrick Commissioner David Merker Commissioner Mack McCray
Recreation and Park Advisory Board Michael Byrd Jeffrey Fromknecht Charles Kanter Robert Lapin Elizabeth Pierce-Roe Catherine Scantlan Renee Stern Julie Mondello Daniel Schapiro
City Management Lori LaVerriere, City Manager Carisse LeJeune, Assistant City Manager
Education & Youth Advisory Board Carla Colebrooks Dr. Stephanie Hayden Carol Lundquist Hattie Miller Mary Morera Dr. Tiffany North Valencia Spells Anderson Steve Waldman Lori Wilkinson Kathleen Wilkinson, Student
Recreation & Parks Senior Staff Wally Majors, CPRP, Recreation & Parks Director Sherri Claude, CPRP, Recreation Administrator Mary DeGraffenreidt, Events & Programs Manager Virginia Shea, CPRP, Senior Recreation Manager
Senior Advisory Board Denise Chamberlain Tony LaRiccia Jean Young
11
Janet Harris Katherine Lynch Floyd Zonenstein
Ron Schroer’s Animatronic Fence 2015 Kinetic Art Symposium
Graphic Design and Editing: Sherri Claude, Recreation Administrator Virginia Shea, Senior Recreation Manager Photos Courtesy of Staff Member Charlie Crawford