Parks & Recreation Department 2012 Annual Report
From the Director This 2012 Annual Report was prepared to provide a public overview of our department’s accomplishments and achievements in the field of Parks and Recreation. The Parks & Recreation Department staff is dedicated to providing outstanding parks, recreation facilities, activities and services to Winter Park residents. We are extremely proud of the results we have achieved with our parks and programming for families, businesses and visitors to Winter Park and continue to look for ideas and improvements that will assure the continuation of this excellent level of service. The National CAPRA Accreditation of our Parks & Recreation Department assures you that our department has met and surpassed a high level of performance and responsibility in providing only superior parks & rec. facilities and services to the public. This annual report clearly illustrates the excellence in programming, facilities and staffing that is currently being provided by our department. Please take a few minutes to review this report and provide us with any comments or suggestions you may have. Your thoughts and ideas are important to us. Thank you for helping make Winter Park the great place to live, work and play. Sincerely,
Director John Holland
December 2012
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2012 Parks & Recreation Department Annual Report Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................iv Efficient ......................................................................................3 Innovative & engaged ............................................................5 Award-winning ........................................................................7 Technologically advanced ....................................................8 Productive (statistics) .............................................................9 Parkland ...................................................................................11 Rental venues .........................................................................13 Special events ........................................................................14 Capital projects......................................................................15 Master plans ...........................................................................16 It Starts in Parks .....................................................back cover
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Winter Park
Parks & Recreation Introduction The Parks & Recreation Department Administrative Team is pleased to present the 2012 Annual Report. The department has continued its goal of increasing programming and improving amenities in accordance with the Parks & Recreation mission. The pages of this report will demonstrate that the Parks & Recreation Department is...
EFFICIENT INNOVATIVE ENGAGED LEADING THE WAY and HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE SENIOR STAFF TEAM Director John Holland Assistant Director Brenda Moody administration, publications, cemeteries, facilities, golf operations
Assistant Director Ronald Moore athletics, community center, special events, tennis center
Assistant Director Chuck Trice golf course maintenance, landscaping, parks maintenance
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Just the FACTS! • 297.77 acres of parkland • 80 full-time, 14 part-time and 22 seasonal staff members • 13 parks, 37 mini parks, three open-space properties, six recreation buildings, one golf course and one tennis center • Responsible for grounds maintenance of 36 traffic islands, 15 rights of way, three parking lots and three non-parks public buildings • The FY 2012 budget for the entire department was just over $6.5 million • Maintenance and management of 28 acres of cemetery property with over 18,750 grave spaces, all GIS mapped and searchable online • Care of all streetscapes, planters, irrigation lines, fencing, park furninture, fountains, park signage, athletic fields and courts • The Forestry Division responded to nearly 350 tree-related emergency calls, planted 200 new rights of way trees, removed over 170 trees, and responded to over 700 resident requests • Nearly 24,000 rounds of golf were played on our 9-hole course in 2012
MISSION STATEMENT To enhance the quality of life for our community by providing outstanding parks, recreation facilities, activities and services. The Parks & Recreation Department is a nationally accredited agency.
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Efficient • Integrated membership card system in use at golf course and Community Center • Departmentwide touch screen point of sale system at all front-end locations • Cemetery records are digitally stored and backed-up electronically. Customers may search records and view maps and aerials by accessing winterpark.orange.fl.govern.com • Reservations for 63 rental venues and registrations for over 50 recreation programs are fully automated throughout the entire department • Irrigation systems and field lighting are controlled remotely
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he Parks & Recreation Department makes every effort to operate in an efficient manner. Every program and capital improvement is evaluated for cost effectiveness and the ratio of revenue recovery. Traditionally, parks and recreation departments offer services that do not recover the cost of operations. Many of the services and amenities are offered at no cost. For instance, Winter Park has no fee to enter any of its 52 parks with the cost of maintaining these parks accounting for over onethird of the department’s budget.
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ach division of the department utilizes a fullyautomated computer system for numerous applications. Everything from labor and equipment cost tracking to automated cash registers are accessible throughout the entire system which is then integrated with the Finance Department. Additionally, Sharepoint software is used for document storage to allow universal, centralized access to the department’s most often used forms and policies. The use of technology to become more efficient is paramount.
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Innovative Each year, the Parks & Recreation Department Management team endeavors to initiate innovative programming or methodology. For the very first time in 2012, under the direction of the Business Operations Manager Leif Bouffard and the newly hired Golf Operations Manager Justin Ingram, the city offered a golf summer camp. An average of 14 campers per day, age 5 to 15 years old, were instructed on the proper uses of golf clubs, course etiquette, swing mechanics and rules of the game. Group lessons for the children who attended camp at the Community Center also took place for the first time ever. Additionally, private lessons are now available to the public for new golfers of all ages...yet another first!
Engaged
Many members of the parks & recreation team are in reg
Recreation Chief Jason Seeley is the current Florida Recreation Parks Association (FRPA) Central Region Director of Professional Development. Three staff members, Assistant Director Brenda Moody, Business Operations Manager Leif Bouffard and Assistant Chief Cathleen Daus are Certified Parks
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and Recreation Professionals (CPRP) as recognized by the National Recreation Parks Association (NRPA.) The entire staff in the Recreation Facilities Division have been certified as Event Managers by the State Fire Marshalls Association. This certification focuses upon crowd management and safety.
Looking toward the future for less expensive and earth-friendly methods for maintaining our parks is vital. Hence, the department participated in two pilot programs with field maintenance industry leaders. A field water absorption management system as well as a new and exiting micro nutrient supplement were tested on athletic fields and in parks. The department continues to seek advanced ways to conduct business. Computercontrolled athletic field lighting, solar lighting, remote-controlled irrigation systems, lightning warning systems, video surveillance, GIS mapping, and more than 15 software systems are just some of the innovative models in use today.
gular contact with peer organizations and receive training in their respective fields. Businesss Manager Leif Bouffard and Golf Operations Manager Justin Ingram attended the National Golf Foundation Municipal Golf Course Institute, where valuable information was gained in marketing and cost savings.
Two Parks Maintenance staff members, Trades Specialist Eric Sorg and Carpenter Paul Denault, are NRPA Certified Playground Inspectors. This certification is awarded following extensive testing on the mechanics of safe play and proper maintenence of equipment.
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Award-winning As a nationally-accredited agency, the Parks & Recreation Department has responded to many requests from cities and counties nationwide for copies of our policy models. Other agencies that are seeking CAPRA Accreditation have consulted with the Parks & Recreation Administration Division staff for advice on how to organize and present to the National Recreation and Parks Association. These cities include the Tampa, Casselberry, Fla., and Renton, Illinois. Assistant Director Brenda Moody has been approved as a CAPRA Site Visitor. The department was awarded the Playful City USA designation for the second year by demonstrating that its playgrounds are well-maintained with a master maintenance plan, have weekly certified inspections, serve a broad demographic, are easily accessed, and met many other criteria required by the award. Additionally, the department was awarded a $20,000 playground construction grant that was available only to the cities with the Playful City USA designation. This grant will fund a playground in Fleet Peeples Park in 2013.
Winter Park Farmers’ Market
The continues to be the most popular market in the state. It has been recognized as central Florida’s favorite market by the Orlando Weekly Magazine for nine consecutive years. The success of the market is the result of maintaining careful guidelines for the types and numbers of vendors.
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Technologically advanced The Parks & Recreation Department leads the way in using the latest technology available to ensure efficiency, safety and professionalism. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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RecTrac software - department-wide customer interaction and financial processing MainTrac software - labor tracking Image flow - records management Laserfiche - archival documentation Pontem software - cemetery management Thorgard systems - lightning prediction Mucso systems - computerized athetic field lighting system Toro Osmac system - remote-contolled irrigation systems Adobe Creative Suite CS6 - Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator used for park layouts, presentations, photo simulations HID carded security access - staff and customer access control at Civic Center and Community Center Flag Football League website - scores & standings ParkTalk - dedicated email address for customer contact, questions & concerns Solar lighting - lighted flagpoles in both cemeteries Marantz digital - MP3 recording of all board meetings for ease in sharing of records MiFi’s - portable internet hubs for access by staff and customers iPads & blackberries - for senior staff to remain in contact seven days a week Video surveillance - 74 cameras located at six venues Constant contact - mass email system for customer information Computers & laptops - complete with appropriate software for each workstation including Digital Persona fingerprint logons Sharepoint software - department-wide sharing of commonly used documents such as policies and calendars
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HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE REVENUES The departmental revenues for 2012 totaled just over $1.715 million. This was $233,673 more than the $1.481 million received in 2011. Cost recovery was 25 percent in 2012. Following is a breakdown of the revenues by division: Division Cemeteries Community Center Golf course Recreation/athletics Recreation facilities Special events Azalea Lane Tennis Center
FY2011 $261,095 * $0 $421,826 $272,173 $472,503 ** $0 $ 53,732
FY2012 $388,686 $ 237,948 $390,401 $ 209,670 $390,407 $ 38,644 $ 52,778
Projected 2013 $279,000 $208,450 $430,000 $ 197,000 $472,500 $ 59,500 $ 47,500
*Community Center was under construction in 2011. **Special Events Division was part of the Recreation Division in 2011.
EVENTS/RENTALS The department leases 63 venues that range from picnic pavilions and ballfields in recreation, to meeting rooms and ballrooms at the Civic Center and Community Center. Following is a breakdown of the numbers of events helds in those venues: Division Community Center Recreation/athletics Recreation facilities TOTAL *Community Center was under construction in 2011.
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FY2011 0* 2,383 1,052 3,435
FY2012 1,138 2,142 1,010 4,290
Projected 2013 1,200 2,100 1,060 4,360
KEY FIGURES There are many remarkable statistics that illustrate the day-to-day activities of the Parks & Recreation Department. Below are a few: COMMUNITY CENTER • The new Community Center issued 2,615 Recreation Identification Cards in its first year. Those cards were scanned in 27,599 times thoughout that year. • An average of 125 summer campers were in attendance daily. • More than 40 seniors per day particpate in senior programming. • There were over 50 recreation programs offered at the new Community Center in 2012. • The pool opened for the first time in April with over 2,600 daily pool passes sold and 209 swim lessons registered, of which 118 were infants. GOLF COURSE • The golf course sold 23,475 rounds of golf, of which were 321 night golf and 3,350 played by juniors under 16 years of age. • Lessons are being offered for the first time and have generated over $3,500 in five months. • The addition of locker rooms in the starter house/pro shop have brought a new revenue source of $3,500 per year. RENTAL VENUES • The Parks & Recreation Department rental venues accommodated 113 weddings and 166 wedding receptions in 2012. These events were included in the over 4,200 rentals of city-owned properties. FARMERS’ MARKET • The Saturday Market has remained one of the most consistent revenue sources throughout the years. In 2012, over $81,800 was collected in booth rental alone.
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Parkland properties
Each park property is assigned a category according to the City of Winter Park Comprehensive Plan. The property is evaluated by several criteria including types of amenities, uses and location. The properties that have been designated as parkland total 297.77 acres and are categorized as follows:
Community Parks Central Park ............................................................... 7.83 acres Community Center/Shady Park ......... 3.28 acres Dinky Dock................................................................ 1.56 acres Howell Branch Preserve ........................... 10.38 acres Farmers’ Market Grounds ............................ .71 acres Fleet Peeples Park............................................23.16 acres Martin Luther King, Jr. Park...................... 8.27 acres Mead Botanical Garden.............................47.60 acres Ward Park/Cady Way Park .................... 66.44 acres
Open Space NW Sports Complex (tree farm) ........... 14.17 acres Pennsylvania Avenue lot .............................. .40 acres Lake Waumpi lot ..................................................1.78 acres
Linear Recreation Areas Cady Way Trail ....................................................... 3.30 acres
Neighborhood Parks Kraft Azalea Garden ........................................ 5.22 acres Orwin Manor Park .............................................. .85 acres Phelps Park.................................................................5.92 acres Trismen Park ............................................................ 1.36 acres
Special Purpose Parks Golf course ............................................................. 40.77 acres Azalea Lane Tennis Center ....................... 6.20 acres
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Maintenance properties In addition to the parkland acreage, the Parks & Recreation Department is responsible for other properties that are not counted in the comprehensive plan mandate of one acre of park property per 1,000 residents. These properties total nearly 50 acres and are maintained by the Parks & Recreation staff. 36 Traffic islands totalling 4.88 acres 15 Rights of way properties totalling 7.24 acres 3 Public parking lots - Knowles Avenue, New York Avenue/Morse Boulevard and Hannibal Square Piazza City Hall grounds Public Library grounds Public Safety Facility grounds Palm Cemetery
Green Lane retention area Pineywood Cemetery St. Andrews drainage basin 9th Grade Center retention area
Mini Parks Alberta Drive ...................................................... .30 acres Alberta/Courtland ......................................... .13 acres Alexander Place .............................................. .25 acres Alfred J. Hanna ................................................... .13 acres Bonita Drive ........................................................ .06 acres Canton/Interlachen ....................................... .17 acres Canton/New York........................................... .08 acres Chelton Circle ...................................................4.90 acres Fairbanks/Orlando ....................................... .23 acres Fawsett Road ..................................................... .04 acres General Reese/Glenridge ..................... .38 acres Golfview.................................................................. .54 acres Hamilton Place .................................................. .35 acres Harland................................................................... 2.50 acres Harris Circle.......................................................... .40 acres Hooper ..................................................................... .28 acres Jay Blanchard...................................................... .32 acres Kings Way ............................................................... .83 acres Lake Knowles ................................................ 10.28 acres
Lake Midget ....................................................... 1.43 acres Lake Wilbar ......................................................... 1.66 acres Lakeview .................................................................. .19 acres Lasbury Maiden ............................................... .19 acres Laughlin ................................................................... .07 acres Leith............................................................................. .25 acres Loch Lomond/St Andrews .................. .23 acres Morse .......................................................................... .16 acres Orange/Harmon.............................................. .19 acres Park Grove............................................................... .11 acres Pulsifer ....................................................................... .21 acres Reading Way ....................................................... .83 acres Marvin Smiley .................................................. . 14 acres Sunset/Chestnut ........................................... .08 acres Tyree Lane.............................................................. .03 acres Via Bella .................................................................... .05 acres Villa View ................................................................ .28 acres Worthington Court....................................... .03 acres
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Rental venues There are 63 rental venues on 13 properties that the Parks & Recreation staff manages and leases for events both private and public. Ward Park/Cady Way Park Martin Luther King, Jr. Park Rachel D. Murrah Civic Center Lake Island Hall Community Center Country Club Azalea Lane Recreation Center Phelps Park Fleet Peeples Park Kraft Azalea Garden Central Park Howell Branch Preserve Mead Botanical Garden Farmers’ Market
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8 baseball fields, 2 softball fields, 1 pavilion, 5 multipurpose fields 1 softball field, 3 multipurpose fields, 1 pavilion, 1 special event area 5 multipurpose rooms, 2 patios, 1 kitchen 1 multipurpose room, patio/lawn area 4 multipurpose rooms, 1 kitchen, seniors room, gymnasium, ampitheater, shady park picnic area 2 multipurpose rooms 2 multipurpose rooms, 1 pavilion 2 pavilions 2 pavilions 1 wedding area, 1 special event area 3 special event areas, 1 wedding area 2 pavilions, 1 special event area 1 pavilion, 1 amphitheater, 1 special event area 1 multipurpose room, 1 parking lot/event area
Special events bring a community together. There are many special events that take place in our city that are supported by the Parks & Recreation Department. Some are fully funded and staffed by the department such as the annual Veterans Day Celebration, Russell Athletic Bowl® (formerly Champs Sports Bowl®) Parade of Bands, Santa’s Sleigh, Easter Egg Hunt, and more. There are also city events that are funded by other departments or outside organizations but are held in city parks. These events are staffed and equipped by the Parks & Recreation Department and include the “Winter in the Park” holiday ice skating rink, Dinner on the Avenue, annual Tree Lighting, Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park Autumn Art Festival, road races, a multitude of holiday events, and many more. It is the Parks & Recreation staff that has the training and equipment necessary to support the events that make Winter Park special.
A picture is worth a thousand words!
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Capital projects The Parks & Recreation Department has completed several capital projects in 2012. Some of those were as a result of a General Maintenance Capital Funding Program that was initiated by City Manager Randy Knight and supported by the 2010 City Commission and funded each year since to keep the city’s Parks & Recreation assets in good condition. Other projects were funded individually. Lake Island Hall restroom ADA accessibility The restrooms at the Lake Island Hall were renovated to comply with ADA regulations. $50,000 Golf course starter house The original starter house at the golf course was refurbished and the pro shop operations moved back into this beautiful building. New restrooms and locker rooms have made the entire facility more functional for the operation of the course. $175,000 Playground maintenance project The playgrounds at Phelps Park and Ward Park have been refurbished by replacing worn pieces of equipment and wood where needed. These two playgrounds are very popular and are inpected weekly. $22,000 Parks signage Signage in all city parks has been redesigned and most signs have been installed. The signs give a consistent and professional look to the parks. $24,000
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Several additional projects were started in 2012 and are underway. Ward Park Master Plan Parking was formalized and fields reoriented which resulted in one additional multipurpose field. This project is underway and is scheduled for completion spring 2013. $431,000 Ward Park lighting The lighting at Ward Park is scheduled for the replacement of obsolete and deteriorated poles. Energy-efficent, computer-controlled lights will be installed. $231,000 Azalea Lane Tennis Center lighting The lighting at the Tennis Center will be replaced. Obsolete wooden poles and lights will be replaced with new poles and energy-efficient lighting. $73,000 Fleet Peeples ADA accessible restroom A new restroom that is not only ADA compliant but is accessible to both the off-leash and onleash areas of the park is under construction and scheduled for completion by February 2013. $145,000
On the horizon are several projects that have been funded but not yet started. The projects below are scheduled to begin in 2013. Golf pull cart replacement Replace the 60 pull carts and racks that are rented to the public at the golf course. These carts generate revenues in excess of$38,000 per year for the course. $10,000 Replace 50 clay pots streetscape Replace 50 clay pots in our streetscape that have been damaged due to cars hitting them or other vandalism over the past few years. $10,000 Shade structure Install a shade structure over the bleachers between fields one and two at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. $25,000 Shady Park picnic pavilion Install a picnic pavilion at Shady Park for rental. $90,000
MASTER PLANS The Parks & Recreation Department is currently using five master plans as roadmaps that help pave our way towards carefully crafted goals. All of these plans are available for viewing in the Parks Administrative Offices. • Central Park Master Plan Prepared in 2002 at a cost of just over $98,000. Many of the
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elements of the plan have already been implemented such as the east side of the park upgrades, west meadow rennovation, and ramble garden. Kitson Golf Course Evaluation Plan Prepared in 2006 at a cost of $14.500. Many of these elements have also been implemented including new tee boxes and refurbished pro shop. Fleet Peeples Park Master Plan Approved in 2008, many portions of the plan have been put into place. The new restroom and playground will be completed by March 2013. Parks & Recreation Master Plan Completed in 2008, this plan provides direction for maintaining acceptable service levels and contains park plans for Ward Park. Ward Park is under construction with completion expected in spring 2013. This plan must be updated every five years.
• Mead Garden Master Plan Accepted in 2008 at a cost of just over $103,000. Primary focus was the restoration of the natural environment and removal of the invasive species in the park, improving storm water facilities and water quality.
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It Starts in Parks! A sense of community starts in parks as does a love for the outdoors. The staff and management of the Parks & Recreation Department have the privilege of seeing people enjoy our parks every day. There are children playing, couples walking through one of our parks, weddings, and, unfortunately, families visiting the graves of their loved ones in our cemeteries. It is a job that is done with pride and a sense of service to our city. The parks team has tangible proof of a job well done. It is in every smile, every crack of a bat, every blooming rose. When a large crowd gathers in a park, that is our department at work. A walk down a sidewalk that has pretty, potted flowers under a gorgeous tree canopy, that is our department at work. A Saturday morning visit to the Farmers’ Market, and then a game of ping-pong at the Community Center, the Parks & Recreation Department is always at work. Seven days a week, 19 hours a day, every playground, park, event and holiday, it is our distinct pleasure to serve.
Parks & Recreation Department Administrative Office 721 W. New England Avenue Winter Park, Florida 32789 407-599-3334