Denton Parks and Rec FY18-19 | Third Quarter Report Prepared by Gary Packan, Director This report covers items relative to the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2018-2019. If an item was overlooked, please email the item and related details to gary.packan@cityofdenton.com, so it can be identified in the next report.
Park Updates and Playground Installations
NEW
Pickleball Lines at Nette Schultz
NEW | Court Improvements So far in 2019, the following three outdoor courts have been resurfaced and/or upgraded: Basketball courts at Mack Park Basketball court resurfaced at Carl Gene Young, Sr. Park Tennis courts resurfaced at Nette Shultz Park and upgraded to mixed-use courts to include tennis and pickleball lines The process of resurfacing is cleaning the surface of debris, marking low areas, filling in cracks and reapplying an acrylic resurfacer over the courts, in addition to adding court lines. This process is completed per the American Sports Builders Association and the United States Tennis Association. NEW | Industrial Park New sod, picnic tables on concrete, and decomposed granite have been added to the park thanks to Eagle Scout teamwork! ON-GOING | North Lakes Park Dog Park Regardless of inclement weather, staff have been working through the rain to install all in-ground services to provide water and electricity to the park. Fencing and concrete should be installed in July. ON-GOING | New Playground Structures and Shade Park Maintenance crews are planning the installation of new playground structures at the MLK Jr. Rec Center, Carl Gene Young Sr. Park, Quakertown Park, Nette Shultz Park, and Patrick Park in the Carnegie Ridge Subdivision. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and continue through December. The new playground at Vela Athletic Complex was installed this past spring. UPDATE | Parking Lot at South Lakes Park for Improved Access to Londonderry Playground The traffic study was performed and a public meeting is scheduled for July 22.
NEW I.O.O.F Cemetery Fence
Project and Construction Updates NEW | Water Works Park New overhead concession shade and electronic lockers with digital kiosks were installed and staff replaced styrofoam cups at the water park and Civic Center Pool with eco-friendly cups. NEW | Aquatics Chemical Management Staff replaced pool chemical controllers to one with remote access. UPDATE | Cemetery Improvement Plan The final phase for ornamental style fencing improvements are being completed. Once done, we'll have completed renovation of the storage building, repaired and straightened headstones, and installed decorative landscaping, in addition to the ornamental fencing. UPDATE | Eagle/Elm Street Beautification Projects Construction began with the removal of trees and site grading. On April 10, staff was informed that a new water and sewer line are to be installed in the median and constructed was halted. UPDATE | North Lakes Park Tennis Center and ALH Senior Center Construction plans have been finalized for both and expected completion is 2020. UPDATE | North Lakes Park Maintenance Building Construction began in March and was completed in May. Vela Athletic Complex Construction is nearing completion and is expected to open to the public in August with the introduction of new sports leagues including adult soccer and ultimate frisbee. A small family ribbon cutting ceremony was held Sunday, May 26 in honor of Roland Vela.
Beginning Aug. 31 The NEW large & small pavilions will be available for rentals and the playground will open to the public during regular park hours.
Future Parkland Acquisition
NEW trail along Mayhill Road
Land Acquisition After developing a new process in which property can be analyzed to determine its projected benefit for the City and parks system, I've now partnered with Real Estate on discussions with land owners for the potential purchase of land throughout Denton. The department has $1,000,000 in land acquisition funds from the 2014 bond program and additional resources in the Tree Mitigation Fund. Bond Committee A presentation was provided on the possibility of land acquisition to be included in the November 2019 bond programs for up to $15,000,000 for open space and park land.
Staff is working to negotiate the purchase of land adjacent to Spc. Ernest W. Dallas Jr. Veterans Memorial Park to preserve the adjacent trees and wildlife corridor. Highlighted in yellow ➝
Staff is also working to negotiate the acquisition of land through an estate donation. The land is south of the Woodrow open space, unofficially called Woodrow Park on Woodrow Lane. Highlighted in yellow ➝
Staff has spent time over the course of the last quarter exploring potential property for future park land and soon learned that we're not alone. During one of our visits, Drew and I were joined by a donkey also vying for the property.
Click to View the Presenation
did you know? Wildflowers and Butterfly Gardens Flourish in Denton Parks Did you know, our landscape experts distributed over an acre of wildflower and butterfly seed mix on the south side of North Lakes Park just before the start of construction on the new dog park. Seed and flowers have quickly flourished and are an added amenity on the wildflower trail and soon to be new dog park. But there's more...we have a butterfly bed at the front of Civic Center Pool, on W. Windsor medians, and a native Texas perennial bed at McKenna Park that contains plant material that attracts butterflies.
INTERESTING FACT Milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies will lay eggs on.
In keeping Denton Beautiful, KDB planted milkweed along the undeveloped tree lines at South Lakes Park and North Lakes Park. Currently, our experts are exploring other areas within the park system to introduce more wildflower and butterfly seed mix to help beautify Denton.
Preserving History in Denton Park Cemeteries Did you know, we have partnered Randy Hunt to create an opportunity in which visitors can tour our cemeteries and learn about the buried. Our goal is to create an experience the would allow visitors to geo-locate headstones and access historical visual and educational cloudbased data. The purpose of this project is to share and preserve their legacies.
Abraham Byron Harris is one of about 600 veterans who are buried in I.O.OF. and Oakwood Cemeteries. He died on March 27, 1902, and is buried in Section A, the original and oldest part of I.O.O.F Cemetery. His headstone reads: Captain, Company C of the Sixth Regiment of the Iowa Infantry; MEXICAN WAR / CIVIL WAR.
In the end, we hope to pair technology with history to breathe life into these stories.
More research is being done to reaffirm the process in which information is gathered, stored, and updated. We're working with Mr. Hunt and have started the process of gathering information from historians, volunteers, and family members.
Meet milkweed, the beautiful plant where
Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Budget Overview, Cost Saving Initiatives, and Efficiencies Q1-3 | Oct. 2018-Present General Fund Revenue Year-To-Date Revenue $1,421,468 (60.5% of target) Year-End Revenue Estimate $2,268,481 (96.6% of target)
General Fund Expenses Year-To-Date Expenses $7,557,805 (70.6% of budget) Year-End Expense Estimate $10,655,102 (99.6%)
Recreation Fund Year-To-Date Revenue $1,444,400 (60.8% of target) Year-End Revenue Estimate $2,227,697 (93.7% of target)
Recreation Fund Expenses Year-To-Date Expenses $3,415,743 (62.4% of budget) Year-End Expense Estimate $5,406,923 (98.8%)
Waiting on a budget amendment to come through which will increase our FY 18-19 budget authority in both Rec Fund ($180,849) and General Fund ($131,979). Majority of budget amendment is due to missing reinstatements, baseline adjustments, Park Foundation salary, and a missing Rec Fund supplemental which was approved but not added to our budget.
915/916 Ordinance Redevelopment Kickoff
We're excited to share that we've partnered with Dr. John Crompton, Distinguished Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Science at Texas A&M University, to help us restructure use of the 915 and 916 funds obtained and regulated by the Park Dedication and Development Ordinance (1998-038). Staff kicked off the 915/916 Redevelopment Project with Dr. John Crompton and key staff from the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, and Development Services Department. Kickoff discussions included Dr. Crompton's review of the fund history, best practices, and strategies that can be used to redevelop the ordinance. Staff is currently reviewing and editing his initial draft. 915 and 916 Fund and Project Recap By ordinance, subdivision developers must dedicate land for a park and/or pay a fee-in-lieu-of to be used by the City to acquire and develop park facilities to accommodate growth. Over the years, it has become a challenge to clearly identify what funds are available for each park property and potential land acquisition. Therefore, staff are seeking assistance to redevelop the ordinance to maximize use of these funds to better serve the community.
All Hands were on Deck for the Cost Recovery Study!
In June, the City Manager assigned PARD staff to complete a Cost Recovery Study, aka Cost of Services (COS) Study in time for our PARD budget presentation in August. The typical turnaround time for a COS Study is three to six months, however we were tasked with completing it in 45 days due to our budget presentation date. Staff did a great job working with GreenPlay to assemble information needed to assess direct and indirect costs- so allocations could be assigned to assist in the appropriation of expenses to programs.
THE GAME PLAN Planning The Future of Parks Denton Parks, Recreation, and Trails Master Plan Staff are in the final stages of collecting public input and are hosting a series of visual and interactive “Pick, Stick, and Play” workshops online that are designed to receive input on parks, recreation, and trails. The visual surveys are open online at www.dentonparksmasterplan.com.
OUTDOOR SIGN PLAN
Outdoor Sign Plan In December, Assistant City Manager Mario Canizares delegated the development of a new outdoor sign plan to Parks and Recreation. The purpose of the plan is to unify sign design and fabrication for various facilities including City Hall, Parks and Recreation facilities, and maintenance centers. We're executing this plan in tandem with the development of a park signage plan. Strategic Plan Staff have been working together to implement the new PARD Strategic Plan that rolls up and parallels the City's Strategic Plan. The interactive online form was distributed to encourage team members to "Play a Part" in organizational initiatives as a quarterback or team player. Assignments have been made and Jason Barrow is helping kick-start the next steps. Integrated Pest Management Plan On May 7, City Council approved to end use of glyphosate herbicide, aka Round Up, and also approved to integrate a pest management pilot program at Denia Park that includes organic methods. Moving forward, the City plans to implement these changes with other departments. Urban Forest Master Plan On April 4, PARD's Urban Forester Haywood Morgan and staff hosted a kickoff meeting with other City staff and tree experts from Davey Tree Resources. Denton Mobility Plan Like many departments, Engineering Services is updating their Mobility Plan. This plan is important to the parks system because of the development of future dual use sidewalks and trails, as well as connectivity opportunities between the Street and Parks and Recreation Departments.
COMMUNICATIONS Public Meetings and Master Plans Master Plan Consultants and Subject Matter Experts
Master Plan Open House Community Input Workshops
Action Sports Focus Group, Feb. 11
Staff Open House Input Workshops, April 22 @ Denia Rec Center
Recreation Center SME, Feb. 28 Athletics Division SME, March 13
Open House Community Workshop, April 24 @ Denia Rec Center
Bike Park Focus Group, March 25 Mountain Bike Focus Group, March 25 Urban Forest Master Plan Kick-off, April 4 Disc Golf Consultants, April 11 Mountain Bike Focus Group, April 11 Aquatics Focus Group, May 10
Open House Community Workshop, May 18 @ North Lakes Rec Center
Athletics Division Focus Group, May 22 Aquatics Focus Group, June 4 Master Naturalist & Gardner Public Mtg, June 6 Rec Center Focus Group, Aug. 22
Neighborhood Public Meetings
Open House Community Workshop, April 25 @ Denton Senior Center Open House Community Workshop, April 25 @ MLK Jr. Rec Rec Center
Playground Consultants, April 24
Sprayground Focus Group, June 10
Urban Forest Master Plan Meeting
City Council Community Workshop, June 11 @ City Hall Park Board Community Workshop, July 1 @ Denton Civic Center
Patrick Park, Feb. 19 Rayzor Ranch, March 18 McKenna Park, March 18 Sequoia Park, March 21 South Lakes Park, July 22
Parks, Recreation and Beautification Board April Board Meeting Acceptance of Sponsorship and Donations Policy, Life Span of Playgrounds, Festival Alcohol Requests (3), Special Events Ordinance, and Park Tour Agenda
May Board Meeting Denton Parks and Facilities Bus Tour, Integrated Pest Management Policy
June Board Meeting Proposed New Schedule of Fees, Proposed Veterans Village, and July Board Meeting Schedule
COMMUNICATIONS
Click to see the Guidelines for Unsheltered Camps on City Property
Collaborations & Partnerships Multi-Department and CMO Collaboration Eddie Valdez worked with the City Manager's Office and other staff to map out the flow process for the City's Unsheltered Camp Identification Plan. Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoption Center and Special Event Staff Staff has been meeting with staff from the City's animal shelter to develop new partnerships and kicked off efforts with pet adoptions at the June Movie in the Park. Next up, a movie at the dog park! Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) On June 1, various cities, including Denton, partnered with DCTA to celebrate American Hiking Society's National Trails Day® with a local Rails to Trails event. NRPA Standards and Denton Staff Staff has been working diligently to identify discrepancies in Denton's current park statistics and is updating data to develop new standards to later be compared to standards published by National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and The Trust for Public Land. Economic Development and a Downtown Music Venue Staff has partnered with Economic Development to create a plan for a series of music venues in Quakertown Park. The plan outlines a hierarchy of amphitheaters that can be used for park programs and community events. One consideration is for a large venue, similar to the Arts & Jazz Festival stage, at the northeast corner of the park to improve the sunken garden at City Hall and enhance opportunities for music and entertainment. Denton Parks Foundation Partnership Executive Director Brooke Moore, appointed last fall, is outlining a short term and long term plan that includes public outreach, fundraising, and volunteer opportunities. Currently, one of their main efforts is to focus the next 6-12 months on fundraising to provide support for the new dog park. Commission for Accreditation of Parks & Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) We're in the first of three phases towards achieving our goal for accreditation. To date, we have completed 92 of 151 standards of best practices in the self-assessment portion of the first phase. Once done, we'll pursue the next two phases which include the on-site visitation and review. Aquatic Partnerships Partnered with American Red Cross to host a nation-wide training program Partnered with Ginnings Elementary School for the Swim for Success Program Fire Department for swift water rescue training Partnered with Playtri to host the 4th Annual Water Works Triathlon Leisure Services and Human Resources (HR) Leisure Services partnered with the HR Dept. to host three in-processing events to transition and process 250 seasonal employees and trained some staff on the drug testing and reporting process.
Q3 | PARD TEAM HIGHLIGHTS We Salute you! Great job Special Events Team for assisting 28 community events this quarter (57 YTD) and for booking the Civic Center 12 of 13 weekends (48 YTD) while also hosting PARD's events.
Way to go Maryann for receiving your National Recreation and Parks CPRP Certification.
Way to go Megan for completing Leadership Denton Class of 2019.
Going Extra Innings
Hometown Hero
Extra thanks to the Park Maintenance and MLK Jr. Rec Center staff for going extra innings to help make Juneteenth a great event!
Congrats Mr. Black for being honored as a Denton Hometown Hero by the Juneteenth Committee!
Congrats Betty Kimble for being honored as one of Denton's five strong female faces for all too see at the intersection of Bonnie Brae and Oak Streets.
OFFICIAL PICKLERS
Way to be WAY Finders!
Appreciation for Training
Congrats Athletics for bringing the first EVER State TAAF Pickleball Tournament in Texas to good ol' Denton.
Great job Brittany & Brooke for taking the team beyond the reef and making big waves at the first ever Dive-In Movie.
Congrats WWP staff for being appreciated for your commitment to training more than 200 people in 2018.
A VERY BIG DEAL!
Community Leader Honored in Parks
Congrats Bobby Givens for being recognized and honored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Historical Moment Nice work Laura Behrens for assisting with the Fred Moore Historical Marker installed during the Juneteenth Celebration.
Congrats Kali for receiving a TAMIO Award for Best Use of Unplanned Social Media using an animated 3D video designed by Glenn McLain.
Q3 | ORDINANCE AND POLICY HIGHLIGHTS NEW Ordinance
NEW & Improved Policy
NEW Ordinance
Approved by City Council Sponsorship and Donation Policy
Approved by City Council Integrated Pest Management Policy
Approved by City Council Special Event Permit and Ordinance
NEW and Improved City-wide Process Homeless Camp Clean-up Flow Chart
Accounting Wrap Up and Friday Reports Projects Opened between April 2019 – June 2019 1. Irrigation Controllers 2. Lightning Detection Equipment 3. Fitness Equipment Replacement 4. Dallas Park Expansion Property 5. Lake Forest Expansion Property 6. Mills Property Projects Closed between April 2019 – June 2019 1. NL Gym Floor project (Facilities Dept. will be funding the project.) 2. Denia Outdoor Equipment
Park Maintenance Status | Current Supplementals Completed | Hired Landscape Architect and started designing projects in-house. Completed | Performed winter maintenance per right of way tree tree trimming approval. Completed | Mowed park property transition to new companies, adjustment is being monitored In-progress | Developed designs for Eagle/Elm, Dallas/Teasley, South Lakes parking lot. Leisure Services Status | Current Supplementals Completed | NAT window tint installation completed June 15 Completed | Awaiting HBU funding consolidation Completed | Expanded hours of NL Rec Center Completed | Maximized additional part-time funds to hire more NAT pool deck staff On-hold | Awaiting the start of ALH construction Capital Maintenance Allocation Status | Current Supplementals Completed | Replaced irrigation controllers and installed lightning detection system
Friday Reports and Informal Staff Reports We continue to send department updates for the Friday Report and maximizing opportunities to provide City Council with additional information that demonstrates how our team contributions. April 5
Pavilion Rentals, Proposed Rayzor Ranch Park Concept Video, American Legion Hall Update
April 26
Sprayground Opening, Creek Fencing at Arts & Jazz Festival, MLK Jr. Rec Center Reinvestment Improvements
May 3
Arboretum Research, Denton Soccer Association
May 10
Sprayground Opening, Aquatic Focus Group Public Meeting, April Storm Cleanup, Master Plan Community Meetings, Oakwood Cemetery Availability
May 31
Child Care During Council Meetings, North Lakes Recreation Center Hours
June 7 Naming Policy, Green Ribbon Grant, ALH Senior Center Update, Fred Moore Park Site Plan June 14
Fred Moore Park Historical Marker, Lake Forest Park Electrofishing Survey, Master Plan Update, Driving Range Maintenance
June 21 Non-Toxic Neighborhoods Meeting Update, Preserving History at City Cemeteries, Eco-Friendly Cups implemented at Water Works Park, Miracle League Field