Parks and Recreation

Fiscal year 1969 marked another major development in the area of outdoor recreation with the beginning of construction of a recreational park in Agana, the Island's capital. The overall plan includes the building of a $250,000 olympic-size swimming pool, boating facilities, tennis, and basketball courts, baseball fields, bath house, and other 'recreational facilities.

The bepartment of Land Management, under its Parks and Recreation Resources Dh,ision, developed and maintained 43 sites. These include a Botanical Garden, as well as parks in Dededo, Agat-Sumay, and Merizo Bay. It also includes the Guam Memorial Hospital Park, Government House Park, Skinner Plaza, Paseo De Susana ( a major recreational and sports facilities), Talofofo Beach, Nimitz Beach, Ipao Beach and Park, and the historic Plaza De Espana in Agana.

During the year, Land Management maintained 294.4 acres of public grounds used for parks and recreational purposes at an average cost of $393 per· acre.

A total of 4 70 hunting licenses was issued by the Fish and Wildlife Division, Department of Agriculture, during the year. The hunters were provided with one bird, a year-long feral pig, and two deer hunting seasons.

The Air Force boosted the hunting activities by allowing both civilians and military personnel to participate in special regulated deer hunts within the Andersen base limits, where the deer thrived all year long. Initiated in August 1968, the weekend hunts provided the hunters with over 3,000-man hours of recreation in which 118 deer were bagged by the end of the fiscal year.

These special hunts, held on the last Saturday and Sunday of each month, were scheduled to continue. The monthly deer counts conducted in the base area indicated a large deer population near the runways.

Water-oriented recreational activities increased steadily, with 355 power boats registered during the year with the U.S. Coast Guard on Guam.

A South American fresh water game fish called Tucunare, introduced into the 175-acre Fena Lake in F~ruary 1968, have spawned and appeared to be firmly established in the lake. By November 1968, at least three distinct sizes of Tucunare were seen in the lake and spillway catchment basin. To develop the fresh water game fishing potential of the island, young Tucunare were also transplanted into one of the large stream systems in the southcentral part of the island.

The Guam Recreation Commission, the island's major sports activity organizer for the civilian community, sponsored 14 leagues during the year. These activities attracted 4,046 participants, of which about 70 percent were males and females between the ages of 13 and 17. The leagues included baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, and basketball. They were conducted at

certain intervals to provide the participants and spectators a year-round schedule of activities.

The majority of the sports events were held at the Paseo De Susana, a recreation complex developed by the government more than a decade ago. It consists of a baseball diamond with bleachers that can accommodate an estimated 3,000 fans, a softball field, a basketball court, a tennis court and a building to accommodate ping pong tables and other similar indoor sports. All of these facilities are equipped with lights for nighttime activities. A parking area with a capacity of about 3,000 cars is also provided.

In addition to the Paseo, the Commission maintained 13 other basketball courts and five ballparks scattered throughout the island. These facilities were also used for activities sponsored by the Commission and individual communities.

The island's little league is sponsored annually by the Sinajana Civic Improvement Club, a nonprofit organization which holds a franchise from the National Little League Association. The league is conducted in the civilian community, exclusive of the military which have their own organized little leagues. •

For the third consecutive year, the Sinajana CIC sent a team to Japan to compete in the Far East Little League Regional Tournament. The winner of this tournament went on to compete in the Little League World Series held annually at Williamsport, Pa.

Under the supervision of the Guam Boxing Commission, a part of the Chief Commissioner's Office, 11 professional boxing contests ,-vere held -in the territory during the year. Most of the boxers, some with the world ratings, were imported from various places such as Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States by local promoters.