Joplin Parks and Recreation 2017 Annual Report

2017Â Annual Report

contents 2017 Annual Report

03 WHO WE ARE

06 PARKS DIVISION

10 AQUATICS

12 SCHIFFERDECKER GOLF COURSE

15 MEMORIAL HALL

04 PARKS & REC

BY THE NUMBERS

08 RECREATION DIVISION

11 ATHLETIC MAINTENANCE DIVISION

14 CEMETERY DIVISION

Who We Are Our Mission The Joplin Parks and Recreation Department provides quality parks, services, and programs to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Joplin and surrounding communities.Â

Director Paul Bloomberg

Park Advisory Board Dustin Parker, Chairman Josh DeTar, Vice Chairman Harvey Hutchison Jennifer Martucci Edwin Mwangi Kreg Selvey Ryan Stanley, Council Representative

Tree Board Jason Grossman, Chairman Lauren Copple Bob Willcoxon Samuel Wimsett J.J. Spurlin Gary Shaw, Council Representative

Parks & Recreation Management and Support Staff Greg Bertoncino, Athletic Maintenance Superintendent Carla Bond, Business Development Manager Daryn Buholt, Golf Course Professional Ashley Clements, Recreation Coordinator Jason Cowen, Parks Superintendent Dickie Gray, Cemetery Superintendent Jessica Johnson, Recreation Coordinator Nakia Osborne, Accounting Specalist Maron Towse, Golf Course Maintenance Supervisor Alina Watkins, Recreation Leader

2017 Annual Report

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Parks & Rec By The Numbers 10 miles of rec trail

1070

20

acres of park land

20 park areas

3 24

1

splash pad

4

cemeteries

2017 Annual Report

reservable shelters

8

1

playgrounds

golf course

aquatic centers

1

basketball courts

skate park

14

4

disc golf parks

6

softball fields

3

baseball fields

tennis courts

6

3

sand volleyball courts

5

soccer fields

pickleball courts

1

dog park

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2017 At-A-Glance 6,296 21,308

rounds of golf played

400

44,636

facebook followers

games played at Joe Becker & Wendell Redden Stadiums

pool visitors

6,465

525

recreation youth program participants

61

pool party rentals

600

headstone repairs

shelter reservations

1,130

399 36

swim lesson participants

golf tournaments held

35

300 dog park members

2017 Annual Report

aqua zumba participants

memorial hall rentals

3,025

123

tournament players at adult sports teams softball complex page 5

Parks Division Joplin is extremely fortunate to have excellent parks offering a variety of quality amenities and experiences.

The Parks Division is comprised of 11 full-time and 13 seasonal employees. They are responsible for the maintenance and management of over 1,070 acres of parks and green space, which includes: 24 parks, parkways, and green spaces Upkeep Junge Boulevard medians Shelters and Amphitheaters 3 Aquatic Centers Joplin Museum Complex Senior Center Parr Hill Dog Park Public and private partnerships with local agencies

Like most Park Divisions in the country, our largest struggle is retaining enough staff to properly maintain all 1,070 acres of grounds under our care. In 2017, our staff were able to maintain all of our areas of responsibility within a two-week turn around.

Number of Shelter Reservations

650

Greetings | 1 MercySeason's Park

3 Specialty Coffee Drinks to Keep You War Cunningham Park

Community Involvement

520 390 260 130 0

2015

2016

2017

Number of Dog Park Members

300

Special Event Support: Fiddlers on the Route at Landreth Park Park Days at Ewert Park Great Day of Service Joplin's Fourth of July Celebration

225 150 75 0

We have worked with Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Joplin History and Mineral Museum to preserve pieces of the "House of Hope" from the 2011 tornado that was stored at Schifferdecker Park.

2015

2017 Annual Report

2016

2017

Best Gifts for the Coffee Lover | 4

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Parks Division Major Projects

New Playground at Parr Hill Park

Monarch Butterfly Garden at Ewert Park

Designed and constructed a new equipment storage building at Schifferdecker Park Installed new playgrounds at Ewert, Parr Hill, and Humphrey Parks Converted a basketball court into an inline hockey court with fence, boards, LED lighting, and new playing surface at Schifferdecker Park Redesigned 2 basketball courts into 3 full-size courts with new fence, baskets, and playing surface at Schifferdecker Park Replaced existing shelter at Ewert Park with a new shelter/amphitheater Installed a six-hole disc golf course at Schifferdecker Park Added Monarch Butterfly Gardens at Ewert, Humphrey, Leonard, and Mercy Parks Installed Gabby Street plaque at Mercy Park Installed a water line to ensure the tree nursery at the Parks Maintenance Building is maintained Renovated pool chemical building Renovated restroom at the Joplin History and Mineral Museum to make it ADA compliant

Maintenance & Repairs New Shelter/Amphitheater at Ewert Park

Overlaid and relined the basketball courts at Parr Hill and Humphrey Parks Replaced main fountain pump at Spiva Park Replaced all old electrical at Spiva Park Replaced main water line at Ewert Park Replaced 4 rooftop HVAC units at Memorial Hall Removed 2/3 of the old Schifferdecker Tennis Courts

Did You Know?

New pumps and electrical at Spiva Park

2017 Annual Report

The City of Joplin has been a Tree City USA community for 9 years! page 7

Recreation Division Our Recreation Division provides the Four States with a variety of quality recreation programs year round.

This division is staffed by 4 full time and over 150 seasonal employees. They are responsible for sports programming, aquatics, summer day camp, 10 concession facilities, youth and adult programs, special events, and the Memorial Hall rental program.

Program Highlights

The Recreation Division has had a 131% increase in program participants since 2015.

Lil' Instructionals Series Our Lil' Instructional sports is a 4-week instructional program, specifically designed for children 3-4 years of age. All classes focus on developing skills through fun drills to prepare children to play in league games when they get older. Sports offered include basketball, soccer, t-ball, tennis, and football. We have had a 32% increase in enrollment in these programs since 2015.

Youth Soccer Leagues Like many of our youth leagues, 2017 marked a significant increase in participation. We had 589 players in our Spring and Fall seasons. This was an increase of 201 players from 2016!

6,500 4,875 3,250 1,625 0

2015

2016

2017

Daddy Daughter Date Night

In 2017, Daddy Daughter Date Night celebrated its 18th year of dads and their daughters enjoying a special night out on the town at Memorial Hall. In 2017, we had a total of 563 couples over a two-night event. They had a wonderful evening of dancing, eating, and playing games. This was an increase from 72 couples in 2016.

Old Fashioned Hayride This is our second largest community special event. The evening consists of a hayride through McClelland Park, weenie roast, as well as cozying up to campfires and making s’mores. In 2017, thanks to a sponsorship from Fletcher Toyota, we showed “Hocus Pocus” outside on our inflatable movie screen. We estimated over 2,000 people enjoyed this event. This event was a success, in part, due to the help of the Parks Division, as well as the Police and Fire Departments.

2017 Annual Report

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Community Partnerships & Events

Joplin's Independence Day Celebration Joplin Parks & Recreation organizes the Celebration for the City of Joplin. In 2017, the event was held at the Joplin Athletic Complex with over 2,500 people attending. The event features food trucks, inflatables and games, live music, and the largest fireworks display in the area.

Athletic Organizations Convention & Visitors Bureau Challenger Sports Joplin Disc Golf Club Joplin Golf Club Joplin Sports Authority Joplin Table Tennis Club

2017 Annual Report

Aquatics Berzerkers Swim Team Boys and Girls Club of SW Missouri Joplin Family YMCA Joplin High School Swim Team Joplin Stingrays Swim Team

Community Groups Area Agency on Aging Connect 2 Culture Downtown Joplin Alliance Joplin Emancipation Park Days Miracle League of Joplin Missouri Department of Conservation Missouri Master Naturalists The Salvation Army Wildcat Glades Audubon Center

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Aquatics The Recreation Division operates Joplin's three aquatic facilities: Schifferdecker, Ewert, and Cunningham Aquatic Centers.

We hire and train over 120 employees annually. This includes lifeguards, cashiers, and managers. We reserve pool parties at all three pools, host Aqua Zumba classes, are home to the Joplin and Berzerker Swim Teams, and offer swim lessons throughout the summer.

Attendance

80

Pool Parties & Rentals

60 40 20 0

2015

2016

2017

We moved Aqua Zumba to Cunningham Aquatic Center to increase the class space so the program would grow.

In 2016, the program had 289 participants. In 2017, that number skyrocketed to 1,130 participants!

2017 Annual Report

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Athletic Maintenance Division We are honored to provide quality fields and facilities for local, regional, and national organizations.

The Athletic Maintenance Division is comprised of 5 full-time and 6 seasonal employees. This Division is responsible for maintaining all of the following buildings and facilities: Joplin Athletic Complex Wendell Redden Stadium Gene Bassman Softball Complex Hershewe Soccer Complex JAC Tennis Facility Will Norton Miracle Field and Playground Joe Becker Stadium Landreth Park Soccer Field Gabby Street Baseball Field Gene Bassman and Wendell Redden Practice Fields Ewert Skate Park Carver Nursery Building City of Joplin Welcome Signs

Gene Bassman Softball Complex

Joe Becker Stadium

Major Projects

Installed synthetic infield turf at Joe Becker Stadium and Wendell Redden Stadium Added lights to Ewert Skate Park Installed 2-bay batting cage at Wendell Redden Stadium Added new infield material on two fields at the Gene Bassman Softball Complex

In 2017, Joplin Parks and Recreation hosted a combined 400 baseball games at Joe Becker and Wendell Redden Stadiums and 15 baseball/softball tournaments at the Gene Bassman Softball Complex. Below are the community organizations who utilized our athletic facilities in 2017.

4-State Fusion Arena Football British Soccer Camp Carl Junction High School (soccer, tennis) College Heights Christian School (baseball, softball, tennis) McAuley High School (baseball) Midwest Select Youth Soccer 2017 Annual Report

Joplin Little League (Senior League Baseball) Joplin Sports Authority (Youth & Adult sports) Joplin Outlaws (Collegiate Baseball) National Softball Association (Adult Softball) PlayMakers (Youth Baseball) TwelveOne Group (5k, 10k, Marathons) page 11

Schifferdecker Golf Course Schifferdecker Golf Course is made up of two divisions., Clubhouse Operations and Grounds Operations.

The Clubhouse has one full-time employee, the Head Golf Professional, and 10 part-time positions that help with the daily clubhouse duties. The Grounds Division has 3 full-time employees and 6 seasonal positions. The two divisions work closely to ensure everything runs smoothly for public play, tournaments, leagues, and various other programs at the golf course.

Greetings | 1 MercySeason's Park

Awards & Recognition In early 2018, the Golf Course received 2 regional accolades, the, "Zimmer Radio Group, Best of the Four States," award and the, "Joplin Globe Favorites of the Four States," award.

3 Specialty Coffee Drinks to Keep You War Cunningham Park

Each award recognized Schifferdecker Golf Course as the best golf course in the area. Voting for these awards were based upon people's opinions about the 2017 season. They are a shining example of how hard our staff are continuously working to ensure this course is above par!

Total Number of Rounds Played 22,000

16,500

11,000

5,500

0

2015

2017 Annual Report

2016

2017

Best Gifts for the Coffee Lover | 4

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Schifferdecker Golf Course Major Projects High Definition Golf Simulator added in the clubhouse Added 30 new Club Car golf carts Renovated Clubhouse seating and windows Purchased Terra Rake for improving fairway conditions

Maintenance & Repairs Repaired water damage to Clubhouse basement Removed 3 Sweetgum trees Golf Course Replaced Toro slope mower with a rotary slope mower Replaced failed water pump #1 Hole: alleviated drainage issues on fairway and approach #3 & #6 Holes: Added drainage system behind greens to move water away from greens #11 Hole: Replaced sprinkler controller and wiring that was damaged by lightning

SNAG & PGA Jr. League One of the keys to any golf course is recruiting new and younger players.

Our Head Golf Professional, Daryn Buholt, started the SNAG program which is aimed to introduce younger children to golf.

Daryn also coaches the Courses PGA Jr. League, which competes with other local golf course chapters in a league format.

Golf Simulator

Tournaments 40 30 20 10 0

2015

2016

2017

Number of Tournaments

SNAG Golf

2017 Annual Report

The Golf Course hosted the 69th Annual Ozark Amateur in 2017. The tournament had a 20% increase of players from 2015. The Amateur is expected to continually grow due to the condition and increased popularity of the course. page 13

Cemetery Division The Cemetery Division is responsible for four cemeteries: Fairview, Parkway, Osborne, and Forest Park.

The general care for each cemetery includes mowing, trimming around each headstone, seeding, pruning trees and shrubs, resetting of sunken graves, and other related maintenance.

The Cemetery Division consists of 5 full-time and 4 seasonal employees that maintain the four city-owned cemeteries.

Major Projects Repaired and reset 525 headstones at Fairview Cemetery Removed the iron fence at Fairview Cemetery Replaced a culvert at Fairview Cemetery Replaced fence cap at Parkway Cemetery Refurbished posts and fencing from Fairview Cemetery to use for future entrance gates

Did You Know?

The Cemetery Division is responsible for the care and upkeep of the hanging and street level flowers in Downtown Joplin.

We maintain these gorgeous plantings 7 days a week all summer long!

2017 Annual Report

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Memorial Hall

Memorial Hall has seen a significant increase in events over the last 3 years. Before 2015, Memorial Hall was used by the Joplin School District as a temporary facility until the high school was completed in August 2015. Community organizations use the building for clinics, tradeshows, ceremonies, and gatherings. Promoters also rent the building to hold events.

Examples include concerts, bull riding, and the circus. Joplin Parks and Recreation also uses Memorial Hall for programming and special events.

2017 Rentals & Events

Number of Events Booked 40

30

20

10

0

2015

2016

2017 Annual Report

2017

Joplin Table Tennis Practices & Tournaments Joplin Eye of the Storm Karate Tournament CollegeFest MCSAA State Cheerleading and Volleyball Championships LJ Jenkins Bull Bash Cage of Honor MMA Impact Life Church Community Easter Service Red Rhino Fireworks Expo Joplin Area Organists Patriotic Concert NWL Pro Wrestling Walkout FC MMA Peterson Outdoors Banquet Wine, Women, & Shoes Miracle Life Live Veterans Expo Asleep at the Wheel Concert Joplin Area Town and Country Quilters Quilt Show Mother Road Marathon Expo GX International Skateboard Event Beerfest Michael Jackson Tribute Concert

Joplin Parks & Recreation Programs Daddy Daughter Date Night Turkey Shootout Breakfast with Santa Kids Garage Sale Lil' Dribblers Basketball Adult Futsal Adult Wiffleball Adult Volleyball Pickleball

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