Johnson City Parks and Recreation Special points of interest: ~Senior Services Programs Shine ~ Administration Highlights ~ Athletic Division Highlights ~ Park Services Division Highlights ~ Recreation Services Highlights ~ Golf Division Highlights ~ Calendar of Events
A Walk in the Park Your Parks and Recreation Connection I s s u e :
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Senior Services Programs Shine! Johnson City Senior Services’ innovative programming and committed staff continue to excel under the Parks and Recreation Department banner, pacing regional and state senior centers with its popular, high-quality and public service-oriented offerings. Senior Services Manager Deb Fogle recently accepted three Positive Image Awards at the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference in Nashville for Wacky Mini Golf, Plogging for Fitness Challenge and Keep It Moving programs. This is the third straight year the Senior Center has been recognized for outstanding programs. Program Coordinator J.R. Harrell also represented the center this summer in Washington, D.C., where he accepted the National Institute of Senior Centers Program of Excellence Award for the Effects of Play Therapy on Balance and Quality of Life in Older Adults program. Harrell accepted the award at the National Council on Aging Conference. “Receiving these recognitions highlights the quality of the staff putting the programs together,” Fogle said. “It also shows people in general the quality of offerings here. It’s all about the center staff and what they do.” Memorial Park Community Center was transformed into an 18-hole indoor golf course for Wacky Mini Golf where all ages were presented with challenges at each putting green. The Plogging for Fitness Challenge was a friendly eight-week test to members of the public to improve their health by jogging while beautifying Johnson City parks. The term Plogging was derived from the Swedish word “Plocka upp,” meaning pick up. Keep it Moving is designed by professionals for those with cardiac and other conditions and helps them maintain advances made during rehabilitation and recovery. Effects of Play Therapy on Balance and Quality of Life in Older Adults was a study done at the Senior Center by Milligan College occupational therapy students. The study focused on balance, with students providing preliminary and post-testing. “All of these programs can potentially be intergenerational,” Fogle said. “It attests to the diverse assortment of our offerings.”
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Administration Highlights ~
Langston Centre - A Memorandum of Understanding was approved by the Park Advisory Board at their September meeting.
National Recreation Conference - James Ellis and Bo Toft attended and visited with numerous splash pad companies offering them an invitation to bid.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Grant - Application has been submitted. Waiting for acceptance.
Rotary Park Splash Pad - Closed for the season Oct. 15.
Carver Splash Pad - Draft Request for Proposal has been forwarded to Purchasing and Recreation Education Services (TDEC) for review.
Kiwanis Band Shell - Remains closed to the public. Replacement has been included in the CIP.
Athletics Division Highlights ~
Softball tournament winners pictured. First Place Men’s Open Hold My Beer
First Place Co-Ed Open—Dream Team
Third Place Men’s Open Bristol Headhunters
Youth soccer registration 1,184.
Adult softball - 36 teams registered.
Tournaments held - three tournaments totaling 75 teams.
Park Services Division Highlights ~
Carnegie Park - Next park in the system for renovations and repairs.
Indian Trail - Replaced third base fence.
Civitan Park - Installed 8,000 sq. ft. of sod on field 5.
Tannery Knobs - Poured concrete pads, installed benches and equipment.
Rotary Park pedestrian counter week of September 19- 2,600 visits recorded.
A Walk in the Park Your Parks and Recreation Connection
Issue: 10
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Recreation Services Division ~
Nature - Historical Park Ranger Gary Purchase Jr., along with program coordinator/nature, gave an educational program on Robert Young who built and lived in the cabin at Winged Deer Park. Participants learned about his role in the battle at Kings Mountain and life in the late 1700s. On Oct. 12, Mayor Jenny Brock held a community walk on Buffalo Mountain. Participants asked nature-oriented questions and questions about the city, a combination that worked well together. Naturally Yours began a new 30-week Facebook series highlighting the trees in Jacob’s Nature Park at Sinking Creek. Volunteers worked on the Lone Oak Trail at Buffalo Mountain Park and removed cattails from one of the pools at Jacob’s Nature Park.
Memorial Park Community Center Mize Farm and Garden Supply sponsored Fall BioBlitz, supplying prizes for the top three winners. First place winner Ken Rea had 180 observations. Faith Reaves, second place, came in with 97 observations and third place Holly Clark with 60 observations. Observations totaled 572 with 271 total species. Fall Break Camp had a total of 37 participants who enjoyed field trips, arts and crafts, games and activities. They also learned about Andy Warhol's pop art, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Vincent Van Gogh's The Bedroom.
Senior Services - The Johnson City Senior Center Foundation will be hosting their second annual pickleball tournament , “Dink or Treat” Oct. 25 and 26 with 75 players during the two-day tournament. The annual “Let’s Go Travel Show “ was held Oct. 22 for preview of travel trips occurring in 2020. Senior Center hosted SilverSneakers Harvest Hoedown on Oct. 28 for an old-fashioned country barn dance.
Aquatics - Just Say Yes to Fishing and No to Drugs event was held on Oct. 11-13. Aquatic staff is conducting CPR/AED training for the department. Kayak Roll classes will resume at Freedom Hall Pool.
Carver Recreation Center - Playground repairs have been completed and the playground is now open and safe. Carver staff is meeting with schools, police department and juvenile court to identify children in need for the Mentoring Program. Carver will host a Mentoring Fair to pair mentors with children in the coming months.
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story here.”
Golf Division Highlights ~
Pine Oaks hosted the First Tee program and the Inaugural Kappa Psi Fall Scramble, which was a fundraiser for the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU.
Golf rounds showed an increase of 500 from September 2018.
4137 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City, TN 37601 Phone: 423-283-5815 4137 Bristol Highway Fax: 423-283-5829 Johnson City, Tennessee 37601 Email: Phone: 423-283-5815 jcparksinfo@johnsoncitytn.org Fax: 423-283-5829 Website: www.johnsoncitytn.org Like us on Facebook @jcparkstn Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @jcparkstn
Fairway aerification and overseed of rye grass took place October 1 and 2. New Toro mower put into operation. Electronic time clocks put in place for all golf shop and maintenance staff.
Fungicide application and wetting agent application took place on October 3.
Golf shop is now stocking Levelwear T-shirts. Merchandise sales increased $605.58 over September sales.
Upcoming Events October 25-27 - Winged Deer Park - Future Stars of Sports Halloween Classic
November 19 - Mother and Son Date Night - Memorial Park Community Center
October 28 - Senior Services - You Are Help Until Help Arrives
November 21 - Thanksgiving Dinner - Carver Recreation Center
October 31 - Youth basketball registration ends
November 26 - Fall Free Throw Shootout - Memorial Park Community Center
October 31 - Carver Recreation Center - Halloween Festival
December 2-20 - Santa’s Mailbox - Memorial Park Community Center
October 31 - Youth Basketball Registration Ends
December 3 - NBA2K20 - Memorial Park Community Center
November 1-3 - NSA 1 Pitch World Series - Winged Deer Park
December 6 - Daddy Daughter Dance Flash Sale - Memorial Park Community Center
November 7 - Teen Trivia Night - Memorial Park Community Center November 8 - Girls Night Out - Memorial Park Community Center November 8-1- -USA Turkey Shootout - Winged Deer Park