Laserfiche WebLink
Parks and Recreation Department Happenings <br />March 2016 <br /> <br /> IMPROVING HEALTH <br />o 49 individuals 55+ attended AARP “Smart Driver” Safety classes this month. <br />o 9 people attended an Education & Enrichment seminar on pre-planning funeral, memorial and <br />cemetery arrangements. <br />o Pickleball hours were added at Highview on Thursday nights from 6pm-8:30pm with an average <br />attendance of 17 players per evening. <br />o Tuesday Pickleball at Highview from 6:00-8:30pm is averaging 18 players per evening. <br />o 26 teens and young adults finished the adaptive bowling season with a pizza banquet and awards <br />at Flaherty’s Arden Bowl. <br />o The women’s volleyball leagues at Highview School finished the season with an 8 team <br />tournament including 56 players. <br />o 121 participants enrolled in Group Fitness classes. <br />o 5 participants enrolled in CPR and First Aid and became certified. <br /> PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES <br />o The average soccer field can absorb 50,000 gallons of water before runoff occurs. Did you know <br />there are 6 soccer areas in New Brighton parks which can absorb up to 300,000 gallons of water? <br />o A free goose management presentation was held on March 3 at the NBCC. Goose volunteers are <br />working with staff at Brightwood Hills and Lakeside Homes to locate goose pairings and nests. <br />o Residents were notified of their untreated ash trees due to poor form, disease, or poor location and <br />asked if they wanted to have these trees removed and replaced with a new boulevard tree. <br />Thirteen trees have been marked for removal and eight trees are scheduled for replanting on <br />boulevards. <br />o The City has received its first Growth Award by the Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree City <br />Growth Award recognizes environmental improvement and higher level of tree care in our <br />community as evidenced by additions or significant improvements to the tree program. <br /> FOSTERING HEALTHY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT <br />o A recent United Nations study reported 94% of a child’s day is spent indoors. Did you know <br />New Brighton Parks and Recreation offers a summer child care program called Ed-Ventures at <br />Freedom Park where the kids use the playground, climbing wall, trails, basketball court, ball <br />field, skate park, all outside? <br />o Parks and Recreation has partnered with Usborne Books and during the 2015-2016 winter season <br />at the Eagles Nest. Usborne Books hosts book fairs on selected days at NBCC, and provides <br />books to the Parks and Recreation based off the sales for the day. <br />o The Eagles Nest hosted an Adventure Day during spring break on March 18. A total of 221 <br />youth daily admissions were sold compared to 75 last year. Activities in the gymnasium <br />included: inflatable bouncy house, scooters, coloring of an eight-foot mural, and a book fair with <br />Usborne Books. <br />o 70 children are participating at the NBCC each Wednesday for Kids Dance. <br />o Irondale is home to our youth gymnastics programs with 55 children learning skills each week. <br />o Youth karate classes on Monday at the NBCC have 46 participants ages 3-17. <br />o 153 participants have enrolled in swim lessons. Due to large waiting lists, we are hiring Water <br />Safety Instructors to provide additional lessons that have proper certification and training, <br />preferably through American Red Cross. <br />o Staff is working with 2 Girl Scouts for their Gold award, one project is a Bluebird house project <br />at Creekview Park, the other is a planting project at Silver Oaks Park. <br />o Staff is also working with 3 Boy Scouts for their Eagle Badge, one is a new Kiosk and map at the <br />disc golf course. Another is a large planting project at Innsbruck Park and last is wood duck <br />houses at Creekview Park and Pike Lake Trail. <br /> SUSTAINING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY <br />o Brightwood Hills Golf Course opened for the season on March 10 – three days earlier than in <br />2015. Registrations for all leagues continue. <br />o 30 Adult softball League registrations were secured in March with leagues starting April 25. <br /> SUPPORTING COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT <br />o Staff met with teachers from District Elementary Schools to plan the spring track program. Track <br />will be held at Bel Air School for youth in grades 4th and 5th.