Sure.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to the committee and culture committee hearing meeting for Thursday, July sixteenth, two thousand twenty six.

Today we have parks and recreation amenities and programming.

This item will be presented by Director of Recreation, Bob Smith.

Thank you.

Bob Smith, Director for Parks and Recreation.

I also have Sean Poolin here, our superintendent of recreation.

Excited to be here today.

We have a PowerPoint presentation that we put together for you.

Well, can you be one favorite?

Can you move the microphone in front of you?

We are being broadcast.

Thank you.

We have the PowerPoint presentation that we put together.

But we're excited to be here today.

Thank you for the opportunity here to talk about our amenities, park amenities, and our recreation programming, what we're currently doing, and how we plan for the future moving forward with those amenities.

So with that, do we have a clicker?

There we go.

Perfect.

So just kind of moving everything, moving through everything.

You all have seen this before, but uh our current park infrastructure and the amenities that we have.

Uh we have uh 79 parks, uh a little over a thousand acres uh within those parks, 42 athletic fields, uh 44 playgrounds, 55 sports courts.

Uh the sport courts are range from basketball to pickleball to tennis.

Uh we have 26 rental pavilions, um, uh two skate parks uh and three inline rinks, and then we have three dog parks.

Uh that doesn't take into account uh the acres and acres of passive space that we have within our park system.

Uh the community can enjoy uh grassy areas, wooded areas, nature areas, um, as well as uh uh miles and miles of path network.

Um go one more, Sean.

So our park improvement projects, uh the map on the right uh was in the budget presentation.

The red dots uh indicate parks throughout the city.

Uh, where in the past five years we've done renovation work or created new parks.

Um part of those are our playground and sport court renovations.

That's part of our uh annual CIP program that we fund uh uh yearly.

Um just some current projects uh that we're working on or wrapping up Westside Regional Park.

We've talked about that recently.

If you haven't been out there in a while, uh get out there.

Um both multi-purpose fields are done uh and the baseball field is completely finished.

Uh now we're in the growing period, actually watering it uh throughout the summer and into the fall, and if all goes well, uh those fields will be playable come spring of 27.

So that's very exciting.

Uh just wrapped up uh project at Lucas Village Park, uh reservice of the basketball court and the skate park surface uh out there.

Uh also basketball court renovations recently wrapped up at Lake Coventry and Clear Story Parks, um, and a playground uh full renovation at Valley Street Park at Riverside Park recently completed the boat ramp project, uh which completely renovated the boat ramp uh that goes there into the Monocasee.

Um and then the ongoing work at McCurdy Field.

Uh if you happen to see a crane out at McCurdy Field next week, uh tomorrow's the last day of baseball season, uh, and then the field will be closed and we're putting up new lights, state of the art uh LED muscle lighting.

Uh so that's going up part of the ongoing renovations there, obviously the field um uh new surface, irrigation.

We've done concrete work.

Uh so after the lights we'll be moving forward with some more concrete work and more bleacher work.

So the legion is over.

Yeah, baseball will be finished.

Uh there's a game tonight, and depending how tonight goes, a game tomorrow, and then uh baseball usage will be done.

So we'll get the lights up and then we'll convert it over for football for the fall.

How long will the lights take?

How long will the lights take?

Um I believe it's like a two-week project.

Okay.

Um moving on, uh Hill Street Skate Park.

Uh we are at concept design right now.

Uh we had our initial uh community meeting uh about a month ago.

Um the contractor's been working putting together a concept, and we actually have the second community meeting next Tuesday.

I believe that's the 21st uh at Butterfly Ridge Elementary School to share that concept plan with the community, uh gather feedbacks, and then uh kind of dive into the design itself.

Uh that time frame is still uh hopefully completing design uh early 27 uh with the construction uh next summer uh with an opening uh fall of 27 for the new Hill Street Skate Park.

Um Master Park Designs, uh Hill Street Park uh master design.

Uh that's at the 90 percent.

Uh we've hit a little bit of delay with some stormwater management as it relates to the pump track.

Uh the pump track is is a separate project.

Hill Street Park has three distinct projects, uh three different pots of funding.

So the the skate park that I talked about, uh the pump track uh is private funding and a grant through the state highway administration, and then the master park design and future construction.

Uh so we've worked with our design consultant for the master park design to help with the stormwater management for the pump track.

So we're working through that.

Uh so hopefully get get some answers, um, some comments back from the latest pump track design, and we can move forward with that one.

Uh Mullinix Park uh has actually been submitted at 100% design and is going through final review.

Uh anxious to get that one through.

Uh, once we get through final review, uh get some final design plans, we'll be able to share with the community and then move that project forward as well.

Um and Westside Regional Community Center.

Uh, everyone's kind of aware where where we're at with that.

Uh we're at 90% design.

Uh they were actually submitted to the city uh this morning, that the 90% design.

Uh so there'll be a review process with that, uh, and then we'll uh gather those comments and go back to work with the uh with the consultant to uh to bring that to 100 percent.

So that that's kind of what we've done.

Um what we're currently doing.

Um how do we plan for the future?

Um how do we decide what park amenities we add and where do we add them?

Uh so we obviously take a look at our current in our current inventory and the condition of all those amenities within our parks.

Um are older than others, some wear better than others.

So that's how that's how we prioritize our projects, whether it be pavilion renovation, whether it be court renovation, whether it be basketball court renovation.

Uh we're fortunate to have the parks and rec master plan as well as the grass park inventory atlas that can kind of guide us.

It's almost uh a roadmap of the renovations and and and how we develop our our park amenities.

Uh that grass park inventory atlas uh breaks out every amenity, every water fountain, every bench, everything that we have in every one of our parks, so that becomes very useful.

Um the site plan development related to future parkland dedication.

So as developers build, uh they're responsible for parkland dedication.

Um varies in size, varies in acreage, um, varies in what amenities we look at.

Uh but from the start, we're involved in that process with the developer uh with the site plan process for the park, uh, so we can analyze where in the city it's located, what amenities we might need, uh, what the trends are.

Uh so we work with them to develop those site plans from the very beginning.

Um as money comes in, and I'll touch kind of briefly here on um park impact fees and fee in lieu of money.

So park impact fees are paid by the developer as part of their parkland dedication.

That park impact fee uh goes directly into an account where then we can create CIPs to actually build out those parks.

So for example, recently um Kellerton Park, um, phase one.

Uh they had their park impact fees, they paid their parkland money.

We then use that money to go back and construct the park.

Uh that one was a little unique, so it was a bad example, but I won't get further into that.

Um, because they actually had a waiver of some of their park impact fees where then they constructed some of the park amenities.

Um the fee in lieu of money, uh, particularly with a lot of the infill development that we're seeing downtown.

Uh developers will pay a fee in lieu of instead of a parkland dedication.

Uh, when we analyze that, those obviously run through parks and rec commission, they run through the planning commission, and then they come to the council.

Um that money uh for a fee in lieu of goes directly into an account where currently we can spend that money on paying down the debt on another property or buying new parkland.

Um that is one of the areas that I know uh it's kind of on the list of uh LMC pieces to take a look at.

Um that money builds up.

Um we're getting sufficient parkland dedication acreage through the regular development process right now, so we don't have a large need to purchase parkland.

Um there are certain instance instances where we can use that to maybe purchase an easement where shared use path will go through or something like that.

But to explore other opportunities to use that money to put back into existing parks, I think is something that we want to look at.

Um like I said, when when we analyze that and say yes, I think a fee in lieu of makes sense.

The reasoning is often that there's two or three other parks within a two-mile radius.

Um it makes sense if we could then use that money then to put renovation uh and and revitalize those parks.

Um during that site plan process, we collaborate with transportation planners to expand pedestrian accessibility.

Part of that site plan is we uh take a look at where there's existing paths, uh, where there's existing shared use path, how we can tie the park uh into those existing paths or shared use path or existing sidewalks uh to make all of our parks uh pedestrian accessible as possible.

Um we have the CIP plan.

Uh we obviously implement that on an annual basis, uh quite a few CIPs in there.

They range from uh studies for lighting, uh studies for bridges, uh the park park or park sport court replacement or the playground replacement, or to a lot of the new park build-out.

So that um park impact fee that I talked about, we would then create a CIP and the name of that park, money goes in, and then that's how we develop the park.

Uh we also continue to see grant funding, uh working through the county and the state, uh, project open space money, uh actually just got money uh for next fiscal year for uh basketball court renovation at Taskers Chance for through Project Open Space.

Um community park and playground grants through the state DNR as well.

We'll actually be submitting an application in August uh for a playground project on the west side uh through that grant process.

Uh and we've had a little bit of success recently with the outdoor reg outdoor recreation legacy program, federal grant funding.

Uh that's the million dollar grant that we received for the skate park uh at Hill Street with a million dollar match from the city.

So that's kind of the the park end of it.

And uh we brought the recreation expert here to talk about the recreation programming.

May I ask a question first?

Do so I have some some residents in District 5 in Whittier in particular would love to have bathrooms at their park, for example.

Uh are there ways that neighbors can advocate for kind of additional park amenities?

Like how how does that come to your radar?

Because some parks do have restrooms and some don't.

Sure.

How do you think about that?

Right.

Um I I think advocacy could come through you, it could come through them directly reaching out to me.

You know, I think the integral piece of that step would be how can we spend that fee in lieu of money, or how can we get funding to do that?

Is it a separate CIP?

Is it, you know, I so I think it's exploring those opportunities in future budget years to uh to gather that funding to be able to go back and add those restroom facilities.

Okay, we'll move on to recreation.

Um Sean Poole and Superintendent of Recreation.

Uh some of our current initiatives, uh programming initiatives that we're working on, um one of which is the expanding early childhood programming.

This is something this calendar year we started out uh doing, uh dabbling into, and then with um increased funding in this FY27 budget specifically for this, we've started to expand it.

We've expanded camp hours this year from to eight to five and uh a couple more camp options for parents of all ages, including a preschool, pre uh preschool aged camp.

Currently, I think this summer we're just shy of five uh oh just shy of six hundred uh campers in our camp program.

Real quick about the early childhood program.

Of course, this is a summer.

So it continues during the school year as well.

Yes.

So what will those locations be?

So we have uh currently we're looking at for early childhood.

So that's like we define that as under six, so kind of like up to five.

Uh we're currently at the TallyRec Center and we're doing stuff at the Trinity Rec Center.

Um we uh and some of those kind of what those programs look like.

We have things like parent and me classes, we have um like drop your kid off if we're at normal sessions, but like sometimes we do preschool power-up or like a getting ready for preschool.

Um we've done STEM art, kind of like exercise play classes, tumbling classes, stuff like that.

But really, in that like three and a half to five-year-old age group.

Um after school opportunities, that's something that we've uh uh expanded each year.

Um last year we were in four different schools, elementary schools.

This year we're looking to be in six elementary schools in the city.

Um last year, last school year we had 330 kids enrolled in our after school programs.

And that those varies from STEM to nature to uh what else did we do?

Lots of different sports.

Um we did some art programming.

Yeah.

So we for that, and I can touch on that when we talk about program planning, but we really rely off the schools and the parents to kind of give us feedback on what do they are, you know, because some schools run after school programs, so what gaps do they have that we could fill for those?

Um some outdoor leadership, park fitness, youth adult senior trips.

Um, so these are all kind of areas, outdoor leadership where uh actually kind of in the process now of um hiring a uh the youth recreation coordinator, a new position that will come to our department that was approved in the budget.

Um that person will deal with all youth programming, um, one of which will be teens.

That's something an area that we really want to expand on, especially in like the leadership opportunities that teens can have in programs.

So both for youth, we have like youth camps that go to different amusement parks and things like that, but also active adult and just kind of like average age adult trips to uh different things, like we've gone to Renfest, Zoo Lights, these different things that like parking or driving is kind of a hassle.

So we handle the transportation back and forth.

Um those have been well received.

Um we've also in the areas of like STEM and cooking programs, we've expanded and kind of improved some aspects of the Tally Rec Center kitchen to um now we'll be able to offer in this fiscal year cooking classes, um, as well as STEM is always a growing kind of area of programming.

Um it's something that I know we're focusing on with the Westside Community Center.

Uh, but uh we are gonna be expanding those both in after school programs and just like standalone programs that people can sign up for.

Um and adult swim lessons and aquafit classes.

So uh again, kind of touch on this with program planning, but through feedback we've received through pool surveys, we've seen that uh some adults have wanted, you know, we have a lot of learn to swim classes in the mornings for youth, but adults want to learn how to swim too.

So we've started those this year with good success, and we do deep water and shallow water aqua fit classes during the summer too.

Uh one thing that uh we thought we'd touch on is our program cost recovery model.

So, you know, in in some ways, when I when the superintendent uh position became available, I was fortunate enough to uh get this role.

One thing I looked at is um how our how do we conduct fees, charging of fees, and how to you know how can we modernize this?

And we developed uh this cost recovery model.

So how we figure out program fees is really community benefit.

So activities like uh you kind of see right on the right there.

We break fees up into tiers, so like community service or community events, things that have a very large community benefit.

We're looking at very minimal cost recovery on those, and how you know they'll probably be free if if maybe a couple drop in you know dollars versus on the complete opposite end, like a tier five, something like a private rental, a private lesson, which is very much one-on-one.

We are serving just the individual.

That has a higher um, you know, expense to us just for one person per se, or maybe one small group, so then our fees reflect that.

Um, with that said, we definitely, you know, we program and we uh to make our programs and services that we provide, whether it be a rental or an activity as affordable as possible, it's including our memberships.

Um we have the reduced registration program.

So youth in the city, city residents, uh, if they receive free or reduced lunch at school, they can get 50% off all of our youth programs, and that's summer camp, swim lessons, literally anything.

Um, and then those same kind of qualifications or eligibility rules also apply to the pool, so then youth can get into the pool for one dollar.

Um and then program planning.

I've kind of touched on this.

How do we kind of figure out programs and what are we going to do?

Uh it's always feedback.

So we stay uh very current on uh trends workshops, data collection that's done both on the national and state level of the parks and rec agencies or the parks and rec associations.

They're very active, and it's a very common theme for different municipalities to be active in those.

Uh, we attend a lot of community events, a lot of school events.

Uh, we put out actually in our brochures that we put out each season.

We put out calls for programming.

Hey, if you have an idea, can you teach something?

Like do you just are you interested in doing different things?

Um, two years ago I had like a kid write a letter, and then it like came into my mailbox that he was interested in doing like a kickball league or something.

So, literally anyway, we like look into those type of things.

Um again, kind of a feedback, you know, and this isn't just like as programs, like our pool assessment survey.

We try to do those yearly.

That's how we got the aqua fit adult fitness or adult um swim lessons, but through that we also have found um it kind of justifies things that we're already thinking.

So the pools needed more chairs and shade structures, and then we were able to use that in the past couple budgets.

We've budgeted for both chairs and shade structures in which we've installed now.

We have close to a Thomas, I believe, pushing 200 pool lounge chairs, which is quite a bunch.

Um, and then we send program evaluations after each program we do, um, and we get obviously the good, the bad of those type of things.

Um, I will say we have a predominantly very positive um program evaluation rate.

Um, but in that we always offer suggestions like how could this be improved if you had to improve it, just because we want to know any kind of thing, and then of course we'll see trends through that.

Um we also uh I mean we our staff really just I think has a non-stop vision of trying to provide as much recreation services for any kind of leisure that somebody could be looking for across the city.

So that's in like pop-up programming, or you know, we'll look at a map really and just be like, okay, well, this park and this area is kind of a gap in programming and we don't do something.

Let's plan our next movie night in the park there.

Like at least that that would be something.

Those actually coming up in August.

Um we also are fortunate enough that our staff, we hire a lot of part-time staff, and we hire staff that have very specific interests, and those help us stay current on what like those things are, whether that be dance or martial arts or boxing or whatever that might be.

So that very much helps us.

So a look ahead.

There we go.

So a look ahead.

Uh this is uh kind of a forecast of some future projects uh that that will be coming up on the horizon.

Uh and with those projects, uh possible budgetary requests.

So uh the future parkland dedication.

I talked about how that works.

Uh we do have quite a few parks uh around the peripheral of the city uh that will be dedicated in the years to come.

We'll obviously have park impact fees uh to be able to build those parks out.

Uh the Westside Regional Park Community Center as we complete design here in the rest of FY20, I'm sorry, of 2026 and move into the construction phase in 2027.

Uh I think we can expect the FY28 budget uh to actually have some operating uh expenses for the facility itself uh within that budget.

Um also speaking of Westside Regional Park uh with the continued development uh there.

Hello.

Um continue to uh implement the Westside Regional Park Action Plan.

Uh phase two calls for uh uh additional amenities uh pending uh some public-private partnerships, what those amenities can look like are going to vary.

Uh there are additional fields for development.

Uh at some point do we convert some of our existing fields or build new turf fields?

Uh so I I would think that we could expect some some additional budgetary impacts uh to uh continue to develop Westside Regional Park.

Uh Carroll Creek Linear Park, uh the Carroll Creek Refresh uh Consultant Study is kind of nearing an end.

Uh that will kind of give us almost a master plan or a roadmap uh to begin renovations along Carroll Creek Park.

Obviously a very beautiful uh beautiful park, but certain sections are aged and old and are in need of a refresh.

Uh so we'll be looking at some possible uh budgetary requests there.

Uh I talked about the park amenity renovation with the with the sport courts uh with the playgrounds, uh pavilions, uh so we'll continue to look at that as well.

And then Sean will talk about the child care opportunities.

Yep.

So as I mentioned, uh our program initiatives expanding child care programming.

We also have started the process working with the county and the state for licensed child care.

I know that was an aspect uh that's getting built in the Westside Community Center, but we just don't want to get to that point and then have to dive into that.

So we thought, you know, let's, you know, we're expanding recreation level kind of child program early childhood programming.

Um so we've started those um things to have that.

And the the thought is we can probably try to do that out of Tally Rec Center.

That building definitely was not built.

We didn't have the luxury like we do with Westside that we're building it out.

So we're working through some things there, but yep, that's the goal for that.

And if you have any questions, we'd be happy to answer.

Any questions for Bob and Shaw?

Yes.

So I think that we have a lot of really amazing parks in Frederick.

Are there places in the city that you feel like are um park poor that that need more parks or need expanded parks, or do you think we're pretty well distributed?

Or do you have uh kind of what is your dream for the the upcoming future after you do all of these things?

Right.

That's that's a good question.

Um I feel the parks are spaced out fairly well throughout the city.

Um there's uh stat that we used in a budget presentation a few years ago um that every city resident lives less than one mile from parkland.

Um some of that parkland that was being counted in that process was not actual city parkland, county park.

Um, but I believe that's still the case.

Um part of the issue, I believe, with the infill development that we have.

Um there's not a lot of acreage for parks in the downtown area.

So I think we need to continue to be creative with that.

Um I think we need to be creative with how we can use funds to, as I talked earlier, renovate existing parks uh to be able to provide services for the entire community.

Um did that answer the question a little bit?

Okay.

Yeah.

Sorry, miss your entire presentation.

That's okay.

Um I appreciate your work on child care.

That is really wonderful to hear.

And picking up on what you said about renovation at parks.

Is it true that like with a new development, if they don't set aside parkland that they can pay the fee in lieu, but that only goes for new parks and not renovation of current parking lot?

Correct.

Currently the fee in lieu of money goes towards uh being able to pay down the debt on an existing park or purchasing new parkland.

Um we're getting sufficient parkland acreage right now through our development process and through that parkland dedication.

Um there there are some instances where we could purchase uh small parcels for an easement for a shared use path uh to expand a park.

Very limited options for that.

So to be able to use that funding to put towards existing parks to renovate those parks would be extremely beneficial, yes.

Okay.

So I think there's opportunity there, colleagues.

And that's all I had.

A few questions here.

Uh so how many programs do we does the Department of Recreation have in total, you know?

That was in our budget presentation.

It's it's well over the I know I know this.

I it's well over the uh per capita of residence average.

I think we're pushing around 400.

I think it's 370 something last year at least.

Yep.

And the reason I asked that question is how many how many Bob Sean, you know how many are county residents use our Houston City programs?

Percentage.

And the pro I know well, let me that probably we that probably depends upon the this is easy enough to get you the information based on our registration system.

I don't have it right off the top of my head.

Yeah, right.

Rather than gaskin, can we get you that information?

Because that's it, that's easy to pull.

Yeah, and I'm because I'm and they're probably also considering the programs that are probably offered, they differentiate as well.

Yeah, I know like with our schools, that's where we see the most amount of county because you know Butterfly Ridge, yeah, it's in the city, but obviously there's a lot of county people who go to the school.

So that's where we see a lot.

Yeah.

That's why I was asking a question.

I'm just thinking about our recordation tax and all these other things that we have and how we can um financial support in regards to that from our county partners.

Um on Tuesday we had a discussion particularly around um our cell towers.

So you know I've been a big proponent of this, particularly uh 79 parks.

Um the amount of person people who use our who use our park system.

I'm a big fan of public Wi-Fi.

Your thoughts on that, Bob.

I think it would be an absolutely fantastic amenity to be able to offer the community.

Um the logistics and the and and the work that goes into that are obviously much larger questions.

Uh but I I I think it would be a fantastic opportunity, sure.

Yeah, because I know we had this kind of brought raised this on Tuesday at our meeting, particularly we talk about the summer cell towers.

I know we have one cell tower out at Westside Regional Park, but I don't know if that's um yeah, there's one at Westside.

No, there's there's one at Westside Regional Park, and there's one in Hill Street Park.

But that's not public Wi-Fi though.

No.

Yeah, that's that's that's a conversation.

Yeah, that's those are more cell towers for users.

Correct.

But I did bring that up, raise that up with Tracy with her as well in regards to that.

Because I think particularly like we said our the vast array of parks that we have and the amount of usage that happens and occurs in that.

I think this is only to the next move that we make to do that to offer that to to persons who use our park communities.

Um I agree.

That's all I have, I think.

You want to talk about the development and parks, I just wanted you to go over there for my colleagues in regards to how that's arranged.

You talked talk through that.

Um that's all I have at this time.

Any other questions for Bob and Shaw?

Sure.

Uh what back to talking about child care.

And currently you have in school programs and then at Tally and Trinity.

Correct.

Is that do you?

Are are we also planning for West Side Regional?

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

So I I was my question was going to be do you need more facilities for that?

But that sounds like you're already growing into the new facility.

So is that the Yeah, I think for that age group, we because so we have these school agreements.

So we're in Lake Whittier, Lincoln, TJ Middle, and Butterfly Ridge.

We have these rec center attachments onto those.

But beyond that, we have done pro like last school year, we've we did after school programming in Waverley, uh, Parkway Elementary School, and Monacasy Elementary School.

Um, this year we might um also try to add uh Hillcrest elementary school to that list.

So yeah.

We're not exactly as far as like that type of program and we're not out of, you know, definitely, you know, you don't need more necessarily.

But yeah, if for for West side, our plan there is obviously to have early childhood care as well as you know seniors and other like um uh uh inclusive kind of programming during the day and then that that building transition as we go into the day as dismissals happen that it'll turn into after school teen programs, things like that.

How are kids getting there?

To let's say they're at school and they want to go to the West Side Regional Park.

Yeah, so that well so one there'll be a bus uh transit, I believe right?

Yeah, we've we we've worked with Frederick Transit for a uh for a transit stop um right along contender on the side of Sophia Madigan's playground.

Uh so that that that was an important piece that we wanted to talk and work through.

Uh so there will be bus service.

And then internally all plan is that you've probably seen like Boys and Girls Club and other kind of these after-school programs use, you know, we also have 15 passenger vans that we transport, you know, for trips and other things.

So our plan is for that too.

Excellent, excellent.

Thank you.

Uh where are we with the Hood College partnership?

Um they are in their planning process.

I believe there's work on the lease uh to bring back the council.

Where that's at, I'm not 100% sure, but moving forward.

This is for the baseball.

Yeah, yes, yes, okay.

Yeah.

Any other questions for Bob and Sean today?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thanks.

Go Argentina.

I would like to give you all a kudos for the mural 101 program.

Our park got it, mural, and I love it.

Thank you.

Okay, no problem.

Any closing comments from our colleagues today?

Well that was only, I mean that's only agenda y'all want to have discussion around that by all means.

I mean I just we just we just we kind of had discussion around this.

I don't have anything to add.

Okay.

Anything before this committee, we stand there, journal.