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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.b. Director's Report4ROSEMOUNTEXECUTIVE SUMMARY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting: August 26, 2013 Park Improvement Fund Balance as of July 31, 2013: $511,656.55 Inflows to the Park Improvement Fund last month were as follows: Dedication fees — $6,800 Grants /Other - $0 Interest - $13.52 Donations - $0 Expenditures - $5,397.31 (Tennis Courts and UMore Fields) Student Volunteers - Three volunteer groups were recently busy in our parks. Rosemount High School students in Veda Kanitz's summer biology program worked for two mornings pulling thistle, cocklebur, and knapweed from the area around the new pond at Schwarz Pond Park. Students in St. Joseph's Summer Stretch began work in July and planned three more visits during the summer. They have been scraping and painting many of the wooden benches and picnic tables in our parks. Students in the ISD 917 summer work program also worked in Rosemount pulling weeds, picking rocks, and cleaning up trash from various parks this summer. City staff coordinates this work and provides tools and supplies for these groups. Leprechaun Days Events - The Parks and Recreation Department hosted several special events to celebrate Leprechaun Days. We started off with the 27th annual Run for the Gold. One hundred and one people participated in our 1 -mile run and 183 people participated in the 4 -mile run, for a total of 284 participants. Approximately 60 -70 kids ages 8 and under raced in the Shamrock Sprint, and a number of families put on their walking shoes for the family fitness walk, too. The Blarney Stone Hunt, sponsored by CF Industries, brought well over 550 kids to the Jaycee Park to search for colored rocks on the field, which they turned in for money for their piggy banks. Wet N Wild Day at Jaycee Park was also very popular, with 136 kids ages 4 -6 and 170 kids ages 7 -12 registered for a total of 306 participants. Our final special event, sponsored again by CF Industries, brought 117 young fishermen to Schwarz Pond for the annual Youth Fishing Derby. Bullheads and sunfish between 6 '/z - 9 '/z inches were caught and prizes were given out for the biggest fish caught by each age group. AGENDA SECTION: AGENDA ITEM: Director's Report New Business PREPARED BY: Dan Schultz, Parks & Recreation Director AGENDA NO. 7 b. ATTACHMENTS: None APPROVED BY: RECOMMENDED ACTION: None, discussion only. Park Improvement Fund Balance as of July 31, 2013: $511,656.55 Inflows to the Park Improvement Fund last month were as follows: Dedication fees — $6,800 Grants /Other - $0 Interest - $13.52 Donations - $0 Expenditures - $5,397.31 (Tennis Courts and UMore Fields) Student Volunteers - Three volunteer groups were recently busy in our parks. Rosemount High School students in Veda Kanitz's summer biology program worked for two mornings pulling thistle, cocklebur, and knapweed from the area around the new pond at Schwarz Pond Park. Students in St. Joseph's Summer Stretch began work in July and planned three more visits during the summer. They have been scraping and painting many of the wooden benches and picnic tables in our parks. Students in the ISD 917 summer work program also worked in Rosemount pulling weeds, picking rocks, and cleaning up trash from various parks this summer. City staff coordinates this work and provides tools and supplies for these groups. Leprechaun Days Events - The Parks and Recreation Department hosted several special events to celebrate Leprechaun Days. We started off with the 27th annual Run for the Gold. One hundred and one people participated in our 1 -mile run and 183 people participated in the 4 -mile run, for a total of 284 participants. Approximately 60 -70 kids ages 8 and under raced in the Shamrock Sprint, and a number of families put on their walking shoes for the family fitness walk, too. The Blarney Stone Hunt, sponsored by CF Industries, brought well over 550 kids to the Jaycee Park to search for colored rocks on the field, which they turned in for money for their piggy banks. Wet N Wild Day at Jaycee Park was also very popular, with 136 kids ages 4 -6 and 170 kids ages 7 -12 registered for a total of 306 participants. Our final special event, sponsored again by CF Industries, brought 117 young fishermen to Schwarz Pond for the annual Youth Fishing Derby. Bullheads and sunfish between 6 '/z - 9 '/z inches were caught and prizes were given out for the biggest fish caught by each age group. NHL Event - The Rosemount Blue Line Club, with the cooperation of the Rosemount Parks and Recreation Department and the Leprechaun Days Committee, organized and hosted an NHL Charity Event at the Rosemount Community Center on Thursday, July 25 during Leprechaun Days. This event generated funds not only for hockey players in Rosemount, but also for two other charities: Minnesota Sled Hockey and the Caneff Family Scholarship Fund (for a family that has felt the devastation of brain cancer with the loss of a family member). An autograph session kicked off the evening, with 22 NHL players in the Banquet Hall signing hats, jerseys, sticks, and photos, as well as event t- shirts that were on sale. The line of over 500 adults and children started at the doors of the Banquet Hall, and continued down the hallway past the Auditorium, and all the way outside the National Guard /Community Center main entrance. Everyone in line was able to meet the players before the big game. The highlight of the evening was a game between the East and West Divisions in the Rosemount Ice Arena. The crowd of over 800 people was entertained by a fast paced, exciting game that gave fans a chance to see some great hockey, not only from our own Minnesota Wild players, but also from young players from many NHL teams throughout the league. Minnesota natives who played included New York Rangers Forward Derek Stepan, (son of Brad Stepan, Rosemount High School Boy's Hockey Coach), along with Rosemount High School alumni Forward J.T. Brown of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Andrew Conboy, who has signed to play in Europe. Summer Programs - After a successful week of Leprechaun Days activities, the Parks and Recreation Department began winding down summer with three weeks of camps for kids ages 4 -12. July 29 — August 1, kids ages 4 -6 had the opportunity to participate in Sporties for Shorties Camp, Busy Kids Camp, Adventure Play Camp and Science Explorers - Kitchen Science. Kids ages 7 -12 participated in Challengers Camp or Water Park Camp this week. Approximately 155 kids participate in our camps this week. The week of August 5 kept the Parks and Recreation Department as busy as ever. We offered Adventure Kids Camp, Girls Only Art Camp (ages 7 -12, all day) and Lil' Adventure Camp (ages 4, 5 & 6, 3/4 day). Adventure Camp activities included field trips to Dakota County's Spring Lake Park, Crystal Caves and Brunswick Bowl. Campers also got to see exciting, interactive presentations by `Bruce the Bug Guy" and magician Brian Richards. Approximately 110 kids participated in the camps held the week of August 5 -9. August 12 -16 was our final week of summer camps. Little ones participated in Camp Kinder Sprouts which was geared toward kids entering Kindergarten, and older kids ages 7 -12 participated in our second Water Park Camp or Roaring Rockets. Approximately 75 kids ended their summer with a bang this week. Rosettes - The Rosette Porn Porn program ended for the summer with a special performance for family and friends on August 5. Forty -eight girls participated in this program and learned simple porn pom routines which they performed to fun music. Following the final performance, a light reception was held in the Banquet Hall. Field Trip Expo - Parks and Recreation staff attended the annual Field Trip Expo at Target Field in August. Approximately 145 organizations and businesses shared information on state -wide field trip opportunities and guest presenter options. The Parks and Recreation Department books numerous field trips and on -site presentations /guest speakers year -round for all ages. This was a great opportunity to gather a lot of information at one location for future reference. Mississippi River - There was recently a question brought up by a Commission member regarding the land use rules along the Mississippi River that are coordinated through the DNR. The main goal of the DNR is to try and have more uniform regulations for permitted ues and changes along the river. Staff from the City's Community Development Department will be meeting with representatives from the DNR on September 3, 2013 to further discuss this topic.