parks & recreation annual report • 2009 · parks & recreation annual report • 2009 board of ... H.S. “Chip” Randall Wayne Sutor Julianne ... Meetings ranged in type from formal

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parks & recreation division annual report 2009

gwinnettcounty georgia

2 • 2009 parks & recreation division

providing quality parks, leisure activities

parks & recreation annual report • 2009

board of commissioners

county administration

Charles E. Bannister

Chairman

Shirley Fanning Lasseter

DistriCt 1

Bert Nasuti

DistriCt 2

Mike Beaudreau

DistriCt 3

Kevin Kenerly

DistriCt 4

Glenn Stephens

County Administrator

Glenn Stephens was appointed as County Administrator in September 2009. Jock Connell served as County Administrator until his retirement in December 2009. Michael Comer served as Chief Operating Officer/Deputy County Administrator until his retirement in September 2009.

parksrecreation leisure activities to the citizens of gwinnett county

parks & recreation

division

providing quality parks and




Phil HoskinsDirector, Department of Community Services

Tina Fleming Director, Parks & Recreation Operations

Grant Guess Director, Parks & Recreation Project Administration

David ClarkDeputy Director, Park Operations

Jim CyrusManager, Aquatics

John Register Manger, Recreation

David McGaugheyManager, Support Services

Eric HorneManager, Grounds Maintenance

Don HafnerManager, Development/Construction

parks & recreationstaff

Lois AllenChair

Charlie UnderwoodViCe-Chair

Jack BoltonDr. Steven W. FlyntDerek HartCharlotte NashH.S. “Chip” RandallWayne SutorJulianne Thompson

gwinnett county recreation authority

Tina Fleming was appointed as Director of Parks & Recreation in October 2009. Sharon Plunkett served as Director of Operations until her retirement in September 2009. Don Hafner was appointed as Manager for Development/Construction in October 2009. Bill Lunceford served as Manager for Development/Construction until his retirement in September 2009.

• 5www.gwinnettparks.com

table of contents

project administration 7

recreation operations: programming & resources/marketing 7

park operations: grounds maintenance 9

park operations: support services 9

2009 financial summary 10

2009 at a glance 11

2009 park inventory 13




introduction The mission of Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR), in partnership with our citizens, is to provide high quality, broad-based parks, facilities, programs and services creat-ing a sense of community, enabling a safe and secure environment, and enhancing Gwinnett’s quality of life. This annual report provides an overview of the operation and development of parks and recreation in Gwinnett County for the fiscal year January 1 through December 31, 2009. This report also highlights significant events and accomplishments from 2009.

In Gwinnett County there truly is something for everyone. With 43 open parks and facilities opened throughout the county, GCPR strives to provide Gwinnett residents with quality recreation and leisure opportunities, serving all ages, interests, and levels of physical ability. GCPR offers a wide variety of classes, camps, programs, and sports leagues to satisfy nearly every Gwinnett resident.

Gwinnett County’s park system is home to 150 multi-purpose sport fields, five aquatic fa-cilities housing 17 pools including indoor competition, instructional, lap and leisure/water park pools and outdoor leisure/water park pools, community and senior recreation centers, gymnasiums and activity buildings, playgrounds, dog park areas, outdoor tennis, sand vol-leyball and basketball courts, skate parks, miles of multi-purpose trails, and historical and nature sites. In addition, the Board of Commissioners’ successful greenspace preservation program, supported by the 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2008 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) allows Gwinnett residents the opportunity to enjoy the county’s precious natural resources.

The Gwinnett County Recreation Authority is a legal advisory board comprised of nine members appointed by the Board of Commissioners, including two representatives from each of the four commission districts, plus one chairman-appointed member. The board typically meets on the second Thursday of the month.

The Gwinnett Parks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established to sup-port GCPR programs and services. Foundation volunteers advocate quality of life through citizenry awareness of the County’s park system and recreational opportunities and assist GCPR in three core program areas: the Park Park’nership Program, the Commemorative Program, and the Gwinnett Corporate Challenge, which raises funds for youth and senior citizen recreation scholarships.

Two divisions make up Parks and Recreation, which falls under the Department of Com-munity Services: Parks and Recreation Project Administration and Operations.


Charged with evaluating potential park sites, reviewing boundary surveys, and preparing feasibility studies, the Project Administration staff is responsible for environmental assess-ment reports, geotechnical analyses, park designs, oversight of renovation, and capital im-provements to existing parks and facilities, master planning parks, and construction of new parks. Once land is purchased for a park, planning staff works with citizen steering commit-tees to create a master plan. These committees consist of members of neighboring com-munities and park users.

Completed master plans or feasibility studies for six parks• Completed feasibility plans for two park sites• No master plans commenced in 2009• Held 18 steering committee meetings for parks located throughout Gwinnett County. • Meetings ranged in type from formal presentations to park site tours

Charged with maintenance, operations, and public awareness and safety of the County’s park system and recreation facilities, the Operations Division staff is responsible for provid-ing quality parks, programs, and services to meet the broad-based needs of the citizenry in Gwinnett.

Recreation general programming staff and youth athletic facilitators provide countywide services that are divided into four geographic areas: North, South, East, and West. Other countywide specialized program areas include aquatics, heritage, seniors, cultural arts, adult athletics, and tennis. Recreation staff operate and maintain recreation facilities, schedule facility rentals, facilitate citizen meetings, plan and schedule classes, workshops, summer camps, adult athletic leagues, and special events throughout the county. Recreation staff also foster volunteer/community services in County parks and recreation facilities and in pro-grams/service delivery.

The Resources and Marketing unit is responsible for creating awareness of the County’s park system and the many recreation opportunities that GCPR provides for the commu-nity. This awareness is created through publications, the GCPR website, TVgwinnett (Gwinnett County’s cable access channel), and media relations. Additionally, Resources and Marketing plans special events, prepares PowerPoint presentations on various aspects of GCPR, makes informative presentations to groups and other organizations, works closely with nonprofit organizations such as the Gwinnett Parks Foundation, prepares local, state, and national award nominations, and creates invitations, flyers, advertisements, news re-leases, presentations, and brochures.

Ribbon cuttings and grand openings of Alexander Park (June 13), Harbins Park (March • 21), Rock Springs Park (May 16), and Settles Bridge Park (September 18)Resources and Marketing distributed 91 news releases regarding park happenings to • local media 500 seniors competed in the Gwinnett Senior Golden Games, a senior-managed and • run nonprofit organization. Events included badminton, horseshoes, swimming, archery, walking, and many other events to help seniors stay physically fit, make friends, and compete in a healthy and friendly environmentGwinnett County Parks and Recreation had 48,711 athletes involved in youth sports•

2009 project administration

highlights

project administration division

recreation operations: programming and

resources and marketing

parks and recreation operations division

2009 recreation programming and

resources and marketing highlights




Two United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Open junior tennis tourna-• ments with players from around the country were held at Hudlow Tennis Center at Best Friend Park. Twelve other junior tennis tournaments, with an average of 64 par-ticipants per tournament, were held throughout the year12 youth athletes qualified for the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) • state track meet by placing first or second in the GRPA District 7 meet. Gwinnett County placed first in four different events, the most ever from Gwinnett CountyThe 22• nd annual Lighting of the Tree occurred on Thanksgiving Day, November 26 with over 7,000 people on the grounds of the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse on the square in downtown Lawrenceville for this traditional eventGCPR hosted Trail Mix Celebration in observance of National Trails Day at Tribble • Mill Park (June 6) with approximately 850 visitors in attendanceThe 17• th annual GCPR and Community Schools Awards and Recognition Reception were held on March 18. Community Schools honored 10 Teachers of the Year and 10 Supporters of the Year, while GCPR recognized six facility attendants, 10 instructors, and 15 volunteers for their dedicationFormed three new youth athletic associations: Mountain View Athletic Association, • Archer Athletic Association, and Lanier Athletic AssociationThe Aquatic section received 569,692 visitors enjoying the pools with over 9,000 swim • lesson participantsMcDaniel Farm Park held a Pumpkin Patch (weekends in October) featuring a special • Family Fun Day hosting nearly 2,500 participants for the month’s activitiesThe 2009 Corporate Challenge raised $11,000 for youth and senior recreation schol-• arships (June – September)10 senior recreation clubs met each month at various GCPR facilities to enhance the • recreational, fellowship, and educational experience for Gwinnett’s seniorsSenior health fairs were sponsored by both the Gwinnett Senior Center (October • 30) and Prime Timers Pointe (September 9) that combined, attracted thousands of Gwinnett seniors. The fairs offered medical screenings, fun activities, wellness programs, and demonstrations to help local seniors in leading a healthy lifestyleThe Hospital Buddies Program within the Recreational Senior Clubs made and deliv-• ered 606 surgical caps, 228 dolls, and 15 wagons to patients at Children’s Healthcare of AtlantaGCPR partnered with the Gwinnett Sports Commission to hold the 5• th annual Sports-manship Banquet (March 3). The 2008 Youth and Adult Sportsmanship Award winners in Gwinnett were Joseph Blankenship III of the Grayson Youth Athletic Association (youth) and Gregg Peters of the Mustang Athletic Association (adult). The keynote speaker was Michael Haynes, a former Atlanta Falcon. FOX5’s Buck Lanford served as Master of CeremoniesNumber of scheduled facility use: 24,122• Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation hosted 534 Adult sports teams playing 2,670 • gamesThe Aquatic Section had combined participation from more than 35,000 senior citizens • in water exercise classes at Bethesda Park, Bogan Park, and Mountain Park Aquatic CentersGwinnett County Parks and Recreation held 314 camps in 2009 including general day • camps, sports camps, tennis camps, art camps, and heritage/educational campsLucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center hosted The Georgia Table Tennis • Tournament with over 100 youth and adults from all over Georgia in July


217 volunteers worked to improve and beautify Bethesda Park at the Great Day of • Service on April 25150 participants attended the new Train Day event at Vines Gardens in partnership • with the Vines Garden Railroad volunteers on July 12The Volunteer Resources office led the effort in 178 programs utilizing 3,193 volunteers • for a total of 10,307 hours of service

Grounds Maintenance includes four districts: North, South, West and Conservation parks and is responsible for all the general/basic care and upkeep for all parks in the County’s park system. Turf, trails and natural resource management, mowing and fertilization of passive and athletic sport fields, sports field game preparation, tree and shrub care, playground inspec-tion and maintenance, grounds and buildings janitorial, and litter/refuse removal are all basic components of the scope of quality service afforded by the grounds maintenance staff.

Support Services includes five main units: Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry, Field Support, and Contractual Services. These units are involved in the maintenance of all facility systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lighting, building structural, painting, key locking system), fleet maintenance coordination, athletic/security lighting, site electrical/plumbing all covering com-munity centers, activity buildings, aquatic centers, specialized facilities, and athletic fields.

• Grounds Maintenance managed:– Over 102 miles of multi-purpose trails– 153 multi-purpose sports fields– 59 playground units– Over 370,000 square feet of sports turf were renovated and hundreds of trees

(seedling and mature stock) were planted – all a part of the more than 8,848 acres that make up Gwinnett’s parks

• Support Services received 2,887 service requests, with a 96 percent overall comple-tion rate– 574 plumbing– 504 electrical– 351 carpentry– 901 field support– 557 contract management– Managed 19 annual contract services agreements

• Georgia Recreation and Park Association, District 7: Mark Patterson – Facilities and Grounds Distinguished Professional of the Year

• Georgia Recreation and Park Association, District 7: Vines Garden Railroad – Volun-teer of the Year

• American Society of Landscape Architects: Planning & Development – Merit Award for General Design for Peachtree Ridge Park to W.K. Dickson

• Gwinnett County Government: Sandra Moore – MVP

park operations:grounds

maintenance

park operations:support services

2009 award highlights for gwinnett county parks

and recreation




Parks and Recreation Capital History

Revenues 2008 2009 Recreation Tax* $15,110,561 $865,740Grants $200,000 $0General Tax/Other $35,587,257 $26,817,271

Total $50,897,818 $27,683,011

Expenditures Capital Improvements and Equipment $41,976,471 $48,001,183

*Funds receipted in operating fund and transferred to capital to be expense

2009 Parks and Recreation Revenue and Expenditures

RevenuesGeneral Fund $ 388,978Recreation Tax $ 24,333,189User Fees $ 5,198,211Total $ 29,920,378

ExpendituresPersonal Services $ 14,968,334Supplies $ 8,896,848Other Changes/Services $ 2,487,992Contribution Capital $ 865,740Bonded Debt Service $ 2,527,200Total $ 29,746,114

financial summary


2009 AT A GLANCE

Total park land acreage 9,121

Number of operational parks 43

Number of recreation/community centers 12

Number of senior recreation centers/designated area 2

Number of tennis courts 51

Number of basketball/multi-use courts 31

Number of miles of bike/walking/hiking trails 102

Number of competition, instructional, and leisure/play pools 17

Number of skate parks 7

Number of cultural/historic sites 6

Number of playgrounds 59

Number of dog park areas 5

Number of special needs multi-use sport fields 2

Number of classes, programs, camps, and events offered 6,660

Number of parks under development or renovation 3

Number of parks master plans completed 0

Number of groundbreakings for new parks 0

Number of parks and facilities opened 4

Number of parks/facilities renovated 2

Number of participants enrolled in recreation classes 72,142

Number of recreation and athletic summer camps offered 314

Total participation in summer camps 3,033

Number of Youth Athletic Associations (YAA) 25

Enrollment participation of children in YAA programs 48,711

Number of pee wee sports participation 5,781

Number of participants in adult sports leagues 8,442

Aquatics classes/lessons offered 1,700

Number of participants in aquatics classes/lessons 86,786

General attendance at County pools 569,692




2009 AT A GLANCE

Tennis classes/camps offered 94

Number of participants in tennis facilities, classes/camps, tournaments 39,643

Tennis youth league participation 440

Tennis tournaments held/participants 14/5,211

Number of facility and specialized facility rentals 24,122

Facility rental participation 1,184,079

Acreage of developed parkland maintained by staff 2,359

Number of multi-purpose sports fields maintained by staff 153

Number of work orders for plumbing, electrical, carpentry, field support 2,887

Number of volunteer hours 58,000

Gwinnett Corporate Challenge team participation/funds raised 13/,$11,000

Number of park police officers positions filled 9

N

With 43 parks, residents are just minutes away from enjoying a day at the park and the many activities offered by Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation.

2009 park inventory

MountainPark Park

Lions Club Park

Lenora Park

Tribble Mill Park

Dacula Park

GwinnettEnvironmental &Heritage Center

BoganPark

Best Friend Park

LawrencevilleFemale Seminary/Gwinnett History

Museum

GwinnettHistoricCourthouse

GeorgePierce

Park

McDaniel Farm Park

Harmony GroveSoccer Complex

Lucky Shoals Park

Graves Park

Ronald Reagan Park

BethesdaPark

Cemetery Field

Jones Bridge Park

Singleton RoadActivity Building

RhodesJordan

Park

Rabbit Hill Park

Shorty Howell Park

Pinckneyville ParkCommunity Recreation Center

Pinckneyville ParkPinckneyville Soccer Complex

Collins Hill ParkCollins Hill ParkAquatic Center

Yellow River Park

Mountain Park AquaticCenter and Activity Building

Bay Creek Park

LittleMulberry

Park

Vines Gardens

South GwinnettPark

HolcombBridge Park

Sweet Water Park

DeShongPark

Yellow River Post Office

Peachtree Ridge Park

Settles Bridge

West Gwinnett Park and Aquatic Center

Club Drive Park

Rock SpringsPark

DuncanCreek

Park

Harbins Park

Alexander Park

Prepared by: The Department ofCommunity Services Recreation Operations:Resources and Marketing

Editing:Communications Division

Layout and Design:Communications Division

Alexander Park

Cover Photograph:Communications Division

Fall 2010

Susan Lee

Deputy County Administrator

COO/Deputy County Administrator

gwinnettcounty75 Langley Drive

Lawrenceville, GA 30046-6935

www.gwinnettcounty.com

Documents

parks & recreation annual report • 2009 · parks & recreation annual report • 2009 board of ... H.S. “Chip” Randall Wayne Sutor Julianne ... Meetings ranged in type from formal