Update from Park & Rec

COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTER SERVICES

 Southview Recreation Center – Girls Teen Club: Southview Recreation Center has started a girl’s teen club called "Give It 2 Me Str8" as a forum for them to discuss issues, ask questions and find solutions to everyday life situations. The weekly program is a great avenue for the teens to interact, develop self esteem and provide positive social activities.

 Teen Expo 2009: Teen Expo 2009 was held this past Saturday at the Stratford Richardson YMCA. Over 80 Teenagers attended and enjoyed socializing, music, dancing and refreshments as well as receiving teen program information offered at recreation centers in the West Boulevard Corridor. Each month there is a special weekend teen program to provide a safe and fun gathering place for the teens to socialize.

 Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center – Go Girls: On January 13 Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center kicked off a new female mentoring program called “Go Girls”. This program outlines career and college exploration, community service, conflict resolution, health and wellness activities, arts and crafts, fashion, personal hygiene instructions and field trips. The group will meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 – 6 p.m.

 Albemarle Road Recreation Center – Sr. Citizen Program: Albemarle Road Recreation Center's Life Choices Program for Senior Citizens began this week with 15 seniors from the community enjoying lunch at Sunrise Senior Living Center. Life Choices Program is a partnership with businesses within the community to unite, educate and provide opportunities to explore and interact with the options available for advancement of life. Next month's event includes an outing to Willow Grove Senior Living for lunch and a special day of horse racing.

 Albemarle Road Recreation Center: Neighborhood Partnership with the Easthaven Home Owners Association and Albemarle Road Recreation Center held its first annual Charlotte East Buy, Sell, Trade and Trunk Treasures event Saturday, January 10. The neighbors and staff worked hard to make this event a success and the Charlotte Observer came out to take pictures and interview participants.

 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebrations: The Special Event Services team is heavily involved with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebrations in Charlotte. On Thursday, January 15 there was a wreath laying ceremony in Marshall Park (featured on the front of 1/16/09 local section of the Charlotte Observer). On Saturday, January 17 the annual Martin Luther King Day Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. at Hal Marshall and continues to 3rd and Davidson.

ENTERPRISE SERVICES

 Ray’s Splash Planet: Ray’s Splash Planet (RSP) Cheerleaders will be participating in the Annual Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade on Saturday January 17. This will be the second year that RSP Cheerleaders have participated in this parade. RSP has 30 cheerleaders ranging in ages 5-12 year olds. The youth squad was formed in partnership with Right Moves for Youth at Irwin Elementary School and coached by long time Recreation Assistant Mrs. Alfreda Perdue and Mrs. Cassandra Black, a 4th Grade teacher at Irwin Elementary School.
 Grady Cole Center: On Saturday January 10, 2009 staff hosted a very successful AAU wrestling tournament at the Grady Cole Center that was sponsored by the Police Athletic League Pit Bulls Wrestling Club. Wrestlers who participated ranged from ages of 4 to 17 years old. More than 525 wrestlers competed from both North and South Carolina.
 Golf: Staff met with Champ Detamore, owner and operator of Total Golf Adventures, on January 16, to discuss the establishment of a youth learn to golf program designed to be taught in recreation centers. Students are introduced to the game indoors using a five level interactive teaching aid that prepares them for play on a golf course. Information about the program will be presented to the Consolidated Golf Advisory Council on February 11 at its regular meeting.
 Aquatics: The Aquatic Team of Mecklenburg (ATOM) will hold its Annual Frosty Invitational Swim Meet at the MCAC January 17-18, 2009. Swimmers ages 17 and under from the Blue Ridge Conference will compete for various awards. More than four hundred swimmers are expected to participate.

GREENWAY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

 Progress on McDowell Creek Greenway: Construction on McDowell Creek Greenway from Birkdale Village to Cornelius (Westmoreland Road) is progressing and is on schedule. Over the next couple of months the trail base will be installed for the entire 1.5 miles. The project is about 50% complete and should open this summer.

 Briar Creek Greenway: Staff hosted a stakeholder group meeting for this section of greenway, between Randolph Rd. at Eastover Park and Meadowbrook Rd. The stakeholder group is comprised of Greenway Advisory Council members, local neighborhood representatives, and other City and County staff with an interest in the project. The group was presented a conceptual greenway plan and asked to brainstorm opportunities and concerns that should be considered during the design process. A public workshop, open to all citizens, will be held at the Mint Museum of Art on February 2.

 Lynx Blue Line Extension: Staff reviewed the 15% plans for CATS northeast light rail extension to the University area. The light rail project crosses several greenway corridors and staff is advocating for integration of the transit and greenway systems to improve pedestrian and bicycle environment in this area of the City. Staff also attended the Blue Line Extension public workshop on Tuesday.

 Trail of History: Staff met with Partners for Parks Director Sally Billington and Tony Zeiss, President of CPCC, concerning the formation of a Trail of History Committee. Members will be invited to their first meeting in early February. The goal of the group is to plan and realize the completion of up to 20 statues of individuals that tell the history of Mecklenburg County along the urban sections of Little Sugar Creek Greenway.

 Little Sugar Creek Greenway (Cordelia Park): Park and Recreation staff met with neighborhood citizens to discuss future plans for Cordelia Park. Options for connecting Little Sugar Creek Greenway to (and through) Cordelia Park were discussed. Greenway staff will continue to work with Park and Recreation, other agencies, and the public to leverage the ability of greenway to activate and enliven this space.

NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 Wild Wings Winter Festival: The Wild Wings Winter Festival will be at the Carolina Raptor Center on Saturday, January 17, noon - 4 p.m. Live bird presentations address how the changing seasons affect raptors, and arts and crafts activities make it fun for kids of all ages. Activities include storytelling, face painting, cookie decorating, trail tours, live bird presentations, having your photo taken with a live raptor, making bird feeders, learning how to feed birds for winter, and more.

 Fit-in-Nature Series: On January 23 you can try Tai Chi for free at Reedy Creek Nature Center. The class is part of its Fit-in-Nature series. Tai Chi, known as moving meditation, promotes relaxation and improved health. For more information on this and other Fit-in –Nature classes please call 704-598-8857.

 State Nature Preserve Dedication: On January 6, McDowell Nature Preserve became the first Mecklenburg County owned and operated nature preserve to be dedicated as a state nature preserve by NC. The dedication and state conservation easement will help to ensure its continued protection in perpetuity. Latta Plantation Nature Preserve is scheduled to be dedicated sometime this spring.

PARK OPERATIONS AND ATHLETIC SERVICES

 Volunteer Services: The Department hosted seven groups from CMS high schools this past week. We have also partnered with Hands on Charlotte to host the 2009 Martin Luther King Day volunteer effort on Saturday, January 17 at the Thomasboro facilities. Volunteer Services welcomed nine new volunteers into the VIP (Volunteers in Parks) program and through our partnerships with Goodwill Industries and Arbor Education and Training we placed five new Workfirst volunteers. These volunteers will give us 107 hours of volunteer service in our centers each week. This is like adding 5.3 new part time staff to the department.

 Park Operations Reorganization: The park operations reorganization took a big step forward this week, promoting Neil Carroll to the Park Superintendent position. Neil brings over 30 years experience to the position and a wealth of knowledge on managing and improving park maintenance. The five regional manager positions have been solidified as follows:
Alan Beaver, North Park Region
Patricia Poteat, West Park Region
John McClelland, South Park Region
James Worsley, East Park Region
Greg Clemmer, Central Park Region

 Karla Thornhill will become the manager over Revolution Sports and Learning Academy and will work closely with the Charlotte Flight, Police Athletic League, the Charlotte Boxing Academy and First Tee. She will also be instrumental in working to develop these programs and expand them out into the community.

 Andra Eaves will be the manager over school site facilities and Stephanie Frisbee will be the manager over cultural arts and senior programming. They will both be missed in the park operations and athletic services division but we know that their expertise and talents will be well served in their new roles.

CAPITAL PLANNING

 Sycamore: Staff attended the Central Park District II Advisory Council Meeting to discuss the proposed mixed use development near Ray's Splash Planet. Sycamore LLC has entered into a partnership with CMS for the project on this site. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation (MCPR) has a Joint Use Agreement with CMS for the use of land and other shared amenities. The presentation was also given to the Aquatic Advisory Council.

 Natural Play Area: Staff attended a meeting to discuss the planning, design and construction of a natural play area on an existing park site. The meeting included attendees from various divisions within the department.

 YMCA: Staff met with Eric White of the YMCA to discuss potential future joint planning opportunities within Mecklenburg County.

 Mallard Creek: Staff met with design and construction representatives from CMS to discuss the joint planning of an elementary school and additional park amenities at Mallard Creek Park. The meeting included discussions on Berewick and Palisades.

 Marion Diehl: Staff met with a preliminary stakeholder group to discuss the planning process for renovation and expansion of the Marion Diehl Center. Pre-planning for this project and final stakeholder selection is now underway.

 Center City Park & Recreation Vision Plan: Staff met with Center City Partners to discuss the final components for the completion of the plan. Pros Consulting will have a draft of the plan submitted for review by the end of the month.

 Land Verification: As a part of the greenprinting process, staff visited several potential sites to verify and determine their viability as potential park property.