Park and Recreation Update

DIRECTOR

 Accreditation: The department did an outstanding job this week hosting and responding to the Agency Accreditation Visitor Team. Three park and recreation professionals from across the country arrived on Monday and left Friday morning after reviewing stacks of materials, policies and procedures and all the compliance evidence supplied by the department. In all only three standards out of 155 were not met!!! We expect final approval of accreditation in March or October.

PARK OPERATIONS AND ATHLETIC SERVICES

 Midcourt Cup Junior Tennis Tournament: This weekend, the Charlotte Tennis Association will host over 275 participants at the Midcourt Cup Junior Tournament. This is a USTA Southern and NC Level 3 event, which equates to high point value for matches won, and draws the top 10&U - 18&U junior tennis players from Charlotte, NC and other states in the Southern Section. Jeff Adams Tennis Center will serve as the tournament headquarters, but great match play will also be taking place on the courts at Park Road Park, Freedom Park and South Mecklenburg High School. Close to 40 courts will be used throughout the weekend to accommodate about 500 matches. The Charlotte Tennis Association is a non-profit organization, affiliated with the USTA, whose mission is to promote the growth and development of tennis in the community.

 Softball Tournaments Begin: Due to inclement weather last weekend, the tournaments that were scheduled to kickoff the 2009 softball/baseball tournament season could not be held. This weekend, Renaissance Park will host the Wofford girl’s fast pitch tournament on both Saturday and Sunday. Play will begin at 9 a.m. With warm weather expected, it will be a great weekend to get out and enjoy the parks.

 North Carolina Golden Gloves Tournament: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department hosts the North Carolina Golden Gloves Tournament, March 6 and 7 at Sugaw Creek Recreation Center, 939 Sugar Creek Road. This tournament features 15-20 bouts each evening with the best amateur boxers from across North Carolina, ages 17-34. Bouts begin at 7 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday and run well into each night. Boxers represent 10 clubs from across the state: Charlotte, Raleigh, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Asheville, Hendersonville, Wilson, Rocky Mount, Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejeune. Matches will be held for novice and open categories each night in up to11 weight classes. The card will also include at least one women’s exhibition bout.

At least eight boxers from Charlotte-Mecklenburg are expected to compete.

Tickets are sold at the door. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth, ages11-17, and free to 10 and younger. This event sold out in recent years, so come early.

GREENWAY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

 Freedom Greene Development on Paw Creek: Staff has been working this week with the developer of the Freedom Greene Development located off of Freedom Drive and adjacent to Paw Creek. The developer will be constructing approximately a half mile of greenway trail and providing Park and Recreation a cash donation to extend the greenway up to Freedom Drive in the future, contingent upon future acquisitions.

 Long Creek Greenway: Staff met with the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) Midblock Crossing Committee to discuss a midblock crossing over Reames Road. Staff presented the Committee with several proposed alternatives for the design of the crossing. The Committee is generally supportive of the midblock crossing for the greenway and will continue to work with staff to explore the alternatives.

 Briar Creek Greenway – 70% Review: Staff met consultants and Storm Water Services this week to discuss the Briar Creek Greenway and stream restoration plans from Randolph Road to Meadowbrook through Eastover Park. Main discussions centered on work to uncap the Museum tributary that runs through the park, and that a pedestrian bridge would eventually be needed in the park so that it is not segmented by the creek.

 Southwest Park District Meeting: Staff met with the Southwest Park District Council to discuss plans for Sugar Creek, Steele Creek, and Walker Branch, and discuss the latest on the budget situation as it affects future bond sales.

 Carolina Thread Trail: The County has taken major steps this week towards identifying future thread trail corridors. The first steering committee meeting will be held on Wednesday March 18 at the Clanton Indoor Pavilion. Before this meeting all municipalities will have passed the Carolina Thread Trail resolution of support. The County will be applying for a planning grant from the Carolina Thread Trail for mapping and administrative support.

 Creek Coordination Committee Meeting: Staff from City and County Storm Water Services and Park and Recreation met last Friday to discuss project coordination and partnerships on various projects. Little Sugar Creek, Briar Creek, McAlpine Creek, Torrence Creek, McDowell Creek, and Long Creek were discussed.

COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTER SERVICES

 More Alive at 55: More Alive at 55 is showing a new life! The seniors have been faithfully attending the Yoga classes at 521, provided by Ann Mason, a volunteer instructor. The seniors have been working out, socializing and meeting new friends. In addition, they are gearing up for their first field trip on Thursday, March 26 to "Classic Cars & NASCAR" plus they will attend a Live WELL health seminar. The club will begin meeting additional times per month for other activities, including bridge, arts and crafts, floral arranging, and bingo.

 Black History Month Talent Show: Albemarle Road Recreation Center hosted its first Black History Month Talent Show on Saturday, February 28. The showcase featured pianist Corey Shipp, who played a piece from Mozart and Beethoven; Artellia Burch, author/poet; and Anointed Flow and Dance praise team, just to name a few. Pastor James Belk of New Change Church International gave opening remarks as Pastor Tony Thomas (Motivational Speaker) spoke words of encouragement to the crowd. Over 50 spectators enjoyed the event and all agreed this program was the start of many cultural talents shows to come.

 Arbor Glen Outreach Center Basketball & Cheerleading Sports Banquet: On Saturday, March 7, Arbor Glen will be hosting its Youth Basketball and Cheerleading Sports Banquet to wrap up another successful basketball/cheerleading season of nearly 200 children. All players and cheerleaders will be recognized and receive their trophy. Over 500 participants, parents, and relatives are expected.

 Tuckaseegee Recreation Center Basketball Banquet: Tuckaseegee Recreation Center will hold its annual end of season basketball banquet on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m. Participants and their families from our 13 basketball teams and one cheerleading squad will socialize, eat, and receive their trophies. The banquet is a great opportunity to let our customers know about upcoming programs and to make sure they know how much we appreciate them.

 The Justice Project and Reid Park Celebration at Amay James Recreation Center will be held on Saturday March 7 from 6 – 6 p.m. All ages are welcome to attend this free event and learn about programs offered at Amay James Recreation Center

 Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center's 4H Kick-Off: Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center will be kicking off its 4H club on Monday, March 9 from 4 – 5 p.m. for ages 5-18. Nicole Sanders from the NC Cooperative Extension will join us to kick off this exciting program.

 Gang Awareness Walk: A gang awareness presentation and community walk, coordinated by Gang of One (CMPD) and the Charlotte Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, in partnership with Park and Recreation, will be held in the Hidden Valley neighborhood on Saturday, March 7 at 10 a.m. Hidden Valley has been a target of much activity by domestic and international gangs. . This event is aimed at middle and high school students and community residents to reduce gang violence by awareness and community involvement in positive activities. Saturday’s program will begin at the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Recreation Site.

 New 4-H Volunteer Orientation: Mecklenburg County 4-H offers new 4-H volunteer orientation the last Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. for new and prospective 4-H volunteers. Participants will learn how to manage a 4-H club and receive an overview of available 4-H curriculum. Seven new 4-H volunteers completed the orientation last week.

 STEM and Outdoor Education Workshop: Mecklenburg County 4-H is a partner in the new POST Leaf and STEM initiative. This initiative will increase opportunities for youth in after school and summer programs to use the outdoors to explore science, technology, engineering and math. Robert Furr and Michael Kirschman led an interactive workshop on Friday, March 6 with over 30 participants from local after school and summer programs.

 4-H’ers Earn-A-Bike: 4-H has partnered with Trips for Kids Charlotte to provide lessons in bike safety, bike repair, and bike maintenance to kids in after school. This week seven 4-H’ers from the Belmont YWCA 4-H club participated in the Earn-A-Bike program at the Trips for Kids Re-Cyclery. A bike and helmet is the reward for completing this 3-week course.

 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Games: Registration for the 2009 Senior Games is going strong. Opportunities still exist for participants and volunteers. Opening Ceremonies will be April 18 at Ray’s Splash Planet beginning at 9 a.m.

 Gifted Gardeners Program Grows: Due to high demand, a third “Gifted Gardeners” horticulture class has been added. This new offering of Therapeutic Recreation horticulture program for individuals with disabilities began on Tuesday, March 3 and will continue for 12 weeks.

 New Therapeutic Recreation Specialist: On Wednesday, February 25 the Therapeutic Recreation Division welcomed Alaina Baylor as their newest Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Alaina graduated from East Carolina University with her B.S. in Recreational Therapy and comes to MCPRD from the Presbyterian Hospital Adult Behavioral Health Unit.

CAPITAL PLANNING

 Palisades Neighborhood School/Park: Staff met with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and their design consultant on Wednesday, March 4 to complete design elements for the neighborhood park component of this joint use project. The school's site plan identifies an elementary and a high school on property off Hwy 49 across from the entrance to McDowell Nature Preserve. The park will be built in conjunction with the elementary school which is scheduled to be under construction later this year. Design elements include a play field, playground, shelter and picnic sites and a 1 mile loop walking trail that will connect all portions of the school's site plus provide two (2) pedestrian accesses to a future residential community not yet built. Funds for this park were approved in the 2008 Park Bond.

 Latta Park Pedestrian Bridge and Access Improvements: Footings and foundations for the bridge abutments are currently being formed and poured. Sidewalk improvements are already in place. Substantial completion of this project is expected sometime in April, 2009.

 Winget Park Construction: Work continues to progress on Phase II of this site which includes a softball/baseball field, parking, access road and restroom. The restroom building roof has been finished and work on the interior is set to begin in the next few weeks. Substantial completion is expected by June, 2009.

 Monthly Joint Use Task Force: Park Planning staff attended this monthly meeting of local city-county-school planning departments. Items discussed included plans for the former Statesville Road Landfill (future greenway trail will run thru the property) and the purchase, renovation and re-sale of an historic house off Tuckaseegee Road by the Historic Landmarks Commission.

 Website Training: Planning staff attended a training session on the County's new website upgrade program. Divisions will now be responsible for keeping their web information current and presented. The overall appearance of the Park and Recreation website will also change once this upgrade becomes effective later this spring.

 Revolution Golf Course & Sports Learning Academy Projects: Planning, Enterprise Services and Park Services staff met onsite Friday, March 6 to review construction progress on the golf course. Specifically, concerns had been identified regarding erosion control. Corrections have been addressed and the project is moving forward. The Sports and Learning Academy construction is also going on simultaneously and is approximately 35% complete and on schedule.

 Latta Nature Center Planning: Internal departmental planning work continues on preliminary program design and scope for this proposed project at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. Desired program elements, square footage needed and exhibit space needs are some of the discussion items moving forward.

 Synthetic Turf Field Products: Planning staff meet with a local vendor for synthetic turf athletic fields on Wednesday, March 4 to review industry products and features for new sports fields. The department has plans for at least five (5) new multi-purpose fields as part of the 2008 Park Bond.

 Berewick Park Design Development Planning: Capital Planning is in the process of coordinating sewer alignment with CMS and CMUD. CMS will be installing this line in the coming months to serve Berewick Elementary School, which will be opening this fall. This coordination will ensure easy Park and Recreation access to the sewer line for the planned first phase of this park.

 Park Road Park Lake Environs Project: The construction bid package and design drawings are almost complete for this long awaited park lake improvement project. A pre-bid meeting for dam repairs has been set for March 17. Bid opening has been scheduled for March 31.

 Southwest Park and Boulevard Homes Development: Park and Recreation Planning staff is teaming with the Charlotte Housing Authority and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools on what is shaping up to be an exciting project in southwest Charlotte. CHA is preparing a Hope VI grant application that could turn the old Boulevard Homes into a new diverse neighborhood. Based on the concept of an education and recreation campus, the new site would be anchored on either end by a new CMS K-12 magnet school and an enhanced Southview Recreation Center. Tree lined sidewalks and a greenway will wind through the new neighborhood connecting the two facilities. The education and recreation campus will also utilize athletic field amenities now under design at Southwest Park. Redevelopment funding and timeline are contingent upon a successful Hope VI grant award.

ENTERPRISE SERVICES
Grady Cole Center:
 Charlotte Roller Girls: The Charlotte Roller Girls will open their 2009 Roller Derby home season at the Grady Cole Center on Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Roller Derby, which was popular from 1940 – 1960, is a sport where two teams skate around an oval track, jockeying for position with a series of blocks and tactics, to become the first to cross the finish line.

On Wednesday March 4, Fox News Rising spotlighted the local team with a live broadcast from the Grady Cole Center. The segments included a lesson in what Roller Derby is and held several interviews with players, fans, and kids. Fox News is also planning on providing coverage of the bout on March 7.

Tickets are available at www.charlotterollergirls.com or at The Common Market, 2007 Commonwealth Ave. Bouts are also scheduled on April 18 and May 17.

 Homeless Veterans Stand Down: The Mecklenburg County Community Support Services Veteran's Service Office will hold a Homeless Veterans Stand Down on Friday, March 13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grady Cole Center. A "Stand Down" is a military term which describes a method of removing soldiers from combat and providing them rest and recovery time before returning to the battlefield. This inaugural Charlotte event will provide an opportunity for homeless veterans from Mecklenburg and neighboring counties to spend the day at the Grady Cole Center to receive food, clothing, benefit information, health screenings, and personal hygiene activities along with a chance to bond with other veterans. The goal is to provide these veterans with the resources they need to address their problems and assist in rebuilding their lives.

Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center:
 Hornets Nest Swim League Championship: Five hundred eighty (580) local youth from the Hornets Nest Swim League will descend on the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center to compete in the Hornets Nest Championship on Saturday, March 7 from 4:30 – 8 p.m. The Championship consists of ten (10) teams from Mecklenburg County including The Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center, Marion Diehl Recreation Center Pool, Charlotte Christian School, YWCA, Leroy Springs Recreation Center and five (5) local YMCA’s. The league consists of children 18 and under who are not registered with US Swimming. The Hornets Nest League is a winter swim league that promotes a less competitive swim league in which children may compete, learn, and improve without pressure or controversy. The championship meet is the final event of the winter season.

Ray’s Splash Planet:
 Free Learn to Swim Program: Ray's Splash Planet has distributed flyers to ten (10) area schools to expand its free learn to swim lesson program. Scholarships are available for students receiving free or reduced lunch. More than seventy (70) inquires have been received in one week and ten (10) students have been awarded scholarships and placed in the program.

SPECIALIZED PARK SERVICES

Community Garden Activities
 Community Garden/Fred Alexander Park: Specialized Park Services Division and NC Cooperative Extension (NCCES) have been approached by Mecklenburg Health Department to assist them in planning a community garden at Fred Alexander Park. The garden will be maintained by “The Males Place” program at the health department. One objective of the garden will be to educate the male youth group (12-18 years old) in the areas of good nutrition, entrepreneurship, life skills and basic gardening. The crops grown in the garden will be sold at a local farmers market, as well as distributed through the immediate community around the park.

 Community Gardens/Villa Heights and Revolution Park: Specialized Parks Division along with NCCES are also advising two other civic groups who have expressed interest in building community gardens in the Villa Heights and Revolution Park areas. Site assessments, soil testing and soil modification recommendations are some of the preliminary tasks that have been accomplished.

 Master Gardener Horticulture Hotline: NCCES Master Gardener horticulture hotline is open for business again this spring. The hotline is staffed Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – noon from March through October. Trained Master Gardeners are available to answer plant selection, pest management, fertilization, lawn maintenance, and other general gardening types of questions.

NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 Habitat Steward Training: Reedy Creek will be hosting NC Wildlife Federation OWLS Chapter’s Habitat Steward Training starting March 6. The Habitat Steward Certification program, a 3 day training course, will provide volunteers with the credibility and confidence to be a force in their communities for conservation and restoration of our wild places, using as the foundation the 4 principles of the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program: food, water, shelter and places to raise young.

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.

Real Estate, WOW! What's Going On?

Are you wondering what in the world is going on in the real estate market today. For Pete’s sake, I’m looking at property right now for people who want to buy in our community because they understand we are growing, new jobs are coming and our quality of life is tremendous.

Call me about this home: 8550 Oak Drive, Charlotte, NC 15 mins from downtown, UNCC, US National Whitewater and closer to Northlake Mall!

January 2009 Update on Park Matters

COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTER SERVICES

 First Night: After a twelve year hiatus First Night is once again alive and well in uptown Charlotte. MCPRD was a member of the steering committee with Center City Partners to make this wonderful family event a reality. Our role was to provide the children's activities which included a duel giant slide, a bounce house and the wheel of fortune where “everyone's a winner”. Glow in the dark sticks and RAY stress balls were among the prizes. The children's events ended with RAY leading the First Night People’s Parade as the Grand Marshall. With over 25,000 people at First Night this promises to be another annual event for our Department.

 Women in Sports: First Ward Recreation Center hosted “We Girls Can Do Anything” on January 2. The program was designed to celebrate women in the sports industry while stressing the importance of education, networking, positive self esteem and hard work among young girls. Women from the Carolina Panthers, ESPN, CMS, YMCA and Park and Recreation spoke to a crowd of 50 girls. The girls received giveaways from the above organizations.

 Boys Club: Merry Oaks School Recreation Center Boys Club attended the Davidson Wildcats basketball game on January 3 courtesy of the Davidson Athletic Department. The 10 boys experienced their first live college basketball game.
 Buy, Sell, Trade and Trunk Treasures: East Haven Neighborhood Association is partnering with Albemarle Road Recreation Center for the first annual Buy, Sell, Trade and Trunk Treasures taking place this Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Individuals and groups are welcome to rent a space to set up and sell items. Breakfast, Lunch and Bake Sale will also be part of the event to feed the hungry treasure and bargain hunters.
 Bojangles Basketball Tournament: Merry Oaks youth basketball teams (15 children and 2 coaches) attended the annual Bojangles Basketball Tournament at Marvin Ridge High School on December 29. Tickets were received through the Summer Hoops Foundation. The players were amazed at the level of excitement at the games.
 Meck Teens Team Bring in the New Year: On Friday, January 2, a group of Meck Teens from the Leafcrest Apartments spent an exciting day of skating, bowling and laser tag. It was a great opportunity for them to bring in the New Year on a positive note and to share stories about their Christmas holiday. Throughout the day the teens expressed ways that they would like to help their peers who are less fortunate. It was a great experience for all who attended.

 Meck Teens Bake-off: Meck Teens Youth at Risk were featured in a Charlotte Observer article for their recent “Teen Bake-off”. This intergenerational program focused on the art of baking as a community service project. The teens were taught how to bake cookies and then took them to a Christmas Party at Southview Recreation Center where the cookies were decorated. This program was a way for teens to impact their community in a positive way and demonstrate their way of giving back during the holiday season.

 January Fitness Center Promotion: Park and Recreation is offering a January promotion on fitness center memberships at the following fitness centers: Bette Rae Thomas, First Ward, Mallard Creek, Ray's Splash Planet, Southview, Tuckaseegee and West Charlotte. The Promotion offers 1 free month on a 6 month membership and 3 free months on an annual adult, senior or family membership. Patrons, friends and family are encouraged to take advantage of this great offer as it provides an affordable option for our citizens to improve their health, get into shape and keep those New Year's resolutions.
 Keeping Kids in Motion Update: A meeting was held on Monday, January 5 with representatives from Red Moon Marketing, Presbyterian Hospital and Park and Recreation to begin securing programming for the Keeping Kids in Motion, a four week program scheduled for the spring of 2009. Physical activity and healthy lifestyles will be the overarching themes of this program and should provide great exposure for many of the programs offered through Park and Recreation. Stay tuned for information on how you can get involved.
 NEW Beginner Running Group: The County employee fitness program is offering a beginner running group which started Monday, January 5. This group is open to all employees who are members of the Hal Marshall Fitness Center. The group leaves Hal Marshall at 6 a.m. on Mondays and runs in the uptown area. They are generally finished 6:45 a.m.

 Zumba: Zumba classes for county employee fitness center members will be held each Thursday at 12:30 and 6:00 p.m. at the Hal Marshal Fitness Center. Zumba is a 45 minute Latin-inspired dance fitness class that works almost every muscle in the body. Be adventurous and try this fun workout.



ENTERPRISE SERVICES

 Historic St. Mary’s Chapel: Staff met with Al Queen, a former resident of the Thompson Children’s Home on January 7 and discussed the possibility of conducting “living history” sessions of life at the home and the history of St. Mary’s Chapel. The Thompson Children’s Home was located on approximately 110 acres in the uptown area that included the existing Chapel. Mr. Queen has agreed to provide information on his stay at the Thompson Home to the after school students of Rama Road Elementary School on January 23 at the Chapel from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Staff is pursuing plans to conduct future public sessions that will include other information about the Home and the Chapel with a question and answer period.
 Revolution Park Golf Course: Staff met with Clyde Johnston, Professional Golf Course Architect and former President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects on January 7 to finalize plans to start Phase I renovation of the Revolution Park Golf Course. An erosion control permit has been approved and Mecklenburg County Flood Mitigation Department has reviewed and approved the proposed changes. Site prep work is projected to start as soon as possible. Staff is finalizing discussions with City Storm Water Services concerning an irrigation source for the golf course. The First Tee of Charlotte has started renovation of the existing clubhouse and plans to start site work on the practice facilities by January 31, 2009.


GREENWAY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

 Wayfinding Signage: Installation of the new signage package began this week on Mallard and Clark’s Creek Greenway. A press event was held on Thursday as the Greenway Maintenance Team was working on the installation at the Kirk Farm Fields entrance.

 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Grant Applications: Staff submitted applications for two CMAQ grants totaling $500,000 ($250K per project). The first is a pedestrian connection from Lower McAlpine Creek Greenway to the Ballantyne Corporate Park. The second is a pedestrian connection from Mallard Creek Greenway to a CATS park and ride lot on Mallard Creek Road. Matching funds would be applied from 2008 bonds, which included both of these projects.

 Irwin Creek Greenway at Revolution Golf Course: Greenway, Enterprise Services, and Maintenance and Operations staff met to discuss the use of maintenance vehicles on parts of the planned greenway through renovated Revolution Golf Course. Part of the greenway is being designed to follow the existing golf course maintenance path and will continue to be used by maintenance staff after the trail is open to the public. Appropriate signage will be posted warning greenway users of periodic maintenance traffic.

 McDowell Creek Greenway: Cornelius: Mecklenburg County citizens love their greenways so much that they often walk on them before construction is finished. In order to protect the public and the incomplete greenway surface, the Greenway Maintenance and Operations Team installed signs at McDowell Creek Greenway indicating that the Greenway is under construction and not yet open to the public.

 Little Sugar Creek Greenway: Midtown Section: T.K. Browne became active on site at Little Sugar Creek, Midtown/Metropolitan section. This section will most likely be the first urban section of Little Sugar Creek Greenway to be completed. Grading and stream restoration were completed under a previous contract with United Construction.

 Greenway Stakeholder Meetings and Public Workshops: Staff is working to identify stakeholders for Briar and McAlpine Creek Greenway and stream restoration projects, and to schedule the first public workshop for each project. Stakeholders will include a PRC member, GAC member, local residents, adjoining business owners, and other key individuals. The first stakeholder meeting for Briar Creek Greenway will be on Monday January 12, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the Mint Museum, and the first public workshop will be on Monday February 2, 2009 at 6:45 PM. The stakeholder meeting and public workshop for McAlpine Creek Greenway will be in late January or early February.

NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 Wildlife Sightings: A Common Raven was sighted and photographed during the Southern Lake Norman Christmas Bird Count on December 21. This never before documented species has now been added to the official Mecklenburg County bird list and is the 300th bird species to be documented in Mecklenburg County. Another rare wildlife sighting occurred at McDowell Nature Preserve in December, when two bobcats were photographed together.

 Historic Latta Plantation Civil War Winter Quarters and Homefront: Learn about how families survived while soldiers were away at war, the impact of the home guard on local communities and how soldiers spent their time during brutal winters encamped with the armies. Demonstrations of weaving, cooking, and more are free with regular admission. Don’t miss this event on Saturday 10-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m. ($6 for adults, $5 for seniors 62+ and students, ages 5 and under are free).

 Professional Development: Staci Clark, Environmental Educator at Reedy Creek Nature Center, is now a certified Environmental Educator by the State of North Carolina. In order to achieve this goal Staci completed 200 hours of professional development. She is also a Certified Interpretative Guide. Both certifications, held by many of our educators, help to ensure county staff are providing high quality public programming.

 Hike for Habitats: This event was held last Saturday at Ribbon Walk Nature Preserve and was featured on News 14. Participants who attended enjoyed a staff led walk through the preserve. Regular visitors say it is great to see more events like this being held in the preserves.

 K-8 Science Conference: Next week Reedy Creek Nature Center staff will present at the 4th annual K-8 Science Conference sponsored by Southwest Education Alliance held at UNC Charlotte. This annual event focuses on improving science education and provides outreach resources to teachers. 170 teachers are registered for this event.

 Carolina Raptor Center Reducing Hours: Carolina Raptor Center is a private non-profit organization located within Latta Plantation Nature Preserve and has announced that it is reducing its public hours. It will be closed on Mondays through mid-March.


PARK OPERATIONS AND ATHLETIC SERVICES

 Youth Indoor Football League: Athletic Services has teamed up with the Carolina Speed professional arena football program to offer Charlotte's first youth indoor football league involving children ages 9-12. All games will be played at the Bojangles Coliseum (formerly Cricket Arena) on Independence Boulevard on Saturdays beginning in April. Eight teams will compete in the league, which is endorsed by the Speed and the American Indoor Football Association. Park and Recreation's youth football coordinator Derichard McCoy will lead the program and registration is currently being accepted.

 Volunteer Services: Volunteer Services had a lot to be thankful for in 2008. Over one hundred coaches volunteered at our centers this past fall. CMS high schools have volunteered at the parks over 130 times since September and over 60 times in 2008 various companies and organizations have had groups volunteer in a park.

CAPITAL PLANNING

 Sycamore Commons Project at Ray's Splash Planet: Planning staff met Friday, January 9 with design consultants and CMS staff to review progress on plans for this new mixed use residential/office complex adjacent to Ray's Splash Planet. This is a public private partnership venture primarily with CMS who is the land owner for this parcel.

 Evergreen Nature Preserve Master Plan: Planning and Natural Resources staff met on Tuesday, January 6 to finalize design elements for this property's site master plan. Two community workshops have been conducted previously and input has been received. A final site master plan will be presented at a joint meeting of the Stewardship and East Park District Advisory Councils in late February to be followed by a presentation to the Park and Recreation Commission and ultimately to the BOCC for approval.

test1

test2

Bank of America Overview of 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act

Below is a high-level overview of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 that will provide you with some context on what to expect as a result of the new legislation.
Increased Down payment requirements:
Minimum contribution will increase from 3.0% to 3.5% of the appraised value. Seller funded Down Payment Assistant Programs (“DAPs”) or funds from any other interested party to the transaction will be prohibited on all loans where final credit approval has not been established by September 30, 2008.
Risk Based Premiums:
Up Front and Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premiums implemented on July 14, 2008 will change on October 1, 2008.
Condominiums:
Guidelines for project approval will be relaxed, likely by year end.
Reverse Mortgages (HECM):
Changes to loan limits and origination fees.
HOPE for Homeowners:
Program designed to assist eligible at risk borrowers through refinancing into a new FHA insured loan. Program guidelines yet to be defined by HUD.

Park and Recreation Update

Ø Volunteers in the Park: For Fiscal Year 2008, Mecklenburg Park and Recreation received community support from more than 14,500 volunteers. They contributed 114,188 hours of help for our department. The value of their donation of time was more than $2.1 million.
The department is now looking for volunteers to help with the Hearts and Hands playground construction. This is a fully accessible playground in Nevin Park where children of all abilities will be able to play side by side.

COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTER SERVICES

Ø Neighborhood Crime Prevention Plan: First Ward Recreation Center will host a Community Meeting focusing on crime prevention as part of National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5. Representatives from the different various neighborhood associations and citizens in the community will meet with community police officers to discuss ways to cut crime in the area. They will begin working on an overall Neighborhood Crime Prevention Plan. We are excited about uniting the community against rising crime in the area.

Ø 2008 National Night Out: Arbor Glen Outreach Center will host the 2008 National Night Out for the West Boulevard Corridor on Tuesday, Aug 5 from 6:00-9:00pm. The event will be free to the community with food, music, prizes, and a dance contest. Event is designed to raise community awareness and as a demonstration against crime and drugs. Southview, Amay James and Arbor Glen Outreach Center staff will team up with the Stratford Richardson YMCA, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, City Dive, Vision Charlotte, and community leaders of 17 neighborhoods along the West Boulevard Corridor to make this a great community event.

Ø International Clown Week: On Monday, August 4, Tuckaseegee Recreation Center will celebrate International Clown Week with a day that honors clowning! Carolina Clowns will perform and teach us tricks of the trade. The YWCA Summer Camp will provide face painting, while the MADE Summer Camp will perform some clown routines! Rubber chickens, snow cones, RAY, and free lunch for those under 18 will also help make this event special!

Ø Constitution Day- Puerto Rico: Marion Diehl Recreation Center partnered with the Puerto Rican Cultural Society of Charlotte and the Latin American Coalition to celebrate "Constitution Day of Puerto Rico" on Saturday, July 26. The event was a great drew more than 300 patrons. They enjoyed traditional songs, food, music, art and dances of Puerto Rico.

Ø Mecklenburg 4-H Teens Attend NC 4-H Congress: Nine Mecklenburg County 4-H teens attended the annual NC 4-H Congress the week of July 21-25. These teens participate in 4-H through recreation center programs, YWCA programs and community clubs. This leadership and citizenship conference was held on the campus of NC State University. Throughout the week, the teens participated in workshops covering topics such as careers, electric, healthy choices, and government involvement. The Mecklenburg delegation was a part of more than 800 teen 4-H’ers from across North Carolina.

Ø 4-H’ers Ready for Summer Camp: Mecklenburg County 4-H is taking a delegation of 40 campers, ages 8-13, to a week-long residential summer camp at Millstone 4-H Center in Ellerbe, NC. They will depart Sunday, August 3 and return on Friday, August 8. While at camp, the youth will enjoy swimming, canoeing, archery, riflery, horseback riding, crafts and many other traditional camp experiences.

Ø 4-H Volunteer Workshop: Calling anyone interested in volunteering with a 4-H club throughout 2009! Mecklenburg County 4-H is offering an Introduction to 4-H Clubs workshop on Monday, August 4th from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for anyone interested in volunteering. The workshop will be held at the 4-H Office (1418 Armory Drive). Participants will learn the basics of 4-H, including how to start and manage a 4-H club.

Ø Annual Eastside Back to School Festival: Partnership team consisting of Weed & Seed (East side), MeckCares and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department completed plans to provide the 1st Annual Eastside Back to School Festival, scheduled for August 2 from 11am – 3pm at Eastland Mall. This is the first Eastside Back to School Festival hosted by above partners. Moe than 20 service agencies will be on hand to provide students and families in east Charlotte information and resources to help prepare them for academic success during the school year. Entertainment and educational sessions will be provided during the event for children and adults. Prizes will be given to participants who complete the Passport to Academic Success!


NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Ø Academic Research: Both the herbarium and zoological collections housed in the newly named "Dr. James F. Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies" in Reedy Creek Nature Preserve are being used by researchers involved in 4 different research projects this month. These partners are from: the University of South Carolina - Columbia, UNC-Chapel Hill, Belmont Abbey College, and the Schiele Museum of Natural History.


ENTERPRISE SERVICES

Ø Track & Field: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and the Charlotte Flights Track and Field Club sponsored twenty-two local youth who participated in the 2008 Junior Olympics in Omaha, Nebraska from July 22-27. Khayla Dawson placed first and brought home a gold medal in the shot put with a heave of 28’8”. The 4 X 100 meter relay team consisting of Calvin Haines, Jalen Porter, Aaron Tindall and Jacquece placed third and brought home bronze medals. Chanin Scott placed fifth in the 800 meter run. “Well done!” to all of local athletes who advanced from regional and state events to participate.


Ø Memorial Stadium: Staff met with City Council Member James Mitchell, Charlotte Department of Transportation, City Special Events staff, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and the Athletic Director and staff of North Carolina Central University to start the strategic planning process for the NC Central vs. NC A & T football game. The game is scheduled for October 4 at Memorial Stadium. Discussions focused on the estimated attendance, marketing, traffic plan and facility logistics.

CAPITAL PLANNING AND ALLIANCE DEVELOPMENT

Ø Romare Bearden Park: Planning staff conducted the final stakeholder design meeting for the Park. The stakeholder group, made up of representatives from the surrounding neighborhood, adjacent business owners and the City, has provided meaningful feedback and direction as the design has progressed. The department will now begin preparing construction documents with an anticipated late spring 2009 construction start. (See artist’s conception of park, next page.)



Ø Pearle Street Park: The Urban Land Institute conducted a design charette for the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association. The one day design exercise looked at the possibilities and opportunities for the site directly adjacent to the park. As the area around the park redevelops, Park Planning staff is working with the City and adjoining property owners to plan a much needed face lift to the Park.

Ø Berewick Park/Rec. Center Plans Review: The review period for the 50% Berewick construction documents concluded this week. Staff compiled a lot of good comments and will be discussing them with the consultant next week. Project bidding is expected this Fall, 2008.

Ø Greenprinting: Planning staff attended Green Printing Training with County GIS. The Trust for Public Land developed this program for Park & Recreation as part of the recently completed 2008 Parks Master Plan. Planning staff will be able to use this powerful model for objective, detailed site analysis and needs assessment in regards to all future land acquisitions.

Ø Nevin Accessible Playground Organization Day: Plans are currently being finalized for this special event set for Thursday, August 7 from 11am - 6pm. This important event will allow individual committees to meet with representatives from Leathers & Associates to check on progress and map out a strategy for the final stages of the project. The day will be spent reviewing the site, the final design, meeting with individual committees, and clarifying schedules, plans, responsibilities and other details for construction. There will be multiple meetings throughout the day, such as: a site review, stakeout review, individual committees update reviews, construction captains informational, and an overall summary meeting.


GREENWAY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Ø Little Sugar Creek Greenway - Belmont Ave. to Alexander St. Park: The contractor has paved a portion of the greenway trail from Belmont Ave. to the top of bank of Belmont Branch. Shoring system design plans are still under review by CSX's engineering consultant, and should be approved soon. Contractor has also cleared and graded on the Alexander Street Park side of the railroad. Once shoring system is installed, the contractor will spend the next month installing the pedestrian underpass structure, and installing the bridge across Belmont Branch.
Ø Little Sugar Creek Greenway - Baxter St to Morehead St: Precast walls are now being installed for the central large fountain.
Ø Little Sugar Creek Greenway - Charlottetowne Ave to Pearle St Bridge (Metropolitan): Next week, this section of greenway will be advertised for bids.
Ø Clark's Creek - Tributary #2: Staff from Greenways and Natural Resources met with City of Charlotte Storm Water services this week regarding a stream restoration planned along a tributary of Clark's Creek that runs through the northern half of the Huck's Road Nature Preserve property, which is also a future greenway corridor.