HomeMy Public PortalAbout15-ParksRec Dept. Rpt. June 2020Memo
To: City Council
From: Kurt Wolf, Parks and Recreation Director
CC: Anette Spickard, City Manager
Date: 6/30/2020
Re: Monthly Department Report — June 2020
City of McCa11
1. Rec Program Updates & Registrations
Program descriptions, free events and local resource guide are available on www.mccallrec.com.
Parents and participants can `register' for programs; however, they will be put on a waitlist and no
money will be collected until the program is 100% a go. Participants will be required to pay the program
fee, or fill out a scholarship form before participating, failure to do so will result in a balance owing on
their account.
Soccer Skills program has started with a great success. McCall United Soccer Association and the
Recreation department teamed up to offer a free soccer skills -based program twice a week until July 16.
Large registration numbers forced us to divide the group into 2 smaller groups. Staff painted four 30x35
size fields, which further divide the groups into small teams. Coaches practice socially distant drills to
the best of their ability. Note: What we have learned in the past with free programs is that registration
is often high, but turnout is relatively low which has worked well to feel out program numbers and how
we adjust the way we run programs during these times.
Events Update: The M-D School District approved outdoor facility usages. Programs such as wee
soccer and t-ball are still put on hold until August. The Mile -High Mile has received enough
registrations to make the event worth hosting. The event will be modified. Last year, there were 60
participants; this year there are 18 registered and anticipate more. Modifications to the event will include
a larger start area with staggered rows of participants. There will be no awards ceremony at the finish
and participants will be required to finish and limit time at the park following the event.
Tournament Update: Light Up the Night on July 4th weekend has been cancelled; Mountain Madness
Youth Softball is on July 17-19 with 14 teams playing at Gold Glove throughout the weekend (Note:
ASA Softball Association is carefully monitoring teams and the status of the pandemic and event
organizers have submitted a detailed and thorough plan to manage the tournament under CDC and ASA
guidelines; Senior Softball Wood Bat Tournament- Sept. 11-13 currently 7 teams registered, 8 team
maximum.)
Monthly Department Report — Parks & Recreation
2. Coronavirus Recreation Updates
Staff have been working on a variety of responses to address recreational offerings and future strategies
as it relates to pandemic updates as listed below:
• Online Recreation Center: Virtual recreation and educational opportunities are still running live
and have been well received. Please visit www.mccallrec.com and view the drop -down menu at the
top of the page to view activities and ideas associated with the virtual recreation center.
• Professional and educational trainings: Staff have been utilizing the time to keep up with training
opportunities and research new ideas and what other communities are doing during these times to
get through this and provide offerings for the community in conjunction with change and
restrictions.
• Recreation Bus Design: The bus is currently being cleaned and detailed. Afterwards, it will be
moved to Rocky Mountain Sign Shop for decal placement.
• Outreach: Tara Woods is working with local resources to help advertise and provide links to
organizational efforts; such as University of Idaho Extension courses and classes, Payette Children's
Forest online educational videos and events and Forest Service Agents of Discovery app.
• Summer staffing needs and schedule: Tara Woods will continue with behind the scenes
organization efforts for all recreation programs and leagues. TJ Brady will be stepping in to help
run programs, maintain equipment and communicating with program participants and parents.
Other staffing needs will be pieced together with current parks and recreation staff. No part-time or
full-time seasonal recreation aid will be hired this summer.
• Weekly National Leadership Calls: Kurt Wolf and Tara Woods have been attending bi-weekly,
online video meetings with parks and recreation professionals nationwide. This has been a great
recourse to network with communities that are further along in the pandemic and discuss challenges
and solutions.
3. Special Events
Mile High Mile Open Water Swim: more info to come
Brainstorming Virtual Recreation Event Ideas: Virtual 5K
4. Parks Overview and Staffing:
General Staff Update:
> Parks staff are in full swing and making additional efforts to service facilities in conjunction with
best practices as it relates to COVID-19.
> Sidewalk summer maintenance program: Staff made repairs to ADA curb cuts in early June and
initiated a new pressure washing program to keep sidewalks clean with focus in the areas around
the businesses selling ice cream.
> Keeping staff informed on the continuously changing environment, addressing staff safety needs
and protocols, and adjusting schedules as needed to ensure a safe working environment for those
employees needing to report to work.
> Summer maintenance schedules and construction projects are in full swing. Staff have been
assisting regularly with projects associated with streets capital projects.
> New Parks staff continue to adjust well to their respective positions and have brought great strengths
and skill sets to the department. I compliment their efforts and performance as it relates to the
aggressive workload and schedule associated with snow removal and now the COVID-19 status.
Attitudes remain positive and energetic.
Monthly Department Report — Parks & Recreation
Bunkhouse/garage at the SITPA site: Currently getting a new metal roof put on. The contractor is
currently working around the weather and plans to continue until the job is complete. This project was
funded through ITD mitigation funds associated with the Lardo Bridge construction in 2015. The
balance of those funds will be used to repair decay in the log walls.
Downtown Core project: The Parks department assisted in re -locating the backup generator for City
Hall including: trenching new power, prepping the pad for concrete, re -building the access for
Washington Federal, hauling materials, disposing of the old concrete pad, digging and backfilling the
hole for the propane tank and clean up. The department also cut and removed all the trees behind the
Parks shop to make way for the new pressure sewer main.
Downtown Sidewalk Maintenance Program: Staff continue to work with the Public Works Streets
operators and local businesses on the coordination of downtown Sidewalk Maintenance. Feedback was
overwhelmingly positive as it related to the snow conditions. Staff are scheduled to make repairs to
truncated domes which is normal and expected following snow removal. The program will continue to
be analyzed and adjusted to provide the best possible results as we better understand the operation and
challenges. Staff have been documenting man hours and equipment hours since January 01 to fully
assess cost and time come spring.
Brown Park and Shoreline Restoration Update: Kurt Wolf is working with staff and the engineering
team on design work for both the playground replacement, shoreline restoration and repair, and facility
improvements at Brown Park. Design work and drawings will be done in-house with engineering
contracted out through Horrocks Engineering in conjunction with MURA. Phase I (Playground
Replacement) is scheduled for construction in fall of 2020. Shoreline restoration work in conjunction
with MURA funding will also be done in fall of 2020 with remainder of work scheduled throughout
spring and summer of 2021.
5. Miscellaneous
• Note on Garbage: Parks staff have seen a significant increase in garbage this year due to more
people getting takeout from restaurants instead of dining in. An extra dumpster has been placed at
Gold Glove Park to accommodate.
• Aside from regular maintenance, Parks staff placed the downtown flowers and hung banners to
celebrate Independence Day.
• Stefanie Bork has done a fantastic job designing interpretive panels associated with the Wooley
Boardwalk. This project was funding through a grant and will fulfill our wetland mitigation
requirements with the Army Corps of Engineers.
• Kurt Wolf continues to work with two local landscape designers (Pavia Clouser & Gusty Laidlaw
who are donating their time to the project) to develop landscape concepts for the plaza interface
between the proposed Library and City Hall. Conceptual plans are complete for cost estimating and
revisions will be made as building design is revised.
• 2nd Street Landscape Donation: Pavla Clouser & Gusty Laidlaw recently made a generous
donation to increase the plantings in the 7 planters along 2nd street. Donation include material, design
time, and installation. Staff are working on a press release in the Star News to thank them and
recognize their contribution.
• Kurt Wolf is looking into the possibility of implementing portions of the proposed non -motorized
waterfront improvement project slated for the area north of the marina at Rotary Park while
Monthly Department Report — Parks & Recreation
continuing to work with Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) on the encroachment permits north of
the marina. The City has an existing encroachment permit at Rotary and staff just received the ok
from IDL to temporarily install the swim platforms and swim lane lines at Rotary while working
towards securing encroachment permits north of the marina.
6. Professional Development
Arborist Certification Training: (Postponed) Kurt Wolf will be teaching three modules during a
regional ISA Certified Arborist Training course when it is re -scheduled. Eddie Heider will be attending
the State sponsored course and then sitting for the International Society of Arboriculture Certified
Arborist Exam following that training.
Idaho Recreation and Parks Association State Conference Speaker- Conference is postponed until
October 13-15, 2020 in Post Falls, ID.
Wooley Boardwalk Nomination: Staff have nominated the Wooley Boardwalk for the outstanding
Park or Facility Award with the Idaho Recreation and Park Association.
WELCOME TO WOOLEY BOARDWALK
City of '..oCal "o rkE cnc tecreaticn
"Bee Inspired
Native plants and poi/Inators go hand -in -
hand.
13r.Her1lie5, beet, hummingbirds, meths, end
other animals visit Rowers in scorch of food
such as nectar and pollen, transferring
pollen between flowers of the same plant
species. These pollinated Flowers then
produce fertile suede.
Pollinators help feed the world by
transferring pollen. They're needed for the
reproduction of 1 /3 of the about 1,330
humors Food crops and 90 °f. of all
flowering plants. But pollinators need your
help because they face threats. from
Insecticides and non-native species.
"Go Wild"
Landscape with Native Plants- Ws easy Ia
help pollinators. The Flowers and plants here
era all native to Idaho. Con you heats the
different species shown on thin sign?
If you want native wildlife, you need local
native plants. Often, non-native plants lack
the nectar and pollen necessary For
pa r:natant to thrive. Addli:ernnlly,nen-native
plonk con escape gardens and often
compete with native plants. Local native
plants support wildlife year-round and are
Friendly to our landscapes. Once
oete6lished, native plants require lees
maintenance. Less ma interne nor means re
time far you to rclas and enjoy fk.c gardcnl
Help native pollinators and enrich wildlife. Use local native plants in your landscape.
WELCOME TO WOOLEY BOARDWALK
City o= 1,4,Coll I'orkn and Recreation
Several Meonurea were token to preserve the
wetlands and the Cttywes required re obtain a
permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Canetmation challenge. Included dealing with
signiHoontwctla nd arca which intern lad to
the concept of an elevated boardwalk utilizing
hclica I pier cons:in.. i on to limit impacts to the
wetland area. To minimize construction
impacts In the wetland'* eenerructien began in
lute winter of 2019 utilizing the snow as u
bridge Far equl lament tenet and drive the
helical piers. Once the piers where set the
contractor was able to limit the use of heavy
equipment and start Framing the boardwalk
maroon the pier. ao the snow continued to
recede+with eo impacts ro *he wetland.
.,
LOW IMPACT CONSTRUCTION
The boardwalk spans 10, 362 sq. feat (244
rem) of wetlende. The Ci5y wait required to
mitigate the shading impacts on the wetland of
a 1:1 ratio or area to be treated and planted
with pollinator epochal. j.eee odd Ikr..nol pone?)
It is our seal that these efforts will Lola
mitigate the eigniticant declines in pollinator
specie. (bees and burter411ve}
and educate users en these issues.
These effort. are one step towards the
national goal to crontc more habitat for those
species. In nummmy, the mitigation plop
Includes the establishment of a seetelnable
population of native pollinator friendly plants,
shrubs, grasser, ferbe, end insure which can be
..-:patted to bloom throughout the growing
neason from Tate spring and into early fall
incrreeing the ecological dhrerelty and
provide baiter wildlife habitat.
Girl scout troop 255 partnered with the
department for tint pollinator planting project
and ossloted the Parks Deportment with
planting In fell 2019.
IvlcCall
Creating a unique user experience with Fun interpretive opportunities year-round.
!McCa11
Patna PLUMP,
RECREATE
RESPONSIBLY
IF YOU ARE SICK COHOME I DAHO
FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING
GUIDELINES
AVOID GROUP GATHERINGS
WASH P SANITIZE OFTEN
Failure to adhere to these
guidelines and over-crowding_of
parks could lead to closure of City
of McCall Parks & Facilities
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
h l Lpsc f/ www. ma c all. i d.n s f s o f e ty l lr s t
Monthly Department Report — Parks & Recreation