Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutPR Dept. Rpt. Jan 2021Memo To: City Council From: Kurt Wolf, Parks and Recreation Director CC: Anette Spickard, City Manager Date: 1/29/2021 Re: Monthly Department Report – January 2021 Rec Program Updates & Registrations: Program descriptions, free events, and local resource guide are available on www.mccallrec.com. As we continue to operate and manage programs within the national guidelines and recommendations pertaining to COVID-19, we will update program participants of any changes to guidelines. Elementary Basketball: Boys basketball occurred every Thursday evening in January at Elk Creek Church. A total of 3 volunteer coaches and 39 registered youth participating in the event. There was participant who tested positive for COVID the third week of practice, and we were notified the following Monday. Department staff notified St. Luke’s and consulted with a resident physician (whose child was a participant) about the exposure. We communicated with parents to let them know about the initial exposure and held the final practice as scheduled. We were advised there was little exposure to players because 1) participants were spread out, 2) participants were wearing masks, 3) participants had their own equipment, 4) players and coaches were diligent about keeping distance inside the gym. Level of risk was ruled to be extremely low and feedback from parents was appreciative and understanding. Tots and Tykes: Four families have signed up and are actively participating in our program. Adults are required to wear masks while inside; all children are under the age of 5. Equipment is sprayed off before and after each meeting and there is plenty of space to spread out inside the Elk Creek Church gym. No School Fun Days: Two department staff hosted 8 youth for swimming in the morning and 9 youth for movies and games at the Senior Community Center in the afternoon. Registrations were open to essential employees first during the teacher-work day/no school day for youth ages 7-10. Mobile Tutor Unit: The group is currently still on hold during stage 2; however, members recently interviewed and hired a tutor program coordinator to take over the logistics of providing tutoring services 2-3 days a week during the second school semester. Funds used to pay for wages will be coming from a grant received by The Shepard’s Home. The Parks & Recreation will be assisting with bus transportation and community center space; and the public library will help with mobile hot spots and plastic guards. Coronavirus Recreation Updates: Staff continues to work on a variety of responses to address recreational offerings, partnerships, and future strategies as it relates to pandemic updates. Online Recreation Center: Virtual recreation and educational opportunities are still running live and have been well received. Please visit the website and view the drop-down menu at the top of the page to view activities and ideas associated with the virtual recreation center. www.mccallrec.com 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 changes, guidelines, and restrictions. Winter staffing needs and schedule: Tara Woods, Recreation Supervisor, will continue with behind the scenes organization efforts for all recreation programs and leagues. TJ Brady, Maintenance Coordinator, 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. Weekly National Leadership Calls: Kurt and Tara continue to attend 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. Winter Outdoor Program/Event In the works: Working on partnerships with outside agencies on outdoor program ideas and events that can be safely run during the winter months. Includes: Ice Rink, potential Nordic track at golf course, activities on golf course pathways. Special Events: Full Moon Snow Series: The event was cancelled due to cloudy skies and snowy weather. The next full-moon event is scheduled for February 27. We did receive interest from out-of-town visitors about attending the event; when cancelled they reserved 4-pairs of snowshoes to explore trails on their own. They were amazed with our loaner equipment program and very thankful. Upcoming Events: Tiki Torch Trail with the McCall golf course every Friday in February and the continuation of full moon snow series into March. Researching the feasibility of a small Nordic ski loop on the driving range. Partnership with McCall Winter Sports Club 4-Way Race: We are hoping to groom a short racecourse on the driving range of the golf course to help spread participants out in the annual 4-Way ski race event. Staff have been discussing the idea of grooming this course all season to help alleviate congestion at the State Park due to a reduction in groomed trails as a result of the logging project. Parks Overview and Staffing: Parks staff are in full swing and continue to make additional efforts to service facilities in conjunction with best practices as it relates to COVID-19. Filling Parks Lead Vacancy: Following the resignation of Matt Melvin from one of our Parks Lead positions, staff advertised the position and held interviews January 05-07. We had numerous applications with great qualifications. An offer was made and accepted to Tony Curry. Tony has worked with the City as a part time seasonal employee for the past two years and he brings great well-rounded experience to the department with little to no training required. Winter Sidewalk Maintenance Program: Now that most of the Downtown Core Project is complete, Parks and Streets have updated the coordinated snow removal plan. Several small changes to the plan have increased efficiencies making the downtown core even more accessible to the public this winter. Program will remain the same with city staff addressing conditions each morning as needed. Property owners/businesses will be responsible for maintaining a safe clearance across their respective properties during the day or business hours. 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 around COVID-19. Adjusting shifts and schedules to limit interdepartmental overlap. Parks staff have adjusted their schedules to 7 days a week to limit the amount of people on site at one time with varying days off. Ice Rink Development and Operation: Parks staff responded to requests for a small outdoor ice rink in early December. The rink was opened in late December at Gold Glove Park and it has been very popular and well received. COVID operating plans are in place and users continue to be very compliant. Maintenance of the facility has been less than expected and staff continue to be positive and excited about the project. Christmas Tree Recycling program: The program ran until January 8 with a significant amount of tree drop offs. Brown Park and Shoreline Restoration Update: Plan sets are currently at 75% completion and staff is working closely with engineering and design team to complete cost estimates and the project bid manual. The Director continues to work with staff and the engineering team on design work for both the playground replacement, shoreline restoration and repair, and facility improvements at Brown Park and along E. Lake Street. Design work and drawings will be done through a combination of in-house design for the park and play structure with engineering contracted out through Horrocks Engineering and Baer Land Group in conjunction with the McCall Redevelopment Agency (MRA). Project #1A is under contract and work is 95% complete and went well and on schedule. Contractor is scheduled to make landscape repairs in the spring when weather and ground conditions permit. Project #1B will focus on additional shoreline repairs from Brown Park south to the Marina along E. Lake Street and will include on the water improvements such as docks and recreational amenities. Project #2 will consist of a phased approach to include improvements and repairs within Brown Park. Included in this work, will be the replacement of the playground which was funded through a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant. Project #3 will focus on design engineering and the future re-construction of E. Lake Street. Brown Park Playground: Parks staff removed the old play structure at Brown Park in an effort to prepare the site for new playground installation in the spring. Materials from the old playground will be repurposed in other parks projects and staff are researching liability with re-use of old sections. New Brown Park Playground: Staff are developing three exhibits of playground options to present before the elementary schools and daycares and are asking each kid to vote on their favorite as we make a final selection.