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Recreation |
| City of Roswell P.O. Drawer 1838 Roswell, NM 88202-1838 (505) 624-6700 Fax: 624-6889 |
|
Recreation |
| City of Roswell P.O. Drawer 1838 Roswell, NM 88202-1838 (505) 624-6700 Fax: 624-6889 |
03/21/97
Year-End Report - 1996
I. Mission Statement
The Roswell Recreation Department strives to meet the community's recreational needs and interests by providing a wide variety of quality and wholesome leisure activities through traditional and innovative programming. We are committed to enhancing the quality of life and personal growth for individuals of all ages, and families through participation in passive and active activities. We will work cooperatively with other organizations and agencies to provide needed leisure services and facilities for the community. We are committed to effectively utilizing all available resources and to sustain the confidence of those we serve.
II. Brief Summary Narrative
A. The Recreation Department had a pretty good year with @25,875 different individuals being served throughout the year. These individuals participated @234,000 times in our programs during 1996.
We provided services at Cahoon Swimming Pool for @ $15.95/person or $1.85/participation.
We provided services at Yucca Recreation Center for @$35.76/person or $2.41/participation.
We provided services at the Roswell Adult Center for @$32.50/person or $1.88/participation.
We provided services with our Special Programs Division for @$1.76/person or $.85/participation.
Overall, we provided services to the general public for @$21.22/person or @$2.35/participation.
These figures reflect our estimate of services provided by the Recreation Department and include direct income and expenses for all divisions including administration. Some of these figures, like the RAC figures would change dramatically if we also included the value of volunteer hours provided by the participants.
B. The Recreation Department Administrative services share office space with the Parks Department Administrative services in the Parks and Recreation Offices at Cahoon Park. Office space is provided for Kim Elliott, Recreation Director, Heidi C. Sims, Recreation Superintendent, Laurie Jerge, Recreation Program Analyst, and Joe Vargas, Recreation Supervisor for Sports and Special Events. The individual offices, along with the Park Department offices, were reworked because of crowding, with new office space being added for a new Recreation Supervisor in charge of Sports and Special Events. A much needed new telephone system was added to accommodate the growing needs of our offices.
The office is in an ideal location in Cahoon Park next to the Cahoon Swimming Pool and the Spring River Parkway. The park setting with offices next to major components of the Department, makes it ideal for the general public to have access to the Department.
C. Public relations, staff training, marketing, and program evaluation are all done from our offices with Laurie Jerge, our Recreation Program Analyst heading up these areas. During 1996, the Department sent out at least 154 news releases and staff was scheduled at least 147 times either on TV or radio.
D. The Recreation Department is fortunate to host three (3) local TV shows that focus on leisure in the Roswell community. They are "Leisure Living" with Laurie Jerge; "How To..." with Diane Holdson; and, "Handmade By You" with Gladie Guzman. These shows are produced by NMMI TV Productions and are shown on local cable access channel 11.
E. Special Programs are also housed in the Recreation Administrative Offices. The addition of Mr. Joe Vargas as the Recreation Supervisor in charge of Sports and Special Programs is a much needed and welcome addition. This will aid not only our Special Programs Division, but, the Park Director and Recreation Director who spend a lot of time and effort in dealing with the various sport leagues in Roswell.
Our Special Programs Division received a grant to conduct a band camp during the summer. This proved to be very successful. This division stays busy all year round with the planning of events and activities for people of all ages in the community. These are events like Festival in the Park, Cahoon Park and October Runs, Summer Schoolground Program, Concerts in the Park, The Roswell Games, Party On The Pecos, UFO Festival, and others. When figuring donations made to the Department, our income to expense ratio is 99% with @18,525 different individuals taking an active part in our programs.
F. Cahoon Park Swimming Pool, located next to the Recreation Administrative Offices, had a pretty good season taking into account the need to remove the diving boards due to not meeting safety code.
Approximately 3,500 different individuals came to the pool 30,194 times. Revenue was $26,239.50 while our expenses from the Recreation Fund budget was $82,045. When we consider the extra hours that the Park Department also contributes to the Pool operation we lose approximately $65,000-$70,000 per year.
Leisure Concepts and Design from Water Technology, Inc. stated that the City of Roswell would be better off building a new facility that will meet the needs of Roswell well into the next century than to spend money on renovating the existing pool. They said that Cahoon Swimming Pool has 3-5 years of life left and that it should be abandoned at some time in the near future. A new facility would be designed to break even with expenses, if not make a few dollars on the operation. This type of facility would be a definite economic boon to the community.
A conceptual of a new Family Aquatic Center to be located at the Old Municipal Airport in the Southeast Quadrant has been developed with an estimated cost of $3.5 million. Just to renovate the existing Cahoon Swimming Pool will run over $1 million, and, we still wouldn't have a facility to meet the needs of the community.
G. The Roswell Adult Center (RAC) is a place for all adults in the community. Over 150 classes were offered to the community during the year with @1,300 participants registered. Approximately 46 groups and organizations meet at the RAC on a regular basis and @30 different groups rented the Center during the year. This means that approximately 4,000 different people used the facility almost 70,000 times during the year.
Staff at the RAC are Diane Holdson, Recreation Supervisor, Shelia McKnight, Recreation Leader II, and Lynda Patton, Clerical Aide along with the Custodial Worker II, Mr. James Belt. Shelia is a new addition after having transferred and promoted from Yucca
Recreation Center. Most of the programs and events planned at the RAC are planned with the help of volunteers. Our staff works mainly as facilitators and does an excellent job of working with volunteers and participants to make sure programs meet the needs of the community.
Use at the RAC is down slightly. This may be a result of the retired adult population that is beginning to have a change in philosophy toward retirement. Staff at the RAC will be watching very closely to see if this is a significant change that will result in a trend and will continue to offer the quality programming the RAC is known to provide for adults.
The Lifelong Scholar program, Senior Olympic program, Armchair Travelers program, Christmas Gift Fair and other programs continue to be very popular at the RAC.
H. Yucca Recreation Center had major staff changes during the year. Afton Stephens, Recreation Supervisor was employed in March. Gladie Guzman, Recreation Leader II transferred from the RAC and two part time recreation aides, Danny Cummings and Lisa Schanck were upgraded to full time positions. Shirley Williams, Recreation Leader I is heading up the sports programs at the Center along with other duties like the Vacation Fun Program. Custodial Worker II, Bill Brown and Ramon Macias, Custodial Worker I have their hands full with 35,000 plus square feet of facility to maintain.
An estimated 6,500 different individuals participated @114,000 times in programs offered by Yucca. Some of these programs are Youth Basketball, Aerobics, Adult Volleyball, Vacation Fun Programs, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween Carnival, Tae Kwon Do, and others. A new program offering Physical Education for Homeschoolers was started and seems to be very successful.
During 1996, elevators were installed, fire exits were enclosed and other room renovations were made at Yucca Recreation Center. We lost one grant because we were unable to come up with those monies needed in the requested match for continued work at the Center. We did begin the needed planning to develop the plans and specifications for renovation of the lockerrooms and to replace the rest of the windows. Besides some minor renovations at the Center, this would finish the project, for all practical purposes, begun in 1984.
I. During the year the Roswell Tennis Association was revitalized with the help of Mr. Dick Satterlee, our contracted tennis coordinator. Even though we do not keep specific records in this area at this time, we feel that tennis play in Roswell has been increasing.
J. During 1996, Heidi C. Sims, Recreation Superintendent received the Distinguished Professional Award given by the New Mexico Recreation and Park Association (NMRPA). The Armchair Travel Program at the Roswell Adult Center received the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Southwest Regional Dorothy Mullins Arts & Humanities Award, and, A.B. Gwinn, former Parks and Recreation Director was given a Citation from the NMRPA for the contributions he has made to the profession in Roswell.
K. Recreation staff attended the NRPA Annual Congress in Kansas City, MO, the NRPA National Executive Development School in Albuquerque, NM, the NMRPA State Conference in Ruidoso, NM, "Quality Parks and Recreation - From the Ground Up!", offered by the NMRPA in Roswell, NM, the NRPA Southwest Regional Leadership and Training Institute in Colorado Springs, CO and various other professional training opportunities as budget would allow.
L. Kim Elliott was elected as the NMRPA Southwest Regional Professional Representative for NRPA. The Southwest Region consists of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. Laurie Jerge served as the NMRPA Nomination chairperson and was named the Awards Chair for the Association at the end of the year. Staff helps with the Association when asked because it helps to give a more rounded view of the profession which benefits us locally.
M. There are approximately fifty (50) Certified Leisure Professionals in New Mexico. Of that total, Roswell has three (3) Certified Leisure Professional's (CLP), Kim Elliott, Heidi Sims, and Laurie Jerge; and, two (2) Certified Leisure Associate's (CLA), Shelia McKnight and Joe Vargas. Shelia and Joe achieved their certification during 1996. Kim, Heidi and Laurie all had to renew their certification during 1996.
N. The Department is beginning the process of assessing our operational procedures and comparing them with national standards. This may eventually lead to national accreditation of the Department by the Commission on the Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), however, the most important aspect of this is that we are beginning the process of improving our current operation.
III. Did We Accomplish Our Mission?
A. In general, the mission of the Recreation Department was accomplished for 1996. It is felt that the Department did very well with the money allocated. We continue to train staff to meet the needs of the public, plan activities that are needed in the community, and, work cooperatively with many organizations to provide needed leisure services. However, we do have room to improve.
B. We need to gather input concerning our programming from the community better. We need to provide more and better in house training opportunities for staff. Volunteers in new areas of expertise need to be recruited. New methods of keeping track of participants need to be developed. We are not meeting the communities needs in the aquatic area when it comes to families.
C. There is a need for continued modernization of our leisure facilities. Even though we may be providing adequate facilities, we could be doing a better job of meeting the needs of the Roswell community if the RAC, Yucca Recreation Center, Recreation Administrative Offices, and a new outdoor Family Aquatic Center were to be emphasized. The modernization of these facilities are important as we begin a new century.
IV. Benefits To The Roswell Community
In 1996 the Recreation Department:
1. provided activities that were safe and wholesome in nature.
2. provided opportunities for the family to interact together.
3. provided health and fitness opportunities for the community.
4. provided for an atmosphere of leisure.
5. provided information to educate the community about the benefits of leisure.
6. provided an opportunity to the community to give their input concerning programming.
7. provided opportunities for self-expression of individuals and to promote self esteem.
8. provided opportunities that promoted an economic boost to the community.
9. provided for an atmosphere of competition for those who wanted competition and an atmosphere of non-competitiveness for those who did not.
10. provided an opportunity for social and cultural interaction within the community.
11. provided educational and learning opportunities for all ages in the community.
12. provided the opportunity for the community to learn and participate in life long skill activities.
13. provided the opportunity for other organizations in the community to share their experience with others.
14. promoted cooperation, teamwork and sportsmanship.
15. provided the opportunity for participants to meet and make new friends.
V. Annual Numbers
# of Participants - @25,875
# of Participations - @234,000
Income - @$225,356* %Income/Expense - 29% (does not include value of volunteers)
Expense - @$774,486*
Cost/Participant - $21.22/Participant, $2.35/Participation
* figures from FY95-96 and does not include capital
VI. Suggestions For Next Year
A. In reference to facilities, we have to continue to press for the needs of the Department. This means that we will continue to press for a new Recreation addition to the Parks and Recreation Administrative Offices in Cahoon Park, a new addition at the Roswell Adult Center for needed space, and continued renovation of Yucca Recreation Center to see that project to completion. Also, we will need to press for the development of the Family Aquatic Center at the Old Airport since the Cahoon Swimming Pool does not meet the needs of the community and renovation would not solve the problems we currently have at the site.
B. We plan to survey the community to determine their needs. This needs to be done every 3-5 years to make sure the Department is on the right track. Along this same line, we need to keep better track of our participants.
C. Even though we have tried to train staff, we know that we need to train staff better in the areas of how and why leisure services benefit the community. This will help us in all areas as we place our emphasis on training on the beneficial aspects of the services we provide. We will continue to send staff, as budget will allow, to national and regional professional training opportunities.
D. Concerning the operation of the Department, we plan to continue assessing and comparing our current operation with the national standards developed by CAPRA. As we determine our deficiencies, we will try and correct them in an effort to have a better department. This may eventually lead to national departmental accreditation.
E. We feel that we have done a good job, but, we can do better at marketing our services. A marketing plan should be developed to help in this area.
F. Even though we strive to and have provided a safe atmosphere for our patrons at each of our events and facilities, it will be in our best interest to develop a written security plan for our events and facilities.
G. New activities and events should be considered for inclusion in all aspects of our programming making sure that the budget will allow us to plan and develop these ideas. The addition of Mr. Joe Vargas, Recreation Supervisor in charge of Sports and Special Events will help in this area.
The Recreation Department does a good job with what we are given to work with in the community. We have good staff and a great community for which to work. If we can keep our eyes on the future we will continue to move forward to meeting the needs of the community.
Submitted by:
City of Roswell, NM
Recreation Director