City of Alexandria, Virginia MEMORANDUM

46 Pages·2014·12.88 MB·English

by  Marchelle Toliver

City of Alexandria, Virginia

MEMORANDUM

DATE: JULY 10, 2014

TO: ALEXANDRIA PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
FROM: JENNIFER ATKINS AND JUDITH COLEMAN, CO-CHAIRS
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR
MEETING, JULY 17, 2014

The Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission will hold its regular meeting on Thursday,
July 17, 2014. The meeting will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Charles Houston
Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.

If you are unable to attend this meeting, please email Co-Chairs, Jennifer Atkins at
[email protected] and Judith Coleman at [email protected]

Thank you.
City of Alexandria, Virginia

PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION

Public Hearing and Regular Meeting
Thursday, July 17, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
Charles Houston Center
901 Wythe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

Agenda

I. Call to Order by Jennifer Akins and Judith Coleman, Co-Chairs.
II. Presentations:
a. Eisenhower West Small Area Plan.
b. Oakville Triangle Plan.

III. Items for Action:

Approval of Summary Minutes: May 15, 2014, June 19, 2014

IV. Items for Information and discussion:

V. Division Updates:
A. Recreation Programs and Service Update - William Chesley, Deputy Director
B. Park Operations Report - Dinesh Tiwari, Deputy Director
C. Public Relations, Special Events and Waterfront Operations - Jack Browand, Division
Chief
D. Park Planning, Design & Capital Development Reports – Ron Kagawa, Division Chief
and Team.
 Warwick Pool Update
 Virginia Dominion Power Request for Transmission Line

VI. Reports from Commissioners (verbal updates):
A. Waterfront Commission - Gina Baum
B. Youth Sport Committee - Brian McPherson
C. Eisenhower West - Judy Coleman
D. Aquatics Update - Jennifer Atkins
E. Four Mile Run - Ripley Forbes
F. Ft. Ward - Ripley Forbes
G. Braddock Plan Park.
H. Patrick Henry School Update
I. Jefferson Houston School - William Cromley
J. Open Space - Jennifer Atkins
K. Freedmen’s Cemetery.
L. ACPS & Capital Improvements.
M. ACPS School Projects
N. Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan Advisory Group

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VII. At the close of the meeting, the Commission will take comments on any other topics from the
public.

VIII. Agenda items for September 18, 2014, meeting and location.

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City of Alexandria, Virginia
______________

MEMORANDUM

DATE: JULY 17, 2014

TO: PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEMBERS

FROM: WILLIAM CHESLEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
RECREATION SERVICES DIVISION

SUBJECT: JULY, 2014 COMMISSION MEETING ITEM - III-A
RECREATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES REPORT

Program Wrap-ups

• 6 students received RedCross certification after completing Babysitting Training at
Charles Houston Recreation Center. Designed to prepare young adults to give quality
childcare and the tools to start their own childcare business, the program met its 100%
cost recovery goal.

• On Saturday, June 21, Cora Kelly Recreation Center hosted its Community Day to
celebrate the diverse community with fun-filled activities for all ages and to provide
relationship building opportunities between the public and staff. Over 250 residents
participated in the activities, including games, arts & crafts, face painting, moon bounce
and community information booths.

• William Ramsay Recreation Center’s weekly senior ping pong is an on-going success
with a steady attendance of 12 or more participants per session.

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• The first Alexandria Titans Football Combine Clinic was held on Saturday, June 14 with
82 children ages 5-16. Kids and parents appreciated the free NFL-style training session
and concluded the program with pizza and drinks courtesy of the coaches and Titans
Booster Club. The standard pre-season camp is scheduled for July 28-31 with 125-150
participants predicted.

• The Hershey’s Virginia State Track & Field Championships were held on Saturday,
June 21 in Crozet, Virginia. Alexandria’s Guialem Bonsa finished 1st and Erika Van
Dyke finished 2nd in the girls (11/12) 400 Meter run. For the second year in a row, John
Colucci placed in the 13/14 1600 Meter Run. He finished ninth in the nation in 2013.
Colucci will advance to the North American Hershey Track and Field Finals in Hershey,
Pennsylvania at the end of July.

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Section Updates

• Sports Section:
Youth sports programs are reporting strong
participation numbers:

Johnson & Siebert Summer Basketball
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League (ages 12-14) – 70 participants
National Junior NJTL Tennis Program
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(ages 8-16) – 45 participants
Summer Instructional Baseball League
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(ages 6-8) – 75 participants
Alexandria Titans Track and Field Club
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(ages 7-14) – 70 participants
Girls Field Hockey Program (ages 9-14) – 198 participants
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“Rock Your Park” Open Play is taking place July 5-August 17. Enjoy free access to the
synthetic turf fields at Ben Brenman Park, Witter Recreational Park and Francis
Hammond Middle School. Also, natural turf fields are available at Eugene Simpson Park
and Four Mile Run Park. Four Mile Run Park and Ben Brenman Park on Saturday and
Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Eugene Simpson Park 2-6 p.m. Four Mile Run Park and
Hammond Park are also available on Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-9 p.m.

Sports staff is currently working on developing plans to transition the Titans Football
program from a City run program to a community run program by the 2016 season.
Future updates will be provided.

• Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center:
After exploring the possibility of combining Little Dippers and the Mainstream After-
School program with the general recreation Out of School Time program (OSTP) at
Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center, it was decided to reposition the existing TR program
and add a new afterschool program option due to low enrollment in the existing program.
The new Therapeutic Recreation after school program will afford participants inclusion
opportunities and is therefore being named the ‘Mainstream Program’ and will cost $100
per month as compared to the previous $65 per month for the full school year of TR
programs and brings the program closer to its cost-recovery target.

The new afterschool option for general recreation participants provides parents the option
of participating in the existing Out of School Time program at Charles Houston or
enrolling in Nannie J. Lee’s new 100% cost-recovery afterschool program ‘Youth
Achieving Greatness’. Participants will be thoroughly engaged in structured enrichment
activities that will increase their learning and independence, as well as their social, life
and leadership skills. This specialized program will be fun with a purpose which
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integrates a variety of activities, such as tutoring, physical fitness, cooking, chess,
gymnastics, music, cooperative games and much more. Children will benefit from a 1:15
staff to participant ratio and smaller class sizes. The cost is $940 per school year as
compared to the new Out of School Time fee of $415 per school year.

• Charles Houston Recreaton Center has shown a 25% increase in revenue from center-
based programs, room reservations, soft play room use and fitness pass sales compared
to last year.
FY 13: $90,644
FY 14: $114,044

• Outdoor pools are thriving in the summer heat! Attendance and revenue show a 78%
increase for the month of June over the previous year.
June 2013: Attendance: 3,340 Revenue: $7,609
June 2014: Attendance: 5,925 Revenue: $13,556
Revenue to date: $18,544

• FY-12 through FY-15 Out of School Time Program Measures

FY-15 FY-14 FY-14 FY-13 FY-13 FY-13 FY-12 FY-12
Actuals Actuals School Actuals Actuals Actuals Actuals Actuals
Summer Summer YTD School Summer School Summer School
2014 2013 6/30/14 YTD 2012 Year 2011 Year
YTD 6/30/13
6/30/14

Registration $100 $50 $300 $250 $50 $250 $25 $50
Fee

Public
satisfaction N/A 92% 92% 92% 95% 92% 90% 90%
with OSTP
Number of
OSTP 1,183 1,373 1,242 1,307 1,422 1,307 1,213 1,430
Registrations

OSTP $92,931 $54,352 $270,698 $221,846 $32,067 $218,547 $28,171 $60,257
Revenue

Amount of
Fee Assistance $24,210 $13,798 $87,818 $74,793 $3,870 $73,673 $2,245 $7,380
(Discounts)

Amount of
Fees Charged $118,590 $68,622 $365,921 $310,707 $36,205 $310.256 $30,930 $71,200

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Upcoming Events

• National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, August 5 as part of a National Crime
Prevention program where communities gather for free activities, including informative
seminars, cookouts, safety demonstrations and more, to heighten crime prevention
awareness and enhance community relations. Charles Houston Recreation Center and all
the 3 outdoor pool locations will host activities.

• Charles Houston Recreation Center will be hosting the following events:

Adults ages 18 and over are invited to Jazz by the Pool on Friday, August 15
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from 7 to 10 p.m. at Memorial Pool. This new way of winding down includes
relaxing by the pool while enjoying progressive jazz by Vaughn Ambrose. The
cost is $5 per person.

Charles Houston’s Advisory Council Community Day will be held on
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Saturday, August 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is expected to include
fitness demonstrations, carnival style games and inflatables in the gymnasium,
refreshment sales and prize drawings. In addition, information booths will give
community residents an opportunity to learn about our recreational programs and
services.

On Saturday, August 16 and Wednesday, August 27, families can enjoy free
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Dive In Movies at Memorial Pool and its surrounding lawn. The family-friendly
features will begin at 7 p.m. and include “Frozen” and “G-Force.”

• As part of Summer Out of School Time fun:

William Ramsay Recreation Center will feature Bright Star Theatre’s
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performance of “George Washington Carver” on Monday, July 28 at 3:30 p.m.
for children ages 5-12.

Patrick Henry Recreation Center will host Summer Quest, storytelling by
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Christylez Bacon, for children ages 6-12 on Wednesday, July 16 at 2 p.m.

Enhancements

• Charles Houston Recreation Center is purchasing two new treadmills for its Fitness
Center. The equipment is expected to arrive in two weeks. The purchase and anticipated
arrival date of new Soft Play Equipment for the Soft Play Room and Lil Gymmies is in
twelve weeks. The equipment for both program service areas is expected to increase
attendance and enrollment.

• Fluorescent lights in the men’s and women’s locker rooms at Chinquapin will be replaced
with energy efficient LED lights by the end of July.

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• A communication plan is being implemented to inform the public about two new service
enhancements: the implementation of a Registration & Reservation Office and a
registration management system update.

A Registration & Reservation Office is now open to
provide customers with a one-stop-shop to get
information about recreation programs and services;
register for programs such as classes, camps and
leagues; and make room and picnic reservations. The
office is housed at the Lee Center and is open for
walk-in or phone support (703.746.5414) Monday
through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Staff are available
to assist patrons in both English and Spanish, with
translation services available upon request.
A postcard was mailed to 14,000 active households
informing them that the Department’s registration
management system, used to sign up for programs and
manage room and picnic reservations, is being updated.
The update will take place on August 1 and will ensure
that household information on file is accurate, make it
easier for patrons to find the programs they’re interested in and provide the Department with
reliable data to ensure that the programs being offered meet the community’s needs. To
complete the update, existing customers must create new accounts, including household and
contact information. Beginning August 1, accounts can be created online or in-person at the
Registration & Reservation Office.
Communication mediums include the City website, direct mail, displays in recreation
centers, Citywide eNews, social media, an FAQ for staff and the public, and a print
advertisement in the upcoming Program Guide (shown above).
• The Program Guide is continuing to be enhanced with the goal of improving usability and
being one resource for all Department offerings. In conjunction with the registration
management system update, all Department service areas are being re-organized into 11
overarching program categories, including: aquatics, exercise & fitness, sports classes &
league, enrichment, creative & performing arts, camps, environmental education, out of
school time, community events, special events and facilities & parks. The Fall program
Guide will be available by August 1, 2014.

Staff Updates

• William Ramsay Recreation Center welcomes Recreation Coordinator Rodney Bates
from Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center. Mr. Bates’ background in fitness education will be
well-suited to the growing demands for fitness programs in the western region of the city.

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• The Department received a letter from a community member recognizing staff members
of the Cora Kelly Recreation Center for their service to the community. “I wanted to take
this time to thank you again for making a decision that perhaps saved a young black male
from a path of self-doubt, mistrust and demoralized self-esteem… Kudos to Cisco
Fabian, Tim Catron and Tara Jackson for the dedication they have for the work they do”.

• On June 28, Recreation Center managers participated in VERTEX, Virginia Emergency
Response Training Exercise as part of a larger state-wide exercise in partnership with the
Office of Emergency Management, the American Red Cross and the Alexandria Health
Department. Staff and volunteers with the Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps set up and
operated a test shelter at the Lee Center to prepare for emergency sheltering when
Alexandria residents may be displaced from their homes. The exercise was a resounding
success as 45 residents were processed within a two hour timeframe. The American
Red Cross’ Disaster Program Specialist Michael Canatgallo sent a letter stating “If the
residents of Alexandria ever find themselves in need of shelter, I know your staff will rise
to the challenge and acquit themselves with both professionalism and good will.”

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