Baytown
Parks and Recreation Department
2012 – 2013 Annual Report
City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department Annual Report 2012 – 2013
Mission Statement
The City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department genuinely cares about its customers and continually strives to not only meet, but also exceed their expectations. Our department is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and visitors, and enhancing the image of the City of Baytown through effective and efficient recreational, educational, cultural, fitness and environmental programs and services. We subscribe to the philosophy that parks and recreation positively impacts health, crime prevention, the environment, the economy and the overall quality of life of the Baytown community.
The Baytown Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members and the Parks and Recreation Department staff are again pleased to present the Department’s Annual Report to the Mayor, Council Members and City Management. This report is presented in its traditional format and continues to serve as:
1. Our collective view of the past year’s activities 2. A progress / status report on most of our current programs and plans 3. A brief overview of our plans for the upcoming year This report is made pursuant to Ordinance No. 885, adopted in September 1967, which states that, annually, the Board shall make a study of the parks and recreation facilities and policies of the City, and make recommendations concerning any changes, modifications or improvements.
The Parks and Recreation Department enjoyed another fantastic year that was highlighted by the introduction of three new sports to Baytown including Cricket, Disc Golf and Quick Soccer. New sports was not the only highlight as the Department began the daunting task of cleaning up Tabbs Bay from years of oil exploration and the abandonment of hundreds of derelict piles and junk. The Department also claimed a statewide award and several regional awards during the year and had another huge crowd at the annual July 3rd and 4th Celebration.
2 Several construction projects also kept the Department busy including the construction of almost 1½ miles of landscaped loop trail that circles Emmett Hutto Parkway, improvements to Roseland Park and Eddie Huron Park and the completion of a ten year mitigation project at the Baytown Nature Center.
The Pirates Bay Water Park continued its popularity from the past three seasons. During the 2012 season, 118,526 guests passed through the gates at Pirates Bay, and 319,799 people have visited the park during the past three seasons. If indications are correct, staff anticipates over 123,000 people through the gates during the 2013 season.
Because of the continuous overcrowding and capacity issues at Pirates Bay, the City hired the firm of Kimley Horn and Associates and Counsilman Hunsaker and Associates to prepare a Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan. The plan was completed in August 2012 and paves the way for the future expansion of the Water Park. The expansion plan is designed to guide the park for the next ten years and was divided into four phases. The first phase is under construction and is planned to be complete in time for the 2014 season.
Calypso Cove, located at N.C. Foote Park, continued to exceeded expectations with 15,612 visitors in 2012 and 31,429 guests during the first two seasons. Currently, attendance is projected to clear 19,000 during the 2013 summer season.
The Department continues to beautify the City with the landscaping of Emmett Hutto Parkway and the Bergeron Park Triangle (Kentucky and Louisiana Streets). The Department also landscaped two new Hunt Road medians adjacent to Academy. Park crews contracted the planting of over 174 sixty-five gallon trees, 116 crape myrtles and redbud trees, and constructed ten landscape beds during the projects. The new landscaped areas also include drip irrigation systems to insure the success of the plant material. In addition, staff worked with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to design and landscape the medians of Highway 146 between North Main and Garth Road. The design is complete with construction of the landscape expected to begin in late fall 2013. The Parks and Recreation Department also planted 43 thirty- gallon trees in various parks and gave away over 1,300 one-gallon size trees for the annual Arbor Day Celebration.
The extended drought of 2011 continues to challenge the Department. Park crews continue to remove dead trees and stumps from parks located all over the City two years following the drought. The damage suffered from the drought will impact the city’s parks and landscape for the next several years if not decades.
3 The Recreation Division conducted thirty-eight special events this past year. The division also handles the rentals and daily operations of the Community Center, three park pavilions, and athletic fields. This division also oversees the operations and management of both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove.
The 7th Annual Grito Fest was held at Bicentennial Park on October 6th. This year’s event featured the popular Los Traileros Del Norte, along with Los Dos Gilbertos and Mariachis Los Gallitos. Festival goers enjoyed a Grito Competition, Salsa and Jalapeno Eating Contest, and an Accordion Competition. An estimated crowd of 4,000 attended the festival.
The City’s Annual 3rd and 4th of July Celebration at Bicentennial Park was a tremendous success as tens of thousands attended the two-day event. The 3rd of July concert was highlighted by rock-n-roll legend, Eddie Money, followed on the 4th by country music legend Johnny Lee and Texas music artists the Randy Rogers Band. A perfect 22 minute fireworks show followed the Randy Rogers Band. The 3rd of July rock-n-roll night continues to grow in popularity as the event enjoyed its highest attendance in the event’s short history.
4 The Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and Baytown Nature Center continue to offer outstanding programs to GCCISD students, with the Back to the Bay, Wetlands Ecology and Liquid Science Programs. The award-winning Nurture Nature Series and Nurture Nature Festival draw visitors from across the state to the Baytown Nature Center on a monthly basis, and Gator Tales and Tyke Hike programs target our youngest citizens. Wade Into Wetlands Summer Science Camp continues to fill to capacity, as do the Winter Holiday Camp and Spring into Nature spring break camp.
The Baytown Nature Center part time naturalist position was upgraded to full time providing additional opportunities for Nature Center activities and scout workshops. The naturalist also leads the Back to the Bay Program. The Nature Center attendance continues to increase as visitors have discovered it’s not only a prime location for fishing and birding, but also for kayaking, biking, and hiking. The Children’s Nature Discovery Center is complete and welcomes our youngest visitors who enjoy the nature themed climbing structures, pirate ship, tunnel hill and music garden. Scout workshops and overnight campouts have become regular weekend activities.
The Wetlands Wagon Outreach Program often finds Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center staff on the road throughout Texas, promoting both facilities and the city of Baytown as an environmentally friendly destination. This year the Wetlands Wagon has partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to promote the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. A part-time Outreach Intern has joined the Wetlands Center team to help carry the message throughout the area.
5 Awards
The Parks and Recreation Department won five awards in 2012 - 2013 including the Texas Recreation and Park Society's “Lone Star Programming Award” and Harris/Galveston Area Council, “2012 Parks and Natural Areas Award”. The Department was also recognized with a City of Baytown Team of the Month awards and an Employee of the Month award.
Texas Recreation and Park Society Region IV 2012 Lone Star Programming Award
On February 7, 2013, the City of Baytown, Parks and Recreation Department received the Texas Recreation and Park Society, Region IV’s Lone Star Programming Award for the Department’s “Nurture Nature Series”.
The City of Baytown’s year-long “Nurture Nature” Series, a FREE workshop held monthly at the Baytown Nature Center, invites both adults and children to learn about nature themed topics in a small group, hands-on environment. The series cultimates with the Nurture Nature Festival, a FREE day- long event that invites visitors to learn more about the plants and animals of Texas and the Gulf Coast region. Both the monthly series and the annual festival used local “experts” to present nature topics. Participants at the monthly series learned about such varied topics as Wildlife Photography, Geocaching, Kayaking, Birdwatching, Wildlife Rehabilitation, Insects, Reptiles, Fishing, Art in Nature, Green Animals, and Creepy Critters. During the Nurture Nature Festival, local experts from both Crocodile Encounter and Texas Snakes and More were guest speakers, and exhibitors from the state, county, and local environmental education communities manned booths to educate the public on watersheds, nature centers, kayak fishing, wildlife, angler education, coral reefs and marine sanctuaries. Visitors also had fun catching live catfish, playing on the giant alligator inflatable and obstacle courses, digging for “treasure” in the coastal artifact dig, and looking for birds and other wildlife on guided nature tours.
6 Harris/Galveston Area Council 2012 Parks and Natural Areas Award On the Ground Project under $500K Baytown Nature Center Tidal Channels and Wetlands Expansion Project
On January 15, 2013, the City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department received the Harris/ Galveston Area Council, 2012 Parks and Natural Areas Award, On the Ground Project under $500K Category award recognizing The Baytown Nature Center Tidal Channels and Wetlands Expansion Project.
The Baytown Nature Center Tidal Channels and Wetlands Expansion Project, funded by the City of Baytown and the Natural Resource Trustee Program, turned a neglected, flood prone area into quality wildlife habitat. The project created twenty acres of new saltmarsh wetlands and restored another seventeen acres of high saltmarsh. Box culverts were installed to provide intertidal flow between Scott Bay and the marsh. A public boardwalk traverses the marsh, granting public access to a natural area rich with birds, mammals, fish and crabs. Galveston Bay Foundation chose the new marsh as the site for their 25th Anniversary Marsh Mania event, which welcomed over 200 volunteers who planted smooth cordgrass throughout the marsh.
Texas Recreation and Park Society 2013 Lone Star Programming Award Class III
The City of Baytown was awarded the Lone Star Programming Achievement Class III Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) at the 2013 TRAPS Institute & EXPO Annual Awards Dinner March 7, 2013 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center in Lubbock. The Lone Star Award Programming Achievement Award is presented for the best new first-time recreation programs in five population categories. Baytown won the Class III Award for populations between 50,001 and 100,000. The award was given in recognition of the Nurture Nature Series, a free workshop held monthly at the Baytown Nature Center.
7 Local experts served as speakers and exhibitors worked at booths, with the goal to educate the public about watersheds, nature centers, kayak fishing, coral reefs and more. The purpose of the series was to offer fun and educational workshops to help foster responsible stewardship through awareness of nature and all it has to offer. The series includes the Nurture Nature festival, which is a FREE day-long event where attendees learn about the plants and animals of Texas and the Gulf Coast region. The Nurture Nature Series meets a need that has been demonstrated through continued requests for educational programs. Scout groups, senior groups, preschools, local social clubs and other groups have all expressed interest in attending regularly scheduled environmental education programs. More than 1,000 community members participated in the program.
City of Baytown Team of the Month of September 2012
The Parks and Recreation Construction crew and Engineering Survey crew were awarded the Team of the Month for September at the September 27, 2012 City Council meeting.
The team of Raul Bocardo, Jacob Farrel, Leonard Graham, Kelly Hale, Justyn Hospedales, Minh Kotlarz, Mike Mueller and Mike Wilson from the Parks and Recreation Department and Dale Hughes and Adam Starnes from the Engineering Survey crew collaborated on a special project in August of creating the City Hall Courtyard. The parks administration staff gave these two crews the task of taking a historic City Hall icon and bringing it back to life. This icon was a 1970 Sundial that was donated to the City of Baytown by W.C. Britton. The sundial was removed several years ago during the City Hall expansion and sat dormant until plans were revised to rebuild the City Hall Courtyard incorporating the iconic timepiece. The cross-departmental crew utilized ingenuity and trial and error to get the sundial set precisely enough to accurately read to the minute; like it has for over forty years. With the teamwork displayed by this group, everyone can enjoy the beauty and craftsmanship of the sundial. The sundial will be a great asset to City Hall and the Community Center for years to come. This Crew demonstrated teamwork and service creating a public space we can all be proud of.
8 City of Baytown Employee of the Month of August 2012
Dustin Schubert, the Parks and Recreation Department’s Park Planner, was awarded the August City of Baytown - Employee of the Month Award at the August 23, 2012 City Council meeting.
Dustin has been responsible for the designs of numerous projects, as well as coordinating construction of these projects from start to finish. A few of Dustin's most recent successful projects include Eddie Huron Park, park improvements and installation of a spray park at McElroy Park, the installation of a splash pad at Pelly Park, the design and installation of numerous median landscape projects throughout the City, and the City Hall / Community Center Courtyard project. Dustin is currently finalizing the design and construction plans for the new Highway 146 landscape project, and the new Hutto Parkway project.
Dustin not only works with integrity, but he takes pride in his work each and every day. He is committed to designing projects efficiently and effectively, and is always willing to take on new challenges with his "can do" attitude regardless of what it is. He strives to utilize existing resources to their fullest potential and seeks out opportunities in existing facilities to bring a "new quality of life" opportunity for families to enjoy. He is a valuable member of the Parks and Recreation Department team, and a tremendous asset for the City, and the Baytown community.
Publications
The Parks and Recreation Department was honored to have the Bayland Marina recovery from Hurricane Ike recognized in an article that appeared in a national publication this past year. The publication and article is listed below.
Wilkes, Robert. (March 2013). Learning from Disaster: Bayland Marina Recovers from Hurricane Ike. Marina Dock Age, Volume 26(Number 2) Pages 16 - 19.
9 Special Recognition
We express our sincere appreciation to the Mayor, City Council Members, and City Management for their support of the Department, as well as to our allied groups, including the Friends of the Baytown Nature Center, the Friends of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center, The Bay Area Historic Society, The Baytown Historical Preservation Association, Lee College, Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, the Baytown YMCA, The Rotary Club of Baytown, The Kiwanis Club of Baytown, Historic Goose Creek Association, Baytown Chamber of Commerce, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Baytown. Collectively, these groups, organizations and others, contribute a great deal to the success of many of the Department’s programs and events. We would also like to acknowledge the numerous contributions of volunteers, businesses and industries, noting that it is not possible to recognize them all individually, while conceding that we could not be successful without them.
On a special note, we would like to thank Ken Jones, Harris County Constable Precinct 3, and his deputies for their help with the Christmas Parade, Grito Fest and the 3rd and 4th of July Celebration. A special thanks to Assistant Chief Bob Wooten, Captain Joe Eaglin and Lieutenant David Jones for their assistance in the coordination of the deputies’ efforts.
The Parks and Recreation Department would like to thank several local industries for their contributions of money and labor during the past year. Most notable are ExxonMobil, Bayer Corporation, Chevron Phillips LP, Calpine Energy, Cargill Inc. and the TPC Group. Without their support of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center, the Baytown Nature Center, and several special events, many of the activities that are provided to the public would not be possible.
The Parks and Recreation would like to thank Kiwi Golf for stepping up to the plate to get the City’s first Youth Golf program started this past spring at Evergreen Fairways Golf Course.
The Parks and Recreation Department would like to recognize and thank the Engineering Department’s Pete Lester. Pete’s dedication, hard work and eye for detail guided the construction of Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove as well as the planning and engineering of the Pirates Bay Expansion project. We wish her well in her future endeavors.
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our utmost appreciation to several City Departments and employees who have provided noteworthy assistance to the Department this year. The staff of the Engineering Department was of great assistance again this year. The Traffic Control staff has helped with many events during the year, most notably the Christmas Parade, Grito Fest and the 3rd and 4th
10 of July events. A huge thank you to the Police, Fire, Communications and Health Departments for their support and assistance with numerous events our department coordinates, including this year’s July 3rd and 4th Celebration and Grito Fest. Special thanks goes out to Chief Keith Dougherty and his staff, including Lieutenant Richard Whitaker, Detective Corporal Russell White and Sergeant Glenn Slaven for coordinating the public safety at the 3rd and 4th of July Celebration. A special thank you to Fire Chief Shon Blake and Fire Marshall Bernard Olive for their assistance in planning and coordinating a variety of activities for the July 3rd and 4th Celebration, including the parade and providing meals to event staff, volunteers, and entertainers.
The Parks and Recreation Department sends out a special thank you to the Baytown Police Department for providing weekend security at the Pirates Bay Water Park. Thank you to the staff of the Sterling Municipal Library for editing and printing this report. In addition, we would like to recognize and thank Darryl Fourte and the Public Works Department for their assistance throughout the year with several park projects
We also would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make this past year a success, specifically for the annual Daddy and Me Dance and the Summer Track program. We would like to especially recognize the volunteers that worked in preparation for the 7th Annual Grito Fest. A special thank you as well, to Enterprise Products and all our many sponsors and volunteers for the annual Special Olympics Track Meet. Thanks also go to the numerous volunteers that help staff the various programs at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and at the Baytown Nature Center.
A special thank you to the Parks and Recreation Department staff that continues to provide innovative and cost-effective quality activities, despite constant budget concerns and constraints, and for the long hours, many of which are after normal work schedules. The staff continues to strive to make Baytown a better place to live and work.
The remainder of this report describes in more detail the status of our projects and programs. It also notes a number of completed improvements and concludes with a review of a few specific goals for the upcoming year.
11 Parks
Completed Projects
A. McElroy Park Basketball Court Roof - Contractors installed a metal roof over the existing basketball court at McElroy Park providing the City’s second covered outdoor all weather basketball court. The heavily used basketball court also included lighting improvements.
B. Emmett Hutto Parkway – The Department’s largest project of the year was the construction of a 1.27 mile, 8 foot wide concrete multiuse trail. The project was designed and overseen by the Department’s park planner, Dustin Schubert. The project also included two 5 foot connecting sidewalks. One on Rollingbrook Drive from Hutto to just past Goose Creek to the west. The second sidewalk, to be constructed in August, will be located on the north side of Baker Road from Hutto to Garth Road.
The project was landscaped with 169 – large 65 gallon size trees including Cathedral oaks and Cedar Elms. In addition to the shade trees, 105 – 45 gallon Natchez Crape Myrtles, Tuscarora Crape Myrtles and Redbud tree were planted along the trail to provide seasonal color. In addition, ten landscape beds were created to
12 provide a splash of color on both ends (Rollingbrook and Baker Road) and on both sides of the two bridges that cross the county drainage ditch. The landscape beds included over 900 Petite Pink Oleanders and several other species including Loreopetiam, Sago Palm, Texas Sage, Knockout Rose, Tri Color Ginger, Foxtail Fern, Bouganvilea, Society Garlic, Aztec Grass and Daylilly.
The new walkway also included several benches along the way and has become a very popular place to walk or jog at all times of the day.
The Department plans to eventually connect the Hutto Parkway trail to the Goose Creek Trail the south and north toward the I-10 area.
C. Eddie Huron Park, Phase III - Eddie Huron Park, located on Bush Road, was originally purchased in the 1970's as future parkland and was minimally developed as practice soccer fields in the 1990's. In 2011, the Parks and Recreation Department began a three phase development of the park. The first phase of the project included the grading of the entire five acre site, reconfiguring the three soccer fields into one large 60 yard by 100 yard field that is parallel to the neighborhood houses, and the installation of two soccer goals. The project also included the construction of a nineteen space concrete parking lot by the Public Works Department. The project included the purchase and installation of a playground complete with a recycled rubber fall zone and 250 feet of connecting trail. A two table picnic shelter was also constructed. Thirty live oak trees were also purchased and planted along with a drip irrigation system in the park.
The second phase included a 1,765 foot long, six foot wide concrete loop trail, fitness equipment, fencing and a water fountain.
The third and final phase completed in 2013, included the installation of 850 feet of 6 foot wide concrete connecting trail that links the park to the Country Club Cove subdivision on the north side of the park. The link is also designed to allow
13 for future tie in to a proposed future trail along the CenterPoint Corridor. The project also included the installation of two shade structures over the playground and the fitness area. The shade has been a tremendous success.
Additional improvements include a six foot concrete loop trail around the playground and four picnic shelters. A new 80 foot by 50 foot sand volleyball court was also constructed as an additional recreational piece for the popular park.
To help alleviate some of the parking issues, an additional 40 feet of parking lot was added allowing for eight additional vehicles.
D. Roseland Park Trail and Playground Improvements – Roseland Park received several improvements including a new large playground unit and access to the playground and center of the park. The connecting 360 feet of 6 foot wide concrete walking trail that connected the playground to the inner loop and provided access to the playground. An ADA ramp was also added to the playground area. The wood mulch fall zone was also replaced. Other improvements to Roseland included 1,065 feet of six foot wide concrete trail that connected the inner loop of the park’s trail system to Roseland Pavilion. Park crews also replaced the chain link fence that surrounded the Southern Pacific locomotive with a six foot wrought iron fence. Staff plans to place an interpretive sign in front of the locomotive outlining the history of the 100 year old park fixture.
14 E. Spur 330/I-10 Gateway Project - The City of Baytown, in partnership with the Economic Alliance – Houston Port Region, is constructing a gateway as part of the San Jacinto Texas Historic District Gateway program at the I- 10 and Spur 330 interchange. The gateway designed to welcome travelers to Baytown, will consist of a masonry base with a 24 foot tall, vertical steel oil derrick that will resemble a derrick from the old Goose Creek oil field. The total structure will be 45 feet in total height. “Baytown” will be prominently displayed on two sides of the monument base and will feature a six foot blue star at the top of the lighted monument symbolizing the proximity to the San Jacinto Battleground. The monument will be landscaped and maintained by the Department. The monument is scheduled to be completed in August 2013.
F. Central Little League Park Entry Road – Contractors removed and replaced the 322 foot long 12 foot wide entry road prior to the opening of little league season.
G. Duke Hill Park Quick Soccer – A new soccer game has emerged in recent years called “Quick Soccer”. The game uses ½ of a tennis court to play 5 on 5 soccer. The game is quick, easy to play and is growing rapidly.
Park crews renovated the existing tennis court at Duke Hill Park into two courts, cut out soccer goals, added bleacher seating and improved the lighting.
The Project allowed the Department to offer Futsal (Quick Soccer) leagues for the first time. League play has been a success with 13 registered teams over the past two seasons.
15 H. Unidad Park Playground Improvements – Park crews removed an old playground unit and installed a new playground unit at Unidad Park. Crews also replaced the playground wood mulch fall surface.
I. Community Center Plaza – Phase I of the project was completed in 2012 and included a new gazebo and connecting walkways. The second phase of the Community Center Plaza will include the installation of a 22 foot long Trellis that will be located opposite the flag poles between the Community Center and City Hall. The new Trellis will be landscaped with crape myrtles and oleanders. Decorative lights are also planned along the pathway. The project will be constructed by Parks and Recreation Department employees in August 2013.
J. North Little League Park Parking Lot – North Little League Park received a new asphalt parking lot, foot path and entry road prior to the opening of little league season.
K. League of Women Voters Park Playground – Park crews relocated the park’s playground to the front of the park near the park entrance to reduce vandalism. A new larger playground unit was installed to replace the much smaller older unit. Park crews installed a new wood mulch fall zone as part of the project.
L. Baytown Soccer Park Irrigation and Field Renovation Project – The Department has taken over the Baytown Soccer Park from the Baytown Saints Soccer Association and uses the fields for both adult soccer and flag football league play. The city contracted to install an irrigation system on the three lighted fields to improve the quality of turf grass. Once the irrigation was in place, the city renovated the fields with the use of a specialized aerator and by top dressing the fields low spots and dragging the sand into the cracks created by the aerator. In turn, the fields are much safer and more enjoyable for athletes to use.
16 M. Jenkins Park Disc Golf Course – The Parks and Recreation Department constructed our first disc golf course at Jenkins Park. The course was designed by city staff with the assistance of local professional players covers almost two miles through Jenkins Park. The 18 hole course features two signature raised baskets to further challenge players. Each hole has a 12 foot x 6 foot wide tee box and detailed signage outlining the hole. The course opened for play in June 2013 with a grand opening tournament planned for August. The course is currently rated number 4 in the Houston Galveston area.
N. Bicentennial Park Plaza and Historic Pump Jack – Bicentennial Park was designed as a gift to the city during the Bicentennial year of 1976. As part of the dedication of Bicentennial Park, a plaza that symbolized the history of Baytown was a major part of the event. The plaza features two pink granite monuments with etches documenting the history of the tri-cities, Pelly, Goose Creek and Baytown. A 1929 “walking beam” pump jack that actually came out of the Goose Creek oil fields was placed as a center piece of the plaza.
City crews renovated the 37 year old plaza prior to the annual Independence Day Celebration. The pump jack was removed from the park and taken to La Porte to be sand blasted and repainted in June. After the pump was removed, park crews removed the existing slick exposed aggregate walkways and the old landscape plants. Contractors replaced the walkway with a light broom finish concrete prior to the placement of the pump jack on July 1st just in time for the 4th of July Celebration. Staff plans to landscape the area this fall.
17 O. Jenkins Park Pavilion Renovations – Renovations to the heavily used pavilion include the removal of the existing epoxy flooring and replace with non-slip epoxy flooring. Also, staff plans to replace the seven windows with hurricane impact glass. Park crews will repaint and repair minor cosmetic defects throughout the building. The project is expected to be completed in August 2013.
P. Roseland Park Pavilion Renovations – Renovations to Roseland Pavilion will include removing 18 large windows that are located on both sides of the pavilion, and replace with six hurricane impact windows. Because the pavilion is now air conditioned, there is no need for that many windows. Park crews will frame and close in the window opening to allow for one window per opening. Park crews will repaint and repair minor cosmetic defects throughout the building. The project is expected to be completed in August 2013.
Q. Park Service Center Asphalt Overlay – The Park Service Center received a much needed asphalt overlay of the facility’s yard and parking area providing a nice pothole free place to work.
Park and Facility Accomplishment
A. Wayne Gray Sports Complex – Several projects were either completed or are in the planning stages at the park that will improve the 60 acre park and assist with the large crowds that are visiting the Pirates Bay Water Park.
1. Cricket Field – A group of a local Cricket team requested the construction of a Cricket Field in Baytown. The team is forced to play their games in Beaumont or on the other side of Houston and needed a place to practice, play games and host tournaments. A Cricket tournament can attract players and teams from great distances. Once complete, the local team will play other area teams in regional league play.
Since a cricket field requires up to five acres, site selection was limited to only a few parks. The Parks and Recreation Department selected a vacant area on the northeast side of the Wayne Gray Sports Complex adjacent to the adult softball fields.
18 Staff contracted the open area to be graded and crowned in the middle, installed a 12 foot x 80 foot concrete Cricket Pitch with synthetic turf topping. An irrigation system was installed in the turf area surrounding the Cricket Pitch to provide top quality turfgrass. Staff then top dressed the 150 yard diameter playing surface with mortar sand. The cricket field was then hydro mulched with Bermuda seed.
2. Adult Fields Renovation – The Department hired a contractor to renovate the four infields at the Sports Complex. The contractor graded the fields, added a sand clay mix to raise and soften the playing surface and improve the infield’s drainage. The contractor also top dressed the outfield to improve drainage and turf. The renovations have made a tremendous improvement to playing conditions.
3. The 1910 John C. Sjolander House was placed at the Republic of Texas Plaza by the Baytown Historical Preservation Association (BHPA) in April. The BHPA was donated the Sjolander House and plans to include the house in the "living history" complex of the Republic of Texas Plaza. According to BHPA, the workmanship and style of the house is different from the two houses now on site and would be an appropriate representation of the Cedar Bayou community. BHPA believes that the house is historically significant, as it belonged to John C. Sjolander (1883- 1957), who was the son of John Peter Sjolander, a Swedish immigrant who landed in Galveston in 1871, at age 20. John Peter Sjolander was a nationally recognized poet, was known as the "Sage of Cedar Bayou," and has been honored with a Texas Historical Marker in Baytown. The Sjolander families’ donation included moving costs, original furnishings, and original handwritten poems.
B. Beautification Projects
1. Medians - The sixth year of the City’s median beautification project included the Emmett Hutto Parkway (discussed earlier in this report) and selected medians on Hunt Road and a Kentucky. Plans were finalized for the landscaping of Highway 146 between Garth Road and North Main Street project.
A. Kentucky/Louisiana Street Triangle - Park crews plan to complete the landscaping of the newly created triangle that is located adjacent to Bergeron Park. Decorative pavers have been installed around the perimeter of the median along with the needed water tap. Park crews plan to complete the landscape in early fall 2013.
19 B. Hunt Road Medians – Contractors completed construction of the Hunt Road extension adjacent to Academy that included two additional medians.
Parks crews contracted the purchase and installation of 3 sixty-five gallon size cathedral oaks, 2 sixty-five gallon cedar elm trees, and 11 thirty gallon Tuscarora (pink) crape myrtles. Staff also contracted the installation of pavers along the new median noses. Crews also installed a battery powered drip irrigation system around all trees located in the medians to ensure the landscape’s survival.
C. 2014 Median Beautification Plan –During the seventh year of the Median Beautification project, the Department plans to focus on Highway 146 between North Main and Garth Road. The City and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will partner to landscape the medians that run between the main lanes and the service road during the winter months of 2014.
Planning for the project is complete and the city has completed all water taps and has received the irrigation parts from TxDOT. Park crews will install the irrigation and landscape plants once the weather cools in the fall.
As part of the agreement, TxDOT will provide up to $100,000 worth of landscape plants and irrigation parts. Planned for the project are 542 thirty gallon trees including Eastern redbud, Mexican Plum, Tuscarora Crape Myrtles and Natchez Crape Myrtles and Vitex. In addition, 1,000 Petite Pink Oleanders with be planted.
Future beautification projects include the completion of the Alexander Drive project and Rollingbrook Drive medians.
2. Arbor Day - Arbor Day was celebrated on Friday, April 26th, at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center. Over 1,300 one gallon size trees were given away throughout the day including Live Oak, Bald Cypress, Loblolly Pine, Eastern Redbuds, Red Maple, Chickasaw Plum, Bur Oak, Overcup Oak, Nuttall Oak, Cherry Bark Oak, River Birch, Sawtooth
20 Oak, Shumard Red Oak, Water Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak and Red Oak trees. The trees were grown from seed at the Parks and Recreation Department's Tree Farm. Restoration of natural trees is a key component of efforts to enhance and beautify the appearance of a community. Staff also created tree descriptions for all the trees to assist residents in the proper care and maintenance of each tree type.
3. Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Maintenance – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Right of Way Mowing Program was developed to alleviate the number of complaints caused by the lack of TxDOT contractors’ mowing major highways. Started on January 2, 2009, the program continues to be a success and staff has added broadleaf weed control to continue to improve the appearance of Spur 330, Business 146 and Highway 146.
The Department upgraded the commitment to the freeways appearance this past year. One day each month, the Parks crews remove litter from the right of ways along Spur 330, Highway 146 (Hartman Bridge to Cedar Bayou Bridge and Business 146.
Starting in October 2012, TxDOT reimburses the City for three mowing rotations and the once a month litter program.
4. Median Crew - A new median landscape crew was added to the Department that included a Crewleader, Park Caretaker and a vehicle that are funded by the Municipal Development District. The new crew is primarily responsible for the maintenance of the TxDOT landscape and to assist with the Department’s median crew. The additional crew has been a tremendous addition to the Department.
5. The Extended Drought of 2011 – Damage from the extended drought continues to impact the City’s trees. Park crews continue to remove dead trees and stumps from parks located all over the City two years following the drought. The loss of the park trees will take decades to replace and has had a significant impact on the appearance of many of our parks.
6. Park Trees - The Department planted 43 - thirty gallon trees, grown from the Department’s tree nursery, this past year. All of the trees were planted by Parks crews at Roseland and Unidad Parks. Unidad Park was especially hard hit with the lost of several large trees during the drought. The damage from the extreme drought conditions have focused the Department on reforesting parks that were heavily damaged by the drought. The Department adds drip irrigation to the newly planted trees where possible.
21 Grants and Special Projects
I. Baytown Nature Center
A. Natural Resource Trustee Program Grant (NRTP) – The City was successful with its application for an NRTP grant in the amount of $187,000 in 2003. This project built approximately thirty-seven acres of enhanced wetland habitat in the Baytown Nature Center. The project, long delayed while waiting for the signed contract from the NRTP participants, was finally started in January of 2007. Because of weather issues, the project was halted three months after it was started. Due to the Department’s work load, Parks crews were not able to complete the project in a timely manor.
With the aid of the City’s Purchasing Department and Crouch Environmental Services, the project finally resumed in the fall of 2011. The extended drought provided the Department with perfect working conditions. A contractor was able to grade and clean the area to the needed elevations in two short weeks. An extremely high tide breached the temporary dams causing the newly graded areas to flood just as the contractor completed the project. Contractors cleared the dams and the new marsh area was opened to the fish, birds and other marine life that thrives in such an environment. This portion of the project was completed in September.
Throughout the project, Crouch Environmental Services and representatives from the TCEQ kept a close eye on the project and made several field changes to improve the project.
The next phase of the project was the planting of Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) and Spartina patens (saltmeadow hay).
Staff and the Galveston Bay Foundation held the annual Marsh Mania event at the site for a massive planting of the smooth cordgrass. Over 300 volunteers arrived at the site on the morning of May 5th and planted several acres of smooth cordgrass during the three hour event. Only five acres remain to be planted.
22 In November 2012, the Department contracted with Crouch Environmental Services to plant the remaining five acres of Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) and Spartina patens (saltmeadow hay).
Staff met with the trustees in February 2013 and the project was deemed a
tremendous success officially closing the decade long project.
B. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – Recreational Trails Grant – Baytown Nature Center, Nature Trails, Phase II - Staff applied for an $84,615 grant to construct 5,340 feet of new decomposed granite trail at the Baytown Nature Center. The project is broken down into two sections. The first will provide access to the Myra C. Brown Wild Bird Sanctuary. The second section will improve a dirt path with a new decomposed granite trial that will connect the Butterfly Garden to the phase I trail on Bayshore Drive. The project also includes the construction of a 20 foot by 40 foot wildlife viewing platform that will be located at the end of the Myra C. Brown section of the trail.
The project will be constructed by Parks and Recreation Department employees and will use milled asphalt and labor as the City’s match. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department approved the grant at a lower amount of $57,240 removing the City’s request for fencing from the project in 2012.
Construction began with a contractor’s hydro-ax clearing the path though the thick woods near the Ranger Station to the Myra C. Brown Wild Bird Sanctuary in late spring 2013. Several Boy Scouts volunteered following the clearing to clean the path of limbs, plants and other debris that remained. Park crews will continue the project in the fall of 2013 with a projected completion in 2014.
23 GB Biosciences Project Area
24 C. GB Biosciences - 11 Acre Mitigation Project – Staff continued working with members of the GB Biosciences Team, Crouch Environmental Services, and the Natural Resources Trustees Program (NRTP) headed up by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on an 11 acre mitigation project at the Baytown Nature Center. The GB Biosciences team includes representatives from GB Biosciences Corporation, Malcolm Pirnie and Arcadis.
The City of Baytown reauthorized a license agreement with GB Biosciences Corporation for the construction of an 11-acre wetlands restoration and mitigation project at the Baytown Nature Center in April 2013. GB Biosciences Corporation is required to do a mitigation project and has negotiated the project with the City and the NRTP. The NRTP consist of members from several environmental agencies such as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas General Land Office. Discussions with the City and GB Biosciences have been in the works for some time. In fact, in 2009 the City entered into a very similar license agreement with GB Biosciences for an 11-acre project. However, that agreement expired in 2010, before any work was performed. GB Biosciences Corporation will provide funding for the mitigation project and Crouch Environmental Services Inc. will perform the work. The project will be located on Burnett Bay (north side of the BNC) along Bayshore Drive between the road and the shoreline. The project is expected to be completed in early 2014.
D. Park Road Improvements – Approximately 1.4 miles of the main park road was reconstructed in the fall of 2012. The much needed and well received mill and overlay project, paid for by the Street Maintenance Sales Tax, has been a tremendous improvement for the park. The project replaced the former main asphalt perimeter road circling the old Brownwood neighborhood that was constructed in the early 1970s.
D. Children’s Discovery Area – The Friends of the Baytown Nature Center, Wetlands Center staff and Park crews completed several projects at the Children’s Discovery Area at the Baytown Nature Center. Improvements include:
1. Completed the Bayer Music Garden 2. Planted a Butterfly Garden 3. Installed additional seating areas 4. Completed the Gator Pond Bridge area
Additional improvements to the Children’s Nature Discovery Area are planned for the upcoming year including additional playground pieces, more interpretive signage, and naturescaping with plants. Several of the projects will be aided by future Day of Caring events.
25 E. Day of Caring Projects - The Friends of the Baytown Nature Center, ExxonMobil staff and Park crews worked on several projects at the Baytown Nature Center for the United Way Day of Caring. Improvements include:
CHILDREN’S NATURE DISCOVERY AREA 1. Constructed and planted Butterfly Garden 2. Installed new Caterpillar climbing feature 3. Framed and filled in fall zones with mulch 4. Installed Rockin’ Bluebird Eggs 5. Installed Bike Rack 6. Completed landscaping around Gator Pond 7. Painted Pirate Ship 8. Installed seating and hand painted tarp on Teepee
WETLANDS WALKWAY 1. Installed new bird blind in new marsh area 2. Completed boardwalk to new bird blind and side railings on all boardwalk
II. General Land Office – Coastal Management Program
A. Cycle 16 Grant – With the aid of the City’s Grant writer, staff applied for and was awarded a $135,000 grant that will fund the removal of piling and other junk that litters Tabbs Bay near Bayland Park.
The removal of the pilings from Tabbs Bay improved navigability, provide safer public access to and enjoyment of the project area, and aesthetically beautify this publicly popular nighttime fishing spot and waterfront area as part of larger beautification and redevelopment plans for the Bay and adjacent Bayland Island Park and Marina.
26 The project officially began in November 2011. Staff completed an extensive search with responsible agencies such as the US Corp of Engineers, the General Land Office and the Port of Houston to ensure that no special permits would be needed to complete the project. With the aid of the Purchasing Department, bid documents were completed and submitted in June 2012 to the Coastal Management Program office for approval. The project was bid in August and a construction contract for the removal of 300 abandoned derelict poles was awarded to Crawley Shoreline Construction in September 2012. The project began removing abandoned piles in Goose Lake just south of the West Main Bridge and moved past Business 146 and into Tabbs Bay. The removal and disposal project began in late October and took four days to complete. There were a total of 312 piles removed and disposed of.
B. Cycle 17 Grant - The City’s Grant writer and Parks and Recreation staff again teamed up, applied for and awarded with a second $135,000 grant that continue funding the removal of piling and other junk from Tabbs Bay. The second grant picked up where the Cycle 16 project ended.
The project began in October 2012 and staff used lessons learned from the Cycle 16 project to improve and speed up the bidding process. Since the Cycle 16 process went so well, communication with the CMP staff went very smoothly. With the aid of the Purchasing Department, bid documents were updated and submitted in December 2012 to the Coastal Management Program office for approval. The CMP approved the bid documents in January and was immediately put out for bid. A construction contract for the removal of 427 abandoned derelict piles was awarded to Huffman Construction in February 2013. The project continued where Cycle 16 left off removing piles immediately around Bayland Island first then moving toward Hog Island. The removal and disposal project began and was completed in March taking only two weeks to complete
27 C. Future Pile Removal Projects - The two projects removed 739 abandoned pilings from Goose Creek and Tabbs Bay. Unfortunately staff estimates approximately 1,100 more abandoned pilings remaining. Staff plans to request $100,000 in Municipal Development District funds in the 2014 budget to continue the momentum of the two projects. Staff also plans to work with the City’s grant writer on the upcoming Cycle 19 grant that, if awarded, would provide grant funds in FY 2015.
III. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Projects – The Parks and Recreation Department applied for and received funding for three projects for FY 2013 which includes:
A. Central Heights Splash Deck - Staff requested CDBG funding for a splash deck, picnic shelter and signage for Central Heights Park. The improvements were requested by the Central Heights neighborhood residents to provide a safe, close to home water activity. The 1,340 square foot splash deck will include a large family size picnic shelter, a family size grill, six picnic tables and appropriate signage. The picnic shelter will also be constructed by Parks employees
The project is designed and will be bid in August, with construction to begin in September. The splash deck is planned to open in early October 2013.
B. Pelly Park Basketball Court Lighting Improvements – Staff requested CDBG funding for park lighting improvements at Pelly Park. The improvements were requested by area residents. Staff will contract the improvements that will include a new 30 foot galvanized pole with two 1,500 watt metal halide light fixtures. The upgraded lights for the basketball court will provide more than adequate lighting on the court to allow for extended play. The project is expected to be completed in August 2013.
C. Lincoln Cedars Playground Improvements - Park crews upgraded the park’s playground by installing three large spring rocker units that included a Dinosaur, an Airplane and a spring balance platform. The project was funded by the Community Development Block Grant.
28 Proposed 2014 Projects
Several major park improvement projects are proposed for the upcoming year including:
I. Municipal Development District (MDD) Funded Projects
A. City Gateway Monument (I-10 at Hwy. 146 or the base of the Fred Hartman Bridge) B. Baytown Sports League Improvements (Relocate existing MUSCO ball field lights from Westwood Park to light the third field at Central Little League Park.) C. Goose Creek Trail Phase V – Connect the Hutto Parkway to Park Street D. Large picnic shelters, tables and family grills for Central Little League Park and Pelly Park. E. Tabbs Bay Cleanup Phase III F. Roseland Park Improvements including a covered basketball court and lighted sand volleyball court. G. Sandblasting and painting of the Roseland Park Southern Pacific Locomotive #895 H. Jenkins/Hollaway Park Improvements – including renovating the Hollaway Park tennis courts and basketball court, renovating the Cary Bayou Trail, include decking the two foot bridges over Cary Bayou and Jenkins Park Dog Park improvements. I. Goose Creek Park Improvements – replacing the guardrail on the Goose Creek/Texas Avenue Bridge. J. Allenbrook Park – replacement of the basketball court and playground as well as several sections of drought damaged trail. K. Wetlands Center Boat Ramp – install an ADA Accessible Kayak Launch L. Ward Road Property Renovations
II. City of Baytown Budget Capital Projects
A. Replace Port - a - Can shelters at nine park sites B. Park Fishing and Overlook Decks Replacement and Repair C. Park Service Center Expansion and Renovation
29 Recreation
2012 – 2013 Program Accomplishments
2012 Fall Community Yard Sale – was held at Bicentennial Park on September 8th, featured 38 vendors, and drew a huge crowd of shoppers throughout the day. The event is a wonderful opportunity for a number of residents to hold a garage sale in a large venue.
2012 Baytown 7th Annual Grito Fest - was held at Bicentennial Park on October 6th. The event featured performances by Mariachis Los Gallitos, Los Dos Gilbertos, and headliner Los Traileros Del Norte. Festival goers enjoyed the annual Grito Competition, Salsa and Jalapeno Eating Contest, and an Accordion Competition. The event was enjoyed by over 4,000 people. The Grito Fest volunteer committee worked hard at getting the word out for this event, especially due to the fact that there was a headliner change less than a week out from the event due to visa issues with the band.
30 2012 Baytown Veterans Day Ceremony was held on November 11th at the Baytown Community Center due to rain. Over 200 attended the annual event, which honors, recognitions, and salutes our veterans in all branches of services.
2012 Baytown Christmas Parade was held on Thursday, December 6th. The event drew a huge crowd as always with terrific weather conditions. The parade featured over 125 entries, which included several entries of two or more vehicles and trailers. Texas Avenue was filled with the holiday spirit, as the “The Nutcracker” theme parade kicked off the holiday season with lighted floats, all three high school bands, dance teams, fire trucks and of course Santa Clause.
2012 Baytown Art Exhibition and Reception was held at the Baytown Community Center on Friday, December 7th. The reception featured the awards ceremony for both student art and professional art. The event was well attended with an estimated crowd of 220 students, parents, professional artists and art enthusiasts. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chairman Wayne Gray, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Member Carmon Torres along with Mayor Stephen DonCarlos, assisted with the awards program.
2012 - 2013 Ballroom Dances were held the third Friday of each month. Participants enjoyed dancing the Fox Trot, Mambo, Tango, Swing, Cha Cha and more. Each month an average of thirty-five participants attended.
2013 League Opening Day was held on Saturday, March 1st for all youth leagues. Staff worked with all the Leagues prior to opening day by providing paint and supplies to make the necessary improvements to the parks and concession stands.
31 2013 Daddy & Me Dance was held in the Community Center on Friday, February 8th. This year’s theme was “Candyland” and the dads and daughters loved all the candy themed decorations and centerpieces. Over 700 dads and daughters attended the event. The entire event ran smoothly and all in attendance had a great time.
2013 Youth Sports Kick-Off was held on Saturday, January 5th and Sunday, January 6th at the Baytown Community Center. All of the local youth sports leagues participated in the “kick off” day for registrations. This event served as the opening day of little league baseball registration. This event is a collaboration of the Baytown Little League, Girls Fast Pitch Softball, and Teenage Baseball. Early this year, the four little league associations merged into one league, Baytown Little League, and games are held at Central, North and East fields. Westwood Park fields are used for practices at this time.
2013 Baytown Special Olympics Track Meet was held on Saturday, April 20th, at the Goose Creek Memorial Stadium. Twelve teams and over 200 volunteers helped make this event a huge success. The event was supported by a number of amazing sponsors to include Enterprise Products, San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, Academy, Whataburger, Awards and Engraving, Renewable Energy Group, Highlands Knights of Columbus, SNC-Lavalin, Bayer, the Evening Pilot Club, and the Pilot Club of Baytown.
32 2013 Spring Yard Sale was originally planned for May 11th, but due to rain, was rescheduled for Saturday, June 1st. Over 38 booth spaces were sold and attendance was terrific. This year staff requested the assistance of Baytown Police Department due to the traffic and congestion on Market Street.
2013 Memorial Day Service was held on May 27th at the Veterans Memorial Plaza at Bicentennial Park with over 200 people in attendance. This event honors and remembers our veterans who have fallen. Jerry Johnson, Sr. Vice Commander, VFW Post 912 was this year’s keynote speaker.
2013 July 3rd & 4th Celebration was a huge success at Bicentennial Park. The two-day celebration kicked off on July 3rd. The 80’s came alive with performances by Molly & The Ringwalds, and headliner Eddie Money. The attendance on the 3rd was the best ever for our pre 4th of July festivities. We had a wonderful turn out of vendors this year on the 3rd as well, with 88 total booth spaces sold. The majority of our vendors set-up for the July 3rd crowd, which alleviated a lot of the set up and traffic congestion on July 4th.
The celebration continued on July 4th with performances by local Baytown artist Breelan Angel, followed by country legion Johnny Lee, and Texas Country Music headliner the Randy Rogers Band. This was the biggest turn-out for any July 4th event by far. The annual parade kicked off at 5:30
33 PM with Ken "The Dauber" Pridgeon serving as the Parade Marshall. Opening ceremonies included the singing of the “National Anthem”, by Colleen Martin, followed by a welcome message by Mayor Stephen DonCarlos. The Mayor introduced our parade marshal, Mr. Pridgeon to the crowd. The singing of “God Bless America” by Macie Schubert closed this year’s opening ceremony.
The headliner was followed by a tremendous fireworks show that featured patriotic music by DJ Mike. This year’s weather cooperated with cooler than normal temperatures for both evenings and just enough breeze to clear the smoke as the fireworks exploded above the crowd.
The entire Parks and Recreation Department, the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Traffic Control Division, Emergency Medical Service, the Health Department, Public Affairs Office, Public Works Department and Harris County Constables went above and beyond the call of duty to make the Independence Day event a tremendous success.
Remaining Programs for 2013 (August – December) 2013 Baytown Community Garage Sale – Saturday, September 14th 2103 Grito Fest – Saturday, October 5th 2013 Veterans Day Ceremony – Monday, November 11th 2013 Baytown Christmas Parade – Thursday, December 5th 2013 Baytown Art Exhibition & Reception – Friday, December 6th
2012 – 2013 Programs and Activities
Leisure Programs - Staff was extremely busy this year organizing new programs for the public. Some are still getting off the ground, and others were very successful. Staff is continually adding new programs
34 and enhancing our current ones. Some of the programs offered or expanded this year were: Children/Youth: Messy Mitts Spring Art Camp Tennis Karate Fire Safety Class (Cooperation with Fire and Pre-Schools) Seasonal Classes (Halloween, Christmas etc.) Hip Hop Dance Children Summer Camps a. Lego Logo b. Lego Mania c. Camp Barbie d. Fashion Designer e. Art Camp f. Roll away with Hot Wheels g. Play Dough’s World of Discovery h. Look at me, I’m an author! Adults: Boot Camps Zumba Yoga Tennis Ballroom Dance Workshop: Introduction to Watercolor Painting Self-Defense Class
Senior Recreation Center - The seniors continue enjoying the weekly programs each month, including Bridge, Quilting, Bingo, Dominoes, and Cards. The “Thursday Dances” are always a big hit. Each quarter, the seniors also host a luncheon. Staff is working with additional senior groups in hopes of combining some of the programs to increase attendance in the Senior Center, and expand the offerings available to the group.
Athletics Programs – The City of Baytown is always striving to offer the community many new and exciting recreational and competitive sporting activities regardless of skill level. Within the past year, we have added many new and exciting sports such as adult Futsal (quick soccer), disc golf, and a youth summer golf program. The new programs run simultaneously with existing adult programs such as 7 on 7 soccer, flag football, rag ball, kickball, slow pitch softball, and other youth programs such as summer track and tennis. All leagues are sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) and the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF), and play an eight to ten
35 game schedule with double headers each night followed by a single elimination tournament at the end of each season.
Along with our current leagues, staff also works with ExxonMobil, The Senior Softball Association, and various other tournament organizations such as 24/7 Softball, Jokers Tournament Series, and NSA Softball to assist them in hosting their league or tournament games at the Wayne Gray Sports Complex.
Games are offered throughout the year with our fall, spring, spring II, summer, and winter leagues as well as many various year round softball tournaments. To date, more than 250 teams have registered and participated in our sport leagues this past year.
The Parks and Recreation Tennis Program is an all year program that offers sessions for all skill levels. This program is available for adults and youth. Lessons are held at Wayne Gray Sports Complex Tennis Courts on weekdays from 5:30 – 6:30 PM and 6:30 - 8:00 PM and Saturdays from 1:30 – 2:30 PM. We have received tremendous response with this program, which is greatly due to the experience and skills of our tennis instructor.
Baytown Little League Baseball - The four Baytown Little League Association made a major change this past year with the formal merger of the four separate associations and created the Baytown Little League Association. League representatives from each of the city’s four leagues Central Little League, East Little League, North Little League and West Little League met numerous times during the fall of 2012 and agreed to merge into one league representing the Baytown. The new league, which operated this past spring,
36 was divided into an American Division and a National Division, managed by a president, two vice-presidents, and a board that consists of representation from all previous league districts. The fields at Central Little League Park, East Little League Park and North Little League Park are being used for games, and the fields at West and on Ward Road are currently being used for T-ball and practices. The City will continue support the leagues through the annual facility usage agreements for all facilities.
The 2013 Baytown Summer Track Program began on May 13th and ended at the Texas Armature Athletic Federation (TAAF) summer games at Corpus Christi on July 28th. This year the program was lead by head coach Leon Smith, and assistance coaches Daniel Staggs, Kasandra Jefferson, Rudy Roacha, and Sherkeitha Straughter. The program involved four day a week practices at Baytown’s Ross S. Sterling High School Track, as well as weekly circuit meets at various surrounding communities including Galena Park, La Porte, Deer Park, Texas City, and Pasadena. All the participants, ages 9 – 14 competed in the Hershey Regional Meet in Texas City on June 12th, and all participants, ages 6 – 18 ran at the TAAF regional meet on July 11th and 12th in Galena Park.
2013 TAAF Games of Texas were held July 25 – 28 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Olympic-style competition for amateur athletes includes events in a number of sports including track, swimming, softball, bowling, tennis, gymnastics, boxing, golf, flag football, volleyball, baseball and soccer. A few members of our staff worked the Track & Field Meet while our Baytown Track Team participated in the meet.
The Baytown Team was successful at both the Hershey and TAAF state games qualifying a total of 14 athletes (9 at Hershey’s, 5 and TAAF) for the finals.
37 Aquatics
The Aquatics Division continues to dominate the Department’s focus. The City’s aquatic program will soon be adding a new spray park with two more planned for the future. Calypso Cove and Pirates Bay both are at or near capacity daily. Construction of the Pirates Bay Phase I Expansion project started in June. The expansion project is scheduled to open in May 2014 and will increase the park’s capacity from 1,000 to 1,500 people. The City’s Aquatic programs and facilities are quickly becoming one of the best in the State of Texas.
The Aquatics Division is set up as a self supporting enterprise fund with revenue paying for all operational expenses including personnel, utilities and routine maintenance for both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. The operation costs for the two facilities have no impact on the City’s operations budget. In addition, one dollar from every admission ticket sold at both parks is set aside for future capital maintenance costs. Following the 2012 season, $351,264 has been set aside in the Capital Replacement account since the park opened in 2010. The maintenance account has been very helpful this past year as the park begins to need additional care between seasons.
Beginning in January, the Aquatic staff hired and trained over 250 local employees in various positions from lifeguards, concession operators, ticket takers and custodial duties. This year, approximately 50% of lifeguards, and 20% of guest services staff returned from the 2012 season providing some continuity on the staff. Over 20 employees returned for their fourth year at the park. The lifeguards are all certified through the Red Cross in Waterpark Lifeguarding, First Aid, CPR, Oxygen Administration, and AED usage. Staff are also trained on the large slides and rides including the Flowrider. The aquatics staff is cross trained to work at both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove.
During the 2012 summer season, the Aquatics Division expended $787,000 in personnel costs to 193 high school and college students that worked at Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. The City’s aquatic facilities have become an excellent opportunity for summer employment for our youth.
38 Pirates Bay Water Park – The Pirates Bay Water Park continued its popularity from the first three seasons drawing visitors from all over southeast Texas and beyond.
During the off season, a 30 foot by 44 foot permanent Poligon steel shelter was installed near the concession stand area. The shelter serves as a cool place to enjoy a meal while visiting the park. The shelter replaced the red picnic table umbrellas that were utilized in the first three years the park was open. Two large ceiling fans were also installed under the shelter to help cool the area. Two additional Poligon steel shelters are planned in the water park expansion project.
Staff also continued several successful programs including Swimming Lessons, FlowRider lessons, Dive–in Movies, and the Itty Bitty Beach Party. The Itty Bitty Beach Party is open to little pirates up to age 5 and their parents once a week from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Also, on two Saturday’s a month, Pirates Bay stays open until midnight.
Staff continued to come up with new and innovative ways to advertise the water park. The Parks and Recreation Department ran a commercial across the greater Houston area on Comcast Cable. The City has also utilized Houston and Beaumont area radio stations, school bus signage, scoreboard advertisements, website ads, advertising at the Premiere Cinema theatre, along with traditional print ads in local and Houston area newspapers and magazines, as well as state-wide publications. The Department also utilizes Facebook and Twitter along with the City of Baytown’s website http://www.baytown.org/piratesbay and http://www.baytown.org/calypsocove.
The Buccaneer Challenge, FlowRider Competition was held at Pirates Bay Water Park on Saturday, May 11th. Twenty-five FlowRider experts participated in the Park’s first competition that included both body board and standup divisions. The competition was divided into the following divisions: Youth (under 12) o Body Board: 6 contestants Junior (12 - 17) o Body Board: 5 contestants o Stand up: 6 contestants Men Open (18 and up) o Body Board: 8 contestants o Stand up: 6 contestants Women Open (18 and up) o Body Board: 6 contestants Pro Exhibition: 8 contestants
Some contestants were in both body board and standup divisions. The Buccaneer Challenge was a tremendous success and will become an annual event at Pirates Bay.
39 Calypso Cove – Calypso Cove is a smaller Caribbean themed water park and is located at N.C. Foote Park on West Main. Attendance for last summer also exceeded expectations with 15,648 visitors. The pool has a capacity of 125 people and averaged 176 visitors per day in 2012. Calypso Cove attendance in 2013 is projected to be the best year yet with well over 13,183 visitors by July 31st.
Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan –The consulting team of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Counsilman-Hunsaker Associates were hired to develop a Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan that would guide the expansion and development of Pirates Bay for the next ten years. The consultants worked with key staff members to prepare a strategic master plan that included options, opinions of probable cost, and an opinion of financial performance to guide the expansion of Pirates Bay Water Park over the next 8 to 10 years. The team completed the Expansion Master Plan in August 2012. The first phase is designed to expand capacity by 500 guests and to provide additional shade for the facility. Future phases include additional family style and thrill rides.
A rendering of the Pirates Bay Water Park Expansion Master Plan in attached at the end of this report.
Pirates Bay Expansion Phase I – The consulting team of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Counsilman-Hunsaker Associates began almost immediately following the completion of the Expansion Master Plan on the planning and engineering of the expansion project. The project goal is to increase the parks capacity and to provide additional service facilities that included a second concession stand, additional restrooms, staff rooms and additional parking. The aquatic features include a 10,500 square foot wave pool with a stage, a slide tower with two multi-rider slides including a Boomerango and a Colorado Drop Slide and an interactive fountain.
The project was bid in the spring and a construction contract was awarded to Cox Commercial Construction in May 2013. Actual construction began in late June. Construction on the first phase is expected to take approximately 11 to 12 months to complete. The expansion is expected to open for the 2014 season.
40
41 Pirates Bay Admission Increase for 2014 Season - In preparation for the expansion of Pirates Bay, staff recommended and received a fee increase for the 2014 season. The fee increase will be used to cover the anticipated increase in operation costs and the debt services that will come with the addition of the proposed slide towers.
Fee Description 2013 Current Fee 2014 Approved Fee Pirates Bay over 48” Admission $17 $20 Pirates Bay under 48” Admission $12 $15 After 4PM over 48” Admission $7 $10 After 4PM under 48” Admission $5 $5 Season Pass $85 $95 $85 each for 2, then $95 each for 2, then $75 Season Pass Family $65 for up to 3 more for up to 3 more Season Pass – Non Resident $125 $135 Season Pass – Non Resident $125 each for 2, then $135 each for 2, then Family $105 for up to 3 more $115 for up to 3 more
The entry fees for Calypso Cove will remain the same at $5 per person.
Spray Parks and Splash Decks - The popular facilities are open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. The facilities will be open daily until November 3rd. All five spray parks will reopen for the 2014 season on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.
McElroy Park Spray Park – The McElroy Park Spray Park opened for its second season on March 9th. The large 4,511 square foot spray park features three large picnic shelters, sixteen picnic tables, large family size grills connecting trails, a 20 space parking lot, and a port-a-can enclosure.
Pelly Park Splash Deck – The Pelly Park Splash Deck opened for its second season on March 9th. The very popular splash deck served the Pelly area neighborhoods during the long hot summer.
Bergeron Park Splash Deck – The Bergeron Splash Deck opened for its third season on March 9th. The very popular splash deck served the West Baytown neighborhood during last summer’s extremely hot weather cooling off kids of all ages.
Roseland Spray Park – This city’s first spray park opened for its 11th season this spring. The Railroad themed Spray Park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m. on Sundays.
Central Heights Park Splash Deck – The project is funded by the Community Development Block Grant will be bid in August with construction beginning in September. The new splash park is planned to open in late September and will close on November 3rd. The project funding was secured by the hard work of the neighborhood and will be a nice addition to the popular neighborhood park.
42 Environmental Programs
Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center
A. The Wetlands Center conducted the “ExxonMobil Wetlands Ecology Program” (14th year) and “Bayer Making Science Make Sense Program” (13th year) for over 1,650 Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCCISD) 5th grade students. Students participated in educational activities at both the Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center. TEKS-aligned activities center around wetland ecosystem awareness, marine debris and biodegradation timelines, estuary modeling, animal adaptations, scientific method and use of microscopes, life cycles and metamorphosis, and live animal biology.
B. The “The Rotary Club of Baytown Liquid Science Program” for GCCISD 7th graders was conducted for the 5th year. Approximately 1,620 GCCISD 7th graders participate in the program, which focuses on water sampling and analysis, watersheds and pollutant awareness, abiotic and biotic parameters affecting an ecosystem, and the dissection and biology of blue crabs. The Rotary Club of Baytown continues to sponsor the program.
C. Wetlands Center staff once again conducted ten weeks of Wade Into Wetlands Summer Science Camps, this year offering camps for 1st through 10th graders. Camp offerings this year included “Splash of H2Ohhh!!!!!,” “Wetlands Warriors”, “Natural Power,” “Amazing Adaptations”, “Coastal Trailblazers,” “Wild Jobs!” and “Weird Science” along with favorites “Fishing Frenzy,” “Creative Critters,” and “Ocean Adventures”. Each camp was full, accommodating 22 students. The Friends of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center awarded $6,000 in low income and academic scholarships. A private donor sponsored eight campers from Harbour House. Chevron Phillips once again served as the major corporate sponsor.
43 D. Wetlands Center staff conducted the 4th Annual “Spring into Nature” Spring Break Camp for 4th - 6th grade students. Twelve students enjoyed the week long camp, which included daily topics of Nature, Birds, Earth Day, Fishing Frenzy and Crazy Critters.
E. Wetlands Center staff conducted the 3rd Annual “Winter Wonderland” Holiday Camp. Twenty- two 1st - 3rd graders enjoyed three days of fun filled activities focusing on winter on the Gulf Coast. As always, we finished the week with a “snow” program. We will offer this camp every year during the week that kids are out of school for the winter holidays.
F. Continued with “Gator Tales,” the Wetlands Center’s preschool program held during the summer and winter. Weekly sessions included hands-on nature activities to introduce reptiles, insects, spiders, fish, and many other nature-based topics. Parents/grandparents attend with their children. Average attendance is fifteen kids per week.
G. Wetlands Center staff conducted educational programs for pre-schools, churches, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, home-schoolers, public schools within and outside of GCCISD (elementary through high school), private schools, both within and outside GCCISD, Lee College, daycares and senior citizen groups. School districts attending Wetlands Center now include Humble ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, Channelview ISD, Clear Lake ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Devers, Beaumont ISD, Amarillo ISD, Crosby ISD, Dayton ISD, Liberty ISD, Katy ISD, Houston ISD, Bryan ISD and Sheldon ISD.
H. The Wetlands Center was once again named a beneficiary of TPC Group’s Annual Golf Tournament. These funds allow the “Wetlands Wagon Outreach Program” to travel across Texas promoting nature education and the City of Baytown to schools, festivals, and other group events. A new Outreach Intern has been hired as well.
I. Wetlands Center staff and volunteers participated in many outreach events, including: NatureFest at Jesse Jones Park in Humble Galveston Bay Foundation’s Bay Day at the Kemah Boardwalk
44 Sam Houston Council’s Scout Fair at Reliant Arena San Jacinto Council Girl Scout Fair at George R. Brown Convention Center U.S. Forest Service’s Woodland and Wildlife Festival Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Take Me Outdoors o Houston Festival at Discovery Green Park o Houston Livestock Show o Fort Worth Mayfest o San Antonio Stock Show Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - Texas Coastal Expo at Moody Gardens Rotary Club of Baytown’s Catfish Festival at Royal Purple Raceway West Baytown Civic Association Festival Keels and Wheels Celebration in Clear Lake Oppe Elementary Ocean Discovery Day in Galveston
Outreach activities also included onsite student classes at Oppe Elementary in Galveston, Crosby Library, Crosby Community Center, Mont Belvieu Community Center, Stepping Stones Day School Pre-K, Winnie Community Center, Anahuac Library, Wee School, ExxonMobil BOP Safety Meeting, Texas Master Naturalist class at Armand Bayou Nature Center, WW Diving Company’s Scuba Ranger class in Humble, several visits to GCCISD schools and preschools in Baytown.
J. The Center participated in the City of Baytown’s 4th of July Celebration. Visitors enjoyed the touch tanks, microscope lab, live animal exhibits and catfish fishing pond. Attendance at the event was outstanding, and it seemed like most visitors came through the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center booth.
K. The Wetlands Center also participated in City of Baytown’s Grito Fest. Visitors enjoyed the touch tank, live animal exhibits, and marine debris display.
L. Gator Tales, the preschool program at the Wetlands Center, continues to meet in the summer and winter. Kids have story time, then meet live animals and participate in an activity or do a craft. Gator Tales serves as a good complementary program to Tyke Hike, which is held at the Baytown Nature Center during the spring and fall.
M. Birthday parties have become a regular part of Saturdays at the Wetlands Center. Promotional flyers advertise “Wildest Birthday Party in Town,” which includes
45 two hours of room use, tours of the Wetlands Center exhibits, an activity based on the party theme, and a chance to touch and handle wild critters.
N. The Friends of the Wetlands Center hosted their annual fund-raising gala at the home of Guy and Carolyn Matthews. Approximately 200 people attended and the event raised close to $23,000. The profit was increased over past years because Guy Matthews donated the food that was served at the gala. These proceeds help fund extra staff hours and summer science camp scholarships at the Wetlands Center.
O. The Friends of the Wetlands Center and Lee College continued their partnership to provide educational interns for the Liquid Science Program. Selected students teach and/or assist with education stations during the Liquid Science Program and receive a scholarship funded by the ExxonMobil Lee College fund for their next semester. The Wetlands Center has employed seven interns through this program.
P. Four issues of the Wetlands Center’s newsletter, “Marsh Matters,” were written and published. Most subscribers are now receiving the newsletter by email. Current issues are also linked to the www.baytown.org website for public enjoyment. Both the Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center are also now on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and receiving positive comments from the general public.
Q. The “Land of Milk and Honey” beehive continues to thrive, with volunteer Clarence Shepherd, a local beekeeper, helping to maintain the hive’s health. Additional hives have been installed at the Baytown Nature Center, using funding from a Bayer Sustainable Agriculture grant. Honey from those hives is being bottled as thank-you gifts for volunteers.
R. Wetlands Staff presented a workshop on teaching the “It’s All Downstream From Here” activity on watersheds and non-point source pollution during Lee College’s STEM Conference.
S. Staff attended the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Becoming an Outdoor Woman” Conferences in Brownwood and Burton, Texas, where they taught workshops on Fish Biology, Outdoor Art, Wildlife 101 and Wonderful Wetlands. These workshops are a great outreach opportunity for Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center. Staff not teaching took classes in Outdoor Survival, Map and Compass, and Plant I.D. as training for future workshops.
46 T. Staff attended the Project Learning Tree training at Jones State Forest. Ideas and resources received will be incorporated into our education programs. Staff also attended the Restore America’s Estuaries Conference in Tampa. Several Texas Gulf coast organizations were represented at the conference. Plans are underway to have the Wetlands Center / BNC represented at the next biannual conference in 2014.
U. BNC Naturalist and Wetlands staff hosted scout workshops for Webelos, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Cadets and Girl Scouts at the Wetlands Center. Scouts are also eligible for badges and advancements during Summer Science Camps.
V. Keegan Cummings installed a “duck blind” photo spot in the Wetlands Center Exhibit Hall as his Eagle Scout project. The exhibit simulates the duck blind used by Abe and Babe Badgley, and allows visitors to sit on the bench in the blind for photo opportunities.
W. Discussions have been initiated concerning combining the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center under one “Sustainable Earth Center” campus at the Baytown Nature Center. Eddie Gray has been promoting the idea to local organizations, as well as potential partners such as Texas A&M University in Galveston’s Institute of Sustainable Coastal Communities, Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and Texas Sea Grant Program. Lee College is also interested in a potential partnership providing Lee College with satellite learning opportunities. Meetings have been held throughout the year, with discussions on how to raise funds, promote the facility, and use the facility wisely. Both the Friends of the Wetlands Center and the Friends of BNC are in support of the move. Vision and Mission statements have been created for the Sustainable Earth Campus Board.
X. Construction began on a new wall in the Exhibit Hall highlighting wetlands products. Components of the wall will include aquariums highlighting Texas crawfish, a faux storefront with wetlands products “for sale”, and an exhibit on the economic importance of waterfowl and wetlands. The wall has been sponsored by Cargill Inc., and is expected to be completed next year.
47 Baytown Nature Center
A. Continued with “Tyke Hike,” part of ExxonMobil’s “Discovering Nature’s Secrets” program. Weekly sessions included hands-on nature activities to introduce reptiles, insects, spiders, fish, and many other nature-based topics. Parents/grandparents attend with their children. Average attendance is 20 kids per week. During one Tyke Hike session, kids planted trees at the Children’s Nature Discovery Area. The project was funded by Calpine Energy through the Friends of the Baytown Nature Center.
B. The Naturalist and Assistant Naturalist continue to host educational field trips for scout groups, bird watching clubs, seniors groups, church groups, schools (both Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCCISD) and other districts), Lee College classes, and tourists to promote the environmental wealth of the Nature Center. A group of 198 students from Null Middle School 6th grade set the new record for largest number of students in one group. BNC staff also spoke in the community, with numerous talks at ExxonMobil. Texas Water Foundation and Houston Galveston Subsidence District were among the groups that visited BNC this year. This kind of exposure continues to promote BNC as an educational / historical venue.
C. “Nurture Nature Series” continues at BNC on the first Saturday of each month. Topics this year included Kayaking, Creepy Critters, Birding, Geocaching, Wilderness Survival, Alphabet Hike, Biking BNC, Beekeeping, Tread Lightly Trail Program, and Angler Education. Guest speakers and Baytown Nature Center (BNC)/Wetlands Center staff present the topics. The highest attended session was on Biking at BNC, so monthly bike ride is being planned for next year.
D. The 3rd Annual Nurture Nature Festival was held in November. The weather was not great, so festival attendance was down slightly to 1003 people. Stage presentations by Crocodile Encounter and Texas Snakes and more were a big hit.
48 E. The BNC continued with 2nd year of “Back to the Bay” high school biology program. This program complements the Wetlands Ecology Program and the Liquid Science Program from the Wetlands Center. Select 9th and 10th grade biology students from GCCISD travel to the BNC to participate in water analysis, seining and cast netting for species identification, introduction to invasive and exotic species, and a historical perspective on human impact on the local environment. The program is funded by ExxonMobil through the school district.
F. Scout interest in workshops and camping at BNC continues to increase. BNC Naturalist hosts workshops for Webelos, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Royal Rangers, and Daisy Groups. Several troops have camped overnight at BNC.
G. BNC hosted the Cub Scout Fisharee, welcoming over 100 cub scouts and their families for a full day of TPWD Angler Education and fishing. Wetlands Center and BNC staff, along with TPWD volunteers, taught the scouts casting safety, fishing ethics, basic tackle, knot tying and fish habitat.
H. Clearing began on the new TPWD Birding Trail which runs from the existing Golden Bloom Trail to the Myra C. Brown Bird Sanctuary. When finished, the mile-long trail will grant access to areas of the Nature Center not previously accessible. The lake at the end of the trail will offer a wildlife observation deck overlooking “Lake Myra”.
I. BNC hosted several community service groups, including St. John’s Youth Group who cleaned the shoreline, 15 students from Student Conservation Association who worked in the Butterfly Garden and along the trails, 50 students and parents from Massey Ranch Elementary in Pearland who planted cordgrass and cleaned the shoreline, 10 volunteers from Spectra Energy who spent a week cleaning and weeding the Butterfly Garden and cleaning shoreline, and 40 students from a “Students Today, Leaders Forever” group from Illinois, who chose BNC as their coastal Texas site for community service. Volunteers from Bayer completed the boardwalk in the NRTP marsh, and ExxonMobil college intern volunteers cleared brush, weeds, and overhanging branches on the Golden Bloom Trail.
J. Kiwanis Club of Baytown chose BNC as the site for the annual picnic, as did Baytown Area Girl Scouts and ExxonMobil. The local geocaching group also chose BNC as a workshop site, with Bert Marshall leading a “Geocaching 101” class for the public
49 K. Southwest PaddleSports chose the Nature Center as the site for their kayaking trip with ExxonMobil summer interns. Twenty-five students paddled the internal canals, and SW PaddleSports has committed to using BNC as a workshop location in the future. Plans are underway for a kayak launch and a designation by TPWD as an official Texas Paddling Trail.
L. Texas A & M University (TAMU) GeoX Program once again visited BNC as their out-of-town field trip. 15 students from across Texas traveled to Baytown, where we led their group on activities including water sampling, water testing, seining, cast netting and animal species identification. The Nature Center was once again chosen by the GeoX students as their favorite field trip during their week-long TAMU camp.
M. The BNC Volunteer Guild continues to become more active. Volunteers tend the beehives, work in the butterfly garden, lead birding tours, assist with the education programs, and participate in outreach activities. Several volunteers are Texas Master Naturalists, and are promoting BNC as a site for earning service hours.
N. Monthly bird counts were begun on the third Thursday of every month at BNC. These are led by volunteer and wildlife photographer, David Hanson. Results from the bird counts are published on TexBirds website and Houston Audubon’s website, with pictures taken by the Hansons. This is great exposure for BNC in the local birding community. Sightings of rare birds (i.e. groove-billed ani) guarantee an increase in attendance at BNC.
O. BNC was once again the site of the Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, with six birders participating in the event. The number of species and the total number of birds spotted were both high this year thanks to mild weather.
50 P. The Raven Chapter of the “Order of the Arrow” district again chose the Baytown Nature Center as the site of their “Ordeal”. The Arrow candidates spent a Friday night at BNC, then worked in silence all day on Saturday cleaning trails and shorelines. Raven Chapter also chose BNC as the site for their “TapOut” campout, which is the planning meeting for the Ordeal.
Q. The CoLoNeh chapter of the “Order of the Arrow” district also chose the Baytown Nature Center as the site of their annual “Ordeal”. They had over 70 candidates to participate in service projects, which included clearing trail, rebuilding benches and removing dead trees in the Butterfly Garden.
R. ExxonMobil employees once again chose the Baytown Nature Center as their project site during United Way’s Day of Caring. With the help of Parks crews, volunteers worked in the Children’s Nature Discovery Area where they constructed and planted a new Butterfly Garden, Installed a new Caterpillar climbing feature, framed and filled in fall zones with mulch, installed Rockin’ Bluebird Eggs, installed a new bike rack, completed the landscaping around the Gator Pond, painted the Pirate Ship, and installed stumps for seating and a hand painted tarp on the Teepee Volunteers also installed a new bird blind in the new marsh area, and completed the boardwalk to the new blind.
S. Galveston Bay Foundation chose BNC as their “Hip to Habitat” location for this year. School groups from the Houston Galveston region planted smooth cordgrass in the newly constructed NRTP salt marsh as a school project.
T. BNC continues to attract Eagle Scout candidates.
U. Attendance at the Baytown Nature Center continued to increase during the past few years and is projected to cover all expenses in the operations budget for the fourth year in a row.
Five Year Comparison of Annual Attendance and Revenue April 1, 2008 – March 31, 2013
* April 1, 2008 – April 1, 2009 – April 1, 2010 – April 1, 2011 – April 1, 2012 –
March 31, 2009 March 31, 2010 March 31, 2011 March 31, 2012 March 31, 2013 Day Permits Sold 14,375 21,787 24,307 21,867 22,055 Revenue $43,125 $65,361 $72,921 $65,628 $66,165 Annual Individual Passes Sold 266 317 343 309 302 Revenue $5,320 $6,340 $6,860 $6,180 $6,040 Annual Family Passes Sold 82 122 127 148 152 Revenue $4,100 $6,100 $6,350 $7,400 $7,600 Total Annual Revenue $52,545 $77,801 $86,131 $79,208 $79,805 * The Baytown Nature Center was closed in 2008 due to Hurricane Ike - September 11 to November 1st.
51 2014 Recommendations
1. Continue to incorporate the recommendations of the Playbook 2020, The Strategic Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the City of Baytown, Texas. 2. Implement the City Council’s Visioning plan in our park system which include, but are not limited to: Development and Redevelopment, Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvement, and Creating a Community we can all be proud of. 3. Continue to demonstrate sensitivity to the community’s needs through the involvement of citizens in the planning and development of facilities, programs and policies. 4. Continue support for “Quality of Life” initiatives, community appearance and economic development projects. 5. Continue to acquire CDBG funds for the development/renovation of target area parks. 6. Continue to provide adequate annual funding for quality maintenance and operation of the Department. 7. Enhance the promotional and marketing efforts for all special events and programs, as well as Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. 8. Expand athletic program offerings and “partner” with area facilities to broaden our participation base. 9. Continue to submit tournament bids for future, TAAF and USSSA softball and flag football tournaments on the regional, state and national level. 10. Continue to implement the recommendations of the Aquatic Facilities Master Plan as well as the Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan. 11. Work to secure future parkland that will correspond to the future growth of the City especially north of I-10. 12. Expand the recreation and educational programs offered to attract all age groups. 13. Continue to improve and expand the environmental, recreational and educational programs of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and the Baytown Nature Center. 14. Continue to improve the City’s image and tourism through the City’s environmental and recreational opportunities, by hosting and promoting special events that increase the exposure of our facilities in an effort to attract visitors to Baytown. 15. Enhance the Parks and Recreation Department’s section of the City’s website, as well as improve the appearance and the interactive usability of the Pirates Bay, Calypso Cove and Baytown Nature Center sites.
52 16. Continue to expand the City’s sidewalk and trail master plan to make Baytown a walkable community. 17. Continue progressive park planning and recreational programming by offering the newest activities and amenities through out the city parks
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott Johnson, Director Wayne Gray, Chairman Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Attachments: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members Parks Division Staff Recreation and Administrative Staff Environmental Programs Staff Aquatics Staff Facility Rentals & Attendance Figures Activities Comparison - Budget Year 2007/2008 to 2012/2013 2010 – 2012 Final Aquatics Attendance Summary 2013 Aquatics Attendance Summary Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan Rendering
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2012 – 2013 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members (Left to Right) Chairman Wayne Gray, Kevin Jones, Michelle Bitterly, Carmen Torres, Howard Hunt, Billy Barnett and Agustin Loredo
Parks Division Staff
54 Recreation and Administrative Staff
Environmental Programs Staff
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Aquatics Staff
56 City of Baytown Parks & Recreation Department Facility Rentals & Attendance Figures
August 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013
Number of Average Attendance Attendance Facility Rentals Per Rental Community Center 829 157,558 190.06
Jenkins Pavilion 202 15,560 77.03
Roseland Pavilion 256 34,140 133.36
Wayne Gray Sports Complex 29 30,284 1,044.28
Bicentennial Park 1 32,000 32,000
Total Figures 1,317 269,542 205
Activities Comparison Budget Year 2008/2009 to 2012/2013
Budget Budget Budget Budget Budget Activities Offered / Year Year Year Year Year Hosted 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013
Special Events 62 56 62 64 39
Leisure Programs 60 91 176 128 133
Athletic League Teams 343 381 285 232 253
Softball Tournaments 1 4 6 4 77
*Softball Tournaments have been removed from “special events” and placed in their own category for 2012/2013
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Final Aquatics Attendance Summary 2010 - 2012 Seasons Pirates Bay Water Park Calypso Cove
Daily Attendance Summary Daily Attendance Daily Attendance Year 2010 2011 2012 2011 2012 Number of Days Open 74 102 115 74 89 Monday 6,930 15,926 13,301 2,452 2,051 Tuesday 6,220 13,232 10,037 Closed Tuesdays 1,635 Wednesday 5,561 12,283 11,626 2,350 1,954 Thursday 7,154 13,046 12,489 2,138 2,082 Friday 10,171 16,236 16,098 2,212 2,313 Saturday 19,518 32,418 31,965 3,334 3,048 Sunday 15,022 27,556 23,010 3,331 2,529 Total 70,576 130,697 118,526 15,817 15,612 Average Per Day 954 1,281 1,031 214 175 Goal Per Day 480 600 794 200 200 Above Goal 474 681 237 14 (25)
Total Revenue $1,048,030 $1,652,730 $1,819,113 $ 84,638 $ 78,215 Average Revenue per Day $ 14,163 $ 16,203 $ 15,818 $ 1,144 $ 879 Average Dollars Spent per Guest $ 14.85 $ 12.65 $ 15.35 $ 5.35 $ 5.01 Days Closed Due to Bad Weather 2 0 3 1 2 Rainy Stormy Days 3 14 19 8 16
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2013 Aquatics Attendance Summary April 26 – July 31, 2013 Pirates Bay Calypso Cove Water Park
Daily Admission Summary Daily Attendance Daily Admission Monday 9,564 1,658 Tuesday 8,460 1,568 Wednesday 9,121 1,482 Thursday 10,944 1,527 Friday 13,309 1,659 Saturday 23,087 2,980 Sunday 17,812 2,309 Total 92,297 13,183 Average Per Day – 80 / 58 Days 1,154 227 Goal Per Day 990 200 Average Above/Below Goal 164 27 Projected Attendance ‐ 107 /86 Days 123,478 19,522
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