VRPA Advocate Issue 85 Vermont Recreation & Parks Association Winter 2016 VRPA Presidents’ VRPA Hosting Certified Pool/Spa Perspective Andy Cappello, Director, Operator Course on March 15-16, 2016 Newport Parks & Recreation he Vermont Recreation and just got back from the Parks Association is hosting a Northern New England Certified Pool/Spa Operator Recreation and Parks T I (CPO) Course on Tuesday and Wednesday, Conference at the Attitash March 15th and 16th at the Best Western Grand Summit Resort in Windjammer Inn & Conference Center in Bartlett, NH. Jess (Booth) South Burlington. The course schedule and I both went to soak and registration materials are available on up the educational and networking the VRPA website at www.vrpa.org. opportunities available at our regional conference. Unfortunately we couldn’t spend the night and take advantage of the great social activities the conference has to offer; we’ll be sure to be there for those in Staff, Recreation Facility Managers of the years to come. community recreation centers, swim Coming from Newport, it’s a relatively clubs, municipalities, hotels, motels, swim short drive for us. It’s a beautiful trip parks, resorts, health clubs, country clubs, heading southwest through the Crawford colleges, universities, military installations, Notch and around the White Mountains hospitals, schools – any facility with a pool, to Bartlett. It takes us about two hours spa, or aquatic feature. of driving time. A typical drive for a VRPA The CPO training is a nationally For more information, contact the quarterly meeting is about 2 hours. Heck, recognized course which teaches advanced VRPA office at 802-878-2077. to get the grocery store is nearly an hour techniques in safety, water chemistry, for us here in the Kingdom, so a 2 hour maintenance, and management. This drive is nothing. course is recognized as the standard in Jess coming from Irasburg, met me, the industry. The CPO seal of approval is coming from Island Pond, at the White assurance to pool and spa owners, from 3 Market in Lyndonville. We missed the exit motels to Olympic-sized municipal and to Interstate 93, then missed the exit for college pools, that their facilities and Personal Profile: Kym Duchesneau....... Route 302 just past Littleton. I should have their swimmers are under the supervision Program Spotlight:................................................4 Essex Holiday been paying attention to the road and of trained certified professionals. Those Lights Tour instead I was engaged in our conversation who complete the program and pass an New Column: Park Maintenance Tips...5 and forgot that I had to keep an eye out open-book written examination receive Thanks to our Commercial Members...11 for the exits. We made it to Attitash just certification and a registration number Research Findings: Strong Support for in time for start of the day’s first sessions. which is valid for five years in all 50 states. Parks & Recreation.............................12 I hustled to the room that I wanted Who Should Attend? Service Development Goals for Leaders...........21. VRPA membership Application............23 to go to and discovered in the hallway Technicians, Pool Directors, Pool about six people looking at one another Managers, Health Inspectors, Apartment/ and much more... wondering how they could get in the Condo/Building Managers, Recreation room to hear the speaker. Every seat Directors, Engineering Staff, Spa Personnel, in the room was full and all standing Maintenance Personnel, Aquatic (Continued on page 12) 1 Message from the Executive Director he start of form of recreation suits each new you best, take time to year is a time squeeze some into your VRPA Executive Committee Officers T when we often reflect days and weeks. It is so President Andy C appello (Newport) 334-6345 on the past and important. Pres-Elect Scott Hausler (Hartford) 295-5036 Secretary Melissa Cate (Burlington) 865-5399 think about things As I reflect on Treasurer EJay Bishop (Union Arena) 558-2179 we might like to do the past year, I am Past President Todd Goodwin (Williston) 876-1160 a little differently in grateful to each of you Executive Committee Members-at-Large the year ahead. In a for choosing to be a Geoff Beyer (Montpelier) 223-7335 way, it gives us a good member of the Vermont Matt Frazee (Stowe) 295-5036 Jill Kearney Niles (Norwich) 649-3040 x5 excuse to think about re-creating Recreation and Parks Association Ally Vile (Essex) 878-1342 ourselves, in some small ways. I and for choosing to be actively VRPA Office typically try to set myself some involved. You are an amazing Executive Director – Betsy Terry, CPRP SMART goals, things I am confident group of people and the synergy 721 Main Street, Colchester, VT 05446 Phone 802-878-2077 • FAX 802-878-2921 are realistic and achievable. created by your combined efforts [email protected] • www.vrpa.org Recently a friend was helping is inspiring. You make Vermont VRPA Webmaster me set up my new laptop and we one of the best places in the Andy Cappello– – [email protected] got to talking about how quickly country to live and play, recreate VRPA Newsletter things change in today’s world. and re-create. Thank you. The VRPA Advocate is published three times a year by the Technology certainly allows us As you think about how you Vermont Recreation and Parks Association. Contributions to the newsletter are welcome, including commentary on to do things that we never could might help re-create yourself subjects of interest to Vermont’s recreation professionals have years ago but think about and the people you work with, and volunteers. how many new things we have to think about these words spoken Editor – Betsy Terry Circulation – 400 Deadline for the next issue is May 1, 2016. learn every year, just to begin to by Benjamin Franklin, ““Tell Send information to [email protected] or by snail mail to: keep up with the newest piece of me and I forget, teach me and I VRPA, 721 Main Street, Colchester, VT, 05446. hardware or the next generation may remember, involve me and Advertising Rates (Member/Non-member) of software, or the latest social I learn.” There are lots of ways 1/8 page $25/50 1/2 page $100/150 1/4 page $50/100 Full page or insert $150/300 media format. I’m not sure that for you to become involved with we really have much choice about VRPA. Just say the word and we PUBLISHED AS A FREE SERVICE TO MEMBERS re-creating ourselves to keep up will be happy to let you know these days. I am grateful for friends some of the options. and colleagues who can coach me Feb 10 VLCT Local Government Day, through some of this stuff and just All the best in the year ahead. Montpelier Mar 10 VRPA Quarterly Meeting love it when I can reciprocate and Mar 15-16 Certified Pool/Spa Operators show them something new. Course, S. Burlington I know that making time to Mar 31 VRPA Executive Committee Meeting, Barre recreate helps me with my re- May TBD VRPA Annual Meeting, Location TBD creation. I can’t imagine a week Betsy Terry, CPRP TBD Summerama without a few walks around VRPA Executive Director Jul 23 VRPA – St. Johnsbury Academy State Track Meet Colchester Pond or other outdoor Sep 13 VRPA Executive Committee Retreat pursuits. I’ve learned that for me, Sep 21-22 73rd Annual Vermont Conference it’s gotta be outside. Whatever on Recreation Oct 6-8 NRPA Conference, St. Louis, MO Nov 3 VRPA Executive Committee Meeting, Barre VRPA Mission: Nov 17 Vermont Performance Showcase, Provide training and resources to help Vermonters to Lake Morey Dec 8 VRPA Quarterly Meeting “Create Community through People, Parks and Programs.” 2 VRPA Personal Profile . Kym Duchesneau, Recreation Coordinator, Town of Milton By Betsy Terry, CPRP ym Duchesneau has been serving on the Vermont Recreation KConference Committee for six years now and this seems like a perfect opportunity for all of us to learn a little more about her. Kym grew up in Wilbraham, MA and her family spent amazing summers at her grandparents’ camp near Basin Harbor on Lake Champlain. Because of these positive experiences, she dreamed of going to college in Vermont and so when it came to choosing a college, UVM it was. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Merchandising, Consumer Studies and Design with a concentration in Related Art. “Hmmm, merchandising and related art to parks and recreation? Like many of us, Kym’s path to a career in recreation success and will celebrate its 10th year in volunteered that “It is a fantastic group was not exactly part of her original plan. 2016. of dedicated people and it is such a She explained to me that during the Things she counts among her greatest joy working hard with the committee summer of 2007, as a Milton community career accomplishments? Working and then seeing the Conference details volunteer wearing many hats, she noticed with community members, community come to fruition and attendees enjoying that there were countless organizations partners, town staff, boards and others the Conference each year.” As a fellow in the community doing great things, in always striving to make Milton a great conference committee member, I can tell however many residents had no idea of place to live, work, visit and play. you that Kym is a valuable member of this all the opportunities available to them. Her greatest challenges as a parks planning team. She is very thoughtful and In the hopes of remedying this even a and recreation professional and advocate methodical and has contributed a variety little bit, she volunteered to work with include working in a profession where of great ideas over the years; you won’t the Milton Community Youth Coalition often large projects take a long time to find a more organized person.