ANNUAL REPORT 2020 Table of Contents President’S Message
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Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department ANNUAL REPORT 2020 Table of Contents President’s Message .................................................................................................................... 4 Director’s Report ........................................................................................................................ 5 Highlights .................................................................................................................................... 6 Financial Report .......................................................................................................................... 7 Recreation ..............................................................................................................................8-11 Marketing & Development .................................................................................................... 12-15 Grounds & Improvements .................................................................................................... 16-19 Park Planning ........................................................................................................................20-24 Community Outreach, Conservatory/Theatre Operations ...................................................... 25-27 Zoo ......................................................................................................................................28-31 2 Annual Report 2020 Our Mission The Parks and Recreation Department maintains over 2,800 acres of park land in 87 individual parks and currently manages 22 pavilions, 20 shelters, 5 recreation centers, 4 day camp facilities, 3 aquatic centers, 10 splash pads, 3 golf courses, 2 driving ranges, 3 disc golf courses, 2 dog parks, a botanical conservatory, an outdoor theater, a zoo and a greenhouse. Additional recreational sites in- clude 58 playgrounds, 45 basketball courts, 60 tennis courts, 15 pickleball courts, 38 ball diamonds, 20 soccer fields, 2 futsal courts, 8 multipurpose athletic fields, 8 boat launch sites, 48 miles of trails which include Rivergreenway, park paths and mountain bike trails, 14 ponds and lakes, a campground, a nature preserve, a BMX track, historic facilities and monuments and a 1930s era working farm. Along with hundreds of activities and program opportunities, the Parks and Recreation Department provides free or low cost special events for citizens of our community. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Fort Wayne by providing positive opportunities for leisure time and by being stewards of our parklands, facilities, public trees and other resources entrusted to our care. Board of Park Commissioners Richard Samek, President Pamela Kelly, M.D., Vice-President William Zielke, Commissioner Justin P. Shurley, Commissioner Administrative Staff Steve McDaniel, Director Jim Anderson, Director of Children’s Zoo (retired 9/2020) RickSchuitemann, Director of Children’s Zoo (started 9/2020) Alec Johnson, Deputy Director of Planning and Development Sandra Odisho, Manager of Finance Kathy Pargmann, Manager Lead of Marketing Chuck Reddinger, Deputy Director of Recreation Steve Schuhmacher, Deputy Director of Park Maintenance Mitch Sheppard, Deputy Director of Community Outreach & Conservatory/Theatre Operations 3 Board of Park Commissioners President's Message To the Honorable Mayor Thomas Henry: It is once again my privilege to present the Board of Park Commissioners’ Annual Report. In 2020, the Parks and Recreation Depart- ment, along with the rest of our community and our nation, were incredibly challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Board of Park Commissioners commends Director Steve McDaniel and the entire department for stepping up this year and continuing to live the mission of improving the quality of life for our fellow Fort Wayne citizens. In 2020, our parks and programs were more important than ever as we carefully navigated through unprecedented events. Park and trail usage increased in 2020 as our community looked to the park system for new ways to pass time and stay active. Our maintenance teams worked tirelessly to keep our parks clean and beautiful all year. As Indiana restrictions started to be lifted, these teams maintained a consistent cleaning and sanitization plan to keep visitors to our facilities safe. This department’s commitment to the safety and well-being of our park patrons is to be commended. We also want to recognize the staff that continued to develop programs and services for the community that could be enjoyed either virtually or in a safe, clean environment. From conducting classes over Zoom to organizing meal pickups for local school children, Parks and Recreation employees went above and beyond to maintain the standards our city expects from this department. This year threw everyone a curveball, and the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation team hit it out of the park. In August, Steve McDaniel and the Parks and Recreation team officially unveiled the new covered walking bridge at Salomon Farm Park. Steve and the family of the late Don Wolf cut the ribbon on the new structure, which is located on the south side of Salomon Farm Park, near Till Road. We are so appreciative of the Wolf family for their support of our parks, and this bridge promises to be a lasting tribute to Don. A sign on the structure reads “A Bridge to the Future” which represents Wolf’s hope for the project to lead to even more opportunities for visitors to enjoy Salomon Farm Park in its entirety. We eagerly anticipate the future growth of the park as well. While the 2020 Foellinger Theatre season was much different than we expected, we were pleased to still see live entertainment return to this venue. In partnership with the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, Parks and Recreation presented productions of the musicals Legally Blonde and 1776 in August and September. The Theatre team worked closely with the Allen County Board of Health to ensure pa- trons would be able to enjoy these shows safely and comfortably. The results were fantastic, and we were very impressed with the team’s ability to adapt as other venues were forced to close their doors. Even through the events of 2020, the Parks and Recreation team completed over 55 projects, and the City of Fort Wayne invested ap- proximately $3 million in Parks and Recreation Department improvements this year. The completed 2020 Capital Improvement Projects include several paving projects in our parks, pool renovations, ADA improvements and much more. Our park planners also remained in touch with our local neighborhoods as we plan for the future. Notably, the team worked with resi- dents near Packard and Brewer Parks to develop comprehensive master plans for these spaces. With many thoughtful and construc- tive conversations, the department has come up with terrific ideas to revitalize these parks. Looking to the future, we eagerly anticipate the many projects planned for 2021, including the first phase of Franke Park improvements, the Foster #3 Pavilion renovation project, and many more important improvements throughout our parks. The City of Fort Wayne is continuing to invest in the Parks & Recreation Department, with $3 million of public funding slated for 2021, which we are very thank- ful to receive. On behalf of the commissioners, we continue to be grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Fort Wayne as we all look forward to brighter times in 2021. Respectfully submitted, Richard Samek President of the Board of Park Commissioners 4 Annual Report 2020 Director’s Report On behalf of our entire department, I want to thank you for continuing to support our parks system throughout 2020, a very challeng- ing year. We know the city’s parks have become a much needed place of calm and respite as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis. This is evident in the dramatic increases in park and trail usage, along with greater numbers at our three city golf courses. We are pleased that our parks were able to help the community persist through these unprecedented times. I want to especially thank Mayor Tom Henry, City Council, the Board of Park Commissioners, the Park Foundation, and all of our gener- ous donors for your ongoing support of the work we do every day. We made several difficult decisions this year in the interest of public safety, including closing our three city pools and cancelling classes and programs along with our very popular day camps. However, through challenge came opportunity, and our entire team worked tirelessly in 2020 to uphold our mission of improving the quality of life for our community. When the pandemic started, we knew we had to prepare for a crisis that may take weeks, but could also take many months. We immediately went to work to determine the best course of action to keep our parks maintained for citizens and to keep the Parks and Recreation staff safe. Our grounds maintenance team formulated a gameplan for cleaning and sanitizing equipment, maintaining restrooms, and more. Our programming teams also stepped up in 2020. We are now living in our new normal, which means we are creating programs that take into account the need for safety protocols like masks and social distancing. When COVID forced us to cancel several of our very popular summer camps, we knew we couldn’t just leave families without alternatives for their kids, so our recreation team worked together to come up with the PODS program, or Positive Outdoor Days of Summer. This program was very popular, and we expect to see some elements