Annual Report SHARING the OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE at a PARK EVENT
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
EXPERIENCING thE OutdOORs At A PARK EvENt MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 2014ANNUAL REPORT shARING thE OutdOOR EXPERIENCE At A PARK EvENt In 2014, the Park System offered 55 events, festivals, and races to encourage area residents to get outside, get active and get healthy (that’s in addition to thousands of programs). From large scale, outdoor sports and fitness events to more intimate craft shows, agriculture and garden demonstrations, nature walks, and historic performances, there was something to do in the parks almost every weekend of the year, and much of it was free. Earth Day Local organizations and schools also chose the county parks to host 114 of their own special events and fundraisers in 2014. Examples include walk-a-thons, foot races, biking and sporting events, cross country meets, equestrian and horse/dog shows. Overall, more than 202,000 artists, athletes, animal trainers, community groups and clubs, equestrians, families, friends, nature-lovers, students, and people with special needs came to the parks just for an event or activity in 2014. Here, they found meaningful opportunities to explore their environment and learn a new skill (or test an old one) while exercising, celebrating, or just having fun. Family Funtathlon On the following pages, you will find a review of some of the special events held in the parks during 2014, along with a summary of land acquisitions, park improvements, attendance, and the annual financial report for the agency. Please visit monmouthcountyparks.com (Activities/Calendar of Events) for a list of year-round opportunities to enjoy in the parks. High School Golf Tournament at Hominy Hill Monmouth County Fair Harvest Home Festival Thompson Park Day Deep Cut Gardens Open House 2014 QuICK FACts PARK vIsIts sPECIAl EvENt AttENdANCE PERsONNEl (b) lANd & tRAIls Population of Monmouth County 629,279 75,500 Monmouth County Fair (5 days) 181 72,270 Horse/Dog Shows at East Freehold Showgrounds (34 Shows) (a) Program Staff/ 16,175 301,804 2,261 10,505 Cross-Country Meets at Holmdel Park (27 meets) 329 Instructors 137 Full-Time Staff Total Acres in Total Acres in Largest Park (in acres) 9,680 Other Special Events held by Outside Organizations (48 events) Miles of Park System Trails the Park system Monmouth County — Turkey Swamp Park Total County Park Visits in 2014 6,061,292 8,735 Thompson Park Day 31 Paved 5,732 Longstreet Farm - Harvest Home Festival and Sheep Shearing (2 events) 94% Land Acres (15,247) 26 Easy 5,235 Dorbrook Flea Markets (2 events) Volunteers 6% Water Acres (928) 234 2.1 72 Moderate 1,115 Deep Cut Flower/Plant Shows - Rose Show, DayLily Day, Bonsai Day, 305 New Acres Miles of Beach 3,478 8 Challenging Special Event Attendance Hourly / Part-Time Acquired in 2014 (and Bayfront) 202,023 Fall & Spring Plant Swaps (5 events) Staff (Seasonal) Total Volunteer Hours 3,035 Outdoor Adventure Expo 27,657 2,010 Craft Shows - Tatum, Fort Monmouth, Thompson Park Creative Arts FACIlItIEs RECREAtION PROGRAMs & Halloween Costume Swap GOlF Park with Most Visits 1,036,062 1,634 Earth Day Events & Environmental Summit (7 events) 74 17 16 15 14 14 Number of — Manasquan Reservoir Recreation Programs offered 6,374 1,076 Historic Walnford - Sweet Corn Festival, Walnford Day (2 events) 34,550 Ball Courts 8 202,501 Visitor CentersPlaygroundsAthletic fieldsPicnic Shelters(for rent) Recreation Program Attendance 1,193 Open Houses (4 events) Course with most Campsites & Cabins 99,128 Total number of Total Rounds 1,010 Golf Tournaments (20 events) Rounds Played Visits to Park System Website 731,638 Golf Courses Played — Hominy Hill (a) Excluding Easements 930 Races & Competitions - Todd Half Marathon, Funtathlon, Sk8 Jam, 1 (b) Based on 2014 U.S. Planning Board Estimates Superhero Run, Glo Run, Timberbrook Triathlon 2 IMPROvEMENts PARK IMPROvEMENts NEw EXhIbIts In 2014, the Army In 2014, high school students Corp of Engineers from the Marine Academy A NEw PARK Is EstAblIshEd NEw PARK FACIlItIEs completed Beach of Science and Technology Replenishment at (M.A.S.T.) produced a Seven Presidents series of nature panels at It’s soccer on the golf Oceanfront Park the Manasquan Reservoir course as a new 9-hole (increasing beach Environmental Center FootGolf Course at width from about 180 to 410 feet) and Bayshore Waterfront (MREC) in Howell with a Bel-Aire opened for year- Park (pictured, increasing beach width from about 20 to 95 grant from the NJEA. round play (weather feet, plus another 90 feet of new dunes). permitting) in 2014. Henry Hudson Trail repairs continued in Atlantic Highlands CAPTURE post-Sandy and following a FILTER Before After Traditional Stormwater Conveyance - Biofiltration System - INFILTRATE During storms, pipes move water off the Water is captured in a landscaped property, untreated, as quickly as possible. basin. It passes easily into the mudslide in May. A new bridge Gushing water erodes stream banks ground to recharge groundwater. and transports pollution and sediments Plants remove contaminants. downstream. During heavy storms, water overflows the basin into a series of drop structures where flow is impeded. Turbulence slows the The Park System acquired the first 34 acres for its newest park over the East Creek in Union water entering the waterway. What is Non-point Source Pollution? at Freneau Woods in Aberdeen/Marlboro in 2014. A unique LUE B le, Leng , N Beach was installed. Pollution on pavement and lawns Ear end a ar is washed by rain into storm drains, Olvi y M O ” y . a then directly to our waterways. ~S rin N N e G Fertilizer, oil, pesticides, trash, Bi E er o E r lo R o detergents, pet waste, and . gist Expl and the collection of woodlands and waterways, the park is named “ grass clippings end up E Slow Flow To meet increasing demand, a in our water. F N I and everything in it! L Holmdel High School Biofiltration System Water Flows Downhill O ^ for former county resident Philip Freneau (1752-1832), best O This biofiltration system is part of a larger effort to improve water quality. runs entirely within Holmdel Township W N Ramanessin Brook third cabin was added to the , borders. It journeys five miles through forests, farmland and residential ATER areas to the —a source of drinking Holmdel Swimming River Reservoir Township known for his inspirational poetry and influential political water for more than 200,000 Monmouth County residents. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Family Campground at Turkey Safe drinking water…for life. water quality reports state Ramanessin Brook has problems with non-point source pollution, flooding, and stream bank erosion. Middletown Do your part to protect it. Township The result? Lower water quality, expensive flood management articles of the American Revolution. • Properly dispose of hazardous products and repairs, and degraded wildlife habitat. • Limit use of fertilizers and pesticides Colts Neck MAINtENANCE PROJECts Township Swamp Park. • Install pervious pavement driveways and walks • Clean up after your pet • Plant native trees and shrubs Legend Tributaries Funding for this project was provided through a Watershed • Put trash where it belongs Ramanessin Brook SWIMMING RIVER RESERVOIR Restoration 319(h) Grant from the New Jersey Department of Holmdel High School • Build a rain garden Ramanessin Watershed Boundary Environmental Protection (Grant Number RP 07-054) Municipalities • Capture rainwater and use it Cooperating Agencies: New Jersey Department of Environmental 1.5 Protection, Holmdel Board of Education, Monmouth County Park System, Miles ´ and County of Monmouth Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, increment P Corp., NRCAN, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri (Thailand), TomTom, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community " Upper Freehold The Park System also installed “Slow the Flow” information Township completed panels at Holmdel Park to explain the new biofiltration a new 560 ft. trail The new 3,500 sq. ft. basins for stormwater run-off next to the parking lots and spur attachment pool at Fort Monmouth stream bank erosion measures for Ramanessin Brook. to the Union opened during the Transportation Trail, summer of 2014, primarily Tatum Park Red Hill Activity Roof, snowguards, gutters and allowing residents for program use and Center (pictured) and the downspouts were replaced another point of entry camps, but also available Creative Arts Center at on the Golf Center at to this 8.6 for open swimming Thompson Park received new Charleston Springs. mile trail, which is on select dates. Fort ‘storefront’ doors, with ADA nearing completion. Monmouth also began automatic openers. offering room and gym rentals for birthdays and parties. The floating dock and boardwalk The following park around the lake at Turkey Swamp playgrounds were hIstORIC REstORAtIONs Park were replaced in 2014. Also, resurfaced in 2014: Seven tent platforms were replaced at the Presidents Oceanfront The first phase of restoration to Portland Place in Nomoco Group Campground, and Park, Thompson Park, Hartshorne Woods Park was completed in 2014 with a new well was installed for the Dorbrook Recreation Area installation of new HVAC, electric, and fire suppression A renovated front entrance New gas lines were installed family campground. and Shark River Park. systems, and significant repairs to the at Fort Monmouth included at Thompson Park so public roof and exterior, new brick walkways, benches buildings and offices could and plantings. upgrade their heating systems. including the porch (pictured). Visitors will someday be Demolition was completed to take down old buildings able to enjoy Timolat Farm in Huber Woods Park continued landscape spectacular views and structures on newly improvements in 2014 with the removal of a thick layer of woody purchased park properties of the Navesink invasive shrubs and vines (grape, porcelain berry and bittersweet) for Perrineville Lake Park. River from this site.