RECREATION PROGRAMS DIVISION

Additional information about the Recreation Programs Division may be obtained by calling Dwayne Jones, Recreation Manager at (919) 469-4064, through e-mail at dwayne.jones@townofcary.org or by visiting the Town’s website at www.townofcary.org.

TOWN OF CARY GOALS AND INITIATIVES

Town Focus Areas

Focus Area I: Community Planning

Focus Area II: Infrastructure

Focus Area III: Financial Condition

Focus Area IV: Municipal Services

Town Goals

Achieve a well-planned community using innovative and proactive planning approaches and techniques.

Ensure that roads, water and wastewater facilities, parks, and other infrastructure exists for the existing citizens and for the future needs identified in the comprehensive plan.

Achieve a stable and strong financial position by accurately estimating, prudently allocating, and managing financial resources.

Achieve a high level of service to the citizens in a prompt, reliable, responsive, and cost-effective manner.

Town Initiatives (pages 2 and 3 of this document contain full descriptions of each Town Initiative)

Growth Management

Long Range Water Resources

Housing Program

Comprehensive Planning

Land Use Plan

Environmental Concerns

Infrastructure and Level of Service Standards

Fiscal Plan

Water, Wastewater, Transportation Infrastructure

Broad Band Technology Services

Long Term Financial Plan

Performance Measurement

Short Term Financial Planning

Review Operations

Cost Consciousness and Sustained Service Provision

Public Involvement

Departmental Goals and Initiatives

1,2, 3,4, 5,6, 7,8

DIVISION GOALS AND INITIATIVES

Leisure Services

1. Provide a wide range of recreational programs for adults, children, and senior adults including dance, exercise, adventure, trips, confidence building, social interaction, and camps.

2. Provide monthly High School and Middle School events, classes and activities for Teens.

Programs are offered at the Community Centers, Bond Park Facilities, and the Cary Senior Center.

Environmental Education

3. Provide programs in ecology, environmental stewardship, preservation, and nature appreciation for adults and youth.

4. Offer programs at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve and the Stevens Nature Center.

Facility Rentals

5. Provide Town citizens with the opportunity to reserve facilities for group functions, such as picnics, meetings, and other social occasions.

6. Manage and coordinate reservation space for picnic shelters at Bond Park, Ritter Park, Davis Drive Park, Kids Together Park, North Cary Park, White Oak Park, Thomas Brooks Park and Green Hope School Park.

7. Manage and coordinate reservation space for meeting rooms at community centers and the Cary Senior Center.

Management of Contracted Facilities

8. Collaborate with Resources for Senior’s at Cary Total Life Center to provide residents, as well as surrounding communities, with adult day care opportunities.

FY 2008 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

· Submitted grant application requesting $54,650 to the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund to support Fit Community Communications Plan and improve employee physical activity and healthy eating.

· Teen Advisory Committee planned and implemented the 5th annual Cary Teen Forum themed; “What in the World is Going On”.

· Hosted the 2008 "Cary Cup" Table Tennis Tournament at the Bond Park Community Center which is an international event attended by over 140 table tennis enthusiasts.

· Bond Park Community Center staff successfully planned and implemented week long track out programs for year round students.

· Received over 32,000 visits to the Cary Dog Park for calendar year 2007, averaging 86 park visitors per day.

· Partnered with Elks Club to offer a FREE “Hoop Shoot” basketball free throw competition at Bond Park Community Center.

· Partnered with Harris Teeter for product donations to implement a successful Easter Egg Hunt with an estimated 5,000 participants.

· Successful merged Cary Cycling Celebration with Jimmy V Foundation Ride for Research in order to create an improved bicycle friendly event.

· Hemlock Bluffs staff coordinated with the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs for the Annual Recycle Sale which raised $3,000 to support the events, programs, projects and exhibits at Hemlock Bluffs.

· Friends of Hemlock Bluffs and Stevens Nature Center Staff worked together to award a total of $500 in scholarships to 10 children to attend programs at Hemlock Bluffs.

· Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve logged over 1,600 volunteer hours for trail workdays, special events, and wildflower garden work.

· The Stevens Nature Center hosted the 10th Annual Celebration of Nature at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, with grant sponsorship from Hunter Industries ($500) along with financial support from the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs.

· Stevens Nature Center Staff worked with a girl scout to create a Jr. Explorers program. The Jr. Explorers program is a free program similar to the National Parks’ Jr. Ranger program. The program encourages youth to learn about Hemlock Bluffs and local nature and to participate in the programs offered at the Stevens Nature Center.

· Stevens Nature Center staff worked with an Eagle Scout Candidate to install a 54 foot section of handrail on the steps of Swift Creek Loop Trail. The handrail makes it easier for all visitors to transverse the steps. It also protects the ground around the steps from foot traffic, preventing erosion and allowing vegetation to grow.

· Hemlock Bluffs staff coordinated volunteer workdays for Green Hope and Panther Creek High School AP Environmental students helping them meet their community service hours while accomplishing projects at the nature preserve.

· Hemlock Bluffs Partnered with NC DOT and NC Wildlife Commission on teen programs to survey local bat and spotted turtle populations.

· Cary Senior Center provided space for North Carolina Senior Games statewide training events including Silver Arts Workshop, Ambassadors Training and Sports Management Clinic with over 200 attendees from across NC.

· Cary Senior Center hosted the AARP Scam Jam during September 2007 with 200 attendees. Scam Jam is a National AARP workshop educating seniors in avoiding identity theft.

· Cary Senior Center introduced a Fitness Pass and an X-treme fitness pass.

· Cary Senior Center collaborated with NCSU and Wake Technical Community College to provide opportunities for recreation students, psychology students and nursing students to interact with senior adults as part of their coursework requirements.

· Coordinated with NC Big Sweep for Bond Park to be a host site. The event generated 54 volunteers collecting 15 bags of recycling and 20 bags of trash.

· Herb Young Community Center hosted One Stop Voting for Wake County Board of Elections with over 1,700 early voters.

· The Cary Teen Council hosted the North Carolina Youth Council Service Learning Conference in Cary. Ten councils from across the state of North Carolina attended. This is the first time Cary has hosted since being chartered in 1989.

· Collaborated with Cary High School Woodworking and Art Classes to build and paint new Safety Town structures.

· Partnered with Greater Raleigh Visitors and Convention Bureau and Athletics Division to provide gym space for Deep South Classic Basketball Tournament

· Successfully implemented Annual Mother's Day Ball.

KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

· Achieve an Above Average or Excellent rating on 96% of evaluations for Leisure Service programs.

· Achieve an Above Average or Excellent rating on 98.5% of evaluations for Environmental Education programs.

· Achieve an Above Average or Excellent rating on 95% of evaluations for picnic shelter reservations.

· Achieve an Above Average or Excellent rating on 95% of evaluations for meeting room reservations.

KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Performance Measure	Actual FY 2007	Estimated FY 2008	Projected FY 2009
% participants rating Leisure Service programs as Above Average or Excellent (1,498 evaluations as of 2/08)	96.9%	96%	96%
% participants rating Environmental Education programs as Above Average or Excellent (398 evals. as of 2/08)	98.5%	98.5%	98.5%
% groups rating picnic shelter usage as Above Average or Excellent (178 evaluations)	94%	94%	95%
% groups rating meeting room usage as Above Average or Excellent (59 evaluations as of 2/08)	94.7%	96%	95%

KEY WORKLOAD INDICATORS

Workload Indicator	Actual FY 2007	Estimated FY 2008	Projected FY 2009
Leisure Service/Environmental Education program participants	52,717	54,000	55,000
Leisure Service/Environmental Education program hours	19,290	19,400	20,000
Number of Community/Senior Center rentals	1164	1103	1150
Number of Picnic Shelter rentals	652	671	700

ACTIVITY HISTORY

Fund Number: 10-6221
Activity	Actual FY 2005	Actual FY 2006	Actual FY 2007	Estimated FY 2008	Budget FY 2009
Personnel Services	$1,496,937	$1,537,095	$1,668,396	$1,764,744	$1,912,884
Operations and Maintenance	$631,926	$705,825	$742,318	$765,711	$878,612
Capital Outlay	0	0	0	0	$19,200
Total	$2,128,863	$2,242,920	$2,410,714	$2,530,455	$2,810,696
Authorized FTEs	18.25	18.25	18.25	19.5	20
Fund Number: 051-6221	$2,128,863	$2,242,920	$2,410,714	$2,530,455	$2,810,696
Senior Net	$615	0	0	0	0
Stevens Exhibits / Interest	0	$2,377	$0	$63,023	$8,200
Teen Forum	0	0	$0	$21,975	$5,000
Senior Program	$5,464	0	$2,525	$5,517	$2,500
Grand Total	$2,134,942	$2,245,297	$2,413,239	$2,620,970	$2,826,396

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET AND SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES BEYOND CURRENT LEVELS

· Plan and implement additional track-out programs at all three community centers for year round students.

· Implement staffing level modification to convert two Park Operations Technicians from ¾ permanent to full-time permanent.

· Continue implementation of the Fit Community Communications Plan to promote physical activity and healthy eating.