MPR Newsletter Dec 2012DECEMBER 2012
Parks & Recreation
Department Newsletter
�E IDIAN-
City of Meridian • 33 East Broadway Avenue, Suite 206, Meridian, ID 83642
Telephone: (208) 888-3579 - Fax: (208) 898-5501
MERIDIAN CELEBRATES OPENING OF A LEGACY PARK
The highlight of the year for 2012 was definitely the
Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park Grand Opening &
Dedication Ceremony. We held a full day of
activities to celebrate the opening of Kleiner Park on
June 9, 2012. Behind the scenes was a flurry of
activities in advance of the event ranging from
agreements, to deed transfers, to event planning
and publicity.
The morning of the
event started out
cold and wet with
heavy rain showers.
But the heavens
smiled on us, and
just before the
event was scheduled to begin, the clouds parted and
the sun came out! At 1:00 p.m., the ribbon -cutting
ceremony (depicted above left) started at the
bandshell and amphitheater with speakers, including
Lt. Governor Brad Little, Mayor Tammy de Weerd,
and representatives from the Kleiner Park Trust,
including Gene Kleiner. All members of the City
Council and
the Parks &
Recreation
Commission
were able to
attend this
wonderful
ceremony, too.
The ceremony was the main event of the day's
activities, as we honored Gene
Kleiner for his amazing gift to
the City of Meridian, a $25
million dollar park donation.
- Highlights of the ceremony
included the Mayor's
presentation of the Key to the
Cityto Gene Kleiner and Gene's
own description of why he chose
to donate this park in honor of his father (depicted
immarliata left naxt to S'tava
(continued on page 2)
IN THIS ISSUE:
Meridian Celebrates Opening of a Legacy Park ... 1- 2
A Sneak Peek Into Future Parks .............. 3
Volunteers Lend Many Helping Hands ......... 3
Ready, Set, Construct! ..................... 4- 5
Settlers Pilot Recycling Program Deemed a Success 5
Kleiner Park Off -Leash Dog Trial Program ...... 6
Pathway Provides Critical Link to Overall
Network ............................. 7
Snapshot Gallery 2012 ..................... 8
Various Upgrades/Improvements Increase
Quality of Life ......................... 9- 10
City of Meridian Thanks Petals & Stems and
MGT Legacy Church .................... 10
Growing Adult Sports Programs Make Headway. . 11
A Community Drawn to Lively Special Events .... 12-14
A Look Back at TAC ...................... 15
Summer Camps Offer Wide Array of Fun
Activities ............................. 15- 16
f •
MERIDIAN CELEBRATES OPENING OF A LEGACY PARK (cont'd from page 1)
Following the
ribbon -cutting
ceremony, the
park was filled
with activities
for the whole
family. From
2:00-5:30 p.m.,
activities
included live music, inflatable toys, face painting,
bocce ball lessons, trolley rides (depicted above)
around the park, guided park tours, free fishing, and
a park scavenger hunt with prizes.
Then at 6:00 p.m., the Meridian Symphony Orchestra
(depicted above) added an exclamation point at the
end of this incredible day with the inaugural
performance in the bandshell and amphitheater. This
magical performance was really enjoyed by all who
attended.
After the
event, we
assembled a
scrapbook of
written
comments
from that day
and photos
of the park.
We presented
the book to
Page 2
Gene Kleiner to commemorate the Grand Opening
and our collective feelings from that day. Gene, in
turn, expressed his gratitude for the book and stated
his intent to pass it down to future generations of
Kleiners within his own family.
Kleiner park features 3 family picnic shelters, 2 large
group picnic shelters, a bandshell and amphitheater,
2 large fishing ponds (depicted above), a new
Meridian Senior Center, the Rock of Honor
Memorial, a playground and splash pad, 3.3 miles of
walking paths, an arboretum, bocce ball courts, a
sand volleyball court, basketball courts, and lots of
open grass areas.
•
': . . . . . . . .s
A SNEAK PEAK INTO FUTURE PARKS
Cherry Lane Property Purchase:
We are pleased to announce that in May 2012 we
successfully closed on and are now the owners of an
additional 17.5 acres (Bottles Property) adjacent to
the Borup
Property on
Cherry Lane,
near
McDermott
Road
(depicted
left). This
additional
property will
increase the options for development of the
property in the future.
Aldape Property Pond:
The Aldape
Property sits at
the
northernmost
point of
Meridian's
Area of Impact,
touching the
Boise River.
This site will be
home to a
major, future park in Meridian's park system
Unlike
Page 3
other parks, this one will be less developed and will
focus on the existing, beautiful, natural areas
adjacent to the river. In October 3, 2012, Sherrie
Ewing hosted a groundbreaking ceremony
(depicted above) on the property to celebrate the
beginning of construction of a new 6 -acre pond on
the site. Gravel extracted from the pond
construction will be used in the Highway 16
extension project. The pond will become one of the
amenities in the future park. We look forward to
master planning the rest of the park amenities and
helping bring this park to fruition in the future with
Sherrie and her family.
Isola Creek Subdivision Neighborhood Park:
VOLUNTEERS LEND MANY HELPING HANDS
In 2012, the Meridian Parks & Recreation
Department recorded 3,112 volunteer hours, which
saved the City $48,018.16. Volunteer project
highlights from 2012 include:
Tree planting, picnic table building, bark
spreading, and other park maintenance at Julius
M. Kleiner Memorial Park in preparation for the
park's grand opening.
Pruning around and painting the Settlers Park
pump house.
Planting 36 more trees at Lakeview Golf Course,
bringing the total planted through volunteer
projects in the last two years to 140 trees.
Volunteers have been a key component at
almost every community event, such as
CableONE Movie Night in Meridian, Community
Block Party, Christmas Tree Lighting, Children's
Winterland Festival, Meridian Barn Sour,
READY, SET, CONSTRUCT!
Maintenance Facility Update:
On September 12, 2012, the Meridian Parks &
Recreation Department broke ground on our new
Parks Maintenance Facility. The Parks Maintenance
Division has outgrown its current facility located at
11 West Bower Street. The new facility (depicted
above)will serve the needs of a growing department
now and well into the future. Located at 1700 E.
Lanark Street, the facility will have offices for
personnel, a training room, community office, nearly
6,000 square feet of shop space, covered parking,
and a steel building for storage. The buildings have
an estimated completion date of June 1, 2013.
Additional Parking at Settlers Park:
For safety reasons, and at the request of the City,
Ustick Road and the west side of Meridian Road
directly adjacent to Settlers Park has been signed
"No Parking." The loss of parking could put
additional pressure on the neighborhood to the
north as park users venture elsewhere when our lots
are full. As a result, we planned for this parking
shortage by installing a one -acre gravel parking lot
directly behind the baseball fields at Settlers Park.
This additional parking will accommodate 125
vehicles and will greatly improve parking availability
during sporting and special events.
Settlers Village Square, Phase 2 Tennis Courts:
Settlers Village Square, Phase 1 consists of two
Page 4
tennis courts, horseshoe courts, and two picnic
shelters. This project was completed in 2009 and is
one of the most popular amenities in our parks
system. For Phase 2 (depicted far above right), this
fiscal year the park will receive four additional
outdoor tennis courts, a championship tennis court,
three QuickStart courts for tennis players under the
age of ten, a picnic shelter, and 36 additional
parking spaces. The QuickStart courts are
anticipated to be built through the award of a
United States Tennis Association grant to encourage
youth to play tennis. The project is currently in
design and will likely go into construction in the
spring of 2013 with an anticipated completion date
of fall 2013.
8th Street Park Improvements:
Did you know 8th Street Park is our oldest park and
could be the most underutilized park in our system?
Eighth Street Park is the only neighborhood park
without restroom facilities resulting in fewer visits
and for shorter durations. That's about to change.
We applied for and received
(continued on page 5)
READY, SET, CONSTRUCT! (cont'd from page 4)
Tully Park Dugout Renovations:
Meridian Parks &
Recreation's maintenance
staff installed new roofs
Page 5
purchased utilizing the grant funding. Though the
well facility occupies only a few thousand square
feet, it does not qualify as outdoor recreation and
pushes the park out of compliance. In order to bring
onto the east dugouts at the the park into compliance with the grant regulations,
Tully Park ball fields located staff has been working on a land swap with the
at 2500 N. Linder Road Meridian Dairy Board and the Meridian Speedway
(depicted left) in spring 2012 utilizing recycled steel,
which was modified and fabricated for the support
columns. Salvaged tin roofing was used for the
roofs. Because all welding and carpentry was
accomplished in-house, there were substantial cost
savings to the City of Meridian of approximately
$8,000. The maintenance crew then painted the new
structures with the help of community service
workers.
Storey Park Master Plan:
A little over a year ago, the Department
commissioned an updated master plan for Storey
Park. For many years, approximately four (4) acres
has set idle and undeveloped. This area was utilized
for overflow parking during community events and
has been increasingly utilized by Meridian Speedway
operations. The master plan project will also solve
an ongoing issue with the regulations governing the
original park land purchase. A Land and Water
Conservation Fund grant was utilized to purchase
the property nearly 45 years ago. The stipulation on
the federal grant says that the land will provide
outdoor recreation in perpetuity.
operator. This would remove the well facility
property from the park boundary and gain other
land to serve outdoor recreation. Once the land
swap process is complete,
work with the City,
stakeholders, and the
public to create a plan
for the rest of the
park, including the
newly acquired land.
Though time
intensive, the project
may come to fruition
in the next year.
the design consultant will
2012 Downtown
Tree Replacement �..
Projects•
With the help of the Meridian Development
Corporation (MDC), the MPR Department was able
to replace 12 old tree boxes and trees in the
downtown area (depicted right). This was a great
project and puts us a little closer every year to our
goal of changing out all the old boxes and trees.
A few years ago, a municipal well facility was We were also involved in the construction of new
installed within the bounds of the park land streetscape on Pine Street at the Church of the
SETTLERS PILOT RECYCLING PROGRAM DEEMED A SUCCESS
Meridian Parks & Recreation has partnered with Mollie Mangerich, Environmental Programs Manager with
Public Works, and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) to institute a recycling program in Settlers
Park. The Department obtained a grant from SWAC to purchase 20 permanent, blue, metal recycling
containers for placement around high -use areas. The containers are clearly marked "Recycle Only" and have
lids that only plastic water bottles or drink cans can fit through. This has helped tremendously with
contamination issues. The program was intended to be a pilot program but has been so successful that it is
JULIUS M. KLEINER MEMORIAL PARK
E RVER -
VALLet SL
'1.M•KLE1lyFR
Off -Leash Dog Hours
Rrvia d Ocinbcr 2012
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Page 6
TRIAL PROGRAM
Dates:
November 1, 2012
through
March 30, 2013
Times:
Dawn to 10:00 AM
and
4:00 PM to Dusk
Off -Leash Rules:
1. Dog owners are responsible for the
actions and behaviors of their dogs.
2. All dogs must be wearing a current
dog license.
3. All dogs must be on a leash when
outside the designated off -leash area.
4. No aggressive dogs allowed.
5. Dog owners must clean up after their
dog.
At the Meridian City Council meeting on October 23, 2012, the Mayor and Council approved the Meridian
Parks & Recreation Administrative Policy adopting a trial program for off -leash dogs in Julius M. Kleiner
Memorial Park. During the meeting, City Council members discussed questions and concerns ranging from
budgets to liability, but agreed to allow the program to move forward on a trial basis.
The purpose of this program is to establish designated areas and times allowing dogs off -leash. The
designated dates will be effective November 1, 2012 through March 30, 2013. The designated times are from
dawn to 10:00 AM, and from 4:00 PM to dusk. All park patrons must abide by the Off -Leash Rules.
The map depicts the two off -leash areas. The larger area on the north pond is about six acres and will be
available for larger dogs. The smaller area on the south pond is about 1 acre and will be available for small
dogs. All dogs outside of the designated areas during off -leash hours or in the park anywhere mid-day must
still be on a leash.
Mutt -mitt stations are positioned throughout the park, which provide dog waste bags to encourage and
promote park cleanliness. Since this is a trial program for a limited time, the designated areas and rules are
c,� .
C�fE IDIAN�--
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Page 6
TRIAL PROGRAM
Dates:
November 1, 2012
through
March 30, 2013
Times:
Dawn to 10:00 AM
and
4:00 PM to Dusk
Off -Leash Rules:
1. Dog owners are responsible for the
actions and behaviors of their dogs.
2. All dogs must be wearing a current
dog license.
3. All dogs must be on a leash when
outside the designated off -leash area.
4. No aggressive dogs allowed.
5. Dog owners must clean up after their
dog.
At the Meridian City Council meeting on October 23, 2012, the Mayor and Council approved the Meridian
Parks & Recreation Administrative Policy adopting a trial program for off -leash dogs in Julius M. Kleiner
Memorial Park. During the meeting, City Council members discussed questions and concerns ranging from
budgets to liability, but agreed to allow the program to move forward on a trial basis.
The purpose of this program is to establish designated areas and times allowing dogs off -leash. The
designated dates will be effective November 1, 2012 through March 30, 2013. The designated times are from
dawn to 10:00 AM, and from 4:00 PM to dusk. All park patrons must abide by the Off -Leash Rules.
The map depicts the two off -leash areas. The larger area on the north pond is about six acres and will be
available for larger dogs. The smaller area on the south pond is about 1 acre and will be available for small
dogs. All dogs outside of the designated areas during off -leash hours or in the park anywhere mid-day must
still be on a leash.
Mutt -mitt stations are positioned throughout the park, which provide dog waste bags to encourage and
promote park cleanliness. Since this is a trial program for a limited time, the designated areas and rules are
Page 7
PATHWAY PROVIDES CRITICAL LINK TO OVERALL NETWORK
Five Mile Creek, Segment H1 Pine to Badley:
According to the City -adopted Meridian Pathways
Master Plan, Five Mile Creek, Segment H connects
Fairview Avenue with Locust Grove at Franklin Road.
Segment H1 is the north half of this pathway
connection between Fairview and Pine Avenues. The
Five Mile Creek Pathway, Segment H1 project has
come to fruition through the efforts of many
citizens, consultants, City staff, and agencies. The
pathway project got its start through a Community
Development Block
Grant (CDBG)
application for funding
in 2009. The successful
application provided
federal funding for
engineering design and
for construction of the
pathway. Though the
process was slow at
times and had to clear
many hurdles from
environmental analysis
and floodplain
development
regulations to
land owners fronting Fairview Avenue was
determined to be not possible at this time. In late
2010, the project scope was adjusted to finalize the
design and construct the pathway from Pine to
Badley only, with the hope that an avenue to extend
the pathway north to Fairview will come to fruition.
In the future, the pathway will be connected to
Fairview as soon as the easements can be secured.
complying with federal requirements, three years
later, the project is complete and is open for public
recreational use.
The original scope of the project was a ten (10) foot
wide multi -use pathway connecting Pine Avenue
with Fairview Avenue along Five Mile Creek.
Parametrix was selected for engineering consulting
services to provide the environmental analysis
documentation, surveying, pathway design, public
involvement processes, and construction
administration. Preliminary engineering estimates
illustrated that the available funding would not be
sufficient to construct the entire pathway segment.
Further, during the public involvement phase of
design, the challenges of securing easements from
Prior to construction,
several agencies,
federal, state, and
local, had to approve
the construction plans.
This included a
requirement to
replace the culvert to
allow crossing of the
creek, approving
development within
the creek's floodway,
and allowing the
pathway to be
connected to the
roadway shoulder.
There are many
consultant and agency staff to thank for
accomplishing this. The project was bid in January
2012. C&A Paving was selected as the contractor.
Construction began in early March, and the paving
was completed this past July. Throughout
construction, many challenges arose and were met
to maintain contract deadlines (largely wet spring
Page 8
SNAPSHOT GALLERY 2012
ou . . . . . .
VARIOUS UPGRADES/IMPROVEMENTS INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE
Lakeview Golf Club:
Last year, as part of phase one, the City and Ashford
Greens Homeowners Association partnered on some
much needed improvements to the golf course
frontage along Dawson Street. The City designed
and paid for the improvements that consisted of
clearing weeds, the installation of an irrigation
system, soil improvements, and approximately
10,000 square feet of new sod. Ashford Greens
agreed if the City would pay for these
improvements, they would maintain the new area at
no cost to the City.
Phase two of the improvements to the golf course,
which were completed in the spring of 2012,
consisted of the green up of the bare area on the
left-hand side of the clubhouse next to hole #1. An
irrigation system, roto -mill path, and grass seed on
approximately one acre were added.
In addition, Jayker Wholesale Nursery generously
donated 36 new pine and deciduous trees, which
were planted on the course with the help of
volunteers, including the Meridian Lions Club,
Renaissance High School, and the Leos Club. The
MPR Department coordinated the digging of the
donated pine trees. A public open house was held
at Lakeview's clubhouse in April 2012 to solicit input
to the tree planting project from surrounding
neighbors. To date, there have been 140 new trees
planted at the course over two years which have all
been donated. Only replacement trees are planned
for next spring.
These beautification projects have greatly improved
the curb appeal of the clubhouse, the course, and
the neighborhood.
Security Within the Parks System:
s
Page 9
In a coordinated effort with the Meridian Police
Department, security system upgrades continue to
confirm savings for the City in vandalism repairs.
Occurrences are low. New lower price points on
hnrrdwarP anrd
software are allowing
for the upgrades
which include fast
uplinks to the City's
network. Ongoing
modifications to the
system include: hi -
resolution cameras and motion detection in sensitive
areas, along with increased data storage.
Ten Mile Interchange Landscaping:
Landscaping and irrigation for the Ten Mile
Interchange is complete. The slopes were seeded
with a drought -tolerant native fescue mix and are
intended to have a prairie style look. A similar sod
variety, together with bluegrass, was installed on the
SPUI--or "Single -Point Urban Interchange" --islands,
for a similar appearance to the slopes. This variety
can also be manicured. At the north medians
(depicted
above), native
drought- y,
tolerant plants --.' = er
were chosen �, ' `�,
along with the
grasses. The k <<
irrigation all
system was m
paid for from
a federal grant, and reclaimed water will be used
with an anticipated 15 million gallons of treated
water diverted from the waste water treatment
facility annually; based on 32 inches of water per
calendar year applied on 18 acres.
Arbor Day Celebration 2012:
This year the Arbor Day
(continued on page 10)
The City of Meridian would
liKe to thanL:
PE.TAL5 & 5Tr-M5
,266s W. rairview Avenue, Boise
Phone: 888-2+1-+
For Providing all of the City hall tree decor!
MGT LEGACY CHURCH
1507 N. Mericlian Road, Meridian
Phone: 888-2510
For decorating the tree!
Page 10
VARIOUS UPGRADES/IMPROVEMENTS INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE (cont'd from page
Pathway Directional Signage:
The Department recently implemented a new
directional signage program on City -maintained
pathways. Over the course of the past year, staff has
worked with Trademark Sign Company to develop a
prototype directional sign that would readily identify
City pathway segments. The sign's graphic elements
follow the City's graphic standards color selection,
contain elements identifying the City via the logo
and star/waves, the Pathway name, segment,
connecting streets, and directional/destination
locations and distances. The sign also includes the
City's pathway rules utilizing graphic symbols. By
incorporating the signage on the City's pathways,
users will know where they are and how far their
destinations are. Further, by posting the rules on
our pathways, enforcement
becomes much more accessible,
enhancing pathway user safety.
The recently dedicated Five Mile
Creek Pathway, Pine to Badley
was the first pathway to receive
these signs (depictedleft). The
Diane & Winston Moore
s
Pathway will receive signage in the near future, while
other existing pathways, such as the Bud Porter, will
receive signs in the next year. The directional signs
will be incorporated in all
future pathway projects.
Community Garden in
Kleiner Park:
In late spring, the
Meridian Cooperative
Gardening Club (depicted
right) planted a
community garden in
Kleiner Park. Crops
harvested included
cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans,
peppers, eggplant,
summer squash, sweet
corn, leeks, and melons.
Over 5,000 pounds of
vegetables were shared
with the Meridian Food
Bank. The Club had 15
families that
GROWING ADULT SPORTS PROGRAMS MAKE HEADWAY
The adult sports programs were in full swing in 2012.
It all started with a six -team increase in our adult
Winter Volleyball program (depicted below) going
from 80 teams to 86 teams. The popularity of our
volleyball program grew even more in the spring
with the Spring league growing by 27 teams from
the 2011 Spring league.
The trend continued into Spring Softball and then
into Fall Softball. Both seasons were near their
capacity with the fields that we currently have. The
MPR Department partnered with Judy Crandell this
year and added a Girls' Fast Pitch Tournament over
Memorial Day weekend. The tournament was a
success; even after battling the rain, all teams
received their four games and toughed it out. Our
Parks crew was able to get the fields playable in time
for all the games to be played. There were 27 teams
in the tournament, and we hope to increase the
number of teams next year.
This fall we had good weather for the Fall Flag
Football league to finish up without any rainouts.
We have two divisions this year and nine teams. We
hope to increase this league for the next year.
The adult Dodgeball league ran at the same time as
the Flag Football league, which was a success as
�: s
Page 11
well. There were 17 teams in the league this year.
All of the action -packed games were played at
Heritage Middle School through September and
October.
A focus in the 2013 season will be on the adult
Basketball program. We hope to increase this
league next year by offering a summer 3 on 3
league, as well as the winter 5 on 5 league. More
information will be available soon for both leagues.
Other adult recreational sports programs that are
being explored for the 2013 seasons are an outdoor
Summer Volleyball league and more adult Softball
summer tournaments.
For more information regarding any or all adult
sports programs, please contact the Meridian Parks
& Recreation office at 888-3579.
Holidav Classic Vollevball Tournament:
The 2nd Annual Holiday Classic Volleyball
Tournament was held Saturday, December 8th at
Heritage Middle School. This year's tournament
sponsors were Yogurtz, Walmart, Sportsman's
Warehouse, Al Stamp, Fuddruckers, Cheerleaders
Sports Bar, and the Volleyball officials. Last year
the tournament raised over $1,400 to benefit the
Meridian Hope Tree and the less fortunate families
in Meridian. This year, we raised $2,400 for the
Meridian Kiwanis Hope Tree and helped 45 children.
Staff and volunteers went on a shopping trip and
A COMMUNITY DRAWN TO LIVELY SPECIAL EVENTS
9th Annual Meridian Barn Sour the Largest Ever:
The 2012 Meridian Barn Sour 10k/5k/1 Mile Fun Run
(depicted right)
was hosted at
Settlers Park on
June 23, 2012
and boasted 231
participants, the
most in the
event's history.
Racers traversed
a fun and challenging course that incorporated
Meridian's parks and pathways. After it was all over,
some great awards were given to both overall and
age division winners from the event sponsors, Idaho
Athletic Club, Shu's Idaho Running Company, and
The Pulse Running and Fitness. Every racer
received a t -shirt with their registration, and a variety
of raffle prizes were also handed out; so nobody
walked away empty handed.
The event is a fundraiser for Meridian Parks &
Recreation's Care Enough to Share program, which
offers scholarships to low income Meridian kids to
participate in recreation activities. We were very
proud to raise $1,693.31 from the proceeds of this
year's event.
For more information about the Meridian Barn Sour,
CLICK HERE.
3rd Annual Meridian Community Block Party
Features Fun for the Whole Family:
On Saturday, September 8, 2012, the Meridian Parks
& Recreation
Department hosted
the 3rd Annual
Meridian
Community Block
Party presented by
Rehab Authority
at Settlers Park
from 10:00 a.m. to
;i •
Page 12
5:00 p.m. The event offered fun for the whole family
and was a great way to send summer out on a high
note. The day kicked off at 10:00 a.m. with a family
5k run hosted by RehabAuthority, plus other
activities, including bounce houses, obstacle courses,
giant slides, a climbing wall, bungee run, monster
boxing, tsunami surf, triple play sports cage, video
games, giant hamster balls, mini bike races (depicted
far bottom left), football activities, and much more!
Cheerleaders Sports Bar and Grill and
RehabAuthority teamed up to cook hamburgers and
hot dogs from 11:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. They were
available for a small charge,
and there were also other
food vendors selling
lemonade, ice cream, funnel
cakes, cotton candy, pretzels,
and caramel corn.
Throughout the day, music
was provided by Mix 106 and 104.3 Wow Country
who had on-site broadcasts featuring Kate McGwire
and Alana Lynn. Both radio stations hosted contests
during the event with great prizes including a
camping set and a big screen TV with PS3/Nintendo
Wii family gaming system (depicted right).
The event also had instructors on hand who offer
classes in the Meridian Parks and Recreation Fall
Activity Guide. These instructors provided
information and gave demonstrations of their
classes so everyone could see what the class would
be like before registering. On-site registration was
available, and participants received a 10% discount
by registering during the event.
Mayor De Weerd explained, "This 'block party' is a
great way for members of our community to enjoy
many of the elements that makes Meridian a great
place to live, work, and raise a family. The
abundance of green
(continued on page 13)
A COMMUNITY DRAWN TO LIVELY SPECIAL EVENTS (cont'd from page 12)
CableONE Movie Night in Meridian:
In 2012, CableONE Movie Night in Meridian
celebrated its 6t" season of family movies at Settlers
Park every Friday during the summer months of
June, July, and
August. Over the
last six years, we've
shown a total of 68
outdoor movies and
provided a venue for
families to share
countless memories
together.
In 2012, we showed 12 movies with 2 rain -outs, and
the big story was the upgrade of our inflatable
movie screen from a 25'x14' screen to a brand new
30'x17' screen (depicted above). The new screen
arrived in time to use for more than half the shows
in 2012 and was a welcome addition to enhance the
viewing experience for movie-goers.
A change was also made to the CableONE Movie
Night in Meridian policies in 2012. To help maintain
the quality, family -friendly atmosphere that has
made CableONE Movie Night in Meridian so
popular, a new rule was implemented which
required youth under 18 in attendance to be
accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. This
policy will continue to be enforced in 2013 and
beyond. Stay tuned, though, for a new Teen Movie
Night program in 2013!
Presenting Sponsors for the 2012 season included
St. Alphonsus Meridian Health Plaza, K12, and
Rocky Mountain Audio -Visual. Thank you for your
support!
For more information about CableONE Movie Night
in Meridian, CLICK HERE.
Page 13
Meridian Parks & Recreation Hosts 2nd Annual
Community Golf Scramble:
On Saturday, May 19, 2012, the Meridian Parks &
Recreation Department hosted the Meridian Parks &
Recreation Community Golf Scramble (depicted far
above right) presented by Project Filter at
Lakeview Golf Club. Several excellent prizes were
given out to the tournament winners, plus there
were contest holes, including long -putt, men's and
women's long -drive, closest -to -the -pin, and an
opportunity to win $10,000 if a player landed a hole -
in -one, although no one did. In addition, Lakeview
Golf Course hosted a freejunior golf clinic
immediately following the tournament at 2:00 p.m.
The tournament is a fundraiser for Meridian Parks &
Recreation's parks and programs, and the recipient
of the proceeds this year was the Department's Care
Enough to Share program, which awards
scholarships to low-income Meridian youth to
participate in recreation activities. A silent auction
with great items to bid on was also held throughout
the tournament to raise additional money for the
fund. All told, $1,930.17 was raised for Care Enough
to Care.
For more
information about
the Meridian Parks
& Recreation
Community Golf
Scramble, CLICK
h
(continued on page
A COMMUNITY DRAWN TO LIVELY SPECIAL EVENTS (cont'd from page 13)
"Our partnership with the Meridian Speedway has
really been a benefit to the community," said Steve
Siddoway, Meridian Parks and Recreation
Director. "It has given Meridian residents an
Independence Day celebration and fireworks display
they can be proud of, and we're looking forward to
continuing our partnership with the Speedway for
many years to come."
For more information about the Meridian
Independence Day Festival, CLICK HERE.
Unplug and Be Outside Week Gets Kids Active:
Did you know that kids today are spending as much
as 30 hours a week dialed into video games,
computers, mobile devices, and other technology?
Unplug and Be Outside Week was started in 2011 as
an event to inspire and empower families to get off
the couch and get active! In 2012, the initiative set
their sights on going statewide, and the Meridian
Parks & Recreation Department jumped in with both
feet to promote active lifestyles for Meridian
families.
From April 21St -28tH Meridian Parks & Recreation
facilitated the organization of 24 FREE activities,
including geocaching, fly -tying clinics, yoga,
preschool sports, self-defense, belly dance, tennis
clinics (depicted above), ballet, a fun run, a
skateboard clinic, a golf clinic, and a camping expo
at Sierra Trading Post.
•
Page 14
All participants received a passport card for the
week, and for every activity they participated in, they
received a sticker on their passport card. At the end
of the week, if they participated in at least three
activities, they could mail in their passport card for
the chance to win some great prizes!
For more information about Unplug and Be Outside
Week, CLICK HERE.
Christmas in Meridian:
We kicked -off the Christmas season on Friday,
November 30, 2012 with the annual Christmas Tree
Lighting Ceremony in Generations Plaza on the
corner of Main Street and Idaho Avenue. The
evening started with a special showing of the short
cartoon, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," at 6:00
p.m. Then during the ceremony, co -emcees Brad
Hoaglun, City Council President, and Carolyn Holly
of KTVB Idaho's News Channel 7 led the crowd
through a magical event that included free hot
chocolate and donuts, free carriage rides,
performances
by local school
choirs, the
announcing of
the Christmas
Essay Contest,
and a very
special visit
from Santa
who helped us
light the City's
Christmas tree!
The next morning, Saturday December 1St, Meridian
City Hall played host to the 4th Annual Children's
Winterland Festival from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. All the
kids who came enjoyed fun activities, including
pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, face painting,
toy building, trolley rides, Christmas crafts and
games, and letters to Santa. In addition, during the
Children's Winterland Festival, we hosted the 1St
h
A LOOK BACK AT TAC
The Teen Activities Council (TAC) held the 2nd Annual
"Ignite Youth" event on February 10, 2012. Ignite Ignite Youth was
events are held all over the world by different part of a variety of
groups to create a forum for presenting diverse successful events in
ideas and interests to promote creativity and
inspiration in the world surrounding them.
Individuals present their ideas on stage, and each
one gets 20 slides as a visual aid via PowerPoint, 15
seconds on each slide, for a total of 5 minutes to
engage their audience and get them thinking!
In 2012, eight teens from a variety of Meridian high
schools presented their ideas to a large crowd and a
panel of local celebrity judges, including Mayor
Tammy de Weerd at Mountain View High School.
Judges selected Eli Nary, a Rocky Mountain High
School student, the winner with a presentation
entitled "Everyone is a Little Racist," (depicted far
above right) an examination on how racism still
the 2011-2012
school year for the
Teen Activities
Page 15
Council. Students of the TAC also met for a social
gathering and attended an Idaho Steelheads game
with other Meridian teens paid for by TAC. The TAC
planned the decorations for the annual Mayor's
Youth Advisory Council Dinner Auction benefiting
the Meridian Valley Humane Society and
volunteered at the event on March 22, 2012. The
TAC finished off the school year with a night at
Wahooz Family Fun Zone free to the first 70
students to sign up.
The Teen Activities Council is a subcommittee of the
exists in society today. The student was awarded a larger youth leadership group, the Mayor's Youth
Kindle Fire, and the Ignite Youth trophy traveled to Advisory Council. The TAC's vision is to provide
Rocky Mountain High School until next year's event. positive, safe, and engaging activities for teens that
SUMMER CAMPS OFFER WIDE ARRAY OF FUN ACTIVITIES
Summer of 2012 was another highly active and fast- Park.
paced season for Meridian Parks & Recreation staff,
campers, and parents. Our summer camp programs Camp Mer -IDA -Moo filled the Meridian Community
were packed with sports, arts
and crafts, music, field trips,
and adventure. Outdoor
adventure camp traveled to
various destinations to take
on challenge courses, enjoy
swimming, cycling, rock
climbing, kayaking, and
whitewater rafting.
Sports campers improved
their athletic skills with
basketball in Heroes Park and
football, baseball/softball, and soccer in Chateau
;i •
Center with talent and fashion
shows, art projects for each
week's theme, reading time,
camp Olympics, barn dances,
costume days, and "celebrity"
appearances. Each week
campers and staff enjoyed
field trips to various locations
around the Treasure Valley
that provided both
educational and recreational
experiences (depicted left).
Campers also spent each
Tuesday at Settlers Park
(continued on page 16)
SUMMER CAMPS OFFER WIDE ARRAY OF FUN ACTIVITIES (cont'd from page 15)
Camp Mer -IDA -Teen had a successful second of the Community Center back wall, and staff
summer at the Meridian Community Center. Teens
enjoyed their own programming and art projects
specific to their age group. They also enjoyed a trip
to Wahooz Family Fun Zone and a whitewater
rafting trip. They spent plenty of their summer
creating a teen camp magazine that featured each
camper and their interests, their favorite staff
members' information, pictures, and quotes from
their summer spent at camp.
Our summer art camp expanded its artistic scope
this summer adding an outdoor adventure
watercolor painting camp. During this week,
campers and camp staff visited several locations to
refine their painting skills. Subjects this week
included landscapes, river wildlife, horses, and even
a fire engine! Campers visited Meridian Fire Station
#1 where the young artists learned about fire safety
and what the functions of the subject of their art
project were from our Meridian Fire Fighters!
Team art project week yielded major excitement for
campers and staff as they took on a project to create
an art mural using the Meridian Community Center
as their canvas! The idea was to create something
that reminded us of our Community Center and
invoke creativity and originality among campers
enrolled in art camp that week. We chose a portion
Page 16
painted a landscape with a grass and sky landscape
with a large tree in view (depicted be/ow). Each
camper received a wooden square to paint anything
they wanted to imagine finding in that tree, and we
received everything from birds to spaceships! The
wooden squares are interchangeable; therefore,
each year we can return each camper's art and
feature the next group of camper art for the
following year. The project was a huge success, and
it was a full circle effort completed by Parks
Maintenance staff, summer camp staff, and the
campers themselves.
Outdoor musical theater camp ran for its first
summer at the bandshell in Julius M. Kleiner
Memorial Park during the summer of 2012. Led by
local theatre instructor Mary Jensen, this week-long
camp featured youth ages 8-12 as they practiced
their acting and vocal skills all leading up to their
performance for parents and park -goers on midday
Friday. The bandshell amphitheater was filled with
fans of the young performers, and they received a
standing ovation for their musical performance of
Seussical the Musical (depicted above) on June 29,
2012 and July 9, 2012.
h
MPR COMMISSION SPOTLIGHT
The Meridian Parks & Recreation
' J Commission is a volunteer citizens' group
that is created and empowered to advise the
City on issues relating to park facilities and
recreation programs of the City. Their mission is to
gather input from staff and other qualified personnel
on issues relating to the creation and design of
public parks and open spaces; to listen to public
input; and to provide advice and recommendations
on parks and recreation related matters to the
Mayor and City Council.
Some of the Commission's achievements as a whole
over the past fiscal
year are highlighted
as follows:
As part of the
Commission's
networking and
communication
goals, the
Commissioners held their first ever team -
building barbecue at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial
Park on May 9, 2012. Participants toured the
park (depicted right). Mayor De Weerd, Council
Liaison Keith Bird, and MPR staff also attended.
Both the Commission and staff together worked
with the Kleiner Park Trust to develop a
memorial park. The design and development of
Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park was successfully
completed. A grand opening celebration was
held on June 9, 2012.
In an overall effort to coordinate with other cities
and jurisdictions to create a regional network of
pathways linking the cities together, the
Commission invited each of the cities of Nampa,
Boise, and Kuna to join Meridian for separate
pathways workshops held in April, July, and
August of 2012. They identified several possible
connections along Meridian's borders.
The Five Mile Creek Pathway segment from Pine
to Badley was completed in September 2012.
1 11
The pathway
dedication was
held on October
8, 2012.
A Pathways Tour
was held in
October 2012
(depicted far
Page 17
above right) in which the Commission focused
on pedestrian/bicycle connections in and around
downtown Meridian. Representatives from the
Ada County Highway District (ACHD), the
Meridian Development Corporation (MDC), and
the City's Community Development Department
were all invited to attend and were an integral
part of the presentations and discussions.
Some highlights from the Recreation & Special
Events Committee are as follows:
The Committee provided support to the MPR
Department on:
The 2nd Annual Meridian Parks & Recreation
Community Golf Scramble held on May 19,
2012 raising over $1,000 for the Care to
Share program.
The Children's Winterland Festival held on
December 1, 2012 moving the event from
the Meridian Community Center to Meridian
City Hall to expand the event.
The 3rd Annual Community Block Party held
on September 8, 2012 in Settlers Park.
The decision to make the CableONE Movie
Night season more family -friendly by
implementing a policy entailing all children
under 18 must be accompanied with a parent
or guardian.
A few highlights from the Parks Amenities &
Signage Committee are as follows:
The Committee began the process of compiling
data to develop a master amenities plan for all
parks after site visits
(continued on page 18)
MPR COMMISSION SPOTLIGHT (cont'd from page 17)
The first commemorative plaque was mounted at
Kleiner Park (depicted right),
which was unveiled at thededication ceremony held inSt
June. The Committee has
worked hard at creating mock-
ups for all of the other parks
which are nearing finalization.
They worked with the City of Boise Parks &
Recreation staff to discuss a dogs off -leash trial
program in Kleiner Park and recommended an
administrative policy be forwarded to the Mayor
and City Council, which was approved in October
2012.
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
This year, I want to take a moment to pause and
reflect on two things.
First, I want to reflect on my gratitude for the events
and opportunities of this past year. The Parks &
Recreation Department had an amazing year in
2012. We held the grand opening of Julius M.
Kleiner Memorial Park, acquired new property for a
future park, broke ground on a new Maintenance
Facility, hired new recreation staff, opened a new
pathway, increased our sports programs, and held
many successful community -wide events. This year
has been full of wonderful successes and amazing
opportunities for our entire department.
Second, I want to reflect on some of our core
values. We try our best to be examples of the city-
wide core values of Customer Service,
Accountability, Respect, and Excellence (CARE). This
is what we call The Meridian Wayof doing things.
How do we do this? We focus on Putting Meridian
Firstthrough the implementation of the three core
values of our own department: Quality, Community,
and Fun.
Page 18
Other highlights from the Community Liaison
Committee/Dog Park Task Force are as follows:
The Committee was tasked with helping in the
production of a new MPR Department
community promotional video. Throughout the
year, members have dedicated countless hours
to filming various activities, amenities, programs,
and special events that Meridian has to offer.
The footage will be given to MPR staff for editing
with production work anticipated to begin next
spring.
The Dog Park Task Force has been hard at work
at planning a dog walk scheduled for May 4,
2013. They received a Solid Waste Advisory
Committee grant of $3,500 earlier this year that
Quality: We strive for well-designed parks with
a high amenity value and lasting materials. We
strive for quality in our maintenance of existing
parks. We are always looking to improve the
depth and quality of the recreation programs we
offer. We seek to improve on our wonderful
special events for the entire community to enjoy.
We are out to build a legacy of quality.
Community: Research has shown that
Meridian's primary demographic is young
families with children; therefore, our park
amenities, recreation
programs, and special
events all need to be family
-friendly. At the same time,
we need to understand and
respond to the needs of our
growing elderly population.
Special events (Movie
Night, Christmas Tree
Lighting, etc.) are great
tools to engage the entire
community and for building
a sense of connection.
THE 4-1-1 ON COMMISSIONERS & STAFF
Meridian Parks & Recreation Commissioners:
Michael Martin
Served from February 2008 - January
2012; Commission President From
S
Above: Michael Martin (left) was formally recognized
at a ceremony on January 2012 with a plaque
and certificate of appreciation by
MPR Director Steve Siddoway (right) for his service
as Commission President throughout 2011.
01
I- f1i"'(1i
Tiffany Morrin
Joined the
Commission in
Shawn Testin
Served from
November 2009 -
n
Kent Goldthorpe
Joined the
Commission in
Page 19
Jack Borton
Joined the
Commission in
Meridian Parks & Recreation Department Staff:
Allison Kaptein
Former Recreation
Coordinator
from June 2007 to
Jeremy Anselmo
Parks Groundskeeper
I;
Joined the Team in
f1�
s •
f
Patrick Dilley
Recreation
Coordinator;
Joined the Team in