2015 Annual Parks and Rec Newsletter2015
Annual Newsletter
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Welcome
Steve Siddoway
Director
Meridian Parks and
Recreation
Inside...
Director's Message
Staff
Honors, Awards & Grants
Department Achievements
Meridian Parks & Recreation
Commission
Photo Gallery
Volunteers and Partnerships
Looking Toward the Future
Parks & Recreation By the Numbers
The Meridian Parks and Recreation Department has
developed a solid reputation for providing clean, safe
and fun park experiences to the public. While our core
values remain the same, our department continues
evolving to meet the needs of the future.
During the past decade we've navigated
unprecedented growth, thrived despite an uncertain
economy, cultivated partnerships and philanthropic
relationships that support our park system, introduced
exciting new park amenities, and initiated processes to
make it easier for you to spend quality time in your
favorite parks.
While we take great pride in our past accomplishments
and our latest achievements — such as our new
Settlers Park Tennis Complex and the extremely
popular Storey Bark Park — we are far from content to
rest on our laurels.
2015 was a year of intense planning for our
department, as we worked to craft a new Master Plan
which will guide our decision-making and action for the
next decade. Development of this plan took place from
December 2014 to December 2015, and included a
public input process, services inventory and analysis,
needs assessment, operational and maintenance
analysis, and financial review. You can read more
about our planning efforts on page 11 of this annual
newsletter.
I invite you all to discover, or rediscover, the world of
Meridian Parks and Recreation. While some things may
be familiar to you, I think you'll find that we are
evolving into a better, brighter department that is
more responsive, easier to navigate and continues to
provide quality recreational opportunities for Meridian
families.
Parks and Recreation Staff
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City Leadership
Mayor of Meridian:
Tammy de Weerd
Meridian City Council:
Keith Bird*, Joe Borton,
Luke Cavener, Genesis
Milam, Charlie Rountree,
David Zaremba
* City Council Liaison to Parks
and Recreation Department
Meridian Parks &
Recreation
Commission:
President: Matt Stoll
Commissioners: Treg
Bernt, Sharon Borton,
William Fitzgerald, Kent
Goldthorpe, Phillip
Liddell, John Nesmith,
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Recreation
Coordinator Garrett
White (below) was
named the City of
Meridian's Supervisor
of the Year for 2015.
Parks Maintenance
Foreman Roger
Norberg was
presented with a
Meridian Way Gold
Coin by Mayor
Tammy de Weerd for
his ongoing
demonstration of the
City's core values of
Customer Service,
Accountability,
Respect, and
Excellence.
Supervisor of the Year Garrett White
Year of Achievement
2015 was a banner year for the Meridian Parks
and Recreation Department!
On April 24, we hosted a ribbon cutting
ceremony and family tennis fair to celebrate
the completion of our new tennis court
complex in Settlers Park. Since its opening,
the seven full-sized tennis courts and three
mini courts, designed for dual use by both
youth tennis and pickle ball players, have
been in nearly constant use.
Additional improvements in Settlers Park
included a replacement of the safety surfacing
at Adventure Island Playground, a new
drinking fountain with a bottle filler, and
security system upgrades.
Other parks and public spaces received
welcome enhancements during the year, as
well. Kleiner Park received a much-needed
shade structure to shield its concession stand
from the heat of the summer sun, as well as
additional pond fountains. Work was also done
on its splash pad plumbing, amphitheater, and
parking lot drains.
The Parks and Recreation Commission is
continuing to work with the Kleiner Park Trust
to explore additional shade options for Kleiner
Park — an important park amenity desired by
many park patrons.
Our 3rd Annual Gene Kleiner Day Celebration
on June 13th included unveiling of a new
bronze statue in the likeness of Gene Kleiner's
grandson, Ben. It is located near the
playground and splash pad.
New charcoal grills for public use, purchased
with proceeds from the Parks and Recreation
Department's Disc Golf Fall Classic event in
October 2014, were added to picnic shelters in
Tully and Storey Parks.
Closer to City Hall, the Parks crew installed
sidewalk markers to identify significant stops
along the new Historical Walking Tour route.
Thanks to Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) funds, Idaho Avenue received a new
stretch of sidewalk designed to enhance the
safety of pedestrians and children walking to
and from nearby schools and community
centers.
Several of Meridian's parks also have a new
safety feature. As part of the City's HeartSafe
Meridian intiative, 14 automatic external
defibrillators (AEDs) have been placed in City
parks and ball fields for use by citizens during
medical emergencies. After successfully
completing hand -on training provided by the
Meridian Fire Department, every member of the
Meridian Parks and Recreation Staff is now CPR
and AED certified. The Heartsafe Meridian
program is a long-term plan to increase the
public's awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and
promote early access to EMS, CPR, and
defibrillation.
While several additional City parks are in the
early planning stages, one came to fruition
during 2015 and has been welcoming an
abundance of two- and four -legged park
patrons.
Storey Bark Park — Meridian's first dedicated
dog park — celebrated its grand opening with
a large leash -cutting celebration on August
12th. People and their pets enjoyed live music,
prize drawings, vendor booths, goody bags,
and the opportunity explore the park for the
very first time. Among its most popular
amenities are a collection of agility items
donated to the park by Intermountain Pet
Hospital, a local veterinary clinic and pet
lodge.
Pawsitively Award Winning
In late November, Meridian's Storey
Bark Park received the 2015
Outstanding Facility & Parks Award
from the Idaho Recreation and Park
Association.
Since its opening, the dog park's popularity
has continued to grow. On Halloween, the park
hosted the Howl -O -Woof Pooch Parade &
Costume Contest, attended by more than 75
costumed dogs and their owners. In December
it is serving as the collection site for the Food
for Furry Friends holiday pet food and supply
drive. Items collected from the public will be
distributed to Treasure Valley pet owners in
need through local food banks and shelters.
Storey Bark Park
Grand Opening: August 12, 2015
OCORFI-
BARk PARK
Opening Soon
Gr -„d Opening Celebration
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A Year of Achievements
Pathways & Trails
Pathways and trails, and the connectivity they
provide, continue to be a top priority for
Meridian residents, and an updated Pathway
Network Map was adopted from amendments
made to the Pathways Master Plan by City
Council in May 2015.
During the year, work continued to secure
easements, agreements, permits and design
documents to extend the portion of the
proposed Five Mile Creek Pathway Segment H2
that will run between Badley and Fairview
Avenues.
We are also working with ACHD and the
Meridian Development Corporation on a project
to reconstruct Pine Avenue from Meridian Road
to Locust Grove Road which will include
sidewalk and pathway connections. The project
is projected for construction in 2018.
Opportunities are also being evaluated for full
implementation of the Five Mile Creek Pathway
from Interstate 84 to the Canyon County line.
Funding was secured in FY16 to pursue
easements to fill the gaps in the pathway from
Black Cat to Eagle Roads. As part of the
project, three sections of sidewalk adjacent to
Linder, E. James Court and Pine will be
widened to provide pedestrian access between
existing pathway segments.
To the north, we are taking steps to foster a
partnership with the City of Eagle in pursuit of
a pathway connection between the future
Meridian park property adjacent to the Boise
River, Eagle Island Park and the Boise River
Greenbelt.
As funding allows, we also wish to expand our
comprehensive pathway network
informational, directional and interpretive
package to include signage, distance markings
and a parks & pathways guide.
We also continued to assist the City's
Community Development and Public Works
Department with implementation of the
Meridian Rail -With -Trail Action Plan, with the
ultimate goal of creating an east -west pathway
connection using the existing rail corridor.
Construction documents for the first half -mile
segment of the pathway will be prepared in the
coming year and a pair of federal grants will
fund construction in FY18/19.
We worked with the Ada County Highway
District (ACHD) to install a HAWK signal on
Meridian Road at East James Court for Bud
Porter Pathway users to cross safely to connect
to the Jackson Drain Pathway.
Additional recommendations supporting the
long-term vision for Meridian's pathway
system are addressed in the Parks and
Recreation Department's recent Master
Planning efforts.
Sports
Meridian's adult sports programs continued to
grow at an impressive rate during 2015, with
full -capacity league play and tournaments in
basketball, softball, flag football, and
volleyball. In all, we ran 9 sports leagues with
531 teams comprised of 5,111 players.
To accommodate this growing participation,
the beginning and ending dates of several of
the sports periods are being adjusted to allow
for four seasons of league play rather than
three, as previously provided.
One of the program's ongoing challenges
remains the need for additional outdoor
playing fields and indoor gym space.
Fortunately, we've been able to establish a
use agreement for gym space with the
Meridian Boys and Girls Club for when its new
facility opens in 2016. We've also negotiated
similar use agreements with Heritage Middle
School and with the future Victory Middle
School being constructed on Stoddard Road.
In the meantime, the Parks and Recreation
staff continues to take great care in grooming
and maintaining the City's playing fields and
sports venues during their period of heavy
use.
In the near future, the Harold Cox softball
field at Storey Park will receive new lighting
and a new Recreation Manager position will be
filled by an individual who will supervise the
department's functions involving sports
programming, class offerings, and special
events.
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Camp Mer -Ida -Moo Field Trip
Classes, Camps & Activities
Again during 2015 we offered a full slate of
classes, camps, and activities designed to
appeal to people of all ages and interests.
Our camps were especially popular. The Camp
Mer -Ida -Moo sessions at Prospect Elementary
School were full every week and several
participants had to be referred to Siena
Elementary where space was still available. Our
Outdoor Adventure camps filled up quickly, as
well, and had a waiting list for nearly every
week. We also added two new camps during
the year — a Learn to Love Lacrosse camp and
a Dairy Days Dancing Parade camp.
Among the new classes we added this year
were Beginning Boys Hip Hop, Chair Yoga,
Gentle Movement Stretch, Let's Choreograph,
Dance Fusion, Dance Fit, Boys Break Dance,
and Foundations of Creations — Ancient World
and Discovering Folklore.
For the musically -inclined, we ran our fourth
season of Outdoor Musical Theater programs in
the Kleiner Park Band Shell. In addition to
being used for musical theater camps and
rehearsals, the band shell served as the venue
for performances of Aladdin and Willie Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory.
Seniors also took advantage of our Parks and
Recreation programming, taking day trips with
us to visit scenic Shoshone Falls and to enjoy
an outdoor dinner -theater production of Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers at the Starlight
Mountain Theater in Garden Valley.
We like to think that no one puts on better local
events than the Meridian Parks and Recreation
Department, and fortunately, Meridian residents
are always up for a fun celebration!
We kicked off our event season in April with
Unplug & Be Outside Week which featured a
variety of family activities in Meridian parks. For
Arbor Day we held a tree planting with the
students of Ponderosa Elementary School.
CableOne Movie Night celebrated its 9th
successful season without any cancellations due
to weather. Our Gene Kleiner Day symphony
concert was preceded by the unveiling of a new
statue in Kleiner Park, and our Independence
Day Celebration featured a fireworks display put
on in partnership with Meridian Speedway.
Our Kleiner Park Live Summer Concert Series
drew satisfied audiences despite unusually high
summer heat, and the successful Fall Classic
Disc Golf tournament prompted us to consider
setting up a 9 -hole winter disc golf course in
Kleiner Park, joining those already in use in
Settlers and Bear Creek Parks.
Two of our traditional events underwent changes
this year — the Community Block Party switched
venues from Settlers Park to the more spacious
Kleiner Park, and the Barn Sour Fun Run was
moved from June to August, to a weekend with
fewer competing events. And our first ever Howl
-O-Woof Pooch Parade and Costume Contest
attracted nearly 100 costumed dogs and their
owners to Storey Bark Park on Halloween Day.
By far our largest and most attended events
were our Trunk or Treat & Dance to the Beat
event, which we hosted in conjunction with the
Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, and the Winter
Lights Parade and other events that combined
under the Christmas in Meridian banner.
Several other events, coordinated by other
organizations, took place in our parks, as well.
In all, the City issued 54 Temporary Use Permits
(TUPs) for events including car shows, cook -offs,
charity walks, Easter egg hunts, church events,
and other community gatherings.
hL Our Volunteer
The active participation of our many
volunteers, community partners, and event
sponsors helped make our accomplishments
during 2015 possible.
During the year, volunteers donated
approximately 1,813 hours to Meridian
Parks and Recreation Department projects,
resulting in a cost savings of nearly $36,125
to the City. They painted shelters, wrapped
trees, planted flowers, assembled picnic
tables, hung holiday decorations, and kept
the streets safe during parades and special
events.
In October, we hosted a Volunteer
Appreciation Barbeque in Kleiner Park in
order to thank the men and women who
help keep our parks safe and welcoming by
volunteering as part of our Park Ambassador
Program.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to the many schools,
churches, scout troops, civic groups, businesses,
and individuals who donated time or talent to us
during the past year.
Groups or individuals wishing to volunteer in our
parks can call us directly or visit the new website
www.justserve.org to find specific opportunities.
Meridian Parks and Recreation
Commission
The Meridian Parks and Recreation
Commission is a citizen advisory group that,
along with our City Council Liaison, advises
the department on park planning, capital
improvements, policies, recreation programs,
and budgeting issues.
In addition to serving in this advisory role,
they help plan and participate in a variety of
community events designed to promote
Meridian's parks, pathways, recreational
offerings and special events.
They generally meet on the second
Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. in
the City Council Chambers at Meridian City
Hall. Their meetings are open to the public
and agendas are available at the Parks and
Recreation Office the Friday prior to each
meeting.
You can learn more about the Commission on
the Parks and Recreation Department portion
of the City of Meridian website at
www.meridiancity.org/parks_rec.
Throughout 2015, our staff has been moving
through the multi -step process of updating the
City's Parks and Recreation Master Plan — a
document that will provide the framework
which will allow us to most effectively respond
to the needs of our growing community. As
part of this process, we diligently gathered
valuable public input via a number of methods,
including focus groups, citizen surveys,
stakeholder meetings, and through an
interactive online opinion -sharing site.
Using the feedback we gathered, coupled with
the assistance of national experts from
GreenPlay, LLC and our own observations and
expertise, we assessed the current state of our
parks and recreation programs and facilities,
determined our communities needs for the
coming decade, and charted out a plan for
achieving our vision of the future. Documents
relating to the new Master Plan can be
accessed online on the Parks and Recreation
portion of the City of Meridian website at
www.meridiancity.org/parks—rec.
We also began developing concept plans for
several of our future parks, including the Borup
property, our 77 acres in South Meridian, and
the future Margaret Aldape Park along the
Boise Rive.
New neighborhood parks in development also
received a great deal of our attention during
the past year. These include the new parks in
the Bainbridge Subdivision and the Bellano
Creek Subdivision.
Our search also continued for additional gym
space, as we have filled our current facilities to
capacity with our adult sports programs which
continue to grow in popularity. Potential
partnerships with the YMCA and the Boys and
Girl Club are being explored, as well as other
potential priority use agreements.
In the coming year we will also welcome a new
Recreation Manager position to the Parks and
Recreation staff, in response to the consistent '
growth and increased workload associated with
our department's recreation division.
Master Plan Elements
Department Mission, Vision, Values
Park Classification System
Existing Parks and Recreation Inventory
Define Level of Service Goals
Community Outreach and Public
Participation
Recommendations and Strategic Goals
Strategic Action and Implementation Plan
Staffing Plan and Department Organization
Urban Forestry Management Strategy
Pathways Plan Recommendations
Park Concept Designs
Draft and Final Plans, Presentations and
Deliverables
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This Annual Newsletter
is published by the
Meridian Parks and
Receation Department
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
(2089)888-3579
www. meridiancity. org/pa rks_rec
Editor and
Primary Photographer:
Shelly Houston