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Home My WebLink About2001-11-19; Parks & Recreation Commission; 1101-1; Commissioner's ReportPARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION -AGENDA BILL AB# 1101-1 COMMISSIONER’S REPORT MTG. DATE: 11/19/01 TITLE : STAFF: PRICHARD RECOMMENDED ACTION : Accept and file. INFO 0 ACTION ITEM EXPLANATION : Attached is the Parks and Recreation Commissioner’s Report for November 2001. EXHIBITS: 1. Commissioner’s Report - November 2001 - I Recreation News Aquatics is pleased to report a healthy turnout for the Pumpkin Plunge and Swim Complex 2oth Anniversary Celebration. The festivities were held on Saturday, October 27th Aquatics Daytrippers I youth of all ages. Calavera Hills 2 The Swim Complex's north lawn is seeing more activity than usual these days. Construction crews have broken ground for the containment building that will soon - Youth Sports be home to a chlorine gas scrubber system. This long awaited project will be a huge boon to Aquatics efforts to continually provide the cleanest water and safest facility I from 12:OO to 2:OOPM. Dressed as characters ranging from Casper the Ghost to a six-foot leprechaun, the Aquatics Staff ran games, crafts and races for families and Teen Dance 2 possible. Triathlon 2 The safety and welfare of patrons is a concern that the Aquatics staff takes far I Poinsettia Park .X beyond the doors of the Swim Complex. During the tail end of October and through the beginning of November, Aquatics instructors have and will travel to other All Hands Alecting 3 Carlsbad Recreation facilities to train staff in the use of Automated External Defibrillators with CPR. Capable of "shocking" a heart attack victim back into a Fall Fcstiv~l healthy rhythm, these simple to use devices are being strategically distributed by the Carlsbad Fire Department to the Libraries, the Senior Center and Recreation Preschool 3 Centers. I Senior Center The Month of October saw no less than six Carlsbad High School Boys Water Polo Holiday Dinner ., games hosted by the Swim Complex. The month of November will once again witness a CHS bid for the CIF championship, and while the Swim Complex isnot Sfagecoach Park 5 hosting any tournament play, Aquatics continues to make the pool available for training and practices late into the evenings, throughout the weekends and even on but here at the Swim Complex it simply marks the beginning of the CHS Girls polo Enric-hment ' season. There won't be even a slight lull in the action for you diehard CHS Polo fans. Parks Dep t. 6 Park Plan n ing (* stay 'n Play 5 Veterans Day. CIF may signal the culmination of water polo for the CHS Boys team, DAYTRIPPERS BY PAVE MILLIKAN An excursion is scheduled for December 15 to the Crystal Cathedral's "Glory of Christmas" performance. A cast of more than 100 actors will be recreating the story of the Nativity. On December 22 the Daytrippers will be viewing the Newport Har- bor Cruise of Lights. Included in this trip will be a visit to Rogers Garden "Christmas Fantasy", dinner at the Tale of the Whale, and a cruise aboard the Catalina Flyer to watch the display of lights in the harbor. Upcoming trips in January include the 1 13th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade, the musical play "Aida" and the "Charlie Prose" show at the Riverside Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. 009 Pare 2 r^ Triathlon Update Tlw staff of the Carlshad Triathlon recently , volunteered their time and kids craft knowledge to help the Challenged Athletes Foundation. On Sunday, Nov. 4th, four City Employees ran a craft booth and kids zone at the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a 1/2 lronman Triathlon in La Jolla Cove. This annual event helps raise funds for CAF and attracts film celebrities including - Robin Williams and professional triath- lctcs such as Michcllic Jones, Scott Tinley and Julie Moss. There were over 30 Challenged athletes participating on relay tcams and enjoying the day. This years went raised an aston- ishing $870.000 for CAF. Pv /ill I'ncharil CALAVERA HILLS A J' GAIL w.4 7-7-.C , The Foundation for Pet Provided Therapy, also known as "Love on a Leash", used our baseball field to make an educational video. The local group provides training guide- lines for potential therapy pets. Once certified and registered, the animals provide emotional, psychological and physical therapy to people in schools, nursing homes, hospitals and retirement facilities. In addition, the foundation educates health care professionals in the use of therapy pets for crisis intervention. The group filmed some of the dogs that have gone through the program to showcase learned skills. Former , Carlsbad City Councilman John Mamawc is on the board of directors. The River of Life church started on Sunday, October 2Sth using both multipurpose rooms and the activity room. More than 50 people attended the first service and re- lated activities. Calavera is also happy to announce the newest member of the recrea- tion team. Recreation Leader Arnold Buenviaje started on Tuesday, October 30th. Welcome aboard Arnold! YOUTH SPORTS AI' LOR/ SWENCK The Youth Sports staff has been diligently coordinating the Youth Basketball League; putting together teams, scheduling practices with the coaches, and finalizing games schedules for the upcoming season. The rubber basketballs have been blown *T and are ready for delivery to Calavera and Stagecoach, and the office is now a SE greedwhite 8r purple/gold uniforms. staff has gone through a rigorous 20 hours of referee training, thanks to the exper- tise of Tami Mason ( Ob. I1 NCAA Official). We have completed three (3) National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) coaches clinics to date. Over fifty (50) coaches have taken the oath, signed the code of ethics, and have become a member of the NYSCA. The positive response from the coaches regarding the training has been awesome! A heart-felt thanks goes to Tim Davidson for offering his help with the clinics. League play is scheduled to begin December 1st and we are still looking for score- keepers. It's a great job for a teenager willing to work on Saturdays. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please have them contact the Youth Sports Office at 602-7525. A work permit will be requested along with a City application. TEEN DANCE BY RICHARD NAVARRO The Carlsbad Recreation Department's Annual October Teen Dance took place at Calavera Community Center on October 26th. The night was filled with junior high students disguised in costumes, dancing the night away. It was a great turnout, with an approximate attendance of 300 teenagers. This evening was a perfect e , ample of the Carlsbad Recreation Department's effort in providing safe places ,- gather. Recreation News Page 3 - POINSETTIA PARK fi1' I?A\'E ICIILLIKAA' Lightning Soccer Club, AYSO-La Costa Soccer and Carlsbad Soccer Club are prac- ticing on the ball fields during the week and competing in league games on the weekends. AYSO will be having a soccer tournament at Poinsettia on November 1 1. La Costa Youth Organization and Carlsbad Youth Baseball teams are also using the fields for their winter ball practices and games. FALL FESTIVAL The Carlsbad Recreation Department's Annual Fall Festival was on October 27th at Stagecoach Community Center. The Fall Festival provides carnival activities for youth ages 11 and under and their families. The festival was co-sponsored by Coldwell Bankers of Encinitas. Coldwell Banker provided volunteers to run the carnival games as well as prizes to raffle off. The event attracted a large amount of families, approximately 500 people and was truly a night to remember. The Carlsbad Fall Festival is another example of our effort to provide a venue for strengthening families and providing safe places to gather. - 'RESCHOOL BY GA/L WA T73 adventures in Preschool continue as we visit the Preschool 3's and 4's Class at the Calavera Hills Community Center. An exciting part of our preschool program is the opportunity for preschoolers and their parents to go on field trips to explore new places, sights and sounds outside of the classroom. This month our Preschool 3's and 4's class visited the Pumpkin Patch in Escondido to see how pumpkins and other vegetables grow. The best part was trying to find the perfect pumpkin to bring home. Instructor Erica Weber and her wonderful assistant Carla spent the session exploring the life of a pumpkin through stories like the " the five little pumpkins" and " Sammy the Scarecrow" with our curious students. join us next month for more preschool adventures at Stagecoach Park! 010 Page 4 Recreation News c Our Annual Holiday Dinner to honor our Parks and Recreation Commissioners, will be held Monday, December 17th at the Senior Center. The commission meeting will be held at 5:30PM, followed by refreshments on the outdoor patio at 6:OO and dinner at 6:30. Please set this time aside to join us and the Carlsbad Sound Express for a great evening of song, deli- cious food, friendship and fun. SENIOR CENTER BY LAURA BALL AND SHARON ]&WELL A community liaison advised seniors on Oct. 18* about making funeral preparations and other important information about mortuary services. A planning guide, designed for each person to fill out with crucial, pertinent information invaluable to heirs, was handed out to all in attendance. The audience seemed very pleased with this seminar. The 15* Annual KoKo Beach/KoKo Palms Golf Tournament on Oct. 20th was great fun, according to a couple Center staff members who played that day. The Center procures donated items as gifts for the golfers and also sells tickets that give you $5 off a meal at either KoKo Beach or KoKo Palms ... and all proceeds go to the Center. Joy Parker from the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) visited the Center on Oct. 23d and offered an explanation of Long Term Health Care Insurance and how this can protect future financial security. Seniors appreciate it when HICAP, a non-profit group associated with AIS and the County of San Diego, presents straightfor- ward, unbiased information. SDC&E made a return engagement for their light bulb exchange program on Oct. 25*. Lower income people were invited to bring in up to 10 standard light bulbs (75 watts or greater) and two halogen torchiere floor lamps in exchange for energy-saving fluores- cent bulbs and floor lamps. About 200 grateful folks showed up and left with smiles on their faces! Near the end of the program, SDG&E was gracious enough to allow seniors and staff members who brought nothing in to get five fluorescent bulbs each. Bravo! On Oct. 30, Joy Brande from Creative Memories hosted a workshop on how to put to- gether a photo album: organizing and cropping photos, and adding other memories to your aIbum. The people in attendance constructed one full page and had fun learning new tricks and adventures in creative album making! I November activities will prove to be interesting: a therapist from Elizabeth Hospice will address seniors on Nov. I sth who may be suffering anxiety relating to the recent terrorist attacks; HICAP will speak on Nov. 20" about seniors' rights and options regarding HMO changes for 2002; on Nov. 27Lh Judy Ray from Casa Palmera will offer strategies for im- proving your memory; and holocaust survivor Judy Urman will share her traumatic past and offer hope to Americans after the events of Sept. I I. A full bus traveled to Oak Glen for a day in country on October 4*, Autumn is In the air when the leaves have started to change and there is a certain briskness. We lunched at Laws Restaurant (family style dining at its best) and shopped the many shops. We ALL brought home an apple pie - compliments of Laws!! Albuquerque on October I ILh and the balloons ... what a trip! The weather cooperated with us and the balloons were absolutely magnificent. We did Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Silver City, Tucson, Tombstone, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest and Laughlin to name a few of the stops. We did try to do it all ... and I think we did a pretty good job of it. On October 25" we bussed to welk Resort for "Can-Can". The wonderful buffet, the landscaping, the shops and, of course, the production was absolutely great. Viejas Casino on October 29 *... a few winners, but ALL enjoyed the beautiful weathel that day, the new shops at the mall, the buffet and happiness at yelling 'Bingo'! Recreation News Page 5 Monday, November 12 Calavera & Stagecoach will be open 2pm-1Opm Harding Center will be open 8am-loam and lpm-9pm Thursday, November 22 - All facilities closed - Friday, November 23 ' Calavera & Stagecoach will be open 2pm-1Opm Harding will be closed Tuesday, December 25 All facilities closed STAGECOACH PARK BY PAVE MILLIKAN Sports leagues are using the ballfields at Stagecoach for their league games and practices. Youth leagues playing on the fields include AYSO-La Costa Soccer and Lightning Soccer Club. Adult leagues using the fields are the Recreation Depart- ment softball leagues and La Costa 35 Athletic Club football/softball. The "Fall Festival" held in the gymnasium on October 27 was well attended.' Family mem- bers enjoyed watching their children participate in various fun activities. There were twenty-one picnic reservations in October and fifteen community meetings. STAY 'N PLAY BY RICHARD NAVARRO The Stay n Play Program ventured to the San Diego Zoo on Saturday, October 20th. The safari consisted of 150 Stay n Play children, six Jefferson Elementary teachers, two Buena Vista Elementary teachers and their families. The annual Stay n Play zoo trip is a reward for those children who have consistently com- pleted their homework and have participated in daily activities. Many of these children are underprivileged and are often not given the opportunity to see places such as the San Diego Zoo. The Stay n Play Program takes pride in mak- ing these opportunities possible for Stay n Play children. The children of the Stay n Play Program truly enjoyed themselves, and many great new memories were created in the process. At the end of the day, the teachers who joined our safari thanked the City of Carlsbad for its generous invi- tation and looked forward to the next opportunity to be part of the Stay n Play Program. ENRICHMENT CLASSES BY BETSY KENNEDY Life's pleasures are uncomplicated and there is a lot to be said for the pleasurable ease of say, a round of golf at the local golf course, a tennis game with a friend or keeping fit on one of our walking or jogging trails. If you want tb improve your skills, meet and make new friends or keep in great shape, simply pick up the phone or come to any of our Community Centers and register for the class of your choice. Christy Johnson and her students from Social Dance class were a big hit at the Citizens Academy on September 27. They demonstrated some of the most popular dances that she teaches such as the West Coast Swing, Jitterbug and Night Club Two Step. As the grand finale those attending the Academy were invited to join them on stage. I believe that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would have been proud of them all! During the month of November we sign all of the instructor contracts for 2002. This includes notarizing 52 signatures, updating T.B. tests, verifying current Carlsbad business licenses, fingerprinting and updating required certifications. Page 6 Recreation News PARKS DEPARTMENT The on-going mystery of the soccer field lighting at Poinsettia Park has been solved. Since the phantom has been identified, the lights on the soccer field have been work- ing without interruption. The Staff at Poinsettia Park recently installed 2 new concrete ADA compliant picnic tables at Cannon Park and 4 new benches at Poinsettia Park, which replaced the corroded expanded metal vinyl coated tables. New park benches are on order and will be installed upon deIivery. After more then thirty years of landscape maintenance at Rotary Park by City Staff, the North County Transit District will assume responsibility of this area beginning Nov. 5,200 1. Levanteh Costa Heights staff recently installed 3 new stainless steel toilets in the block house after several years of inoperation due to low water pressure. The new toilets are designed to work under low water pressure. Within the Public Works Dept., the supervisors of each division in the maintenance field teamed up to develop a cross training program, which will provide learning op- portunities for interested individuals. The program has 9 divisions for.individuals to choose from and they will spend approximately 3 months working in the division of their choice. The intent of the program is to develop staff and expose them to the duties and responsibilities associated with the other departments, ( ie Sanitation, Fa- cilities, Streets, Water and Parks). From Parks, 4 individuals submitted applica- tions, and 2 employees will be starting on Nov. Sth. Robert Cooper, MW II will be going to the Sanitation Dept. and Cal Shankey MW 11 will be starting with Facilities and Maintenance. They will be missed, but we are hoping that they will bring back some new skills, which will make them more valuable to the organization. Cinrettia Park