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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-24; Parks & Recreation Commission; ; Parks & Recreation Department ReportMeeting Date: Jan. 24, 2022 To: Parks & Recreation Commission From: Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director Staff Contact: Mike Pacheco, Recreation Services Manager Subject: Parks & Recreation Department Report Recommended Action Receive a presentation from the Parks & Recreation staff. Executive Summary Mike Pacheco, Recreation Services Manager and Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director will report on recently completed and upcoming parks and recreation activities, donations and grants, as well as other topics of local interest. Exhibits 1.Department report 1 of 1 PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT REPORT Jan. 24, 2022 GENERAL & RECREATION Lifeguard Staffing Shortage Update On Sept. 13, 2021, weekday hours were temporarily reduced at Monroe Street Pool due to a lifeguard staffing shortage. Since implementing the temporary reduction of operating hours, staff has pursued the following measures to increase Lifeguard staffing, and offer other means, to restore regular operating hours with required patron safety: •Created four new full-time Recreation Assistant (Senior Lifeguard) positions which increased their weekly work hours from 35 to 40 to help offset the staff shortages. •Increased the hourly pay rate of all existing part-time Lifeguards and part-time Senior Lifeguards, to be competitive with comparable positions within the region and better retain staff. •Increased the starting hourly pay rate of the part-time Lifeguard and part-time Senior Lifeguard positions to potentially draw a greater number of candidates to the city’s open recruitments. •Expanded its Lifeguard Academy offerings in an effort to potentially draw a greater number of candidates to the city’s open recruitment for Lifeguards. •Continued to market recruitments for part-time and full-time lifeguards, and to expedite processing of applications, testing and screening of candidates for employment. •Received City Council approval on Oct. 12 to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Carlsbad Unified School District. This memorandum will allow exclusive use of the pool for Carlsbad High School during the hours which the city is unable to provide lifeguard services and the district has reserved the pool. The district is required to provide certified lifeguards and to follow the requirements of the California Health and Safety Code and the Model Aquatic Health Code during the hours of exclusive use. The district is considering fulfilling the certified lifeguard requirement by having its’ coaching staff obtain current certifications. •Received emergency determination from the State of California to have ocean lifeguards deemed qualified to serve as pool lifeguards. The city’s efforts to address pool lifeguard shortages has not yielded the necessary number of staff to return to regular operating hours. The safety of our swimmers is the city’s top priority. Winter Recreation Activities Winter registration for recreation activities started on Dec. 8. Winter classes for kids and adults includes swimming lessons and other aquatic programs, martial arts, dance, fitness, sports, special interest, adults 50+ and more. Classes began in January. Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park Private Weddings and Events The wedding and private event season at the Ranch concluded in late December. Typically ending in November, the wedding season ran long, well into December in 2021, due to COVID-19 pandemic closure make-ups. Despite the pandemic, 2021 was a successful and popular year to get married. Ranch staff and the contract service provider, Personal Touch Dining, hosted 79 weddings, most of them taking place every weekend and some weekdays from mid-June through December. For comparison, the Ranch hosted 80 weddings in 2019, the last full year of events prior to the pandemic. For these 79 events, the city collected nearly $217,000 in revenue from park use. 2022 is already turning out to be a busy and popular year – with 100 weddings/private events reserved and on the books. Holiday at the Rancho The Parks & Recreation Department’s Holiday at the Rancho event, held at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park on Dec. 4, was a festive start to the holiday season. During the course of the evening, more than 1,000 people attended and helped spread the joy of the season. Many of those in attendance experienced City Manager Scott Chadwick and his family lighting the 14’ tree…Carlsbad style of course - in the sand, near the cabana’s reflecting pool. In addition, there were several other fun, holiday-themed activities and points of entertainment - for families and for individuals. Highlights from the event included a handmade craft boutique, a plush ‘snowballs’ fight, an inflatable ‘snow hill’ slide, and sugar cookie decorating. The cap to the evening was the holiday movie, Rise of the Guardians, shown on a giant screen under the stars. New this year, staff displayed several holiday trees in the stable, with decorations in themes of the western history of ‘The Ranch’ and Leo Carrillo. It was a magical evening. and truly a team effort. The Parks & Recreation Department appreciates all of the staff and volunteers who helped make the event happen, and thanks everyone who attended. Upcoming Events • Pirate Plunge: Saturday, March 26, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Alga Norte Aquatics Center • EGGstravangza: Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Poinsettia Community Park • Hot Rods & Cool Treats: Saturday, May 14, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pine Community Park PARKS Calavera Hills Community Park Gateway Improvements Construction commenced in early March 2021 and is expected to be complete in winter 2022. Final tasks related to the installation of bollard lights and shade structure lights, refinement of drainage devices and concrete flatwork, and other miscellaneous punch list items are in process. Poinsettia Community Park Phase IV Dog Park, Parking Lot and Restroom The construction contract was awarded at the City Council meeting of July 13, 2021. Commencement of work began with mobilization of the contractor to the site on Sept. 20, 2021. Finish drainage work is progressing within the dog park area and the parking lot. Construction of the restroom shell is finished. Full project completion anticipated to be in late spring – early summer 2022. Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan The recommended master plan was approved by the City Council on Feb. 23, 2021. This project was presented to the resource agencies and California Coastal Commission on Thursday Aug. 5, 2021 during the Habitat Management Plan quarterly meeting. The administrative draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was submitted to staff on Aug. 25, 2021. Upon Parks & Recreation staff review of the administrative draft IS/MND, the screen check draft was submitted to Community Development staff on Sept. 27, 2021, along with the entitlement applications - including a Conditional Use Permit, a Coastal Development Permit, a Hillside Development Permit and Habitat Management Plan consistency. Parks Planning staff received an initial submittal response letter from Community Development staff on Oct. 27, 2021. A second submittal was delivered to Community Development staff on Dec. 13, 2021. Parks & Recreation staff is currently working to address the additional comments received from Community Development staff. The final master plan is anticipated to be presented to the Planning Commission in spring 2022 and to the City Council in summer 2022. Hub Park – South Shore Agua Hedionda Lagoon Trail On June 15, 2021, staff provided the City Council with a status report and sought direction on further pursuit of the project. The City Council adopted a resolution to further pursue the design, public engagement and development of the trail project within only the Hub Park Lease property, and directed staff to return in the fall with another status report and answers to questions posed by the City Council Members. On Nov. 16, 2021, staff provided the City Council with another status report and offered options for either continuing, discontinuing, or suspending further pursuit of the project. The City Council directed staff to suspend pursuit of the of the trail project and reengage representatives on the noted stipulations of the applicable entities, in an effort to gain greater flexibility. Staff subsequently reengaged the representative from SDG&E (owner of the property) on its stipulations, but has not yet gained greater flexibility. Trails Volunteers Event The next trails volunteers event is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 at the Kelly Trail. The group will meet at the western terminus of Kelly Drive at 8:30am to commence a morning of various maintenance activities.