Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks and Recreation highlights awards, new programs and planned facility work
Summary
The Dickinson Park District reported a record year for some recreation metrics in 2024, national and state awards, new youth programs, and planned maintenance and renovations to community center and pools.
The Dickinson Park District presented its 2024 annual report to the Dickinson City Commission on March 4, highlighting national and state awards, new programs aimed at youth and toddlers, record usage at the Heart River Golf Course and planned maintenance at the community center.
Executive Director Ray told the commission the park district won the National Gold Medal Award for excellence in parks and recreation management and received multiple state awards from the North Dakota Recreation and Parks Association, including a Partnership Award for the Sanford Sports Complex, the Golden Egg Award for Friendship Park (the city—s first all‑abilities playground) and an innovative program award for the Strong Kids program. Ray said the Strong Kids program, offered free for middle‑school students in partnership with Best Friends Mentoring, teaches recreation and life skills.
Ray provided usage and staffing figures: an average of 28 full‑time employees and about 344 part‑time employees in 2024; nearly 3,000 acres under management including Patterson Lake and the golf course; 28 parks and 14 facilities (including seven sports complexes); and three new playground installations during the year. The park district reported a record of almost 29,000 golf rounds at Heart River Golf Course and roughly 300,000 visits to the community center and ice center combined.
New or expanded programs cited for 2024 included toddler‑specific options such as Little Tikes sports, teen programs including eSports, a CSI program and "Teens After Hours" events (Friday evenings) that averaged about 75 high‑school students and at least one middle‑school night that drew about 250 participants. Ray said many of those programs were added after a 2023 community survey that received about 2,000 responses.
Ray outlined planned and ongoing facility work: a roughly 2½‑week closure later in March to replace lap‑pool mechanical equipment, locker room design work and cosmetic updates for the community center, plaster replacement and repairs to the outdoor pool prior to the season, ongoing roof repairs and targeted replacements, and replacement of the golf cart fleet (expanding from 50 to 60 carts and adding GPS units). Ray also announced the launch of the Dickinson Parks and Recreation Foundation and the foundation—s first charitable golf scramble on May 13.
Commissioners thanked Ray and congratulated staff on the awards and participation numbers. No formal action was required.
