Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks staff outline field scheduling, restroom openings and vandalism response at pool
Summary
Park division staff described tight field schedules beginning in February and March, plans to open restrooms and waterfront parks in spring, a change in skate-park supervision, and steps to address vandalism at the county pool including a proposal to fill the kiddie pool.
Tyrone, a parks division staff member, told the advisory board that fields and maintenance needs create seasonal pressure starting in February when several youth groups begin outdoor practice and league play.
“We run into this time of year as far as field problems and maintenance concerns,” Tyrone said while outlining staggered start dates: some practices begin in early March and others later in the month, while several tournaments and opening-day events are scheduled across March through May. He said the department operates up to seven gyms on Saturdays to accommodate basketball and that early-season games and tournaments increase wear on fields.
Tyrone described operational changes intended to manage staffing and costs: park restrooms will open April 1; waterfront parks Elms Beach and Myrtle Point will open the first weekend in May with weekend hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; concessions are scheduled to open in March to align with tournaments; and the skate park has moved to unsupervised daily opening with spot checks by staff to reduce recurring supervisory costs.
Board members raised vandalism at the county pool. Staff said vandalism incidents occur most often during summer off-hours and have included trash and furniture thrown into the pool and, on several occasions, paint cans dumped into the water. Those incidents forced at least half- to full-day closures for cleanup, staff said. The department told the board it plans to reallocate funds to improve security cameras and has proposed filling in the kiddie pool — citing ongoing pump and leak problems and health concerns — to create a rentable party area if the board-approved funds are available.
Tyrone said the department has been spot-checking frequently to deter fence-cutting and vandalism and that staff coordinates with law enforcement when necessary. He also noted increases in facility usage such as private rentals at Chances Run (about 22 per month) and the frequency of tennis-court lights, which recorded roughly 156.5 hours across five months last fall and winter.
Staff framed most measures as operational decisions or budget proposals that will be implemented if funding and approvals proceed through the county process.
