City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department Annual Report

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2 City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department Annual Report Mission Statement The City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department genuinely cares about its customers and continually strives to not only meet, but also exceed their expectations. Our department is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and visitors, and enhancing the image of the City of Baytown through effective and efficient recreational, educational, cultural, fitness and environmental programs and services. We subscribe to the philosophy that parks and recreation positively impacts health, crime prevention, the environment, the economy and the overall quality of life of the Baytown community. The Baytown Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members and the Parks and Recreation Department staff are again pleased to present the Department s Annual Report to the Mayor, Council Members and City Management. This report is presented in its traditional format and continues to serve as: 1. Our collective view of the past year s activities 2. A progress / status report on most of our current programs and plans 3. A brief overview of our plans for the upcoming year This report is made pursuant to Ordinance No. 885, adopted in September 1967, which states that, annually, the Board shall make a study of the parks and recreation facilities and policies of the City, and make recommendations concerning any changes, modifications or improvements. The Parks and Recreation Department enjoyed another busy and successful year that was highlighted with the completion of the Town Square and the programming of the new facility including ice skating. Staff was disappointed with the failure of the Evergreen Golf Course referendum; however, the acquisition of 118 acres of the former golf course will preserve the picturesque property as a park for the city. The Aquatics Division continues to break records in both attendance and revenue as both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove are at, or near, capacity daily. The Department claimed a statewide award for the Special Pirates Celebration night at Pirates Bay and also hosted another huge crowd at the annual July 3 rd and 4 th Celebration. To top the year off, the Department was awarded three major grants totaling over $2.6 million for park improvements and land acquisition this past year. 2

3 The Department was thrilled that real estate developer/broker Gene Russell pledged $1 million for the development of the recently acquired Wallisville Park. The park was renamed The Gene and Loretta Russell Park. Mr. Russell pledged to assist the park and the University of Houston as a lasting legacy to his wife and family. Several major projects kept the Department occupied, including the construction of the Hartman Bridge Gateway, Goose Creek Phase V Trail, the Town Square Project, Bowie School Park Special Needs Playground, the Roseland Park Restroom replacement, Pelly Park improvements and the competition of the clearing of Tabbs Bay of hundreds of derelict piles and trash. Pirates Bay Water Park continued its popularity from the past six seasons. During the 2015 season, 173,525 guests passed through the gates at Pirates Bay surpassing the 2014 attendance record by 7,494 visitors. 792,663 people have visited the park since its opening. If projections are on target, staff anticipates over 183,000 people through the gates during the 2016 season. Calypso Cove, located at N.C. Foote Park, continued to exceed expectations by increasing the previous season s attendance record by 1,647 visitors resulting in a total of 20,450 visitors. Calypso Cove has welcomed 68,291 guests during the first four seasons. Currently, 2016 attendance is projected to clear 22,000. The Parks and Recreation Department planted 40 thirty-gallon size trees in various parks and gave away over 1,600 one-gallon size trees for the annual Arbor Day Celebration. The Department teamed up with volunteers from CenterPoint Energy in early December to plant 50 thirty gallon trees at the new Blue Heron Park. The Department also teamed up with ExxonMobil and planted 320 trees ranging in size from 15 gallon to 45 gallon at Russell Park in May. Town Square on Texas Avenue opened in early December providing the Department a new venue for events and recreational programming. Ice Skating came to Baytown for the first time with 5,758 guests over the seven week season. Several other planned programs such as Snow Day, Easter Egg Hunt and Farmers Market have brought hundreds of people back to Texas Avenue. The new venue has also opened up opportunities for community sponsored events such as the Straight out of Baytown music fest that was planned, funded and sponsored by nearby businesses. 3

4 With the addition of Town Square, the Recreation Division hosted a total of fifty-four special events representing at 31% increase from the previous year. In addition to existing special events such as the 3 rd and 4 th of July Celebrations, Grito Fest, Daddy and Me Dance and the Christmas Parade, the division was able to add new and exciting events such as Snow Day, Easter Egg Hunts, Kids Days, Wet and Wild Wednesday and more! The recreation division also organizes programs, classes and athletic leagues that include youth and adult karate, Zumba, self-defense, adult softball, flag football, kickball, soccer, youth summer track and more while also simultaneously handling the rentals and daily operations of the Community Center, two park pavilions and athletic fields. On October 3 rd, the 10 th Annual Grito Fest was held at Bicentennial Park. The event featured the popular Salomon Robles y sus Legendarios along with Los Relampaguitos and Mariachis Los Gallitos. Festival goers enjoyed a Grito Competition, Salsa and Jalapeno Eating Contest, and an Accordion Competition. An estimated crowd of 5,000 attended the festival. The City s Annual 3 rd and 4 th of July Celebration at Bicentennial Park was tremendously successful as tens of thousands attended the two-day event. The 3 rd of July concert was highlighted by rock-n-roll legends, America. The 3 rd of July rock-n-roll night continues to grow in popularity as the event enjoyed its highest attendance in the event s short history. Despite the very hot July temperatures, a steady breeze kept the thousands that attended the annual event comfortable. Texas music stars Josh Abbott and Whiskey Myers entertained the large crowd much to the delight of a multitude of their fans that crowded next to the stage. The concert was followed by the largest fireworks show in Baytown 4 th of July history. 4

5 The Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and Baytown Nature Center continue to offer outstanding programs to GCCISD and Baytown area students with the Back to the Bay, Wetlands Ecology and Liquid Science Programs. The awardwinning Nurture Nature Series and Nurture Nature Festival draw visitors from across the state to the Baytown Nature Center on a monthly basis, and Gator Tales and Tyke Hike programs target our preschool citizens. The Wade Into Wetlands Summer Science Camp continues to fill to capacity, as do the Winter Holiday and Spring Into Nature camps. This year the Baytown Nature Center hosted two summer science camps to complement the ten hosted at the Wetlands Center, including an evening camp that invited campers to practice their wilderness survival skills. Summer Science Camp also hosted its first overnight tent camping experience, with 22 students enjoying the clear night sky of the Houston Astronomical Society s Dark Site near Columbus, Texas. Campers were hosted by the society s members who helped them view Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and a multitude of stars through seven large telescopes onsite. EPIC (Environment Protectors Initiating Change!), the Wetland Center s after school teen club, continues to grow and is working on funding options for an anticipated trip to the Texas A&M University Soltis Center next spring. The Baytown Nature Center educational programs continue to provide opportunities for outdoor activities and scout workshops. The Back to the Bay Program allows area high school students to practice their water testing and analysis skills, as well as their ability to catch and identify marine life in cast nets and seine nets. The Nature Center attendance continues to increase as visitors have discovered it s not only a prime location for fishing and birding but also for kayaking, biking and hiking. The guided Full Moon Night Hike is held each month on the Saturday closest to full moon. Participants walk the trails and look for the Nature Center residents that only come out at night such as owls and coyotes. Scout workshops and overnight campouts have become regular weekend activities. The Wetlands Wagon Outreach Program often finds Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center staff on the road throughout Texas promoting both facilities and the City of Baytown as an environmentally friendly destination. The Wetlands Wagon partnered with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department again this year to promote the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board took a firm stand recommending to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a permanent solution to the San Jacinto Waste Pits by complete removal and proper disposal of the waste and contaminated soil that is stored in the pits. The waste pits are a federal Superfund site that contains PCBs and dioxin, one of the most deadly chemicals in existence, which have been leaching into the San Jacinto River for over 30 years. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the City Council approved a joint resolution supporting the cleanup and disposal of the waste. 5

6 Awards Texas Recreation and Park Society Lone Star Programming Award, Class III Special Pirates Celebration The City of Baytown was awarded the Lone Star Programming Achievement Class III Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) at the 2016 TRAPS Institute & EXPO Annual Awards Dinner March 3, 2016, at the Galveston Convention Center. The Lone Star Award Programming Achievement Award is presented for the best new first-time recreation programs in five population categories. Baytown won the Class III Award for populations between 50,001 and 100,000. The award was given in recognition of the Special Pirates Celebration. After many years of seeing special needs children and their families deal with large crowds of people who stare, show little patience while they take a little longer in line, and others not able to enjoy the park due to medical issues, we decided to create a special night for Special Needs Families called our Special Pirate Celebration. We saw over 1,100 smiles from each of the children and their families. The appreciation exhibited by the families guests that came out to the park was overwhelming. We experienced positive feedback from families that exceeded our expectations. Like this parent s comment, Thank you! You just don't know! You don't know how great it is to be able to watch your kid have so much FUN and not worry about other people staring or getting hurt by other rough kids. I could see the happiness in all the other parent's faces. I'm glad there was such a great turn out so hopefully you can continue doing this for us. The staff was awesome with the kids! The Baytown Sun Under 40 Dustin Schubert The June 30, 2016 edition of the Baytown Sun honored 20 of the Baytown Area s rising leaders for their business success and community impact. Superintendent of Parks, Dustin Schubert was selected by the Baytown Sun as one of Baytown up and coming stars. 6

7 Texas Recreation and Park Society East Region Voluntary Service Award Billy Barnett At the Texas Recreation and Park Society s East Region s April 21, 2016 Awards Ceremony, Billy Barnett was awarded the Voluntary Service Award recognizing him for his hard work and dedication to make the Nature Center the showpiece it is today. Every business needs a Billy Barnett. His tireless support and ongoing promotion of the Baytown Nature Center brings not only funding, but volunteers, donations, corporate support and global recognition to a small center in a relatively small city. His tenacity continues to inspire the Baytown Nature Center staff to continue working toward the Nature Center s long term goal of educating the community about the natural environment and encouraging responsible recreational use of our natural environment. Billy is not someone who seeks the spotlight. However, his many years of dedication his desire to ensure the Baytown Nature Center offers a quality experience to all visitors entitle him to be recognized as a star volunteer and an award-winning advocate. Publications The Parks and Recreation Department was honored to have the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and the Baytown Nature Center featured in an article that appeared in the November 2015 edition of the Texas Highways Magazine. The one page article, Going Big in Baytown was written by Chet Garner, host of the Daytripper travel show on PBS, highlighting popular places you can visit in Baytown. The article also highlighted several local favorites including Rooster s Steakhouse and Royal Purple Raceway. The publication and article is listed below. Garner, Chet. Going Big in Baytown. Texas Highways Magazine November 2015: Volume 62 (Number 11) Page 79, Print. 7

8 Gene and Loretta Russell Allen E. (Gene) and Loretta Russell of Houston, pledged $1 million for the development of the 40 acre Wallisville Road Park that was acquired in City Council formally changed the park s name to the Gene and Loretta Russell Park in December Mr. Russell is a real estate developer/broker and was involved in the sale of most of the property around the current San Jacinto Mall site and most of the property between the Mall and the San Jacinto River. Mr. Russell is also involved with billboards and several other projects including minor league baseball. Mayor Stephen DonCarlos was very helpful with securing the pledge. Mr. Russell went right to work securing the adjacent 17 acres to help square up the property and allow for additional park land for future generations. Retirements The Department said good bye to a key city employee this past year, as long time Horticulturist and Foreman for the Department, Camille Borowiak retired in December. Camille was a trusted loyal employee that managed the city s right of ways, maintenance contracts and beautification maintenance. Camille began her career with the city in 1978 and helped build the parks division to what it is today. Camille s institutional knowledge of the park system and special events will be greatly missed. 8

9 Special Recognition We express our sincere appreciation to the Mayor, City Council Members and City Management for their support of the Department, as well as to our allied groups including Friends of the Baytown Nature Center, Friends of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center, The Bay Area Historic Society, The Baytown Historical Preservation Association, Lee College, Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, the Baytown YMCA, The Rotary Club of Baytown, The Kiwanis Club of Baytown, Historic Goose Creek Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Baytown Chamber of Commerce, Baytown Lions Club, Baytown Optimist Club, Evening Pilot Club and the Pilot Club of Baytown. Collectively, these groups, organizations and others contribute a great deal to the success of many of the Department s programs and events. We would also like to acknowledge the numerous contributions of volunteers, businesses and industries noting that it is not possible to recognize them all individually, while conceding that we could not be successful without them. On a special note, we would like to thank Ken Jones, Harris County Constable Precinct 3, and his deputies for their help with the Christmas Parade, Grito Fest and the 3 rd and 4 th of July Celebration. A special thanks to Chief Bob Wooten and Sergeant Richard Miranda for their assistance in the coordination of the deputies. The Parks and Recreation Department would like to thank several local industries for their contributions of money and labor during the past year. Most notable are ExxonMobil, Covestro, Air Products, Chevron Phillips LP, Calpine Energy, Lowe s, Home Depot, Awards and Engraving, Community Resources Credit Union, Beacon Federal Credit Union, Randy Casey State Farm and TPC Group. Without their support of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center, the Baytown Nature Center and several special events, many of the activities that are provided to the public would not be possible. 9

10 The Department would also like to thank the Texas Avenue merchants that have embraced the new Town Square and have participated or sponsored several events at the new Town Square including Cork Grinders Wine Bar, the Dirty Bay Beer Company and Rooster s Steak House. We would also like to take this opportunity to express our utmost appreciation to several City Departments including Information Technology Services, Public Works and Engineering whose employees who have provided noteworthy assistance to the Department this year. The Traffic Control staff has helped with many events during the year, most notably the Town Square Events, the Christmas Parade, Grito Fest and the 3 rd and 4 th of July events. A huge thank you to the Police, Fire, Communications and Health Departments for their support and assistance with numerous events our Department coordinates including this year s July 3 rd and 4 th Celebration and Grito Fest. Special thanks goes out to Chief Keith Dougherty and his staff, including Lieutenant Roger Park for coordinating the public safety at the 3 rd and 4 th of July Celebration. A special thank you to Fire Chief Shon Blake, Fire Marshall Bernard Olive and Firefighter (Driver) Mike Wooster for their assistance in planning and coordinating a variety of activities for the July 3 rd and 4 th Celebration including the parade and providing meals to event staff, volunteers and entertainers. The Parks and Recreation Department sends out a special thank you to the Baytown Police Department for providing weekend security at the Pirates Bay Water Park. In addition, we would like to recognize and thank the Information Technology Services, Public Works, Health and Engineering Departments for their assistance throughout the year with several park projects. We also would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make this past year a success, specifically for the annual Daddy and Me Dance and the Summer Track program. We would like to especially recognize the volunteers that worked in preparation for the 10 th Annual Grito Fest. A special thank you as well goes to Chick-fil-A, Whataburger, Houston Methodist and all our many sponsors and volunteers for the annual Special Olympics Track Meet. Thanks also go to the numerous volunteers that help staff during the various programs at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and at the Baytown Nature Center. We would also like to recognize the Human Resources Department for all they do assisting the recruitment, staffing and training of over 350 lifeguards, cashiers, concessions and maintenance employees in the Aquatics Division. 10

11 The Parks and Recreation Department would like to express their gratitude for the staff at the Sterling Municipal Library and especially Lisa Coker for her assistance and proofing and printing of the Annual Report. A special thank you goes to the Parks and Recreation Department staff that continues to provide innovative and cost-effective quality activities and for the long hours, many of which are after normal work schedules. The staff continues to strive to make Baytown a better place to live and work. The remainder of this report describes in more detail the status of our projects and programs. It also notes a number of completed improvements and concludes with a review of a few specific goals for the upcoming year. Evergreen Point Golf Course The City learned in late December 2014, that the owners of the Evergreen Point Golf Course planned to sell the property and close the course on June 30, The new owners planned to develop the course property into a new housing subdivision. Evergreen Point was the only golf course remaining open in Baytown as the Country Club closed in early Suddenly, instead of Baytown being blessed with two courses the City faced having no public golf available. The City hired Richard Singer, Director of Consulting Services with the National Golf Foundation Consulting and Baxter Spann, Golf Course Architect with Finger Dye Spann, Inc. to produce the Acquisition Feasibility Analysis for Evergreen Point Golf Course in Baytown, Texas. The results of the study that were presented to City Council in April 2015 generated much anticipation for the redevelopment of the course and a planned development that could have a major impact on the future of the southern part of Baytown. The City entered into three earnest money agreements for the purchase of 198 acres located north and west of the existing golf course, the purchase of 25 acres directly west of the existing driving range and approximately 118 acres of the existing golf course. All agreements were contingent on the voter approval of the bond election in November Unfortunately, the bond election failed by 63 votes and killed any chance of the continued operation of the golf course. 11

12 Future Pocket Park 300 Ft. Wide Connection Evergreen Park 12

13 Park Land Acquisition The City s parkland inventory grew by 135 acres this past year. A. Evergreen Park (118 Acres) Just over 50% of the former Evergreen Point Golf Course was acquired in early After the failed bond election council purchased the property to preserve the scenic tract of land that included two metal maintenance buildings, the clubhouse, three lakes and almost two miles of cart paths that will be converted to hike and bike trails. The property included a large parking area, driving range and putting and chipping practice greens. The property also includes 300 foot wide tract with Pine Gully as the centerline that will provide access to an eight acre tract located at the northeast corner of the former golf course. The eight acres will be planned as a future pocket park that will service the three neighborhoods that are planned for the future. B. Gene and Loretta Russell Park Expansion (17 Acres) - Gene Russell was instrumental in the purchase of 17 additional acres that will be added to the existing 40 acre future park. Mr. Russell envisioned the park to be squared up, making it much easier to design and layout future park facilities. The new park land was purchased in May 2016 thanks to a generous donation by Gene and Loretta Russell. Completed Projects A. Hartman Bridge Gateway Monument - The second City Gateway was constructed at the base of the Fred Hartman Bridge. Parks staff contracted with DT Construction for the installation of a 45 foot-tall oil derrick, which includes two 40 foot - tall flag poles and a large Baytown cast stone sign. The blue star on top of the derrick is lighted from the interior of the star and is a prominent symbol at night. The project was completed in August of Parks staff received a grant HGAC grant to pay for the landscaping of the monument. Landscaping will be installed this fall. Parks 13

14 B. Texas Avenue Town Square - Construction began on the downtown plaza during the summer of 2015 and continued into fall at full speed. To save significant money on the project, the Parks and Recreation Department acted as the general contractor for the construction of Town Square. The park was built using a combination of contracted work and direct purchase Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments labor and equipment. The main contractor on the project was Jerdon Construction which was also the contractor for the Texas Avenue Streetscape project that was simultaneously under construction. The entire city block is located at 213 West Texas Avenue The focal point of Town Square is a 25 foot tall multi-level fountain, surrounded by an open plaza of pavers and concrete bands. The whole plaza is enclosed with brick seat walls and raised planters and surrounded by grassy lawns and connecting walkways. The seat walls, Town Square signs, amphitheater columns and walls and brick fence columns are all accented with cast stone caps and architectural pieces. Unique to this sort of downtown venue are two buildings that act as bookends on the east and west sides of the park. Both buildings fit well into the park as they are topped with green roofs and trimmed out in light colors that match other elements in the park. Both are clad in the same brick used throughout the project. The easternmost building is the ticket/storage stand, used extensively during the 2015 Holiday Season for ice skate rentals. The building on the opposite side holds a men s and women s restroom, both of which are climate controlled. The restrooms are open during Town Square events. Town Square is heavily landscaped with sizeable oak and magnolia trees and shrubs. There are also open grass lawns that can be utilized open space for events. Attractive antique lighting posts, benches and trash cans are found throughout the park inviting users to sit and visit, even after dark. A black, wrought-iron fence, matching other elements in the landscape, encloses the park between five foot tall brick columns. A final touch found on the park s west end is a parking area for up to three food trucks, to provide food and drink vending during special events in the park. 14

15 C. Bowie School Park Special Needs Playground The city s first special needs playground was built through a partnership between the Baytown Parks and Recreation Department, Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, The Baytown Rotary Club, the Baytown Kiwanis Club and the Baytown Lions Club. The Parks and Recreation Department designed and coordinated construction of the park. Concrete sidewalks and low playground walls were constructed around an existing playground. Parks crews installed the specialty equipment. Parks crews and volunteers from the Baytown Rotary Club installed engineered wood fiber safety surface and planted several trees for future shade. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on September 10, The ribbon was cut by several children that will utilize the special use playground. D. Goose Creek Phase V and Phase VI Trail - The goal of the Goose Creek Trail Phase V and VI is to connect Hutto Parkway to the Goose Creek Trail that currently ends at Busch Terrace Park. The project is divided into two phases. Phase V will connect the Hutto Parkway trail to the Animal Shelter and Phase VI will connect the Animal Shelter to Busch Terrace Park. Goose Creek Phase V Trail V Construction began on Phase V in May 2014 beginning at Goose Creek near the Animal Control Facility and eventually connecting to the Hutto Parkway Trail at Rollingbrook and Emmett Hutto Boulevard near the Citgo station. The Phase V Trail will add 1.2 miles to the Goose Creek Trail system and include an 80 bridge. Teamwork Construction Services contracted the first section of the eight foot wide concrete trail ending at Goose Creek. Terra Associates was contracted for the design of the 80 bridge and bridge abutments, including the appropriated permits from the Harris County Flood Control (HCFC). The permit agreement with HCFC was a lengthy project; however, the project was finally bid and awarded in October 2015 to Menade, Inc. to build the bridge abutments and set the 80 foot long prefabricated bridge. A very rainy fall and winter delayed constructing due to the extremely muddy conditions and the need for heavy equipment to perform the work. Staff arranged for matting to be placed in March that allowed Menade to complete the bridge abutments 15

16 and to set the new bridge which had been ordered and constructed months earlier. Once the bridge was set staff contracted with Teamwork Construction to complete the remaining section of trail connecting the bridge to the Hutto Parkway Trail. The trail is expected to open in August Goose Greek Phase VI Trail The Phase VI trail is the final link that will connect the Goose Creek Trail that begins at Bayland Park and will extend to Baker Road and Hutto and beyond. The project will connect to the Goose Creek Trail at Busch Terrace Park near the northbound Highway 146 service road and meet up with the Phase V trail near the Animal Control facility on the southbound Highway 146 service road. The trail will go under all four Highway 146 bridges, cross Park Street and Decker Road at grade and follow the northbound service road to Busch Terrace Park. The project has been designed and ready for construction, however construction has been delayed waiting for permission and permits from the Texas Department of Transportation. The permits are expected to be approved in August Construction will begin immediately following approval. The project is expected to be completed in late fall E. San Jacinto Boulevard Roadway Design, Landscaping and Public Art - In 2016 the City of Baytown began planning for a new roadway that will roughly parallel Garth Road to the east. The road, to be known as San Jacinto Boulevard, will run from the short piece of San Jacinto Boulevard that intersects with the Lone Star Avenue south of I-10 and west of San Jacinto Mall. Kimley-Horn Engineers and Landscape Architects are designing the roadway which will boast a heavy amount of landscaping and public art. In addition, a traffic roundabout at the intersection with Hunt Road will contain a larger-than-life-size sculpture of Sam Houston on his horse pointing toward the San Jacinto Monument. The sculpture is being designed by David Adickes, designer of the Sam Houston State University statue of Sam Houston and several other statues in the area and around the nation. Mr. Adickes statues are distinguished by their huge size and excellent attention to detail; also all are white in color or mostly white. F. Pelly Park A 2,000 linear foot walking trail was constructed at the request of area residents. In addition the park will received a new playground in late summer. G. Community Center Path Improvements The old trail connecting the Community Center to City Hall was replaced. The trail steps have been removed allowing for easy access to both buildings as well. 16

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18 H. Travis School Park Special Needs Playground - A second inclusive playground is in the planning stages for Travis School Park. On the heels of the successful Inclusive Playground at Bowie School Park, Staff is working with Dr. Thomas Kelchner and his Special Education Staff to rough out plans for another Inclusive Playground. Like Bowie School Park, Travis Elementary School Park and the GCCISD have an existing shared playground. This playground will be slightly different than Bowie as it will be designed to address the needs of hearing and vision impaired children. GCCISD Special Education Staff is working closely with Baytown Parks and Recreation Staff in the development of the concepts and solutions. The Parks and Recreation Department is considering a grant application that is due August 1, 2016 to Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS) for matching funds for this playground. In addition to financial contributions from the City, the GCCISD and several service clubs plan to participate in some way. The project is planned for construction in the winter of I. Roseland Park Restroom The public restrooms near the spray park were constructed in the mid-1990s. The old and unsightly restroom building was replaced with a new pre-fabricated restroom that was pre-engineered and constructed by local standards and codes. Park crews demolished the old restroom and relocated the needed utilities prior to the new restroom being delivered. The restroom was delivered, set on site and was in operation within one day. The outside of the building has an exposed truss frame as well as a rock wall façade. Inside the restroom are stainless steel fixtures with air hand dryers and fully washable restrooms. The restrooms are also equipped with a CMS system that automatically unlocks the door at 5 AM and locks the doors at close of park at 10 PM. The system also has the capability to reduce vandalism by shutting off the water during a vandal event as well as notifying us if someone attempts to sleep in the facility overnight. 18

19 J. Westwood Park Fence Improvements The West Little Leagues fields at Westwood Park are no more. The lights and poles have been salvaged and relocated to Central Little League Park and all Little League activities no longer exist at Westwood Park. The little league move opened up new opportunities for expansion of the Baytown Nature Center as a possible site for the future Chandler Arboretum and the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center. The Baytown Nature Center now includes Westwood Park except for a two acre area at the end of Wood Avenue that will be used as a future pocket park for the neighborhood. The new fence runs parallel to Steinman Street and ends near the lift station at the north end of the property. The access gate was moved to the Schrek and Steinman intersection. The fencing has also stopped illegal access to the Baytown Nature Center by vehicles and 4 wheelers. K. Big Belly Trash Cans - Since September 2015, Bayer MaterialScience has been an independent company operating under the new name Covestro. To celebrate the name change, Covestro partnered with Baytown Parks and Recreation to provide 14 Big Belly Trash units throughout the park system. The units will consist of one each of a compacting trash can and one non-compacting recycling can. The units operate on power supplied by solar panels on the top of the cans and will signal Parks Staff when they are nearly full so that the trash and recyclables can be removed. The Parks and Recreation Staff designed the artistic wraps for the cans, showcasing scenes from five of the parks that host the cans: Town Square which will have three double units, Roseland Park, Jenkins Park, Hollaway Park and Wayne Gray Sports Complex. Each of the last four will have only one double unit. The other seven double units will have the Covestro and City logos on them but no further artwork and will be located in the following parks: Evergreen Park, Allenbrook Park, Eddie Huron Park, McElroy Park, Bergeron Park, Pelly Park and Blue Heron Park. Each of the double units will have a frame on one side that can hold posters advertising park events throughout the city. An unveiling ceremony was held on August 1 st at Town Square. 19

20 Beautification Projects A. Arbor Day - Arbor Day was celebrated on Friday, April 29 th at the new Town Square. Over 1,600 one gallon size trees were given away throughout the day, including Bur Oak, Southern Crab-Apple, Green Ash, Live Oak, Overcup Oak, Eastern Redbud, Red Mable, Water Oak, Sycamore, Bald Cypress and Cedar Elm. The trees were either grown from seed at the Parks and Recreation Department's tree farm or donated seedlings from the Apache Corporation. Restoration of natural trees is a key component of efforts to enhance and beautify the appearance of a community. Staff also created tree descriptions for each tree type to assist residents in the proper care and maintenance. B. ExxonMobil- Gene & Loretta Russell Park Tree Project - ExxonMobil donated the funding and volunteer labor for the planting of 320 trees at Russell Park. The 320 trees ranged from 15 gallon trees up to 45 gallon trees and were all Texas native trees. The donation included all necessary items for the trees, such as t-posts and fertilizer to keep the trees healthy. The volunteers planted the trees on April 1 and staff estimates over 90 volunteers in attendance. C. Park Trees - The Department planted 40 thirty gallon-size trees grown from the Department s tree nursery. The trees were dispersed between Unidad Park and Jenkins Park. D. Goose Creek Cleanup The Municipal Development District added $20,000 to the Tabbs Bay piling removal project for the cleanup of Goose Creek from the Business 146 Bridge to Decker Drive. The project removed hundreds of items including 2 boats, 11 body fenders, 1 camper top, 3 basketball goals, 419 tires and 14 shopping carts. 20

21 E. CenterPoint Energy Blue Heron Park Tree Project CenterPoint Energy donated the funding and volunteer labor for the planting of 50 thirty gallon-size trees at Blue Heron Park on December 5 th. The donation included all necessary items for the trees such as t-posts and fertilizer to keep the trees healthy. F. City Bridge Painting - The Park staff was tasked with improving the aesthetics of the bridges throughout town. Park crews painted the Texas Avenue/Goose Creek Bridge as part of another project in 2015, and it made a tremendous difference in the appearance of the street. The Municipal Development District funded $50,000 to paint as many bridges as possible. Park crews have pressure washed and painted several bridges this past year including the Rollingbrook/Goose Creek bridge, the Baker Road/Goose Creek bridge and the Market Street/Goose Creek bridge. The chain link safety barriers have also been replaced. Park crews plan to continue the project until all the bridges in Baytown receive a fresh coat of paint. The project has made tremendous improvement in the appearance of our streets. G. Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Maintenance The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Right of Way Mowing Program was developed to alleviate the number of complaints caused by the lack of TxDOT contractors mowing major highways. Started on January 2 nd, 2009, the program continues to be a success and staff has added broadleaf weed control to continue to improve the appearance of Spur 330, Business 146 and Highway 146. The Department continued the City s commitment to freeway appearance again this past year. One day each month, the Parks crew removes litter from the rightof-way along Spur 330, Highway 146 (Hartman Bridge to Cedar Bayou Bridge) and Business

22 Grants and Special Projects I. San Jacinto Waste Pit Grant The San Jacinto Waste Pit sit is a 14 acre area located on the west bank of the San Jacinto River immediately north of the I-10/San Jacinto River Bridge. In 1965, Champion Paper Mill, which was located in Pasadena, contracted with McGinnis Industrial Maintenance Corporation to dispose of Champion s industrial waste. McGinnis dug pits along the San Jacinto and dumped toxic waste there until 1967 when the unlined pits reached capacity. The following year McGinnis s board of directors voted to abandon the site. Over the next four decades, the riverbank that separated the pits from the river gradually eroded until large sections of the pits were submerged beneath the water. The site was basically unknown to anybody else until 2005 when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department realized what was there. In 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted it Superfund status but initially did nothing to stop the flow of poisons such as dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to man, from the pits. In 2010, two years after the EPA added the San Jacinto pits to its National Priorities List, the agency ordered the responsible parties to install a temporary armored cap over the site, which was intended to prevent the waste from escaping while the site was still being evaluated. In 2012 part of the cap eroded during a rainstorm. In 2011 the Harris County Attorney s Office filed a lawsuit against International Paper (which had merged with Champion Paper years earlier), McGinnis and Waste Management (McGinnis s parent company) for violating the Texas Water Code, Health and Safety Code, Solid Waste Disposal Act, and Hazardous Substances Spill Prevention and Control Act and conspiring with one another to violate these codes and acts. McGinnis Industrial Maintenance Corp. settled before the end of the trial and agreed to pay $29.2 million to the State and County. Harris County and the State of Texas each received about $10 million as a result of the lawsuit. As part of a long-term effort to assess and mitigate environmental impacts from toxic waste pits along the San Jacinto River near I-10, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Harris County used the remaining $10 million for grant opportunities that provide new or expanded public recreation and access facilities along the river, plus fund environmental awareness and education efforts. The City of Baytown submitted three grant applications in early April totaling over $6 million for park improvements at the Baytown Nature Center, all three of the city s public boat ramps and Britton Park, and the acquisition and development of Evergreen Bluff Park located west of Evergreen Road. The city was notified on June 28, 2016, that two of the applications were successful. 22

23 A. Baytown Boat Ramps Repair and Improvements - $1,634,415. The project includes complete renovation of the public boat ramps at Roseland Park, Bayland Park and the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center. The renovations will include parking and lighting improvements as well. The project also includes fishing pier renovations at WC Britton Park. B. Evergreen Bluff Land Acquisition - $467,000. The land acquisition of a 21+ acre future waterfront property will add a significant tract of land for future generations. The city had requested a total of $3 million total including acquisition and development of the property, however, the development portion of the project was not funded. The 21+ acres will be acquired as soon as possible. Funding also includes a topographic survey, environmental survey and archeological study that will all be used in the future planning and development of the park. 23

24 II. Baytown Nature Center A. Day of Caring Projects - The Friends of the Baytown Nature Center, ExxonMobil staff and Park crews worked on several projects at the Baytown Nature Center for the United Way Day of Caring. Improvements include: Worked on siding and decking at Tracey s Theater Assembled and installed floating kayak dock Created Frog Jump in the Children s Nature Discovery Area Spread mulch throughout Children s Nature Discovery Area Added rubber fall zone to Brownwood Mine entries Repainted the concrete turtles in the Children s Nature Discovery Area Baytown Nature Center Kayak Launch - The Friends of the Baytown Nature Center installed a new kayak launch during the Day of Caring event. The launch utilizes a floating platform within an existing concrete structure at the shoreline, in a pocket park setting situated between the two new wetland areas constructed in 2014 and 2015 under the direction of Crouch Environmental Services. III. Tabbs Bay Cleanup In 2012, the City of Baytown began the task of removing hundreds of abandoned and derelict pilings and other junk that littered Tabbs Bay near Bayland Park. The removal of the pilings improved navigability providing safer public accessibility, added enjoyment and beautified this popular nighttime fishing spot and waterfront area, as part of larger beautification and redevelopment plans for the Bay and the adjacent Bayland Island Park and Marina. With the aid of three General Land Office Coastal Management Program (GLO- CMP) Grants and the Municipal Development District (MDD), the City removed 2,484 pilings over the past four years. A brief overview of the four phases follows: 24

25 A. GLO-CMP - Cycle 16 Grant With the aid of the City s grant writer, Staff applied for and was awarded a $135,000 grant that will fund the removal of pilings and litter in Tabbs Bay near Bayland Park. This project officially began in November Staff completed an extensive search with responsible agencies, such as the US Corp of Engineers, the General Land Office and the Port of Houston, to ensure that no special permits would be needed to complete this project. With the aid of the Purchasing Department, the project was bid and a construction contract for the removal of 300 abandoned derelict poles was awarded to Crawley Shoreline Construction in September The project began by removing abandoned pilings in Goose Lake, just south of the West Main Bridge and continues through Business 146 and into Tabbs Bay. The removal and disposal project began in late October and took four days to complete. There were a total of 312 piling removed and disposed of. B. GLO-CMP - Cycle 17 Grant - The City s grant writer and Parks and Recreation Staff again teamed up, applied for and were awarded with a second $135,000 grant that continued funding the removal of piling and other debris from Tabbs Bay. The second grant picked up where the Cycle 16 project ended. The project began in October 2012, and staff used lessons learned from the Cycle 16 project to improve and speed up the bidding process. Since the Cycle 16 process went so well, communication with the GLO-CMP staff went very smoothly. A construction contract for the removal of 427 abandoned and derelict pilings was awarded to Huffman Construction in February The project continued where Cycle 16 left off removing piles immediately around Bayland Island, then moving toward Hog Island. C. Tabbs Bay Derelict Pilings Removal Phase III This project continued the momentum from the first two projects that removed 739 abandoned pilings from Goose Creek and Tabbs Bay. Staff requested and received $100,000 in Municipal Development District funds in the 2014 budget. Following the same path as the first two successful projects, staff along with the Purchasing Department bid the project and awarded a construction contract to Huffman Construction in December 2013 to remove 534 abandoned pilings from Tabbs Bay. The project was completed in February D. GLO-CMP - Cycle 19 Grant - The City s grant writer and Parks and Recreation Staff again teamed up, 25

26 applied for and were awarded with a third grant. The $166,000 Cycle 19 grant continued and completed the removal of piling and debris project. The MDD funded the grant match of $66,000 and added an additional $20,000 to remove tires, shopping carts and debris from Goose Creek. Staff again followed the same path as the first three successful projects. Staff along with the Purchasing Department, bid the project and awarded a construction contract to Huffman Construction in August 2015 to remove the remaining abandoned pilings from Tabbs Bay. The project was completed in October 2015 with the removal of an additional 1,211 piles. IV. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Recreational Trails Grant Cary Bayou Trail Phase III - Staff received a $44,044 grant to construct 3,940 feet of new decomposed granite trail at Jenkins Park. Jenkins Park was expanded in 2007 with the purchase of an additional 56 acres of land. With the additional parkland, the City of Baytown has constructed a five acre dog park and a disc golf course. The proposed Cary Bayou Trail Phase III project will add an additional 3,940 feet of decomposed granite trail, providing a natural surface walking/jogging trail loop around the newly acquired 56 acres. The project will also add a short connection to Crosby Cedar Bayou Road, allowing future connectivity to the planned Blue Heron Park trail at the end of Blue Heron Parkway. The trail will be designed and constructed by the City of Baytown Parks and Recreation Department employees and will include signage and benches. The decomposed granite surface will provide a soft, user friendly surface. The proposed construction will utilize in-house labor, which will be the City s match for the project. The trail itself will be eight feet wide, with a milled asphalt base and a decomposed granite overlay for the wearing surface matching the existing 11,513 feet of trail in the heavily used 100 acre Hollaway-Jenkins Park. When complete, the Park will provide nearly 3 miles of multi-use trail for Park visitors. Trail construction is expected to begin in January V. Jenkins Park Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Grant The City of Baytown received a $500,000 matching grant for park improvements and upgrades to Walter Jenkins Park. Staff applied for a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Outdoor Grant in October Improvements planned for the park include a covered basketball court, a covered quick soccer park, a spray park, playground, picnic shelters, fitness equipment, connecting trails, two practice pony league size baseball fields and other park amenities. The city s match will come from Aquatic Bonds and in house labor. Construction of the grant project is expected to begin during the fall of The new spray park is planned to open for the spring 2017 season. 26

27 VI. Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center Relocation Project RESTORE Act Grant A goal of the Parks and Recreation Department is to someday relocate the Wetlands Center to the Baytown Nature Center. The two Centers go hand in hand with programming and the move would enable staff to grow the programs without the physical limitations of the two separate locations. The July 2012 Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act) dedicates 80 percent of all administrative and civil penalties related to the BP Deepwater Horizon spill to a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund and outlines a structure by which the funds can be utilized to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands and economy of the Gulf Coast region. The U.S. Department of the Treasury is responsible for issuing compliance and auditing procedures for the entire Act and procedures for two grant programs administered by Treasury. Staff worked with consultants for the layout and conceptual designs of a new Wetlands Center that would be located near the former West Little League baseball facilities at Westwood Park. The two level, 27,700 square foot building will house the Environmental Education staff, an exhibit hall, meeting rooms and a roof terrace that could be used for receptions and weddings. The grant application for over $11 million was submitted in April If awarded, the project could begin as early as winter

28 VII. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Waiver of Retroactivity for the Gene and Loretta Russell Park as discussed earlier in this report, the acquisition of the additional 17 acres adjacent to the Gene and Loretta Russell Park presented an opportunity to leverage the purchase as a possible Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Outdoor Grant match. Since the purchase was prior to the application, the City was required to request a Waiver of Retroactivity with TPWD to use the purchase value up to $500,000. Staff applied for and received a Letter of Retroactivity from TPWD Recreation Grants in May just prior to the purchase closing. The waiver allowed the city to purchase the property and hold it for up to two years before being required to apply for an acquisition and development grant using the value of the property as the city s grant match. The staff at the TPWD Recreation Grants Division moved very quickly to provide the waiver. Proposed 2017 Projects Several major park improvement projects are proposed for the upcoming year: I. Municipal Development District (MDD) Funded Projects A. Evergreen Park Improvements B. Evergreen Clubhouse Renovations (limited improvements) C. Travis Park Special Needs Playground D. Jenkins Park Restroom Replacement E. Public Restroom at the Wayne Gray Sports Complex (Near Pirates Bay) F. Goose Creek Stream Cleanup G. Baytown Sports League Improvements II. City of Baytown Budget Capital Projects A. Replace electrical meters and dock lighting at the Bayland Island Marina B. Replacement Play Equipment III. Ongoing Projects A. Goose Creek Trail Phase V B. Goose Creek Trail Phase VI C. Fire Fighter Memorial Repairs D. Kayak Launches at Bayland Park and Roseland Park E. Painting of Bridges over Goose Creek 28

29 Program Summaries Recreation 2015 Fall Community Yard Sale - The 2015 Fall Yard Sale held on September 12 th marked the last sale at Bicentennial Park. Starting with the 2016 Spring Yard Sale, the event will be relocated to the all-new Town Square located at 213 West Texas Avenue. The final event had thirty-seven community venders selling a wide array of goods Grito Fest - Salomon Robles and Los Relampaguitos co-headlined the 2015 Grito Festival held at Baytown s Bicentennial Park on Saturday October 3 rd. Along with live music, there were shopping, children activities and the Grito competitions for which the festival is named. This year s festival started at 1 PM when Mariachi Los Gallitos took the stage followed by Groupo Estrella at 2 PM and La Orgullosa De Guanajuato at 4 p.m. Then Los Relampaguitos took the stage at 6 PM, which was followed by the jalapeno and salsa contest at 7:30. Finally, Solomon Robles was the last to perform taking the stage at 8 PM. This year we completely sold out of food vendors and added a new kid s area with blow up jump houses, slides, etc. We estimated crowd of around of 5,000 people who came out to the park throughout the day. Senior Olympics - The Baytown Parks and Recreation Department partnered with the Baytown Senior Center, Harris County and others to bring the Senior Olympics back to Baytown on October 13 th 15 th. A total of 168 seniors took part in multiple events including horseshoes, Putting and Chipping Challenges, a Dance Contest and more. Due to the success of the event, senior president, Dave Weber, is planning to offer more events in

30 Halloween Haunted House - The Baytown Parks and Recreation Department brought back a free Halloween event hosted at the Baytown Community Center on Thursday, October 29 th. Park crews hung wall coverings to create a haunted house in the Community Center s Meeting room designed for children aged 5 12 and created a spooky tunnel for children 2 5 in the Auditorium. First Photo Texas was at the event to take pictures for purchase of children and adults dressed up in their Halloween costumes. By the end of the night an estimated 1,200 attended the event Baytown Veterans Day Ceremony The City of Baytown hosted the Baytown Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 AM. Wednesday, November 11 th at the Veterans Memorial Plaza at Bicentennial Park. This is a day to honor all vets, Said Jerry Johnson, past commander of VFW Post 912. It does not matter if they served in peace or in wartime, they are all being remembered and honored. Representatives from U.S. Congressman Brian Babin s office presented a flag to the VFW Post 912. World War II veteran Bill Watts was the featured speaker at the event Christmas Parade - Baytown s annual Christmas Parade took place on Thursday December 3 rd. This year s parade theme was Skating Around the Christmas Tree to coincide with the all-new ice rink that is located at our new Town Square Park. This year we had 130 parade entries, 3 food trucks, 6 mobile vendors and professional ice skaters to make the night memorable Art Show - The 2015 Art Show held on Friday December, 4 th was a wonderful success. The event has outgrown the Community Center s auditorium and now occupies the auditorium, meeting room and the hall way! This year the Parks and Recreation Department had over 500 youth and adult artists displaying almost 600 pieces of original artwork. We also were happy to use our newest coloring wall which was specially made for the City of Baytown. The color wall will be at multiple events moving forward. 30

31 Ice Skating at Town Square Ice skating came to Baytown for the first time in December, as the new Town Square s first event. The ice rink was constructed around a 43 foot tall Christmas tree that covered the fountain as a centerpiece to the new rink. The rink opened just prior to the start of the annual Christmas Parade. The rink opened for thirty days with 5,758 skaters with the high attendance day on Snow Day with 1,009 skaters. The rink was operated by the Recreation and Aquatics Divisions and staffed with employees from the Aquatics Division. Ice skating is scheduled to return to Town Square Thanksgiving weekend and remain open through the first weekend in January. Snow Day - The City of Baytown s first ever Snow Day held on January 2 nd was a huge success. Hundreds if not thousands of people packed the all new Town Square, located at 213 West Texas Ave, for a day and fun in the snow. The event featured two large play areas (one for smaller children and one for larger children), two eight foot snow slides, three balloon artists, two face painters, the cast of Frozen, Chick-fil-A, three food trucks and our ice skating rink. All together over 30 tons of snow was blown out for the event when ran from 10am 6pm and was well attended from open to close Ballroom Dances Dances were held on the third Friday of each month. Participants enjoyed dancing the Fox Trot, Mambo, Tango, Swing, Cha Cha and more. Each month an average of forty participants attended Youth Sports Expo The annual Sports Expo was held at the Community Center on January 16 th and 17 th and again on the following weekend, January 23 rd and 24 th. Representatives from Baytown Little League, Girls Fast Pitch, Teenage Baseball, Baytown Saints Soccer, Optimist Football, Dirty Bay Aquatics, Texas Rebels Basketball and The Baytown Summer Track Team were in attendance to answer any questions from local parents. The event also marks the time of the year when the Parks and Recreation Department updates the Youth Sports portion of the City of Baytown s website with all the newly elected presidents information. 31

32 Daddy and Me Dance The Daddy and Me Dance was held on February 5 th, and themed Be a Star. We wanted girls to feel like celebrities when they stepped into the Community Center. As attendees drove closer to the Community Center daughters and fathers were able to see searchlights shining 5 miles into the sky. Once in the building, each girl walked the red carpet that was laid out in the hallway and received an award pin sponsored by Awards & Engraving. 1 st Photo Texas was once again our professional photography team offering three different photo packages. We had a lot of fun photo props set ups in the hallway including a VIP Lounge, a VIP photo backdrop and an actual photo booth with free small printouts. In the Meeting Room, staff supplied cookies, punch and popcorn free of charge. On the serving table, the centerpiece was an ice sculpture in the form of a heart with a 15 on top to commemorate the 15 th Annual Daddy & Me Dance. Balloon table decoration, standing balloon columns and a balloon net hanging from the Auditorium were sponsored by The Party House and made great additions to the decoration. During the dance every half hour, we announced door prize winners. Door prizes ranged from gift baskets, $25 Antonio s Italian Grill and Seafood gift card, Pirates Bay tickets and more. The balloons hanging from the Auditorium ceiling were dropped during the Dance at 9pm. At the end of the dance, every girl leaving the Community Center received a red rose sponsored by Beehive Florist. Couples Paint Night Town Square s first Couples Paint Night was held on Saturday February 13 th from 3 PM to 5 PM. The event was hosted in partnership with Baytown s Painting with a Twist and involved a two canvas Valentine s Day themed painting activity taught by local professional instructors. All supplies were included in the $50 per couple registration fee. The first time event was nearly sold out with 36 of 40 sports reserved. The City of Baytown also partnered with local restaurants Cork Grinders and Dirty Bay Beer Company to provide pre and postevent food and drink specials consisting of ½ price appetizers and 2 for 1 on select wine and craft beer for an hour before and after the event. Other local business and organizations including Roosters, Baytown Nature Center, Black Orchid Florist and the Baytown Senior Center provided multiple door prizes throughout the event. 32

33 Easter Egg Hunt - The Baytown Parks and Recreation Department hosted its first ever Easter Egg Hunt at Town Square on Saturday March 26 th. All Egg Hunting was divided into six sessions starting at 10 AM. Each session was capped to 250 children. Parents were allowed into the hunt area, but had to stay on the sidewalk while the children picked up eggs. However, there were both toddler and infant areas where parents were allowed help their smaller children. In addition to the egg hunts, the event featured face painters, balloon artist, food trucks, large inflatable Easter bunny and picture opportunities with the Easter Bunny in front of our all new Town Square Fountain Little Leagues Opening Day was held on Saturday, April 2 nd for all youth leagues. Staff worked with all the Leagues prior to opening day by providing paint and supplies to make the necessary improvements to the parks and concession stands. Special Olympics The 2016 Baytown Special Olympic Track and Field Meet was moved from Goose Creek Memorial (GCM) High School to Lee High School due to vandalism to the GCM track. Even with the late location change, approximately 300 athletes registered for nearly 600 events. They were joined by another 400 volunteers. Event sponsors, Chick-fil-a and Community Resource Credit Union supplied lunch to all athletes, coaches and volunteers while other sponsors such as Whataburger had an interactive booth complete with a free photo booth to keep everyone entertained. New event coordinators, Sonja Payne (Volunteers) and William Grubb (Athletes) did an amazing job preparing for the event, and the Parks staff and crew kept things running smoothly for the entire event Spring Community Yard Sale - The Baytown Yard Sale was held on May 7 th and marked the first time the event was held at Town Square. The sale featured x10, 8-25 x 25, and 2 food vendors. Staff raffled off various door prices that included a free spot at the next yard sale in September 2016, Whataburger swag bag and a family pass to the Baytown Nature Center. 33

34 Straight Out of Baytown The inaugural Texas Avenue Music, Straight Outta Baytown at Town Square, welcomed bands, artists and guests from near and far on Saturday May 7 th. The festival featured bands such as Positive Disturbance, Saturate, HOUND, Kloanoa, Four Letter Language and The Philosophers. The event followed the Community Yard Sale and continued through the evening. The event had already seen at least 400 guests by 6 PM. Kids Days Clear sky greeted the first ever Kids Day event at Town Square on May 28 th. Throughout the event a magician walked around on stilts to announce the magic shows. The Wetland Center did an excellent job presenting animals and handing out educational resources. The moonwalk company had no problems setting up multiple bounce houses. Our sponsor Altus Emergency Centers provided free water and handed out sunglasses to the public. Chick-fil-A and a shaved ice vendor were present during the event. Memorial Day Ceremony - The Memorial Day Service began with the welcoming remarks from Baytown Councilman Terry Sain followed by the presentation of colors by the Baytown Veterans Honor Guard. Guest speaker Tom Willing, a former employee for ExxonMobil Chemical, talked about his personal experience dealing with his brother Eddie being declared MIA during The Vietnam War. Willing s presentation was part of an emotional affair on the 150 th anniversary of Memorial Day. Dr. Mark Broussard of Cedar Bayou Baptist Church provided the invocation and benediction. Jerry Johnson, VFW Post 912 served as Master of Ceremonies and announced the placing of the wreaths provided by veteran s clubs and social clubs. The names of those from Baytown and the surrounding area listed on the Veterans Memorial were read to those in attendance. In Baytown, we have monuments of those who died serving their country, Col. Harold Sams, Ret., VFW Post 912, said. It has become too common to walk by and say this is just a monument. It s about those who gave their lives so we could have more freedom. Wet & Wild Wednesdays- The Parks & Recreation was excited to hold the first ever Wet & Wild events at the newly built Baytown Town Square. Wet & Wild Wednesdays were a series of water - based activities for children of all ages held during the first three Wednesdays of June. The free event included multiple waterslides supplied by local Martibirds Inflatables, snacks and water provided by Kroger and Altus Emergency and snow cones by Snowies of Baytown for children to enjoy. We estimate that nearly 2,500 people attended the three events combined. 34

35 Independence Day Celebration The Baytown Parks and Recreation Department kicked off its two day annual Independence Day festivities on Sunday, July 3 rd at 6 PM with the KISS tribute band, Kiss Alike, followed by headliner America. The July 3 rd classic rock night continues to grow as several thousand attended the evening show. July 4 th started early with hundreds of runners participating in the 28 th Annual Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5 Mile Run that started at Bicentennial Park and ended at Wismer Distributing on South Main. Vendor booths opened at 4 PM followed by John Del Toro Richardson who kicked off the live entertainment at 4:30 PM. The Annual 4 th of July Parade with VFW Post 912 President, Jerry Johnson serving as this year s Parade Marshall. Texas music stars Whiskey Myers, followed by headliner The Josh Abbott Band thrilled the crowd following the parade. The 24 minute fireworks extravaganza finished off the two day celebration with a bang. The event was blessed with a steady breeze throughout the day that kept the high temperatures bearable for the thousands that attended the event, plus the steady breeze cleared the smoke during the fireworks that made for clear viewing of the fireworks show. Lloyd Lively from Baytown s channel 16 made a thank you video which can be found at the following address Lawn Game Nights also brought the opportunity to introduce Lawn Game Nights to Town Square. Lawn Games Nights were free adult game nights held at 7:00 PM on the last Friday of July, August and September. Participants competed in lawn games such as Cornhole, Washers, Giant Jenga and Spike Ball to determine champions which were eligible for awesome prizes. Prizes were donated by local restaurants and establishments. 35

36 Leisure Programs Baytown Parks and Recreation leisure programs utilize rooms at the Community Center as well as the park facilities throughout Baytown. Recreation staff works to offer as many new and exciting programs around the Community Center s rental schedule. Currently, we offer Line Dancing, Fitness Classes, Two Step Dance, Youth and Adult Karate, Zumba and much more. Over the last year our Karate classes have almost tripled in size with the addition of our new instructor, David Lange. Staff is continuously growing, expanding and adding programs and activities throughout the year by listening to the needs and interests of the public. Our newest addition is a free fitness program at Town Square. Every Saturday citizens will be able to join a free morning exercise class. We are very fortunate to work with qualified instructors in our community that share the same values and goals of our department and who are willing to offer their time and effort. Programs offered or expanded this year were as follows: Children/Youth: Karate Fire Truck Crafts for Kids Music Class for Pre-K - 1 st graders and 2 nd - 5 th graders Kindermusik for Toddlers Software Development Class Summer Programs at the Community Center: a. Lego Mania b. Lego Designer c. Lego Logo d. Lego Expert e. Camp Barbie f. Play-Doh and Hot Wheels g. Fashion Designer h. Your Creative Project Expressions & Look at Me I m an Author i. Art Camp Adults: Walk Exercise Group Cooking Class Back-to-School Made Easy: Healthy Meals for The Whole Family to Love! Dance Fitness Party Ballroom Dance Two Step Dance Class Line Dance Fitness Class 36

37 Belly Dance Karate Self-Defense Class Pound Fitness Class Monthly Baytown Photo Club Meeting Baytown Photo Club Exhibition Free Fitness Classes at Town Square Fitness Classes for City Employees a. Yoga b. Core & More DVD Work out c. Work In Progress DVD Work out Athletics Programs The City of Baytown s goal is to continually offer the community as many new and exciting recreational and competitive sporting activities as possible. Within the past year, we have grown and expanded many of our existing sports and plan to introduce many new sports in the near future. Games are offered throughout the year with our Fall, Spring, Spring II, Summer and Winter leagues as well as many various year round softball tournaments. Currently, the City of Baytown offers leagues Monday through Thursday with 70 teams, or 1,400 players and spectators, visiting our sports complexes each week. Our existing adult programs include men s 7 vs. 7 soccer, men s 8 on 8 flag football, Coed kickball, and Men s/coed slow pitch softball. All leagues are sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) and the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) and play an eight to ten game schedule followed by a single elimination tournament at the end of each season. To date, 226 teams have registered and participated in our sport leagues this year. Along with our current leagues, staff also works with ExxonMobil, The Senior Softball Association and various other tournament organizations such as 24/7 Softball, Global Sports Authority (GSA), Amateur Softball Association (ASA), National Softball Association (NSA) and Circuit Tournament Softball to assist in hosting league or tournament games at the Wayne Gray Sports Complex. Throughout the Wayne Gray Sports Complex has hosted nearly 50 tournaments with a total attendance of approximately 12,000 athletes and spectators visiting the Sports Complex on the weekends annually. The City of Baytown athletics staff also hosted four softball toy drive tournaments during December collecting 300 toys which were donated to local Baytown charities. 37

38 The 2016 Baytown Summer Track Program began on April 18 th and ended at the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Summer Games at McAllen, Texas on July 31 st. This year the program was led by 4 th year Head Coach Leon Smith, returning Assistant Coaches Teclesha Blanchard and Kerwin Lewis, as well as new assistance coaches Daneille Smith and Jennifer Green. The Summer Track program registered 110 athletes, a nearly 50% increase from The program involved practicing four days a week at Ross S. Sterling High School Track, as well as weekly circuit meets at various surrounding communities including Galena Park, La Porte, Deer Park, Texas City, Conroe and Pasadena. All the participants, ages 6 18, ran at the TAAF regional meet on July 7 th and 8 th in La Porte, Texas TAAF Summer Games were held July 28 th July 31 st in McAllen, Texas. The Olympic-style competition for amateur athletes includes events in a number of sports including track, swimming, softball, bowling, tennis, gymnastics, boxing, golf, flag football, volleyball, baseball and soccer. The Baytown Track Team was able to send 35 state qualifiers to the TAAF Summer Games to participate in 58 events. Of those 35 qualifying athletes, 8 were awarded medals in 11 events at the TAAF Summer Games. Senior Recreation Center - The seniors continue to enjoy the weekly programs each month, including Bridge, Quilting, Bingo, Dominoes and Cards. The monthly dances with live bands are always popular. Each quarter, the seniors host a luncheon, where they plan new and exciting activities for the months ahead. President David Weber continues to offer monthly casino trips that are always fully attended. The Baytown Community Center will be a host site for the regional 2016 Senior Olympic Games in October. Remaining Programs for Community Garage Sale Saturday, September 3 rd at Town Square 2016 Grito Fest Saturday, October 1 st 2016 Senior Olympic Games, October 11 th 13 th 2016 Veterans Day Ceremony Friday, November 11 th 2016 Baytown Christmas Parade Thursday, December 1 st 2016 Baytown Art Exhibition & Reception Friday, December 2 nd 38

39 Aquatics The Aquatics Division enjoyed another record breaking year as the Pirates Bay Water Park and Calypso Cove welcomed 193,975 guests to the two facilities. Both parks are at or near capacity every day. Pirates Bay will welcome its 1 millionth guest early in the 2017 season. Staff worked on several off season projects to keep the park new including the complete replacement of the filter system in the original section of Pirates Bay, refinishing the slides and replacement of the riding surface of the Flowrider surfing attraction. Aquatic staff and visitors are excited about the new feature planned for the 2017 swim season. The proposed Aqua Loop and Aqua Drop will add new thrill slides to the park and will increase capacity by 150 guests. The City s Aquatic programs and facilities are quickly becoming one of the best in the State of Texas. Pirates Bay was ranked 14 th Best Waterpark in the State of Texas and 3 rd among municipally operated facilities by the Only in Your State web site. The Aquatics Division is set up as a self-supporting enterprise fund with revenue paying for all operational expenses including personnel, utilities and routine maintenance for both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. The operating costs for the two facilities have no impact on the City s operations budget. In addition, one dollar from every admission ticket sold at both parks is set aside for future capital maintenance costs. Following the 2015 season, $881,404 has been set aside in the Capital Replacement account since the park opened in The maintenance account has been very helpful this past year as the park begins to need additional care between seasons to continue to have a fresh look and to replace expensive pumps and equipment as needed. Prior to opening for the 2016 season, the entire filter system in the original park area was replaced with high speed sand filters. An ultraviolet sanitation system was also installed to provide a secondary sanitation system for the heavily used facility. The new system has significantly improved the clarity and water quality at Pirates Bay. The filter system was paid out of the Capital Replacement account at no cost to the general fund. The Aquatics Division includes four full time employees and 350 seasonal employees that staff the two waterparks. Beginning in January, the Aquatics staff hired and trained over 350 local employees in various positions from lifeguards, concession operators, ticket takers and custodial duties. This year, approximately 30% of lifeguards and 20% of guest services staff returned from the 2015 season providing some continuity on the staff. Four employees returned for their seventh year at the park. The lifeguards are all certified through the Red Cross in Waterpark Lifeguarding, First Aid, CPR, Oxygen 39

40 Administration and AED usage. Staff is trained on the large slides and rides including the FlowRider. The aquatics staff is cross-trained to work at both Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. During the 2015 summer season, the Aquatics Division expended $1,020,294 in personnel costs to 331 high school and college students that worked at Pirates Bay and Calypso Cove. The City s aquatics facilities have become an excellent opportunity for summer employment for our youth. Staff continued to come up with new and innovative ways to advertise the water park. The Parks and Recreation Department ran a commercial across the greater Houston area on Comcast Cable. The City also utilized Houston and Beaumont area radio stations, scoreboard advertisements, website ads, advertising at the new Showbiz Cinema Theater, along with traditional print ads in local and Houston area newspapers and magazines, as well as state-wide publications. The Department also utilizes Facebook and Twitter along with the City of Baytown s websites: and Pirates Bay Water Park The Pirates Bay Water Park continued its popularity from the first six seasons drawing visitors from all over southeast Texas and beyond. The expansion completed in 2014 added much needed capacity that reduced the long entrance lines; however, the popular waterpark is at or near capacity from Thursdays through the weekend. Staff continued several successful programs including Swimming Lessons, FlowRider lessons, Dive in Movies, the annual Flowrider Competition and the Itty Bitty Beach Party. The Itty Bitty Beach Party is open to little pirates up to age 5 and their parents once a week from 8:00 to 10:00 AM. Special Pirates Night - In a partnership with Goose Creek CISD Special Education and Baytown Parks and Recreation, Pirates Bay has begun hosting a monthly special needs night. On these nights, the park is open from 7:30-10 PM exclusively for special needs children and their families. For the award winning events, the park has 25 additional guards that are in the water serving as park ambassadors who interact with the kids and their families. The event has received great reviews from parents. The first event was held June 28 th and attracted over 1,100 special needs children and families. 40

41 The 4 th Annual Pirates Bay Flowrider Competition will be held at Pirates Bay Water Park on Saturday, September 17 th. The extremely exciting event attracts both local and regional contestants; however, we expect several from out of state. The event will have several divisions including Youth (12 and under) and Adult and Masters Divisions. Calypso Cove Calypso Cove is a smaller Caribbean-themed water park and is located at N.C. Foote Park on West Main. Attendance for the 2015 summer season also exceeded expectations with 20,450 visitors breaking the 2014 record by 1,647 guests. The pool has a capacity of 125 people and averaged 232 visitors per day in Calypso Cove attendance in 2016 is projected to be the best year yet with 15,768 guests by July 31 st. Pirates Bay Expansion Phase II The consulting team of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Counsilman-Hunsaker Associates began planning and engineering on the second phase of the Expansion Master Plan in November with design of the Aqua Loop Slide project. The project goal is to increase the parks capacity and to provide a thrill ride experience to the popular water park. The project will include a 57 foot tall slide tower that will be designed for three different thrill rides including an Aqua Loop and an Aqua Drop slide. The project is also includes space for the future addition of a Flat Line Loop slide. The slides will include the Aqua Launch Capsules for added thrill value. In addition to the slide tower project, three additional shade canopies with 12 picnic tables are planned to be added. The expansion is expected to add 100 to 200 additional guests to the park. Construction on the project is expected to begin in September following the closing of the 2016 season and be in operation for the 2017 summer swim season in May. The layout of the new slide tower is located on page 61. Spray Parks and Splash Decks - The popular facilities are open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday through Saturday and from 12:00 noon until 8:00 PM on Sundays. The facilities will be open daily until November 6 th. All five spray parks will reopen for the 2017 season on Saturday, March 11, 2017, at 10:00 AM. McElroy Park Spray Park The McElroy Park Spray Park opened for its fifth season on March 12 th. The large 4,511 square foot spray park features three large picnic shelters, sixteen picnic tables, large family size grills, connecting trails and a 20 space parking lot. 41

42 Pelly Park Splash Deck The Pelly Park Splash Deck opened for its fifth season on March 12 th. The very popular splash deck served the Pelly area neighborhoods during the long hot summer. Bergeron Park Splash Deck The Bergeron Park Splash Deck opened for its sixth season on March 12 th. The very popular splash deck served the West Baytown neighborhood during last summer s extremely hot weather cooling off kids of all ages. Roseland Spray Park This city s first spray park opened for its 14 th season this spring. Central Heights Park Splash Deck The Central Heights Park Splash Deck opened for its third full season on March 12 th. The project was funded by the Community Development Block Grant. The project funding was secured thanks to the hard work of the neighborhood and has been a nice addition to the popular neighborhood park. Environmental Programs Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center A. The Wetlands Center conducted the ExxonMobil Wetlands Ecology Program (17 th year) and Covestro i 3 Program (formerly Bayer Making Science Make Sense ) (16 th year) for 1,700 Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCCISD) 5 th grade students. Students participated in educational activities at both the Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) -aligned activities center around wetland ecosystem awareness, marine debris and biodegradation timelines, estuary modeling, animal adaptations, scientific methods and use of microscopes, life cycles and metamorphosis and live animal biology. Barbers Hill sends their 5 th graders to the Wetlands Center for the Wetlands Ecology Program as well. B. The The Rotary Club of Baytown Liquid Science Program for GCCISD 7 th graders was conducted for the 8 th year. Approximately 1,760 GCCISD 7 th graders participated in the program, which focuses on water sampling and analysis, watersheds and pollutant awareness, abiotic and biotic parameters affecting an ecosystem, and the aquatic ecosystem requirements and biology of blue crabs. The Rotary Club of Baytown continues to sponsor the program. 42

43 C. The Chevron Phillips sponsored Wade Into Wetlands Summer Science Camps grew even bigger this year as both the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center hosted camps during ten weeks of summer. This year the Wetlands Center hosted camps for 1 st through 10 th graders, including Creeping Things, Flap, Flutter, Fly!, Kidventors, Wetland Warriors, In Living Color, Hooked!, Journey Through Science, Up and Away, To Infinity and Beyond!, which was the first overnight tent camping experience for the summer program, and The Great Outdoors. The Baytown Nature Center hosted two half-day camps, Nature Friends and Wilderness Survival, the first evening camp offered in the program s history. Each camp was full, accommodating 22 students. The Friends of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center awarded $6,000 in low income and academic scholarships, and the Friends of the Baytown Nature Center awarded academic scholarships to campers attending the BNC camps. Private donors sponsored eight campers from La Porte s Boys and Girls Harbor to attend Wetlands Center camps. D. Wetlands Center staff conducted the 7 th Annual Spring into Nature Spring Break Camp for 4 th - 6 th grade students. Nine students had a great time visiting local wildlife and environmental education venues. Wetlands Center staff conducted the 6 th Annual Winter Holiday Camp. The three-day camp hosted 13 campers who had a great time in the warm winter weather. E. Wetlands Center staff hosted educational field trips for pre-schools, churches, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, home-schoolers, public schools within and outside of GCCISD (elementary through high school), private schools within and outside GCCISD, Lee College, daycares and senior citizen groups. School districts attending Wetlands Center events now include Devers ISD, Galena Park ISD, Humble ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, Channelview ISD, Clear Lake ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Crosby ISD, Dayton ISD, Liberty ISD, Katy ISD, Houston ISD and Sheldon ISD. 43

44 F. The Wetlands Center s after-school teen club, EPIC (Environment Protectors Initiating Change), continues to grow as high school students from each of Baytown s high schools meet bi-weekly to discuss contemporary environmental issues and ways to be involved in the community. Each month the club participates in a local event (i.e. shoreline cleanup, trash pickup, marsh planting, etc.) as they strive to make a difference in their environment. They also designed and built a float for Baytown s Christmas Parade to promote recycling awareness in Baytown. G. The Wetlands Center was once again named a beneficiary of TPC Group s Annual Golf Tournament. These funds allow the Wetlands Wagon Outreach Program to travel across Texas promoting nature education and the City of Baytown to schools, festivals and other group events. This year TPC Group invited the Wetlands Wagon to their golf tournament where it was visited by many golfers on the first tee box of the Forest Course. Thank you to the TPC Group for this donation. H. The Wetlands Center continues to host monthly meetings for community groups. Houston Galveston Area Council, Hill of Rest Cemetery Board, Rotary Club of Baytown, Goose Creek Country Club Garden Club and Beta Sigma Phi have all gathered at the Wetlands Center. Baytown Bert, aka Bert Marshall, hosts Cache In, Trash Out Geocaching workshops at both the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center. Galveston Bay Foundation hosted two Rain Barrel Workshops, teaching attendees how to successfully create and install rain barrels at their homes. ExxonMobil Emergency Response Team conducted training on the Wetlands Center dock, turning the parking lot into something looking like a scene from a disaster movie. 44

45 I. The Wetlands Center continues to host Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education workshops. Jose Flores, with TPWD, teaches the workshops in both English and Spanish. This year we also saw the return of Boater Education classes, with the Galveston Bay Power Boat Squadron teaching local boaters how to be safe on the water. J. Superintendent of Nature Resource Programs, Tracey Prothro partnered with Lee College instructors who hosted Lee College biology and education students at the Soltis Center, Texas A&M University s Research Center in San Ysidro, Costa Rica. Tracey served as staff hydrologist and taught hydrologic cycle, properties of water and macroinvertebrate organisms of tropical aquatic systems ( bug picking ) to Lee College and local students. K. Tracey Prothro attended the Experience Lab with Baytown s Tourism Coordinator and local hotel leader to find ways to improve ecotourism at both the Wetlands Center and the Baytown Nature Center. L. TPWD certified both the Wetlands Center and BNC as Texas Aquatic Science Certified Field Sites. Teachers can now contact either entity to request field trips and lessons outlined in TPWD s new TAS Field Guide. 45

46 M. Wetlands Center staff and volunteers participated in many outreach events including: NatureFest at Jesse Jones Park in Humble Galveston Bay Foundation s Bay Day at the Kemah Boardwalk Sam Houston Council s Scout Fair at Reliant Arena Texas Forest Service s Woodland and Wildlife Festival University of Scouting Conference Texas Parks and Wildlife Department s Take Me Outdoors Houston Festival at Discovery Green Park Houston Livestock Show San Antonio Stock Show State Fair of Texas Rotary Club of Baytown s Catfish Festival at Royal Purple Raceway Boy Scout Learning for Life Event Museum of the Gulf Coast Summer Program Lee College Spring Fling and Fall Fiesta Baytown Health and Safety Fair Harris County Earth Day at Deussen Park in Humble, Texas Baytown YMCA Open House and Family Day Harris County WaterWeek in Humble, TX Baytown Special Rodeo Crosby ISD Kindergarten AgVenture Days Holy Rosary Catholic School Nature Day in Rosenberg, Texas Area 5 Mini-CAST Educator s Conference Chick-fil-A Toddler Time in Baytown San Jacinto Festival and Battle Reenactment Mont Belvieu Spring Celebration Baytown YMCA Healthy Kid s Day Kid s Day at Town Square Outreach activities also included onsite student classes at local libraries, churches, Texas Master Naturalist class and many visits to GCCISD schools and preschools in Baytown. GCCISD and other local schools also hosted the Wetlands Wagon exhibits at numerous fall and spring festivals, career days and family science nights. N. The Center participated in the City of Baytown s 4 th of July Celebration. The huge crowd enjoyed the touch tanks, microscope lab, live animal exhibits and catfish fishing pond. The Wetlands Center also participated in the City of Baytown s Grito Fest. Visitors enjoyed the touch tank, live animal exhibits and marine debris display. O. Gator Tales, the preschool program at the Wetlands Center, continues to meet in the summer and winter. Kids have story time then meet live animals and 46

47 participate in an activity or do a craft. Weekly sessions included hands-on nature activities to introduce reptiles, insects, spiders, fish and many other nature-based topics. Parents/grandparents attend with their children. Gator Tales serves as a good complementary program to Tyke Hike, which is held at the Baytown Nature Center during the spring and fall. P. Birthday parties continue to be a popular Saturday event at the Wetlands Center. Promotional flyers advertise Wildest Birthday Party in Town which includes two hours of room use, tours of the Wetlands Center exhibits, an activity based on the party theme and a chance to touch and handle wild critters. Q. The Friends of the Wetlands Center hosted their annual fund-raising gala at the home of Lee and Leila Bates. Approximately 200 people attended and the event raised close to $21,000. These proceeds help fund extra staff hours and summer science camp scholarships at the Wetlands Center. R. The Land of Milk and Honey beehive continues to thrive, with volunteer Clarence Shepherd, a local beekeeper, helping to maintain the hive s health. Additional hives at the Baytown Nature Center supply honey which is being bottled as thank-you gifts for volunteers. S. The Friends of the Wetlands Center and Lee College continued their partnership to provide educational interns for the Liquid Science Program. Selected students teach and/or assist with education stations during the Liquid Science Program and receive a scholarship funded by the ExxonMobil Lee College fund for their next semester. T. Four issues of the Wetlands Center s newsletter, Marsh Matters, were written and published. Most subscribers are now receiving the newsletter by . Current issues are also linked to the website for public enjoyment. Both the Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center are on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and receiving positive comments from the general public. 47

48 U. Staff presented eight sessions on Using Wildlife in the Classroom for Lee College s STEM Day for future teachers. V. Tracey Prothro taught Wildlife 101 and Nature s Art at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department s Becoming an Outdoor Woman Conferences in Granbury, Texas and Concan, Texas. These workshops are a great outreach opportunity for Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center. W. BNC Naturalist and Wetlands staff hosted scout workshops for Webelos, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Cadets and Girl Scouts at the Wetlands Center. Scouts are also eligible for badges and advancements during Summer Science Camps. X. Jingle the Elf was on maternity leave so her Texas cousin, Jangle, debuted as the Wetlands Center s mischievous mascot. Every day in December, Jangle was featured on the Wetlands Center s social media sites exploring the Wetlands Center and BNC. The end of the month was celebrated with a Pictures with Jangle day, where the public was invited to take pictures with Jangle. Jingle and her new baby, Bell, also put in a cameo appearance. Y. RESTORE Grant application was prepared and submitted for consolidation of the Wetlands Center and BNC on the BNC site. Z. The Wetlands Center went live on Google Maps with a 3D tour. 48

49 Baytown Nature Center A. Tyke Hike, Baytown Nature Center s (BNC) preschool program and part of ExxonMobil s Discovering Nature s Secrets program, continued during the spring and fall. Weekly sessions include hands-on nature activities introducing reptiles, insects, spiders, fish and many other nature-based topics. Parents/grandparents attend with their children. Average attendance is 20 kids per week. During one Tyke Hike session, kids planted trees at the Children s Nature Discovery Area. The project was funded by Calpine Energy through the Friends of the Baytown Nature Center. B. The Naturalist and BNC staff continue to host educational field trips for scout groups, bird watching clubs, seniors groups, church groups, universities (College of the Mainland, Lee College, Lamar University, Texas A&M University at Galveston), schools (both Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCCISD) and other districts) and tourists to promote the environmental wealth of the Nature Center. BNC staff also spoke in the community with talks at ExxonMobil, Kiwanis, Rotary and other local groups. C. Nurture Nature Series continues at BNC on the first Saturday of each month. Topics this year included Paddleboarding, Kayaking, Family Camping, Outdoor Cooking, Wilderness Survival, Biking, Birding, Geocaching and Angler Education. Guest speakers and Baytown Nature Center (BNC)/Wetlands Center staff present the topics. D. The Full Moon Hike program continues as a successful monthly event. An average of 25 people are attending and walking the trails to see what BNC has to offer after dark. So far, coyotes, raccoons, bats, snakes, fireflies and opossums are the most common nocturnal creatures spotted. Screech owls trilling in the night are also crowd favorites! E. The BNC played host to the annual North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Count, with results posted on their national website. Also hosted was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. National exposure on these events promotes BNC as an ecotourism site. 49

50 F. The BNC presented the 5 th year of Back to the Bay high school biology program. This program complements the Wetlands Ecology Program and the Liquid Science Program from the Wetlands Center. Select 9 th and 10 th grade biology students from GCCISD travel to the BNC to participate in water analysis, seining and cast netting for species identification, introduction to invasive and exotic species, and a historical perspective on human impact on the local environment. The program is funded by ExxonMobil through the school district. Several other area schools have also participated with the Back to the Bay Program. G. The 5 th Annual Nurture Nature Festival was cancelled in November due to rain and rescheduled to the first Saturday in April, which turned out to be a great way to boost attendance. Over 4,200 visitors attended, twice the number that usually attends. The festival hosted 32 exhibitors and stage presentations by Crocodile Encounter, EarthQuest Birds of Prey and Texas Snakes. Four food vendors kept the visitors fed well, and the nature/environmental exhibitors enjoyed teaching the visitors ways to appreciate the outdoors. TPWD returned with their Angler Education trailer and Backyard Bass activity, Archery Education team and Alligator Education exhibit. Plans are underway to increase parking and convenience amenities for next year s spring time festival. H. Scout interest in workshops and camping at BNC continues to increase. The BNC Naturalists host workshops for Webelos, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Royal Rangers and Daisy Groups. Several troops have camped overnight at BNC. 50

51 I. BNC hosted several community service groups, including ExxonMobil college co-op interns and Student Conservation Association. Volunteers clean shoreline, clear brush and trees from trails, spread granite on trails, weed the butterfly garden and other beds and do minor construction and repairs. J. Monthly bird counts continue on the third Thursday of every month at BNC. These are led by volunteer and wildlife photographer, David Hanson. Results from the bird counts are published on TexBirds website and Houston Audubon s website, with pictures taken by the Hansons. This is great exposure for BNC in the local birding community. Sightings of rare birds (i.e. brown boobies) guarantee an increase in attendance at BNC. K. The Raven Chapter of the Order of the Arrow district again chose the Baytown Nature Center as the site of their Ordeal. The 40 Arrow candidates spent a Friday night at BNC then worked in silence all day on Saturday cleaning trails and shorelines. Projects included trail clearing of the Myra C. Brown Birding Trail and shoreline cleanup. L. The Ani-Lati Chapter of the Order of the Arrow returned to the BNC for their annual Ordeal. Candidates planted prairie grass, added a roof to the overlook on the Myra C. Brown Birding Trail, cleaned trail signs and performed general trail maintenance. M. Staff from ExxonMobil s BTEC facility chose the Baytown Nature Center as their project site during United Way s Day of Caring. With the help of Parks crews, volunteers repaired siding and decking at Tracey s Theater, assembled and installed floating kayak dock, created jump zone for Frog Jump in the Children s Nature Discovery Area, spread mulch throughout Children s Nature Discovery Area, added rubber fall zone to Brownwood Mine entries and painted the concrete turtles in the Children s Nature Discovery Area. Several of the Friends of BNC also helped out. 51

52 N. BNC continues to attract Eagle Scout candidates. Current or completed projects include resurfacing the Gator World deck at the Wetlands Center, replanting the freshwater wetland plants in the Gator World exhibit at the Wetlands Center, weeding and replanting beds in the Crystal Bay Butterfly Garden at BNC and adding shelving in the Wetlands Wagon outreach trailer. O. Attendance at the Baytown Nature Center continued to increase during the past few years and is projected to cover all expenses in the operations budget for the sixth year in a row. A slight rate increase was implemented for the first time in the BNC s 12 year history in mid P. The BNC went live with Google Maps, who filmed and published video at over 100 spots throughout the center. Baytown Nature Center Fee Schedule Effective August 2015 Description Current Fee New Fee Daily Permits (13 years and over) $3 $4 Daily Permit for Children (5-12) Free $1 Daily Permit for Seniors (65+) $3 $1 Annual Individual Passes $20 $30 Annual Family Passes (up to 6) $50 $65 Five Year Comparison of Annual Attendance and Revenue April 1, 2011 March 31, 2016 April 1, 2011 March 31, 2012 April 1, 2012 March 31, 2013 April 1, 2013 March 31, 2014 April 1, 2014 March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015 March 31, 2016 Day Permits Sold 21,867 22,055 24,556 26,599 43,219 Revenue $65,628 $66,165 $73,668 $79,797 $100,969 Annual Individual Passes Sold Revenue $6,180 $6,040 $6,240 $6,100 $6,010 Annual Family Passes Sold Revenue $7,400 $7,600 $7,550 $7,650 $9,615 Total Annual Revenue $79,208 $79,805 $87,458 $93,547 $116,594 52

53 2017 Recommendations 1. Continue to incorporate the recommendations of the Playbook 2020, The Strategic Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the City of Baytown, Texas. 2. Continue to demonstrate sensitivity to the community s needs through the involvement of citizens in the planning and development of facilities, programs and policies. 3. Continue support for Quality of Life initiatives, community appearance and economic development projects. 4. Continue to acquire CDBG funds for the development/renovation of target area parks. 5. Continue to provide adequate annual funding for quality maintenance and operation of the Department. 6. Enhance the promotional and marketing efforts for all special events and programs, as well as Town Square, Pirates Bay, Calypso Cove and the Baytown Nature Center. 7. Expand athletic program offerings and partner with area facilities to broaden our participation base. 8. Continue to submit tournament bids for future, TAAF and USSSA softball and flag football tournaments on the regional, state and national level. 9. Continue to implement the recommendations of the Aquatic Facilities Master Plan, as well as the Pirates Bay Expansion Master Plan. 10. Work to secure future parkland that will correspond to the future growth of the City especially north of I-10 and east of Cedar Bayou. 11. Expand the recreation and educational programs offered to attract all age groups. 53

54 12. Continue to improve and expand the environmental, recreational and educational programs of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center and the Baytown Nature Center. 13. Continue to improve the City s image and tourism through the City s environmental and recreational opportunities, by hosting and promoting special events that increase the exposure of our facilities in an effort to attract visitors to Baytown. 14. Enhance the Parks and Recreation Department s section of the City s website, as well as improve the appearance and the interactive usability of the Pirates Bay, Calypso Cove and Baytown Nature Center sites. 15. Continue to expand the City s Sidewalk and Trail Master Plan to make Baytown a walkable community. 16. Continue progressive park planning and recreational programming by offering the newest activities and amenities throughout the city s parks. Respectfully Submitted, Scott Johnson, Director Parks and Recreation Department Wayne Gray, Chairman Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Appendix: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members Parks Division Staff Recreation and Administrative Staff Environmental Programs Staff Aquatics Staff Facility Rentals & Attendance Figures Activities Comparison - Budget Year 2011/2012 to 2015/ Final Aquatics Attendance Summary 2016 Aquatics Attendance Summary Aqua Loop Slide Complex Layout 54

55 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members (Left to Right) Agustin Loredo, Billy Barnett, Kevin Jones, Carmen Torres, Howard Hunt, Chairman Wayne Gray and Michelle Bitterly Parks Division Staff 55

56 Recreation and Administrative Staff Environmental Programs Staff 56

57 Aquatics Staff 57

58 Facility City of Baytown Parks & Recreation Department Facility Rentals & Attendance Figures August 1, 2015 July 31, 2016 Number of Rentals Attendance Average Attendance Per Rental Community Center , Jenkins Pavilion 155 9, Roseland Pavilion , Wayne Gray Sports Complex 24 11, Bicentennial Park 3 40,000 13,333 Total 1, , Activities Comparison Budget Year 2011/2012 to 2015/2016 Activities Offered / Hosted Budget Budget Year Budget Year Budget Year Budget Year Year 2011/ / / / /2016 Special Events Leisure Programs Athletic League Teams Softball Tournaments Total *Softball Tournaments have been removed from special events and placed in their own category starting 2012/

59 59

60 2016 Aquatics Attendance Summary April 30 July 31, 2016 Pirates Bay Water Park Calypso Cove Daily Attendance Summary Daily Attendance Daily Attendance Monday 16,338 1,953 Tuesday 11,131 1,403 Wednesday 14,317 1,939 Thursday 18,274 2,017 Friday 19,760 2,675 Saturday 28,808 3,202 Sunday 24,988 2,579 Total 133,616 15,768 Average Per Day 70 / 61 Days 1, Goal Per Day 1, Average Above/Below Goal Projected Attendance - 96 /87 Days 183,264 22,446 60

61 61