2011 Annual Report

CITY OF BOISE
Parks & Recreation
A REPORT TO OUR CITIZENS
FISCAL YEAR 2011
INSIDE THIS REPORT
Overview and
Strategic Goals................... 1
The Year in Review.............. 2
By the Numbers.................. 3
What's Ahead...................... 4
Our Mission:
TO ENHANCE BOISE’S
QUALITY OF LIFE BY
WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE COMMUNITY TO
FOSTER AND SUPPORT
CITIZEN WELL BEING
AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY
ENVIRONMENTS.
Accolades
• For the second time, Boise was a
finalist in the National Recreation
& Park Association’s prestigious
Gold Medal Award competition.
• The Boise River Greenbelt received
national recognition as one of
101 top conservation projects
by President Obama’s America’s
Great Outdoors Initiative.
About Citizen
Centric Reporting
The Association of Government
Accountants developed guidance on
producing Citizen Centric Reporting as
a method to demonstrate accountability
to residents and answer the question:
Are we better off today than we were last
year? Additional details can be found at
the AGA website: www.agacgfm.org
Additional information is available at
www.cityofboise.org/parks.
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
Comprehensive Plan
A revision to the Boise Parks and Recreation Department’s Comprehensive Plan provides
a five-year blueprint for land acquisition, park development, wellness programs, and
recreational opportunities.
Created with extensive input from citizens, the plan outlines recommendations for future
developments in park operations, recreation, partnerships, volunteerism, safety and
security, facility reservations, customer service, dogs in parks, and other topics.
New themes include wellness; sustainability; and foothills, trails, and urban open space.
A citizen survey reflected these priorities for park and recreation facilities:
• Trails for walking or jogging
• Neighborhood park close to home
• Playgrounds
• Dog parks
• Youth sports fields
To review the entire document, see www.cityofboise.org/parks. For a free CD, please
contact us at bpr@cityofboise.org or call (208) 608-7611.
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
OUR TROOPS, OUR FAMILIES
More than 2,500 people attended five
Boise Parks & Recreation-sponsored
events at Zoo Boise, Ivywild Pool and
Idaho IceWorld for “Our Troops, Our
Families,” a City of Boise military
appreciation program.
FOOTHILLS SERIAL LEVY
At a free celebration May 7, 2011,
hundreds of residents cheered the
10-year anniversary of the 2001 serial
levy and the protection of 10,300 acres
of open space.
CELEBRATING GOOD
NEIGHBORS
Nearly 600 people
joined staff members
of Whitney, Morley Nelson and Grace
Jordan community centers in August
2011 for Neighborhood Block Parties
featuring games, music, and Mobile
Recreation Van-led activities.
DOG OFF-LEASH PILOT PROGRAM
With input from neighbors, a pilot program
to provide off-leash areas was launched in
seven Boise parks. The 1-year pilot will be
evaluated in April 2012.
PIONEER HOMELESS SHELTER
For the third year, the Pioneer Neighborhood Center opened its doors to up to 20
homeless families per day during winter
months.
LET’S MOVE BOISE
Boise Parks & Recreation and Blue
Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health
are leading a city movement to combat
childhood obesity by increasing awareness
of the need to provide healthy food and
physical activities for children.
NEW GIRAFFE
Thanks to private donations, a 10-monthold giraffe from California’s Six Flags
Discovery joined Julius in the African
Plains exhibit. The new giraffe was a
replacement for a male giraffe that died
in September 2010.
BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT
After a 4-year absence,
the butterfly exhibit
returned to the
delight of 76,000
people who visited
from June 1 through Labor Day.
ANIMALS OF THE PAMPAS
“Animals of the Pampas” opened with the
addition of a giant anteater, a maned wolf
and three rheas.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
A percentage of zoo admission and
membership fees were used for projects
in Borneo, Botswana, Idaho, the
Philippines and Mozambique’s
Gorongosa National Park.
GREENBELT IMPROVEMENTS
A new pedestrian bridge at 36th Street
and major renovations in Julia Davis
Park and Baggley Park to Bown
Crossing helped keep Greenbelt
users moving throughout the city.
WEED-MUNCHING GOATS
For two weeks in summer 2011, 600
goats served as living weed-whackers
and mowed down Rush Skeletonweed
at Polecat Gulch.
“UNPLUG AND BE OUTSIDE”
Be Outside Idaho partners hosted
1,200 children at the first “Unplug
and Be Outside” free or low-cost events
in April 2011.
2nd MOBILE RECREATION VAN
The city’s 2nd Mobile Recreation Van
allows the department to expand services
to 15 more parks and apartment as well
as elementary schools.
FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP
The Boise Figure Skating Club welcomed
300 regional skaters to Idaho IceWorld
for the 2011 Northwest Pacific Regional
Figure Skating Championships.
JULIA DAVIS PARK
A new Agriculture Pavilion and restroom
opened with private funds raised by a
team led by Diane Myklegard, a greatgranddaughter of Tom and Julia Davis.
BOISE HILLS PARK
A new playground with rubber tile surfacing
and three new trees were installed at the
new 7.3-acre Boise Hills Park.
STERLING OFFLEASH DOG PARK
A new fenced off-leash
dog area built by
volunteers opened
at the Sterling site
in West Boise.
BY THE NUMBERS
• In 2010, the recreational facilities
and programs logged 1.2 million visits,
including 710,000 visits from youth.
Amount for General Fund
FY10
• Volunteers dedicated a total of 62,506
hours to Boise Parks & Recreation—
the equivalent of about 30 full-time
employees or a savings of $921,431
in labor costs.
FY11
Miles of trails maintained
137
148
Adaptive programs offered
256
286
1,892
1,739
332,230
323,741
Idaho Ice World attendance 525,202
365,729
Rounds of golf played
48,344
49,242
Average youth scholarship
$42.37
$50.18
Youth scholarships
awarded
2,344
3,006
702,911
655,492
Park acres maintained
Zoo attendance
Number of youth served
All Expenditures
FY10
Depot & Park Reservation
Foothills & Open Space
1,897,499
2,070,400
414,316
391,947
577,950
615,681
Park Resources
7,983,419
8,176,730
Recreation Services
3,922,024
3,966,024
Idaho Ice World
1,594,464
1,711,017
Warm Springs Golf Course
1,318,428
1,316,703
Zoo
All Revenues
Selected Service
Statistics
Park Administration
FY11
1,685,955
1,808,183
19,394,055
20,056,686
Park Administration
125,152
36,680
Depot & Park Reservation
319,335
335,029
Foothills & Open Space
135,940
124,754
Park Resources
357,001
436,064
Recreation Services
1,668,751
1,691,256
Idaho Ice World
1,617,743
1,518,517
Warm Springs Golf Course
1,340,962
1,361,391
998,139
1,162,631
6,563,023
6,666,321
Zoo
Expenditures by Service Group
2010 Revenue by Source
10% Park Administration
2%
Depot & Special Events
3%
Foothills & Open Space
66.76% Intergovernmental
Revenues
30.92% Charges for Services
41% Park Resources
1.13% Grants & Contributions
20% Recreation Services
9%
Idaho Ice World
7%
Warm Springs Golf Course
9%
Zoo
Revenues by Service Group
1.02% Miscellaneous Revenues
0.17% Operating Transfers
Intergovernmental Resources
FY10
FY11
12,831,046
13,390,365
6,110,617
6,202,018
1% Park Administration
Charges for Services
5% Depot & Special Events
Grants & Contributions
182,078
225,974
2% Foothills & Open Space
Operating Transfers
124,068
33,898
7% Resources
Miscellaneous Revenues
146,260
204,430
19,394,069
20,056,685
25% Recreation Services
23% Idaho Ice World
20% Warm Springs Golf Course
17% Zoo
An independent audit of the City’s financial statements resulted in
an unqualified audit opinion. Financial information is prepared
according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
For the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, see the Division of
Finance and Administration at www.cityofboise.org.
WHAT’S AHEAD
HYATT WETLANDS
Work will begin in 2012 on a stormwater demonstration project,
trails and interpretive signs for West Boise’s Hyatt Hidden
Lakes Reserve.
ESTHER SIMPLOT PARK
A concept plan for the 55-acre Esther Simplot Community Park
shows bigger ponds and a meandering stream, with pathways
weaving through grassy areas and crossing new bridges to
islands and picnic shelters. With the approval of the Boise Parks
& Recreation Commission, the plan will come to life in 2012
when construction begins on the park. The Simplot Foundation
will fund construction of the park, which includes amenities to
support the adjacent River Recreation Park. This is one of the
most significant donations in the history of the Boise parks
system. In addition to dollars injected into our local economy,
it means that the redevelopment jump-start needed in the
30th Street area west of downtown will happen much sooner.
MARIANNE WILLIAMS PARK
Marianne Williams Park is well on the way for a grand opening
in spring 2012. Irrigation systems have been installed, pathways
have been built, and grass and hundreds of trees have been
planted at the park. Future phases of development include
Greenbelt construction, green-up of the area around Loggers
Pond and the Walling Corridor, constructing the park frontage
road, and ultimately completing the Walling Corridor Bridge.
The 71-acre park in the Barber Valley was donated to the City
in 2005 by Larry Williams in honor of his wife Marianne.
Undeveloped areas of the park will provide open space and
habitat features such as streams, ponds, wetlands, and forested
riparian areas that will benefit wildlife, improve fisheries, and
provide viewing opportunities. Two parking areas will provide
public access to the park and the Greenbelt path.
RIVER RECREATION PARK
Thanks to the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation and other
donors, construction began with work on a new Thurman Mill
Diversion, in-river wave features, new Greenbelt pathways and
a pedestrian overlook.
STEWART GULCH PARK
In 2012, crews will complete the first phase of construction on
a new 5.8-acre park in a Northwest Boise neighborhood off 36th
Street, near Quail Hollow Golf Course. The project includes a
new playground, parking lot and pathways at Stewart Gulch Park,
5070 Eyrie Way. Funding is provided by impact fees that have
been generated by residential construction. A master plan was
completed in 1998.
TERRY DAY PARK
The Mayor and City Council have budgeted $400,000 from the
general fund to begin green-up of the seven-acre park in an area
of the city that is significantly underserved by parks. Construction
is expected in spring 2012. As envisioned in the master plan,
the park will include a playground, open space, two tennis
courts, a restroom, neighborhood center and community garden.
The future park site is located on the Bench near Kootenai Street
and Federal Way
Tell Us What You Think
We want to hear from you! Do you like this report? Should it
include other information? Please let us know by contacting
us at the Boise Parks & Recreation accounting office at
bpr@cityofboise.org or by calling (208) 608-7639.
Additional information is available at: www.cityofboise.org/parks.