Parks and Recreation
Park Maintenance Divison
• Park Maintenance worked on Jerry May field in preparation for the upcoming district and State youth baseball tournament
• Assisted with pouring concrete at the new field house located at Memorial Stadium.
• Park Maintenance assisted theAmerica’s Birthday Committee with maintenance issues for the 4th of July events.
Horticulture subdivision
• Horticulture completed the summer flower rotation, planting and mulching on all city flower beds
 • Horticulture continues spraying for weeds in the downtown area.
• Horticulture staff began summer watering and maintenance on all city flower beds and newly planted trees.
• Park Maintenance celebrated 1,000 days worked without a lost time accident.
• Contracted out the removal of two large trees and removal of deadwood and hazardous branches from Gypsy Hill Park.
Recreation Division
 • Counselor and Staff training: The week long training involved two days of Education Through Music, one afternoon of Outward Bound Initiatives, Daily Health Observation training, Human Resources: An Overview of City Policy, Driver Training, Basic Aid and CPR training and TB screenings. Video blogs of the trainings are available on our Method to our Madness Blog – http://www.stauntonparksandrecreation.wordpress.com
•CampStauntonwrapped up the third week of camp with a trip to the Staunton Regal Cinemas and Fourth of July Picnic inMontgomeryHallParkwith an afternoon packed full of relay races and activities, also featuring musical guest Drum/Flute-Man Lou Boden and friends. So far our fieldtrips and special event Fridays have included a trip to check out the newly renovated Augusta County Library in Fishersville, where theGardenCenterkids enjoyed a puppet show. The campers at Montgomery Hall enjoyed an afternoon of laser tag which ended in a battle kids versus the counselors. The Gym, notorious for their special in house events, hosted a Soda Pop Shop Coffee House Mash-Up featuring musical guests: Megan Heatwole & Friends followed by poetry readings or performances by all the counselors, which further inspired some of the children to volunteer to sing songs,  read or recite poetry as well. So far the summer is flying by and camp is running smooth.
• General public swim including special groups (daycare’s, summer programs, etc.)
  • Morning summer camps (P & R, YMCA, andCampExcel)
  • Adult swim (ages 50+) 4-10 participants each time
  • Amberjax swim team practices and swim meet
  • P & R swim lessons
  • One Lifeguarding course (nine participants)
  • One CPR recertification course
  • One private pool rentals

  • Recreations ProgramsTrips:
  • 14 folks had an adventurous time on the Zip Line at Bryce Resort.
  • Community Programs Implemented in June 2011:
  • Skate Camp had 13 participants
  • Yoga had 17 participants
  • Zumba had 13 participants
  • Adult Pottery had 11 participants
  • Intermediate Pottery has six participants
  • Morning Warm-ups w/ Jolene has 10 participants
  • Bust Stress with Tapas had five participants
  • Vanquished Mountaineers
  • Appalachian Herbs
  • Modern Mindfulness
  • Face book and Social Media for seniors
  • Ham Radio Tech Class
  • Yoga for Longevity
  • Senior Mountain Biking
  • Group Golf Lessons for seniors
• June athletics consisted of 41 softball teams continuing their participation in regular league play that plays five nights a week inMontgomeryHallPark. Adult Co-ed soccer is in mid-season with the team “Off Constantly” jockeying for the title among nine teams in the 11 on 11 leagues. The co-ed adult kickball league is just getting into action with play every Tuesday evening at Lancaster Field.Stauntongirls’ softball just wrapped their season up withStaunton#1 losing in the championship game to Rockbridge in the 14 team 12 and Under Blue Ridge softball league. Staunton Recreation Department will be having the first ever girls’ fall softball instructional league in the area for the months of July and August. The girls’ league will coincide with the fall instructional baseball league that the department runs for boys during the same time.  Staunton hosted the regionals.
playoffs for theBlue Ridge girls’ softball league with 22 teams playing over a span of four days.
Family Night Flix had a very successful debut with the showing of Toy Story 3. Over 300 people were in attendance for the showing at the Gypsy Hill Park bandstand. The free movie night happens twice a month during the summer on selected Friday evenings with all family friendly movie titles.
Booker T. Washington – The Center was very busy during the month of June. In addition to the regular on-going groups that meet, the Boys and Girls Club began its summer program with more than 30 kids in attendance daily. Big Brothers/Big Sisters held a match meeting, which connects kids with possible Big Brothers or Big Sisters, introducing the children to the adults at the Center. Also the BT Howard Memorial Choir used the facility for practice. The Center hosted three rentals this month: a birthday party, a wedding reception, and a graduation celebration. The BTW Alumni have been busy preparing for their fundraising event on July 9th at the Center.
  • Nelson Street – There were three ongoing classes held atNelsonStreetCenter; Amateur Ham Radio Tech class, Intermediate Pottery and Yoga for Longevity. There was also one rental.

 

Staff began plotting their course for the next brochure which will feature one of our department’s most glaring unique selling propositions which we hope will help us connect people with the history of Gypsy Hill Park and entice them to read our brochure. The theme of the next brochure will be the history ofGypsyHillPark. Our goal will be to compile antiquated pictures and written history of Gypsy Hill Park. The brochure will first feature this research then the new, already purchased, park kiosks will display the information. From there we will construct four different park history wikis (special website where people can add to the history and share their stories). We are in the beginning stages of investigating what is involved in the process of a historical landmark designation.
 
Staff also created and delivered a new large postcard boasting the summer evening bandstand concert line-up (Stonewall Brigade Band, Praise in the Park,Bluegrass, Jazz and Family Night Flix). These postcards are two sided and very professional looking. They were delivered to area visitor centers as well as hotels and motels in Staunton and Waynesboro.
 
The Recreation Division staff spent about a 40 hour week preparing the department nominations for the Virginia Recreation and Parks Society Annual Conference. All 12 nominations will be featured weekly on our department blog. The first entry for our Facebook page is currently posted.

Eight new pieces of equipment were purchased for the Outdoor Fitness Center in Gypsy Hill Park. The equipment will enhance the existing stretching station at the entrance of the park (across from the Duck pond). In an effort to bolster our “healthy active living inStaunton” mantra as well as making fitness free and available to all, we will install the new Outdoor Fitness Center at the end of July. No membership fees required just desire to be active. The equipment is similar to that found in health clubs and will feature, elliptical, stationary bikes, chest and legs presses, etc. The fitness machines will have moving parts.
 
New lockable bulletin board and easy access brochure and rack card holder were installed at the Gypsy Hill Park pool.
 
New Park Kiosks for Gypsy Hill, Montgomery Hall, Betsy Bell/Mary Gray and Wilson Park will be installed in July. The kiosks are two-sided and will display park history on one side and park amenities on side two.
This Staunton “Parks and Recreation Blog” posted by Jennifer Jones, Superintendent of Recreation.
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