Annual Report 2019

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[DIRECTOR ] A LETTER FROM THE

On behalf of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR), it is my honor to share our year in review. We are proud of the many accomplishments achieved in 2019, and I’d like to convey a few of them within this annual report.

We received our national reaccreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. This is a culmination of much work and dedication by our staff — demonstrating through an independent and vigorous audit that CCPR has implemented industry best practices.

While this is a major accomplishment by itself, we are quite proud of achieving 100% of 151 standards! We remain strong in believing a successful park and recreation system should maintain its accreditation. In fact, only four park systems in Indiana hold this accreditation and 172 nationwide.

Another highlight of 2019 is the adoption of the 2020 – 2024 Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This five-year master plan is based on extensive input from the general public and key stakeholders to guide

the future growth and development of the department. We recognize the importance of sound planning and are earnest in serving the best interests of the Carmel Clay community.

Our new bi-annual publication, Park Conversations, was rolled out in 2019. We’ve told stories to inspire and inform you of the exceptional experiences and lasting memories that unfold every day in your award-winning park and recreation system. We invite you to pass on your own story and help us keep the conversation going!

This next year will be transformative for Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation with significant upgrades in store. From major renovations in existing parks, to new acquisitions and developments along White River and in West Carmel. It truly is an exciting time for our park system.

Regards,

Michael W. Klitzing, CPRE Director of Parks & Recreation

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STILL A MAJOR FOCUS The Department leads Indiana with the number of certified recreation professionals.

• 2 Certified Park and Recreation Executives (CPRE) • 11 Certified Park and Recreation Professionals (CPRP) Two employees, Eric Mehl and Michael Allen, graduated from National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Directors School — a great accomplishment!

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[PRINCIPLES ]  OUR GUIDING

ENHANCING PARK AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES Through inspiring parks and innovative services, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation contributes to the quality of life and economic vitality of its community.

PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCES In a city renowned for its worldclass parks and facilities, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation is dedicated to providing excellent customer service to everyone served.

ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY By creating an environmentally and financially sustainable system, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation will ensure parks are available for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.

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GROWING PARKS THROUGH REIMAGINATION With a forward focus and a belief that the best park system is one in which everyone is invested in enhancing park and recreation opportunities, CCPR is prepared and ready to meet the park and recreation needs of its ever-growing community.

CLAY TOWNSHIP IMPACT PROGRAM ESCALATES IMPROVEMENTS In the spring of 2019, Clay Township launched its Impact Program to greatly improve the city with a focus on parks and public safety. The impact on the park system includes a $20 million investment in enhancing and updating CCPR’s existing parks, playgrounds, greenways and facilities.

The recently completed Life-Cycle Asset Management Plan outlines when park features were built and helps determine capital expenditures necessary to maintain park amenities in the condition expected by the community.

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In 2020 and 2021, six parks will be impacted through the Clay Township Impact Program.

• West Park • Meadowlark Park • Carey Grove Park • Flowing Well Park • River Heritage Park • Lawrence W. Inlow Park Stemming from the 2020 – 2024 Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, in 2019 CCPR began gathering public input through meetings and charrettes, to finalize updates for the first four parks to be “reimagined:” Flowing Well, Meadowlark, Carey Grove, and West Parks.

Kickoff and progress meetings occurred throughout the year with preliminary designs being established for these parks. 2020 will bring additional meetings and finalization of schematics for construction and implementation.

By gathering feedback from audiences representative of the whole community, CCPR will continue to hold itself to the highest standard and ensure long-term sustainability of park land and park experiences for all residents.

In July, the Jill Perelman Pavilion, was

dedicated and is now home to recreation programs and summer camps. The

Pavilion is located within The Groves at West Park and is named in honor of Jill

Louise Perelman for her commitment to preserving parkland in Carmel for the benefit of future generations.

LAWRENCE W. INLOW PARK OPENS WITH UPDATED, ACCESSIBLE PLAY FEATURES In June, CCPR finished construction and opened the new, state-of-the-art playground at Lawrence W. Inlow Park. The playground, structured in three pods of progressive play, offers accessible features and provides guests of all ages and abilities exceptional experiences. It boasts a skywalk, 32-foot long and 16-foot high rope walkway, slides and numerous rope climbing structures. The only other structure of its kind in the United States is located in Seattle, WA at the Seattle Center. It was an instant hit with the community and has become yet another destination playground for CCPR. The playground saw over 400,000 visitors in its first year.

Visitor Lori B. shared a glowing Google review after her trip to the park, “Loved this park!

Several friends recommended Lawrence W. Inlow Park and we decided to make the trek there. So glad we did! My kids and I spent several hours here. It has everything you could want in a park... trails and nature, cool and unique playground equipment, and a splash pad area! There is a nice shelter with lots of picnic tables and the bathroom is conveniently located nearby. My kids have already asked when we can go back!”

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PLACING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE WHITE RIVER The White River is one of Hamilton County’s greatest natural resources. It runs 58 miles throughout Hamilton and Marion Counties and offers incredible recreational and educational opportunities.

In 2019 the City of Indianapolis, Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. and Visit Indy completed the White River Vision Plan — a coordinated regional plan to enhance the river. In tandem, Conner Prairie also placed a spotlight on the White River as part of their Site Master Plan.

Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation participated in the research and discussion phases of these plans and identified itself as a partner in creating an accessible, recreational and cultural environment that enhances the river.

In 2019 CCPR purchased 13.5 acres of land near the White River — the year’s second largest investment after West Park. CCPR will maintain and preserve this land for future use including a dedicated trail for connection to the White River Corrider. A feasibility study was also completed by CCPR to ultimately extend the existing White River Greenway north approximately 1.5 miles to 146th Street.

FOCUSED ON HEALTH + WELLNESS We are always working to provide Monon Community Center members and guests the very best service. In December 2019 new selectorized machines were installed in the Fitness Center.

One highlight of the equipment is the stateof-the-art fitness tracking software which tracks workouts and coaches users through Endurance, Build or Strength routines. Matrix tests member baselines on each machine and offers suggestions and tips for each exercise such as when to increase weight and how many reps to do for each set.

In summer 2019, a new Kiddie Pool attraction was installed at The Waterpark. The design offers interactive features and an improved slide to enhance each child’s experience.

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INCLUDING ALL All members of the CCPR community, regardless of age, gender or ability, should have access to recreation opportunities including programming, playgrounds, and facilities.

LEADING ADAPTIVE PROGRAM TO INCLUSIVE SUCCESS Over the last five years Inclusion Supervisor Michelle Yadon and her team have built an extensive, progressive adaptive program for ages preschool to adult. Programming for each age group focuses on specific developmental needs. Preschool programs are sensory- and exploration-based, youth programs are skillbased, teen programs are social- and fitnessbased, and adult programs are goal-based.

of Disability Awareness Month. In 2019, fifteen participants took the reins and developed, wrote and produced the play themselves with Yadon as support. The Barrier-Free process makes an impact on participants and their families.

Yadon’s work has been recognized at the national level. She was the recipient of the North America Drama Therapy Association 2019 Performance Award for her work on CCPR’s annual Barrier-Free Theatre Performance.

By creating a program broken up by age and developmental need, participants can seamlessly transition from one age group to another and foster skills that ultimately lead to independence.

In 2019, CCPR saw a 4% increase in both adaptive programming offered and attendance.

One example of how adaptive programming has developed is the annual Barrier-Free Theatre production. The program began with Yadon driving the process of developing, writing and producing the play — held every year in March in recognition

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OFFERING NATURE EDUCATION + ENGAGING IN PARK STEWARDSHIP Formerly Park Maintenance, the newly-named Parks & Natural Resources (PNR) Division oversees much more than maintenance of our parks. Home to our Natural Resources and Volunteer coordinators, PNR shifted its focus to include park stewardship, sustainability, conservation, advocacy and education.

ACCESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES EDUCATION FOR ALL Natural Resources Coordinator Brittany McAdams provided exceptional experiences by hosting a series of free, educational nature programs each season. These programs focused on educating participants on park history, introducing technology and building a citizen science program. Tours of each park introduced participants to the history of the land as well as the land management tools used to sustain park land for the future. Technology-based programs introduced participants to smart phone apps like iNaturalist which allows users to track wildlife and plant species. Citizen science programs like the National Recreation and Park Association’s inaugural Pollinator BioBlitz offer opportunities for the community to work with the CCPR team and area experts to learn about the robust habitat

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in our community and understand the tools they can use to be good stewards of their own land at home. CCPR ranked 9th in total pollinator observations across the nation.

PNR also worked closely with our beforeand after-school program, Extended School Enrichment, to offer conservation-based programming for students to celebrate nature and experience hands-on learning. This internal collaboration, and external partnership with Helping Ninjas™, provided exceptional experiences for students at College Wood and West Clay Elementary.

Volunteers can now register for recurring citizen science roles to monitor invasive species, birds, and the White River. This continual tracking allows PNR to create real-time Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping to inform future land management decisions and effectively plan volunteer events.

The Adopt-A-Park program allows residents to work collaboratively with CCPR to cultivate a sustainable plan and care for a section of park or greenway. The very first Adopt-A-Park volunteers, Eric and Carla Schmidt with the Monon Farms Homeowners Association, adopted a piece of land behind their home along the Monon Greenway. The Schmidts removed invasive species and planted natives — contributing a total of 497.5 hours to the project. Their contribution earned each of them a Presidential Service Award at the 2019 Volunteer Appreciation event.

LENDING A HAND CREATES A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Under the leadership of our Volunteer Coordinator Joanna Woodruff, citizen science and Adopt-A-Park volunteer opportunities flourished for our community.

“We want volunteers to have unique and valuable experiences with us, and we also want them to understand how their volunteer experience can translate to their own life and how they can take the tools they learned out in the field back to their own little ecosystem,” Woodruff said.

2019 BioBlitz Statistics 152.5 HOURS

SPENT SURVEYING

SPECIES

36 WOODY 5 VINE 14 INVASIVE 246 TOTAL 1 SEDGE SPECIES COUNTED 2 FERN 37 FORB

126 ACRES

OF LAND SURVEYED

45 TOTAL

PARTICIPANTS

VEGETATION

72 BIRDS & SMALL MAMMALS

36 WOODY 5 VINE 14 INVASIVE 1 SEDGE 2 FERN 37 FORB

5 HERPETOFAUNA 38 BUTTERFLIES & INSECTS 15 AQUATIC INVERTIBRATES 13 FUNGI 33 POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY FORBS

72 BIRDS & SMALL MAMMALS

5 HERPETOFAUNA carmelclayparks.com 38 BUTTERFLIES & INSECTS

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[NUMBERS]

BY THE

EXTENDED SCHOOL ENRICHMENT & CAMPS Providing before and after school care in each of the school district’s 11 elementary schools through a partnership with Carmel Clay Schools.

• 2,452 participants enrolled during the 2018-2019 school year • 6,845 participants enrolled in the Summer Camp Series • 92% of respondents indicated that ESE provides a safe environment • 89% of parents/guardians stated that ESE provides a caring atmosphere for participants

MONON COMMUNITY CENTER An award-winning facility with amenities and offerings unsurpassed in the state. Offering the community a one-stop source for recreation, fitness and family fun.

• 721,501 visitors to the Monon Community Center and The Waterpark • 1,584 Group Fitness classes offered • 119,419 Group Fitness class participants • 2,196 recreation programs offered • 29,442 recreation program participants PARKS & GREENWAYS Providing outlets to enjoy the outdoors through award-winning parks, nature preserves, greenways and park stewardship opportunities.

• 26 free community nature programs • 11 targeted pollinator habitat stewardship projects • 5 new citizen science monitoring opportunities • 250 cubic yards of invasive species biomass removed • 3,292 recycling receptacles emptied in the parks By comparison, Grand Canyon National • 352 tree hazards mitigated Park, the second most visited national park, had 6.4 million visitors in 2018.+ • 7,165,389 visitors* to our parks and greenways • 2,703 volunteer hours • 392 routine playground safety inspections conducted

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Serving all Carmel Clay residents, scholarships and fee waivers have been awarded to individuals and families with economic challenges.

• 235 recipients received financial assistance • $18,684.75 for Recreation & Facilities • $153,562.50 for Extended School Enrichment • $8,071.50 for Summer Camp Series

*Visits based on counters at park entrances. + 2019 NPS visits not yet available.

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[FINANCIALS] YEAR END

Where it came from TOTAL REVENUE: $14,829,678

36% $5,351,510 35% $5,209,878 23% $3,459,417 01% $209,219 01% $204,054 03% $395,600

PROGRAM FEES MEMBERSHIP & PASS SALES GENERAL FUND FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES RENTAL FEES OTHER

Where it went

TOTAL EXPENSES: $13,554,210

33% $4,488,051 23% 3,158,871 23% $3,085,245 09% $1,283,992 06% $867,038 04% $558,055 01% $112,957

MONON COMMUNITY CENTER ADMIN & PARK MAINTENANCE BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

SUMMER CAMPS MARKETING

DOG PARK, WILFONG & JP PAVILION

Capital Budget: $5,306,785

49% 14% $715,958 12% $638,271 05% $287,174 05% $273,126

WEST PARK $2,572,439

WHITE RIVER CORRIDOR CENTRAL PARK THE WATERPARK LAWRENCE W. INLOW PARK

04% 02% $115,606 02% $103,617 02% $101,866 01% $67,563 04% $216,389

MONON COMMUNITY CENTER $214,776 2020 – 2024 MASTER PLAN FLEET REPLACEMENT HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVAL MONON GREENWAY OTHER

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MISSION 

The mission of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation is to strengthen our community and serve residents through the aquisition, development and management of high quality, innovative parks and facilities for recreation, preservation and programming.

VISION 

We envision an accessible system of vibrant community parks, diverse recreation facilities, sustainable park resources and engaging recreation programs that contribute to healthy individuals and families, an active and tightly-knit community, a thriving economy and a high quality of life in the city of Carmel and Clay Township.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT Michael W. Klitzing, CPRE Director of Parks & Recreation Kurtis Baumgartner, CPRE Asst. Director of Parks & Recreation Michael Allen, CPRP Parks & Natural Resources Director Jennifer Brown ESE & Camps Director Sara Clark Administration & Planning Director Lindsay Labas, CPRP Marketing Director Eric Mehl, CPRP Recreation & Facilities Director Lynn Russell Human Resources Director 2019 PARK BOARD MEMBERS Richard F. Taylor III President James L. Engledow Vice President Jenn Kristunas Treasurer Nick Plopper Secretary Dr. Jessica Beer James D. Garretson Joshua A. Kirsh Linus Rude Lin Zheng