PRCF 2018/2019 Annual Report

Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Table of Contents

3 Who We Are........................................................ 5 Mission and Commitment.................................6 What We Do.........................................................8 Note from our Leadership................................

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

16 Recreation Centers.............................................. 19 Special Events.................................................... 22 Park Rangers........................................................ 23 Convention Center & Amphitheatre.................... 25 Golf........................................................................ 26 Cemetery................................................................27 Aquatics, Parks and Sports................................. 28 Facilities Management........................................ 29 Spring Training..................................................... 30 Mayor and Councilmembers.................................31 Aquatics..............................................................

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Note from our Leadership MARC HEIRSHBERG, CPRE Director It is with great pride and enthusiasm that we provide the Mesa community with the Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department’s FY18/19 Annual Report. It is an honor and a privilege to lead the dedicated staff of this Department, that are committed to making Mesa a great place to live, work and play. Day in and day we are out in the community working to ensure that the programs, facilities and services that we provide to you are the best they can be.

Our continued commitment of leading through the best practices of our industry was recognized this year by the National Recreation and Park Association as a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award for excellence in parks and recreation management. While we were not named the Grand Award winner it should be noted that Mesa competes in the largest class which includes agencies that serve more than double our population, so this honor is an achievement in and of itself. We are committed to bringing home the gold and look forward to competing in the year ahead.

As you review our accomplishments from the past year, I hope you will come away with a sense of the significant progress that the Department continues to make on fulfilling our mission and vision. As you do so I hope that you will continue to support us in our efforts to ensure that our programs, facilities and services remain a source of pride for the community.

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

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Note from our Leadership cont.

JO MARTIN Parks Advisory Board Chair Being a member and the Chair of the Mesa Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has enriched my understanding and respect for the contributions of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities to maintain a healthy and vibrant city. As a citizen of Mesa, I am proud to be able to share with the community the outstanding work of the Department.

Consistently, I have seen: a commitment to the environment by reducing energy use in our facilities, a commitment to collaborative work with community members, a commitment to reactivating spaces that become safe places to visit and play, and a commitment to our programs by enhancing the curriculum and staff. As you read the annual report, I am sure you will be as impressed as I, to see the vast accomplishments of the Department as well as the great amenities for you to enjoy!

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Who We Are

Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities (PRCF) is committed to enhancing the quality of life for Mesa residents and playing a significant role in shaping the character of the City through preeminent parks and recreation. The Department manages 2,500+ acres of park land including 205 parks with unique playgrounds, first-class athletic fields, nine aquatic centers, splash pads, trails, six recreation centers, a championship golf course, convention center, amphitheater, cemetery, two spring training baseball stadiums, and Facility Maintenance of more than 4.8 million square feet of City properties.

The Mesa Parks system is a premier destination that welcomes and captivates residents and visitors. The park system and its beauty are part of the daily life and shape the character of the City.

Residents are informed and involved in shaping the future of the park and recreation system and its value to their lives.

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Mission & Commitment

OUR MISSION We contribute to a healthy and vibrant community by providing exceptional experiences and services to those who live, work and play in Mesa

We are committed to: • Being responsible stewards of parklands, facilities and finances, and transparent in how we manage these resources • Providing safe spaces and places for people to enjoy and recreate • Working together to focus on services that meet the ever-changing needs of our Community

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Team Snapshot

318.25 BUDGETED FTES

549

SEASONAL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES

37,329 VOLUNTEER HOURS

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

PARKS ADVISORY BOARD LEADERSHIP

Marc Heirshberg, CPRE, Department Director

Steven Crider

Nycole Leyba

Fred Rustam, Assistant Director - Maintenance

Matthew Erickson

Jo Martin

Andrea Moore, Park Planning and Operations Administrator

Kimberly Forest

Jacob Martinez

Cindy Hayton

Justin Murdock

Leslie Clark, Recreation Administrator

Jaime Glasser

Orchidia Peterson

Erik Ostlund, Commercial Administrator

Trevor Hansen

Tammy Davenport, Sr. Fiscal Analyst Aimee Manis, Management Assistant II Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

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What We Do

7

COMMUNITY LAKES

137

3

BASINS

SPLASH PADS

13.1

68

1

MILES OF TRAILS

PARKS

AMPHITHEATRE

2

DOG PARKS

9

1

CONVENTION CENTER

AQUATIC FACILITIES

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

5

PICKLEBALL COURTS

6

RECREATION CENTERS

1

14

42

HORSESHOE COURTS

17

BASKETBALL COURTS

HISTORIC CEMETERY

SOFTBALL FIELDS

19

TENNIS COURTS

23

VOLLEYBALL COURTS

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

16

BASEBALL FIELDS

20

MULTI-PURPOSE FIELDS

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REVENUES

Our Financials

GENERAL

CEMETERY

CC/AMP

GOLF

16%

PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMERCIAL DIVISION GENERAL FUND Revenue Budget Requirement

$4,484,737 $26,760,149

CEMETERY FUND Revenue Budget Requirement

$1,518,338 $1,131,683

CONVENTION CENTER/AMPHITHEATRE FUND Revenue $3,140,648 Budget Requirement $3,252,193 GOLF FUND Revenue Budget Requirement

$1,607,762 $1,514,815

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DIVISION Budget Requirement District Cooling

43% 26%

15%

BUDGET REQUIREMENTS GENERAL

CEMETERY

CC/AMP

GOLF

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

28%

4%

59% 7% 2%

$12,041,948 $1,150,902

TOTAL BUDGET REQUIREMENT $45,851,690

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Awards & Certifications GOLD MEDAL FINALIST Once again, The City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department was recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration as a 2019 Finalist for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management!

The National Gold Medal Award honors communities through the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative approaches to delivering superb park and recreation services with fiscally sound business practices.

Being recognized as a Gold Medal Finalist is an honor in and of itself and represents the hard work, dedication and commitment that staff puts in day in and day out to help ensure that they contribute to a healthy and vibrant community by providing exceptional experiences and services to those who live, work and play in Mesa.

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

CERTIFIED AUTISM CENTER Another major accomplishment for the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department is being the first public Parks and Recreation department in the world to be designated as a Certified Autism Center (CAC) by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).

Being recognized as a Certified Autism Center shows that the Department is committed and dedicated to serving all individuals in the Community including those with Autism. The Department successfully completed extensive training from leading autism experts and are prepared to provide services for individuals with autism and other sensory disorders at our parks, recreation centers and in the programs, we offer the Community. As the first Parks and Recreation department in the world to achieve this certification, our goal is to encourage other City departments to join this initiative and improve our knowledge and awareness so that we can ensure all Mesa residents and visitors, regardless of ability, know that Mesa is a great place to live, work and play.

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Park Development

2018 PARKS AND CULTURE BOND APPROVED

COMPLETED PARK PROJECTS The following projects were completed during FY18/19: • Countryside Park LED Ballfield Lighting Upgrades • Escobedo Park and Riverview Park Playground Replacement • Kino Aquatic Center Pool Re-plastering • Lazona Park and Acacia Park were constructed along the Light Rail extension • Park of the Canals Botanical Garden renovation • Continued park signage replacement throughout the City

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In November of 2018, City of Mesa voters approved the $111 million 2018 Parks and Cultural Bond which will include construction of additional athletic fields at Monterey Park, North Center Street, and Red Mountain Park; additional park improvements/amenity projects such as expansion of the Countryside Dog Park, a playground at Palo Verde Park and Marlborough Mesa Park, a playground at Basin 412, and City Center Plaza Development adjacent to the municipal plaza, pathway projects at Signal Butte Park, development of the Lehi Crossing Shared Use Path and continuation of the Eastern Canal Shared Use Path. Cultural projects include a new library in Southeast Mesa, improvements to the Dobson and Main libraries, development of the Downtown Federal Building, and phase one remodeling of the i.d.e.a Museum.

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Aquatics

9

POOLS

323 10,743 270 LIFEGUARDS

SUMMER SWIM PARTICIPANTS

VOLUNTEERS

The PRCF Aquatics staff is in love with swimming, diving and teaching lessons. PRCF manages 9 municipal pools while serving 434,390 customers. PRCF received sponsorships to provide over 464 Making Wave Scholarships with a value of $10,630. 270 Jr. Guard volunteers provided over 16,900 hours of service. Supporting aquatics programs the Aquatics Maintenance team operates, services and repairs, each of the aquatic facilities to the highest standards of the aquatics industry. Several of the facilities are open year-round for reservations, lap swim, competitions and special events.

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

8TH ANNUAL PUMPKIN SPLASH Pumpkin Splash was hosted at Brimhall Pool and sponsored by Wright Orthodontics.

Attendance was the largest to date with 602 participants. Guests of all ages took part in swimming with pumpkins, pumpkin decorating, glitter tattoos, a foam pit, and photo booth. The photos were posted to our Facebook page to encourage guests to visit and subscribe. The Fire and Medical Department set up a water safety booth and Marco’s Pizza provided food.

FREEDOM TIE-DYE EVENT The Freedom Tie-Dye Event also set an all-time attendance record with over 160 participants. The event was hosted at Fremont Aquatic Complex. Participants brought their own white shirt and left with a tie-dyed masterpiece. The event has become more and more popular each year.

PACHANGA EN LA PISCINA Drowning prevention education has always been a priority to the City of Mesa aquatics team. Our partners in this event were Salt River Project, Mesa Fire and Medical, and the Arizona Attorney General’s office. Water safety messages were shared while the aquatics team offered free swimming lessons and CPR demonstrations in a fun and interactive way.

SRP gave away 40 life-jackets and over $300 worth of free-swimming lessons. The event welcomed 300 guests.

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2,269

YOUTH PARTICIPANTS IN ADAPTIVE SPORT, SOCIAL ACTIVIES AND SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS

1,166

INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES PARTIPATED IN THE TGIF SOCIAL CLUB

43

PARTICIPANTS PERFORMED “THE LITTLE MERMAID JR”

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13,000

PHONE CALLS WERE RECEIVED BY REGISTRATION AND RESERVATION

2,792

2,279

PARTICIPANTS IN YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS

100

RAMADAS WERE RESERVED

TEENS PARTICIPATED IN TEEN LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM WITH 6,000 HOURS OF SERVICE

94,000

36,584

PARK VISITORS WERE HOSTED

HOURS OF SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE PRCF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

BY OUR VOLUNTEERS

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

The City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department is committed to “Providing safe spaces and places for people to enjoy and recreate�.

Recreation Centers

EAGLES COMMUNITY CENTER The newly renovated and opened Eagles Community Center is showing an increase in programming and operations. Staff rebranded the PLAE After School Program into the Eagles Nest After School Program. The Center has experienced a 275% growth in participation this year. Eagles Community Center offered a full day Summer camp which had 275 kids enrolled with five teen volunteers.

JEFFERSON AND WEBSTER AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS Jefferson Recreation Center staff have created a JRC Student Recognition Program. Once a month a student is recognized for their integrity, good character, and positive attitude. The student is recognized in front of their peers at the Center and the Jefferson Elementary School Pep Assembly.

Webster Recreation Center was busy with eight community events which brought an additional 1,755 visitors to the Center. Events were organized in collaboration with Webster Elementary PTO and Student Council resulting in strengthened working relationships with Mesa Public Schools.

RED MOUNTAIN CENTER Red Mountain Center began accepting the AARP/Medicare Supplement insurance membership subsidy program. This benefit pays for 50% of the members monthly membership when they visit 4 or more times in the month. This generated 106 new members. Special Interest classes at Red Mountain Center also increased by 11% over FY17/18.

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7,526 11,000 ADULTS

participated in the adult sports leagues, which include softball, flag football, kickball and volleyball

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FIELDS

rented at City of Mesa sports complexes which produced over $800,000 in revenue

1,750 88 TOURNAMENTS hosted at the City of Mesa sports complexes.

YOUTH

participated in the Youth Sports programs, which included 5 leagues, 12 clinics, and 3 special events

336 ADULTS AND JUNIORS

participated in USTA sanctioned tennis tournaments at the Mesa Tennis Center

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS PRCF’s Athletic programs provide a place for people of all ages to build teamwork, relationship building, healthy competition and a place to enjoy our many amazing facilities.

The Positive Play Project continues to be instrumental with City of Mesa Youth Sports. It provides high quality trainings, resources and outreach services in program areas including sportsmanship, positive coaching, concussion awareness, injury prevention, equipment and safety gear access, hydration and nutrition, and financial assistance.

The initiative has strong partnerships with AT Still University, NextCare, Positive Coaching alliance, National Alliance for Youth Sports, Mesa Hohokam Foundation, and Mesa Community College.

The Mesa Tennis Center was sanctioned and able to start providing United States Tennis Association (USTA) events. The Mesa Tennis Center was also able to obtain a grant from USTA which paid for 8 tennis courts to be lined for the youth sized tennis courts. This allows the Mesa Tennis Center to host more junior tennis events.

The adult volleyball program has grown enough to have three separate divisions for three of the four seasons. The games for those leagues were held at Eagles Community Center and the Broadway Recreation Center.

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MERRY MAIN STREET

Special Events

Downtown Mesa came alive with Merry Main Street activities which included the Winter Wonderland Ice Rink which operated from the day after Thanksgiving until January 4th, with over 10,000 skaters attending.

Also included in the events were the Christmas Market Place, the Main Street Express trackless train and, of course, Santa Claus.

CELEBRATE MESA The Celebrate Mesa Spring event focused on Living Green efforts. This year the Living Green Village grew to 29 vendors. New to the event this year was a Mobile Escape Room and Painting Classes. The Fall event is held around Halloween and participants enjoyed a concert by the band – Mogollon, carnival games, bounce houses and a Tot Spot. New to the event was the Battle of the Bands featured on the Community Stage and sponsored by Red Mountain Center. The local high school bands battled for a recording session and the winner will return to the Main Stage in 2019.

The attendance was over 10,000 for this event.

SPECIAL EVENTS CONTINUE TO GROW PRCF facilitated Special Events have grown to 22 major calendar dates and an ongoing Farmers Market and the Mesa Feastival Forest. Events that were held in Mesa include: JDRF Walk/Run, Mesa Pow Wow, Ragnar Del Sol, UFest, AZ Lung Force Walk/5k, Eastmark Color Run, Masks Alive Festival, Suds-nslides, and more.

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Park Rangers

500

FISHING PARTICIPANTS

11

RANGER INCLUDED EVENTS

Park Rangers hosted a Fishing Clinic at Red Mountain Park in conjunction with the Arizona Game & Fish Department.

Rangers assisted with teaching fundamental fishing techniques and methods for catching different types of fish.

Park Rangers enjoyed hosting several events including; Flight and Feathers at Falcon Field, Natures Sleuths at Desert Arroyo, S’mores Night at Falcon Field, Perseid Party at the Park, and Desert in Bloom Flower Hike. They also participated in several events, Celebration of Pets at Eastmark, Cops & Bobbers with Mesa Police Department and hiking the Wind Caves with PRCF’s Adaptive program. Connecting with people is an important part of the Park Ranger’s duties.

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COST RECOVERY INCREASES In addition to the efforts of staff to minimize expenses, the number of events at both the Convention Center and Amphitheatre have increased. A new Booking/Sales Specialist position assigned solely to the Amphitheatre was created in fall 2018, and as a result, Amphitheatre events increased by 100% over the previous fiscal year. Not only have the number of events increased, but the variety of offerings have expanded as well, including more country, Hispanic and local bands performing. The Convention Center also hosted more events during the same period, and an adjustment to published rates that took effect on April 1, 2019, has helped to further increase revenues.

252,877 VISITORS TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND AMPHITHEATRE

Convention Center & Amphitheatre

517

EVENTS HELD AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND AMPHITHEATRE

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62,276 ROUNDS OF GOLF PLAYED

DOBSON RANCH TRANSITION For 45 years, Dobson Ranch Golf Course has offered a fun, affordable golf experience to Mesa residents. On June 1, 2019, the City welcomed Paradigm Golf Group, a private golf course management firm, to assume the management and maintenance of the course.

Improvements have included a re-branding of the course with a new logo and increased marketing efforts; fresh paint, outdoor music, expanded pro-shop inventory, new menus and more community outreach. Future plans include the addition of range targets, more group instruction and events, and updates to the clubhouse and restaurant patio. Long range plans include improved cart paths, bunkers, and more substantial restaurant upgrades.

The changes have had an immediate impact on the players and the community. Golf rounds have been higher each month since the transition than the same period last year.

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

Cemetery CITY OF MESA CEMETERY City of Mesa Cemetery suffered significant storm damage in the monsoons of 2019.

Approximately 178 Cypress trees were lost, most of these trees were along the main road going in and out of the Cemetery. For the first time in the history of the Cemetery the gates had to be closed to patrons, so that storm damage could be cleaned up.

Also, damaged in the storms were flood irrigation pipes uprooted by downed trees.

The Cemetery staff and Parks Maintenance staff repaired and improved the damaged irrigation system and replanted several of the Cypress trees. Increased spacing of the replanted trees will allow for improved turf conditions throughout the Cemetery.

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Parks and Aquatics Maintenance

The Parks and Aquatics Maintenance division maintains Mesa’s vast expanse of parks, trails, aquatic facilities and sports fields. From landscaping and storm clean-up to graffiti removal, staff also performs a myriad of facility renovation and enhancement projects. This year sports fields maintenance deployed the use of natural fertilizers to increase the slow release of macro nutrients and microbial activity in the soil.

This was also to decrease the amount of inorganic/synthetic fertilizers used. Positive differences in plant health have been witnessed.

2,534

5.6M

2,612

3,665

7,810

735

ACRES OF PARK LAND MAINTAINED

WORK ORDERS COMPLETED

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GALLONS OF POOL AND SPLASH PAD BODIES OF WATER MAINTAINED

SPORTS FIELD PREPS COMPLETED

FACILITY SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND 10,987 ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS

WORK ORDERS COMPLETED

BY BUILDING SERVICE MAINTENANCE STAFF

Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

PRCF staff maintains and manages all building systems at every one of the 4,822,547 sq. ft. of City owned properties.

Facilities Management

COMPLETED PROJECTS: • Tenant improvements at 200 S Center Bldg. #1 • Exterior Building Repairs at Mesa Family Advocacy Center • Restroom renovations at Mesa Family Advocacy Center

9,106

WORK ORDERS COMPLETED BY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT STAFF

• New Energy Management System (EMS) for Mesa City Plaza.

• New Chiller for Red Mountain Library Various Roofing replacement projects • Overhead door replacements at various Fire Stations • Tenant improvements a Mesa City Plaza

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Spring Training

Spring Training 2019 was once again a tremendous success! The Oakland A’s welcomed 68,991 fans to HoHoKam Stadium, while the Chicago Cubs broke the all-time single game attendance record three times – finally topping out at 16,100 on March 25, 2019 against the Boston Red Sox. In total 250,893 guests went through the gates of Sloan Park to watch a game.

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Mesa, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities | FY18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

JOHN GILES Mayor

MARK FREEMAN Vice Mayor District 1

JEREMY WHITAKER Councilmember District 2

FRANCISCO HEREDIA Councilmember District 3

JEN DUFF Councilmember District 4

DAVID LUNA Councilmember District 5

KEVIN THOMPSON Councilmember District 6

CHRIS BRADY City Manager

KARI KENT Assistant City Manager

Mesa Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities

708 W Baseline Bldg. 4| PO Box 1466 – Mail Stop 7010 Mesa, AZ 85211 Monday-Thursday | 7am-6pm 480-644-PLAY | www.mesaparks.com