2014 Johnson County Parks & Recreation District (JCPRD) Annual Report

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RECREATION DIVISION

SAFETY & OUTDOOR EDUCATION DIVISION The Safety & Outdoor Education Division provides effective community-centered public safety, resource protection, visitor services, and cultural and environmental education. It includes the Park Police and Outdoor Education departments and operates Shawnee Mission Park’s John Barkley Visitor Center, Ernie Miller Nature Center, and TimberRidge Adventure Center.

Regular Employees: 27 Seasonal Employees: 44

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Park Police Officers Lauded

Bill McGowan Receives Award

Three Johnson County Park Police Officers were recognized for their professional and efficient responses in life or death situations in 2014. Park Police Captain Rob Weber received a Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas Recreation and Park Association (KRPA), while Officer Charles Cofield and Sergeant Michael Middlebusher received Lifesaving Awards from the Kansas Park Law Enforcement Association. A 15-year veteran of JCPRD, Captain Weber was recognized for staying calm and in control during an early May 2014 incident in Shawnee Mission Park in which he successfully negotiated a distraught and suicidal woman into giving up her weapon and getting the help she needed. The two Lifesaving Awards resulted from an early August 2014 incident in Shawnee Mission Park in which Officer Cofield noticed a fisherman laying on his back. The officer checked on the man, found him unresponsive, and began CPR. Despite a violent electrical storm going on, Cofield, Sergeant Middlebusher, and Johnson County Deputy Cory Neal stabilized the man’s vital signs until an ambulance could arrive.

Longtime JCPRD Outdoor Education Manager Bill McGowan was honored with the National Association for Interpretation Master Interpretive Manager Award for 2014. Having received a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State University in natural resource management, McGowan began with JCPRD in January 1980, when he was hired as a park ranger. He was part of a group of rangers with natural sciences backgrounds hired with the plan to develop a new outdoor education program. Within nine months of being hired, he interviewed for and was offered the new position of outdoor recreation interpretive coordinator, which has since become the outdoor education manager position. He was tasked with developing fee-supported programs, and he oversaw the building of the Ernie Miller Nature Center, as well as two major expansions of the building. His primary duty is overseeing the daily operations of the nature center and the TimberRidge Adventure Center. Each year, park police officers and naturalists present over 1,100 programs to over 38,000 participants.

PARKS & ACREAGE Antioch Park.............................................43.48 (Future Park). .......................1,933.26

Big Bull Creek

Blue River Streamway Park......................23.33 Camp Branch Creek Streamway

(Future Park)....28.36

Camp Branch Glade..................................57.34 Camp Branch Park..................................236.08 (Future Park)................................955.59

Cedar Niles

Coffee Creek Streamway

(Future Park)...........160.96

Ernie Miller Park.....................................116.18 Heritage Park.......................................1,238.50 Kill Creek Park........................................907.74 Kill Creek Streamway Park.....................323.96 Little Cedar Creek Streamway Park............2.93 Martin Creek Park

(Edgerton)..........................19.65

Mid-America Sports Complex....................86.66 Mid-America West Sports Complex...........62.13 Mildale Farm.............................................22.01 Mill Creek Activity Center............................2.40 Mill Creek Streamway Park.....................613.26 Neale Peterson Park

(Fairway).........................0.25

New Century Fieldhouse.............................9.82 Nursery/Streamway Maintenance............20.29 Prairie Park

(Prairie Village).................................0.24

2014 VISITATIONS

(Future Park). ...............................465.18

Antioch Park............................. 1,017,000

Roeland Park Aquatic Center......................3.44

Camp Branch Glade......................... 2,595

Shawnee Mission Park.........................1,591.36

Ernie Miller Park.......................... 136,335

Shawnee Mission Park (Future Addition)...........164.55

Heritage Park............................ 2,207,226

South Hedge Lane (Future Addition)....................60.75

Heritage Park Golf Course........... 193,263

(Future Park)....................54.01

Kill Creek Park............................. 206,032

(Early Transfer)...............................132.92

Mildale Farm.................................. 49,010

Sunflower Nature Park.............................57.16

Shawnee Mission Park.............. 2,144,519

Rieke Lake

Stillwell Community Sunflower

(Shawnee). .................................2.67

Stoll Memorial Park..................... 997,638

Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park.................78.96

Streamway Park System.............. 688,599

Tomahawk Hills Golf Course...................259.01

Sunflower Nature Park.................. 52,064

(Merriam)..................................4.32

Tomahawk Golf Course.................. 65,664

Swarner Park

Waterfall Park

GRAND TOTAL......................................9,738.38.

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TOTAL VISITATIONS................. 7,759,945

Background photo by Focus On Fun Photo Contest participant Michael Williams