Consent Item e
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: September 19, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Cameron Mull, Director of Parks & Recreation
THROUGH: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Parks & Recreation Monthly Report for July & August 2022 STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive report as an informational item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Director’s Report
• Parks staff were able to execute a successful two months of City-sponsored events in July and August without any major issues. This includes the city’s largest events of the year, such as the Fortuna Rodeo, Auto Xpo, and Hops in Humboldt. Summer is the busiest season of the year in Parks & Recreation, so many other events, facility and park rentals, summer camps, etc. were still executed as smoothly as possible by City staff. • The regularly scheduled Rohner Community Recreation and Park District (RCRPD) monthly meetings occurred on 7/6 and 8/3. Most notably, estimated amounts associated with an aquatic facility for the construction, operation and maintenance, cost recovery/ revenue, and an estimated bond rate over time for were discussed and presented to consultants LACO & Associates. These numbers are required so that calculations by LACO for annual per parcel rates for a future Benefit Assessment can be determined.
Discussing and identifying aquatic facility features allowed the consultant CounsilmanHunsaker to determine what those associated costs would be, in order for LACO to make the most accurate per parcel rate calculations.
• Plans and features for the future basketball courts rehab project in Rohner Park were finalized with City staff and landscape architect Erin Ponte. This project will be funded by Measure E, and is planned to go to bid in mid-September, with construction following as soon as possible. This project will replace the existing court with two paved, fenced-in courts with new posts and backboards, and may include additional park features and amenities, depending on cost limits.
• Plans and features for the Newburg Park expansion and rehab project were discussed with planners Ontiveros & Associates, with landscape architect Erin Ponte generating conceptual designs. The focus on the project will be to develop the adjacent 8.4 acre parcel that was recently purchased using Prop 68 Per Capita funds (combined City + RCRPD funds). Plans for additional parking, regulation soccer fields, walking trails, and bathrooms have been discussed thus far. This project will be funded by Measure E. • The Parks Dept. received a letter from California State Parks notifying the City that is was not selected/ not being awarded a $3.2 million project using Prop 68 Rural Recreation and Consent Item e
Tourism (RRT) grant funds. This was a project that both the City and the Rohner Recreation and Park District applied for separately (two applications) in January 2022 for the potential development of a newly constructed park on a 7+ acre parcel located along the Eel River on Riverwalk Drive.
Parks & Facility Maintenance
• The entire River Lodge facility was cobwebbed from top to bottom, as well as cleanup being performed in the parking lot
• Extensive preparation, break down, and clean-up for the 3rd of July event in Newburg Park was executed
• Weed pulling was completed in the LID basin at City Hall • The deep pit BBQ’s in Rohner Park were cleaned and prepped for the Rodeo • The Rohner Park stage received wood repairs in various locations • Extensive park preparations for the Rodeo and associated carnival was completed • The Rohner Park men’s bathroom was damages due to arson/ fire damage, so cleanup was completed in time for the start of the Rodeo
• An equipment shed in Rohner Park was vandalized w/extensive graffiti and entirely repainted prior to the start of the Rodeo • The medians on Fortuna Blvd. received multiple irrigation repairs • Set-up and breakdown/ cleanup was completed for both the Jr Rodeo and (with a switchover to) the Fortuna Rodeo events in Rohner Park during the events on 7/13-7/17 • Graffiti was painted over in the Rodeo grandstands
• A broken water pipe was repaired in the Rodeo corrals • Extensive preparation for the Auto Xpo event on 7/22-7/24 was completed • Unsafe foot boards were replaced on the Rohner Park footbridge off 14th St • Cleanup was completed after the Auto Xpo
• A decorative wooden bench with plaque were installed on the front porch of the Monday Club, donated by the Fortuna Garden Club and created by East High students • Newburg Park received irrigation repairs and were programmed • A Prop 68 sign was erected at the newly acquired Newburg park expansion parcel, per the grant guidelines
• The rodeo grounds were prepped for a Gymkhana event rental on 8/6-8/7 • Picnic tables and trash cans were delivered and retrieved form 10th/main for the monthly street fair on 8/5
• Preparation and cleanup occurred for the annual Hops in Humboldt event held on 8/27 • A community garden beds project was planned and discussed, with raised garden beds to likely be placed in a portion of the horseshoe pit area to be maintained by the Fortuna Sunrise Rotary and community members
• All fire extinguishers were checked for proper safety, use Depot Museum
July’s visitation total at the Fortuna Depot Museum was 337 people. This is lower than our typical pre-COVID July visitation totals due to a number of factors. This summer we are open 5 days a week (Wednesday through Sunday for June, July and August) rather than 7 days a week as we were in the pre-COVID era summers. High gas prices are also likely contributing to smaller numbers of summer travelers. Our July visitation totals in recent years were: 2021: 487, 2020: 14 (open only four days in July 2020 due to COVID restrictions), 2019: 596, 2018: 537, 2017: 699, Consent Item e
2016: 732, 2015: 569, 2014: 659, 2013: 570, 2012: 664. In July 2022 we welcomed California visitors from Arcata, Blue Lake, Calistoga, Carlotta, Chico, Cloverdale, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Gold River, Hayfork, Hydesville, Ione, Laytonville, Manteca, Pacifica, Paradise, Pismo Beach, Rancho Murietta, Redding, Redway, Rio Dell, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa, Sunnyvale, Torrance, Trinidad, Walnut Grove, Whitethorn and Willits. We also welcomed out-of-state visitors from Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, as well as visitors from Mexico and the United Kingdom.
August’s visitor total at the Fortuna Depot Museum was 250 people. Although an increase from our 2021 August total, this total shows the ongoing impact of factors such as COVID-19 and high gas prices on summer travel. Our August visitation totals in recent years were 2021: 186, 2020:
Closed, 2019: 485, 2018: 378, 2017: 477, 2016: 393, 2015: 419, 2014: 457, 2013: 419, 2012: 468.
In August 2022 we welcomed California visitors from Bella Vista, Bodega Bay, Eureka, Fortuna, Fountain Valley, Fremont, Jackson, LaVerne, Leggett, Los Angeles, Marysville, Myers Flat, Oroville, Palo Cedro, Placentia, Rancho Cucamonga, Red Bluff, Redding, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Willits. We also welcomed out-of-state visitors from Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Washington, as well as one overseas visitor from the Czech Republic.
Fortuna Transit
Passengers on the Fortuna Transit Bus totaled 596 trips during the month of July 2022. The lift was used for non-wheelchair riders thirty-five times and fifty-four times for wheelchair trips. The Fortuna Transit had thirteen new riders during the month of July. The Eureka medical trips on Tuesdays have been going well averaging around three-five riders.
Passengers on the Fortuna Transit Bus totaled 731 trips during the month of August 2022. The lift was used for non-wheelchair riders ninety times and thirty eight times for wheelchair trips. The Fortuna Transit had twelve new riders during the month of August. The Eureka medical trips on Tuesdays have been going well averaging around three-five riders.
July 2021 July 2022 YTD ~ July 2020 –
June 2022
YTD ~ July 2021 – June
2023
# of passengers 682 596 7713 596
Total Miles 2120 1816 24885 1816
Service Miles 1961 1682 22710 1682
Hours Worked 281 238.5 3183.5 238.5
Service Hours
Worked 247.25 206.5 2671 206.5
August 2021 August 2022 YTD ~ July 2021 –
June 2022
YTD ~ July 2022 – June
2023
# of passengers 699 731 7713 1413
Total Miles 2376 2266 24885 4386
Service Miles 2187 2078 22710 4039
Hours Worked 317 224.5 3183.5 505.5
Consent Item e
Sports, Classes and Facility Rentals
In July, Adult league softball continued playing Monday – Thursday nights at Newburg Park.
Results Fit Camp continued holding classes in the Pavilion, Little League is playing games in Rohner Park. Rohner Rec Hall was used six times during the month of July and the picnic area was used seven times. During July the City also hosted a weekend long Gymkhana event, the Fortuna Rodeo and Auto Xpo.
In August, Adult league Coed softball started, and there are ten teams playing Monday and Wednesday nights at Newburg Park. Eel River Youth Soccer, Fortuna High Soccer and Girls Fast Pitch continue using Newburg Park fields while Little League continues in Rohner Park with Fall Ball. Results Fit Camp continued holding classes in the Pavilion, Rohner Rec Hall was used seven times during the month of August and the picnic area was used eleven times. During August we also hosted a weekend long gymkhana event and the annual Hops in Humboldt event.
Recreation Programs
July:
Drop-in volleyball on Sunday evenings continued throughout July, with attendance ranging from 7 - 15 players per night. Drop-in basketball will resume in the fall.
Much of July was spent operating our summer youth day camp programs, Kiddie Kamp and Summer Fun. We were able to add some campers from our wait-lists in July, for a total of 61 campers registered for Kiddie Kamp in July and 91 campers registered for Summer Fun in July.
We had another Leader in Training (L.I.T.) join the program for a total of 4 L.I.T.s, who ranged in age from 13 – 15, who assisted Camp Leaders with activities while learning and developing their own leadership skills. We have also a volunteer working with both camps through the Reaching for Independence program who assisted leaders with facilitating crafts and activities. Over the course of the month we had a cumulative total of 280.5 volunteer hours with our camps.
Staffing continued to be a challenge for the new First 5 playgroup, and opening was pushed back to mid-September, with a new plan to train current staff on the position once camps have ended for the summer. The First 5 Humboldt new playgroup will be for kids’ ages 0-5 and their caregivers.
Skating
The Fortuna Skating Rink operated Public Skate Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons for the first two weekends and the last weekend of July. Friday Public Skate have been on hold until our summer camp programs end in August, due to facility use overlap and staff availability. The skating rink was closed for both the weekends of Fortuna Rodeo (7/16-17) and Auto Xpo (7/23- 24). Adult Night continued as an ongoing event the last Saturday of the month. Over the course of the month the skating rink hosted 7 private parties with 123 attendees, and in addition to the 187 skaters that attended public skate, hosted an overall total of 310 skaters in the month of July.
August:
Drop-in volleyball on Sunday evenings continued throughout August, with attendance ranging from 10 - 22 players per night. Drop-in basketball is scheduled to resume in October.
Service Hours
Worked 272.75 273.5 2671 520.75
Consent Item e
The first three weeks of August were spent operating our summer youth day camp programs, Kiddie Kamp and Summer Fun. We finished the summer with a total of 62 campers registered for Kiddie Kamp and 97 campers registered for Summer Fun. Over the course of the summer we logged a total of 3,163 user days (each day a camper attended is one user day). Our 4 Leaders In Training (L.I.T.s), who ranged in age from 13 – 15 and assisted Camp Leaders with activities while learning and developing their own leadership skills, were present for the beginning of August, but when the high school started again only one was able to continue volunteering. Our volunteer with the Reaching for Independence program, who assisted leaders with facilitating crafts and activities, continued volunteering with Kiddie Kamp two days per week for the duration of camp. Over the course of August we had a cumulative total of 84.5 volunteer hours with our camps.
Preparation continues for the opening of a new First 5 Humboldt playgroup in mid-September.
Current Recreation staff are training to learn the facilitator position now that camps have ended and we have staff time available. The First 5 Humboldt new playgroup will be for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers.
Skating
The Fortuna Skating Rink operated Public Skate Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons for the first three weekends of August. Friday Public Skate nights have been on hold until our summer camp programs ended in August, due to facility use overlap and staff availability. Adult Night continued as an ongoing event the last Saturday skate night of the month. Over the course of the month the skating rink hosted 2 private parties with 67 attendees, and in addition to the 301 skaters that attended public skate, hosted an overall total of 368 skaters in the month of August.
Community Service
The Parks & Recreation Department had nine people signed up to perform Community Service, and workers completed 127 hours throughout the months of July and August. The Community Service Work Program is a big part of the parks’ success. The workers help with trash pickup and various basic maintenance projects in Rohner and Newburg Parks, the River Lodge, and other Parks-maintained spaces throughout the City. Since the program started in 1997, there have been 52,982.25 service hours completed in the throughout the City of Fortuna.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Receive Monthly Parks & Recreation Department Report. Consent Agenda Vote.