HomeMy WebLinkAbout20120221 - VIII-C-3
2011 Annual Report CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH PEOPLE, PARKS, AND PROGRAMS Levee Park Hastings Family Aquatic Center New Playground at Cari Park City of Hastings Parks & Recreation Department
2011 Safety Camp
2011 ANNUAL REPORT HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS & RECREATION STAFF Barry Bernstein, Parks & Recreation Director Cory Likes, Ops & Maintenance Supervisor Darbie Johnson,
Aquatics Manager Jared Flewellen, Recreation Coordinator Sliv McGree, Arena Manager Jeff Elliott, Assistant Arena Manager Paul Mahoney, City Forester John Stevens, Parkskeeper Jesse
Viall, Parkskeeper Tim Tessier, Parkskeeper Terry Meier, Parkskeeper Kristin Behrens, Administrative Assistant PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION 2011 Brian Schommer, Chairperson Jen Garret,
Commissioner Steve Miller, Commissioner Sheila Hedin, Commissioner David Juntunen, Commissioner Dwight Smith, Commissioner Nicole Schossow, Commissioner Table of Contents Organizational
Chart 2 Parks & Trails 3 Forestry 6 Hastings Family Aquatic Center 9 Hastings Civic Arena 12 Leisure Services 14 Recycling 23 1
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT ORGANIIZATIIONAL CHART 2011 Annual Report 2
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS & TRAIILS 2011 Annual Report 2011 Highlights · This year the City was fortunate to have received donations for 6 park benches. Three were
installed along the Levee front, one along the Vermillion river trail, one along the Featherstone path and one along the Dike on the west side of Lake Rebecca. All donated benches include
a memorial plaque that is customized for each individual donation. · Based on the recommended manufacturer life expectancy of 20 years, two new playgrounds were installed in 2011. Once
equipment has reached the maximum life expectancy, it is important to replace them for safety reasons. The two parks that received new playgrounds were Cari Park and Westwood Park. After
conducting neighborhood meetings to get resident input on park improvements, both playgrounds were installed by Parks & Recreation staff with the help of the manufacturer’s subcontractor.
Along with new equipment, new curbing was installed and woodchips were also placed inside inside the play area. The chips are designed to meet ADA regulations and give all a chance to
play safe. Each playground has a unique feature that allows kids an opportunity for a different play experience. Based on vandalism concerns from park residents, Cari Park was the recipient
of a unique solar lighting system installed on the playground to help deter the vandals. · A new 20’ x 20’ basketball court was installed at Eagle Bluff Park this past fall. The court
rests on the back side of the playground where the ground was flat and minimal dirt work had to be done. This was an amenity that had been budgeted for and that neighborhood residents
had requested. · Once again this year, Parks and Recreation was able to help out young adults looking to earn their Eagle Badge. The project that was completed this year was the addition
of 10 wood duck houses at Lake Rebecca, constructed and installed by William Estes. 5 of the houses are at the west end of the lake and the other 5 are by the boat launching area. The
houses are made of rough cut cedar and are mounted in posts above the flood level. 3 New Playground at Westwood Park New Playground at Cari Park Our Crew Hard at Work
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS & TRAIILS 2011 Annual Report Seasonal Staff Summer 2011 was one of the best seasonal staffs we have ever had. We hired three employees and
were awarded one more employee through a Dakota County program called HIRED. The program gives youth a chance to get out into the world and work in the areas they are interested in.
This HIRED employee worked with us all summer at no cost to the City. The Parks and Recreation Department also received help from the County with a program that is called New Chance.
This program is designed to reduce the chance of at-risk youth re-offending by addressing individual needs and increasing strengths. Participants in this program have helped us spread
woodchips at various parks around the trees, planter beds, and playgrounds. Ball Field Upgrade A Hastings resident, Steve Foote, registered for and won the grand prize of $20,000 (minus
travel expenses) for a field renovation through the Chevrolet Diamonds & Dreams program. After receiving a phone call from the organization, Parks & Recreation staff interviewed and
walked the ball fields in Hastings that were our top choices for improvements. In the end, the baseball field at Veteran’s Athletic Complex was chosen to receive the upgrades. During
the latter half of October, the organization’s contractor was on-site and rebuilt the infield in about three days. City crews had very little to do with the project, only supervising
to ensure that the end product met our standards. We would like to express our appreciation to Mr. Foote for entering this contest and allowing our community to benefit from his prize!
Trails · Due to budgeting issues, no maintenance was completed on the trail system in 2011. The outlook for 2012 does look more promising to complete necessary trail maintenance. ·
The addition of a new trail that connects Hastings to Spring Lake Park was completed in the spring of 2011 and now people can make their way to the park from Hastings. · The City applied
for and was awarded a $$100,000 trail connections grant from the Minnesota DNR to improve our trail connection along County Road 46/47. The new trail will take a scenic path through
the woods of the Bauer property along the Vermillion River and will improve trail safety by utilizing an underpass of County Road 46/47. We are very excited to complete this project
in 2012 and add to the beautiful trail system that Hastings offers its residents and visitors. 4 Completed Upgrade at Vet’s Park
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS & TRAIILS 2011 Annual Report Electronic Message Board Parks & Recreation staff has the responsibility of programming the electronic message
board and it was again well used by City staff this year. All message requests by staff were given top priority and were posted in a timely manner. In addition, we also received 61 requests
for messages by outside organizations regarding community events which were reviewed and approved by the Parks & Recreation Director before posting. The message board is a very popular
communication tool for both the City and local non-profit organizations, with use of the board increasing each year. Vandalism This year the Parks and Recreation department received
many complaints about graffiti and vandalism. Many parks were “tagged” and spray painted with obscene gestures and words. Also with the high price of copper, many light poles were stripped
of the wire and damaged. General Maintenance This past season, our maintenance staff was very busy mowing grass and doing lots of turf work. The unforgiving rain that Mother Nature gave
us had the grass growing faster than we could mow it. The rainy season also had us constantly monitoring the water level at Lake Rebecca. The water level in the lake is controlled by
a series of planks that are placed in the outgoing side of the lake to ensure that positive flow to the river is always happening. The purpose of having flow out to the river is so that
rough fish (carp, dogfish, bullheads, etc) will not be able to get into the lake where the game fish are. With all that happening we still had to contend with everyday maintenance and
ball field grooming around the parks. Each day brought a new challenge, but with perseverance the crew was able to meet all the expectations that faced us. Hastings Public Boat Ramp
The City of Hastings is still working with the DNR to install a new boat ramp at Jaycee Park. The area was to be studied this past year and a plan was to be submitted by summer. However,
due to to the high water level all season the DNR was unable to get out in the water and do an underwater study to help determine what kind of damage the ramp sustained and the best
process for building a new one. Unfortunately, this meant the project had to be pushed back a year, although the funds from the state are still there to complete the project. If all
goes well, the project should be completed by late fall of 2012. 5 2011 Flooding at Lake Rebecca
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT FORESTRY 2011 Annual Report It was a fairly uneventful year for the Forestry Division of the Parks and Recreation Department. With a reduced budget
and no access to summer help, forestry projects were limited. However, the largest Arbor Day event ever took place at Veteran’s Ballpark on April 29th. Arbor Day “Volunteers turn out
to plant trees for Arbor Day in Hastings” by Katrina Styx, Staff writer, Hastings Star Gazette May 5, 2011 Ninety-two trees are taking root along the walking trail to the east of Veteran’s
Park in Hastings. They were planted last Friday in a coordinated effort of city parks staff and a handful of volunteers in honor of Arbor Day. Every year on Arbor Day, trees are planted
somewhere in Hastings. It’s part of what makes Hastings a member of Tree City USA, explained Paul Mahoney, the city’s forester. The program recognizes communities that effectively manage
public tree resources and encourages the implementation of community tree management based based on Tree City USA standards, according to the city’s website. The city has to apply for
recertification every year. The 92 new trees now line both sides of the walking trail. Each tree has a trunk diameter of only about 1 inch. “They’re smaller than what we’d normally plant
for an event like this,” Mahoney said. He decided to get smaller trees this year because of the city’s constricted budgets. All the trees were purchased from Bailey Nurseries Inc., paid
for out of the city’s reforestation funds. There are 10 deciduous varieties, 10 each of honey locust, hackberry, cathedral elm, accolade elm, northern pin oak, white oak, ironwood, north
wood maple, sugar maple and two Gingko trees, which are the path’s gateway trees. The two Gingko trees were donated by the Dakota Electric Association. The Veteran’s Park trail was chosen
for the planting because it’s a prairie like area without any shade, Mahoney said. Although the trees are too small now to provide much shade, they’ll shelter the trail nicely once they’re
bigger. “In five to 10 years we’ll have a nice shaded trail for people to walk out there,” Mahoney said. Park staff dug all the holes and planted the majority of the trees before the
volunteers arrived. About 30 were left for volunteers. Sponsors for the event were Coborns, Target, and Cub Foods, which donated snacks and beverages for the volunteers. Catholic United
Financial also provided items and helped staff the concessions area. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon also participated in the event. 6 Planting the 1st Tree Arbor Day Volunteers
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT FORESTRY 2011 Annual Report Arbor Day (continued) Another aspect of Arbor Day is education. The Forester conducted an informational program about
volunteering and the importance of trees to a community. This was presented to all the 4th grade students at both Kennedy and Christa McAuliffe elementary schools. Every child received
a tree seedling donated by Dakota Electric Association. Reforestation · Of the 92 trees planted on Arbor Day, 10 did not survive. Replacements were purchased from Bachman’s Nursery
at their annual “fire sale.” · Two Memorial trees were planted at Lake Isabel parking lot and one was planted at Westwood Park. · A recognition tree provided by the Hastings Environmental
Protectors was planted at the LeDuc mansion. Tree Removals · Four boulevard trees declared hazardous were removed by the city contractor, Rivertown Tree Service. · Nine dead or dying
trees were removed by the Parks crew from the Vermillion River Park and flood plain. Maintenance · August and September were extremely dry months this year. Therefore, all trees planted
within the last four years were watered on five different occasions. · $500 was donated to the Parks department for the purchase of mulch. It was used to protect all the trees planted
this year. Additional trees will be mulched as an ongoing process when time permits. Boulevard Tree Maintenance For two weeks in January, the Forester and an assistant inspected boulevard
trees throughout Hastings. They were looking for branches that hinder or impede street maintenance and pedestrian traffic, were dying or damaged, or were rubbing or growing into each
other. When a tree was identified as needing trimming, an attempt was made to talk to the homeowners and inform them of the tree trimming to be done. If nobody was home, a notice was
left explaining the procedure and providing the forester’s phone number in case there were any questions. Unfortunately because of the amount of snowfall and number of snow events, the
tree trimming crew was unable to complete their part of the task. 7
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT FORESTRY 2011 Annual Report Emerald Ash Borer EAB has not been found in Hastings, nor has it been found within 15 miles of Hastings. However, the
Department of Agriculture says eventually it will be here and the City should prepare for it. Two things can be done: 1. Identify high value ash trees and be prepared to treat them chemically.
2. Identify ash trees on city boulevards or city property for removal. These trees would qualify for removal by being of poor form, in poor locations, unwanted by homeowners, damaged,
dying, or causing sight restrictions for motorists and pedestrians. Five to ten per cent of the trees targeted for removal would be removed each year. This practice would defray the
entire cost of this project over several years, lowering the impact for the City. Additionally, a reforestation program should be in place with a wide diversity of trees being planted
to replace the ash trees. Japanese Beetle This summer the City experienced a severe outbreak of Japanese beetles. These beetles overwinter under lawns as larvae and then emerge in the
summer as adults and begin feeding. They are voracious eaters of leaves and prefer birch, elm, and hackberry trees and rose, grape and raspberry bushes. Control of this pest is limited.
Pheromone traps and insecticides do help but a concerted effort by the City and its residents will be needed to substantially reduce the beetles numbers in the future. Goals for 2012
· Adopt a policy for the systematic reduction of ash trees on city boulevards and city property. This action would be spread out over a five to ten year time frame. The City Forester
with the assistance of the homeowner would determine which trees are to be removed or chemically treated for trees on the boulevard. The future of ash trees on city property would be
ascertained by the Forester. The removal work could be coordinated between the Parks & Recreation Department and Public Works Department when practical and within the scope of their
abilities. Difficult removals could be contracted out. · A replacement tree policy should be put into effect at the same time. For boulevard trees it would be important to have the
homeowner participate in the selection, location, and maintenance of the tree. A nominal fee might have to be charged per tree. This would help by reducing the city’s cost and increasing
survival rates by having the homeowner “buy in” to the project. 8
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT AQUATIIC CENTER 2011 Annual Report 2011 in Review/Highlights · The swimming lesson program went through a complete renovation. The HFAC no longer
teaches American Red Cross swim lessons. New customized lesson plans and levels were developed for HFAC. Lessons include Infant/Toddler/Parent class and 5 Levels of school age classes.
· Instructor Training for the new swim lesson program consisted of 40 hours of going over lesson plans, strokes, and teaching progressions. To help familiarize and insure complete teaching,
instructors were paired together for the 2011 teaching season. The 2012 season will teach with a ratio of 1 instructor and 1 aide for every 8 students. · Swim Lesson sessions were run
during the mornings (4 X 2 week sessions) and during the evening (2 X 4 week sessions). A total of 478 participants. · Concession items remained the same as the 2010 season with the
exception of adding a Hot Pocket style sandwich. · Due to the reduced open swim hours to save on expenses, the HFAC opened up evening rental hours for the HAST swim team. During the
2011 season HAST rented out an additional 10.5 hours at $46.59/hour. · GuardStart, a Junior Lifeguarding program was run for one session during the 2011 season. 14 students participated
and volunteered after the class ended. · During the month of September, after the facility had closed for the season, an estimated $8,000 -$10,000 in damage was done due to vandalism.
It was discovered that vandals had entered the building through the peak vents and punched large holes through the ceiling of the building. Vandals also destroyed materials used to winterize
outdoor equipment, removed and relocated the diving board, portable lifeguard stands, shade structure braces, and floats. Additional destruction occurred to the cargo netting that encloses
the large slide and to some signage. Staff investigated adding upgraded security measures possibly to include security cameras and outdoor motion sensors. · The HFAC participated in
the breaking a Guinness World Record through the World’s Largest Swim Lesson. The event was held on June 14, 2011 at the HFAC and simultaneously at 400 facilities across 14 countries
and 45 states in the USA. 21,751 people participated as a group effort with Hastings contributing 64 to the total number. 9 World’s Largest Swim Lesson 2011 Season Totals Open 84 out
of 86 days Attendance: 28,694 Season Passes: 527 Punch Cards: 578
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT AQUATIIC CENTER 2011 Annual Report Program Updates Swim Lessons HFAC offered 6 different sessions of customized swim lessons, 4 sessions during
the morning hours and 2 sessions during the evening hours. 478 students participated in swimming lessons during the 2011 season. Hastings Area Swim Team The Hastings Area Swim Team rents
swimming area during the weekday early morning hours. During the 2011 season HAST rented 105.50 hours at $46.59/hour. For 2012, HAST will be offered a similar schedule to 2011 for practice,
but has requested additional time at the outdoor pool due to renovations at the Middle School pool. The HFAC staff will try to accommodate additional hours to increase revenue without
compromising our residents open swim and other program activities. Water Walking Water Walking is a drop in program that is available Mondays-Thursdays in the morning. Participants use
the entire zero depth area. We are hoping to add Saturday mornings to the 2012 schedule. Adult Lap Swim Lap swim is available 6 days a week. Attendance ranges from 8-12 swimmers each
day. 2012 will maintain the Monday, Wednesday and Friday early morning lap swim hours before the HAST team practices. The schedule will also include Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday extended
morning lap swim hours. 10
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT AQUATIIC CENTER 2011 Annual Report 2012 Goals · Promote and market the availability for swim team practice after hours during the week. Include
weekdays and weekends to generate more revenue. · Incorporate 1 or 2 new concession items, possibly warm chocolate chip cookies and wrap style sandwiches. · Install new water crossing
floats that were purchased at the end of the 2011 season. · Increase the GuardStart program to 2 sessions instead of 1 during the summer. · Increase security budget to include cameras
and outdoor security sensors. · Extend Water Walking and the Tons of Tots program to Saturday morning program. · Safety, safety, safety…. 11 2011 Open Swim HFAC Concessions Revenue:
$48,889.02 Expenses: $37,742.20 Net Profit: $9,146.82 Swim Lessons Revenue: $17,524.50 Expenses: $12,768.87 Net Profit: $4,755.63 2011 Concession Recap Added Turbo Chef What
sold: · 6,407 cups of slush · 3,590 bags of candy · 2,472 cups of fountain pop · 2,467 pretzels · 2,955 ice cream flavored sandwiches · 1,549 hot dogs · 1,845 bags of nacho chips
· 1,496 freezies · 890 mini donut bags · 1,228 slices of pizza · 689 corn dogs · 1,058 french fry orders · 718 bottles of water · 596 chicken strip baskets
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT CIIVIIC ARENA 2011 Annual Report 2011 Happenings · The desiccant unit was modified to provide better circulation of dry air to minimize dampness
in the West Arena. The modifications included an extension of a venting duct across the west arena ceiling, which will improve circulation of dry air throughout the entire rink. · To
improve the visitor experience, we replaced antiquated vending machines in the lobby with modern machines. This has resulted in a reduction in refunds. · General summer maintenance
was done. · Service to #2 Vilter compressor was also completed. · The Hastings Hockey Boosters sponsored 4 youth hockey tournaments. · Hastings High School operates a Christmas JV
tournament. This is a 3 day event for a total of 6 hours. 12 User Type Hours Sold Revenue Summer Ice (Jun 6-24) 99 $15,483.60 Fall Ice (Aug 21-Oct 17) 238.5 $33,782.40 Winter Ice (Jan
1-Mar 16 & Oct 13-Dec 31) 1938.75 $330,228.95 Figure Skating Lessons 24.75 $4,260.87 Soccer 156 $11,223.00 Dry Floor -Flip Flop Kids Swap 47 $1,714.00 Dry Floor -Circus 12 $835.58 Hastings
High School 363 $78,264.46 Hastings Hockey Boosters 1259.25 $209,978.44 Public Rental 102.25 $14,307.34 Non-Hastings Rentals 52 $7,930.00 TOTAL 4292.5 $708,008.64 2011 Hours Sold & Revenues
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT CIIVIIC ARENA 2011 Annual Report Goals for 2012 · Continue to perform general facility maintenance as needed. · Book both the East & West Rinks
for the coming season’s usage. · Continue searching out new users for the Civic Arena. · Make sure the Arena is operating efficiently and safely at all times. 13 Fun Fact: 5,866 people
attended Boys & Girls High School Games in 2011 2010 Concessions · Top three best selling items were pop, hot chocolate, and taffy. · Total concession revenue for 2011 was $46,056.
Arena Staff Sharpened 2,575 Pairs of Skates in 2011 2011 Number of Product Sold Jan-Mar Oct-Dec Totals Pop 9114 3338 12,452 Hot Chocolate 4398 2302 6,700 Taffy 3524 1819 5,343 Popcorn
3490 1448 4,938 Sucker 2981 1844 4,825 Coffee 2812 1139 3,951 Hot Dog 2500 764 3,264 Pretzel 2280 920 3,200 Cheese 1606 795 2,401 Slushies 995 849 1,844 Cappuccino 991 385 1,376 Nachos
1009 326 1,335 Nerds Rope 709 347 1,056 Licorice Rope 443 207 650 Cider 373 241 614 Cinnabon Pretzel 430 133 563 Coffee Refill 326 185 511 Pizza 326 90 416 Caramel Corn 270 96 366 Misc
264 50 314
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Snowman Snapshot Families, friends, neighbors, and even pets worked together to build the best and most creative
snowman that they could. Many submissions were turned in but only one could be chosen the winner at the Frosty Frolic. The winning photo was on display at the event and the winners received
Parks and Recreation prizes. Pitch, Hit, Run The 2011 Pitch, Hit, and Run event was held on Saturday, May 7th at Veterans Park and Hastings Jaycees, Hastings Varsity Baseball Team, and
Parks & Recreation could not of asked for a more beautiful Hastings day. 49 participants came out to enjoy the weather and test their baseball skills as they hoped to make it to the
next level on their way to the MLB All-Star Game. All participants did a great job and had a fun morning. Twins Clinic 2011 The summer of 2011 marked the 51st year the Minnesota Twins
and the Twins Community Fund offered free youth baseball/softball clinics. Created in 1961 by longtime Twins scout Angelo Giuliani, the clinic program serves as a way for the ball club
to promote the games of baseball and softball to boys and girls throughout the region. Since the program's inception, more than 800,000 youth have taken part in Twins clinics in the
Upper Midwest and Southwest Florida. Hastings participants made up 60 of those youth in 2011 at Veterans Park. The Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinics have always been, and will continue
to be, available to participants and communities free of charge. Funding for the Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinics is provided by the Twins Community Fund. No registration is required
to participate in a clinic, just show up on the day of the clinic and be ready to learn and have fun. Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinics are designed to teach basic fundamentals including
hitting, fielding and throwing, while also providing participants with positive messages about staying in school and away from drugs and alcohol. Saturday, June 4th was a beautiful day
and and both the participants and the instructors had a great experience. City Cycle Sunday, June 5th marked the date for the Hastings City Cycle special event. City Cycle had 14 registered
participants learn from Hastings Police Department, National Park Service, Wheelhouse Cycles, and Hastings Parks and Recreation how to properly prepare themselves and their equipment
before riding as well as rider responsibilities. Starting at Jaycee Park, the group rode on Hastings trails to the Vermillion Falls on their way to LeDuc Mansion. By means of a Dakota
County grant, participants were given snacks and beverages in a reflective tote bag . 14 2011 MN Twins Clinic 2011 Winning Photo
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Wednesday Walkers April was a rainy month but it did not stop Wednesday Walkers coming out during the four
Wednesdays in April. Wednesday Walkers provides walkers a chance to get a brief tour of the local parks, trails, and scenic areas as Parks and Recreation Department staff share facts,
a bit of history, or just a good conversation. Simple Steps Dakota County in collaboration with its local communities once again offered Simple Steps in 2011 and encouraged participants
to “enhance their health”. The walking program designed to encourage residents to increase their exercise by sending them information on local trails and walking sites along with other
great tips for healthier lifestyles. The program totaled a high number of participants with 773 in the summer program and Hastings had a great number of participants with 86. Lacrosse
Camp June hosted the Sports Unlimited Lacrosse Camp at Pioneer Park in 2011 and 9 participants toned their skills for four days. Sports Unlimited coaches taught ages 5-12 the fundamental
skills of lacrosse using small group activities, scrimmages, and fun games. They also focused on helping the kids learn the rules of lacrosse while working on team play and sportsmanship.
QB – RB – WR Edge Football Camp In July, 8 local youth football players attended Sports Unlimited QB-RB-WR Edge Camp. This camp is designed for players wanting to take the next step
at the QB/RB/WR positions and provides the competitive EDGE with our private athletic tutors. Campers learned the necessary skill sets at a variety of positions. Campers had a hot week
but learned a lot about the three skill positions. 15 Lacrosse Camp Football Camp
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Safety Camp July 26th was the date for the 4th annual Hastings Safety Camp for children entering 3rd – 5th
grade. 96 participants registered for this year’s camp where they had a full day of learning about internet safety, camping safety, bike safety, fire safety, and animal safety taught
by the Como Zoo in an active learning environment . After the children ate their Subway sandwiches, they danced to the beats provided by DJ Steph from the YMCA. The Minnesota State Patrol
helicopter landed and the pilots answered all the questions that the participants had regarding what they do and how they do it. Hastings Police Department also showed off their new
K-9 police dog during a demonstration on how they work together. To end the day, participants cooled off as they sprayed fire hoses from the Hastings Fire Trucks. This day was once again
successful thanks to all the community partners that assist with the event: City of Hastings Fire, Fire, Police, Parks and Recreation, Community Education, and YMCA. 16 Clockwise from
top left: State Patrol Helicopter, Learning Fire Safety, Spraying the Fire Hoses,
Outdoor Safety
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Community Halloween Party It was a spooky Friday night at the Hastings High School as 1,600+ goblins, monsters,
and fairies enjoyed the Hastings Community Halloween Party. Hastings Parks and Recreation, Community Education, and YMCA collaborated to host the party on Friday, October 28th from 5:30pm
– 8pm and had a great turnout with the amount of participants and donations turned in. The party is free to the public but they are asked to turn in a food shelf item for Hastings Family
Services or cash donation for Youth First Planning Council scholarship and families turned in 1,769lbs. of food and $225 dollars. The party is designed for children ages 12 and under
and participants can play one of the 25 style carnival games to receive candy or try the Haunted Hallway conducted by the Youth First Planning Council students. The party also has a
dinner area where they can get a slice of pizza, apples, chips, popcorn and juice. All of this is can happen only because of the donations from community businesses and groups. We also
had a great turnout for volunteers, which makes the event operate smoothly the day of. The Hastings Parks and Recreation Department, Community Education, and YMCA would like to thank
all of these donators and volunteers and are excited about another party next year. Burgers with the Big Guy For 2011, Hastings Parks and Recreation made reservations with Santa for
dinner instead of their traditional breakfast meeting. With Burgers and Fries on the menu almost 150 participants headed to the Hastings Middle School to sit with Santa. Participants
took part in many activities such as Holiday Tattoos, Pin the Nose on Rudolph, Frosty Toss, cookie decorating, ornament making, cupcake walk, present wrapping, and of course sitting
and talking to Santa. The event went very smooth thanks to the help of the Hastings Lions Club who helped serve and cook breakfast and Youth Planning Council who volunteered and the
different activity stations. 17
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Special Olympics Torch Run “Passing the Torch” by Katrina Styx, Staff writer, Hastings Star Gazette June
23, 2011 Thirty-four athletes from the Hastings Sharks Special Olympics team are competing this weekend at the Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games. To help them gear up for the competition,
a handful of the athletes joined law enforcement officers from agencies across the county in running the ceremonial torch across Minnesota in the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch
Run. Hastings athletes joined the run at Pinecrest Elementary School Wednesday afternoon and ran alongside officers to Roadside Park in Hastings. It’s not a long run, but it’s one that
makes a difference. “They are so excited to just run that little bit with the sirens going,” said Lisa Sieben, one of the local organizers of the event. “I think they just feel like
rock stars. They’ll talk about it now for a long long time.” After a short welcoming ceremony at the park, the torch was handed off to officers from the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office
and the Lakeville, Burnsville and Mendota Heights police departments, who ran and bicycled 27.5 miles that same evening to Mendota Heights. The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special
Olympics is the largest grassroots fundraising and public awareness vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Worldwide. Its mission is to raise funds for, and awareness of, the Special Olympics
movement worldwide. The Summer Games begin today, June 23, and run through Saturday at the University of Minnesota. There will be 1,350 athletes competing from across the state. Hastings
has 26 athletes competing in the track and field events, and eight competing in gymnastics. In order to compete at the summer games, the athletes had to train for a minimum of 10 weeks.
The Sharks track team trained at both the Hastings High School field house and the outdoor track at the middle school, while the gymnastics team was given space at the Hastings Gymnastics
Center, as well as coaching expertise. At the competition, athletes are divided into categories based on their skill level, determined at area competitions in May, and age. “It should
be a real fair competition, so they all should do really really well,” Sieben said. “When they get to competition, our kids really know how to turn it on.” Special Olympics isn’t a recreational
club, Sieben explained. “Special Olympics is competitive. That’s the whole point, to get our athletes to compete,” she said. And although it is competitive, it’s not all about getting
the win. “(The athletes) are all just so thrilled with how they do,” Sieben said. “It’s a really fun competition because it’s not about coming in first, it’s about crossing the finish
line.” Sieben invited the public to join the Sharks and support them at the Summer Games.“It’s a fabulous event, and if people have a chance to come up and cheer on the Sharks, we’d
love to have them. Look for the Sharks in the stands, we’ll be wearing our turquoise T-shirts,” she said. 18
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Adult Dodgeball Hastings Parks and Recreation offered Adult Dodgeball once again in 2011 and it was a great
success. The league filled with 8 teams and they had the opportunity to play 8 weeks of games. After all the dodging, ducking, diving, dipping, and dodging Vermillion Bank was crowded
the Hastings Champion. Adult Kickball A rubber playground ball, a baseball diamond, and 6 willing and friendly teams is all you need to have a great Adult Kickball league and Hastings
once again had a blast in 2011. With multiple leagues being offered to teams wanting to travel within the SVR league on Sunday nights or wanting to play other local Hastings teams on
Monday, both leagues had a great Summer. The co-recreational league is designed for all ages and encourages families, neighbors, and co -workers to get out and enjoy this fun recreational
game. Open Basketball Open Basketball gives the opportunity to play basketball in a recreational format. Individuals can practice their free throws or get involved with a pickup game.
Open Gym is available on Tuesday nights during the winter and is a great place to interact with other local basketball players. The cost is $2 per person and is on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm
at Hastings Middle School South Gym. This year 108 participants dribbled their way to Open Basketball. Rivertown Days Kittenball Tournament One of the many Rivertown Days events is the
annual Kittenball Tournament. Kittenball is a form of slow pitch with the main differences of using a 16” softball instead of 12” and some players not wearing gloves. This year’s tournament
was held at Veterans Park where 11 teams joined the recreational one day tournament. After battling through the heat for multiple games Fox’s Mud Ducks won the tournament. Adult Softball
Adult softball filled Veterans Park Athletic Complex through the Spring/Summer/Fall Seasons again in 2011. With a variety of different leagues and skill levels playing on Sunday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday Nights a total of 58 teams in the Summer League registered with an additional 21 in the Fall League. Softball continues to be a growing passion in Hastings. 19
Enjoying a Game of Dodgeball
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Field Reservations 20 PARK NAME April May June July Aug Sept Oct Cannon 27 31 30 16 0 0 0 Conzemius 20 24
23 6 0 0 0 Crestview 14 19 18 12 0 0 0 Dakota Hills 8 9 14 2 0 0 0 Featherstone PB 9 10 20 21 22 8 9 Lions 47 41 30 31 9 0 0 Pioneer -NW 47 41 29 28 1 6 4 Pioneer -SE 27 20 19 16 23
22 0 Riverwood 27 31 18 16 17 17 0 Sunny Acres 8 10 9 8 2 9 5 Tuttle Baseball 8 14 13 4 0 0 0 Tuttle Soccer 16 20 14 13 5 10 7 Wallin East 27 31 30 26 1 2 1 Wallin West 27 31 30 25 2
6 4 Westwood 8 7 14 2 0 0 0 Wilson 19 23 23 16 19 21 0 VETS #1 13 26 28 19 16 10 4 VETS #2 8 26 27 19 16 10 4 VETS #3 8 24 27 20 14 7 2 VETS #4 8 25 28 21 12 7 2 VETS #5 Baseball 8 20
21 21 0 10 6 Soccer #1 20 24 22 21 23 16 6 Soccer #2 20 24 22 21 23 21 3 Soccer #3NW 20 24 22 21 23 21 3 Soccer #3NE 20 24 22 21 23 21 3 Soccer #3SW 20 24 22 21 23 21 3 Soccer #3SE 20
24 22 21 23 21 3 Soccer #4 20 24 22 21 23 21 3 MONTHLY TOTALS 524 651 619 489 320 287 72
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report Veterans Park Concessions Nachos, hot dogs, Hot Pockets, coffee, Powerade, and Coca-Cola were just a few
of the many selections attendees of Veterans Park consumed while enjoying their recreational activities. Playing hosts to weekly softball leagues, State Soccer Tournaments, and National
Youth Softball Tournaments, Veterans Park had visitors from around the country try the concession stand products. Frosty Frolic After a light snowfall covered the ice throughout the
day, the skaters came out for the 2011 Hastings Parks and Recreation Frosty Frolic special event. The outdoor skating party was held on Thursday, January 13th at Pioneer Park from 5pm-7pm
and included ice bowling, hockey shot accuracy, bon fire, hot chocolate, popcorn, and craft opportunities for all participants. Many parents and children came out to the event and Hastings
Parks and Recreation Aquatics Manager Darbie Johnson said “It is so good to see first time skaters, as well as seasoned skaters out using the City rinks.” It was a great night for all
in attendance and Hastings Parks and Recreation would like to thank everyone for coming out and participating in the activities. 21 Vet’s Park Concessions Revenue: $17,490.57 Expenses:
$12,751.20 Net Profit: $4,739.37 Cold Weather Doesn’t Keep Participants from Enjoying the Annual Frosty Frolic Event!
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT LEIISURE SERVIICES 2011 Annual Report 22 Ice Rinks & Warming Houses The Hastings Warming Houses & Rinks opened the 2010-11 season on December 15,
2010 and completely closed on February 13, 2011. Due to budget restrictions only 3 outdoor ice skating rinks and warming houses were open for this season. Those included Wallin Park,
Pioneer Park, and Lions Park. We were open a total of 61 days. Staff Nine attendants were hired for the 2010-11 season. Kennedy and Outdoor Arena Rinks & Warming Houses For the 2010-11
season it was decided to maintain Kennedy and the outdoor arena rink and warming house with the primary user being the Hastings Hockey Boosters. The warming house was not open to the
general public. Coaches would request ice time and submit to their contact person and then they would supply the Hastings Parks & Recreation Department with a master schedule. A total
of 62 hours were used for practice during December, January and February. Attendance Rink Location Daily Average Daily Average Daily Average Daily Average Total 2010-11 Daily Average
Recreational Hockey 2009-10 Total 6,654 2008-09 Total 5,440 2007-08 Total 7,028 2006-07 Total 5,078 2010-11 Total 4,870 LIONS 384 870 20.55 22.62 16.6 17.5 19.5 ISABEL CLOSED CLOSED
CLOSED 2.8 1.5 1.5 0 WILSON CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED 2.5 1.6 1.5 0 KENNEDY CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED 0 14.1 24 ARENA N/A HOCKEY PRACTICE ONLY 10.8 9.4 7 12 HOCKEY PRACTICE ONLY PIONEER
708 1,440 35.2 36.6 39.6 43.8 43 WALLIN 334 1,134 24.1 21.3 17.3 16.2 23 FINANCIALS ‘10 Salaries, FICA/Medicare & Supplies: $6,653 ‘11 Salaries, FICA/Medicare & Supplies: $2,729 TOTAL
PAID BY CITY: $9,382 (1/2 of the total -ISD#200 pays the other half)
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT RECYCLIING 2011 Annual Report 23 2011 was another good year for recycling in the City of Hastings. Information on recycling was published in the
City’s newsletters, on the City’s website and Facebook page, and was also provided to residents through the Annual Waste Guide that was produced and distributed in cooperation with Waste
Management. The City also sponsored various events using the funding provided by Dakota County and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. One of these events was a Park and Trail Cleanup
for Earth Day. Youth Green Teams The Youth Green Team Program was established in Hastings in 2002. Green Teams are responsible for the mixed paper recycling drop-off box that is located
at Terry’s Ace Hardware. They help to keep the area clean and are also involved in promoting mixed paper recycling in Hastings through the use of this drop-off point. In 2011, we had
a Youth Green Team sign up for each quarter and collected a total of 174.54 tons of mixed paper. This is in addition to the 1,641.07 tons of residential recycling that was collected
this year. Park & Trail Cleanup A Park & Trail Cleanup event was held on Saturday, May 7th in celebration of Earth Day. Volunteers received a free Earth day t-shirt, a tree seedling
donated by Dakota Electric, and some refreshments when they arrived. We had a beautiful day and most of the 155 volunteers who pre-registered showed up to work. After a safety talk by
our Parks Maintenance Supervisor, everyone got to work. All the garbage and recycling collected was disposed of properly by our Parks & Recreation maintenance staff. We plan to hold
this event the first Saturday in May again in 2012. Starting the Day with a Safety Talk A Few of our Cleanup Volunteers The total residential recycling collected in 2011 was 1641.07
tons. The City’s recycling participation rate was approximately 92%.
HASTINGS PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT RECYCLIING 2011 Annual Report 24 City Spring Clean Up The City of Hastings held its annual Spring Clean Up on Saturday, April 24th. This is a service
that is well used by our community, with 585 cars coming through the line to use the Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off and Electronics Recycling. A total of 25,993 pounds of HHW along
with 50,000 pounds of electronics were diverted from the waste stream and either recycled or disposed of responsibly. We again had a shredding company on-site to handle residents’ confidential
papers. Pioneer Secure Shred was contracted to provide this service, and residents brought 2,940 pounds of materials that were shredded and recycled. Staff is planning to continue to
offer a shredding service at all future Spring Clean Up events. Other Recycling Education Efforts · The summer issue of the City’s newsletter included an insert utilizing information
from the Rethink Recycling campaign on “Can I Recycle It?” along with information on The The Recycling Zone for disposal of fluorescent bulbs and auto chemicals. 11,028 copies were distributed.
· Two ads were placed in the 2012 Hastings Community Guide – one regarding proper disposal of yard waste and one on disposal of Household Hazardous Waste at The Recycling Zone. Over
11,000 copies of this publication are distributed each year to new residents, visitors, and potential new businesses. An ad regarding proper disposal of yard waste and the paper recycling
box at Terry’s Ace Hardware was also placed in the Spring Home Improvement Guide which goes out to all subscribers of the local paper. · The 2012 Annual Waste Guide was completed in
cooperation with Waste Management and mailed out to residents. 11,000 guides were printed, with the majority of those being mailed directly to homeowners. · Good use was made of the
City’s website, Facebook , and Twitter pages to keep the public updated regarding recycling and waste disposal. Articles were also placed in the City’s newsletter as there was room.
· A “Technotrash” recycling box is provided for staff in our City Hall Resource Room. Staff continues to use this opportunity to properly dispose of computer related waste. · Recycling
Coordinator attended bi-monthly Local Solid Waste Staff meetings in conjunction with the Dakota County Waste Abatement grant the city receives. Application for this grant is made annually,
and an annual report is completed each year so that the grant funds are sent to the City. Educational Goals for 2012 · Continue to promote the Youth Green Team recycling program. ·
Hold Park & Trail Cleanup event in recognition of Earth Day. · Continue to support Dakota County’s efforts to increase residential recycling. · Work with local apartment managers
to educate residents about recycling .