MISSION STATEMENT: The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources (DPRCR) works to make Arlington the happiest, healthiest place to live, work, and play through dynamic programs, attractive public spaces, and collaborations that: provide healthy and fun recreation, sport, and leisure choices; cultivate, maintain, and protect natural and cultural resources; and provide opportunities for creative expression.

FY 2006 PRIORITIES: The FY 2006 priorities of DPRCR are to:

• Create a caring environment that fosters opportunities for relationship building and individual enrichment.

• Provide high quality, safe, accessible, well-maintained, attractive, and welcoming indoor and outdoor environments/facilities.

• Enable County employees to identify health risks, learn better health behaviors and improve overall health status.

• Promote individual growth and development, foster sportsmanship, teamwork and a sense of community.

• Promote community building, advocacy, and citizen/constituent participation.

• Increase public knowledge of opportunities, programs and services.

• Contribute to the development of attractive and economically sustainable residential and commercial spaces.

• Increase residents' awareness and understanding of the natural and cultural resources of Arlington.

• Provide diverse opportunities for cultural enrichment.

• Provide high quality, art facilities and technical art support.

• Expand offerings, participation and access to the arts.

PRINCIPAL PROGRAMS: The principal programs of DPRCR are:

Community Recreation:

• Community Recreation Service Areas

• Recreation Countywide Services

• Recreation Community Services

Parks & Natural Resources:

• Urban Operations Initiative

• Conservation and Interpretation

• Park Management

• Construction and Facilities

• Forestry and Landscaping

Sports Division

• Sports Programs

• Athletic Field Maintenance

• Facilities Scheduling and Management

Cultural Affairs Division

• Administration, Marketing and Advancement

• Facilities and Technical Services

• Cultural Development

• Community Arts

Director's Office:

• Administrative Services

• Park Development Division

• Cooperative Extension

Supplemental Fees Program

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CHANGES: The FY 2006 proposed budget for DPRCR is $29,110,468, a two percent increase over FY 2005 adopted budget.

The expenditure budget reflects the following changes:

• Increase in personnel ($389,555) is primarily due to cost of normal step increases but it also includes the transfer of 1.0 FTE to Office of Emergency Management (a decrease of $98,738) and addition of 0.1 FTE for the Rosslyn Business Improvement District Program (RBID).

• Increases in non-personnel including the transfer from Department of Human Services to DPRCR for the Senior Adult Center transportation ($103,383) and meals programs ($86,304), an increase for County telephone charges ($34,587), rent for Culpepper Gardens ($1,800), increases for internal vehicle charges ($49,222), gas ($1,456), and water and sewer for buildings and facilities ($13,036) offset by a decrease in restroom contract services ($63,714) and increases for the mowing contract ($6,919) and the contract for Day Labor Area portable toilets ($5,100) and consultant expenses for the three Extension Agents' salaries ($5,398).

• Increase in Arts Grants ($15,000), representing the final increment from the $100,000 request made by the Arts Commission in FY 2002 (total Arts Grant is $219,000).

• Decrease in non-personnel expenses for RBID ($13,085) due to a reduction in programming support with three fewer Rosslyn restaurant performances and 20 fewer Music in the Street performances.

• Increase in Intra-County charges ($34,326) is due to an increase chargeback to Rosslyn BID and increase in work for others chargeback to the capital program.

• Increase in grant revenues for I-66 Bike Trail maintenance ($10,000), Gypsy Moth reimbursement ($500) and the transfer from Department of Human Services to DPRCR, the Senior Adult Center transportation ($16,000) and meals programs ($72,533).

• Increase in revenues from fees ($253,765) is due to the overall fee increases in the General Fund and Supplemental Fee Programs.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

• Household participation and customers' rating comparisons to the national average are from the Parks and Recreation Resident Survey completed in June 2002. This survey will likely not be done again for several years.

FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS: The following factors may impact DPRCR in the future:

• Increased funding and additional personnel for the planned renovations and expanded Arlington Mill Recreation Center.

• Additional funding may be required to supplement existing resources in order to bring programs above the current maintenance level and thus attract matching funds from the private sector. For example, changes could result from the master planning of Quincy Park, Oakland Park, and Maury Park; changes in the use of 13^th and Herndon in Clarendon; and the Arlington Urban Walkway (an expansion of the original 9^th Street Greenway concept).

• Aging infrastructure and increased park usage will necessitate increased maintenance and the replacement of various facilities and park amenities such as park benches, litter receptacles, drinking fountains, kiosks, and retaining walls.

• When the construction is completed for Greenbrier Park and North Tract, funding will be needed to address future maintenance needs.

• Ongoing growth of the arts in the County has resulted in increased demand for facilities, services and funding. The growth and development of numerous heritage/traditional arts groups has resulted in a need for additional funding for facility monitors to support various arts activities presented by these groups.

• The Arlington Commission for the Arts and the arts community continue to identify the need for additional resources in the area of publicity and marketing in order to develop cooperative marketing programs and to implement a paid advertising program focused on marketing the arts to increase tourism and to develop a regional audience for Arlington arts events.