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SECTION K -- PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES
PARK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
PROGRAM MISSION: To promote a vibrant and enjoyable community by providing high
quality, safe, clean, attractive and environmentally sound parks, open spaces
and recreational facilities.
This is achieved by providing
park management, custodial services, and general maintenance (which includes:
litter collection, trail maintenance, playground maintenance, community canine
area (CCA) maintenance, picnic shelter maintenance, restroom maintenance,
stream maintenance, and emergency snow clearing services). This section also assists in providing
support for special events and programs for the Cultural Affairs, Recreation,
and Sports Divisions within the Department, as well as the County Fair and other
countywide events.
Biking and walking trails
continue to have the highest percentage of usage of any park or recreational
facility by households (72%). Paved trail safety continues to be a focus. In addition to the routine inspection and
maintenance of the 38 miles of paved multi-use trails, this unit
concentrates its repair efforts on the most urgent safety problems. These are generally areas where drainage and
surface deterioration were identified as needing immediate attention. In
addition, this team is responsible for overseeing over two miles of new safety
markings and signage.
The Jail Industry crew continues
to provide vital resources to accomplish labor-intensive projects in a timely
manner. Mulching of trails,
playgrounds, and other highly-impacted areas, clearing overgrown and badly
littered areas, and helping with loading and unloading of materials and
supplies are the core of the work done by this unit.
Playground safety and maintenance
continues to be a high priority. Parks
and Natural Resources is continuing its efforts to maintain playgrounds to
National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) guidelines.
Powhatan Springs Park opened in
September 2004, and includes the County's first funded skate park
facility. The skate park facility is a
partial revenue generating program.
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Park Management
Program
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FY 2004
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FY 2005
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FY 2006
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% Change:
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Actual
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Adopted
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Proposed
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'05 to '06
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Personnel
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$1,733,431
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$1,771,280
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$1,804,126
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2%
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Non-Personnel
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1,855,482
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1,748,201
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1,684,725
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-4%
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Total Expenditures
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3,588,913
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3,519,481
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3,488,851
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-1%
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Fees
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25,610
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118,600
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118,932
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-
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Grants
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345,421
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25,000
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35,000
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40%
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Total Revenue
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371,031
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143,600
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153,932
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7%
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Net Tax Support
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$3,217,882
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$3,375,881
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$3,334,919
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-1%
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Authorized FTEs
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37.5
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37.5
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37.5
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Funded FTEs
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37.5
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37.5
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37.5
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SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:
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Decrease in non-personnel is due to decrease in County
vehicle rental ($15,346) and a decrease in contractual services ($48,130) for
restroom cleaning.
-
An increase is expected in revenue from the
I-66 Bike Trail reimbursement grant.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
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FY 2002
Actual
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FY 2003
Actual
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FY 2004
Actual
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FY 2005
Estimate
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FY 2006
Estimate
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FY 2006
Goal
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Mission Outcome Measures
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Percent of comfort stations custodial services
per standard
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70%
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98%
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98%
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90%
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95%
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98%
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Percent of picnic shelters receiving
custodial services completed per
standard
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55%
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60%
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60%
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66%
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75%
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80%
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Percent of refuse collections completed per
standard
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60%
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65%
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65%
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75%
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80%
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80%
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Percent of playgrounds maintenance services
completed per standard
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75%
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80%
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80%
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80%
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90%
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90%
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Percent of multi-use trails general maintenance
services completed per standard
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50%
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50%
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50%
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50%
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50%
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50%
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Percent of special events/ projects support
completed per standard
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99%
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85%
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85%
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90%
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95%
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95%
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Customer
Measures
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Percent of customers "satisfied" with custodial
services of comfort stations, picnic shelter, and refuse collection services
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N/A
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N/A
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75%
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80%
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80%
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85%
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Percent change in customer complaints for
playgrounds, and multi-use trails
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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-2%
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-2%
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-5%
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Percent of special events/projects organizer
"satisfied" with event support and cleanup
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N/A
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N/A
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90%
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90%
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90%
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95%
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Workload Measures
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Total open space acres maintained
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1,169
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1,171
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1,171
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1,204
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1,204
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1,204
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Urban open space acres maintained
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7
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8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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Park shelters serviced
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43
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44
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44
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47
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47
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47
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Comfort stations serviced
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23
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23
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23
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24
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24
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24
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Playgrounds serviced
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74
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73
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73
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74
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73
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73
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Paved trail miles serviced
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36.5
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38
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38
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40
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40
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40
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Hours of Community special events/projects
supported
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N/A
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3,078
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3,078
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3,078
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3,078
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3,578
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The failure of the comfort station custodial contractor
for an extended period resulted in a decline in comfort station maintenance and
the redirection of efforts from playground maintenance to comfort station
maintenance. Gains are not expected to
be fully realized until FY05.
- Construction for the Washington Boulevard
Trail and Shirlington Road/395 Underpass could
begin in 2005.
FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:
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As concern for the protection of our watershed
increases. Park Management will work
with Department of Environmental Services and others to increase our efforts to
protect and maintain the County's streams and stream banks. In addition, staff
is working with the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, (NVRC), on a Federal
and State required plan to address pollution in Four Mile Run. It is unknown at
this time what improvements will be required and what the costs will be to
mitigate these impacts and come into compliance with the Total Maximum Daily
Load (TMDL) requirements, but it is likely that there will be some fiscal
impact. Council of Governments (COG) Air Quality Agreements may also have
future budget impact.
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Aging infrastructure and increased park usage will
necessitate increased maintenance and the replacement of park amenities such as
park benches, litter receptacles, drinking fountains, kiosks, and retaining
walls. On a larger scale, it also means that in order to meet this growing
demand, the County will need to acquire and develop additional land/property
and redevelop existing parks. Example of this is the Greenbrier Park Master
Plan. An additional ball field, track,
three new ball field irrigation systems, new restrooms, new walkways, new landscaping
and the addition of various other new amenities will be added to Greenbrier
Park. These additions and improvements
necessitateincreases in annual
funding to pay for increased operating costs.
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NC projects continue to increase the maintenance
responsibilities for Park Management.
Vegetation control, litter pickup, refuse collection, and new walkway
and trail installations, etc. are examples of increased maintenance demands for
Park Management. These projects include
Yorktown Gateway, Minor Hill, Tyrol Hill Park, and Buckingham Village Plaza.
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