Report from:
Katie Eaton, Recreation Program Supervisor
Events:
Annual Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday April 19 from 10am-noon featured craft stations, egg hunt, and goodie bags for all the children. We currently have 107 children pre-registered (as of April 16). Special thank you to Oliver Grocery and Supervalu for their generous in —kind candy donations for the event.
Programs:
Oliver Lose it 4 Life program wrapped up April 4th with some incredible results. The Finale was an opportunity for participants to get together, discuss results, successes and struggles and overall feedback of the program. Throughout the 12 weeks, Teresa Maurer, (Certified Biggest Loser Trainer), took weekly measurements for each participant registered in the program. The main focus was on body fat %, waist measurements and body weight. All the results were recorded and differences from the baseline numbers calculated so that participants could see how far they had come in just 12 shorts weeks. The results were quite impressive. We had 30 of 37 finalists weigh in on week 12 and we tipped the scale at 415 lb. total weight loss!
Spring Break Day Camp — What a success! We had 3 new contract staff work —Lee Mounsey, Blake Miller Yuckin and Hillary Frank. We had a full day camp (with a waitlist!) for the two weeks.
Softball, Blastball programs starting up this week—All programs are full with a waitlist!
Adult Slo-pitch starts Wednesday, April 16. Six teams are registered. I hope to see this league grow or possibly combine with the Osoyoos Rec Department League in the future.
Currently, numbers are low for Ballet and Hip Hop classes, which can be typical of a spring session because of the other opportunities outdoors.
Administration:
Postings for Sun Fun day camp staff and Aquatic staff closed last week. Interviews for all positions will be held the last week of April and first week of May.
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Report from:
Carol Sheridan, Manager of Parks and Recreation
Administration/Labour Management:
I completed the Mediation Level I course through the Justice Institute of BC at the end of March. The course provided me the opportunity to learn how to use a facilitative interest-based mediation process to mediate two-party, low conflict, one or two issue disputes.
Postings for seasonal Assistant Head Lifeguard, Lifeguard/Instructor, Facility Maintenance Worker and Student Labourer positions are now closed and shortlisted candidates will be interviewed the week of April 28.
Joey St. Pierre has recently started his 5th season with OPRS, this year he is employed in the position of Facility Maintenance Worker 1.
All 6 permanent and 3 temporary employees participated in a staff training workshop on April 9. The theme of the workshop was “Build” and included team building exercises, the identification of the core values staff wish to work with and some goal setting to support the strategic planning process for the OPRS Board of Directors. Core Values identified by the staff as the ones that will guide our conduct at work included: RESPECT, ACCOUNTABILITY, COMMITMENT, EFFICIENCY, FUN, GROWTH & LEARNING, SAFETY and SERVICE EXCELLENCE.
Katie Eaton and myself will both be attending the annual BCRPA Symposium in Kelowna April 23-25. Educational sessions we have registered for include the following topics:
Collaboration for a healthier community
Time to update your parks and recreation master plan
Staff training and development in recreation organizations
Cultural and creative projects in small communities
Tour of various park concepts
Managing change: a look at trends in recreation
MEND — Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it! a community based child obesity intervention program
Facilities:
Three proposals were received in response to the RFP (close date April 11) for the replacement of the chiller at the Oliver Arena as per the 2014 capital plan. An operations committee meeting will be scheduled in the near future to review the proposals and award a service provider with the contract.
In conjunction with the Recreation Facility Attendants a Parks Maintenance Schedule was developed to identify all start up and regular maintenance tasks and estimate the hours of work required to complete these tasks. This schedule will be used to direct work on a weekly basis and will be a helpful tool for budgeting wages required for parks in future years.
Marty Lehman of Big League Experience was in Oliver for a site visit on March 31 to review the facility needs for the program and take an inventory of baseball diamond equipment such as bases and anchors. New equipment has been ordered to accommodate the multiple distances required on each diamond used by different groups such as Senior Slo Pitch, Minor Ball, Big League Experience and Oliver Slo Pitch.
At the end of March the Hall facility was closed for 4 days for annual maintenance including the stripping and rewaxing of the Hall floor. This task proved challenging for the staff and the result is not to the standard that we were aiming for. A lot was learned through the process and we will be repeating the work again in the summer to achieve better results.
The aging junipers along the creek bed in front of the Community Hall were removed at the end of March to improve the appearance, decrease the garbage going into the creek and improve access to the creek bed for maintenance.
As per the 2014 capital plan the catch basin in the breezeway outside the Community Hall will be replaced in April. Quotes were sought from 3 local companies before the contractor was selected.
The final 4 in-ground garbage cans required have been delivered and will be installed at Community Park by Diamond 5, at Lion’s Park replacing the concrete receptacles by the skateboard park and at the back of Kinsmen.
2 new pet bag stands have been installed at Community Park and a third will be installed along the hike and bike in Lion’s Park.
An overall park signage review will be undertaken in May to ensure messages regarding bylaws and the safe and appropriate use of the parks are clear and presented in a consistent and positive way.
A meeting will be held in the near future with the Oliver Tennis Club to review the expiring service agreement and establish a new one.
Community Development:
The “Music in the Park” series offered by the Oliver Community Arts Council will be taking place at the Community Stage on Thursday evenings as a partnership project with Oliver Parks & Recreation. There are plans to invite participation from food and artisan vendors to increase the draw to the park and provide a revenue source to sustain the program. I will be attending the Oliver Farmer’s Market AGM on April 28th to invite participation from local farmers in the weekly night market.
The Oliver Rotary Club has come on as the title sponsor ($2500) for the 2014 Sunshine Festival & Parade and the Kiwanis Club have committed as an entertainment sponsor ($1000). This will help to increase entertainment and promotion opportunities for the free, 2-day festival. There are still sponsorship opportunities available for the festival if anyone in the community is interested.