ACC Leisure Services Major Highlights

ACC Leisure Services Major Highlights

·  Maintained 1,944 acres of park land along with 53 park and school playgrounds, 32 athletic fields, 32 trails, 23 pavilions, 16 basketball courts, 6 dog parks, 5 pools, 2 splash pads, and one skate park.

·  Dedicated the SPLOST-funded $2.5million Sandy Creek Nature Center expansion.

·  Opened the second phase of East Athens Community Park including a new mountain bike trail, outdoor fitness zone, playground, picnic pavilion, press box, scorekeepers stand, splash pad, and walking paths.

·  Renovated Rocksprings Park pool and bath house along with an added a splash pad.

·  Partnered with ACC Transportation and Public Works, utilizing alternative transportation funds and a private donation, to build a 424-foot pedestrian bridge across wetlands providing connectivity for two trails at Sandy Creek Park.

·  Partnered with the Southern off Trail Mountain Group to develop and build the Department’s first mountain bike trail.

·  Received $5,958,672 in SPLOST funding for parks and recreation facility projects.

·  Provided $243,013.60 in scholarships to youth program participants.

·  Obtained $150,000 in CDBG grants to rehabilate historic Morton Theatre and funding to renovate Bishop Park.

·  Received $25,000 Georgia Council for the Arts grant, an increase of more than double the previous year’s amount.

·  Helped coordinate 35 special event requests made by outside organizations choosing ACC parks as their venue.

·  Accommodated 30 school field trip requests for more than 2,000 children as part of a shared user agreement with the Clarke County School District.

·  Distributed monthly bi-lingual Leisure Pursuits newsletter to 9,000 school children.

·  Hosted the 2012 GRPA Annual Conference.

·  Bear Hollow Zoo at Memorial Park named one of the “top ten free and fun places to take your family” by Georgia Magazine.

·  Celebrated the eighth anniversary of the afterschool program partnership between Lay Park and the University of Georgia Honors Program which was recognized with the 4th Annual UGA NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Community Organization.

·  Utilized the service of 1,028 volunteers contributing 20,740.25 hours, totaling a value of $459,189.13 in personnel savings.

·  Gymnastics Specialist Tina Callaway certified as one of 90 “National Coaches” in the country by the United States Gymnastics Association.

·  Conducted 30 summer camps.

·  Hosted the 2012 Lickskillet Artists Market at Lyndon House Arts Center. More than1500 people attended the day-long exposition featuring more than 65 artists displaying work in a variety of media.

·  Planned and staffed the 2012 Downtown Parade of Lights. More than 70 entries were in this year's parade, including six school marching bands, 23 organized performing units, and 45 floats.

·  Hosted the 12th Annual Athens United Soccer Finale Tournament at three facilities involving 104 youth teams and 2,080 players. A total of 185 games were played with attendance of 13,691.