ST. MARY’S COUNTY

RECREATION AND PARKS

DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW

October 2015

RECREATION & PARKS

Commissioners of

St. Mary’s County

County Administrator

R&P Director

Administration

Division

Recreation

Division

Parks

Division

Wicomico Golf

Division

Museum

Division

FT Employees - 3 FT Employees -10

PT Employees - 400 Av.

FT Employees - 16

PT Employees – 6.69

FT Employees - 6

PT Employees – 11.33

FT Employees - 5

PT Employees –2.36

Recreation & Parks Board

Wicomico Shores Golf Advisory Board

Museum Board of Trustees

Recreation Division

Four Program Sections

�Special Facilities & Programs - Gymnastics Center, Great Mills Swimming Pool,

Summerstock Musical

� Youth Programs - Before and After School

Centers; summer day camps; programs at

Hollywood, Margaret Brent & Carver

Recreation Centers

� Sports - 20 Independent and 13 Department

sponsored leagues; summer sports camps;

manages Leonard Hall, Margaret Brent and

Carver Recreation Centers.

� Leisure Classes & Inclusion Services

Classes, programs and special events;

programs/camps/adapted aquatics for persons

with disabilities

USAG sanctioned facility and program. The 12,000 square foot

center is fully equipped and staffed.

Gymnastics Center

Recreational – Over 500 gymnasts per session, from age 1 year and up.

Competitive Team – Approximately 40 gymnasts per session, ranging from

pre-team to level 9.

The Great Mills Swimming Pool offers open public swim time, swim lessons, aqua aerobics, therapeutic recreation classes, senior programming, school

swim team use and party rentals.

� 25 yards X 25 meters

� Bath house with showers & lockers

� Six swim lanes

� Zero depth entry for accessibility

� Covered with air inflated dome for

year-round use

Before and After School Age Centers

and Summer Camp Programs

� Nine locations throughout

County

� Reasonable rates

� Qualified staff

� K-5th Grade

� Teens afterschool program

� Out of School Camp

� Parents Night Out

� Family Special Events

� Tiny Tots Drop-In

B&A averages 300 each school year;

Summer camps welcomes over 450

Sports Programs

� Baseball/Softball

� Basketball

� Lacrosse

� Soccer

� Roller hockey

� Tennis

� Field hockey

� Track & Field

� Cheerleading

� Co-Ed Soccer

� Drop-In Bball

� Volleyball

� Kickball

� Pickleball

SPECIAL EVENTS

Scott Verbic Memorial

Golf TournamentTURTLE RACES

Summerstock Musical

Easter Festival

Parks Division

The Parks Division manages

and maintains 20 parks, 15

public landings, encompassing

approximately 1,200 acres.

Chaptico Wharf Landing

Myrtle Point Park

John V. Baggett Park

Functions

� Park maintenance - athletic fields, playgrounds, tennis and basketball

courts, restroom buildings, trails, picnic pavilions, boat ramps and piers

and trash removal

� Grass cutting at parks, facilities and public buildings

� Facility construction - playgrounds, pavilions, signage

� Coordinate park usage and operations countywide; manage Nicolet

Park skatepark and sprayground; Chancellor’s Run Regional Park and

Activity Center; and Lancaster Park dog park

Parks Division

The Skatepark is considered

one large “street course” with a

spine, 9 ft. deep side, 6 ft.

shallow side, bank walls

pyramid, a double set of stairs

with a ledge and rail. Back

bowl with various depths of

7ft., 6ft. and 4ft.

at Nicolet Park

at Nicolet Park

Facility Enhancements

• Clubhouse renovation and

expansion – opened fall 2008

• Golf fleet refurbished – April 2015

Wicomico Golf Course

Rounds of Golf

FY2010 – 32,985 FY2011 – 33,983

FY2012 – 35,093 FY2013 – 30,032

FY2014 – 28,363 FY2015 – 27,596

Museum Division

The Museum Division has been awarded the highest honor a museum can

receive - Accreditation by the American Association of Museums.

� St. Clement’s Island

Museum

� Piney Point Lighthouse

Museum & Park

� U-1105 Black Panther

Historic Shipwreck

Preserve

� Drayden African American

Schoolhouse

� Little Red Schoolhouse

Museum Focus

Museum Division

� Historic sites management

� Marketing, promotion, and special

events

� Education and collections

� Facilities restoration and

maintenance

New Projects

� Continue Piney Point Lighthouse

Museum renovation/expansion

� Expand school tours/public school

partnership

� Explore new historical/cultural

events

� Future St. Clement’s Island

Museum expansion

FY2016 Budget Highlights

General Fund - $3,886,804

� Parks - $2,022,877

� Recreation & Admin - $1,182,924

� Museums - $581,003

� Grants - $100,000

Enterprise Funds - $4,899,011

� Wicomico Golf - $1,344,131

� Recreation - $3,554,880

Total Operating Budget - $8,785,815

Approximately 44% of operating budget comes from tax support; 56% from fees and charges.

� Lancaster Park Improvements

� Recreation Facility and Park Improvements

� Piney Point Lighthouse Museum

� Elms Beach Park

� Parkland Acquisition

� Park Planning Grant (LPPRP)

FY16 Current Capital Projects

Capital Budget – 5 Year Average - $2.9 million

Average State Funding – 29%; County – 42%; Federal 29%;

2012 Land Preservation,

Parks & Recreation Plan

� Required by State every five years in order to

utilize POS funds and other State programs

� Three components: Recreation and Parks;

Agricultural Preservation; and Natural Resource

Protection

� Includes summary of current conditions; needs

analysis; and recommendations for acquisition,

facilities and rehabilitation projectsSee County website for

entire plan document at

http://www.co.saint-

marys.md.us/formsanddocu

ments.asp

2012 Land Preservation,

Parks & Recreation Plan

LPPRP Recommendations 2012 – 2016

� Patuxent River Public Landing

� Continue Three Notch Trail Development

� Leonardtown Park

� Lancaster Park Improvements

� Chaptico Park Phased Development

� Elms Beach Park Improvements

� Recreation Facility Improvements

� Tennis Court Rehabilitation

� Piney Point Lighthouse & Museum

Maryland Program Open Space

� Funded via State Transfer Tax – ½ of 1%

� Result - as land is developed, open space is preserved

� Approximately 50% for State use; 50% for Counties

� 50% can be used for parkland acquisition

� Other 50% can be used for acquisition or park development

� SMC historically has used discretionary portion of funds for

park/facility development (can use more than 50% if State open space

goal is met)

� State has partnered with County on acquisition projects – use

Stateside POS funds to match County POS funds (Myrtle Point;

Shannon Farm)