TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Suzanne Fisher, Director of Parks and Recreation
THROUGH: Mark R. Lauzier, City Manager
DATE: July 10, 2018
Title
PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH PROCLAMATION - JULY 2018
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to recognize July as Parks and Recreation Month in Delray Beach, Florida.
Body
Background:
The City of Delray Beach invites all citizens to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month by visiting one of our many parks and recreation facilities located throughout the community. Please see the attached July 2018 Calendar of events, which highlights many free and low cost activities taking place in Delray Beach parks. Since 1985, America has dedicated the month of July to parks, recognizing the positive impact that these green areas have on healthy lifestyles, conservation efforts, and the economy.
The City’s beautifully landscaped, active and passive parks feature playgrounds, nature paths, fitness trails, swimming pools and a splash park. Outdoor facilities include soccer fields, baseball fields, a skateboard park and many playgrounds. Sports enthusiasts can also compete on well-maintained tennis, softball, basketball, and racquetball courts.
Delray’s municipal beaches are also a part of the City’s park system and attract over three million visitors a year for fun-in-the-sun recreation. To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to visit our award-winning beaches, the City recently installed an accessible mobility mat behind the main pavilion and provides two (2) “Mobi-Chairs”, amphibious chairs designed for persons with disabilities that provide easy mobility and transition from sand to water. Additional, fully accessible playgrounds are available at the Family Recreation Center on Congress and at the newly completed Miracle League playground at Miller Park. New accessible playgrounds are also planned for installation in 2018 at Orchardview Park and Merritt Park.
The City has also incorporated green initiatives into its parks and recreation facilities. Recycle bins have become permanent fixtures at many of the parks. Energy-efficient lighting has been installed at Pompey Park, Robert P. Miller Park, Seacrest, and Merritt Park. The City’s Municipal Marina has been designated as a “Clean Marina” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for its innovative solutions to protect the environment. In an effort to encourage environmental prosperity, new butterfly gardens are being installed in 2018 at Miller Park and Leon Weekes; bat houses are being installed at Orchardview Park, Bexley Trail, Atlantic Dunes, and Leon Weekes; a mini-apiary will be built at the Delray Beach Municipal Golf Course; and birdhouses, designed by local artists, will be installed throughout the 45+ City Parks. Delray Beach Parks and Recreation is working to expand efforts to support environmentally-friendly programs at parks and recreation facilities and to protect natural habitats.
City Attorney Review:
N/A
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
N/A - there is no financial impact associated with this proclamation.
Timing of Request:
This is time sensitive and July is recognzed by the National Recreation and Park Association as Parks and Recreation Month.
Attachment 1: Proclamation
Attachment 2: July 2018 Calendar