COMMISSION_MINUTES_1979-08-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE REPORT by James Greiner � ��'��S��fl�i � ��` '�hat ��rks f or �� AM'AYERS AND PROFESSIONAL RECREAT025 ace in mmplete agreement when it come4 to budget requats from the Portsmuuth, V irginia, Parks and Recteation Department. iha['s becausethecitizens, through 13 neighborhood organization5 called Recreation & Packs Forums, have established the budget and agreed to raise a share of the costs themqelves. The Eu'um5 select improvements to be made:o °xsting laations, and are given an "allowance' to spend on making them. They will even match ci[y monies to build nerv playgrounds and purchase ne�r equipment. I.Tpressive rnults achieved lt's ail part of thr "Partnership for Peuple' es:ablished by the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Department and Commission. ln approximately one year,thefollowingresultswereachie��eni: ' • A 3i? prrcent inaesse in the number of prograrrt; offered in thecity. • Athleticteamsincreasedby5lpercent. •'Ihe city recreation equipment budget was reduced by� more than 9C percxr,t. • Seeentyoneprojects,totaling9110,000,�verebuilt using maKhing city and mmmuniq� funds. • Current mid-year statistia indicate that the fo�ums will raise more than 5100,000 to supplzmen[ the city recreation budget this year, with pre�•iousty existingorganizatiore such as civic leagues, athletit associations, and service clubs chipping in an additiona15200,000. • �torethan1,000citizensareim•ol�•edinthrfonuns as memben, ofiicere, and mmmittee membero. • Approximately235,000volunteerhaurswere donated to rxreation services in one pear, an average of mure than two haure for every perwn livingintherity. � • btonies were madea�.iilable to each oi [he 13 cummunities tu up�,�ade existing facilities. Groups of citizens toumd kratinns, hrid public he.vinGs, and. �vith slaff a�lrice, selnhvi thine which mint ne4•d,�.l improcamrnt.'fhr nnmcy� was allocated tu each mmnnui ih' atturdinE, to f hc Fn�pula:iun of th.rt communit)�. A1urv than ?fIU proj�tih h.n.�hi�rn selected and initiaPed dur.ng [he nvo yearssince thr pro�ram began. Limitations can be overcome These statistic are even more impressive mrtsidering Portsmouth's physical and xortumic constroin6. It is a land-locked urban core city of more than iC0,000 people, a population which has steadily dxreaxd oeer tha past ten yea: s. PJmos� half the pupidation is minurities; 16 percent live in sometype of publicly auisted hoisinr and nearly one in three ii eligibte tor x�me h�pe ol public assistance. The city hus more nontxxable land than W'aihington, D.C.� startiing "s} percent. Almost one-sizth of the total land area is pac�d. Yet the city's d�•namic pulitical leadership, iK dtdicated profe:siunal staff, and i[senergeticcitizens hare �. ork.d hard to ucenroma theseserio� IimitaFnrtc. During the past teco years, the city has won rxwnitiun fmm manyyuarters thr All- American Citv Aaard, the National Gold Medal for Excellence in Parks and Recreation ManagemenG and tht National Conterence of hUyors Volunteer Proe-ram Award. ?.II thex a�� ardi �. ere baxd on the city's abili!y to effxtively use its greatest rewurce--its citizens. �'oluntxrism ha> been the key to renewed pride and optimism throughout the city; and the key to voluntrer irn•olrement in parks and recration u the unique Communih� Recreatiun and�Parks Forum. Recentip, [�'orkik edimrial writer pon tVgad put the pur�.se uf the forum in perspective when he wrMe: "When I�r mnney iss�nt on neighhrthuod recreatiun, it ou,gh! tnbuy a�mrlhing the neighburhmd wanla. An�1 whan lhe neighlxtthoM wants nore thao thra��ailaMe mr money will b�ry, ihe rrsi,fenbsF.ould beallmveS to make thecritieal chuki �..Lethrrmx�ttleforvmre[hingla�cotpitc6 in anA Felp..� "Chec!cs and balances' rnsurer effeclivene�a 'fhe Ci!izrns fon�ms. rr m.�Jr upat rcprnrnWtives u( ath Irtic b:ap,u.�..icic dub�, community groups. I' I:4's, ch•.vihc., and i:::i i v;Ju,�1. intcr.>6�d in I',�til:S,+.� KIC'RF.:�fIU\.�I��E I��?y �9