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Home My WebLink AboutParks Department Impact 2021Mission The City of Oshkosh seeks to provide a park and recreation system that will meet the needs of our current residents and future generations, preserve and protect the City’s open space, water, historical and natural resources, and provide a park and recreation program that is designed to enhance the City’s quality of life. Oshkosh Parks Department Impact Report 2021 Parks Department Administrative Staff Ray Maurer, Parks Director Chad Dallman, Assistant Parks Director Travis Derks, Landscape Operations Manager Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager Jean Wollerman, Senior Services Manager Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator Anne Schaefer, Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator Stacy James, Administrative Assistant In 2021, we learned how to live during a pandemic and the IMPACT the Oshkosh Parks played to enhance the community’s quality of life was significant. As people began to feel safer their first steps connecting with others was often done in the open spaces of parks. Join us as we review 2021. Parks Office 920.236.5080 805 Witzel Avenue Oshkosh, WI 54902 Website - ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Parks/ Facebook -facebook.com/OshkoshParks Instagram - @oshkoshparks We received 315 grants and donations totalling $393,557 We can't provide quality events without the assistance of our amazing volunteers $393,557grants anddonationsreceived 10,284 volunteer hourslogged with avalue of $293,531 The Oshkosh Parks Department plays a role in the City of Oshkosh's Strategic Plan. We report on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that help educate the public in regard to our goals, how they align with the Strategic Plan, and the steps that are being undertaken to achieve them. Below you will find the 2021 Parks Department KPI's. Key Performance Indicators We held 53 department events that were attended by approximately 16,445 people 16,445 attendeddepartment events Marketing and Fund Development Major Fundraiser for the Oshkosh Seniors Center, Food Truck Friday run by the Friends of the Oshkosh Seniors Center returns for an August date in 2021. The event raises $25,000 We've added Instagram to our social media mix @oshkoshparks @pollock_community_waterpark @leach_amphitheater @menominee_park_and_zoo Going back to school! The Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator and a board member from the Friends were awarded a partial grant to attend a fundraising school hosted by the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation Successful grant writing. The Oshkosh Parks Department received a grant of $216,638 from the DNR Stewardship Fund for a parking lot, connecting trails, and lighting for Lakeshore Park Sure would be great to spend a summer in Oshkosh for all these great events. After a 150-year hiatus, beer gardens are back in Menominee Park. Brews on the Bay is a once-a- month beer garden serving craft brews from local breweries. Each date had food trucks, cold drafts, yard games, and live music. Brews on the Bay in Menominee Park - Major Success Went tonight and had a great time loved the music See you there! Yay! Name - Job Title Name - Job TitleThe Westhaven Circle Park new play equipment with accessible routes and resilient surfacing is completed. Name - Job Title The Westhaven Circle Park reconstruction of the youth ball field is completed. Parks Department Strategic Priorities and Operations The trail connecting Lakeshore Park Riverwalk to Oshkosh Avenue, through Rainbow Memorial Park, is completed. Progress continues at the redevelopment of Lakeshore Park. Designs were completed for the four-seasons building. Construction will start in spring of 2022. The designs for a newMenominee Park Zoo bear andfox exhibit were beingdeveloped. The South Parkreconstruction of tenniscourts with new pickleballcourts is completed. The Oshkosh Parks Department is getting a new Administration and Operations building. Designs were approved and the project is anticipated to start construction in the summer of 2022. First constructed in the 1960s, the Administration and Operations Facility at 805 Witzel Avenue isn't big enough to house department staff and vehicle storage. The building has outlived its useful life and it was not intended to house municipal operations. The new building will allow space for all parks employees to work at the same building and house all equipment, making operations more efficient. Planted 156 terrace trees Pruned 1,900 trees Removed 320 trees affected by Emerald Ash Borer and other defects 156 Landscape Operations Division 1,900 275 Removed 275 stumps from terraces and parks 320 The Landscape Operations Division works to keep our community looking beautiful. They are responsible for public landscape areas such as Opera House Square, roundabouts, and William Waters Plaza. In addition to preparing landscape plans, they maintain public areas that include Riverside and Boyd Cemeteries, and they manage the urban forest. Oshkosh has been designated a Tree City USA for 40 years. The Landscape Operations Division often works with theOshkosh Healthy Neighborhoods on park projects. They recently worked with the Sawyer Paine Neighborhood Association torefresh the Hiker Monument area. Special Events Organizers of Special Events in Oshkosh worked diligently to reimagine their events to ensure the safety and wellness of all those in our community. From fishingtournaments to music festivals and beyond, attendees saw some changes in circumstances as they once were. But that didn’t deter organizers from planning, nordid it dissuade attendees from participating. Our community once again came together to support these events and have a little fun while doing so! While many organizationswere able to return to in-person events, several remained in the planning phases of their recovery in 2022! Overall, the City permitted over 90 events in 2021. Facility Attendance in 2021 Nearly 97,000 Visitors Over 33,000 Visitors Servicing 150,000+ visitors at facilities and special events Menominee Park Zoo, $10,250 in program sponsorships Leach Amphitheater, sponsorship dollars were $19,500 for Brews on the Bay, $2,500 in new sponsorships Children's Amusement Center, $1,750 in sponsorship dollars Pollock Community Water Park, $2,500 in sponsorship dollars and new "Kids Camp" sessions introduced 6 concerts, 5 movies, Kids from Wisconsin, and Touch-A-Truck Total Sponsorship Dollars - $36,500 Revenue Facilities - Menominee Park Zoo, Leach Amphitheater, Menominee Park Children's Amusement Center, Pollock Community Water Park Volunteers help fuel the Oshkosh Parks Department Special Events One of the Department's goals was to improve our volunteer systems and processes. The Special Events Coordinator has assumed these responsibilities. It is easier for volunteers to sign up for opportunities through www.signup.com and social media marketing efforts. We had 66 volunteers donate approximately 477 hours of service in just five months (June through October). COVID 19 was a huge disruption for the Center. In 2021 we continued our phased re-opening. Oshkosh Seniors Center 2021 Attendance 2020 Attendance 2019 Attendance 26,973 19,374 52,292 Oshkosh Seniors Center becomes a safe haven for older adults as they venture out. Highlights in 2021 New partnerships yield significant results. 117 local history buffs heard all about the Athearn Hotel. Wepartnered with the Oshkosh Public Library and Learning inRetirement at UW Oshkosh to bring this program to olderadults from our community. Narrowing the gap in digital literacy of older adultscontinues to be a challenge. Having access to andunderstanding how to use technology is a basic need.The Connect through Tech program grew and grew. We took our programming outside. With the financialassistance of the Ladies Benevolent Society at the OshkoshArea Community Foundation, the Center hosted the DelRaysat the Leach Amphitheater. Music is good for the soul! In 2021 fitness represented 60% of the Center's attendance. Many of our Seniors were anxious to get back what was lost duringthe sedentary days of the pandemic. One way to accelerate theprocess was to book personal training sessions. It has been asignificant area of growth with revenue at the Center. The Center recognized the importance of providing affordablefoot care service to older adults from day one. During thepandemic, these services were nearly impossible to find. Ithas been an area of continued growth for the Center. Nail Care Attendance:2021 - 1,6662020 - 1,319 2019 - 1,490 Connect through Tech Attendance1,884 - Number of people in attendance 321- Individuals participated Those individuals went to an average of 5.86 sessions Athearn Hotel