Burlington Parks and Recreation entered 2022 with optimism as we continued to move away from guidance and restrictions that we had been following since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. We had some familiar faces in new positions but our goal remained the same; to provide outstanding programs and facilities to the residents of Burlington. Our maintenance division was fully staffed for the first time in a few years, our program division continued to offer high quality recreation programs, both in-person and virtually and our therapeutic recreation division served more participants than ever before. The Year in Review is designed to reflect on the most impactful moments of the last year. Brendan Egan Director of Parks & Recreation Brendan Egan Director of Parks and Recreation Kelly Lehman, AFO, CPSI Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Directory: Bill Baker Superintendent of Park Maintenance Mark Gerbrands Lead Working Foreman Brian Cullinan Working Foreman Robert Lee Maintenance Craftsman Mechanic Anthony Forte Maintenance Craftsman Mat Ganley Maintenance Craftsman Lewis McMahon Maintenance Craftsman Kenneth Saidah Maintenance Craftsman Mark Woods Maintenance Craftsman Maintenance Division Administration Office Staff Beth Garvey Administrative Assistant Melinda Sullivan Administrative Assistant Patricia LaFauci Part Time Administrative Assistant Program Division Jessie Hampson Program Coordinator Emma Jones, CTRS Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Kristen Gonzalez Fitness Administrator Steve Nelson Chair Dave Norden Vice Chair Kevin Sullivan Member Bill Gaffney Planning Board Representative Carl Foss School Department Representative Recreation Commission
We are inclusive with our words and actions. We put accessibility as a top priority. We make inclusion the expectation not the exception. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds into our programs. We strive to make every Burlington resident feel welcomed, seen, heard, supported and valued at every BPRD program, event, facility. We always strive for improvement and growth in our programs, services and facilities. We show up every day and try to be a better staff than we were the day before. We choose to challenge ourselves to improve our level of service each day. We are all learning each day as staff members. We operate every day as a team. We seek opportunities for collaboration and connection with each other. We value and respect each other and the roles we play at BPRD. We ask, "how can I help?" We all represent BPRD to the public. We choose to do the right thing even when it is hard. We put our participants, volunteers and staff safety above all else. We recognize the weight of the responsibility we carry to keep everyone safe. We take emergency situations seriously. We ask for help when we need it. Burlington Parks and Recreation developed Core Values in 2022 that are reflective of the Department's mission statement.
2022 by the numbers... The impact of Parks & Recreation in communities is best captured in the reactions of community members engaging in programs, attending events and recreating in the parks (see photos on next page). In an attempt to put those reactions into context here is 2022 by the numbers.
Events 43 Events 3 events over 2500 attendees Events every season Therapeutic Recreation 100 participants served in adaptive programs. 85 adaptive sessions 130 inclusion requests Programs 173 unique programs Grown by 84% over the last 10 years 25 Summer Programs 22 Summer Concerts 3 with attendance over 2500 people. Grand opening of the Universally Accessible Treehouse at Simonds Park featuring the ribbon cutting, inflatables and a living tree! First ever "Power Wheels Derby" incorporated into the Trucktober Event. Celebration of Parks & Recreation Month with an activity or event every day in July. 43 events offered in 2022! Events include Highlights 39 Fitness Programs 55 Youth Programs 57 NEW programs offered to fill community need Sunset Yoga Bocce League Night Cooking & Connections Dance With Me High School Volleyball 173 unique programs offered in 2021! Programs include New programs include Communication Boards were installed at Wildwood, Regan and Simonds Park to increase accessibility. Two mobile communication boards were purchased for special events. New program highlights included Cooking & Connections an adaptive culinary class and Unlimited Abilities an adaptive fitness program. Partnered with Burlington Public Schools to offer select Extended School Year services at Club Simonds. 600+ participants in Therapeutic Recreation programs! Highlights Program Snapshot...
Cricket Pitch installed at Mitre Field Revolving Account Warrant Article Simonds Trust & Private Donations Funding sources used to complete the projects Acoustablok installed at Pickleball Courts