Department of Parks, Recreation and Facilities Management
Session 7 of the 2024 Citizens Academy was held on April 25 at the Operations Center for the Appleton Department of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Management at 1819 East Witzke Boulevard.
Although it uses only six percent (6%) of the Appleton budget, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Facilities is “the most impactful” of Appleton’s departments, according to Deputy Director Tom Flick. The department has 31 full-time staff, 300+ seasonal staff, and over 400 volunteers. Drawing funding from three different budget buckets, the department manages 31 parks varying in size from 600 square feet to 143 acres. Maintenance responsibilities include 21 pavilions, 30 playgrounds, 17 ball diamonds, 15 tennis courts, 10 pickleball courts, 11 basketball courts, 10 soccer fields, five ice rinks, a hockey rink, 480 acres of mow-able turf, 12.8 miles of trails, two pools, the Reid Golf Course, and the Scheig Center Gardens. About 80% of the maintenance is accomplished using contracted services.
Grounds Manager Greg Hoekstra and Facilities Manager Cameron Green keep 40 city buildings, as well as all of the above, prepared and ready to use, conducting on-site safety inspections on all community recreational facilities. Repair and replacement are continual. Project plans are scaled out on a five- to ten-year timeline.
2024 will see three trail constructions at Lutz, Highview, and Peabody parks and the opening of the new Lungaard Park. Projects such as Ellen Kort Peace Park, the Trestle Trail Bridge, the Boardwalk from the Yacht Club to the Vulcan, and the South Point Commerce Park Powerline Trail are in the planning stages.
Project and Resiliency Manager Steven Schrage outlined the city’s sustainability efforts, pointing to the 25% energy reduction plan that is on target to be attained by 2025. Highlights included the installation of geothermal heating in both the new Library and Valley Transit facilities, along with the conversion to LED lighting throughout the city. The Appleton Waste Water Treatment Plant fuels three biogas boilers and an organic ranking cycler generator using its waste produced methane gas to heat and power the plant, saving over $200,000 in heating and electricity costs while reducing carbon dioxide emissions from five to seven tons annually. The goal of all these programs is long-term sustainability while incurring recovery of costs through savings.
Golf Course Superintendent Jeff Plasschaert shared that Reid Golf Course boasts profitability since the city assumed administration of the course in 2015. Operating at $0 cost to the city, Reid Golf Course offers play seven days a week during season supporting 25 leagues. Playing off of three sets of tee boxes, covering a course that can be as short as 4,746 yards and as long as 6,060 yards, the number of rounds played in 2023 was more than 50% more than the number played in 2015. Financially, the course made over $150,000 last season, paying all expenses and accumulating a 25% working capital reserve. The course services include an on-site pro shop, restaurant, and bar while providing an urban wildlife sanctuary for the city.
Recreation Manager Niki Wendt coordinates programs using the facilities throughout the year, serving over 98,000 participants in 2023. Recreational offerings use 280 seasonal staff and over 400 volunteers to guide its programs.
Appleton partners with over 23 community organizations to facilitate programs ranging from preschool to senior levels. Program costs are recouped through a cost pyramid, providing community programs for free while attempting to cover 40% to 60% of youth program costs and as much as 100% of highly individualized programs such as dance. With an ever-changing selection, the recreation division has moved to a digital platform on the website http://appletonparkandrec.org .
