ANNUAL REPORT - Onondaga County Parks

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RECREATION While great events and family entertainment continued as staples of the Onondaga County Parks leisure portfolio, exercise and wellness oriented programs gained more emphasis during a rainy yet successful outdoor recreation season... ... witness Lights on the Lake at Onondaga Lake Park, where over 5,000 folks of all ages participated in four types of on-foot activity- the Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run, Lights on the Lake’s opening night walk and New Year’s Weekend run, and the YMCA Folksmarch. Sports programs at Hopkins Road Park, Alliance Bank Stadium, and Onondaga Lake Park provided summer and fall action for over 5,000 adult registrants in slowpitch softball and coed kickball leagues. Ten year old Alliance Bank Stadium, the home of the International League Syracuse Chiefs and their 71 game professional baseball slate, also hosted 161 community use events ranging from high school baseball and the New York State Field Hockey Championships to band shows and an Easter Mass. Highland Forest’s reserved business at Skyline Lodge continued to expand, particularly in the wedding market, and youth camping demand remained steady, even during the cold winter months. While it was not the ideal cross country ski season, trail modifications have been made to provide easy options for beginners and direct access for all from Skyline Lodge to the Pines Junction hub. Beaver Lake, long-time home of the Walk 100 Miles incentive program, added a Mid-Winter Blues Run to the slate and hosted the AIDS Walk/Run which involved over 800 runners and generated more than $140,000. Oneida Shores, Onondaga Lake Park and Highland Forest continued to be home bases for weekly Syracuse Charger Fun Runs. Onondaga Lake Park’s Fit for the Next Fifty waterfront exercise program provided documented personal health benefits to scores of participants. Parkway Sundays encouraged families to stretch out amongst historic grounds and picturesque ponds. Nearly 500 residents took the Onondaga County Park Challenge and committed to exercising at least 30 minutes a day, including Liverpool youngster Eric Little, who according to his proud mother “really increased his fitness with the motivation of winning a step counter.” The Section 3 high school cross-country championships were held for the first time at Long Branch Park. And even though oppressive heat cancelled the affair, over 6,000 folks were ready to participate in the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge at Onondaga Lake Park. Our health is our most treasured personal asset, and our parks, with fresh air, friendly faces, affordable access, and safe environs, are a top choice of most for obtaining the benefits of exercise. Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery provided “Time Out to Fish” experiences for 193 people unable to navigate the physical challenges of fishing in the natural environment, then extolled the virtues of hunting and fishing to over 2,500 folks at Gander Mountain Sportsmen’s Days. Beaver Lake’s interpretive staff skillfully integrates recreational activity in day camps which were at record numbers at both the Nature Center and satellite Pratt’s Falls location, in themed winter break programs, on the water via canoe and kayak rentals and tours and in showcase Golden Harvest Festival and Enchanted Beaver Lake special events. “I‘ve attended Onondaga County Parks Fit for the Next Fifty summer program almost every day for the last five years. I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. This program has been the best thing ever for me.... If I did not have to get to the lake by 8:30-9am, I would be sleeping in. This gets me up and moving. . . I have met many wonderful people at the classes and made many new friends. I wish I had started it a few years earlier!” Marie Scarcella Pratt’s Falls enhanced its niche in the shooting world by hosting the Inaugural TriState Biathlon Championships and working with Central New York Bowmen to maintain the oldest public archery course in the region. Oneida Shores’ success in the fishing world is rubbing off at the campground, where investments in site improvements assured steady business despite the soggy weather. The Arrowhead Lodge was sold out during June, with overall bookings up 29%. And the Madcatter Hobie Cat Race was the largest catamaran event in the United States, drawing 92 boats. Bo Bice of American Idol fame and The Fray headlined 93Q/Coors Light Balloon Fest entertainment which drew decent crowds despite balloon flight hampering poor weather conditions at Jamesville Beach. Over 160,000 visitors from throughout New York State and beyond enjoyed Lights on the Lake from the comfort of their 35,133 vehicles, making it the 2nd largest turnout in its 17 year history. Crosspromotions for Christmas at Sainte Marie stimulated year-end interest which resulted in annual attendance growth of over 40% for the volunteer operated Living History Center. The Griffin Visitor Center also became a Wi-Fi spot as Verizon FiOS stepped forward to provide free wireless internet access during the summer, a program which we hope to continue and expand to other areas of the park. Get a group workout on the new conference bike at Onondaga Lake Park! County Executive Nick Pirro and Parks Commissioner Bob Geraci try out the Wi-Fi at Wegmans Playground
Conservation & Stewardship Practicing what it preaches, Beaver Lake Nature Center stressed conservation of natural resources, recycling and environmental awareness in Earth Week programs for families, and worked year-round to eradicate invasive land and water plant species. Ongoing maintenance of the trail system through boardwalk care and mulching protects sensitive habitats from erosion, and selective mowing of old field systems is employed to encourage wildlife diversity. And beyond the current boundaries of this special property, consideration is being given to acquiring buffer lands to assure this outdoor experience is not imperiled by residential housing development. The Zoo’s animal family grew with the addition of four Humboldt penguin chicks, three Golden Lion Tamarin babies and a Bald Eagle. The penguin pool closed for three months in the fall as contractors repaired a leak in the 50,000 gallon exhibit, and reopened to treat the penguins and zoo visitors to their first winter of water action. Onsite Hatchery enhancements featuring control nets to stop predation by Great Blue Herons and the installation of a backup generator for aerators - courtesy of the Friends of Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery and a grant from Senator De Francisco - assured meeting 100% of NYSDEC standards for stocking over 100 miles of cool water streams with 78,500 brown, brook, and rainbow trout. Investments in and expansion of highly desired and valued leisure trails continued with the completion of nearly seven miles of the Jordan Level trail from the Van Buren town line to the Cayuga County line. This will be incorporated into the Erie Canalway Trail which when completed in 2009 will be the longest continuous trail in America. Next on the agenda is the proposed extension of the Loop the Lake Trail at Onondaga Lake Park from the current western terminus near Nine Mile Creek by two scenic miles to the Route 690/Exit 7 area near the State Fairgrounds. Select timber harvest is being practiced at park forest properties with more comprehensive, long term plans from forestry experts needed to assure conservation and recreational standards are maintained at the highest level of integrity. Alliance Bank Stadium implemented a new winterization plan to reduce utility costs. Savings are projected to be in the $40,000 range. Veterans Memorial Cemetery conducted 217 burials of servicemen, women, and their families. 3,651 have been laid to rest in these solemn grounds created in 1986, and a new eleventh section was completed to accommodate near future demand. 63 individuals were buried at the adjacent Loomis Hill indigent cemetery. A Great Blue Heron looks out over the peaceful waters at Beaver Lake Preventative Maintenance Preventative Maintenance is a key function to assure stewardship of a 6,500 acre park system with building, grounds, entertainment, and real estate assets well in excess of $100 million. Projects initiated or completed in 2006 included: • Boat launch paving and bathhouse partition installation at Oneida Shores Park • Roof repairs for the Sainte Marie cookhouse and Syracuse University Boathouse at Onondaga Lake Park • Variety of exhibit, courtyard, condenser, and window repairs at the Zoo • New backstop, dugout, and wing fencing for softball field #2 at Hopkins Road • Repairs to safety padding and light towers plus new scoreboard computer and protective netting at Alliance Bank Stadium • New Saw Mill Creek reserved shelter at Onondaga Lake Park • Air-conditioning installed at Highland Forest’s Skyline Lodge “This is the cleanest beach (Oneida Shores)– my kids love it!” Brenda Stone, Syracuse, NY The Veterans Memorial Cemetery performed its first burial of a soldier killed in Iraq. Kenneth W. Haines was killed in action in Iraq on December 3, 2006 and buried December 12, 2006 with full military honors. He joins Kenneth Plumadore, a Vietnam vet killed in action and reburied in the cemetery in 2005 as the only two active duty combat veterans killed during war and buried in the Veterans Cemetery.
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ANNUAL REPORT - Onondaga County Parks

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