By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Last summer’s frequent downpours took a toll at Bowling Green’s city pool.
During Tuesday’s park board meeting, recreation coordinator Ivan Kovacevic presented a less that sunny update from the pool in City Park. The weather in 2018 made it an “exceptionally great year” at the pool. But “2019 was a completely different story,” he said.
The seemingly endless rainy days at the beginning of the summer season affected pool attendance, the sale of season passes, and concession sales, Kovacevic said.
The pool attendance picked up a bit as the season went on, according to Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley.
“The way the pool season started, we were sweating it a little bit,” she said.
By the end of the summer, the pool had seen a total of 39,427 visitors. That compares to 47,935 in 2018, and 40,224 in 2017.
The revenues dropped from $314,841 in 2018, to $307,523 last year. And the expenses grew from $318,995 in 2018, to $338,575 last year.
The board learned from Otley that the parks and recreation department is operating with a deficit budget this year – partially due to this being a leap year with an additional pay period. Not helping the budget is the fact that the parks department is paying on the bond for the new building in City Park, but is unable to get revenue from the facility since it remains under construction.
“You do have a reserve, and that’s why reserves are there,” she said. “We obviously don’t want to continue doing that.”
Otley reported on some good financial news, with the parks and recreation department receiving a series of grants – the largest being a $115,000 Clean Ohio grant for the Wintergarden Grows park expansion. Two grants from the Bowling Green Community Foundation will pay for a climbing wall at the community center, and for Adirondack chairs at Simpson Garden Park. And one grant from the Wood County Park District will pay for interpretive signs at City Park and Ridge Park.
Also at the meeting, Natural Resources Coordinator Chris Gajewicz reported on his plans to host a talk about the growing number of deer in Ohio, for the annual Kuebeck Forum.
“We’re going to see more and more animals move into our neighborhoods,” as residential lawns become more natural, he said.
Gajewicz would like Bowling Green residents to learn ways to co-exist with wild neighbors, rather than viewing the animals at “nuisances.”
He mentioned the complaints he often hears from people who put out bird seed to attract winged visitors to their yards. Many people don’t realize that by putting out bird seed, they are starting a food chain – and other animals “didn’t read the book,” and think the seed is for them.
“More than what you may expect is going to show up,” Gajewicz said.
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting:
- Board member Jodi Anderson reported on the Parks and Recreation Foundation’s plans to hold a few smaller fundraisers during the year, in addition to the annual Wine and Cheese event.
- Anderson said the foundation recently purchased a lawnmower to be used at Simpson Garden Park.
- Otley mentioned the next community focus group on the parks will be held on Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., in the community center. The topic will be the community center and the programs offered there.
- Otley reported that meetings are continuing with the Simpson Garden Park Committee. The group has discussed maintenance at the park, and will discuss finances and budgeting at the next gathering. “It’s a beautiful park,” she said. “It does take a lot of maintenance.”
- Otley told the board a recreational needs survey will be sent out to a random sample of the public this year.
- Gajewicz reported that visitors to Wintergarden Park may notice several red maple trees down. The trees, which are not native to the area, are being removed in an effort to connect two prairie areas of the park. “It looks a little drastic at the moment,” but in a couple years, the loss of the trees will not be noticeable, he said.
