Broward County Parks July 2011 Monthly Newsletter

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JULY 2011 Newsletter www.broward.org/parks

July Is Parks and Recreation Month!

Independence Day Weekend Hours

Oohing and Ahhing

Swim, Bike, and Run for Independence

Learning by Listening

Summer Safari

With Honors

More “Horsing Aroundâ€

Classical Gas

Featured Creatures

Water Fun for Everyone

When the Sun Goes Down…

Detective Story

Fridays = Fun at Long Key

Keeping Your Critters Cool

The Chase Continues

Summer Social

Quote of the Month

Advisory Board Notice

Special Attractions

Mission Statement

Your Opinion Counts!

SWIM Central

Broward County Board of County Commissioners

July Is Parks and Recreation Month!

So says Florida Governor Rick , who on April 14 signed a proclamation continuing an initiative started 26 years ago when the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) declared that July Is Parks and Recreation Month. According to the proclamation, “Florida recognizes the benefits derived from quality public and private recreation and park resources at the local and state level.â€

Among the benefits of parks and recreation cited in the proclamation:

· parks and recreation programs enhance our quality of life by contributing to a healthy lifestyle, increasing communication skills, building self esteem, teaching life skills and providing places for enjoyment

· parks and recreation programs boost the economy, enhance property values, attract new business, increase tourism and reduce crime

· recreation builds family unity, strengthens neighborhood involvement, offers opportunity for social interaction, enhances education, develops creativity, and promotes cultural diversity

· our parks and trails ensure ecological beauty, provide space to enjoy nature, help maintain clean air and water and preserve plant and animal wildlife

· recreation, therapeutic recreation and leisure education are essential to the rehabilitation of individuals who have been ill or disabled

In other words, “Find It All – At a Broward County Park.†Get out and enjoy. For more information on Broward County Parks, visit www.broward.org/parks.

Independence Day Weekend Hours

All Broward County regional parks and nature centers, including water parks and campgrounds, and all natural areas will be open on Friday, July 1, and Monday, July 4, with the exceptions of the Markham Park Target Range, which will be closed on Friday, and Deerfield Island Park, which will be closed on both days. AllGolf at C.B. Park, Butterfly World at Tradewinds Park, the tennis centers at Piccolo and C.B. parks, and Ski Rixen USA at Quiet Waters Park will also be open on both Friday, July 1, and Monday, July 4. The Parks and Recreation administrative offices and all neighborhood parks will be closed on both days. All parks will be open during their regularly scheduled hours on Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3.

Oohing and Ahhing

The Fourth of July equals fireworks, right? And what better place for Fireworks Viewing than one of the highest elevations in South Florida? That would be Vista View Park in Davie, where the hill ranks as the highest manmade elevation in Broward County. This year the park will be open till 10 p.m., and depending on weather conditions, visitors may be able to see the displays from Davie, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Sunrise, and possibly even Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood.

Most of these shows are scheduled to begin at 9 p.m., but you’re welcome to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets and come early to get a good spot – the park opens at 8 a.m., and the entry fee is good for admission all day; present your receipt for reentry. You are also invited to bring your own refreshments, although no hard liquor and no glass containers are allowed. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis, and no fireworks (including sparklers) will be permitted in the park. The park’s playgrounds and shelters will be closed.

Admission before 7:30 p.m. will be the park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free); admission will go to $2/person at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Vista View at .

Swim, Bike, and Run for Independence

If your idea of fun for the Fourth of July holiday involves swimming, biking, and running, you’re in luck: The 21st Annual Independence Day Duathlon & Triathlon are scheduled for Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. The races begin at 7 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 9:15 a.m. Hundreds of athletes have already signed up for the event.

The duathlon consists of a 0.5-mile run, a 10-mile bike ride, and a three-mile run. The triathlon starts with a quarter-mile lake swim, moves on to a 10-mile bike ride, and concludes with a three-mile run. For registration and fee information, call or e-mail info@....

The park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect. For more information about Tradewinds, call . The park is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #34.

Learning by Listening

Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach launches its Summer Home Landscape Series, an annual series of free lectures designed for average homeowners who are interested in adding to the beauty of their homes through landscaping. Participants will learn ways to save money on their cooling and water bills, attract wildlife, and preserve native vegetation; they’ll improve the appearance of their yards and neighborhoods as well as increase property values. All classes are held in the nature center’s air-conditioned Hall, starting at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. This year there are 10 lectures – on June 30; July 7, 14, 21, and 28; August 4, 11, 18, and 25; and September 1.

Topics for July are as follows:

· July 7 – “Subtropical Landscape Design and Horticultural Practices,†presented by landscape designer Jay Vedaee

· July 14 – “What’s Munching My Back Yard?â€, presented by Broward County Parks commercial horticulture agent Mike Orfanedes

· July 21 – “Why Natives?â€, presented by Broward County Parks naturalist Molly

· July 28 – “Tree Pruning and Care,†presented by Lauderdale Tree Service chief arborist LeGette

For more information, contact the nature center at . Secret Woods is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #6.

Summer Safari

There’s a different theme every day at Science Safari Camp, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday, July 11 through Friday, July 15 at Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center in Davie. Participants will immerse themselves into their roles as scientists, making observations, conducting experiments, engaging in field studies, and more. By participating in fun, interactive, hands-on projects, they’ll learn to explore the world around them to gain new insights and become aware of why it’s important to take care of the environment. The camp concludes with a graduation ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, when parents are invited to join as their campers become new environmental stewards.

The fee is $250 per camper, and preregistration is required. After-care is available from 4 to 5 p.m. for an additional $10 per child, and campers must be picked up by 5 p.m. so that the park can close on schedule. For more information, call or 800-2SCIENCE (272-4362).

With Honors

Every year the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO) recognizes a wide variety of public-information projects through its Awards of Excellence program. This year Broward County agencies won 53 awards, with three of them going to Broward County Parks and Recreation.

In the category of Community Events, Parks and Recreation shared a Superior Award with Broward County Waste and Recycling Services for their Earth Day Extravaganza, an interagency collaboration that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the original Earth Day with a day of activities, including a recycled latex house paint giveaway, at Plantation Heritage Park on April 25, 2010.

An Excellent Award in the Special Project category was bestowed on Parks and Recreation’s Find Campaign, a benefits-based marketing initiative to brand all promotional materials from the agency with a “Find†statement emphasizing the broad spectrum of experiences available through Broward County Parks. “Find Yourself – At a Broward County Park†anchors the campaign, which customizes other “Find†statements specific to the program, event, or amenity being promoted.

A new version of Parks’ camping brochure, Find the Great Outdoors, won a Meritorious Award in the category of Brochures. The four-color, five-panel piece provides information on all five campgrounds while also cross-promoting the entire park system.

The 2010 NACIO Awards of Excellence will be presented on July 15 at a ceremony in Portland, Oregon.

For more information about Broward County Parks, visit www.broward.org/parks or e-mail ParksMarketing@....

More “Horsing Aroundâ€

There’s still time to saddle up for our annual Summer Horse Camp, which runs through August 18 at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. The weekly program, for ages 9 through 16, is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. There are nine sessions total, so if you don’t get into one session, keep trying. (There is no camp the week of July 5-8.)

Each four-day session includes daily riding instruction, weather permitting. Instruction also includes: breeds and colors; anatomy of the horse; appropriate riding equipment, tack, and general care of the horse in the show ring and on the trails; nutrition and feeding; and routine, preventive, and therapeutic maintenance. Other activities include videos, indoor/outdoor games, and farm activities.

Registration is offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only, at the stables on the north side of the park. Class size is limited and early registration is recommended. Fees must be paid and a release and waiver of liability signed at registration. The fee is $350 per session. Children must provide their own lunches and refreshments. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required. Participants should also bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a towel.

There will also be an End-of-Summer Special offered for the last session of the season, Session 9: August 15-18. The fee for this session will be $250.

And for younger equestrians, we’ve just added Junior Horse Camp, which is designed for ages 7 and 8. This camp is also on a four-day schedule, Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the cost is also $350 per session. Sessions run from July 25 through August 18 and include lessons in basic horse care, including feeding, grooming, bathing, tacking, and safety around horses and ponies. Students will also learn basic riding skills while on a lunge line.

For more information, call the stables at . Tradewinds is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #34.

Classical Gas

Nature meets music from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, when Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center hosts a concert featuring cellist Devere backed by a string orchestra. Tickets are $15 in advance and, if available, $20 at the door. For advance tickets and/or additional information, contact at or cellomoore@....

Featured Creatures

Do you have a youngster ages 5 to 12 who’s curious about the critters that call South Florida home? The Creature Feature Summer Learning Series at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood is designed with such inquisitive kids in mind. The program runs on Wednesdays, July 6, 13, 20, and 27, from 2 to 2:30 p.m. A different creature is covered each week, and participants will get to make an arts-and-crafts version of the animal to take home with them. The cost is $2/child -- $1 for exhibit hall admission and $1 to donate to the Friends of Anne Kolb volunteer group.

For more information, call the nature center at . Anne Kolb is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #12.

Water Fun for Everyone

· Splash Luaus – Fri., July 8 and 22, 6-10 p.m. – Splash Adventure at Quiet Waters Park (); $5.50/person, includes splash time, luau games, and a movie. Refreshments available for purchase. Advance ticket purchase required.

And remember, all four of our water parks – Splash Adventure and Castaway Island, along with Paradise Cove at C.B. Park () and Tropical Splash at Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium () – are open daily. Fees vary; call the park of your choice for additional information. C.B. is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #3, #5, #7, #23, and 95 EXPRESS; Central Broward Regional via Routes #18, #36, $30, and #81; Quiet Waters via Routes #14 and #48; and T.Y. via Routes #3, #12, and #17.

When the Sun Goes Down…

…the fun is just beginning at two nature programs this month. From 8 to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 15, Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center in Davie invites you to join a naturalist and explore the nature trails by moonlight on a Full Moon Hike. Participants will watch the moonrise from beneath the natural area’s live oak canopy while listening to stories, myths, and legends about the moon.

Then, from 8 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, nearby Tree Tops Park in Davie will host a Nature at Night Hike. This is also a naturalist-led program, and it takes participants out on the nature trails of Tree Tops and the adjacent Pine Island Ridge Natural Area, in search of nocturnal animals as they emerge.

The fee for each of these programs is $3 per person, and preregistration is required. Tree Tops’ regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will also be in effect for Nature at Night Hike. For more information on either hike, call Long Key at .

Detective Story

For years Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek has been stimulating young minds with Nature Detectives, a weeklong summer day camp for ages 8 to 11. This summer the popular program occurs monthly, with sessions running from 9 a.m. to noon daily from July 18-22 and August 1-5. Each day will focus on a different theme, as participants explore the nature center’s habitats through hands-on experiences, crafts, and other activities.

The fee is $75 per camper per week, and preregistration is required. For more information, call Fern Forest at . The nature center is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42.

Fridays = Fun at Long Key

One of Broward County’s best-kept secrets, Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center in Davie, is the place for fun on two Fridays this month. On July 22 and 29, Fun Friday Nature invites ages 5 to 12 to drop by the park’s Discovery Room for nature-themed games, crafts projects, and storytelling. The program runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the theme is “Reptiles and Amphibians.â€

The fee is $3 per person per program. For more information, call Long Key at .

Keeping Your Critters Cool

Summertime, and the living is easy, right? Just because you’re enjoying sun and surf, however, don’t neglect your pet’s summer needs. Did you know, for instance, that July 5 is the busiest day for animal shelters? That’s because many pet owners don’t take precautions to prevent Independence Day stress. The fireworks you and friends and family find exciting may provoke confusion and exhaustion in your pet. Dogs, especially, are sometimes upset enough to crash through windows, jump fences, or break chains to escape.

If loud noises disturb your pet – its reactions to thunderstorms should provide a clue – consider leaving the animal behind while you go out for Fourth of July festivities. At home, have someone remain inside with your pet while fireworks go off outside. Your vet may provide tranquilizers for particularly sensitive animals.

Another summer hazard, especially in subtropical South Florida, is heat stress. Never take a pet with you in the car if it will be unattended for any length of time. An outdoor temperature of 85 degrees can translate to an interior temperature of 120 degrees in just 30 minutes.

Even at home, supply drinking water and shade if your pet is to be left outside on hot days. And if you “strut your mutt†in one of our parks, remember that early morning and after sundown are easier on the heat-sensitive pads of your dog’s paws.

The Chase Continues

The National Points Chase, that is – a championship cable wakeboard and wakeskate series that is under way at nearly a dozen cable parks through July 14. One of those parks is Ski Rixen USA at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, whose segment of the series is called the Shred-a-Thon and runs on Wednesdays for five consecutive weeks.

The goal is to help each cable park improve the level of riding and to help the sport continue to grow and progress. More than 400 riders took part in the 2010 series, sponsored by CableWakeboard.com. This year overall champions will be crowned at each of the 10 participating parks, determined by the riders’ four-out-of-five best weeks. The series will culminate in the CableWakeboard.com Points Championship, which will take place at a park to be determined.

For more information, visit www.CableWakeboard.com, or call Ski Rixen USA at . Quiet Waters is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #14 and #48.

Summer Social

Adults ages 18 and up with developmental disabilities can enjoy deejay music, dancing, socializing, and refreshments at a free Summer Social, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, July 15, at Tree Tops Park in Davie. Preregistration is required at least five days prior to the event. For more information or to register, call Parks and Recreation’s Special Populations Section at .

Events Calendar

Quote of the Month

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.†– American computer engineer and entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955- )

Advisory Board Notice

There will be no meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in July. Monthly meetings are tentatively scheduled to resume in August.

Special Attractions

Batting Cages (AllGolf at C.B. Park) – Butterfly World (Tradewinds Park) – Cable Water-Skiing (Ski Rixen USA at Quiet Waters Park) – Campgrounds (C.B. Park, Easterlin Park, Markham Park, Quiet Waters Park, T.Y. Park) – Dog Park (Barkham at Markham Park) – Educational Farm (Tradewinds Park) – Exhibit Halls (Anne Kolb Nature Center at West Lake Park, Fern Forest Nature Center, Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center, Secret Woods Nature Center) – Golf Facilities (AllGolf at C.B. Park) – Multipurpose Athletic Fields ( Piccolo Park, Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, Tradewinds Park) – Observatory (Markham Park) – Riding Stables (Tradewinds Park, Tree Tops Park) – Skate Parks/Tracks ( Piccolo Park, Quiet Waters Park) – Target Range (Markham Park) – Tennis Centers ( Piccolo Park, C.B. Park) – Velodrome ( Piccolo Park) – Water Playgrounds/ Waterslides/Swimming (C.B. Park, Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, Quiet Waters Park, T.Y. Park)

Mission Statement

The Parks and Recreation Division is dedicated to providing exceptional services and facilities essential to the quality of life in Broward County while preserving our natural areas.

Your Opinion Counts!

We’d like to know what you think about our programs and facilities. Please take a moment to tell us how we’re doing by filling out this survey.

SWIM Central

Broward County Commission's primary resource and referral service for available swim programs in cooperation with various cities and nonprofit organizations. Call 954-357-SWIM (7946).

Founded in February 1956 and accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, Broward County Parks and Recreation manages nearly 6,500 acres, encompassing 18 regional parks and nature centers, six neighborhood parks, and 21 natural areas at various stages of development. Facilities include water parks, campgrounds, a target range, a stadium, skate parks, an observatory, mountain bike trails, an educational farm with stables, and a velodrome and other sports facilities. Hours and fees vary by location. For more information, visit www.broward.org/parks.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in County programs, services, and activities must contact the Special Populations Section at or TTY at least 10 business days prior to the scheduled meeting or event to request an accommodation.

Broward County Board of County Commissioners

Sue GunzburgerDale V.C. Holness

sChip LaMarcaIlene Lieberman Ritter E. Rodstrom Jr.

Barbara ShariefLois Wexler

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