Fw: January 2012 Broward County Parks Newsletter

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----- Forwarded Message ----- To: PK_MARKETING Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 12:12 PM Subject: January 2012 Broward County Parks Newsletter

JANUARY 2012 Newsletter

www.broward.org/parks

A Chili Forecast

Holiday Hours

Chip-a-Tree Program Continues

Find Fitness – At a Broward County Park

Lights Out – Soon

Now That’s a Wheelie!

Going Native

Digging Into the Past

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

S’ More of What You’re Looking For

You’re Invited!

The Excitement Is Spreading

Go Fish

Yoga Series Launches New Season

Quote of the Month

Advisory Board Notice

Special Attractions

Mission Statement

Your Opinion Counts!

SWIM Central

Broward County Board of County Commissioners

A Chili Forecast

Regardless of whether the weather in late January is chilly, it will be a

chili January, thanks to the 27th Annual 99.9 KISS Country Chili Cookoff, which is scheduled for Sunday, January 29 at C.B. Park in Pembroke Pines. For more than a quarter of a century people have been satisfying their appetite for top-notch

country music at the event, and this year is no exception. The headliner is the

Zac Brown Band, which was on the schedule two years ago as one of the openers; the band’s most recent record was last year’s

You Get What You Give. Other acts include

Luke (Tailgates & Tanlines),

Clay (She Won’t Be Lonely Long),

Cagle (My Life’s Been a Country Song), and

Leigh (1978 December).

Tickets are $42 in advance and, if available, $45 on the day of the show; advance outlets include

Walmart locations in City, Pembroke Pines, and the Sawgrass area;

Pet Supermarkets in Broward and Miami-Dade; and

Grif’s Western in Davie. On-site parking gates open at 6:45 a.m., concert gates open at 8:30 a.m., and the concert begins at approximately 10 a.m. This is a rain-or-shine event.

For additional information, visit

www.wkis.com.

C.B. is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #3, #5, #7, #23, and 95 EXPRESS.

Holiday Hours

All regional parks, nature centers, natural areas, and neighborhood parks will be

open on Sunday, January 1, Monday, January 2, and Monday, January 16 ( Luther King Day). The exception is

Deerfield Island Park, which will be closed. The schedule for special attractions varies; contact the individual attraction for additional information.

Chip-a-Tree Program Continues

Is there anything sadder than a holiday tree that’s still standing around in someone’s living room well into the new year? If the holidays are long gone but your tree isn’t, it’s time to chip

in and donate your used evergreen to our annual Chip-a-Tree initiative. Last year Broward County Parks recycled more than 9,000 trees, representing more than a hundred tons of material that would otherwise have gone to landfills, and this year your

tree can join those recyclable thousands.

The free program encourages Broward County residents to remove all decorations from their holiday trees (no decorated trees will be accepted), then bring the trees to a participating park, where

they are chipped and used for landscaping throughout the county park system. There is a limit of two trees per vehicle, artificial trees are not accepted, and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed.

This season’s program runs through Sunday, January 22, 2012, giving you plenty of time to take advantage of those after-the-holidays sales before hauling your tree to a park. And remember, the

regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee will not be in effect for recyclers, so there’s no excuse not to do the right thing. Hours vary; call the park of your choice for details.

·

Piccolo Park, 9501 Sheridan St., City 33024;

·

C. B. Park, 900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines 33028;

·

Easterlin Park, 1000 N.W. 38th St., Oakland Park 33309;

·

Fern Forest Nature Center, 201 Lyons Rd. South, Coconut Creek 33063;

·

Markham Park, 16001 W. State Rd. 84, Sunrise 33326;

·

Plantation Heritage Park, 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane, Plantation 33317;

·

Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach 33441;

·

Reverend Delevoe Park, 2520 N.W. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale 33311;

·

Snake Warrior's Island, 3600 S.W. 62nd Ave., Miramar 33023;

·

Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073;

·

Tree Tops Park, 3900 S.W. 100th Ave., Davie 33328;

·

T.Y. Park, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood 33021;

·

Vista View Park, 4001 S.W. 142nd Ave., Davie 33330;

·

West Lake Park, 1200 Sheridan St., Hollywood 33019;

Find Fitness – At a Broward County Park

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get fit, back up your good intentions with a visit to one of our parks. Whatever your activity of choice, there’s a park for you:

·

Baseball/softball –

Piccolo,

Central Broward Regional,

Sunview,

Tradewinds

·

Basketball –

Piccolo,

C.B. ,

Central Broward Regional,

Easterlin,

lin,

Lafayette Hart,

Reverend Delevoe,

Roosevelt Gardens,

Sunview,

T.Y.,

Vista View,

West Lake

·

Biking –

Piccolo,

C.B. ,

Central Broward Regional,

Hollywood North Beach,

Markham,

Plantation Heritage,

Quiet Waters,

Reverend Delevoe,

Tradewinds,

Tree Tops,

T.Y.,

Vista View,

West Lake

·

Cable water-skiing –

Quiet Waters

·

Cricket –

Piccolo,

Central Broward Regional,

Tradewinds

·

Disc golf –

Easterlin,

Tradewinds

·

Football/soccer –

Piccolo,

Central Broward Regional,

Sunview,

Tradewinds

·

Inline skating –

Piccolo,

Quiet Waters

·

Jogging –

Piccolo,

C.B. ,

Central Broward Regional,

Hollywood North Beach,

Markham,

Plantation Heritage,

Quiet Waters,

Roosevelt Gardens,

Tree Tops,

T.Y.,

West Lake

·

Mountain biking –

Markham,

Quiet Waters

·

Netball –

Central Broward Regional

·

Tennis/racquetball –

Piccolo,

C.B. ,

Central Broward Regional,

Lafayette Hart,

Markham,

T.Y.,

West Lake

·

Volleyball –

Piccolo,

C.B. ,

Deerfield Island,

Easterlin,

lin,

Hollywood North Beach,

Lafayette Hart,

Markham,

Plantation Heritage,

Quiet Waters,

Reverend Delevoe,

Tradewinds,

Tree Tops,

T.Y.,

West Lake

·

Water-skiing/wakeboarding –

C.B.

And, of course, you can engage in those most basic of physical activities, walking and hiking, at any of our parks, nature centers, and natural areas. For more information, visit our Website

at www.broward.org/parks.

Lights Out – Soon

Just a few more days are left to see

Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. The drive-through light show, under the management of Brandano Displays, runs through Monday, January 2 and is open nightly from 6 to 10 p.m.

Admission is $10 per vehicle on Mondays through Wednesdays and $13 per vehicle on Thursdays through Sundays. (The cost is for 20 or fewer passengers per vehicle.) For more information, visit

www.holidaylightsdrivethru.com.

Now That’s a Wheelie!

Last month – on Sunday, December 4, to be exact –

Markham Park in Sunrise hosted a successful attempt to break a

Guinness World Record. The category was “Longest Bicycle Manual,†as in a mountain bike wheelie without pedaling, and the site was the park’s popular mountain bike trail complex. The previous record

was 334 feet, completed by Jim DeChamp at

Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

That record was unofficially broken at Markham by 16-year-old Sunrise resident Zachary Hutelin, who pulled off an amazing 686.25-foot manual, more than double the previous record. The new record

awaits certification by Guinness judges; a video will be posted soon on our; a video will be posted soon on our YouTube page,

www.youtube.com/browardcountyparks.

Going Native

If you’ve lived in South Florida for any length of time and have an interest in home landscaping, you’ve probably heard the ongoing debate about whether to use native plants or succumb to the

temptation to install cheaper, prettier plants. While most plants known variously as nonnative, invasive, or exotic pose no serious threat to the environment, some such plants grow out of control, competing with native vegetation and gradually displacing it,

forever altering ecosystems that have developed over millions of years.

The most notorious invasive plants – Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, melaleuca – have long been targeted by intensive campaigns to curb their spread. But you can also do your part simply by

paying closer attention to what you grow on your own property. (And yes, it’s possible to find native plants that are both inexpensive and good-looking.) Here are some tips:

·

Don’t buy plants just because they’re recommended by friends or neighbors. They may be misinformed.

·

Don’t trust older editions of landscaping guides. They may contain outdated information.

·

Don’t put your indiscriminate faith in the Internet. It is rife with misinformation.

·

Don’t toss out houseplants. They may take root and spread until they run amok.

Finally, do educate yourself on what you put into the ground and what you do with it once it’s planted. For help with that, you can turn to Broward County Parks. We regularly offer programs to

help you make smarter choices when it comes to home landscaping. Our Extension Education Section is also a valuable resource when you have questions.

We also regularly host plant sales at our nature centers, such as the upcoming

Go Native in Broward County Plant Sale at Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach. It’s scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 28. Native plant nurseries and other vendors will display and sell plants native to South Florida, and Master

Gardeners will be available to answer questions about your common gardening problems.

For more information, call the nature center at or

Extension Education at .

Secret Woods is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #6.

Digging Into the Past

This month’s installment of the

Lunch-and-Learn Nature Series at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood takes place from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday, January 23. The featured lecturer is K. Wentz of the

Florida Public Archaeology Network, and her topic will be “Windover: A Mortuary Point From Florida’s Archaeological Past.†Dr. Went will talk about Windover, a site in Brevard County near Titusville that is

one of the most ancient, well-preserved archaeological sites in North America. Analyses from Windover, which was used for the interment of the dead, have provided insights into the life and health of people 7,000 years ago in Florida.

Preregistration is required a week prior to the event. Admission is a $5 recommended donation to the

Friends of the Anne Kolb Nature Center volunteer group. For more information, call the nature center at .

Anne Kolb is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #12.

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

Adults with developmental disabilities are invited to Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach on Friday, January 20, when the park, in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Division’s Special

Populations Section, will host a free Winter Wonderland Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Activities will include music, dancing, socializing, and refreshments. The event will be held outdoors, so participants are urged to dress appropriately.

Registration is required at least seven days prior to the event by calling

Special Populations at or e-mailing SpecialPopulations@....

Quiet Waters is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #14 and #48.

S’ More of What You’re Looking For

You’ve made it through the holidays. Now treat yourself to an old-fashioned

Family Hayride and Campfire, complete with one of the ultimate comfort foods, s’ mores. There’s one such event from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, January 6, at T.Y. Park in Hollywood, and another one from 7 to 9:30 p.m. the next Friday, January 13, at Quiet

Waters Park in Deerfield Beach.

Tickets are $3.50/person for both events and include one hayride and the fixings to make s’ mores. (Advance purchase is required for Quiet Waters.) Reservations are required for groups of 15

or more. For more information, call T.Y. at or Quiet Waters at .

T.Y. is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #3, #12, and #17, and

Quiet Waters via Routes #14 and #48.

You’re Invited!

Find out more about one of our key partners – the

University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS), which works closely with the Parks Extension Education Section – this month when the agency hosts its annual

Open House. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, at our Extension Education complex in Davie.

Among the things you’ll learn about:

·

UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences degree programs – in Gainesville, here in Broward County, and online

·

Native vs. exotic reptiles in Florida

·

Beneficial insects such as honeybees vs. destructive ones such as termites

·

Managing your landscape (turf grass, trees, and palms)

·

New nutritional guidelines

·

Insects that help control invasive weeds

·

How to keep a lake healthy by stocking fish and managing aquatic plants

·

4-H youth development programs

·

Where you can find natural Florida the way it used to be

·

How to make your home stronger for the next hurricane season

·

Geomatics (GPS, GIS, and YOU – great careers in an expanding field of study)

For more information, call

Extension Education at .

The Excitement Is Spreading

Last season’s inaugural series of

Propagation Classes proved so popular that Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach is repeating the program, starting this month with “Part I: Seeds,†from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 22. The series includes both lectures and hands-on instruction

in various techniques, and participants are invited to bring their own plant seeds and cutting to the applicable class.

The program, which is designed for ages 12 and up, continues on Sundays, February 26 and March 25, with “Part II: Cuttings†and “Part III: Grafting,†respectively. The fee is $5/person per session.

For more information, call the nature center at .

Secret Woods is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #6.

Go Fish

Get out your rod and reel, it’s time to hit the water at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood. A

Family Fun Fishing event will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 14. Participants in this free program will learn a few basics about fish as well as some saltwater fishing techniques. Bait will be provided. For more information, call the

nature center at .

Anne Kolb is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #12.

Yoga Series Launches New Season

Adults who are blind or visually impaired are invited to take part in free

Yoga Classes, offered by the Parks Special Populations Section in collaboration with the

Lighthouse of Broward in Fort Lauderdale. The classes are held at Lighthouse on the fourth Saturday of the month, January through October, from 10 a.m. to noon. Class size is limited, and preregistration is required by the

Tuesday before the program. Participants should bring a towel and a mat. For more information, call

Special Populations at .

Events Calendar

Quote of the Month

“A human being must have an occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world.†– English writer Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)

Advisory Board Notice

The public is invited to the next meeting of the

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, which is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Friday, January 6. The meeting will take place at

Butterfly World at

Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073; . Please note that in 2012 the advisory board will meet six times instead of monthly. More information is available

here.

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 Park/Track ( Piccolo 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 a countywide park system with diverse facilities and recreation opportunities, along with natural area conservation and research-based educational outreach, to enhance the well-being

of residents, businesses, and visitors.

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, a skate park, 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 Gunzburger

Dale V.C. Holness

s

Chip LaMarca

Ilene Lieberman

Ritter

E. Rodstrom Jr.

Barbara Sharief

Lois Wexler

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Dear , Do you know any great Pragmatics speech specialist for my daughter who is 27. Most people work with younger children. I live in the broward county. I'm not sure how to post this on your list.

To: <deniseslist >Sent: Wed, December 28, 2011 1:46:01 PMSubject: Fw: January 2012 Broward County Parks Newsletter

----- Forwarded Message -----To: PK_MARKETING Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 12:12 PMSubject: January 2012 Broward County Parks Newsletter

JANUARY 2012 Newsletter www.broward.org/parks

A Chili Forecast

Holiday Hours

Chip-a-Tree Program Continues

Find Fitness – At a Broward County Park

Lights Out – Soon

Now That’s a Wheelie!

Going Native

Digging Into the Past

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

S’ More of What You’re Looking For

You’re Invited!

The Excitement Is Spreading

Go Fish

Yoga Series Launches New Season

Quote of the Month

Advisory Board Notice

Special Attractions

Mission Statement

Your Opinion Counts!

SWIM Central

Broward County Board of County Commissioners

A Chili Forecast

Regardless of whether the weather in late January is chilly, it will be a chili January, thanks to the 27th Annual 99.9 KISS Country Chili Cookoff, which is scheduled for Sunday, January 29 at C.B. Park in Pembroke Pines. For more than a quarter of a century people have been satisfying their appetite for top-notch country music at the event, and this year is no exception. The headliner is the Zac Brown Band, which was on the schedule two years ago as one of the openers; the band’s most recent record was last year’s You Get What You Give. Other acts include Luke (Tailgates & Tanlines), Clay (She Won’t Be Lonely

Long), Cagle (My Life’s Been a Country Song), and Leigh (1978 December).

Tickets are $42 in advance and, if available, $45 on the day of the show; advance outlets include Walmart locations in City, Pembroke Pines, and the Sawgrass area; Pet Supermarkets in Broward and Miami-Dade; and Grif’s Western in Davie. On-site parking gates open at 6:45 a.m., concert gates open at 8:30 a.m., and the concert begins at approximately 10 a.m. This is a rain-or-shine event.

For additional information, visit www.wkis.com. C.B. is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #3, #5, #7, #23, and 95 EXPRESS.

Holiday Hours

All regional parks, nature centers, natural areas, and neighborhood parks will be open on Sunday, January 1, Monday, January 2, and Monday, January 16 ( Luther King Day). The exception is Deerfield Island Park, which will be closed. The schedule for special attractions varies; contact the individual attraction for additional information.

Chip-a-Tree Program Continues

Is there anything sadder than a holiday tree that’s still standing around in someone’s living room well into the new year? If the holidays are long gone but your tree isn’t, it’s time to chip in and donate your used evergreen to our annual Chip-a-Tree initiative. Last year Broward County Parks recycled more than 9,000 trees, representing more than a hundred tons of material that would otherwise have gone to landfills, and this year your tree can join those recyclable thousands.

The free program encourages Broward County residents to remove all decorations from their holiday trees (no decorated trees will be accepted), then bring the trees to a participating park, where they are chipped and used for landscaping throughout the county park system. There is a limit of two trees per vehicle, artificial trees are not accepted, and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed.

This season’s program runs through Sunday, January 22, 2012, giving you plenty of time to take advantage of those after-the-holidays sales before hauling your tree to a park. And remember, the regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee will not be in effect for recyclers, so there’s no excuse not to do the right thing. Hours vary; call the park of your choice for details.

· Piccolo Park, 9501 Sheridan St., City 33024;

· C. B. Park, 900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines 33028;

· Easterlin Park, 1000 N.W. 38th St., Oakland Park 33309;

· Fern Forest Nature Center, 201 Lyons Rd. South, Coconut Creek 33063;

· Markham Park, 16001 W. State Rd. 84, Sunrise 33326;

· Plantation Heritage Park, 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane, Plantation 33317;

· Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach 33441;

· Reverend Delevoe Park, 2520 N.W. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale 33311;

· Snake Warrior's Island, 3600 S.W. 62nd Ave., Miramar 33023;

· Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073;

· Tree Tops Park, 3900 S.W. 100th Ave., Davie 33328;

· T.Y. Park, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood 33021;

· Vista View Park, 4001 S.W. 142nd Ave., Davie 33330;

· West Lake Park, 1200 Sheridan St., Hollywood 33019;

Find Fitness – At a Broward County Park

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get fit, back up your good intentions with a visit to one of our parks. Whatever your activity of choice, there’s a park for you:

· Baseball/softball – Piccolo, Central Broward Regional, Sunview, Tradewinds

· Basketball – Piccolo, C.B. , Central Broward Regional, Easterlin, lin, Lafayette Hart, Reverend Delevoe, Roosevelt Gardens, Sunview, T.Y., Vista View, West Lake

· Biking – Piccolo, C.B. , Central Broward Regional, Hollywood North Beach, Markham, Plantation Heritage, Quiet Waters, Reverend Delevoe, Tradewinds, Tree Tops, T.Y., Vista View, West Lake

· Cable water-skiing – Quiet Waters

· Cricket – Piccolo, Central Broward Regional, Tradewinds

· Disc golf – Easterlin, Tradewinds

· Football/soccer – Piccolo, Central Broward Regional, Sunview, Tradewinds

· Inline skating – Piccolo, Quiet Waters

· Jogging – Piccolo, C.B. , Central Broward Regional, Hollywood North Beach, Markham, Plantation Heritage, Quiet Waters, Roosevelt Gardens, Tree Tops, T.Y., West Lake

· Mountain biking – Markham, Quiet Waters

· Netball – Central Broward Regional

· Tennis/racquetball – Piccolo, C.B. , Central Broward Regional, Lafayette Hart, Markham, T.Y., West Lake

· Volleyball – Piccolo, C.B. , Deerfield Island, Easterlin, lin, Hollywood North Beach, Lafayette Hart, Markham, Plantation Heritage, Quiet Waters, Reverend Delevoe, Tradewinds, Tree Tops, T.Y., West Lake

· Water-skiing/wakeboarding – C.B.

And, of course, you can engage in those most basic of physical activities, walking and hiking, at any of our parks, nature centers, and natural areas. For more information, visit our Website at www.broward.org/parks.

Lights Out – Soon

Just a few more days are left to see Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. The drive-through light show, under the management of Brandano Displays, runs through Monday, January 2 and is open nightly from 6 to 10 p.m.

Admission is $10 per vehicle on Mondays through Wednesdays and $13 per vehicle on Thursdays through Sundays. (The cost is for 20 or fewer passengers per vehicle.) For more information, visit www.holidaylightsdrivethru.com.

Now That’s a Wheelie!

Last month – on Sunday, December 4, to be exact – Markham Park in Sunrise hosted a successful attempt to break a Guinness World Record. The category was “Longest Bicycle Manual,†as in a mountain bike wheelie without pedaling, and the site was the park’s popular mountain bike trail complex. The previous record was 334 feet, completed by Jim DeChamp at Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

That record was unofficially broken at Markham by 16-year-old Sunrise resident Zachary Hutelin, who pulled off an amazing 686.25-foot manual, more than double the previous record. The new record awaits certification by Guinness judges; a video will be posted soon on our; a video will be posted soon on our YouTube page, www.youtube.com/browardcountyparks.

Going Native

If you’ve lived in South Florida for any length of time and have an interest in home landscaping, you’ve probably heard the ongoing debate about whether to use native plants or succumb to the temptation to install cheaper, prettier plants. While most plants known variously as nonnative, invasive, or exotic pose no serious threat to the environment, some such plants grow out of control, competing with native vegetation and gradually displacing it, forever altering ecosystems that have developed over millions of years.

The most notorious invasive plants – Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, melaleuca – have long been targeted by intensive campaigns to curb their spread. But you can also do your part simply by paying closer attention to what you grow on your own property. (And yes, it’s possible to find native plants that are both inexpensive and good-looking.) Here are some tips:

· Don’t buy plants just because they’re recommended by friends or neighbors. They may be misinformed.

· Don’t trust older editions of landscaping guides. They may contain outdated information.

· Don’t put your indiscriminate faith in the Internet. It is rife with misinformation.

· Don’t toss out houseplants. They may take root and spread until they run amok.

Finally, do educate yourself on what you put into the ground and what you do with it once it’s planted. For help with that, you can turn to Broward County Parks. We regularly offer programs to help you make smarter choices when it comes to home landscaping. Our Extension Education Section is also a valuable resource when you have questions.

We also regularly host plant sales at our nature centers, such as the upcoming Go Native in Broward County Plant Sale at Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach. It’s scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 28. Native plant nurseries and other vendors will display and sell plants native to South Florida, and Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions about your common gardening problems.

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

Digging Into the Past

This month’s installment of the Lunch-and-Learn Nature Series at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood takes place from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday, January 23. The featured lecturer is K. Wentz of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, and her topic will be “Windover: A Mortuary Point From Florida’s Archaeological Past.†Dr. Went will talk about Windover, a site in Brevard County near Titusville that is one of the most ancient, well-preserved archaeological sites in North America. Analyses from Windover, which was used for the interment of the dead, have provided insights into the life and health of people 7,000 years ago in Florida.

Preregistration is required a week prior to the event. Admission is a $5 recommended donation to the Friends of the Anne Kolb Nature Center volunteer group. For more information, call the nature center at . Anne Kolb is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #12.

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

Adults with developmental disabilities are invited to Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach on Friday, January 20, when the park, in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Division’s Special Populations Section, will host a free Winter Wonderland Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Activities will include music, dancing, socializing, and refreshments. The event will be held outdoors, so participants are urged to dress appropriately.

Registration is required at least seven days prior to the event by calling Special Populations at or e-mailing SpecialPopulations@.... Quiet Waters is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #14 and #48.

S’ More of What You’re Looking For

You’ve made it through the holidays. Now treat yourself to an old-fashioned Family Hayride and Campfire, complete with one of the ultimate comfort foods, s’ mores. There’s one such event from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, January 6, at T.Y. Park in Hollywood, and another one from 7 to 9:30 p.m. the next Friday, January 13, at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach.

Tickets are $3.50/person for both events and include one hayride and the fixings to make s’ mores. (Advance purchase is required for Quiet Waters.) Reservations are required for groups of 15 or more. For more information, call T.Y. at or Quiet Waters at . T.Y. is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #3, #12, and #17, and Quiet Waters via Routes #14 and #48.

You’re Invited!

Find out more about one of our key partners – the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS), which works closely with the Parks Extension Education Section – this month when the agency hosts its annual Open House. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, at our Extension Education complex in Davie.

Among the things you’ll learn about:

· UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences degree programs – in Gainesville, here in Broward County, and online

· Native vs. exotic reptiles in Florida

· Beneficial insects such as honeybees vs. destructive ones such as termites

· Managing your landscape (turf grass, trees, and palms)

· New nutritional guidelines

· Insects that help control invasive weeds

· How to keep a lake healthy by stocking fish and managing aquatic plants

· 4-H youth development programs

· Where you can find natural Florida the way it used to be

· How to make your home stronger for the next hurricane season

· Geomatics (GPS, GIS, and YOU – great careers in an expanding field of study)

For more information, call Extension Education at .

The Excitement Is Spreading

Last season’s inaugural series of Propagation Classes proved so popular that Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach is repeating the program, starting this month with “Part I: Seeds,†from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 22. The series includes both lectures and hands-on instruction in various techniques, and participants are invited to bring their own plant seeds and cutting to the applicable class.

The program, which is designed for ages 12 and up, continues on Sundays, February 26 and March 25, with “Part II: Cuttings†and “Part III: Grafting,†respectively. The fee is $5/person per session. For more information, call the nature center at . Secret Woods is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #6.

Go Fish

Get out your rod and reel, it’s time to hit the water at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood. A Family Fun Fishing event will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 14. Participants in this free program will learn a few basics about fish as well as some saltwater fishing techniques. Bait will be provided. For more information, call the nature center at . Anne Kolb is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #12.

Yoga Series Launches New Season

Adults who are blind or visually impaired are invited to take part in free Yoga Classes, offered by the Parks Special Populations Section in collaboration with the Lighthouse of Broward in Fort Lauderdale. The classes are held at Lighthouse on the fourth Saturday of the month, January through October, from 10 a.m. to noon. Class size is limited, and preregistration is required by the Tuesday before the program. Participants should bring a towel and a mat. For more information, call Special Populations at .

Events Calendar

Quote of the Month

“A human being must have an occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world.†– English writer Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)

Advisory Board Notice

The public is invited to the next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, which is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Friday, January 6. The meeting will take place at Butterfly World at Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073; . Please note that in 2012 the advisory board will meet six times instead of monthly. More information is available here.

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 Park/Track ( Piccolo 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 a countywide park system with diverse facilities and recreation opportunities, along with natural area conservation and research-based educational outreach, to enhance the well-being of residents, businesses, and visitors.

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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, a skate park, 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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