Fw: April 2001 Broward County Parks Newsletter

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APRIL 2011 Newsletter

www.broward.org/parks

Focus on Paradise Cove at C.B. Park

Going Native

Find Shelter – At a Broward County Park

A Few Good Causes

An Eggcellent Idea

Find Broward’s Only Island Park – At Deerfield Island

When One Race Isn’t Enough

Wings and Things

Look – Up in the Sky!

Celebrate Earth Day

Spring Has Sprung

Where the Ҡin City Came From

Quote of the Month

Advisory Board Notice

Special Attractions

Mission Statement

Your Opinion Counts!

SWIM Central Broward County Board of County Commissioners

Focus on Paradise Cove at C.B. Park

For years C.B. Park was known for its waterslides, tube ride, and swim lagoon, all of which closed at the end of the season in September 2003, in anticipation of a $6.3 million makeover

for the 22-year-old attractions. The goal was to complete the transformation so that a totally revamped water park could reopen to the public in time for the spring swimming season – which it did in early April 2004. The construction company,

Recreational Design and Construction Inc., broke previous county construction records by finishing the job, from “Notice to Proceed†to “Certificate of Occupancy,†in only 189 days. This 4.69-acre area reopened complete with a new name,

Paradise Cove. The only attractions that remain from the original facility are two waterslides, each 350 feet long and 40 feet high, now rechristened H2Whoa! and finished with a brand-new surface. Although the old facility included a tube ride, the new

one is designed like a meandering river to allow for interaction between the people on the ride and people on the “river banks.†Crazy Creek, as it’s called, measures 484 feet long and has a capacity of 162. There are two water playgrounds: Parrot’s Point, designed for children ages 1 through 5 and with a capacity of 115, sits in a 12-inch-deep pool and includes two small waterslides and other interactive

play elements; Sharky’s Lagoon, which is for ages 5 and up and accommodates up to 286, is 18 inches deep and features waterslides 83 feet, 98 feet, and 125 feet long, as well as other interactive play elements. Paradise Cove, which also includes two concession stands (Paradise Grill and Sand Dollar) and a marina with boat rentals, is one of the Parks and Recreation’s four water parks, joining Splash

Adventure at Quiet Waters Park, Castaway Island at T.Y. Park, and Tropical Splash at Central Broward Regional Park. Like those facilities, it also offers 20-foot-diameter umbrellas (capacity 30) with picnic tables, available by rental. All four water parks

are now open on For more information, call

C.B. at . The park has a gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) in effect on weekends and holidays. C.B. is accessible via

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

Going Native

Let’s say you’re ready to landscape around your home. Using a variety of resources – friends and neighbors, books, local nurseries, the Internet – you develop what seems to be a suitably varied

list of potential plants: palms (areca, Chinese fan), vines (wandering Jew, pothos/devil’s ivy), a shrub (lantana), trees (schefflera/umbrella tree, weeping fig, orchid tree, mimosa), flowering plants (four o’clock, ground orchid), and fruit trees (mango,

guava, sapodilla). Sounds like a winning combination, right? Wrong! All these plants (classified variously as non-native, invasive, or exotic) have been accidentally or purposely introduced into the South Florida landscape, often by well-intentioned people.

And all have since gone wild in our yards, along our roadsides, and on our canal banks, as well as in our parks and natural areas. The vast majority pose no serious threat, but some 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 – Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, and Australian pine – 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. Here are some tips:

·

Don’t buy plants just because they’re pretty or because friends or neighbors recommend them.

·

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

·

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

·

Don’t toss out houseplants that might 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 and Recreation. 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. Also on a regular basis, our nature centers host events like the upcoming

Go Native in Broward County Plant Sale, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek. 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 .

Fern Forest is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42.

Find Shelter – At a Broward County Park

More than half a million people a year use picnic shelters or other meeting facilities in Broward County parks. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, wedding or reception, holiday gathering,

family reunion, or large corporate or association function, there’s a park to accommodate your needs. Our 18 regional parks and nature centers offer more than 110 shelters, with capacities ranging from 20 to 400+, as well as a variety of other facilities, including two gazebos, three outdoor amphitheaters,

and several conference and meeting rooms. Our neighborhood parks also have community centers available for rental. All shelters have picnic tables, and most include grills. Amenities at indoor facilities vary, with some providing fully equipped catering kitchens.

Certain parks may also provide audiovisual equipment. The same spaces used for meetings and other functions can be “dressed up†for parties and such special occasions as weddings and receptions. Once you’ve selected a room that’s the right size for

your event, the only limit is your imagination. We’ll provide the chairs and tables (various sizes and shapes are available) – the rest is up to you. Add some basic tablecloths and a few streamers for a simple look, or go all out with elegant centerpieces,

fancy tablecloths, and other theme décor for more dramatic effects. Either way, it’s your party at the park, so express yourself. Our knowledgeable park staff may also be able to provide advice regarding caterers and other County-approved vendors. There is a weekend and holiday gate entrance fee at most regional parks. Nominal fees are also charged for reserving picnic shelters and meeting rooms based on the size of the facility. Early

reservations are recommended, especially for major holidays when the parks are open. There are also separate usage fees for some special park facilities. For fees and other information about meeting in a Broward County park, call the park of your choice, or visit

www.broward.org/parks.

A Few Good Causes

Fitness enthusiasts, take note. You can get in shape and contribute to a worthy cause at four events this month, three of them at Markham Park in Sunrise, the other at Tradewinds Park in Coconut

Creek. On Sunday, April 3, Markham will host Walk MS, a 5K walk and run to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Check-in is at 7:30 a.m., followed by the walk/run at 9 a.m. For more information, visit

www.walkfls.nationalmssociety.org.

A week later, on Sunday, April 10, also at Markham, the

Race for the Magic Bullet will invite 5K runners and walkers to raise funds on behalf of the Florida Brain Tumor Association. The event will include the race, family activities, a silent auction, and breakfast. It all starts at 7:30 a.m., and you can

find out more by visiting www.fbta.info. That same day, Tradewinds will be the site for the first

Walk With Walgreens To Cure Diabetes, with funds raised going to the

Diabetes Research Institute. Along with the walk, this event will include a Miami Dolphins Junior training camp, face painting, a balloon artist, pony rides, carnival games, music, food, and booths featuring health vendors, all starting at 8 a.m. For more

information, call the park at . Then on Saturday, April 30, Markham will host the

2011 Arthritis Walk Broward, an Arthritis Foundation fundraiser. Registration is at 8 a.m., followed by the walk at 9 a.m. For additional info, visit

www.arthritis.org. The parks’ regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) applies to all these events.

Markham is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #23, and

Tradewinds is accessible via Route #34.

An Eggcellent Idea

Treat your youngster to a free

Spring Egg Hunt, from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 23. The popular annual event is at West Lake Park in Hollywood and is for ages 4 to 11 accompanied by an adult. The egg hunt is at 10 a.m., and additional activities include arts and crafts (donations

accepted) and photos with Cottontail (bring your own camera). 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, call the park at .

West Lake is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #12.

Find Broward’s Only Island Park – At Deerfield Island

As the county’s only true island park (Snake Warrior’s Island is no longer a true island), Deerfield Island Park

in Deerfield Beach has plenty of history and considerable avian life, as two programs this month demonstrate. There are more than 250 species of birds that make South Florida either their permanent or their temporary home, and more than 200 species have been sighted in Broward County parks and natural

areas. Up to 80 species have been spotted at Deerfield Island. Many of these are migratory, however, so while the 53.3-acre park is a good site for a volunteer-led

Bird Walk, participants should expect to spot anywhere from a dozen to perhaps two dozen species, depending on the season. The next such walk is scheduled for 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, and the fee is $3 per person. The island park also boasts some of the most colorful history in the county’s park system. A link with gangster Al Capone in the early 1930s, for instance, led to the land being labeled Capone

Island – even though Capone himself never actually owned it, and the area at that time was a peninsula, not an island. This is the sort of tidbit you might pick up when the park, which opened in September 1980, hosts an

Intracoastal History Tour, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 24. The cost is $5 per person, and boat transportation to the island is provided, although you must be at the Sullivan Park dock by 9:30 a.m. to catch the shuttle. Space is limited for both programs, and so preregistration is required and can be made by calling

Quiet Waters Park at .

Deerfield Island is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #48 and #50.

When One Race Isn’t Enough

For the eighth year in a row Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek will host the

Multirace Spring Training Triathlon & Duathlon, starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, April 3. The triathlon consists of a quarter-mile lake swim, a 10-mile bike ride, and a three-mile double loop on the lake path. The duathlon includes a half-mile run, a 10-mile

bike ride, and a three-mile run. Visit

www.multirace.com to register. For more information, call , or e-mail

info@....

Tradewinds is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #34.

Wings and Things

This month Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach introduces a three-part lecture series called

Attracting Things With Wings. The first installment, which focuses on butterflies, will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. The lecture will cover the types of plants that attract butterflies and offer tips on how to incorporate these plants into

your home landscape. The cost is $3 per person. Future lectures will be held on May 8 and June 12, when the topics will be “Birds†and “Pollinators,†respectively. For more information, call the nature center at .

Secret Woods is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #6.

Look – Up in the Sky!

It’s not a bird, it’s a plane – a remote-control model aircraft. And it’s flying at Markham Park, the only county park with its own airfield. The weekend of Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April

17, the park and the Markham Park Pilots Association (MPPA) will host National Miniature Pylon Racing Association Gold Cup Series RC Pylon Racing. The 15th will be practice day, followed by two days of racing. Fees range from $60 to $70, depending on

the type of plane. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on race days, followed by racing at 10 a.m. The park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect on Saturday and Sunday. The MPPA was started in 1991 and meets every third Wednesday of the month at the park’s target range clubhouse. For more information, call or , or visit

www.mppaonline.net. For more information on

Markham Park, call . The park is accessible via

Broward County Transit Route #23.

Celebrate Earth Day

Although Earth Day falls on Friday, April 22, you can continue the observance into the next day at Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek, which is hosting an

Earth Day Workday and Lecture. From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 23, volunteers ages 12 and up will help remove invasive non-native plants from the nature center. Then at 2 p.m., all ages are invited to a free lecture, “Growing Green: Plant Your

Own Edible Eco-Yard.†For more information, call the nature center at .

Fern Forest is accessible via

Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42.

Spring Has Sprung

Celebrate the season with a free

Spring Fling Dance on Friday, April 15 at the

Sunrise Civic Center in Sunrise (10610 W. Sunrise Blvd.). The event, for individuals ages 18 and up with developmental disabilities, runs from 7 to 10 p.m. and will include deejay music, dancing, socializing, and refreshments. For more information, contact the Parks

Special Populations Section at .

Where the Ҡin City Came From

Every year City celebrates the man who was instrumental in developing the city. was a Russian-born businessman who, in the late 1950s, helped transform a few acres of orange

grove and cattle land into the community that today bears his name. This year’s

Founder’s Day, the 52nd annual one, returns to Piccolo Park on the afternoon of Saturday, April 30, after a morning of activities (including a parade) elsewhere in the city. The Piccolo part of the day starts off with a car show at 1 p.m. and ends with fireworks at 9 p.m. In between there will be baseball games featuring the

City Optimist All-Stars, an arts and crafts show, food booths, bingo, children’s activities, a BSO expo, a youth free-throw contest, and a concert featuring Hot Brass Monkey. For more information, call the

City Recreation Department at , ext. 233, or visit

www.coopercityfl.org.

Piccolo’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect. Events Calendar

Quote of the Month

“I think we’re having fun. I think our customers really like our products. And we’re always trying to do better.†- American entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955 - )

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 Wednesday, April 6. The meeting will take place at

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

Dale V.C. Holness

s

Chip LaMarca

Ilene Lieberman

Ritter

E. Rodstrom Jr.

Barbara Sharief

Lois Wexler Subscribe/Unsubscribe

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