MAY 2011
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation offers a wide range of great activities and events for all ages during the month of May!

Park and Recreation greatly appreciates the services provided by all of its volunteers over the past year. The following video highlights the many ways you are able to help out. To find out more about volunteering, contact Lori Saylor.


 		  
This is the second consecutive year Mecklenburg County Park and Rec has been named a finalist for the NRPA Gold Medal Award.  
PARK AND REC NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE NRPA GOLD MEDAL AWARD FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department has been named one of four finalist agencies in competition for a 2011 NRPA Gold Medal Award. The award is presented annually by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to honor excellence in management and planning of parks and recreation agencies. This is the second year in a row the department has been named a finalist for the award. Recreation professionals consider the Gold Medal Award as the top national recognition of excellence in their profession. A panel of leading experts chose the Mecklenburg department as a finalist for the Gold Medal in the category for communities with a population of more than 250,000. The choice was based on extensive written submissions about the department, both statistical and narrative, in response to a series of specific questions posed by NRPA. This award honors the top communities in the United States which demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. NRPA says, "Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials." A single winner in the large population category will be announced in late October.

REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER YOUTH BASKETBALL

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation invites coaches with teams interested in playing basketball, ages 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 or 15-16, to register now through May 13 for the upcoming summer Hot Hoops season. Space is limited, so register early! Birth certificate required for proof of age determined as of June 1, 2011. Games will be played weeknights and Saturdays at Ivory Baker, Arbor Glen, Naomi Drenan and Tuckaseegee recreation centers. League play is June 11-August 13. To register, visit E-Parks or go to your nearest recreation center and staff can assist you. The fee is $400 per team. Teams must provide their own uniforms and secure their own practice sites. All coaches will be trained and certified through the National Youth Sports Coaches Association and undergo a background check by Park and Recreation. For more information on youth sports, call Revolution Park Sports Academy 704.432.4963 or youthsports@mecklenburgcountync.gov.

   
  Toby Creek Greenway connects the 7.1 mile-long Mallard/Clark's Creek Greenway to and through the campus of UNC Charlotte.
CELEBRATION TO MARK GRAND OPENING OF RUTH G SHAW TRAIL ON TOBY CREEK GREENWAY

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, along with Catawba Lands Conservancy, the Carolina Thread Trail and the University of North Carolina Charlotte celebrated the grand opening of the Ruth G. Shaw Trail on Toby Creek Greenway on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Toby Creek Greenway is located in the University City area and connects the 7.1 mile-long Mallard / Clark’s Creek Greenway to and through the campus of UNC Charlotte. The new trail is named in honor of Dr. Ruth G. Shaw, a longtime civic and business leader who is the founding chair of the governing board of the Carolina Thread Trail, an interconnected trail system in piedmont North and South Carolina. Under Dr. Shaw’s leadership, nine of the Thread’s 15 counties have adopted countywide master plans for a total of 1,000 planned trail miles. About 67 miles of trail have opened, and $1,568,002 has been awarded in catalytic grants from the Thread to community partners who are advancing the project throughout the region. The ceremony featured brief remarks from Dr. Shaw as well as other distinguished guests. Toby Creek Greenway was funded by a $1.25 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The greenway stretches two miles and links many neighborhoods in the university area to the UNC Charlotte campus, allowing many students, faculty, and staff to walk or ride bikes to the university. Neighborhoods which adjoin this greenway system include Fairlea, Wellington, Winchester, Mallard Ridge, Radbourne, Colvard Park, Mallard Trace, Brookstone, and the University Research Park. Guests are able to park in the Student Union Parking Deck at the intersection of Cameron Boulevard and Craver Road. To get to the event, walk across Cameron Boulevard to the brick walkway and follow the walkway to where it intersects with the greenway.

   
Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course is one of seven golf facilities owned by Mecklenburg County.  
REVOLUTION PARK GOLF COURSE TO BE RENAMED THE CHARLES L SIFFORD GOLF COURSE

Revolution Park Golf Course, 1225 Remount Road, held a special ceremony to rename the golf course the Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course at Revolution Park on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. The renaming ceremony was preceded by a shotgun start golf tournament. The ceremony included an invocation by the Rev. George Cook Jr. of Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, followed by a brief recognition and reflection period, remarks by golf colleagues and Dr. Sifford, as well as an unveiling of the new sign. Dr. Sifford was born in Charlotte in 1922 and later became a successful PGA Tour professional. He is recognized as the first African-American to receive his official tour player’s card and compete in PGA events. During his career, Dr. Sifford won the 1967 Greater Hartford Open Invitational, 1969 Los Angeles Open, and the 1975 PGA Seniors' Championship. In 2004, Dr. Sifford became the first African-American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course is one of seven public golf facilities owned by Mecklenburg County. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved to the Revolution Park Sports Academy.

CALLING ALL TOTS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE 11TH ANNUAL TOT'S OLYMPICS

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department sponsors the 11th Annual Tot’s Olympics on Friday, May 13, 2011, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Irwin Belk Track and Football Complex on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. This event is for boys and girls, ages 3 - 5 years old. Children will be able to participate in the following events: Ball Throw, Ball Kick, Long Jump, Hurdles Jump, and the 50 Meter run. Each child will receive an award and lunch will be provided for all participants. To register, visit E-Parks or call Revolution Park Sports Academy at 704.432-4963. Registration will be accepted through May 10. Cost is $2 per child.

iNAUGURAL HATS OFF TO PARKS LUNCHEON TO RAISE MONEY FOR PARK PROJECTS

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department invites the public to the inaugural Hats Off to Parks Luncheon, kicking off a series of ‘park parties’ aimed at raising funds for various park projects in the Charlotte area. The luncheon, which includes a silent auction, is scheduled for Thursday, May 5, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Freedom Park. Tickets are $50 a plate. Funds raised during this first campaign will go toward building a playground in the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Park in west Charlotte. This is a great opportunity to support your community, network with some of Charlotte’s finest and have a wonderful experience in one of Charlotte’s beautiful parks. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Your donation to the Partners for Parks Foundation, a 501 (C) 3 organization, will be held in an account dedicated to the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Park. To request a ticket or receive sponsorship information please contact Lori Saylor  at 704-353-0504.

   
  Outdoor pools and Spraygrounds are opened from Memorial Day through  Labor Day.
OUTDOOR POOLS AND SPRAYGROUNDS OPEN IN TIME FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department’s outdoor swimming pools and spraygrounds open for the summer season just in time for Memorial Day Weekend! Pool admission is $1 and spraygrounds are FREE. 
Spraygrounds open Friday, May 27 and remain through Labor Day. Pools open Saturday, May 28 and will be open every weekend through Labor Day. Pools will be open on weekdays, after school closes. Park and Recreation’s outdoor pools are:

Regular operating hours for swimming will be Saturdays 11-5 p.m., Sundays 1-5 p.m., Monday–Friday (including Memorial Day Monday) 12 noon-6 p.m.

PARK AND REC INVITES PUBLIC TO PERFORMANCE OF 'GREASE'

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department invites the public to a performance of “Grease” at Hickory Grove Recreation Center, 6709 Pence Road on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 1 p.m. The show is FREE to the public. This presentation is part of the “All About the Arts” program of Park and Recreation’s Therapeutic Recreation Section. The program provides opportunities to experience all forms of arts from theater to photography. The program includes 14 weeks of voice projection, set design, expression, and choreography by teens and young adults with disabilities. People who see the play will leave with feeling of being at Rydell High School.

E-PLANT TIPS FOR MAY FROM THE NC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM

Vegetable garden pests to be on the lookout for this spring and summer that can cause you trouble if not found early:

  • Aphids (a.k.a. “Plant Lice”) are often found on tomatoes and squash. When spotted simply hose them off the plant with water. Be careful not to damage the plant with too strong of a water jet. Typical colors are green, grey or cottony white appearance.
  • Spider Mites are attracted to stressed plants. Leaf bronzing is the symptom / damage on a plant. More often mites are seen developing quickly during real dry periods.
  • Squash Vine Borer can be a devastating pest in a garden. Vine death comes from the larva stage of the moth tunneling through the stem of squash type plants. Spotted early one can simply bury other parts of the vine to encourage rooting continued growth.