Here’s a quick look at what the Great Bend Recreation Commission did on Monday:
• Held the 2018-2019 budget hearing and approved the budget.
• Discussed the 2018-2019 Strategic Plan goals to improve lighting in the balcony area in the City Auditorium and to provide a dimming lighting feature for the exercise area at the Activity Center.
• The GBRC new website of www.greatbendrec.com is scheduled to launch this week.
• The Disc Golf Project Proposal was approved.
The Great Bend Recreation Commission’s board of directors approved its 2018-2019 budget on Monday.
The budget designates the general fund maximum expenditure of $3.19 million and the employee benefit/insurance fund for $431,407 for a total of $3.62 million.
“In accordance with Kansas statute, the recreation commission prepared the annual budget for the operation of the recreation system,” GBRC Executive Director Diann Henderson said. “After the budget hearing, the budget was adopted by the recreation commission.”
Disc golf upgrade
In other business, the Disc Golf Project proposal was approved by the board. Dynamics Discs from Emporia has submitted a proposal to provide a disc golf course redesign, new baskets, sleeves, map kiosk and options for additional course developments products.
Party in the Park
The GBRC will host the Oozefest Mud Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 11 at Veterans Memorial Park as one of the events during Party in the Park.
Team registrations are now being accepted. The team fee is $75, which includes a T-shirt for each participant if teams sign up prior to July 27.
The Mega Kite Festival will be held simultaneously on the north side of Veterans Lake.
GBRC program reports
Program directors reported on June activities.
Megan Hammeke said bowling remains very fun for the special populations. They had 148 people participate in the month of June (with individuals counted each time they participated). She also noted that the Fit for Life Exercise Class met 12 times and had 270 participants. The Gentle Yoga Class met eight times and had 82 participants in the 3 p.m. class and 76 participants in the 6:30 p.m. class.
Garet Fitzpatrick reported on leisure activities noting that this year’s children’s theater production “The Day Aliens Attacked Fairfield” is off and running. Practices are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Activity Center with the production scheduled for Friday, July 13, at the Great Bend High School Auditorium. Paul Martin is the director of this year’s production.
Chris Umphres reported on sports, noting that the Adult Softball League continued the three game a night scheduling format for this season. This year the softball committee members decided to stay out at the Vets Complex during the summer session. The teams will play a 14-game regular season and no post-season tournament. The winner of the league will receive championship awards. The season will come to an end by the end of July. This will give all of the teams a chance to compete in the coed softball leagues starting the week of August 1.
Attendance Report
In the month of June there were 5,484 people enrolled in programs sponsored by the Recreation Commission. The total participation for the month was 41,452; of that total 22,810 were spectators. The Commission offered a total of 1,703.50 hours of supervised activities.
