SIDNEY —The Sidney Recreation Board redefined its mission statement and reviewed the board’s major objectives at Monday’s meeting.
After a brief discussion, the board agreed to adopt a slightly shorter mission statement. The parks and recreation department’s new mission is to improve community services and facilities with regard to safety, education, recreation, and public health.
The board also discussed the department’s current eight major objectives, which are:
• Utilizing the Miami River corridor;
• Developing a walkway/bikeway system linking parks and neighborhoods;
• Establishing guidelines for future park planning;
• Determining recreation facility needs;
• Promoting passive open space development (for walking, hiking or bird watching type of activities);
• Expanding recreational programming;
• Inventory/analyzing existing parks
• Updating park development standards.
The board’s unanimous consensus was these objectives were still valid and “right on.”
In other business, Parks/Recreation Director Duane Gaier presented information on an upcoming trail summit that is free to the public at the Dayton Convention Center on May 7, from noon to 5 p.m.
Guaier said the International Trails Symposium is a big event that is held in various parts of the county biannually.
He encouraged people to take advantage of the opportunity of it being held in Dayton this year. Dayton was chosen because this region is part of the over 300 miles of the nation’s largest paved tail network.
Sidney City Council Member Ed Hamaker asked if anyone had questions on the state Route 47 Improvement Project, and explained a little about it. He told the board it is currently in the design phase and things can change after the questionnaires and comments from the April 16 public meeting are considered. Board member Mary Jannides said a lot people don’t understand understand the project. Hamaker said change can be an issue for people. He said most of the funding is coming from the state and that safety is the reason for the project.
The board also briefly discussed the recreation board’s web page and the 2017 Photo Contest held in September. The deadline to turn in pictures for the contest is Sept. 8.
Board Chair Todd Ratemann asked how the city’s amateur baseball leagues advertises sign-up deadlines, or if anything may have been posted at the ballparks. Gaier said there is a city ordinance against posting in the parks. He said it is the department’s responsibility to promote recreation, however, and they would be glad to post information on their web page in the future.
Gaier congratulated Jannides in her capacity as Sidney High School’s head swim coach for recently being named the All-Greater Western Ohio Conference North Division Girls Coach of the Year. He also said brochures on the Sidney Waterpark and summer recreation programs will be coming out soon.
