Orcas Park and Recreation District: Getting to Fun

Orcas Park and Recreation District is ready for winter — sign up to join the fun!

By Margie Doyle

Parks and Recreation – sounds like fun and should be easy as doing what comes naturally, right?

“Yes” to fun and “not so fast” to natural. Orcas Island Park and Recreation District (OIPRD) Director Marcia West said recently that now that the district has dealt with “a whole bunch of basics, we can get down to business.”

The OIPRD, founded in 2010 and funded through a bond issue passed in 2011, has been hard at work this year on two tracks: the Buck Park transferal from the school district; and recreation programs.

First, Park and Rec had to be up and running, says Hansen, with administration details like accounting, minutes and bookkeeping established so that the district could legally sign off on being a real district.

Now that that has been done, “we are making headway on Buck Park.

“That little five feet has been causing some heartburn,” says West, referring to the piece of property that comprises the Mt. Baker Road extension. The Mt. Baker road conveyance of right of way has been in limbo since April. The transference involves three different entities, said West, the school district, the park and rec district and the state Outdoor Recreation Commission, because state funds were used to develop Buck Park.

Now, all that remains is for OISD and OIPRD to send letters to State Outdoor Recreation Commission to go forward, carrying the encumbrance. West remains optimistic about the process, saying part of government is just addressing all the obstacles as they come up. “The Orcas School District has been very good to work with, with no holdup on improvements.”

The OIPRD also has a “special relationship” with the Funhouse Commons. West notes that they are two separate entities: “We are definitely different organizations,” she says. OIPRD has helped provide supervision for Teen Night and After School programs. Supplies and overhead are assumed by the Funhouse Commons.

Teen Night has benefited from new programs introduced by Merrick Parnell, says West, such as Magic Games, a strategy card game. Now Friday night includes an Open Gym at the Orcas School’s old gym after Teen Night at the Funhouse Commons.

The recent re-assessments of Orcas properties has created a complication for the OIPRD budget. Its funding was based on nine cents per $1,000 of assessments. As the values have dropped by an average of 30 percent, so the budget for OIPRD has dropped by 30 percent, says West. “So next year, we are taking a hit but we can figure it out.” She says the Park Improvement Projects will take a back burner to getting the programs for kids and adults going.

The San Juan County staff have been very helpful, West says. She gives a shout out to Kim Cox in the audtior’s office, who “has been wonderful at getting us up and running.

“And the [OIPRD] Commissioners have worked so hard and put so many hours into making this a reality.”

Snowboarding on Sundays at Mt. Baker is a part of the Orcas Park and Rec winter program. Call 376-7275 to sign up

Now the fun part is about to start: Last week OIPRD sent out a calendar of Winter/Early Spring Activities, starting as early as Jan. 7. The OIPRD is looking for coaches and volunteers to help make these programs work. They ask for people who want to “make this happen” to connect with OIPRD at:
• The OIPRD office at 30 Pea Patch Lane in Eastsound )the north side of the Funhouse Commns)
• At www.oiprd.org
• Calling 360-376-7275

Park and Rec takes care of program administration and registration of the recreation programs. “That’s what the tax money goes to so that every little group doesn’t have to form a non-profit to organize.” West points to the Boys Choir, now a group of seven boys that meet Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., as one of the groups that can form under the Park and Rec umbrella. Some of the programs are run with the Funhouse Commons.

And what a menu to choose from!

Starting Jan. 7:

• Boys Choir
• Math club (5th grade)

Starting Jan. 9:

• Math club (6th grade)
• Adult volleyball

Starting Jan. 11-12:

• Open gym

Starting Jan. 14:

• Indoor soccer, ages 6-14

Starting Jan. 15:

• Ducks basketball, ages 7-10
• Youth basketball, ages 11-14

Starting Jan. 16:

• Indoor tennis, ages 6-15

Starting Jan. 17

• Futsal (lightweight) soccer, ages 16-adult

Starting Jan. 20:

• Continuous Open Gym for families on Sundays

Starting Jan. 22:

• Pickup basketball, ages 16 – adult

The activities are scheduled for the Orcas School gyms and the Orcas Christian School gym.

West encourages all Orcas Islanders, “Join the Chess Club or play a drop-in game of cards. Our chess club is combining the wizard skills of seniors with the energy and enthusiasm of young players.

“Park & Rec is teaming with the Funhouse Commons to offer two exciting opportunities – for 4th – 8th graders we are sponsoring Destination Imagination a chance to explore your video, music, and acting skills while taking on a challenge project. Your team could go all the way the Globals in Tennessee.”

Also new in the coming year are lunch games for adults – billiards, table tennis, shuffleboard, video games for a $2 charge benefiting the Funhouse Commons.

And Special events are also on the Horizon:

• Kiwanis Airplane Contest on March 2
•  Frisbee Fun on March 10 and April 14
• Skatepark Spring Spring Fix Up on March 23
• Bicycle Tune up ad Warm up on April 2

Marcia (pronounce Mar-cee-a) West has been “astounded” at how many people are working to provide activities for the public good.” She is hopeful that people will come forward to volunteer for planned programs and to sponsor new programs.

So go to www.oiprd.org and sign up on the big green button!