Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk-Line: Duane Long, Executive Director of the Dixon Park District

Transcript

Talk-Line: Duane Long, Executive Director of the Dixon Park District · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: We are quarter past the hour. This is Tuesday, It's
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: February fourth, the year is twenty twenty five, and it's
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: time for another informational edition of talk Line here at
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: AM fourteen sixteen and FM ninety five one wyx in.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Good morning. I'm Steve Marco. It is time to talk
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: to our good friends from the Dixon Park District. Our
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: monthly update, this one for February of twenty twenty five,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: comes your way next and features the executive director of
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: the Dixon Park District who joins us every month to
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: give us the lowdown of what's happening within our park
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: district system. Our good friend Dwayne Long, is live with
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: us by telephone this morning here at w y XEN.
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: Dwayne, good morning, Good morning Steve. Thanks for having the
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: park district well off.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: We go into another month of park district news and
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: information Dwayne, and we're going to start right away with
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: our park status update. As we do monthly with Dwayne.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: He gives us the low down on the status of
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: parks in our system. Duwayne, any infrastructure activity, any anything
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: that we need to know about our parks as we
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: move forward into February.
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: Yes, Steve, the lower Park lower part of section at
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: Low Park is closed. We're supposed to get a little
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: snow tomorrow, they're saying, but the roads have been a
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: little icy out there due to the dew and everything.
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: So we got the lower section closed, but you're welcome
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: the walk. All other parks are open. The ice rink
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: we talked about off the air did close, probably won't
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: be open the rest of the year, but we got
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: about eleven days out of it. Probably over three hundred
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: people got to skate, so it went really well when
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: it was nice and cold. But it's a pond right now, Steve,
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: and I don't know if we're going to get it
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: back open. Yeah. The other thing I just want to
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: start sharing, and we'll be talking about this later on see,
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: is the Page Park construction is starting in April, so
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: that big project's going to be starting, so look out
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: for that. We'll have a couple more interviews before then.
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: But I just want to get the word out early
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: that things will be starting to work down there in April.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: So that's our park status, Steve.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: This is the Project Rock, Dwayne.
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: That is correct, all right?
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: All right? So here we go into Project Rock we
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: go and Page Park is going to be one of
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: the focal points, and as Dwayne mentioned in April is
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: the target date that we should hopefully get construction started
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: on that area of Page Park. And as Dwayne mentioned too,
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: we'll get a couple more opportunities. He'll give us updates
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: as we move through the year here at AM fourteen
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: sixty and FM ninety five one. But that's an exciting
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: event that we're going to feature with Dwayne and upcoming
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: programs here at AM fourteen sixty at FM ninety five one. Yeah,
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: moild winter again. The ice rink has been shut down
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: at Page Park as well, but as Dwayne mentioned, got
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: some opportunities, not sure whether we'll be able to get
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: those doing. You need that perfect type of weather, right,
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: I mean you talked about it off there again. To
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: need a couple of you know, cold weather days before
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: any possibility of giving that another go, right, Yes.
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: Steve, you need three good cold days. But then after
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: that to skate, you can't be ten ten degrees either.
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: Nobody comes out and skate, so it has to be
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: cold to get that ice down. Then it has to
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: get up to bike twenty twenty five. So people are
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: going to be tolerable and go out and skate with
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: the sun out. So it's a tricky thing. We did
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: get eleven days as compared to three last year, and
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: our staff does a lot of work to do that
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: for eleven days, but we think it's worth it to
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: we have good attendance. Just the smiles on the faces
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: of adults and youth are a joy to see.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: Duay, let's move forward and talk about Evans activities programs
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: through the Dixon Park District. Anything to share as we
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: move into this month of February.
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: We sure do, Steve, So the rec Department is this
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: time of year. They disappeared into the conference room for
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: a month, so they go into planning time. So they did.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: Let me release a couple of things today that we'll
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: talk about. But the things that are going on now,
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: we have kids table February thirteenth, that's three to five.
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: The golf room simulator is still open, doing very well
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: down there. That's averaging about thirty to forty rented hours
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: a week, twenty five dollars an hour for a golf simulator.
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: Take as many people in there as you want. You
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: rent the place privately for that hour. A little spark
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: every Monday ten to twelve at the facility, and we're
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: bringing back our four on four adult volleyball league March
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: March twelve. Just a couple of reminders too, excuse me,
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: birthday parties at the facility and we're getting into a
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: lot more of this, Steve, so I thought I mentioned
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: this is memorials for people. We do trees, benches, gazebos,
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: we do anything. We're getting a lot of phone calls
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: for that in the last couple of years, so I
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: thought I just mentioned it. Absolutely if you want to
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: give back to the park district memorial we're here.
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: With Dwayne Long is our guest today. He is the
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: executive director of the Dixon Park District. He joins us
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: for our Tuesday morning, February fourth talk line here at
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: AM fourteen sixty and FM ninety five to one wix AM.
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: Sticking with the park District and sticking with those areas
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: you just mentioned, the facility, the golf area, Duayne. We
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: had the story on yesterday about the annexation of the
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: area in northeast Dixon into the actual city of Dixon.
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: A lot of folks may not realize, but the area
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: that we're talking about here this does include the facility
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: I understand was not really a part of the city
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: of Dixon.
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: Tell us about this, Well, that is correct, Steve, and
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: it was misinformed by almost everybody that all that was
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: considered in Dixon city limits. So I've got a list
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: of places that will below everybody's mind that wasn't in
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: the city limits. So we'll start out with our water,
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: Wonderland Golf Training Center, our facility, the soccer fields, junior
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: tackle football, pickle ball, dog park, and the five hundred
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: acres behind all that. That's what got annexed into the
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: city and that's in the process. So the board voted
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: last month to keep the process going with the city
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: to annex all those places in. Just keep in mind
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: there's no tax changes at any of those facilities. None
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: of those part district facilities are taxed on the property,
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: including the medals, so everything nothing will change on the
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: tax part, but the services provided to those Water Wonderland,
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: Golf Training Center, facilities, water and sewer already provided those places,
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: so it should have been adding there several years ago
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: on those locations. So as far as the five hundred
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: acres of the medals, we think it'll be easier to
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: get grants with the city for our main bike trail
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: that runs right to the metals. We've got several other
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: trails out there that grants through the city would help us.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: So we see it as a win win for the
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: park district, great relationship with the city. I think it's
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: a win win. The board decided last month to go
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: with this, and there's no tax changes, it's just changing municipalities,
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: if you will, all.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: Right, So really kind of a formality right to Dwayne.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: You know, on top of everything, you know, as you mentioned,
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: nothing is going to change as far as facility use
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: is concerned and as far as you know costs our concerned.
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: This is all going to stay steady with what was
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: what was before.
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: Correct, That is correct. If nothing's going to change, the
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: public won't notice anything different, no tax changes. Our facilities
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: will continue to use sewer and water that's using it.
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: The fire response will be the same, the police will
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: be the same. So nothing's going to change, Steve, And
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: you know, we sat at the board table and tried
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: to think of you know, Devil's as we try to
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: figure out what what what could we be doing wrong
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: by doing this as a part district. We can just
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: come up with nothing but positive and so the board
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: decided to proceed with this procedure. And you know, it's
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: exciting to do this and become part of the city.
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: A lot of people thought we were part of the city.
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: We have neighbors right across the street that are in
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: the city, and then we're out of the city. So yeah,
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: I guess Steve, it's kind of a clean up thing
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: that probably should have been done several years ago in
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: this You did say that to it at one of
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: their meetings. They came and presented to the.
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: Board, and obviously, Duane, you know, there are other sections
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: of the park district that are within the city and
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: annexed into the city. There are those other parks that
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: we're talking about. This is just that quadrant that you
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: mentioned that again was left out of being annexed into
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: the City of Dixon. So that is going to take now,
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: it's going to take some action. I know that the
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: park Board has proceeded, but do we have to go
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: to the city council then, Dwayne, how is this gonna you.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: Know, yes, it'll be about a two month processing Steven,
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: And just to back up a little bit, this is
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: all property that was donated to the part district from
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: the state in the seventies, right, So a lot of
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: people think when you go down in the metals on
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: the trails, that's the metals, but actuality of water, wonderland,
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: golf training center, facility, soccer fields, junior tackle fields over
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: that goes all the way over to Britain. That's part
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: of that metals property that was donated to us in
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: the seventies. So that's all considered metals property. We're annexing
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: all that metal's property.
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: All right, So there is the territory that's being annexed
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: officially into the city of Dixon. And as Dwayne mentioned,
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: the for reality should be taken care of within the
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: next couple of months. Obviously, we'll keep you posted right
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: here on AM fourteen sixteen FM ninety five one. Now, Dwayne,
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: you wanted to kind of close the program with an
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: opportunity that you have within the Dixon Park District now
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: at a certain.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: Location, dud and I appreciate that. Steve. We have a
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: great opportunity. We are looking for a director for the
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: nature Center, so that person would run nature programs, manage
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: the nature center event coordinator. We're looking for somebody to
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: organize creative and good communication skills. It's a part time job,
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: nine hundred and ninety nine hours a year. But right now, Steve,
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: all programs are closed until March first. We're going to
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: do a little remodeling at the Nature Center, take advantage
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: of this time, and then we're going to look for
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: a good director, and then that director will hire an
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: employee underneath that person to help them out. So just
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: going through a couple of changes there, but it's a
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: good time of year to do it. Everybody's kind of
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: hunker down a little bit. So we're going to remodel
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: the inside of the Nature Center and get that ready
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: for March first grand opening.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: All right, now, how is the procedure then, Dwayne. If
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: a person is listening right now saying, hey, I might
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: be the right fit for the director of the Edwards
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: Nature Center, what's the procedure here?
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: Well, first of all, I hope that's very true that
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: people realize that they could get involved in the part district,
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: the part that they people don't think about as a
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: park a district as the nature part. So you'd want
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: to go on indeed or on indeed and go apply
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: for the Partnerstrict Nature Center Job. So it's really easy
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: to navigate that website. I'm on it almost every day
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: here looking at the new people coming in. So you
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: want to go to Indeed. If you have any problems,
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: you can call the partners will guide you how to
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: get an application in all right.
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: Any link within the website Dwayne Dixon Park District dot
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: cown can you link on there or do you have
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: to go to that there is not Okay, I'd.
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: Rather have a phone call and we'll talk to you personally.
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: Very good, all right, So go to Indeed, go to
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: that Indeed area and go to the Dixon Park District
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: Job Opportunity on Indeed and that's where you'll find the criteria,
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: and that's where you'll find the application, and that's where
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: you fill it out and send it into the Dixon
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: Park District and they'll take it from there. I'm sure
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: contexts will be made and hopefully within the next couple
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: of weeks to months, Dwayne will have a new director
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: out at the Edwards Nature Center.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: Then wonderful yep for.
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: Us to tell everybody all about Dwayne Long with the
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: Dixon Park District. We thank you so very much for
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: our update in February. Again, the park district website, it's
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: Dixon Parkdistrict dot com. That's an easy website to remember. Again,
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: go there for park district information. What's your phone number
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: at the facility, Dwayne, two eight four six, and you
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: can call that number and get news and information, sign
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: up information, maybe employment information. If you need help, as
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: you Dwayne mentioned, call the park district office. They'll be
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: able to steer you through that if you're interested in
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: applying for that position within the Dixon Park District. Two
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: eight four three three zero six is the park district
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: exchange in and don't forget the facility open out there,
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: so visit that facility. You get more information by visiting
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: the facility in Northeast Dixon. That's where the park District
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: offices are located. D way Long, we thank you so
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: very much for the February report. Lots of good things
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: coming our way and we'll continue to report monthly right
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: here on wyxent. Thanks for joining us today.
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: Thanks for having us. Steve looking forward to March.
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: Dway Long is the executive director of the Dixon Park District.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: Dog guest today on the Tuesday Morning talk Line here
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: at Wyxen. It's eight thirty time for News First with
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: Tim Lee.