New Columbus-Lowndes Parks Authority Director Greg Lewis’ said he remained in a “state of discovery” following his first three months at the helm.
Lewis took the CLRA reins in January, following 24 years as the authority’s programs director. Though the Columbus native said he is familiar with area citizens and the recreation authority’s operations, taking on the CLRA’s top spots has been nothing short of educational.
“I’m still trying to find out how everything meshes,” Lewis said. “We’re putting a lot of emphasis on being efficient and making sure we maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars. The biggest difference now is that I’m responsible for everything here, whereas before, I was only responsible for parts of it. I take that seriously.”
Notably, many of CLRA’s developments for 2015 are coming to Sim Scott Park in north Columbus. There, the city has already provided $20,000 from the sale of the I.C. Cousins Center last year for a health initiative that will bring three treadmills and three stationary bicycles to the Sim Scott Community Center.
But a March 20 shooting at the park that left four injured has made a marked difference at the park, Lewis said, swelling community concern and volunteerism.
Columbus police have reopened a police substation at the park and plan to commit four officers to regularly patrol neighborhoods around the park on foot, which Lewis said would provide more security at the park. Also, he said a local Boy Scout troop has contacted CLRA of its desire to update the Sim Scott playground, and a group called Sports Moms has begun offering refreshment and enrichment to kids playing at the park on Mondays.
As tragic as Lewis said the shooting was, Lewis hopes to stretch its silver lining across all of CLRA’s neighborhood park facilities.
“I know it was a terrible incident, but it brought about some positive things,” he said. “Parents are coming out to the park with their children, and I’ve got people coming out to volunteer. Since the incident, it’s starting to look like a community park. If we can get other groups to volunteer at other parks, that would be beneficial.”
‘Adopt-a-park’ program in the works
The job of replicating the renewed positive spirit at Sim Scott Park and spreading it to the others falls to Chaunda Williams, who became neighborhood parks coordinator in January. She began working part-time as Sim Scott Park supervisor in 2008 and now oversees operations at the authority’s eight parks and two gymnasiums.
She wants to start an “adopt-a-park” program, where volunteers would suggest programs and projects that would make each park safer and more viable. Williams admitted some parks, like Sim Scott, were plagued with safety issues, but volunteer input coupled with what CLRA’s established plans and programs could reverse that stigma.
“We want to have an open floor for suggestions to where we can make all of our parks safe,” Williams said. “Everybody can play a part in getting people to come to the parks, not damage our parks, and have fun.”
Already, Williams said CLRA had partnered with local police, fire and emergency management departments to plan awareness programs at the park. She said she had already begun coordinating this year’s CLRA summer program for ages 4-12, where participants will enjoy arts and crafts, field trips, educational programs and workshops. Cost for the nine-week camp is $65.
While CLRA is gearing up for another baseball and softball season — for which Lewis said 650 youth have registered — it’s also planning to undertake two new sports programs: summer basketball and kickball leagues for youth. Lewis said kickball would be a pilot program that he hopes to expand to include an adult league this fall.
Lewis said he is also working with local public school administration on collaborative sporting events, but no plans have yet been finalized.
CLRA has also spent $6,000, split evenly among the city of Columbus, Lowndes County and the recreation authority, to begin clearing undergrowth at several acres west of the soccer complex. Lewis said CLRA plans to build more fields on that land once it is cleared and the authority has the funds to proceed.
This year, the recreation authority also plans to complete new community centers at Caledonia and Steens, both of which Lewis said would cost about $290,000. While the Caledonia center is about 70 percent complete, Lewis said wet weather had kept workers from getting started at Steens.
As Lewis took the director’s job in the middle of a budget year — with the CLRA budget cycle running from October through September — he said he had taken great pains to save money where he could and redirect funds where they were most needed.
To that end, he said he had brought field maintenance in-house, instead of contracting it out, and the authority had also saved money on supplies. He said that had already helped bolster funds for equipment and neighborhood parks.
“It’s amazing when I wasn’t in this position, I didn’t mind spending money,” Lewis said. “Now, I’m telling everybody, ‘Hey we’ve got to cut back.'”
Recently, Lewis also hired his old boss — former CLRA director Roger Short — to return to the organization part-time. He said Short would assist with managing contracts, managing the CLRA webpage, scheduling events and assigning referees.
“With (Short’s) 12 years of experience as director, he will be able to help me better make a smooth transition,” Lewis said.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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