The Recreation and Human Services Department is responsible for providing a broad array of recreation, social and community services to a diverse community of individuals, families, and organizations. The Department is advised by four Commissions appointed by the City Council: Recreation and Parks, Senior Citizens, Youth, and Human Services. The Department has two program divisions: the Recreation Division and the Human Services Division.

Department Administration
Administration is responsible for the efficient management of daily operations, including personnel and programming and addressing the immediate and long range recreational and human services needs of the community.

Department Commissions
Department Commissions include: Senior Citizens, Human Services, Recreation and Parks and Youth Commissions. All are comprised of one appointee by each Councilmember and the Mayor; additionally, the Youth Commission has five members appointed at large by the appointed members. All Commissioners serve in an advisory capacity to the department.

The Recreation Division is responsible for the creation, development, implementation and administration of recreational, social and community service programs and activities. These are categorized into distinct service areas: adult sports, aquatics, children's day care, City-wide special events, contract classes, developmentally disabled programs, facility reservations, Nakaoka Community Center programming, park and after school programs, youth sports, individual and group counseling services, and at-risk programs.

Aquatics
The Primm Memorial Pool is open seven days a week during summer months
between late June and Labor Day Weekend. Recreational and instructional
swimming are available for youth, adults, senior citizens, and the handicapped.
The department also sponsors a competitive recreation swim team.

Recreation Activities
Recreation activities include youth and adult sports, special events, instructional
classes, developmentally disabled programming, golf tournaments, excursions,
the Saturday program, extended day care and after school programs. These
programs are designed to be relatively self-supporting through participant fees.

Leisure Services
Leisure services includes operations support in the programming of recreational
facilities, including after-school care, seasonal programs, and general
recreational activities.

The Human Services Division includes the Youth and Family Services Bureau, Family Child Care, and the Senior Citizens Bureau - (See Special Funds Section).

BUILDING/FACILITY MAINTENANCE
Building Maintenance includes responsibility for maintaining electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning systems in public facilities; set up and clean up of major events hosted by the City, and custodial services for all public buildings.

The Handyman Fix-up and Residential Rebate Programs, which are grant funded, are also managed by the Building/Facility Maintenance Division.

PUBLIC SERVICE GOAL: To provide high quality, low cost recreation, leisure, and human services programs that meet the changing needs and interest of a diverse and growing community.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FISCAL YEAR 2005-2006

Department Administration
Secured contracts for the annual fireworks show, carnivals, and grant contracts for
the senor bureau, senior day care center, family childcare, and yourth and family
services.
Secured funding for the bathroom rehabilitation project at Fukai Park.
Provided oversight, follow-up, and assistance to commission members.
Continued to prepare, assess, and review, a rolling Departmental Five Year Strategic
Plan to address the changing needs of the community.
Continued to maintain the "Recreation Report, " a regular publication in the local
newspaper with department programs, special events and class information
and distribute flyers through the local schools several times a year.
Developed biannual editions of the "Gardena Directory," a City of Gardena information
brochure including issues, programs, services, community events, and recreation
classes for distribution to all residents, businesses and local schools.
Continued to create public and private partnerships strengthening our financial and
volunteer base to support the services and programs offered.
Coordinated and implemented the City's Fourth Annual Jazz Festival through
partnership with City Council and the community.
Updated orientation manual and revised department employee manual.
Secured a grant of $85,000 from Supervisor Burke to resurface all tennis courts.
Installed new playground equipment at Bell, Freeman, Rowley, and Thornburg Parks
with Proposition 12 funding. Continued to maintain accountability for revenues
and expenses, and monitor employee leave balances, accruals, and hours.
Monitored all revenue and trust accounts, collected and deposited daily monies
received and tracked revenue.
Hired qualified full and part time employees to work in regular, seasonal, and year
round programs.
Provided oversight for the prevention of workers compensation and personal injury
cases and attended training and workshops provided to assist in these areas of
responsibility.

Aquatics
Over 26,500 swimmers came to the pool in Fiscal Year 2005-2006 with nearly
5,740 participants enjoying the pool in general public open sessions.
The Primm Pool Identification Card program continues to be a success with 313
new ID cards, 237 replacement cards, and 47 visitor passes issued this season.
Instructional swim classes were filled to capacity and provided training to 78
Parent and Me partners (ages 2-7), 512 youth (7-17), and 156 adults (18 and over).
Family Fun Swim Nights, which were started as a deterrent to potential teen gang
problems, continued to be a real "family affair" drawing large attendance from
community families.

Recreation Activities

Youth Sports
The Tiny Hot Shot Program trained over 550 children aged 5-8 in sports
fundamentals.
The Annual Spring Basketball Tournament, sponsored by the Youth Sports
Advisory Board, attracted over 26 teams from all over Southern California.
Over 1,600 youth participated in organized sports training and competitions.
Youth golf program continued to offer classes three days a week in beginning and
intermediate classes and tour play for advanced participants.
Through the assistance of community volunteer coaches, the City sponsored youth
programs in baseball/softball, basketball, flag football, soccer, and track/field at the
park facilities and two gymnasiums.
This past year, 311 coaches and assistant coaches volunteered over 20,000 hours.
Registered over 500 children in the ever-popular Tiny Hot Shots Program teaching
individual game skills to prepare for future league play.
Provided youth sports training, clinics, and programs.
Coordinated and re-implemented Gardena Dodger Day. City officials participated in
opening ceremonies at Dodger Stadium. Residents and local youth in the community
were invited to attend.

Adult Sports
Adult softball leagues involved 32 teams in 6 leagues.
Adult Basketball leagues involved 14 teams in two leagues.
An active group of 200 senior citizens participate each weekday at the Rush
Gymnasium in exercise and lap walking.
Tai Chi classes for senior adults met two days weekly with 125 participants
involved.
Held instructional classes throughout the year, and provided a golf program for youth
and adults.

Special Events
City sponsored and co-sponsored events attracted over one million participants:

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration
Black History Month Celebration
Cymbidium Show
Easter Bunny Brunch and Park Celebrations
Cinco de Mayo Parade and Celebration
Koi Show
Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration
Gardena Jazz Festival
Veterans Day Celebration
Gardena Heritage Festival
Breakfast with Santa
South Bay Youth Fishing Event

Extended Care
After-school programs were offered at two facilities throughout the city including one
availble year round.
Expanded Parents Night/Day Out activities.

Department Contract Classes
The Department offered over 700 classes, including reading, math, gymnastics,
tennis, crafts, bonsai, dance, martial arts, golf, guitar, piano, language, and ESL,
at seven facilities, attracting over 2,000 participants.
Instructional classes were also offered to senior and developmentally disabled
persons.
Over 20 local organization and club meeting were held monthly at the parks; the
Nakaoka Community Center served more thatn 300 community groups that used
the facility on a regular basis.

Developmentally Disabled Program
Provided a variety of activities, including Special Olympics, monthly dances,
and excursions.
Continued the Gardena Special Olympics with training and competition in volleyball,
basketball, softball, and bowling, serving over 50 participants.
Provided oversight for the successful implementation of weekly activities and monthly
dances for disabled participants, co-sponsored the annual Field Day and Picnic.

Golf Tournaments
The Gardena Royal and Ancient Golf Association (GRAGA) 86 registered
memberships.
Monthly golf tournaments attracted over 554 golfers, highlighted by the Annual
Palm Springs Golf Tournament, which continued to attract over 100 participants.

Leisure Services
Networked with community organizations, committees and volunteers to encourage
use of recreation facilities and participation in recreation and leisure activities.
Held over 25 local organizations and club meetings were held monthly at the six parks.
Serviced more than 300 community groups on a regular basis at the Nakaoka Community Center.
Over 1,000 groups and organizations utilized the pool, classrooms, auditoriums,
picnic shelters, ball diamonds, basketball and volleyball courts.
Trained nearly all of Gardena's 5th graders and kindergarteners in fire safety and the
"EDITH" Exit Drill in the Home with the help from the Gardena Kiwanis Club and
instruction from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Youth Club volunteers participated in a variety of projects, from park cleaning and
beautification, to field trips, and assisted with community special events.
Sent out the Gardena Directory, a brochure of our services and messages, twice
during the year to all residents and businesses in Gardena. It was fully funded by
advertising donations.
Published news articles, brochures, flyers and cable communications for all events
and secured banners for major department programs.