Parks and recreation will be trending in the big year of 2024
Published on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
- Walton Roberts, director of the Demopolis Parks and Recreation Department, explains the services available to residents and visitors.
Demopolis Times special feature
Few people understand the extensive scope of work that the Demopolis Parks and Recreation Department performs for the city. All of them have 10 full-time employees and 5 part-time employees.
“There are probably about 35 to 40 things that people don't know that we're involved in,” said Walton Roberts, the department's director.
Speaking at the Demopolis Rotary Club on Wednesday, March 27, Roberts said the services provided will not only benefit city residents, but will also bring in welcome tax revenue from visitors who come to enjoy the facilities.
Mr. Roberts has worked for the city for 25 years, including 13 years as director of parks and recreation. His divisions include the Sportsplex, LaVine Golf Course, Teoratriff, the Activity Center and its adjacent pool facility, baseball, softball, soccer, flag football, the newly upgraded City He Landing We schedule all fishing tournaments in.
Part-time workers will be added as needed to operate the commissary and participate in summer programs.
Roberts said baseball and softball have seen a resurgence in popularity since the Sportsplex hosted the Babe Ruth World Series five years ago. About 205 kids have registered to participate in baseball this year, up from 130 before the series. In softball, the number of female players is expected to increase from 140 to 241.
We have 220 kids enrolled in soccer in 2023, and we expect several more to enroll in 2024. Now in its fourth year, flag football has just over 100 youth enrolled.
Parks and Recreation will have more down time, but flag football is “a great addition to increase activity during this time,” he said. At The Ravine, more than 8,000 rounds of golf will be played on the course in 2023, and this year is already on track to surpass that number.
“Park and Rec is also heavily involved in booking fishing tournaments,” he continued. “This is one of the most important things we do because it is an important source of revenue for the city.”
Fishermen and their families support local businesses by booking hotels, shopping, buying gas, and eating at restaurants.
Last year, City Landing had tournaments scheduled over 34 weekends. Roberts said there are already 36 appointments scheduled for this year.
The 2023 State High School Fishing Tournament was held in Demopolis. Roberts said he was very impressed with the organizers holding the tournament for three consecutive weekends again this year.
The station began its sponsorship program during the World Series. This has grown as a way for local businesses to support all youth programs at once, rather than being asked for money repeatedly throughout the year. Roberts said companies are now casually sending checks without even contacting them.
“That was a big plus for us,” Roberts said. “We hear from business owners all the time thanking us.”
Mr. Roberts spoke extensively about Theo Ratliff Center and the many programs it provides to the community. While some people think it's just a place to play basketball, Roberts emphasized that anyone who wants to hit hoops during the day must enroll in one of the adult workforce development programs. Night time is perfect for adult fun.
The center offers after-school activities such as tutoring, recreation, and refreshments. In the summer, about 100 children participate in a day-long program of arts and crafts and pool time.
Additionally, many organizations rent out the facility for their own programs and activities.
As for future developments, Roberts said they are actively recruiting for fishing tournaments. These represent minimal work for parks and recreation staff, yet provide economic benefits for cities.
