Rec Center one of the top aquatic facilities in U.S.

The facilities at the Shelbyville Recreation Center have been named one of the top 25 aquatic programs in the country by the United States Water Fitness Association.

Shelbyville was ranked number 21 and was also the only aquatic facility chosen in the state of Tennessee.

Department director Sylvia Pinson called the recognition "a great honor." Logos signifying the award will be placed on the department's web site as well as its publications.

"We're doing great work out there," Pinson said.

The department is also asking the public for input for the 5-10 year Recreation and Parks Master Plan by filling out a needs assessment form that is available online.

The survey can be taken at www.shelbyvilletn.org/parksrec.htm by clicking on "Needs Assessment." Answers will be used to draw up the master plan, Pinson said. The survey will be on the web site throughout the month of January.

The Parks and Recreation Department has also attained Tier II classification in the benchmark program, which was awarded at the Tennessee Parks and Recreation Conference in November.

Benchmarking is a process used in management and strategic management where organizations evaluate how to increase efficiency and quality of products and services while reducing costs.

The department head of the recreation department came up a 16 point strategic plan, which contained a current inventory of Shelbyville's parks, current strengths and weaknesses of the system, roadblocks to resolving them and achieving new opportunities.

"This whole exercise has really developed our management team and employees," Pinson said.

Last August, a series of gatherings called Strategic Planning Meetings were held to receive input from the public, and was assisted by facilitators for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Recreational Services Division.

The last needs assessment review was done in 1994, and since that time, the recreation department has not had any technical assistance or planning.

Pinson said in July that H.V. Griffin Park is "about full" and that additions will soon be made to the facility, such as disc golf. Disc golf is played with plastic disks similar to Frisbee brand but smaller and denser. The department also is planning to construct a splash pad, an area for water play that has no standing water, at Purdy Court.