HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 05-08-1997Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
May 8, 1997
Page 17
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Johnson, Priebe, Thompson,
Wahl, Willegalle; staff Abel, Bisek, Blank, and Pederson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the May meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Fiemann and seconded by Commissioner
Wahl to approve the minutes of the April meeting as presented. The motion carried
with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff. Mary stated that swimming registration began on May 2, and many
classes from the first session are already full. The later sessions are filling also.
Both pools are available this summer for the first time in several years. In the
past, either one pool or the other has been under construction for part of the
summer. We are still looking for a few summer seasonal employees. Staff is
working on fall programming a little early this year. Articles for the brochure must
be ready by mid-June. Mary announced that we are expecting a big fall soccer
season, because we will be adding the children from the New Hope fall program.
Mary indicated that the boat building project began last week and is going very
well. Two wooden boats are being built. Garage where it's being done is near
the water tower site on 101 south of 55. Mary encouraged the commissioners to
visit the site, if they can, to see firsthand what's taking place. The group gets
together every Monday and Wednesday evening from 6-8. Mary indicated that a
city guide will be delivered to every resident this summer, and it contains a large,
colorful park map. Staff is starting to discuss budgets for next year. We're
interested in pursuing a separate brochure to advertise our recreation programs,
rather than being included inside the regular City newsletter. Commissioner
Fiemann asked when soccer registration would be held. Mary said that it was
going on now, and the deadline is July 15. We are expecting about 1,500 kids to
sign up. The new high school fields will not be ready for fall use. Wayzata
Community Education has asked us to consider taking over their swimming
lesson program, offered during the school year. If we do this, we will be running
swimming lessons year round. At the present time, we offer swimming lessons
only during the summer.
c. Others. There were no visitors.
PRAC Minutes/May 1997
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4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. West Medicine Lake Park update. Council approved Phase 3 plans and
specifications, so we will open bids and award contract for Phase 3 on June 4.
This phase is about $75,000 over budget, based on cost estimates. Director
Blank said that after we get actual bids, we will make cuts or identify new funding
sources. Four picnic shelters are in the plans, but we may cut back to three if
necessary to meet the budget. Phase 2 work is complete. Contractor will be
done with final paving of the road by June 1.
b. Ice arena/Life Time Fitness update. Bill handed out a summer public skating
schedule. The arena is scheduled to open May 27, but only the practice rink will
be ready at that time. The Olympic rink will open on July 5, with a USA
International Hockey Cup Tournament scheduled to begin that day, and
conclude on July 9. Figure skating lessons are scheduled to start on June 16.
We have 128 kids signed up so far. Registration is going well. A lot of Plymouth
people have been skating at New Hope, Minnetonka, etc., and are very excited
about our new rink. There will be a figure skating open house on Saturday, June
7, which will offer free skating, facility tours, refreshments and an opportunity to
meet the skating coaches and skating director. Bill announced that the full time
staff has been hired, and consists of two maintenance workers and one
secretary. Ad space has been leased out on the Zamboni's. A five year contract
went to Dominos Pizza and a 10 year contract to an Orthopedics group. Thirteen
dasher board ads have been sold on three year contracts. There are 15
additional dasher boards remaining to be sold. The first community meeting
room has been rented for a seminar to train people on how to use the electronic
message center in the arena. All of the high school hockey team practices and
games have been scheduled through March of '98. They will be in the arena
from 3:30 to 5:45 for practices. The majority of the games are Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays. The Wayzata High School boys and girls hockey
teams will play all their home games in our arena. The Armstrong High School
boys and girls teams will alternate, with boys having their games at the arena
one year and then girls having the arena the next year. Commissioners wanted
to know where the open skating times have been advertised. Bill explained that
the open skating times have been published in the Sun Sailor newspaper and in
the Plymouth recreation brochure. A special flyer was also sent home with all the
grade school kids advertising the various skating lessons and the times for open
skating. Adult open skating fees are $3, kids are $2, and senior citizens are $2.
Commissioner Johnson was curious about how we would handle the different
skill levels of the various skaters that could be on the ice at the same time during
open skating. Bill said he tried to address this by offering open freestyle skating
times just for the skaters that want to practice their routines, jumps, etc. There
PRAC Minutes/May 1997
Page 19
will also be a skating guard to keep everything flowing smoothly during open
skating, controlling the direction of the skaters, etc. Commissioner Willegalle
would like the senior age to be established and advertised, whether it's 55, 60 or
62, etc. He asked for a definition of freestyle skating. Bill explained that the
figure skaters come under the title freestyle. Open skating is the recreational
skating for the general public, non -figure skaters. Life Time Fitness members
can skate for free during open skating times. Commissioner Willegalle feels the
senior age should be established at 55 and over. Staff concurred with that
recommendation.
c. Elm Creek Playfield update. The recent rain is helping the seeded areas and
the sod. Contracts have been let for fencing. The permanent building needs to
be rebid for a third time. The superintendent has stated that football and soccer
teams will not be on the fields this fall. Classes are scheduled to begin at the
new high school in September
d. Golf course discussion. Nothing new to report.
e. East Medicine Regional trail update. Plans and specifications have been
reviewed, and Hennepin Parks will be out with bids in late June or early July.
They have a meeting set up next week to pursue a revenue bond issue for
completing the trail to all the way to Theodore Wirth Park. Trail will run through
five or six communities. All affected cities have been invited to attend the
meeting.
f. Skateboard park update. Director Blank said we expect to hear on the grant by
Monday of next week. He hasn't heard if Burnsville's skate park has opened yet.
If we get the grant, we will have to proceed to pick a location. There has been
some interest in putting the park near Oakwood School or near the new ice
arena.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Annual park tour. Thursday, June 12, 4 p.m. We will hold regular June meeting
when tour concludes, if necessary. Commissioner Wahl was interested in
Cardinal Ridge park project. Mary said the playground will not be under
construction until July. Some preliminary trail work has been completed, but
more trail work needs to be done.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
The Activity Center committee visited New Brighton, Coon Rapids, and Crystal
senior centers. Chair Anderson felt that Crystal had the nicest facility. Next activity
center meeting is May 20th.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
PRAC Minutes/May 1997
Page 20
Council decided on the on -road bike lanes along 19th Avenue in Imperial Hills.
Speed humps are working for now. A painted crosswalk will be put in at the park
entrance. The bike path on Dunkirk will be under construction any day. Music in
Plymouth is July 2. The Civic League is holding a Fun Run the Saturday before
Music in Plymouth, as a fund raiser to generate money for the event and the
orchestra.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.