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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 10-13-1997Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 13, 1997 Page 31 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Johnson, Priebe, Thompson, Wahl, Willegalle; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Ice Arena Center Ice Meeting Room. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Wahl and seconded by Commissioner Priebe to approve the minutes of the September meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary talked about the volunteer recognition event at the Carlson Rotunda. She reminded commissioners to attend if they RSVP'd. The event begins at 7:15. She mentioned the grand opening for the Plymouth Life Time Recreation Center beginning at 6 p.m., Friday, October 17. She stated that we are looking for volunteers to test our phone-in registration system. Ron Fiemann volunteered, as well as other commissioners. The system can be custom designed. She wants commissioners to evaluate system once they've called in. Mary said she would send something out in the next week or so explaining how to use the system. The winter brochure is almost ready to go to the printer. It includes information on the Fire and Ice Festival, which is the first Saturday in February. Old Fashioned Christmas is coming up the first Sunday in December. Mary indicated that some park and recreation facility use policies need to be reviewed by the Commission at a future meeting, including the new performance platform at Parkers Lake. This facility has had two uses so far by teenage bands. Commissioner Willegalle wanted to know if you could just use it without reserving it. Mary said there's no way to prevent people from doing that. Director Blank said that two weeks ago, during Wayzata Homecoming weekend, police were called in to remove 200-250 kids from Parkers Lake stage, where they were having a pancake breakfast and band concert at 5:30 in the morning. We later received a call from a parent who was unhappy about his child being told to leave the park. He wondered what authority the police used to get kids out of the park? Director Blank explained that police have general authority at any time to shut down a group gathering if they feel it is not appropriate. Director Blank and police have had a few discussions now about this situation and how to handle such things in the future. Director Blank informed PRAC that PRAC Minutes/October 1997 Page 32 if the students had called our office and asked about using the park for this purpose, they would have been given official permission and a permit granting them access, but probably not until at least 7 a.m., which is when the park officially opens. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION Director Blank stated that the Council has been approving lots of change orders on the ice arena. Every week, there are change orders regarding final payments, additional charges on contracts, etc. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. 1998-2002 CIP. Director Blank did a brief review of the 98-02 CIP. He explained that the Council wants the field house to be on neutral territory rather than on high school grounds. This facility will house indoor soccer, indoor golf, indoor track, etc., would be bubbled most likely and have a multi-purpose turf floor. It's still showing in 1998, however, the city manager and finance director are looking at alternatives for funding it. Other projects for 1998: trails at two sites - one is 36th from Vicksburg to Dunkirk, and the other is along Northwest Boulevard, which was requested by citizens. The first step here is a comprehensive plan amendment. The small park at Vicksburg and Schmidt Lake Road, which crews have started grading. This will be ready to go for installation early next spring. The Zachary Park upgrade includes new backstops, lighting, etc. The Ice Arena practice rink bleachers need to be purchased, and we want to paint some graphics on the walls. Art in the Park includes a sculpture in front of the Ice Arena. Amphitheater garden areas need more flowers. The Aggressive Skate Park committee met. There were representatives from the school district, police, councilmembers, churches, library, maintenance people from the City of Wayzata, and private citizens, etc. The group tentatively agreed to put up a temporary skate park in the parking lot adjacent to the ice arena on the east side. Director Blank is meeting with city representatives from surrounding communities to see if a regional facility could be funded by several organizations. A game plan is in place. Director Blank is to do a site plan and a budget and when that's done, the group will reconvene. Director Blank said that he started with $80,000 in the CIP for the skate park and then bumped it up to $90,000. There is a new playground going in at East Beach. Crews are putting a portion of the play equipment right near the water in the sand. Crews need to replace many of the metal bleachers that were first installed at the playfields back in 1980. These playfields also need more trash barrels, and the last item in 1998 is the Pilgrim Lane playground upgrade. In 1999: bridge crossing at 494 and Co. Rd. 9, lease payment on portable stage, youth sports fields upgrade, Zachary Park phase 2, upgrade neighborhood park, Art in the Park, and the Oakwood School playground upgrade. Director Blank removed the development of a new neighborhood park for 1999. In 2000, the plan shows trail development, neighborhood park development, playground replacement, land acquisition for 10th playfield, art in the park, portable stage PRAC Minutes/October 1997 Page 33 lease payment and upgrade of youth sports fields. Commissioners asked about the location of the proposed 10th playfield. Director Blank stated that it's planned for Vicksburg & Co. Rd. 47. He also explained that Fire Station 4 might be proposed for the same location as the 10th playfield. Commissioner Johnson asked about the portable stage and what we're buying for $75,000? He wanted to know if there was enough money to buy a permanent stage. Director Blank said no and explained why we need a portable one. It's more flexible, it can be moved to different parks, etc. He said that we have been renting Richfield's, but they won't loan it out any more, because it's too old. This is a large piece of equipment. It has to be big enough to hold the Minnesota Orchestra. Director Blank stated that the Parks Department has been trying to buy one for 15 years now. We spend about $80,000 on a playground and this will give us twice as many years use. We may even be able to rent it out a couple of times a year. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON MOVED TO APPROVE 1998-2002 PARKS CIP AS PRESENTED. SECONDED BY THOMPSON. MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. b. West Medicine Lake Park update. Crews poured concrete slabs there today for picnic shelters. Commissioner Johnson asked about the basketball courts there. He said they appear to be built with hoops side by side, so kids can't play full court games. Director Blank said intention is to put two different heights up, so different age groups can play there. Director Blank said if it becomes an issue, we can change it to be full court. The playground structure is a week away from being installed. The swimming area was redone. Director Blank is not 100% happy with it. He explained that it's deep enough in most places, but it's a little uneven and there are a couple of shallow areas. c. Ice arena update. Director Blank said that things are now down to a punch list with the contractors. Furniture has been ordered for the large meeting room, including 30 tables and more chairs. There is a small problem with the roof that needs to be fixed. There are little brown circles that keep coming up through the ice surface and no one is sure what is causing this. This hasn't interfered with ice performance, just the looks. There are different shades of white on the hockey boards. Director Blank is not pleased with that. Working out a plan with that contractor so they can replace boards with all matching ones. The ice arena is now opening three days a week at 6 a.m. and running until midnight four nights a week. Director Blank thinks that within five years, we may have to discuss adding another rink. We currently have about 500 kids enrolled in learn to skate programs and have seven skating instructors. This is a very popular program. d. Elm Creek Playfield update. Two of the four softball fields were recently sodded. The temporary building is up and operational. The lighting and sprinkling PRAC Minutes/October 1997 Page 34 systems are working. These fields should be ready for adult softball league use next spring. e. Regional trail update. Work continues daily, but this project likely won't be finished this year. We are running out of good weather, and the asphalt plants close at the end of November. f. Armstrong high school gym update. The target weekend to open is Thanksgiving. g. Activity center update. Three concept plans are being prepared. Architect is designing a site plan right now. This facility may not be added on to Life Time, because parking could be a big problem. We could make it work during the day, but not in the evening. If the Council decides to build a ramp or take down additional trees to expand current parking, then the activity center could be attached to the south end of the Life Time building, but as an alternative, we are looking for a site on 34th Avenue. h. Report from Aggressive Skateboard Park Committee members. Director Blank showed a short video of one of the largest outdoor skating facilities in the world, located in Roseville. It has a 100 ton refrigeration system. The ramps are different individual pieces that can be moved around the oval. They are two by four construction with plywood decking and a thin sheet of metal screwed down on top. When we build our skate park, it has been suggested that we have a slight pitch, so water runs off. The one in Roseville always floods whenever it rains. The plan of action now is to develop a budget, a site plan and take it back to the Aggressive Skate Park Committee. Director Blank would like to open a facility in May of '98, using the parking lot on the east side of the ice arena. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Name for northeast neighborhood park. Director Blank said that the playground was installed last week, and the playground surface is going in this week. Scheduled to pave trails soon, so it's time to start thinking about a name for this park. One resident wrote in and suggested the name Big Oak Island Park. Director Blank said staff could put an article in the next city newsletter asking people to submit names, send a letter to residents asking for suggestions, or staff could come up with names for PRAC to vote on. Commissioner Wahl wants staff to submit names. A couple of suggestions were Island Park, or Oak Island Park. Four housing developments surround this park, each with their own name, so it would be difficult to name it after the developments. The Commission agreed that staff should come up with a list of names for them to consider. It was suggested that "island" be in the title if possible. Staff will have names by next month's meeting. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION PRAC Minutes/October 1997 Page 35 There were no comments. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION The November meeting is scheduled for the 13th, back at City Hall. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.