HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 01-08-1998Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
January 8, 1998
Page 1
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Priebe, Thompson, Wahl, and Willegalle;
staff Bisek, Blank, Greupner, and Pederson
Absent: Commissioner Johnson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Wahl and seconded by Commissioner Willegalle to
approve the minutes of the December meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff. Mary discussed the TTR system and the packet each commissioner received. The
system is ready to test, so Mary encouraged members to call in and give it a try. We are
looking for comments on how it works or doesn't work. Mary talked about the
Pagemaker training Nancy took for creating a new recreation brochure. Skating rinks
opened on January 2. They are not in very good shape right now because of the warm
weather we've had. Registration for figure skating lessons at the indoor arena averages
about 600 kids per 10 -week session, with 13 skating instructors. Commissioner
Thompson asked about the City's web site and if registration would ever be available on
the site. Mary said she wasn't sure if that would be possible. There are some concerns
about credit card security. Mary mentioned problems with hiring enough staff to conduct
swimming lessons during the school year. Mary asked PRAC members to think of anyone
they might know who would be interested in teaching swimming. Mary introduced Karol
Greupner who was present to discuss Fire and Ice and the Fine Arts Council. Karol
distributed the schedule for Fire and Ice and an order form for ordering sweatshirts. She
mentioned that the logo design changed and was now much smaller and on the left chest
pocket instead of centered across the front of the shirt. She also distributed the volunteer
sign up sheet for supervising the bonfire. Director Blank said spouses and children could
help out too. New events taking place this year include artistry on the ice where people
can design a large mural on the ice. Each person would be given about 10 minutes time to
create something The DNR said the paint is environmentally safe and because of its
content, it will dissipate when the sun comes out. A ribbon cutting for the new log cabin
will take place, and a woman storyteller (The Snow Queen) will be in the log cabin telling
stories. The ice center figure skating school students will be doing a demo on the ice. Old
favorite activities will be taking place, also. Plymouth firefighters will be doing an in the
water rescue demonstration. Press releases will be out next week and flyers will be sent to
local schools. Commissioner Willegalle asked about the possibility of snowshoe races or
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some other type of race being held at a future Fire and Ice event, or a softball tournament
on the lake. Karol said those were good ideas and would be given consideration. She
then discussed the Plymouth Fine Arts Council and their proposal to have fine art
displayed at City Hall. She discussed a survey that was done with other communities and
learned that many other cities display art in their public buildings. The proposal was
presented to the City Council and it was approved. Fine art will be displayed in city hall as
soon as the appropriate track work can be installed. Next week, Eric, Karol and members
of the Art Council will be meeting to begin implementing this program. Karol also
mentioned that a piece of art was donated by the Radisson Hotel to the Fine Arts Council
and will be displayed at the ice arena. She indicated that the Fine Arts Council is looking
forward to the second annual Primavera, scheduled for the weekend of April 17, 18 and
19. More entertainment and more participation by local high school students will be part
of this year's Primavera.
c. Others. There were no other visitors.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
The Council authorized staff to solicit bids on a portable stage, and they approved fencing
modifications at Zachary to convert those fields from adult softball to youth baseball.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. West Medicine Lake Park update. Picnic shelters are under constriction. Dark green
metal roofs will be put on each shelter. A gate was put in at the boat launch area. We
want to be first in line to get this area sodded this spring when companies begin cutting
sod. The DNR will be giving us a fishing pier that we have been asking for for five years.
One of the city's residents has written a song about Medicine Lake and wants to have it
performed at the grand opening.
b. Elm Creek Playfield update. Bleachers are being put in. Commissioner Fiemann asked if
a football stadium would ever be built there. Director Blank said probably.
East Medicine Lake regional trail. East Medicine Lake Blvd. is now a one way street
going north. Retaining wall portions are in place. When asphalt plants open in May the
trail will be paved.
d. Armstrong High School gym update. The word is that everyone thinks it is the nicest gym
around. Staff will contact the school district to arrange some type of reception as a grand
opening. The project came in on budget. The facility is being well used.
Activity center update. The Activity Center subcommittee met last night prior to the City
Council meeting. They originally looked at four different designs. Three were adjacent to
LifeTime and one site was halfway between LifeTime and city hall. The Council did not
want it in any of these places, because it would have meant too many trees would be cut
down, so they asked the consultant to look at a totally new location. They are now
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considering a site on 34th Avenue between city hall and the apartments. Activity
center/senior center would be owned by the city, the early childhood center would be
owned by the school district. The field house would be on a lower level of the site.
Midway through their study, the Planning Dept. came to Director Blank and asked about
putting some low income senior housing here, too. The senior housing was originally
proposed on a site near the new Rainbow, west of here on Highway 55. They discovered
asbestos on the site when they did some soil tests, so the housing cannot go there now.
Director Blank doesn't really believe senior housing should go in the park, because it's too
near a busy place with many children coming and going. There are very few sites for
senior housing that meet HUD criteria. The senior housing would be privately owned.
The activity center project will be going to a study session of the City Council on February
11. The Council will give more direction then. Project may go to a public vote in May at
the earliest.
f. Aggressive skate park update. At the last meeting of 1997, the City Council approved an
indoor skate park at Hwy. 55 & 494. This facility was going to be open in early January,
but they haven't even applied for a permit yet to build the indoor skate park. Director
Blank has been working with eight other communities looking at the idea of a consortium.
A draft document from those communities was distributed to PRAC. The same people
that were planning to do the indoor park have proposed that they be allowed to be a
vendor for an outdoor facility. They would set up temporary facilities in the various
communities. Our cost would be $6,000-$7,000 some of which could be recouped. It
would require a joint powers document between all the communities. Director Blank
received a call before Christmas that Rollerblade Corporation had been purchased by a
European company. They now have lots of equipment for sale very reasonably priced.
Director Blank and City Manager Johnson looked at the equipment which is less than a
year old. It needs to be painted and some lumber needs to be replaced, but other than
that, it's in good condition. The aggressive skate park committee is recommending that
the City buy the used equipment. Director Blank said that a parking lot at the ice
arena/LifeTime complex that was graded but never paved is now going to be needed, due
to the crowded condition of the existing parking lots. Our agreement with LifeTime says
that they pay for curb and gutter, which comes to about 60% of the total cost. The
parking lot will be paved with concrete so it can be used as a skateboard park, etc. It will
be fenced during the summer, and in the winter, the fence would come down so it could be
turned into parking for the ice center and LifeTime. There is $100,000 budgeted for
parking lot and $90,000 for the skate park. Equipment would cost approximately
35,000, $12,000 to fence the site, the gate house would run about $6,000, and $10,000
should cover miscellaneous items like rain tarps, etc. Director Blank expects some other
agencies to pitch in toward some of these costs (school districts, churches, etc.). The
operating season for a skateboard park would be about 100 days. Staff would cost about
12,000 and would be two people, one selling tickets and one monitoring skaters. Other
costs include insurance, repairs, supplies, phones, etc., coming to $6,500. One revenue
scenario shows 50 kids/day for 100 days at $4 each equals $20,000. This rate will be
fixed somewhat on what the indoor facility charges. The City Council has stated that they
don't want the City to undercut the private skatepark. Director Blank envisions three
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skating sessions per day. Morning would include some type of instructional classes.
Afternoons could be divided into two sessions, one for skateboarders, one for inline
skating. Director Blank needs authorization from the City Council to purchase the used
equipment offered by Rollerblade Corporation.
COMMISSIONER FIEMANN MOVED AND COMMISSIONER THOMPSON
SECONDED A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CITY PURSUE THE PURCHASE
OF USED SKATEPARK EQUIPMENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL
AYES.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review all 1998 rental fees and policies. Director Blank explained that it's getting more
difficult to provide facilities for youth. He wants the park facility policy to say we will
attempt to provide facilities. Rental rates are proposed to go up a few dollars. We are
proposing to eliminate tournament rentals and providing diamond dry. Commissioner
Willegalle asked about permits to sell or have beer at special events. Director Blank
explained the policy of the City which states groups can only apply for a permit if the
event is going to be at Zachary or Plymouth Creek parks.
CHAIR ANDERSON MOVED AND COMMISSIONER PRIEBE SECONDED A
MOTION TO ACCEPT FEES AND POLICIES AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION
CARRIED WITH ALL AYES.
Commissioner Willegalle asked if the City had ever been requested to provide sailboat
buoys on Medicine Lake. Staff said no.
b. Annual report draft. Director Blank stated that PRAC needs to develop a new work plan
for 1998. Some suggestions from commissioners for items to include in the 1998 work
plan included comprehensive planning, building a field house somewhere, youth sports, the
activity center, open space/park development, golf course, statement about art in the parks
or community enhancement programs, and a skateboard park. Commissioner Fiemann
asked about a par three golf course in northwest Plymouth. Should it go in
comprehensive planning or in the golf course category? Director Blank explained that
final copies of the annual report will be distributed next month.
Proposal to donate Little Peninsula on Medicine Lake. A proposal for a 122 unit
extended stay hotel was submitted to the Planning Department as a sketch plan. The
applicant has not made a formal submittal at this time. The proposed site is wetland near
Hwy. 169/Hwy. 55, just east of the Brown's Farmers Market. The developer purchased
the Little Peninsula on Medicine Lake so that he'd have a site for mitigation, and then his
plan was to donate the Little Peninsula to the city for park purposes. Access to the Little
Peninsula lies across a railroad tracks, and other private property. There are some
problems associated with accepting this site for park purposes. Director Blank said that if
this proposal gets to a point where it might actually happen, then PRAC will need to hold
a public meeting to determine what the site could be used for and to get public opinion on
PRAC Minutes/January 1998
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what should be done with it. It was suggested that it could be another piece of open
space. Director Blank will keep the commission informed of any developments with this
proposal.
d. Luce Line trail. Included in the PRAC packet was a hand out from a resident urging
people to contact the DNR about paving the Luce Line trail.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
None.
8. STAFF COMM[_]NICATION
None.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.