HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 04-08-1999Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
April 8, 1999
Page 16
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Willegalle, Priebe, Musliner, Wahl, Fiemann,
Thompson; Planning Commissioner Stein; Councilmember Spigner; staff Bisek,
Blank and Pederson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the April meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Wahl and seconded by Commissioner Musliner to
approve the minutes of the March meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None
b. Staff Mary Bisek talked briefly about her vacation to New Zealand and Australia. She
said the Great Barrier Reef was spectacular. She explained that Rick Busch had
undergone brain surgery on March 26 and that he's doing very well. Staff is a little
behind hiring the individual that will be taking his place when he takes over the activity
center manager position. She indicated that we're going to have a separate recreation
brochure beginning with the August issue of the City newsletter. Mary asked PRAC for
ideas for the new brochure. We will be looking at promotional materials for the new
activity center/sports dome. Primavera is coming up on May 14-15. We are in the
process of doing summer hiring. The summer brochure went out April 1 and
registrations begin April 9. Commissioner Fiemann said it's good news that we're
breaking away from the regular city newsletter.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
a. The Council awarded bids for three new playgrounds at Green Oaks, Turtle Lake, and
LaCompte.
b. Facility rental rates were approved. The Council added the language back in about
obscene lyrics and lewd behavior not being permitted. Director Blank said you could
have the language in the policy, but if anyone contested it, they probably would win.
c. Council approved amending ordinance on having a beach open without lifeguards. We
will be consistent now with Hennepin Parks, who has the same policy. We are having
trouble recruiting lifeguards and may have to cut back the hours on other beaches because
of that.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Plan. There was nothing on the agenda this evening. Fernbrook Lane
alignment north of Schmidt Lake Road is being studied. Eight different alignments are
being reviewed. This is moving forward reasonably. Our contract with the consultant
PRAC Minutes/April 1999
Page 17
allows for only so many meetings. We'll be hitting the park plan hard next month, or the
trail plan. This may be the only thing on the agenda for May.
b. Activity center/fieldhouse. Director Blank said that printing of the specification books
was completed today. Bid date is Tuesday, April 27, at 2 p.m. A general contractor bid
will be opened which will include 90% of the project. A second bid will be for the air
dome stricture. There are three such contractors. Bid three will be for the astroplay turf.
Staff expects the Council to award the bid on May 4. The ground -breaking ceremony
will be sometime in May in the late afternoon. Once bids are opened and awarded, a
final budget can be adopted. Director Blank explained that the City Charter requires that
we must hold a public hearing on the issue of using $3 million of community
improvement fiends. Commissioner Thompson asked if the public hearing is just to
inform the public. Director Blank said it's necessary to make the public aware that
community improvement fiends are being used. Director Blank then opened a discussion
on naming the facility and said he had five suggestions, which had been made by staff
Director Blank's personal favorite is Plymouth Creek Center. He said he wants
something decided, so a banner can be made available for the groundbreaking.
Commissioner Thompson suggested the Plymouth Activity and Arts Center. She doesn't
like adding Creek to the title, because she believes it makes it too specific to a certain
area. Commissioner Wahl doesn't like Plymouth Creek either. Neither did
Commissioner Priebe. None of the commissioners liked the name Plymouth Pavilions.
Commissioner Musliner liked Commissioner Thompson's suggestion of Plymouth
Activity and Arts Center. Commissioner Priebe wanted to know if the facility will be of
adequate breadth to have community center in the title. Director Blank said the facility
will not encompass all the things that most community center's typically do. Primary
uses will be seniors, arts, and miscellaneous activities. Commissioner Willegalle liked
Plymouth Activity Center and reminded everyone that it has always been referred to as
the Plymouth Activity Center in all written documents and whenever it's been mentioned
in the local newspaper. CHAIR ANDERSON THEN MOVED TO CALL THE
FACILITY PLYMOUTH ACTIVITY AND ARTS CENTER. COMMISSIONER
FIEMANN SECONDED THE MOTION. Commissioner Wahl then agreed with
Commissioner Willegalle and said he prefers Activity Center and so does Commissioner
Priebe. There was some discussion then on whether or not it needed to be voted on or
just a consensus agreement. Chair Anderson decided to withdraw the motion.
Commissioner Priebe suggested a show of hands. The consensus agreement was to call it
Plymouth Activity Center. COMMISSIONER WAHL MOVED TO NAME THE NEW
FACILITY PLYMOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER. CHAIR ANDERSON SECONDED
THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES.
Commissioner Willegalle asked about a new group's plan for a skateboard park. He
wanted to know if this was happening again. Director Blank said the Four Downs Skate
Park closed their doors and that they wanted to relocate to Oakwood Park. Director
Blank discouraged this due to a shortage of parking. The group was asked to take a look
at the rink at Plymouth Creek or to consider the parking lot behind the ice center. They
will be the owners/operators of the facility. They want to be operational by this summer.
Director Blank said they are writing a proposal for submittal to the city manager. It is
PRAC Minutes/April 1999
Page 18
possible that there could be a skate park behind the ice center this summer. Planning
Commissioner Stein asked why Four Downs closed. Director Blank said they couldn't
overcome their financial difficulties.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Disc golf course proposal. Director Blank said that he first met with Mr. Bork two years
ago and said he could put a course in Plymouth Creek Park, but he was informed that it
may have to be removed later. From day one, the course was a popular attraction. Mr.
Bork did all the work, made the baskets, and kept the course fairway clean. Course has
now been removed to make way for the new activity center. Staff is now proposing to
move forward with a new course. It would be in the woods and would follow the creek.
Mr. Bork would be willing to help with the layout of the course. Mr. Bork would donate
the baskets again, help with the installation and also help care for it. We would own the
course. The annual operating expenses would be very minimal. Director Blank hasn't
been back in that area in awhile, but has noticed that there are some erosion problems that
need to be corrected by adding some culverts, and doing some landscaping. Director
Blank proposes that we go ahead and reinstall the course. Commissioner Willegalle
complimented Mr. Bork on the previous course and felt bad that old course had to be
removed. Commissioner Priebe asked what's involved in preparing the property for the
new course. Director Blank said it's a big woods with a canopy of large trees and some
small underbrush trees. Mr. Bork said a typical fairway is 20 feet wide. Director Blank
and Park Superintendent Mark Peterson will go through and choose which small trees
need to be removed. Most of the fairways already exist. There are just a few places
where some trees would have to come out. Director Blank said we'd add some
woodchips to take care of the erosion and to keep it from getting worse. Director Blank
said about two dozen or so small trees less than an inch in diameter would have to be
removed. COMMISSIONER WILLEGALLE MOVED AND COMMISSIONER
THOMPSON SECONDED A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH DISC GOLF COURSE
WITH MR. BORK PUTTING IN $1,500 WORTH IN BASKETS AND THE CITY
WILL BE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THE COURSE. MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL
AYES.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
None.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
Director Blank said there will be an Arbor Day Celebration on May 7 at Birchview
Elementary. There is an ice show at the Ice Center May 14-16. Star performer will be
professional Olympic caliber skater from Canada. Director Blank said that Councilmember
Spigner will be holding a Ward 3 Town Meeting in West Medicine Lake Park using the
showmobile. Music in Plymouth is on June 30. Mary Bisek asked if there would be a park
tour this year. Director Blank said it could be in May or June. The problem with the June
meeting might be that the regular meeting night would need to be devoted to working on the
comprehensive plan. The May meeting will definitely be a work session on the
comprehensive plan. Director Blank said he could provide maps and commissioners could
go on a park tour on their own. Director Blank thinks they should visit northwest Plymouth
PRAC Minutes/April 1999
Page 19
and actually see the area that's being planned. It was decided to put it on hold and decide
later if a park tour is necessary.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.