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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 11-14-1985Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission November 14, 1985 Page 34 Present! Commissioners Anderson, Beach, Edwards, LaTour and Reed; staff Blank, Brown, Busch, Patterson and Pederson; George Watson of Brauer and Associates; and Councilmember Vasi[iou Absent: Commissioner Mulian 1. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Edwards called the November meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission to order at 7:33 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Reed and seconded by Commissioner Anderson to approve the October minutes as presented. The motion carried. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS. a. Athletic Associations. No representatives were present. b. Staff. Rick Busch explained the enrollment charts for his programs that had been distributed to PRAC members with -their packets. Team sports enrollments continue to increase from year to year. Some of the special events held at Plymouth playfields this past summer included the 1985 Boys World Softball Tournament, and the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Co-Rec Softball Tournament. Currently Rick is reviewing applications from warming house attendants. Rinks are scheduled to open. December 21. Other winter programs starting soon are broombafl, 5 -man and 3 -man basketball, power and unofficiated co-rec voHeybail, 4 -man hockey a;sj whirfleball. Mary Patterson discussed enrollments in her programs from January through September. Fall figures are not available since most of those programs are still in progress. A new program for winter is In the Heart of the Beast °uppet Theatre's presentation of La Befana at Wayzata Senior High. This program is being jointly sponsored by Plymouth Park and R -creation, the Art Center of Minnesota and Wayzata Community Education. The November/December issue of Plymouth on Parade was distributed to residents in early November and the January/February issue will be out the week between Christmas and New Year's. Skiing in Plymouth, sponsored by the Plymouth Civic League, is scheduled for January 18. Ruth Brown discussed the programs she is involved in which include aquatics, wallyball, waterpolo, and special events for families and children. She recently took over the supervision of the youth fall soccer league which continues to have high enrollment. There were only a few complaints regarding tears assignments this year. We've been invited to participate again in 1986 in the TV11 Health Fair. Because the 1985 Health Fair here at the City Center was only success- ful due to high employee participation, we will not get involved in 1986. The second annual item;n Triathion is scheduled for February 8. Some of the holiday programs Ruth is running include making a Ginger- bread house, an event for -families Santa's mailbox and a Christmas with Mother Goose, events for children. Ruth is also involved in a New Year's Eve overnight party at Robbinsdale Community Center. This program is being sponsored by MADD and SADD (Mother and Students Against Drunk Driving)'. Ruth will be introducing some programming for single - parent families in 1986, and also some programming for industrial PRAC Minutes November 14, 1985 Page 35 employees in Plymouth. Director Blank announced that the park and recreation department has begun the initial planning for computerized registration. We hope to start using it for our summer programs. He also stated that we have begun thinking of some "unusual" revenue- producing programs that PRAC can review in the future. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION The Council recently approved the Parkers Lake budget, Brauer's contract for Phase I development of Parkers Lake park, and tho CIP and 1986 budget. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Parkers Lake Phased Construction Plan. George Watson of Brauer and Associates was present to discuss the Phase I construction of Parkers Lake park which will include the trail loop around the park, basic grading, storm sewer, seed and sod, one picnic shelter, three comfort stations (restrooms), entry signs, the road and parking area on the south side of County Road 6, beach, underground utilities for the bathhouse, artificial pond and fountain at the park entrance and buffer plantings. At the present time, there is enough funding for only one picnic shelter. If bids are reasonable, there may be enough money to construct two or three. Commissioner Reed questioned the necessity of the fountain and pond in Phase 1. Director Blank stated that he felt it was necessary from an aesthetic/visual standpoint and that it would help to "identify" our first City park. It's an unusual feature that no other park in Plymouth has. Flowers will be planted around the fountain, and it will help attract people to the park. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BEACH AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LATOUR TO APPROVE THE PHASE I CONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR PARKERS LAKE CITY PARK AS PRESENTED BY GEORGE WATSON OF BRAUER AND ASSOCIATES, LTD. The motion carried. Commissioner Reed asked to be sent some information on •the fountain. b. Neighborhood Park Improvements Update. Green Oaks park is basically finished, with trails paved, playground equipment in, and re -sodded. A bike rack is stili to be installed. At Circle park the playground' equipment is in place but Is not cemented in, and sand is not installed yet. c. PRAC Education. It was suggested that PRAC training for new members and new Council members should be sometime in January. This item will be discussed again at the December meeting: PRAC encouraged the Council to replace Betty Threinen as soon as possible. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Proposal for Wells Fargo Gamefield Grant -Fitness Court. Director Blank reviewed PRAC's earlier action approving the submittal of a grant for a fitness court to be installed in Zachary park. He announced that we had received a grant in the amouni of $3,600 from Wells Fargo Bank. The additional cost of $4,280 will be required from park dedication's city playfield account. This fitness court will be installed in the spring with the help of a community group. The court will include a number of exercises -t•o help athletes prepare for their activities at the park, as well as follow-up exercises which are a cool -down process that should be completed prior to leaving the park. FRAC M i nutes NovemLer 14, 1985 Page 36 A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER LATOUR AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BEACH TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF A FITNESS COURT FOR ZACHARY PLAYFIELD USING FUNDS FROM THE PARK DEDICATION CITY PLAYFIELD ACCOUNT TO COVER THE BALANCE OF THE COST. The motion carried. b. 1985 PRAC Annual Report. A draft copy of the 1985 annual report will be available for the January meeting with the final report ready by February 13. Commissioners should review their 1984 reprv's for changes in style, content, etc. In December, commissioners shoo 6 .s prepared to Fist their 1986 goals and objectives. c. Lake Ridge Estates Plat. Director Blank briefly reviewed this new plat which was recently submitted to the City. It is Located on the northern border of Plymouth, west of 1-494, and includes most of the shoreline around Mud Lake. Director Blank pointed out that this site Is one of the two that was proposed for neighborhood park when the comprehensive plan was first developed. The other alternative was Pomerleau Lake, but it has become apparent that that site will not be available to us. Therefore, it becomes very im;-irtant to consider this site for park dedication from the developer. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER EDWARDS AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LATOUR TO PRESERVE AS PLATTED THE SHORELINE AROUND MUD LAKE WITH CONDITIONS THAT BECOME APPROPRIATE AS PLAT IS REVISED FOR LAKE RIDGE ESTATES. The motion carried.. 7 COMMISSION PRESENTATION Commissioners Edwards, Beach and LaTour will be attending some of -the sessions of the Minnesota RecreationandPark Association's Annual Conference in St. Paul, November 20-22. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Director Blank briefly reported or) the National Recreation and Park Association Congress which was held in Dallas in October. One of the more interesting ideas he learned about while there was a White Amur fish developed in China which eats lake weeds and algae. These -fish are currently being used in 17 states in the U.S., but are illegal in Minnesota. A written report on the White Amur fish will be sent to each commissioner. Councilmember Vasiliou was present at the PRAC meeting and spoke to the commissioners reassuring them that she is not against parks and recreation. She indicated that she is supportive of our programs and is very pleased with our diversity. However, shp pointed out that Council's first respon- sibility is to see that necessary services such as fire and police protec- tion, sewer, streets, etc., are provided first. She stated she supports acquiring land for parks through nark dedication only, but that -the City must then maintain that land which does cost the taxpayer. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.