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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 04-10-1986Mi Utes of the Regular Meeting of the Lark and Recreation. Advisory Commission April 10, 1986 Page Z Present: Chair Edwards, Commissioners Anderson, LaTour, Mullan, Reed and Rosen; staff; Blank, Brown., Patterson and, Pederson; Councilmember Ziitur; Doug O'Brien, Sunsets Hill Elementary School Principal Bill Bushnell, Sunset Hill Playground Committee; Georg; Watson, Brauer & Associates Absent: Commissioner Beach I CALL TO ORDER Chair Edwards called the April meeting to order at 7.30 p.m, 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES' A motion was, made by Commissioner Mullan and seconded; by Commissioner Reed to approve. the 'February minutes as presented;.. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Staff Mary Patterson discussed the May/June issue of Plymouth on Parade which is in the process of being printed and will be mailed to residents about the first week in, May.. She stated that this, summer's programs will be our largest ever. We are facing space problems at Wayzata Senior High, which is the only high school available to us in the summer. We are unable to use District 281 schools without paying for janitorial overtime. A new program for summer is outdoor exercise for parents and their children at Zachary Park. Our senior exercise class "Over 50 and Fit" has been very popular this spring and well attended, so we are going to continue it this summer. A request this spring resulted in the City hiring an interpreter to assist a hearing-impaired mother in our Teeny Tumblers class, where parents participate with their children,. It is the first time we have ever had a request of this nature, and nary anticipates that more requests of this kind could be made in the future, thus necessitating appropriate budget planning. Ruth Brownstated that summer classes begin, the week of June 16. She has begun her summer hiring, since she will be on maternity leave in May and part of June. She announced that we will be conducting a joint recreation effort with the City of Wayzata this summer which will entail offering swimming lessons, tennis lessons and sand volleyball to the residents of Wayzata. This is being done on an experimental basis for the summer of 1986 only. If, after reviewing the program at the end of the summer, it is deemed successful, we may consider repeating the joint venture in .future summers. The City Flea Market and Craft Fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, which is the same day as our swimming registration. Holding these two events at the same time should prove beneficial to both groups. b. Athletic Association Representatives None were present at this meeting. c.: Others Doug O'Brien, principal of Sunset Hill Elementary School, and. Bill Bushnell,; representing the Sunset Hill Playground Committee, were present to request financial support from the City for the construction of a, new playgroundat Sunset School,. They are asking the City for a 1.0,000 donation to help with the removal of existing asphalt surfaces; PRAC Minutes: - April 10 1986. Fage s the removal of unsafe, obsolete play equipment; the preparation of beds; around and: under relocated new play equipment, the drilling of holes for equipment footings; the purchase of concrete and installation of concrete in footing holes; the purchase, and installation of 6 x 6 timbers around the structure; the purchase and installation of black plastic mulch on prepared beds; the purchase, hauling and installation of peacock in the prepared beds; and the: purchase and installation, of asphalt basketball court between recycled backboards and; hoops. They are willing to accept the donation in the form.of money* and/or labor from our park maintenance crews. Director Blank is recommending that the donation be in the .form of money only, since it is too difficult. to judge how much time would be required of our park maintenance crews in completing this job. Commissioner Rosen: questioned how often this playground is used after school, hours and, on weekends in order to justify our involvement In this project. Mr. O'Brien stated 'several families are seen using the equipment on weekends and in the evenings after school. Director Blank also stated that the Sunset Hill playground and the surroudng park is considered the: neighborhood park for this area, therefore justifying its use by individuals other than. school; students.. The playground equipment would be owned and maintained by the: school district and they would also be responsi.bile for the liability. Commissioner Reed requested th,t if we donate to this project, we should consider erecting a sign of some sort identifying this playground as a City neighborhood park, as well as showing that we cozitributec Financially to the equipment. Commissioner Rosen recommended 0tat before FRAC donates a: check for $10,000, bids should be received and examined and, then the money given accordingly. Commissioner Rosen was also concerned with the precednet PRAC would be setting by becoming involved with this project. Director Blank pointed out that when PRAC was approached in 1983 by the Pilgrim Lane PTA to donate matching funds to their playground improvements, the question of setting a precedent arose at that time also. PRAG. decided then that they would probably be asked.by schools with playgrounds serving, as neighborhood parks to donate to future improvements, and that they would review each case separately and would likely donate matching funds. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER MULLAN .AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER. REED RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY CONTRIBUTE UP TO $10,000 FOR THE ITEMS LISTED IN DOUG O'BRIEN'S LETTER DATED MARCH 21, 1986, CONTINGENT UPON RECEIVING AN ITEMIZED COST BREAKDOWN ON EACH ITEM, AND FIRM COMMITMENTS ON VOLUNTEER LABOR AND EQUIPMENT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDS ARE TO BE SPENT FIRST BEFORE CITY FUNDS ARE USED. THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE OPTION OF SUPPLYING LABOR AND OR EQUIPMENT TO ACCOMPLISH ANY OF THE LISTED TASKS. The motion carried with four ayes_. Commissioner Rosen voted nay because he was concerned with setting a precedent. (Commissioner Anderson did not vote, as he left the meeting prior to this item being discussed.) Chair Edwards requested that staff bring back to the May meeting a portion of the minutes from the meeting in 1983 when PRAC approved the matching funds for the Pilgrim Lane PTO regarding the discussion on precedent setting. It was suggested that staff also check with the City engineering department to determine if there are sites within the City -requesting fill where the old. asphalt surface from the playground could be discarded.. Staff was also asked to report back to PRAC by the.: May meeting what other schools may desire in terms of playground equipment improvements. PRAC Minutes - April. 10, 1986 Page 9 t 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION' a. Joint powers Agreement with Wayzata. Director Blank reported that the City Council, approved the; joint powers agreement with the City of Wayzata, a,t their April 7 meeting.: This joint agreement is for one year only on a trial basis., b. Approved Purchase of Property at 3005 East Medicine Lake Boulevard The Council, approved purchasing the property a:t 3005 Fast Medicine bake Boulevard for inclusion in the Hennepin County Regional Trail Corridor, contingent upon the City being reimbursed(including interest) -within five years. The contingency failed, however, when the Metropolitan Council, denied the interest portion of the re -payment. We are now waiting for final, action from the Suburban Hennepin Regional Parks District. 5 UNFINISHED BUSINESS' a. Parkers Lake, date George Watson shared construction drawings for Phase.I development of Parkers. Lake, with the: commissioners. The drawings included plans for landscaping, grading, planting, etc.. Mr, Watson also had ,pamples of park benches, lighting fixtures, and the material that would be beneath the: sand in the beach area. Director Blank discussed writing our 1987 LAWCON grant application for Phase II of Parkers Lake City Park which would include the 'coat launch, fishing docks, and picnic shelters. b Zachary Bui".din& Director Blank reviewed with the commissioners the meeting he has held with the architect and with Hennepin County Health Department regarding the Zachary concession building. Three proposed plans for the building have been developed. Director Blank is recom- mending dropping all three plans., two because they are too costly, and the gird because it is simply an open air shelter and could not be used for concessions., Director Blank is recommending instead that the City go ahead with the proposed landscaping, which would allow portable concession vehicles access to the playfield area, as well as pave: the way for the construction.of a concession building at some time in the future. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER LATOUR AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROSEN APPROVING DIRECTOR BLANK'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PROPOSED LAND- SCAPING AT ZACHARY PLAYFIELD. The motion carried with all ayes. c St. Mary's Land Acquisition update The acquisition of the property at St. Mary's will be wrappedup within the week, once the City gives St. Mary's a check.to pay special assessments.. d. Neighborhood Park Development/Improvements - Queensland & Imperial Hills Architectural drawings should be ready within a few days for viewing by the neighborhood residents. Meetings for the residents to view the plans are tentatively scheduled for April 22. Letters will be sent to residents the week of April 14 6. NEW BUSINESS a. New Plats 'There were Ito new plats to review. b. 1986 Trail Projects Director Blank is recommending following the basic trail plan established in. 1985 covering the years 1985-87, and completing those trail projects this year that were to have been done in 1985, as well as making the Luce Line trail the top priority in PRAC Minutes - April 10, 1986 Page 10 1986. FRAC approved this recommendation unanimously c. 1987LAWCON Grant Application Director Blank stated that lie intends to write our 1987 LAWCON grant application for Phase xT of Parkers Lake which will include the boat launch, fishing docks, pictxic shelters and parking lot, 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Chair Edwards announced that she is planning, to attend a dinner for Commission and, Board members on Tuesday., April 15, at the Hyland Lake Park. Reserve in 'Bloomington. Commissioners Rosen and Mullan will: also attend as well as Director Blank. Commissioner Reed attended tate first meeting of the French Park Advisory Board where he learned that $2,.5 million has been set aside for a. water play area within French Park. Commissioner Rosen: asked if a parks tour could, be arranged for sometime in the spring. Director Blank stated he would schedule one for early in May. 8'. STAFF COMlMUNICATIODT None. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10 33 p.m.