HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 06-11-1992Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
June 11, 1992
Page 22
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Burk, Gutzke, Johnson,
Waage, Wahl, Watson, staff Bisek, Blank, Greupner, and
Pederson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the June meeting to order at 7 p.m. in
the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Gutzke and seconded by
Commissioner Burk to approve the minutes of the May meeting
as presented. The motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff. Recreation Supervisor Karol Greupner presented
the June Employee of the Month certificate to Beth Myers,
who has been a part-time employee for five years. Beth's
positions have included teaching ballet and tap, day camp
counselor, playground leader, concessions manager and
currently supervising the Playground in the Streets
staff. Beth attends college and is majoring in
elementary education.
Karol announced the summer Concerts in the Park schedule,
with the first concert scheduled for June 18, at Parkers
Lake Park, featuring the Robbinsdale Community Band. She
indicated that all of the summer concerts this year will
be held at Parkers Lake, and are sponsored by Cub Foods
and Burnet Realty, both of Plymouth.
Mary Bisek made several announcements including part-time
summer staff training scheduled for June 13 and 14; the
HIPP program, which managed to attract 12 teenagers from
the Plymouth area, who will be trained by our staff and
then will go on to volunteer at least 40 hours of their
time this summer at one of our programs, such as Day Camp
or Playground in the Streets. She also stated that
articles for the fall brochure are due in mid-July, and
asked the commissioners if they had any suggestions or
recommendations for programs.
C. Others.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
No report.
June 1992 PRAC Minutes
Page 23
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Volunteer program discussion. Director Blank reviewed
the list of volunteers used by the Park and Recreation
Department during 1991. The list had been compiled by
staff and was distributed to Commissioners at the
meeting. The total number of volunteers exceeded 800,
with 333 involved in the Adopt -A -Park program. This same
list had previously been made available to the City
Council. Commissioner Burk suggested that staff research
the possibility of securing the services of a volunteer
coordinator and stated that this individual would
coordinate all City volunteers, not just the ones used by
the Parks Department. Other commissioners concurred that
a volunteer coordinator will be necessary if the
volunteer program continues to expand. Commissioner
Gutzke believes that if no one is hired, this
responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Director
Blank, and he doesn't feel that that's appropriate.
Staff will research if other cities have hired volunteer
coordinators, whether they are full or part-time, and
what kind of salary they are paid. A few agencies, such
as the school districts and Senior Community Services,
have paid volunteer coordinators on their staff.
Commissioner Waage thought that perhaps the City of
Brooklyn Center or Brooklyn Park might also have a paid
volunteer coordinator.
b. Park development project update. Contractors are holding
off with seeding at Shiloh, Gleanloch and 10th Avenue
Parks due to the dry conditions. Work continues on the
two new playfields and construction crews will now begin
working Saturdays until the playfields are finished.
C. 1993-97 CIP. Director Blank reviewed the draft list of
projects proposed in the 1993-97 CIP. All of these sites
were identified on a map and were pointed out to the
Commissioners during the review process. Cost estimates
were provided for each project as well. Several of these
sites had been visited the night before during the parks
tour. Director Blank indicated that acquiring land for
playfield #9 is important and that Council wants staff to
find an alternative site to the one originally proposed
for Dunkirk Lane and Old 9. This also means amending the
Comprehensive Park Plan, which requires holding a public
hearing. Another important land acquisition to consider
is the wooded park site between Fernbrook and 494.
The fishing docks for East and West Medicine Lake were
discussed. It was suggested that perhaps Ryerson Steel
might consider a contribution toward the installation of
such docks. Staff will look into this.
June 1992 PRAC Minutes
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Trail segments that need to be connected were also
pointed out by staff. One of the trails identified for
completion starts in Plymouth Creek Park and will
eventually lead to West Medicine Lake. Director Blank
indicated that this is a key trail in the trail system
plan. Other trail projects were discussed including the
completion of a trail along West Medicine Lake Drive.
Several commissioners feel that lack of trail here is
very dangerous from a safety standpoint. People are
using the street for walking, biking and rollerblading,
and there are several areas where blind spots occur.
Commissioners are aware that West Medicine Lake Drive is
going to be upgraded and that any trail installed here
would later be torn up, but they feel something should be
done, even if it's only on a temporary basis. Director
Blank said that he would consult with Fred Moore,
Director of Public Works, about the feasibility of
putting in some kind of temporary trail.
Director Blank reviewed the process of adopting the five
year CIP. He explained that following PRAC's
recommendations for park and trail improvements, the list
goes to the Planning Commission, where it is combined
with other capital items from other departments. The
Planning Commission then holds a public hearing.
Following the hearing, the Planning Commission forwards
it to the City Council. If the City Council adopts the
plan, Director Blank then brings back to the Park
Commission, the following January, the items proposed for
that year. The Park Commission could, at that time,
decide for, or against, going ahead with any given
project.
Commissioner Johnson asked about the possibility of
getting outside funding to complete West Medicine Lake
City Park. He feels that if the City doesn't get started
on this project, this park will never be built. Director
Blank stated that he believes the plan for this park
needs to be redone, and that a consultant should be hired
for that purpose, because the original plan is now ten
years old.
Commissioners were asked for their input regarding which
capital items they would like to see completed in 1993,
1994, and so on. In past years, Director Blank has
prioritized the projects by year, but he stated he wanted
some ideas from the commissioners, since many of them
were new members. For 1993, Commissioners were in
concurrence that playfield site #9 needs to be acquired,
wherever it may be, that the Zachary Playfield parking
lot needs to be expanded, the building of the handicapped
accessible playground at Plymouth Creek Park and some
sort of trail along West Medicine Lake Drive.
Commissioner Waage suggested that Mud Lake Neighborhood
June 1992 PRAC Minutes
Page 25
Park be developed, also. It was Commissioner Watson's
feeling that the issue of safety should be the main
influence in prioritizing capital projects. Commissioner
Burk agreed with this, and suggested that old and new
could be mixed, when deciding what to do each year.
Commissioner Johnson requested that steps be taken to
begin the process of developing West Medicine Lake City
Park and that the total development could maybe be phased
over a few years. Commissioner Burk asked if it was
appropriate for tennis courts to be constructed in
neighborhood parks? Director Blank stated that our
City's Comprehensive Park System Plan calls for tennis
courts in the larger playfields. The commissioners
agreed that tennis courts should not be considered for
inclusion in neighborhood parks.
Director Blank indicated that he would have a draft list
of projects prioritized by year available for the July
meeting, and that it would be necessary for PRAC to make
a recommendation either in July or August.
d. Review sidewalk and trail plan. Commissioners asked if
they needed to make a decision soon on the sidewalk and
trail plan. Director Blank said there is no definite
time table for adopting the plan, but that commissioners
should review it to determine if they agree with the
recommendations made by the consultant. Eventually,
items will be taken from the plan and placed in the CIP.
NEW BUSINESS
Discuss focus groups and surveys. Commissioners
discussed how a survey could be accomplished and how it
might be funded. Commissioner Burk asked if park
dedication funds could be used. Director Blank said that
that was a possibility, however he was certain that the
Council did not wish to hire any outside surveyors, and
that it should be done internally with a questionnaire in
the City newsletter. Director Blank also stated that the
Council had indicated that focus groups should be formed
prior to a survey being done. Commissioners stated that
they strongly believe a survey needs to be done and that
it should be tailored to park and recreation. They also
all concurred that it should be done by a professional,
because they know what kinds of questions to ask and how
to get a broad, overall response. It was the opinion of
every commissioner that a questionnaire in the City
newsletter was not an appropriate way to seek input from
the residents, and that it would not be very scientific.
Commissioner Burk stated that he would discuss this issue
with the Mayor and report back to Chair Anderson, prior
to the July meeting, since he would not be able to attend
that meeting.
June 1992 PRAC Minutes
Page 26
b. Request for park at Xenium Lane and 38th Avenue.
Director Blank reminded commissioners that the residents
from Neighborhood #23 had visited their May meeting
requesting that a park be constructed in their
neighborhood. According to the Comprehensive Park System
Plan, this neighborhood is served by Heritage Park, and
based on this area's projected population, which is down
500 from the 1980 estimate, they do not need additional
park land. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WAAGE AND
SECONDED BY COMMISSER GUTZKE THAT AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
PARK IS NOT APPROPRIATE AT 38TH AND XENIUM, BECAUSE THERE
ARE ADEQUATE FACILITIES LOCATED NEARBY THAT SERVE THIS
AREA. The motion carried with all ayes.
C. Amendment to Comprehensive Park Plan - siting of
Playfield #9. The City Council recently amended the land
use guide plan which reguided the play£ield site at
Dunkirk and Old 9 from public/semi-public to LAl/LA2.
This reguiding is contingent on the park and trail
element of the plan being amended. In order to do that,
a public hearing must be held. It will be necessary, as
part of this process, to find an alternative site for
Playfield #9. PRAC concurred that we should be working
toward this end.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Commissioner Burk will miss the July meeting, and
Commissioner Watson will miss August.
STAFF COMMUNICATION
The next meeting is scheduled for July 9. Director Blank
asked if commissioners wanted to take the month of August
off, but they all agreed that it was necessary to meet.
Director Blank also indicated that during the joint meeting,
Councilmember Vasiliou suggested that PRAC review the
validity of the Park System Plan. In order to do that, he
indicated that PRAC should have a study session with the
consultant who did the original plan, Brauer and Associates.
PRAC concurred with this, and Commissioner Watson suggested
that maybe this could be accomplished in a one day retreat -
type setting in September or October.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.