HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 05-11-2000MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
May 11, 2000
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Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Singer, Meyer, Thompson, Wahl; staff Bisek, Busch,
Callies, Mittelstaedt and Pederson
Absent: Commissioners Fiemann, Musliner; staff Blank
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. in Meeting Room 1 at the Plymouth
Creek Center.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Singer moved and Meyer seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the April meeting.
Motion passed.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff Sara Mittelstaedt, Director of Senior Services, explained that she worked for the
City on a contractual basis through Senior Community Services. She stated that the
Senior Premiere sold out three weeks after it was advertised. Three hundred fifty people
are signed up, with 60 on a waiting list. She feels the event is so popular because the
facility is new, and the seniors want to check it out. Also, the seniors have been waiting
for a long time for a facility like this. She said the Senior program began in 1972 and that
the Plymouth program started with six members. One of those original members is now
90 years old.
Sara explained that with the new center we can now offer art classes, because we have
the rooms available and storage areas for keeping supplies. We are offering more trips
and numerous classes that we couldn't offer before, and we are hoping to have more
special interest groups. The focus of senior clubs is changing, Sara said. They are getting
away from the huge social clubs, and focusing in on more specific interests. An example
of this is a bird watching club, which began last week with 18 members. Sara says it is
better to form these groups based on what the seniors have indicated they are interested
in, rather than she trying to come up with things she thinks they might like. Sara then
discussed the younger seniors. They tend not to volunteer as much as the older seniors.
They are busier and many are still working. She is trying to find more things to interest
this group such as programs offered in the evenings to better accommodate their
schedules.
Sara said that the Plymouth Creek Center is going to try to offer a dining program.
Typical congregate dining programs turn some people off, Sara said. Most of the seniors
in our community seem to be a little more affluent and don't need a low cost meal. Noon
meals don't always fit into the typical lifestyle of today's seniors. They are too busy.
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We're going to try something called lunch express, which would feature soup and salad
or soup and sandwich . It would be available during a more broad time frame. These
meals will be held at the Plymouth Creek Center every week day. They've approached
our caterer about providing these meals at cost. This program will hopefully begin in
September. People will need to register in advance for it, so the caterer will know how
much food to prepare.
Sara stated that the programs that appeal to the younger seniors are the exercise
programs, and the biking and tennis programs. People like to be with their own age
group. Chair Anderson commented that nowadays many people retire at the same pay
they had when they were working. Sara said travel is offered at some very reasonable
prices.
Commissioner Meyer asked if we do special mailings for advertising the senior activities.
Sara distributed a copy of the Senior Grapevine and said this is the newsletter that is
mailed to the community's seniors. The first one was recently mailed out. The second one
is going out soon. There are 1,200 on the mailing list right now and Sara expects this
number to double. Plymouth seniors also receive the Plymouth Leisure Times, which
advertises a variety of programs for seniors.
Sara stated that today's seniors are very active and drive themselves around. They are not
housebound. If they see a program they are interested in, they will drive to other
communities to participate.
Commissioner Wahl asked if we have a golf program for the seniors. Sara mentioned the
women's golf league, which is predominantly made up of seniors. Sara is thinking of
having Galyans' come to Plymouth Creek Center sometime and make a presentation on
golf.
Sara said a survey will be done on Monday during the Senior Premiere on senior dining.
The survey will ask what seniors would be willing to pay for a meal, the best time of day
for the meals to be offered, etc.
Chair Anderson thinks that a history club could be of interest. Sara feels that when people
reach age 50 they become more interested in their genealogy. She suggested that a book
club about history might attract some members. One very popular club is the wood
carving club, which has 40 members who get together once a week to carve and whittle.
They meet from 10-4 every Thursday.
c. Others. There were no other visitor presentations.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Mary stated that not a lot was going on right now. There's a bid out for playground
resurfacing and a change order for Plymouth Creek Center. We will also be going to the
council for approval to work with a designer on the Greenwood ball fields design.
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5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Plymouth Creek Center update. Rick said the Senior Premiere next Monday is the first
event at the Center with a full house. The grand opening is set for June 3, along with the
Millennium Garden groundbreaking. Furnishings are slowly coming in and getting set up.
There are four fiill time people on staff Rick, Dan Lauer, who is Rick's assistant
manager, Sara, and Sheri, Rick's administrative assistant. There is also a part time senior
outreach coordinator who works with Sara. Rick recently hired a custodian who started
tonight. There are also three part time building supervisors, who work weekends and
evenings, when there are activities going on during times other than normal business
hours.
Rick distributed some materials on the Fieldhouse to the commissioners. The cover sheet
showed regular expenditures consisting of costs for temporary staff, gas, electricity,
sewer and water. He explained that these numbers should stay fairly consistent from year
to year. He said that revenues started rather slowly the first couple of months but then
picked up considerably. April revenues were way down, but Rick feels that was due to
the warm weather we had then. There were limited hours for walking and jogging, but
next year there will be a lot more hours available, because the Plymouth Creek Center
will be open fiill time with more staff on hand to supervise. Word is spreading fast about
the great playing surface, especially for playing soccer. Rick explained that most of the
expenditures on the second page were first year start up costs. Rick said that the field
surface is guaranteed for five years, and the roof is guaranteed for anywhere from 10-20
years. Rick then discussed the various clubs and groups that used the Fieldhouse and the
revenues collected from each of them. Commissioner Wahl asked how the field is
holding up. Rick said there have been a couple of problems with the turf separating from
the ribber backing. The manufacturer has been here and done some patching. The surface
is still very good to play on. Rick stated that over the summer, in—house and traveling
soccer will be using it in the evening. Summer daytime use will be soccer camps run by
our Parks and Recreation Department. Chair Anderson asked Rick who is doing the
scheduling now that he has new duties as the Activity Center manager. Rick said Dan
Lauer is now in charge of scheduling. Mary stated that Dan would attend a fiiture PRAC
meeting, so people could meet him.
Commissioner Singer asked about the wedding and how it went. Rick said it went very
well. There were 150 guests. Rick stated that with our weddings and special events, we
now have two wedding and special event coordinators — Commissioners Singer and
Musliner.
Rick said invitations for the June 3 grand opening will be mailed in the next few days.
The Plymouth Community Band will be performing in the parking lot beginning at 10
a.m. The ribbon cutting will be taking place around that time also. Then there may be a
ground breaking for the garden. There will be appetizers in the ballroom served by the
caterer. The craft rooms will have activities for the kids, like face painting and other craft
projects; and soccer games will be played on the field. Dignitaries, the constriction
company representatives, the architect, etc., will all be invited. Most activities will take
place between 10 and noon, followed by self—guided tours of the facility.
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Rick mentioned that there's a greeter program starting soon at the Plymouth Creek
Center. Our volunteer coordinator recruited these folks. Each greeter works a half day per
week, from 9-3. They greet visitors, direct them to their classrooms and give tours of the
building, etc. They will also do light clerical work.
There's more landscaping to be done at the site. They hope to have the parking lot done
by the end of the month. Commissioner Singer said people are asking about getting
married in the garden and then having the reception in the banquet room.
Mary mentioned that a donor has come forward who wants to build a permanent stage in
the amphitheater. Because of that Hennepin Parks is interested in our Showmobile. We
may be selling it to them. We have an agreement that we would still get to use it for
Music in Plymouth this year, and we will have priority to use it for other special events.
The waterfall is in, built by Hedberg Aggregate. They built it as a training seminar for
their contractors.
b. Millennium Garden update. We're working with two design firms and expect to have a
preliminary design from them by mid June. Mary Meyer will be joining the committee
working on this project. We're still getting donations, in addition to the brick buying
program. Mary introduced Regina Callies, a graduate intern from the U of M. Regina is
working on a fund raising program for the Millennium Garden. Staff decided on two
major fund raising events over the next year, explained Regina, and the first one is the
chocolate sampler, scheduled for October 5, in conjunction with Plymouth on Parade. It
will be held at the Plymouth Creek Center. We will use the entire facility for this event. It
will run from 6:30-9:30 that evening. There will be a chocolate dessert competition, a
chocolate boutique, a live auction and possibly a silent auction, too. Regina explained
how the evening would unfold. Desserts will be judged on taste and appearance. There
will also be beverages, such as a gourmet coffee bar. Other limited beverages will be on
hand, as well. The chocolate boutique will be set up in the Fireside room, where event
attendees will be able to purchase chocolate items. We're looking for some larger items
for the live action, such as trips, etc. We're also looking for a local celebrity that would
be involved in gardening or in chocolate in some way to host the event. Typical revenues
for this type of event range anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 to as much as $50,000.
Commissioner Thompson suggested auctioning off the first row of bricks as one of the
large items for the live auction.
6. NEW BUSINESS
No new business was discussed.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Commissioner Thompson mentioned that when you drive down 18th Avenue going towards
Medicine Lake, there are no curb cuts for the many bikers and parents pushing strollers.
Commissioner Singer pointed out that the East Beach bath house is in bad shape. Lots of
families visit this beach, and the building is rather unsightly from the exterior. Commissioner
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Wahl said the East Beach is always busy. Mary said she would pass this information on to
the park maintenance department.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
Mary reminded the commissioners of the Spring Ice Show at the Ice Arena coming up May
12-14. The theme is Dancing Through the Decades. Guest skaters are the National Junior
Pairs Champions from Michigan.
Channel 9 and 12 both were at the History Fest this morning, which was the first day of
Education Days. Mary handed out the program for the History Fest and encouraged everyone
to come on Saturday.
Director Blank is having a great time in England. He's taking lots of garden pictures, going
to soccer games, etc.
9. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.