HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 06-14-2001Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
June 14, 2001
Page 35
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Meyer, and Musliner; staff Bisek, Blank,
and Pederson; Councilmember Hewitt; City Manager Johnson
Absent: Commissioners Singer and Thompson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the June meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Prior
to 7:20, there was no quorum.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Meyer and seconded by Commissioner Fiemann to
approve the minutes of the May meeting as presented. Musliner made a correction on pg. 31.
She stated that her reason for supporting the skate park being at the Ice Center was the
supervision available there with staff trained in first aid. She stated that she did not mention
anything about the proximity to the Police station. Motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations.
b. Staff Mary mentioned that the Minnesota Monthly Magazine picked the 10 best sites for
picnics in the metropolitan area. Parkers Lake was the number one site. Rec-Connect has
received two awards of excellence. The MN League of Cities and the MRPA each gave
us one. We also received awards of excellence for the Plymouth Creek Center and for the
Chocolate Sampler. Someone from MRPA will be coming out to make a presentation at a
future Council meeting regarding these awards. Regina Callies is starting fill time as a
recreation coordinator August 1 st. The is the first full time position we've had in 11 years
in the recreation division. The Council approved a reclassification for Dan Lauer. He is
now a recreation supervisor. MRAC has approved a matching grant for the City of
4,500. We will be receiving that next year. It's a process grant to help arts communities
in the suburban area grow. Staff is now working on 2002 budgets. The recreation
brochure deadline for fall is August 15. Summer staff training was last night at the
Plymouth Creek Center. Musliner asked about the formation of the art committee, the
group that is to help make decisions about the type of art that may be displayed in
Plymouth's public areas, such as parks, etc. Mary said that committee is still meeting and
will be making a formal presentation to PRAC at some point. They may get tied into this
arts grant, but Mary wasn't sure in what capacity. Meyer asked about Regina's position.
Mary said it's a new position and that she will be taking over some of Mary's programs,
along with teen programming and young adult classes. Councilmember Hewitt asked
about the fall soccer early deadline and wondered if we would have a second round of
registrations after that date. Mary confirmed that the date of June 30th is the deadline,
because the entire month of July is needed to form the teams and get the schedules out.
We may accept additional registrations after that date but only to fill out teams.
PRAC Minutes/June 2001
Page 36
Dwight Johnson, City Manager, discussed the Youth Advisory Council's proposal to
have a teen center/coffeehouse. One of the sites they are interested in is the lower level of
the Plymouth Creek Center. Dwight stated that the City also owns some houses along
County Road 101 that might be possible for such a facility. Another option is a building
at West Medicine Lake Park, if one gets built there. Dwight believes the Youth Advisory
Council just wants to get the concept presented at this point. Fiemann asked if any of the
houses on 101 are isolated from other neighbors. Dwight said that is an issue that needs
to be addressed. Dwight said there is a house right next to the watertower that might be
appropriate. It is near another house, however. Fiemann asked if there will be older adults
there supervising. Dwight said that something probably could be arranged. Meyer is in
favor of this idea. She thinks it sounds like they prefer the Plymouth Creek Center as
their first choice. Dwight said it's up in the air. The teens said they'd prefer to have a
place of their own. Maybe the Plymouth Creek Center would work if they could have
their own entrance. Anderson asked about a timeframe. Dwight said there really isn't one.
Dwight thinks there may be grant money for this project from the Communities in
Collaboration Council. They are favorable about this proposal. Director Blank said staff
will start working on this, and it will likely be the number one item on the July agenda. If
we tie it into the budgeting cycle, we need to narrow it down to one or two directions to
go. Musliner suggested finding out more about the Maple Grove Teen Center and The
Depot.
c. Others. There were no other presentations.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
a. Approved skate park. Director Blank stated that the skate park has been moved to the
public works site, following a spirited debate at the Council meeting. Bids on the asphalt
surface are due June 15. If it stops raining, it should be operational by mid—July. We will
try to get the kids involved in naming it. Dwight stated that this afternoon the
Communities in Collaboration met about a grant. They debated today if their grant could
be extended to the new location. They voted not to, because it was originally set to be
given if the skate park was going to be at the Ice Center. It was a split vote, with quite a
debate. The criteria for their grants is connecting youth to the community. They feel that
by moving the skate park to another location that critiera will not be met. Meyer asked
about the additional cost to move it. Director Blank said it will be about $30,000 more. It
will be just east of the water treatment plant. This has a separate entrance. This area will
be fenced off and will include a small parking lot for about 10 cars. We budgeted $50,000
for the skate park and that covers the initial cost. Musliner asked if we have established
some criteria for grading the success of the skate park. Director Blank said there are
advantages to locating the skate park at the Public Works facility. This site is expandable,
the hours can be longer as well as the months it will be open, and we are working on
ways to judge the park's success.
b. Award of bid — Greenwood. The Council awarded the contract for the Greenwood fields.
The performance bonds are in. A pre -constriction meeting has been held. We delayed
starting the project until school was out, and now the weather has delayed us. Work
should begin on Monday, June 18, if the rain stops. This site will open for use next
spring. The entire site will be sodded. Fall soccer probably will not be played there this
year. We did not constrict a parking lot or a drinking fountain.
PRAC Minutes/June 2001
Page 37
c. Approved the wildflowerag rden. The Council approved the installation of the wildflower
garden on 38th Avenue across from the Plymouth Creek Park.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Millennium Garden update. Work began today — a survey crew showed up to install the
silt fence. The next thing is the mass grading. That is a completely donated item. We will
wait until they can work us into their schedule. People continue to buy bricks. Our
dedication/grand opening ceremony may be around July 20th, 2002.
b. Hilde Performance Center. This project is moving along slowly. Mr. Hilde convened
some meetings with the architect and staff They think the project can come in at the
million dollar limit set by Mr. Hilde. The basement may have to come out of the project
at this time. Mr. Hilde would like to announce it at the July 5 Music in Plymouth. There
is concern about the ground water on this site in terms of putting in a basement. We are
waiting for the architects to give us another set of drawings. The basement cost is
estimated at $100,000. Councilmember Hewitt said it will cost considerably more to add
a basement later. We are trying to stay within Mr. Hilde's limit and still maximize the
project. The Council did approve the EAW at their last meeting. The community is
embracing the project and is very supportive.
d. Playground replacements. Swan Lake is very close to being done. Parkers Lake
playground is going to be a catalog playground. We will probably get $60,000 worth of
free" product. Director Blank explained what he meant by a catalog playground. The
playground manufacturer publishes a catalog and plans to feature this playground in their
next issue. Councilmember Hewitt asked about the playground program at Parkers Lake
and whether or not it will be cancelled due to the playground replacement. Director Blank
asked Mary to look into this.
Because the Council agendas have been so fiill, the environmental park is scheduled for
their July 10th meeting. That project may begin by late summer.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Discuss park tour — select date. Director Blank said that PRAC visited non -Plymouth
parks last summer. Historically the park tour has been scheduled prior to beginning
discussions on the CIP. Sometimes we use the July meeting to do that. We could do it
later in July or early August. It was suggested that PRAC tour the teen centers. It was
decided there wouldn't be enough time to visit teen centers prior to the meeting on July
12th, so Director Blank suggested visiting the centers on July 16 and then hold the
regular July meeting on the 19th. We will plan to cancel the August meeting, unless
pressing business requires a meeting. The Youth Advisory Council has toured the teen
center in Maple Grove. A suggestion was made to invite them to attend the tour as well as
the Council.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Musliner asked if the Rotary Club ducks would be available at the Music in Plymouth event.
Director Blank said the duck race will be held during the parade event on October 6. The
Rotary Club has gathered $30,000 from their corporate sponsors. The goal is to sell 10,000
PRAC Minutes/June 2001
Page 38
ducks, which would raise $100,000. Director Blank will let PRAC know as soon as the ducks
are available for purchase.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
The Ice Center has had a couple of projects completed recently. The B rink floor was
repainted and the dehumidification system has been installed. Music in Plymouth is on July
5. The Fun Run is June 23rd. Lunds is fiinding the fireworks this year. The 30th anniversary
of Music in Plymouth is 2002. The recent rains have been brutal on our programs. The
Wayzata Soccer Tournament directors met and decided to cancel 2/3 of their weekend
tournament due to the water—logged fields. Rumors spread on these things like wildfire. We
did not cancel the tournament — they did. Some ages will still be allowed to play. Director
Blank said staff met with all the turf groups over the winter months and with everyone's
cooperation, a set of guidelines to save the fields was agreed upon. Everyone has bought into
the idea of preserving the fields. The Wayzata Club should be commended for their decision
to cancel their tournament. This will hurt them financially. Director Blank said we can't help
them out this year, but maybe next year we can do something for them.
Fiemann asked about the ice center sign. Mary said she called the company and they just
visited the site yesterday. They said everything is ready but the electric box isn't hot. It's
very close to being operational. The two trees that are blocking it will be moved as soon as
the ground dries up a little. They will be moved back a few feet. Fiemann asked about the
parking issue at LifeTime. Director Blank said this issue is still being researched. Fieman
asked if the plans for a parking solution include the possibility of a third sheet of ice. Director
Blank said yes. Director Blank said we're focusing on a parking study more so than a third
sheet of ice. In order to effectively study parking, however, we have to know where a third
sheet could go, but nothing has been adopted in the CIP. Director Blank cautioned everyone
to not give the impression that we are going to add a third sheet of ice. Fiemann mentioned
the difficulties encountered when trying to enter the soccer field at the Central Middle
School. There has to be a solution. Director Blank said the entrance is designed this way to
keep bikes off the field or things that could tear up the turf. Director Blank said the school
district is not likely to change their minds about opening any other gates. Fiemann suggested
that PSA should find someone to operate the gates, so they could be open only during the
soccer games. He also commented that parking at this school is challenging. The lot is full
and cars are parked on every surrounding side street. Mary commented that numerous
activities are taking place at this school besides soccer, and this is contributing to the parking
situation.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.