HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Packet 06-08-2000Regular Meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
June S. 2000, 7 p.m.
AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Visitor Presentations
a. Athletic Associations
b. Staff
c. Others
4. Report on Past Council Action
a.
b.
C.
d.
S. Unfinished Business
a. Plymouth Creek Center update
b. Millennium Garden update
c. Comprehensive Plan update
6. New Business
a. Review field house rental fees for 2000-2001 season
b. Select date for annual park tour
C.
d.
7. Commission Presentation
S. Staff Communication
9. Adjourn
Next regular meeting - July 13, 2000
n\parks\staff\eric\pmc\agendas\june.doc
MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
May 11, 2000
Page 21
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
PRAC Minutes/May 2000
Page 22
too busy. 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.
PRAC Minutes/May 2000
Page 23
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 full 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 full 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 rubber 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 future 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
construction company representatives, the architect, etc., will all be invited. Most
PRAC Minutes/May 2000
Page 24
activities will take place between 10 and noon, followed by self -guided tours of the
facility.
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
PRAC Minutes/May 2000
Page 25
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 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.
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447
DATE: 6/5/00
TO: Eric Blank
FROM: Rick Busch
SUBJECT: Fieldhouse rental and walking fees for 2000/2001 season
During our initial six month period of fieldhouse operation, we generated $195,530 in revenue.
Of that total we had about $186,000 in rentals, $3500 from walkers, and $6000 from open soccer
and youth camps. For the upcoming season we are budgeted to bring in $246,000 in total
fieldhouse revenue. I think we can meet this goal with increased marketing and programming
and simply by the public being more aware of our facility now than they were a year ago. I
would like to keep the rental fees the same except for two changes. Changing the prime time
from 6-10 to 5:30-10:30pm on school days would add an hour of prime time during our most
requested hours. I would also like to change our weekend/holiday prime time from 8am-1 1pm to
8am-10pm. Prime time is $210/hr. Non -prime time was $180/hr. and accounted for about 100
firs. or $18,000 in income last season. I'd like to drop the non -prime rate to $150 primarily to
attract the high school after school sports teams but also to make it more attractive to other users.
Our main projected expenditures will be part-time staff ($15,000), gas ($45,000), and electricity
25,000). These total $85,000, and after other misc. expenditures and fall time salaries are
added should still yield over $100,000 for our escrow account to replace the roof and turf.
I'd like to keep the fees the same for walking and jogging as well. Adults pay $1/time or buy a 12
punch card for $10. People over 55 or under 18 pay $.50/time or buy a 12 punch card for $5. We
will now have the track open daily from 8am-9pm because of the staff already available at the
activity center. We are offering a warn place to walk on an excellent surface so I think we are
making a mistake to drop any or all of those fees.
Our fieldhouse is aready recognized throughout the metro area as having the best turf available
for soccer and most other field sports. Our rates are very reasonable compared to other dome
facilities. While I don't think many changes are needed, I would like to see a lower non -prime
rate.
FIELDHOUSE RENTAL FEES
Current Hours/Fees
Prime Time: $210 per full field $105 per half field
Prime Time Hours: Mon -Thur, 6-10 p.m.
Friday, 6-11 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sunday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Non Prime Time: $180 per full field $90 per half field
Proposed Hours/Fees
Prime Time: $210 per full field $105 per half field (same as before)
Prime Time Hours: Mon -Fri, 5:30-10:30 p.m. (this is a change)
Saturday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. (this is a change)
Sunday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. (this is the same as before)
Non Prime Time: $150 per full field $75 per half field (this is a change)
Walking/Jogging Current Hours/Fees
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11 - 1 p.m. $1.00 per visit up to age 55 or could
purchase punch card for $10/12 punches
0.50 per visit 55+, or could purchase
punch card for $5/12 punches
Walking/Jogging Proposed Hours/Fees
Daily, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. $1.00 per visit, ages 19-54, or punch card
for $10/12 punches.
0.50 per visit, 18 & under and 55+; or
purchase punch card for $5/12 punches
Walking/Jogging Records- ecords-
WedWedDec 1 - Sun Dec 5
Week #1 - Mon i
i - -
Tues Wed
1 _
Thurs ; Fri Sat
r
Sun Total
Others
Total
31I31
5
5
0
0
6
6-0
0 42
Mon Dec 6 - Sun Dec 12
Week #2 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs.
Others 13 2 9 1 11 3 10 49
Total 13 2 9 1 11 3 10
I
Mon Dec 13 - Sun Dec 19
Week 93 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs.
Others 5 9 12 2 19 10 11 68
Total 5 9 12 2 19 10 11
Mon Dec 20 - Sun Dec 26
Week #4 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Frl Sat Sun Total
Srs. 5 6 6 17
Others 11 6 6 2 7 Closed Closed 32
Total 11 6 11 8 13
Mon Dec 27 - Sun Jan 2
Week #5 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun I Total
Srs. 13 3 4 10 10 6 46
Others 10 4 14 0 8 Closed 4 j 40
Total 23 7 18 10 18 10
3- Mon Jan Sun Jan 9
Week #6 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 16 16 18 4 12 13 10 89
Others 10 18 25 6 14 12 19 104
Total 26 34 43 10 26 25 29
Mon Jan 10 - Sun Jan 16
Week #7 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 16 10 15 0 20 27 11 99
Others 23 22 51 0 13 16 22 147
Total 39 32 66 0 33 43 33
I
Mon Jan 17 - Sun Jan 23
Week #8 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 30 10 7 15 19 22 20 123
Others 21 18 7 20 16 16 21 119
Total 51 28 14 35 35 3841
I i
I
Mon Jan 24 - Sun Jan 30
Week #9 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri 1 Sat Sun Total
Srs. 21 i 9 32 21 28 21 14 146
Others 19 22 26 11 35 25 i 32 170
Total 4031 58 32 I 63 46 46
Mon Jan 31
Week #10
Srs. __
Others
Total
Sun Feb 6
r Man Tues
32 - 8
29 19
614 27
Wed
31
35
66
Thurs Fn
15 27
10 25
25 52
Sat
9 -
22 I
31 1
Sun
6
17
23
Total
128
157 _
Mon Feb 7 - Sun Feb 13
Week #11 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 5 3 31 31 24 5 j 6 105
Others 39 23 35 11 2911 15 163
Total 44 26 66 42 53 16 21
Mon Feb 14 - Sun Feb 20
Week #12 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 11 20 8 27 10 28 20 124
Others 12 33 25 1923 40 19 171
Total 23 53 33 46 33 68 39
i
Mon Feb 21 - Sun Feb 27
Week #13 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 18 5 22 5 21 7 9 87
Others 39 5 31 17 25 24 23 164
Total 57 10 53 22 46 31 32
Mon Feb 28 - Sun Mar 5
Week #14 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 22 0 16 6 13 2 2 61
Others 7 0 9 10 3 8 1 38
Total 29 0 25 16 16 10 3
Mon Mar 6 - Sun Mar 12
Week#15 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 7 6 11 12 16 0 5 57
Others 5 14 8 10 30 11 6 84
Total 12 20 19 22 46 11 11
Mon Mar 13 - Sun Mar 19
Week#16 Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 16 2 18 2 1 10 7 56
Others 29 3 25 3 3 12 8 83
Total 45 5 43 5 4 22 15
I
Mon Mar 20 - Sun Mar 26
Week #17 on Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Total
Srs. 17 10 12 39
Others 13 26 7 46
Total 30 36 19 0 0 0 0
i
Total Seniors 1177
Total Others 1677
AU6- 06 WAL J/ASH
3, fl, -3 a7 A 0 b 37
May 1, 2000
Dear Mr. Blank:
Last week, I spoke with Dan Faulkner (Engineering dept.) concerning the safety of Old Rockford
Road between Peony Lane and Vicksburg Lane for cyclists and pedestrians. Many cyclists use
Old Rockford Road and many people also run or walk along Old Rockford Road. Mr. Faulkner
informed me that the city has a trail on its current plan that would extend east from Peony Lane to
at least as far as Kimberly Lane. Hopefully, the trail would proceed east along Old Rockford all
the way to Vicksburg.
Could you please look into the schedule for this trail and see if this project can move forward
sometime this year? I would appreciate any information that you might be able to provide.
As a regular bicycle commuter, I prefer to use the roads whenever possible. When the roads have
adequate bike lanes, paved shoulders, or are just simply wide, they make the ideal place for a
serious cyclist and represent the safest place. The problems with paved trails are the added
hazards of unexpected pedestrians, dogs, blind spots, tree branches, and the hazard of becoming
all but invisible to automobile traffic at street crossings.
I am interested in doing what I can to help the City take note that while Plymouth is extremely
trail -oriented (and they are wonderful!); the trails are not always the best place for a bike that is
traveling 15 to 25 mph, and that there are some easy things the city can do to help make cycling
in Plymouth safer.
Since I five on Old Rockford Road, it is presently the ONLY way to leave my residence. More
than the completion of a trail along Old Rockford Road, I would advocate paving the unpaved
shoulders along both sides of Old Rockford. Even though the unpaved portions are only about 3
feet wide in some spots, this would still be enough to provide the needed safety margin for a
cyclist. Last week, I actually had a school bus pass me and break the state law that requires a 3
foot clearance for cyclists. I have spoken with the bus company manager and with the Minnesota
State Bicycle Coordinator, Michael Jackson, who said that I should consider simply using the
whole lane, to increase my safety. I am not convinced that is what I should do.
Could you also please speak with someone in Engineering concerning paving the shoulders along
Old Rockford Road? I would like to establish a communication with the city about other steps the
city might consider to make Plymouth more bike -friendly.
Thank you,
PegAnd son _;7pI — o C o? -
4385 Lawndale Lane N. ,
o ePlymouth, MN 55446
Ln
l O
June 5, 2000
Kelly Breit
900 Trenton Ln N
Plymouth, MN 55441-4498
Eric Blank
Park & Recreation Director
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd
Plymouth, MN 55447-1482
Dear Mr. Blank:
Per our discussion today at City Hall, I am writing to request that the Park and Recreation Department evaluate the
possibility of constructing a non -motorized paved trail in the Revere Lane North right-of-way north of 6" Avenue
North to 10"' Avenue North.
The primary goal is provide pedestrians and cyclists a safe corridor to reach recreational areas along and north of
10" Avenue North and for employees to reach nearby businesses by non -motorized means. Currently pedestrians
and cyclists routinely cut through The Village at Bassett Creek to reach recreation areas and for employees to reach
their places of employment in a safer manner than travelling along Highway 55.
As I work from my home office most days and my hone is situated adjacent to a popular short out, I've taken the
opportunity to talk with people about the situation. Most have expressed frustration with the lack of a trail
connecting 6" Avenue North to 10"' Avenue North, especially in the winter months when snow is present. To my
knowledge, no homeowners have complained to the homeowners association about the presence of and traffic
patterns of pedestrians and cyclists, most likely due to the fact that they are not home during the day to observe the
situation.
In my conversations with the Engineering Department, they indicated that the extension of Revere Lane north of 6"
Avenue North to 10" Avenue North is dependent on the second phase of The Village at Bassett Creek being built.
Because of the asbestos contamination on the site, they felt it was unlikely that the second phase would ever be built
due to the estimated minimum one million -dollar clean-up costs. I understand a trail would be built when the Revere
Lane extension is built, however based on the information I have been provided, it appears that no such construction
will ever occur.
The trail would serve the seventy-one townhouse units of The Village of Bassett Creek, the residents of the Bassett
Creek Commons senior center, and employees of nearby businesses.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email at kelly.breit@netalliance.net or by telephone at
612-252-9211 (days), 763-591-7580 (evenings).
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kelly Breit
cc: Brad Brown, City Councilmember
Independent School District 284
4 eo. arwoi"/s
May 25, 2000
Mr. Eric Blank, Director
Parks & Recreation
Plymouth City Offices
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, Minnesota 55447
Dear Mr. Blank,
Kimberly Lane Elementary School
17405 Old Rockford Road
Plymouth. MN 55446-2422
612.745.5600
Fax: 612.745.569 t
Gary K. Kipling, Principal
A playground renewal project, at Kimberly Lane Elementary School, is being planned
and we are asking that the City of Plymouth be a partner in this project.
To date, the partners in the project have been many.
Students from Kimberly Lane helped select new equipment.
The PTA has raised funds in 1999-2000 and more fund-raising is planned for
2000-2001.
The Wayzata School District, working with Rodger Schaefbauer, have helped in
the development of the project and have pledged their effort for site preparation.
Earl F. Anderson, working with Dave Owen-CPSI, has created a site plan.
The project has a cost estimate of approximately $70,000.00. Wayzata School District
has allocated $35,000.00. Kimberly Lane PTA has raised $9,000.00, to date. If we
were to receive funding from the City of Plymouth we would still have fund-raising
needs.
I believe you are well aware that the Kimberly Lane playground is used extensively by
families during off hours and during the summer months. The playground serves the
City of Plymouth and the community of Kimberly Lane.
Our project would include equipment on two sites. On the north side of the building is
our preschool/kindergarten play area and the intermediate play area is located on the
south side of the building. All equipment would be ADA accessible. Site plans and
cost estimates are available upon request.
Work... Respect... Belong
Mr. Eric Blank
Page Two
Our fund raising goals for next year will be dependent on the City of Plymouth's
partnership in this project. Therefore, we would appreciate your timely response.
Most Sincerely,
Gary K`. Kipling, Princip I
Mrs. Beth Strand, PTA Project Chair
GKK:jlt
cc: Dave Owen, EFA
Rodger Schaefbauer, District Safety
To: Mr. Eric Blank
Park and Recreation Director
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447
From: Charles Karns
17105 19`'Ave. N
Plymouth MN 55447
Date: 5123/00
Dear Mr. Eric Blank,
Here in Plymouth there are not many places to skateboard that are legal. If we
try to skateboard in public places that don't even have any no skateboarding
signs, most of the time we are kicked out. This happens even if we were not
causing damage to anything in any way.
Some people might say that there is no good in skateboarding therefore, why
provide a place for them to skateboard. Skateboarding is just another sport.
Professional, just like any other. I know for a fact that when soccer players
thought it would be a good idea to play during the winter, Plymouth built them a
winter dome. We would be very appreciative if you were to build a public skate
park for us. We would pay to get in to make up for the money spent on building it.
I know plenty of people that would love to get a job helping to run the place.
It would also be very kind of you to let us know of any places we are allowed to
skateboard at.
Respectfully,
CLOAA^ n ) ,w
Charles Karns
June 7, 2000
Charles Karns
17105 19th Ave N
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Charles:
I received your letter regarding aggressive inline skating in Plymouth. I know that you and
many other kids are greatly interested in having inline skating facilities to use other than the
streets and storefronts. This is the reason the City made the concrete slab behind the Plymouth
Ice Center available for inline skating. It is available to use now, but keep in mind, it is just a
flat surface with no equipment at this time.
It is our understanding that the cities of Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park and Hopkins will all
have inline skating parks available this summer. Call them for information on their hours, etc.
The Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, the City Council, and the staff will continue
to monitor the situation of an inline skate park in Plymouth. It is our hope that something
positive will happen in the near future.
I am sorry that I cannot give you any more definite answers at this time.
Sincerely,
R,
Eric J. Blank, Director
Parks and Recreation
EB/np
cc: PRAC
City Council
Ice Center Manager
PLYMOUTH A''Beautifu[PCnce'roLive
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000
www.d.plymouth.mn.us
Thi.5 i JcLs
Sza+ `}D R E
P A R K S
C R E A T I O N
Municipal skate parks
6"
Cities are working with local youths
to fund, design and maintain
skate facilities.
By Christina Couret
Assistant Editor
Verts, half -pipes and grinds: They represent skating
to the nations youth and a liability nightmare to
many city parks departments. Because of the per-
ceived recklessness associated with skateboarding and
inline skating, many local governments have banned skat-
ing on commercial and community properties, as well as on
school grounds, leaving skaters with very little recreational
space.
As a compromise, some local governments are building
skate parks, complete with bowls, rails and ocher skating
elements to ensure a safe environment for skaters. By con-
structing a designated skate park, city officials meet the
demands of their young residents and ensure that skaters
are not damaging city or privately owned properties, or dis-
rupting pedestrians and other park users.
PLANNING
The popularity of skating has increased steadily over the
past several decades, as traditional roller skates have
evolved into inline skates and skateboarding has emerged
Continued on. p. 62
58 October 1999 -
AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY
From p. 58
as a television sport. In fact, ESPN's X
Games for extreme sports, held in San
Francisco last summer, attracted more
than 200,000 spectators and 400
international competitors in events
for skateboarding, inline skating and
BMX biking. First -place winners took
home $10,000.
Regardless of the growing populari-
ty of skating, many government offi-
cials are concerned about skating safe-
ty, and they do not want to be held
responsible when injuries occur. In
1997, California Gov. Pete Wilson
approved a state law that designated
skateboarding as a hazardous recre-
ational activity. Under the act, skaters
basically skate at their own risk, and
their ability to file injury claims
against cities is limited.
Following passage of the law, many
of California's local governments
passed ordinances prohibiting skate-
boards in parks and other areas, leav-
ing skaters nowhere to go. However,
About 500 skaters use the Modesto Skate Park, which opened in
August 1998, each day during the summer.
some cities tried to
compromise with
local skaters. For
example, after the
Modesto City Council
passed an ordinance
prohibiting skate-
boards in downtown
business areas and
parking lots and on
school properties in
January 1995, the city
created a task force to
investigate building a
skate park. The 27 -
member task force
consisted of residents,
local business owners,
representatives of the
police department
and 13 skaters.
The city set aside
15,000 to hire a park
designer Fullerton,
Calif. -based architect
Purkiss Rose -RSI
and began researching
other skate parks and
liability issues. Ac-
cording to Recreation
Supervisor Doug Lemcke, the task
force discovered that, in 1996, the
National Safety Council, Itasca, Ill.,
listed football, volleyball and ice
hockey as sports more dangerous than
skateboarding. Furthermore, a survey
of 48 California skate parks revealed
that only two had been sued after
injuries. Santa Cruz, which has oper-
ated a skate park since 1978, has been
sued twice.
In Grand junction, Colo., home to
Westlake Skatepatk and Eagle Rim
Park skate facilities, city officials also
realized that, while cuts and scrapes
are common at skate parks, claims and
lawsuits are not. Most cities post rules
requiring skaters to wear helmets,
elbow pads, knee pads and wrist
guards. Some cities, such as Bellevue
and Santa Paula, both in Calif., even
require skaters and/or parents of
skaters to sign waivers absolving the
city.ofliability.
Modesto passed an ordinance
requiring use of helmets, elbow pads
and knee pads. It also stated that
skaters who fail to wear the equip-
ment are negligent and therefore skate
at their own risk, according to Lear -
eke. "Some kids don't want to wear
helmets,' he says.
SITE SELECTION
If liability is not a hindrance, cities
can proceed with site selection and
development of a skate park. Lemcke
recommends choosing a highly visible
site, perhaps close to a roadway, so
that it can be easily located, attended
and patrolled. "Cities should not pick
an isolated location for a skate park,"
he says.
High visibility also ensures that
police can better patrol the area and
cuts the likelihood of illegal activity
or rule -breaking. Additionally, Lem -
eke says, "Skaters like to show off.
They want to be seen."
Frequently, cities can tack a skate
facility onto an existing park if space
allows. Co -locating saves parks
departments the additional costs of
building restrooms or concessions. For
example, by building a skate park at
Skating
terminology
Air: skaters have all four
wheels :of skates or skateboards off
the ground at the same time
Grind: a trick performed by
scraping one or both skateboard
axles on a surface; or by sliding
across.a surface on the inline skate
frames
Half -pipe: a two-sided, U-
shaped ramp; it likely will have 90
degree vertical walls
Hang up: catching the skate or
skateboard on an obstacle, usually
causing a fall
Keyhole slot: a spillway or
smooth entry into a deep bowl
Vert: any ramp or surface with
a 90 degree incline
62 October 1999 AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY
an established recreational site at Bey-
er Community Park, Modesto was
able to feed off existing amenities as
well as site recognition.
Hollister, Calif, chose a site close
to a roadway for the Hollister Skate
Park, which should be completed by
next spring, according to David Rub-
cic, associate engineer for the city.
The facility is being built at Veterans
Memorial Park, which already has
drainage facilities and restrooms.
Although the park is in a residential
area, the closest house is about 600
feet away. "We don't anticipate any
noise problems," Rubcic says.
Since noise can pose problems,
many parks departments do not build
recreational facilities close to neigh-
borhoods. However, in Grand Junc-
tion, one group of residents requested
that the skate park be built in their
neighborhood at a neglected drainage
area. The fact that the site had no
sewer utilities and, thus, no restroom
facilities, added to the $223,000 con-
struction cost. Park planners also
included heavy landscaping to serve as
PARKS & RECREATION
a buffer between the skate park and
the residents.
THE DESIGN 'TEAM
Because many parks planners are
not familiar with skate park features,
designing one presents a unique
opportunity for young people and
adults to work together, Lemcke says.
I had no idea how to build a skate
park," he says. "I really relied on the
kids' expertise."
Continued on p. 70
GIS helps Boise beef up parks management
Ince 1990, Boise, Idaho, has grown rapidly, creating
an escalating demand for parks and recreational facil-
ities. With 80 city -owned parks totaling more than 2,000
acres, the Parks and Recreation Department had difficul-
ty managing inventory, maintenance and budgeting for
each of its sites. In March 1999, the department imple-
mented a GIS -based tool that allows it to manage its
properties more efficiently.
Prior to developing the GIS, the city used. two tabular
database systems for parks facility maintenance and man-
agement; the Project Inventory Management System
tracked the status of maintenance items, and the)Preven-
tive Maintenance Management System tracked the
financial ramifications of facility maintenance. Those
databases were stored in large notebooks that were diffi-
cult to update and handle. As a,i esult, division managers
often did not have the information they needed for
ordering supplies or budgeting for capital improvements.
Recognizing the inefficiencies of that approach, the
department contracted with Spatial Dynamics, a local
GIS consulting firm, to develop a GIS -based Parks Infor-
mation Management System or GecPIMS.
The first task in designing the system was to describe
and compile the data used by the department's various
divisions, including Horticulture, Forestry, Infrastructure
and Planning. The information was gathered by inter-
viewing division managers and obtaining copies of paper
forms used by each division for tracking items and tasks.
Using that data, Boise conducted a pilot study of a sin-
gle park. The first data layer identified the surface (i.e.,
turf, asphalt, concrete) for the park and the correspond-
ing purpose (soccer, parking, walkway). Parks and Recre-
ation staff then used GPS equipment to locate and char-
acterize other items such as signs, picnic tables and trash
receptacles. Data on the structural components and con-
dition of each item was recorded along with its spatial
location.
After completing the pilot study and refining the
database design and applications, staff members com-
Boise is using a GIS -based :system to track parks: inventory,
location, maintenance and general use.
piled data across the,entire parks system for city-wide use
in maintenance, planning and other functions. Each
division is responsible for updating that information,
which can be accessed only by authorized staff. For
example, when forestry workers plant a tree, they locate
it on the park map and enter information on type and
planting date into the database. Similarly, if infrastruc-
ture workers replace a sink in a restroom, they update
the database. (Backup mechanisms have been estab-
lished to protect the integrity of the data from human
errors.)
The system is based on a custom ArcView application,
which supports the direct import of GPS data, GIS data
and AutoCAD files. As new parks and features are
developed, the staff can integrate the information direct-
ly into the system. By using GIS technology as the foun-
dation for its management operations, the parks depart-
ment is able to generate fast, visual responses to database
queries across the entire parks department.
This article was written by Trevor Adams, operations
manager, and Patti Murphy, community relations coordina-
tor for Boise Parks & Recreation.
AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY October 1999 63
PARKS-'& RECREATION
Mesa residents turn out to plan skate park
on the heels of a recent growth spurt,
Mesa, Ariz., last year approved a half -
cent quality -of -life tax initiative to make
improvements for its 380,000 residents.
Among the improvements were public safety
and transportation upgrades, as well as the
addition of a skate park.
Planning for the Reed Park Skate Court
has involved nearly the entire community,
from city officials to the children who will be
using the facility when it is completed in
2000. "From the beginning, we knew there
was tremendous interest in our providing this
facility to the community, so it was important
to us to involve the public in our planning
process," says Joe Holmwood, Mesa Parks, Mesa skaters took part in planning meetings for the Reed,Park Skate
Recreation and Cultural Division director. Court, which will be completed next year.
As the planning process got under way, a
variety of concerns surfaced. Officials worried about the We expected the skaters would be confrontational
liability involved in having an extreme sports facility, about their wishes,",says Planning and Development
and they were concerned about the impact of a skate Administrator Bill Way..'But instead, we found them to
park on the neighborhood and on other park facilities. be understanding and up to date on the building issues,
To address those concerns, Mesa hired a local consult- and we were surprised that they kept liability in; mind."
ing firm, The Widforss Group, to assist in researching For example, skaters requested that the architects
liability and to serve as a mediator in all public meetings. change some features that were too challenging to ensure
At the same time, the city established a 23 -member a safe environment. Skate shop owner Scott Matteson
planning committee, composed of architects, designers, was surprised ;by the participants. ."There -were a lot of
parents, -business owners, skaters and concerned resi- kids, end-users of the park; who showed up and had their
dents. It also included representatives from the city's opinions. I expectedthem to want half pipes — the big -
Engineering Division, and police, risk management and ger, more dangerous features but they made their rea-
parks departments. sons clear [for their choices]," he says.
The committee held three public meetings to obtain On Dec. 21„ 1998, the Mesa City Council approved
input from residents on the skate park. More than 250 the plan for the Reed Park Skate Court. The facility,
people attended the meetings; 114 people attended the which will be open to skateboarders and inline skaters
first meeting to show support for the skate park and to free of charge, will be built at a, former lake site at an
share design ideas. existing community park. ,
Liability concerns decreased after the planning team
contacted several companies that insured skate parks.
The planners discovered that fewer than 3 percent of the
insured skate parks had incurred claims following injuries
sustained at the park.
With the liability and support issues addressed, the
planning committee proceeded with the skate park, hir-
ing David Evans and Associates, a national architectural
firm headquartered in Portland, Ore., as a consultant.
Alan Fishman Associates, Laguna Beach, Calif., signed
on as designer.
The architects got a number of ideas for the skate park
from the committee representatives and from attendees
of the public meetings. Skater Marry Murawski and his
two brothers were among the youths who attended the
first public meeting. "We wanted to be involved,"
Murawski says. "We wanted to see it built right for
skaters."
The facility will have threebowls of varying levels of
difficulty, including a skate area for small children. It
also will include grass, shaded areas and water fountains.
The Reed Park Skate Facility Steering Committee,
including many of the original planning committee
members, will oversee construction of the skate park and
develop operations and maintenance guidelines. The
committee will stay in place after the facility opens to
provide input on rules, events, management, discipline
policies, supervision expectations, concessions, instmc-
tional opportunities,.accident/emergency procedures and
safety education. The Mesa Parks, Recreation and Cul-
tural Division will operate the facility and act as lead
liaison on all issues.
This article was written by Deborah Kuzik, community
relations assistant for the Mesa Parks, Recreation and Cul-
tural Division.
AMERICAN CITY 6,. COUNTY October 1999 69
From p. 63
Skaters in Hollister submitted draw-
ings for their skate park. The park
planners toned down some of the
advanced features that skaters request-
ed so that less experienced skaters
would have options, too. The 8,000 -
square -foot park will include one 3 -
foot -deep bowl, one 5 -foot -deep bowl,
quarter pipes and various ramps and
edges for skateboarders and inline
skaters.
Including skaters in the design
process benefits everyone, Rubcic says.
If skaters are involved, they have a
sense of ownership, and they will take
better care of the park," he says.
As in Hollister, planners for Grand
Junction's Westlake Skatepark incor-
porated ideas and suggestions from
local skaters. The park features a 7 -
foot -deep rectangular bowl, a free-
form 7 -foot -deep open-ended bowl, a
street skate area and a 10 -foot -deep
bowl with a keyhole slot entryway.
Because the park has grown in popu-
larity since its May 1997 opening,
Grand Junction is constructing a sec-
ond facility. Eagle Rim Park, planned
for completion by summer 2000, will
contain elements for less experienced
skaters, including an extensive street
skating area, steps, rails and ramps.
If I had it to do over, I would have
used more space for street skating and
not put in the 10 -foot hole [at West-
lake]," says Shawn Cooper, Grand
Junction parks planner. "The big bowl
was geared for very experienced
skaters, and it's not getting a whole lot
of use. Street skating is the highest use
area at Westlake."
Modesto's 13,000 -square -foot park
also is aimed at intermediate and
advanced skaters, and the city may
add beginners' facilities at a later date,
Lemcke says. The next item on the
agenda likely will be lighting.
The majority of skate parks sur-
veyed by Modesto do not have out-
door lights because it is an extra
expense and because parks depart-
ments do not want skaters to use the
parks at night and create noise. Most
skate parks are open from dawn to
dusk.
FUNDING
Because of the high cost of concrete
and specialized design services, skate
parks can be cost -prohibitive for local
governments. And, since demand for
the facilitiesishigh, many cities rely
on financial support from the commu-
nity to fund construction.
Modesto's research showed that
skate parks cost between $50,000 and
200,000, depending on size and the
number of features. Modesto's park
PARKS & RECREATION
Parks partnership guide available
The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C., has published a guide for cities
and counties looking to improve their public parks through private
partnerships. Commissioned by the Lila Wallace—Reader's Digest Fund,
Partnership For Parks" offers guidelines for partnering with private -sector
parks supporters.
The guide examines four questions for public-private parks partnerships:
How should public-private partnerships be structured?
Who should make decisions?
What assets and liabilities do partners bring?
How do the partnerships manage risks?
A 1994 study by the National Parks and Recreation Association, Ash-
burn, Va., showed that $30.7 billion would be needed between 1995 and
1999 to meet public demand for parks services. Results of the study have
shown that public-private partnerships can help meet that demand and fos-
ter community involvement.
To order a copy of "Partnerships For Parks," call Urban Institute Publica-
tions, (202) 261-5687. The guide costs $10, including shipping and han-
dling. It also may be viewed online at www.urban.org.
totaled $145,000, excluding landscap-
ing costs. The city contributed
150,000 from its capital improve-
ment plan budget, and the task force
raised another $40,000 for landscap-
ing in three months from outside con-
tributors, including parents, business
owners, skaters and the city police
department. Persons or businesses who
gave a minimum of $1,000 received
recognition on a permanent plaque at
the park.
Not all skate parks receive as much
in city funding or in private dona-
tions. In Hollister, city officials were
not always enthusiastic about a skate
park, Rubcic says. "The most difficult
part of this process has been getting
the city council to fund the skate
park," he says.
In researching liability — a major
concern — Rubcic visited eight skate
parks for ideas and background infor-
mation. Based on other cities' success-
es and local demand, the city
approved $120,000 to fund the skate
park. That amount should be suffi-
cient, Rubcic says. If not, the city will
turn to the community for donations.
MAKING AND BREAKING RULES
Ongoing costs for a skate park are
minimal, provided that there is no
damage to the facility or graffiti to
remove. Rules help avoid liability
problems as well as costly repairs. For
example, most skate parks do not
allow bicycles because the metal bike
parts can damage the bowls and other
skate park elements. Additionally,
Lemcke says, parks officials do not
want bikers colliding with skaters and
causing injuries.
Modesto and Grand Junction skate
parks also have strict rules about graf-
fiti. Most skateboarders decorate their
boards with paint and stickers, but
city officials did not want the same
items plastered around the skate parks.
Grand Junction park planners and
local skaters agreed on "self -policing"
to prevent graffiti or "tagging" with
stickers. "If the park is tagged, the
skaters know we will shut it down
until we can clean it up or cover it
over," says Mari Steinbach, recreation
superintendent for the city.
To enforce rules about skate park
hours, graffitiand litter, some cities
ticket unlawful skaters. But, for the
70 October 1999 _ AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY
most part, they rely on skaters to
enforce the rules.
Despite vows from the Modesto
Task Force skaters to obey the rules,
within three weeks of the grand open-
ing of the Modesto Skate Park, skaters
were breaking rules. They were seen
without helmets or pads and skating
at night; bikers were riding amidst
skaters; and residents had started conn-
plaining about the litter. Police
responded by issuing $54 citations to
those violating the rules.
Lemcke also set up a deal with a
park concessions vendor to give a free
bag of shaved ice to skaters who
picked up a bag full of trash at the
park. Skaters now do more self -polic-
ing, and police issue warnings to rule -
breakers before writing citations,
according to Lemcke.
No 'HANG UPS'
Even with its somewhat rocky
beginning, Modesto's skate park has
proven to be a success. In fact, Lem-
cke says, after the park opened, the
parks department received about 10
calls each day from other municipal
parks planners requesting information
about skate park funding, RFPs, rules
and other details. Modesto responded
by printing a guide outlining the
entire skate park process. The city has
sold about 200 copies at $25 each.
As the popularity of skating contin-
ues to increase, many city officials are
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AMERICAN CITY st COUNTY
Once we agreed on the rules, the
skaters said they would help police [the
park] themselves; says Grand
Junction's Mari Steinbach.
making an effort to allocate funding
and other resources to the construc-
tion of a skate park. Still, many pro-
posed skate parks garner mixed reac-
tions from city officials and residents,
who want to see funds going toward
roads and other critical infrastructure.
Most cities can afford both, Rubcic
says. "What people don't understand
is that the skate park is going to get
skaters into a more controlled area."
By creating an arena specifically for
skaters, officials reduce the potential
for skating -related damage to munici-
pal or private property, and they get
skaters out of pedestrian areas. "We
have seen a reduction in illegal skat-
ing by at least 50 percent since we
built the skate park," Lemcke says.
That's one of the big pluses." i`c
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October 1999 71