HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.1.23 Park & Rec Joint Meeting Minutes1 | Page
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Joint Meeting
Parks & Recreation Commission Community Engagement Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES May 1, 2023 at 6:30 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:33 P.M. B. ROLL CALL: Jeff Yager__X___ Mike Bradbury__X___ Eric Brenton__X___ Paula Mielke__X ___ Tom Faust__X___ Randi Lundell__X___ Mike Tracy___X__ Cooley-Kistler__X__ LaDouceur__X__ Ebbesen__X ___Lindstrom____ Stockford__X__ COUNCIL LIAISON:
James Wassenberg ___ X ____
Yakasah Wehyee ________
STAFF PRESENT: Kelly Nelson___X____ Elke van der Werff _______
C. PRESENTATION:
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. April 3, 2023 - Parks and Recreation Commission and Community Engagement Commission -Joint Meeting Minutes Commissioner Ebbesen motioned to approve the minutes; Approved 11-0 E. AGENDA: 1. Spring Together 2023 Event
Tracy shared how he once spent seven months in Texas and Arizona in a 55+ community. Based on the community centers he saw there, he came up with a wish list of 10 items
that he’d most like to see at a new Community Park building. Tracy’s list was shared for other commissioners to generate their own wish lists from and/or to number his own list in order of their preferences. It could also be shared at the Ice Cream Social to generate ideas from attendees. Tracy’s list: New FH Community Center Building Dream List
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Please rank from 1 to 10 which of these suggestions you think are least to
most important. 1 Bigger than the current building. If it is 36x72 (about 2,600 sq ft) we can have indoor pickleball space. 2. Two levels. The cost of an additional level will be less than half the cost of the first floor. That will increase the size to about 5,200 sq ft.
3. A kitchen with ample storage space for food and drink 4. Passive solar with south facing patio doors to bring in the warm winter sun. 5. Active solar panels on the south facing roof to generate electricity.
6. Fitness equipment for both strength and cardio exercise. 7. Locker rooms and showers
8. Saunas for both men and women 9. A free library for sharing books and puzzles.
10. Media equipment for movies and for educational experiences.
Ebbesen had previously suggested asking the following questions at Spring Together. How do you currently receive information from the city? How would you like to receive information?
How would you like to engage with the city? Stockford cautioned against limiting opinions too much. Ebbesen suggested asking about what categories are most important, such as environmental consideration, year-round activities, etc. Wassenberg suggested free association of ideas for Community Park be gathered at Spring Together to help formalize a system for gathering additional input at Ice Cream Social. Nelson asked for clarification regarding the Wish Lists. Commissioners decide that Post-Its will be used at Spring Together to write free-form answers to what residents want most at Community Park. Staff will then compile the
data and try to put it into categories. An example might be that one Post-It suggests having pickleball courts. And, another might be an updated playground. Staff could then put this under a category such as Outdoor Recreation Amenities.
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Nelson will create a one-page overview of the City. QR codes will be used for connecting residents to the City’s Facebook page and to sign up for the weekly
newsletter. Bradbury says that Spring Together might be a good opportunity for the City to announce the purchase of Community Park. Nelson reviewed the task list for the event. Roseville engineering is assisting with creating a map of the city and neighborhoods to display. Nelson shared sample of map, name tag and revised event flyer. Neighborhoods will be color-coded on the map. Attendees will receive a nametag and a sticker that indicates the neighborhood in which they live. Attendees will be given a ticket for an ice cream treat when they receive their nametag.
Commissioners Cooley-Kistler and Stockford volunteered to hand out event flyers at apartment buildings. Bradbury and Council Liaison Wassenberg will hand out event flyers in the Northome area.
2. Ice Cream Social Planning Nelson went over the task list to discuss what had already been completed.. The City
owns a bouncy house but staffing it and hot weather have been hinderences at past
events. Nelson shared mockups of flyers to promote the event and modifications
were suggester.
LaDouceur suggested testing out the City’s bounce house at Spring Together in case it no longer works. Then, we would know if it’s an option for Ice Cream Social! The CEC and PARC commissions will hold a joint meeting to finalize details for Ice Cream Social on June 5. CEC Commissioner Cooley-Kistler motioned to adjourn the CEC from the remainder of the meeting at 7:30 PM.
Motion carried 11-0. 3. Draft of PARC Agenda / Calendar Commissioners reviewed the agenda calendar and suggested a few changes, such as
removing Night to Unite and moving the date of the park audit from July to August. Commissioners also determined there would be no Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on July 3 due to the holiday. In lieu of rescheduling a July meeting, commissioners will independently visit and audit the parks (The Grove, Curtiss Field and Community Park) in their free time. Tracy suggested commissioners pick a park to go to but several commissioners want to do more than one. So, commissioners may go to one or all three parks, offering their findings and suggestions at the August meeting. Bradbury asked if commissioners want to do a winter event, citing years of
cancelations due to weather. 4. Basketball and/or Pickelball Court Painting Examples
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Bradbury and Staff provided examples of painted basketball courts to discuss what to do with the basketball courts at The Grove and at Curtiss Field. The commissioners
then discussed how the asphalt court at the Grove should be painted, as that surface may speed up the paint’s wear. Bradbury suggested painting the court simply and not overinvesting at the start at the Grove; then, watch usage. We could also add additional paint in the future. Lundell motioned to paint simple stripes for pickleball at The Grove and not doing a full paint. Motion carried 7-0.
Regarding painting the basketball court at Curtiss Field, Wassenberg pointed out that it is concrete at that park and not asphalt.
Faust raised concerns about water collecting on the court. He will take photos to send Nelson for sharing with Public Works.
Bradbury said that he asked some kids what they’d like the court to look like. The kids suggested something very simple, such as green with white striping. Wassenberg liked the idea of the smaller court being painted for younger kids. Bradbury suggested painting the smaller court so that H-O-R-S-E or a game like that could be played. Brenton motioned that Bradbury come with three examples of painted courts, from least detailed to most. Staff will
then ask Public Works to secure an estimate on those three paint schemes. Staff will then bring the estimates to an upcoming commission meeting so that a final recommendation could be made. Motion carried 7-0. 5. Draft of Park Audit Checklist Nelson shared a draft of the audit checklist. Commissioners will use the checklist that Staff created, having the option to add anything they see as pertinent when they are out in the parks completing audits in July. No changes recommended at this time. F. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENT Nelson shared summer registrations to date. So far, enrollment numbers are as follows:
0 for Tennis, 0 for Summer Discovery Playground, 13 for Mini Soccer and 5 for Super Soccer. Commonwealth Terrace Cooperative has 0 residents enrolled in Messy Art, 1 for Super Soccer and 1 for Summer Discovery Playground. Registration is open through May 25. Nelson also shared she had no applications for a Summer Program Coordinator but did have some interest for Summer Staff. Commissioners supported Nelson’s idea to only
conduct mini and super soccer in 2023 based on registration and staffing.
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G. ADJOURNMENT: 8:26 PM
Commissioner Brenton motioned to adjourn; Approved 7-0