The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About10-7-24 PARC Agenda PacketCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Parks & Recreation Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA October 7, 2024 at 6:30 P.M. A.CALL TO ORDER: B.ROLL CALL:Mike Bradbury_____ Eric Brenton_____ Tom Faust_____Bob Haight_____ Wesley Goldberg_____ Erin Williams_____ COUNCIL LIAISON: James Wassenberg _______ STAFF PRESENT: Kelly Nelson____ C.PRESENTATION: D.APPROVAL OF MINUTES:1.August 5, 2024 – Parks and Recreation Regular Meeting Minutes E.AGENDA: 1.Fall Event Planning 2.Fall and Winter Activities Discussion F.INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENT1.Community Park Update G. ADJOURNMENT: 1 BLANK PAGE 2 CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Regular Meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES August 5, 2024 at 6:30 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:38 PM B. ROLL CALL: Mike Bradbury__X___ Eric Brenton__X___ Bob Haight__X___ Tom Faust__X___ Randi Lundell___X__ Erin Williams__X___ COUNCIL LIAISON: James Wassenberg ___X____ STAFF PRESENT: Kelly Nelson___X___ _ C. PRESENTATION: N/A D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. June 3, 2024 – Parks and Recreation Regular Meeting Minutes Williams motions to approve the Park minutes; approved 6-0 E. AGENDA: 1. Park Audit Findings and 2025 Budget Planning The commissioners discuss park audit findings and begin brainstorming wish list items to add as future amenities at all parks. Community Park: Lundell suggests adding doggy bags near trash can receptacles at Community Park. Haight says that rabbits have been invading the Community Garden and suggests improving the fencing. Williams says that the bottom of the fence around the tennis courts has a gap and suggests adding something to prevent balls from rolling under. Lundell asks how old the grills are in the parks and wonders if new grates could replace the old ones or if new grills are needed. Williams suggests adding a Little Library. Nelson says that Public Works might be able to construct a Little Library in the fall or as time permits; they are really handy! 3 Faust suggests moving a large boulder from the woods and one that juts out from the soccer field over to playground area. The Grove: Commissioners suggest replacing the playground at some point in the future to include more swings. A new grate for the grill or a new grill would also be nice. Curtiss Field: Commissioners previously brainstormed amenities to add at Curtiss Field during the the May 6, 2024 Parks and Rec Commission meeting. Suggestions that came from that meeting and still hold true from this meeting, is that the Commission would like drinking water added, push-button / timed lighting and a sidewalk added to connect the parking lot to the pathway. Commissioners add that a new grate for the grill or a new grill is also needed. Faust says that drainage correction is needed at one end of the basketball court and offers to provide instruction to Public Works, saying it would be a fairly easy and inexpensive fix. Bradbury says that the basketball court could use a good power wash and parts of the court need to be repainted, as the pooling water has started to peel it. Faust suggests adding a spiderweb swing for older kids to enjoy. Nelson shares that park signage (i.e. rules of the parks) needs updating in all parks and perhaps relocated to be more visible as well. 2. Fall Programming Lindell suggests hosting basketball clinics. Bradbury says you need a hook (ice cream truck, bouncy house, etc.) for the free programming nights. Nelson suggests trying board games with pizza or movies and popcorn at City Hall this fall. Faust suggests ordering signs to publicize free food and fun to place around signs the day of to help remind residents. Wassenberg thinks that posting on neighborhood Facebook groups is helpful. He suggests tweaking the newsletter to have the newest news up front. Nelson discusses programming being offered in cities with a similar population and suggests a model where residents book day camps, field trips, etc. to local attractions and the City covers a percentage of the enrollment fee. Wassenberg likes the subsidized model and Haight agrees. Haight says the U of MN youth programs offers a huge array of classes and the Bell Museum has weekly camps, too. Bradbury suggests trying the field trips for fall to test it. 4 Brenton suggests a coupon code that residents redeem this fall. The City would then be billed the difference. Commissioners support doing free events at City Hall in the winter and field trips this fall. 3. Vice Chairperson Election Eric Brenton would like to be considered for the position of Vice Chairperson. No other commissioners volunteer so Williams motions that the commission should cease taking further nominations and vote. Motion passes unanimously in favor of Brenton becoming Vice Chairperson. 4. Fall Event Discussion The Parks Commission began discussing adding a fall event back in 2023 to occur in 2024. Nelson says that the fall event can tie into a celebration of the City’s 75th Anniversary and add additional components. Commissioners discuss dates and whether Saturday, October 26th might be an option either before or in partnership with Gibbs Farm, who will host a Trick or Treat Trail event later that day. Nelson shares that she will be meeting with Gibbs Farm tomorrow, 8/6, to discuss their event a bit more. Brenton suggests the date of Sunday, October 13 could also be a good date because there is a Vikings bye week. Williams says the bouncy house was popular at Ice Cream Social and suggests adding that to this event. Brenton says that you could do a Best Costume contest for the kids, a hayride and pumpkin carving. Haight suggests live music. Information/Announcement 1. Recap 2024 Ice Cream Social Nelson shares that the city purchased 649 pieces of ice cream in 2023 and bumped it up to 861 pieces this year. That does not include an additional purchase that was done near the end of the event of a particular ice cream treat that had run out. The City spent approximately $4,000 for the event but the rentals (tent and inflatables) accounted for over half of that total. 2. Update on MN DNR Outdoor Recreation Grant Request 5 Nelson shares that the City was not selected to receive grant funds to be used towards a new playground at Community Park. The DNR said that projects that were awarded funds scored between 62 and 73 points; the City scored 61 points. Nelson feels like the City could bolster their application and try again in early spring of 2024 to ask for playground funding. Feedback provided by the DNR suggested that the City should identify existing vs. new walkways, note whether new benches and trash receptacles would be fixed in place and to elaborate more on the sustainability of the new playground. Nelson says that we are further along in the process now than we were back in March (when the application was submitted) and much of this would be accomplished by having an actual design in hand that would be ready to construct from. 3. Update on Summer Programming Nelson shares that five out of 10 of the free programming nights were completely canceled by rain; several others were partially impacted by it. Attendance was low but the weather may have been a contributing factor. G. ADJOURNMENT: 8:20 P.M. Haight motions to adjourn the meeting; Approved 6-0 6 BLANK PAGE 7 Item Fall Event Discussion Description The commission has previously discussed having a fall event and most recently discussed tying the City’s 75th Anniversary into the event at the last Parks and Recreation meeting on August 5, 2024. Since then, Staff has been moving forward with planning the event, in accordance with ideas previously suggested by the Parks Commission, to be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at City Hall. Staff would like to share updates about the event with the commission but also asks the commission to discuss the event in order to make any further, last- minute suggestions. Budget Impact TBD Attachment(s) Event Map (draft) Action(s) Requested Staff recommends that commissioners share any further ideas they have for the event. Meeting Date October 7, 2024, Agenda Item E1 Attachment Event Map Submitted By Kelly Nelson, Administrative Services Director/Deputy Clerk 8 2024 Falcon Heights Fall Fest Map2077 Larpenteur Ave. W., Falcon HeightsSaturday, October 262:00 to 5:00 PMLARPENTEUR AVE. W.PRIOR AVE. N.(City’s Tent)40’ L x 20’ WBOUNCE HOUSE16’ L x 15’ W x 15’HObstacle Course 31’ L x 11’ W x 12’ HSLIDE 26’ L x 15’ W x 18’ HMAP KEYLive Music –The Finn BandSt. Paul Fire Dept.Ramsey Co. SheriffRed Tent – Pumpkin DecoratingInflatables (obstacle course, bounce house and slide)Food TruckInside City Hall:RestroomsRecognition of the 75thanniversaryElectrical OutletsSeating9 BLANK PAGE 10 Item Fall and Winter Activities Discussion Description The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed fall programming at its August 5, 2024 meeting and ultimately decided the City should explore a subsidized model where residents book day camps or field trips at local attractions and the City covers a portion of the enrollment fee. Since that August PARC meeting, city staff met with Gibbs Farm staff to discuss this. Ultimately there are no fall day camps or field trips available at this time. The City could look to try this in the future when Gibbs Farm offers summer camps. Staff will also explore additional options, as time permits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The ice-skating season lasted just seven days this past winter due to unseasonably warm temperatures, making it hard to gauge usage of the rink and warming house. With the commission’s support, the City would like to offer the warming house and ice rink at Curtiss Field again this winter. During the same August Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Staff mentioned wanting to have family fun nights at City Hall once cold weather hits and there’s less to do outside. Because the City is not offering fall programming, Staff would like the Parks Commission to further brainstorm ideas for free programmatic offerings for residents at City Hall this fall/winter. Budget Impact N/A Attachment(s) N/A Action(s) Requested Continue discussions regarding fall and winter activities to offer residents. Meeting Date October 7, 2024 Agenda Item E2 Attachment N/A Submitted By Kelly Nelson Administrative Services Director / Deputy Clerk 11 BLANK PAGE 12 Item Park Updates (Community Park and Curtiss Field) Description Community Park The City is currently evaluating the options for the best path forward with the Community Park renovation. Pre-bidding pricing for the proposed new park structure and amenities came in over budget, so staff worked with the project designers to explore alternatives. These alternatives were presented to the City Council and they looked over various designs and cost-estimates that were economical while still meeting community needs. The City Council decided to move forward with a pre-fabricated restroom/concessions building and outdoor shelter. This leaves room in the budget for other amenities to be added to the park, such as an updated larger playground and a splash pad. Estimates are that the new design will be under budget. The City is hopeful to start construction in the Spring of 2025. While no final design plans have been selected yet, these are the latest renderings to show what the final project could look like. Curtiss Field After completing audits of the parks in 2023, the Parks and Rec Commission identified areas in need of repair/replacement/addition within the parks. As a result, the City put $5,000 into the 2024 budget so that an amenity could be added at Curtiss Field Park. The Parks and Recreation then developed a wish list of the top three amenities to add: 1). Drinking water added 2). Push-button/timed lighting 3). A sidewalk added to connect the parking lot to the pathway While the City gathers cost estimates on items one and two above, Public Works was able to frame for a sidewalk to close the path at Curtiss, with concrete poured on 10/2/24. Meeting Date October 7, 2024, Agenda Item F1 Attachment Renderings, Updated Park Layout Submitted By Kelly Nelson, Administrative Services Director/Deputy Clerk 13 Budget Impact TBD Attachment(s) •Sample Concessions/ Restroom Building Renderings Park Layout Concepts for Community Park Action(s) Requested No action is needed. Staff is sharing the latest renderings and information with the Parks and Rec Commission to keep them informed. 14 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Concept 1 Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Scale in Feet 120’0’60’30’15’ PROPERTY LINE EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDEN CONNECT TO EXISTING TRAIL STORMWATER POND REPAVE EXISTING PARKING LOT EXISTING PICNIC SHELTER EXISTING TENNIS COURTS CONNECT TO EXISTING TRAIL EXISTING TRAIL LAWN AREA OPEN LAWN / FUTURE BUILDING EXPANSION PICNIC SHELTER SPLASH PAD (+/- 1200SF) PLAZA AREA PLAYGROUND (+/- 7200SF) RESTROOM WITH CONCESSION WINDOW EXISTING BALLFIELD EXISTING BASKETBALL COURT ROSELAWN AVE.W CLVEVVELAND AVE.N15 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Bird’s Eye Perspective 16 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Shelter Perspective 17 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Restroom + Plaza Perspective 18 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Splash Pad + Playground Perspective 19 K:\023655-000\3D\023655-000 Final Concept PlanFalcon Heights Community Park | Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 6, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 Splash Pad + Playground Perspective 20 K:\023655-000\Graphics\Shelter\023655-000 PreFab Restroom StylesFalcon Heights Community Park | Pre-Fabricated Restroom Style Variations Falcon Heights, Minnesota September 26, 2024 | WSB Project number: 023655-000 RESTROOM INSPIRATION- “PRAIRIE STYLE” INCLUDING A TWO- TONED STYLE WITH MONOSLOPE ROOFING AND AWNINGS. ROOF EXTENSION TO PROVIDE CONCESSION WINDOW ACCESSEXTERIOR STYLE MAY VARY EXTERIOR OPTIONS: FLOOR PLAN LAYOUT: EXTERIOR TREATMENTS MAY BE MODIFIED TO HAVE STONE BASE AND HORIZONTAL SIDING. 21