01-18-2018 Parks & Rec Commission Workshop Minutes

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MINUTES PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION January 18, 2018 to improve the central pavilion and address the ADA compliance challenges. Springer presented the first Pioneer Park concept called “Into the Wild Country”. She explained this theme highlighted the City’s past through French immigration to this area. Springer noted the Desoto side of the park is a natural area that could provide a sense of curiosity by creating an urban forest. Springer also suggested the playground include a natural play area. She proposed moving the tennis and basketball courts to the new parcel, if the land is purchased for the park. This would provide space for an additional full size basketball court. Springer explained the Into the Wild Concept focused on addressing the needs of nearby residents including Montreal Courts and Patrina Ponds. The concept emphasized the social nature of the park through small picnic shelters, a community garden, solar trees, ice-skating on the ponding area, a warming house, boardwalk and dock pavilion. Springer explained all of the concept elements were options the Commission could choose to include. She noted there was also open space to continue the City parks’ character of open space turf areas. Kost and Springer also presented several of the park elements with pictures to help visualize the ideas. The pictures included a natural playground, rubberized surfaces molded as mounds, a castle playground, several splash pad ideas, public art concepts, and water features including a boardwalk, naturalized ponding, and fire bowls. Schletty asked about the new elements around the ponding shown in the first concept. Kost explained the first concept showed a warming house or community gathering space near the stormwater pond. He suggested community education classes could be held here, or skates could be rented during the winter. Darling explained the Commission should be careful to incorporate new elements across all parks. She asked if the theme, once decided, would be incorporated throughout all of the City’s park. The Commission agreed the theme should be unique to Pioneer Park. Kost agreed the Commission should evaluate the concepts and decide which ones would be best in Pioneer Park. He encouraged the Commission to consider what could be done in the short term and also over a long term. It was asked how much was budgeted for the Pioneer Park playground. The Community Services Manager stated there is $250,000 budgeted for the playground, but explained the Commission should think big and then projects can be staged or scaled back as necessary. Chu asked the distance around the walking path. The Parks Maintenance Supervisor stated three laps equaled one mile. Councilman Fischer stated he liked the concepts, but wanted the Commission to consider the amount of people these elements would bring to the park. He explained Pioneer Park is short on