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MINUTES <br />PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION <br />OCTOBER 6, 2011 <br />SPOONER Sanders presented a layout diagram of the Canadian Days Celebration <br />PARK — in Spooner Park. This diagram shows the clearing of a portion of the <br />CANADIAN wooded area on the west edge of the park. By doing some clearing there <br />DAYS is additional room for the car show (approximately 250 cars versus about <br />206 at the 2011 Celebration) as well as an estimated 10 to 12 additional <br />vendors. Sanders reported that the substantial trees would remain, the <br />understory would be cleared. This area would then become part of the <br />lawn providing additional expansion space for Canadian Days. Sanders <br />presented this plan as an alternative to the regrading of the park initially <br />proposed. <br />Sanders pointed out that the plan also proposes the addition of wood chip <br />trails through the wooded area. He indicated that the wooded area needs <br />some cleaning up and some reforestation. There are some oaks, but the <br />woods consists mostly of box elder trees. There are a few ash, <br />cottonwoods, cherry, and black locust trees as well. Sanders felt this <br />woods was an important element of the park, but again indicated that <br />some reforestation is needed. Sanders pointed out the old homestead that <br />existed in this area, and suggested it might be a point of interest that could <br />be identified along the wood chip trails. The Director indicated that most <br />of the foundation is still in place, but some of it is buried. He suggested <br />that an attempt could be made in the spring to find what is left of that <br />foundation. Sanders suggested that the hIistorical Society may have some <br />history of that homestead, and it could be an interesting interpretive <br />element to the park. <br />Heikke asked the cost of clearing a portion of the woods versus regrading <br />the park. Sanders stated that he did not have cost estimates, but suggested <br />it should be less expensive to clear a portion of the woods. There would <br />be costs for clearing as well as establishing seed. The Director suggested <br />that City crews, and perhaps the State prison crew, could do the clearing <br />work. Sanders pointed out that most of the understory growth is <br />buckthorn, so it will be good to remove that material. <br />Fahey asked if this work is done early spring if it might be possible to use <br />the cleared area for 2012 Canadian Days. Sanders replied that that may <br />be possible. He also indicated that he feels more comfortable with <br />clearing the understory on the western edge of the woods than regrading <br />the park. Steinert stated that it will take more than a year to establish <br />grass. Slain stated that the clearing option is much less invasive to the <br />park and does not impact its appearance as much. Sanders agreed. He <br />noted in his proposed layout, he did not change the layout of the carnival. <br />Sanders felt there was room to add attractions within the carnival if that <br />was something Canadian Days wanted to do. <br />3 <br />