03/06/2006 Park Board Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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the luxury of keeping city parks for usage by children (mostly under age 7) and unorganized activities without any consideration for youth athletics." I disagree with this statement. The residents of Lino Lakes voted in 2002 on whether to develop a recreation complex. It was soundly defeated. Therefore, the residents of Lino Lakes made a decision to "make due" with the existing recreation facilities. Over the past few years, staff and the Park Board have "given consideration for youth athletics" as it relates to our neighborhood parks system. For example, we have (with some hesitation) placed .soccer fields at Marshan Park, Clearwater Creek Park; and Sunset Oaks Park. To state that we need to continue to overrun the neighborhood park system by adding more and more athletic fields is irresponsible. Organized soccer does not trump everything within our parks system. To continue to place soccer fields in all neighborhood parks is very narrow minded. City staff also needs to account for the needs /desires of our taxpayers who also expect that neighborhood parks are developed and utilized the way neighborhood parks are intended to be. We will continue to offer as many athletic fields for organized programs as we feel is reasonable. However, we will not expand our athletic fields into neighborhood parks simply because of an increase in youth sports participation. This is why 1 began discussions with Centennial Soccer back in 2003 to make sure they were aware of the potential shortage of soccer fields as the city and other programs (ie. lacrosse) continue to grow. This included the strong suggestion that other cities be asked to provide their fair share of fields to help delay the inevitable time when Lino Lakes isn't able to provide the amount of fields needed by the various user groups that have a significant portion of non -Lino Lakes participants in their program. Finally in 2006 it looks like other cities are finally beginning to provide facilities for their residents. It appears that Lino Lakes has reached the point where we can no longer provide the amount of fields requested by Centennial Soccer. As indicated above (Criteria #3) we need the Centennial Soccer Club to provide 2005 participation numbers (Lino Lakes residents vs. non -Lino Lakes residents) so we can fairly allocate field space proportionately to the various user groups. The sooner we can get this information; the sooner we can notify your group what fields will be made available for your group. For Centennial Soccer to go crazy by the request that our lacrosse program utilize 1 field on Thursdays is dissapointing. Don't you think that the families of lacrosse players (who also pay city taxes and school district taxes) should have some access to these fields? After further analysis of this issue, we may need to reserve more field space for lacrosse based on this growing program. We will also be checking on the condition of CMS #5 to see if its safe for use this summer. The school district tore it up pretty good with their 7 -8th grade football program practicing on it everyday as well as their phy. ed. classes using it a lot (Our fall football program also used CM #5 on Saturdays). We will be contacting the school district to see what can be done so this doesn't happen again. We also plan on taking down the fence at Lino Park and possibly provide an additional soccer field (we need to determine whether we need to use Lino Park for our T -Ball program). Centennial Soccer may also need to examine how practices are scheduled (ie. some overlap of teams on the larger fields, number of practices per evening at each field, etc). It would have been great if the referendum had passed. However, we need to deal with reality and make the best out of a less than desireable situation as it relates to providing fields for organized programs. Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director City of Lino Lakes 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 651 - 982 -2444 rick .degardner @ci.lino- lakes.mn.us Original Message From: JP PETERSON [mailto:iayzzpeterson @ msn.com] Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 11:55 AM To: David Knoll; Brian Hronski Cc: Rick DeGardner; Dave Knoll; Dave Knoll; jayzzpeterson @msn.com Subject: Re: Summer Game nights Just to update the City of Lino Lakes in writing, on sharing fields in the community. The CSC has evaluated and investigated every possible piece of green space that can be used for soccer in Centerville, Circle Pines, Lexington and Blaine (portion of ISD #12). We have Centerville approval to have two, U6 -U8 game fields at Laurie Lamont Park. On March 7th we anticipate Circle Pines Park & Rec. Board approval for two, U6 -U8 practice fields, two, U9 -U10 practice fields and hopefully a fall U11/U12 game /practice field. We also have submitted in writing and are awaiting approval from ISD #12 to add two, U6 -U8 game fields at Golden Lake Elementary; a U9 -U10 practice field at Centennial Elementary and Golden Lakes Elementary schools. To clarify, the athletic fields at Rice Lake Elementary and CMS belong to the school district and its taxpayers. Lino Lakes •is currently providing athletic field maintenance to the school district in exchange for I believe gym time at ISD #12 schools for no charge and Lino Lakes in turn earns revenue from the programs that operate in these gyms. In addition Lino Lakes now charges residents from Circle Pines, Centerville, Blaine and Lexington an additional charge to participate in activities sponsored by Lino Lakes in ISD #12 gyms and athletic fields that these citizens have paid for with their property tax 2