06/27/96 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSIONERS REPORT ON COMMUNITY CENTER IDEAS Parks and Recreation Commissioners were asked by Council Member Trude, who is also Council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission, to provide their ideas, opinions and viewpoints regarding a community center. Related in this report are comments provided by Commissioners at the May 23 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. It was the opinion of Commissioner Silvis that the City should retain ownership and control of the Community Center. This was agreed by all Commissioners. It was also stated that the Community Center goal should be to house programs that serve City residents. A teen center was the highest priority - agreed by all Commissioners. The teen center was discussed with the opinion being that a person hired specifically for teen leadership is vital for the success of the program. A teen center run by volunteers did not seem to be a viable option with • the opinion that teens would not come to a teen center where their parents were supervising. Also, the consistency of volunteers and hours needed for coordination did not seem practical. A teen coordinator was seen as being the key element for teen center success. It was also the opinion that teen center would need to have a separate entrance, and be located in a part of the building that is set apart - so that teens at the center would not disrupt other activities ie banquets, meetings, etc. The teen center could have specific hours of operation, perhaps 8 hours a week, 4 hours on weekends, whatever the demand is - to be determined by trial and error. Ramsey County or State Health services was also a high priority. Services like flu shots, ear exams, pregnancy tests, health information, etc. was seen as a beneficial service for the community. Commissioners expected that the Parks and Recreation staff would be housed at the Community Center - to provide the facility management/operations during the weekday times eliminating the need to hire a daytime facility manager. The Commission foresees an hourly empioyee as facility manager during the evenings and weekends. Commissioners commented that they believed staffing is necessary during times that the community center is in operation. Custodial staff is also necessary and the Commission thought that it would not be difficult to find a person to be paid hourly to perform custodial services. Commissioner Long expressed his desire that the Community Center retain the large dance floor • and that ballroom dances continue as an activity - everyone concurred. They voiced their opinion that the Bei Rae already has a reputation for dances, that their is a following for dance activities