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PRSR INFORMATION 10-14-1998 INFORMATION ►• •\ AMERICAN _' PLANNING •? U :.._ SEPTEMBER 1998 A special edition of the PAS Memo published quarterly and devoted to public investment and finance • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • } Funding Fun: Raising Planning Commission."Government has taken a larger and larger role in our lives—from hospital services to welfare,a lot of things Non-Tax Dollars for that government didn't pay for earlier.Park departments are in Urban Parks competition with items that weren't there before. But Randy Worls,chief executive officer of the By Peter Harnik Wheeling,West Virginia,Park Commission ; /� our Tax Dollars at Work" 11�/�j fiat;ri—II p p it;1 /la sees the same situation and draws the '�'� -.,� liplialnaltijii co nverse conclusion.Instead of Y reads the familiar red, !I ,fl�!�� lamenting the fickleness of white,and blue sign alongside 11 e _ 'S'Ifl1�1 �I politicians and taxpayers,he's interstate highway projects.A i;i _7 iili:filirsir thankful that parks have similar sign in front of a city 1 I -i, — values worth paying for. park,however, might soon 3. - ,�,r. "Park systems are one of have a different message: �� `A ..e c _ i the few units of "Your Fees, Concession ri i k _ 1.. 7,/5-2 7'`j government that can Purchases,Advertising — - + i -'? - _ -i .'\ ;•� aid themselves,' Revenues, and Donations /,. r- ° ; F __'' " ,,,, r ; explains Worls."We at Work." _ i■ � , - J - ;�. think there are tens of From New York City to • W . m millions of dollars San Francisco,city park , —• r =---. At1.i, A available out there for ts, departments are broadening '" ;:1-1T-1,. '—� , = - -.= public park agencies if •their funding bases beyond .; .' =-_— --1_-` 1 P --^"' they are structured �. the traditional allocations they /.1 ,,.„,.....Y, properly and know how to 7 • ask."Worls should know: The Chicago Park '• ,,,,,,.,-,,=::, His system brings in 99 District joins forces with the '= _ : ; t 3 :"� percent of its revenue from non Chicago Bulls,AT&T, and other ,� {'" .. ,,�"'° _ , '; � tax sources. sponsors to host an annual 3-on-3 , It is the difference between tax-based basketball tournament. Marra Morns revenue and total needed revenue that in recent years has generated '` receive from tax money.In some cases,this new approach has been a flurry of new fund- necessitated by municipal funding crises.In others,it's a fear of ark systems are raising techniques. impending fiscal shortages.In others,tax-based funding is still growing but the needs and demands are growing even faster. one of the few units Fees Even in the economically strong late 1990s,when most cities Virtually all city park a " y g of government that y y P have sufficient revenue to balance their budgets,there is a agencies charge fees for residual fear from earlier tough years when some park certain activities, but `' g y P can aid themselves. 4 department budgets were slashed,workers laid off,maintenance there is a spectrum of deferred,and land acquisitions delayed or eliminated. The There are tens of opinion as to the proper Texas, Parks and Recreation Department, for instance, millions of dollars role of fees in agency ,* has only recently regained the budget level it held before the budgets.At one extreme savings-and-loan collapse rocked the Texas economy in the late available out there is Leon Younger, former 1r ':� 1980s.And New York's Park and Recreation Department has for public park director of parks in never recaptured the funding level it attained in 1978, before Indianapolis and now a - s that city's financial crisis. agencies if they are parks consultant, who But the public still loves parks.And if municipal budgets fall structured properly outspokenly advocates short,other funding mechanisms will be found, including user for market-oriented ,:. fees, donations, and corporate promotions. and know how to ask. public recreation. "There is nothing wrong 7.` •Should You Have to Pay to Play? with placing a value on a recreation experience," says "The reality is that city budgets are being asked to cover more and Younger, "but the managers of most urban park systems set . more services,"says Alexander Garvin,principal author of Urban their prices for the 20 percent who can't pay rather than for ; Parks and Open Space and a member of the New York City the 80 percent who can. By not tying price to value, they as �4 P.nr undervalue what they've got and put a damper on the ability Cleveland charges so few fees that the agency doesn't even track to reform themselves." the income. At the spectrum's other end is David Fisher,superintendent of Many other cities,however,have been willing(or forced by • the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board."I think we have to be circumstances) to put more eggs into the fee basket. Portland, real careful,"Fisher replies."We serve all people.The imposition of Oregon,for instance,receives just 57 percent of its budget from a fee is as bad as the imposition of a tax.We shouldn't just look the city and must generate more than$20 million in other ways. around for something that's popular and then charge for it.Park San Francisco Recreation and Park Department gets$30.3 users have already paid for the parks once,why should we make million from fees-38 percent of its budget. them pay again?We're not talking about wealthy communities The nation's two largest fee-generating park agencies are where virtually 100 percent of the people can afford to pay.We're those of New York and Chicago,and in both cities,ironically, talking about cities.Do we really want to say to these people,`Only the single biggest source of fee revenue is from automobile those who can afford to pay can play?'" parking.New York Department of Parks and Recreation owns Tom Forman is representative of the park professional Shea Stadium and receives that parking revenue; Chicago Park caught in the middle of this debate.A manager in District has Soldier Field and a huge garage under Grant Park Baltimore's Bureau of Recreation, he says, "It's a catch-22. If near the Loop. . you raise the fees the community people ask, `What am I After parking,golf is the largest revenue source for New going to get in addition to what I've gotten in the past?' It's York,as it is for most park agencies. Other profitable ventures a public relations battle. On the other hand, at these prices for many cities include tennis (particularly indoors),boat the fields are pretty much booked solid. They're so heavily marinas,weddings and other special events at noteworthy used that we have to play on them even during what should mansions or gardens,and restaurants.Enterprises that are be a dormant period. It's generally less lucrative include swimming pools, ice skating bad for the fields. We're rinks,ballfields,playgrounds,and bike trails. Market-based looking at additional land opportunities that Voluntary Fees recreation is gaining we have control over, A seeming contradiction in terms,the"voluntary fee" (or credence throughout but you can't just use "mandatory contribution") is the newest twist in recreation every piece of vacant revenue enhancement.Adopted in 1995 by New or in its the country, most land out there. There recreation centers,the concept has been one of the department's notably in suburban, e are conservation issues, great financial(and recreational)successes.For a once-a-year community issues— donation (suggested to be in the$10-to-$25 range),New • higher-income some communities don't Yorkers get a membership card to use the local recreation want ballfields in their center.The city uses the fee/contribution money to upgrade the jurisdictions but open space." center and restore other rec centers.Those who claim they gradually also in Today's politics being cannot afford to pay are asked to fill out a form and then get a what they are,market- free membership card.The parks department is considering inner-city locations. based recreation is introducing a sweat-equity program so that low-income persons gaining credence can do some work in or on the centers in return for recreation. throughout the country,most notably in suburban,higher- "Virtually everyone is more than willing to pay,"says Bob income jurisdictions but gradually also in inner-city locations— Garafola,deputy commissioner for Management and Recreation. although the idealistic"workreation"programs have been "It's the best bargain in New York City.Compare the hundreds difficult to design and implement and often seem to have gotten and hundreds of dollars you have to pay at a sports dub,most of lost in the shuffle. which have neither a pool nor a basketball court." The situation in the Washington, D.C.,suburbs seems typical,as explained by David Hobson,director of the Northern Outsourcing Virginia Regional Park Authority,a$10.5-million agency that Intertwined with any discussion of fees is the issue of gets only 16 percent of its revenue from tax payments. outsourcing,also referred to as"privatization"and"conces- "Charging fees is a necessity,"says Hobson. "We would not be sions"—basically,who is it that gets to charge the fee?A able to offer the services the public needs and demands if we relatively new concept in the urban park business,outsourcing is were not principally a fee-based organization." now a high-growth industry because of the realization that it is Some long-established programs have moved only gingerly to often cheaper and more satisfactory to have private concession- increase the number of fee programs and the level of fees aires operate specialized entities such as stadiums,marinas,golf charged.Baltimore Parks and Recreation,for instance,brings in courses,restaurants,and skating rinks. Generally speaking, merely$135,000 in fees,or less than one percent of its$15 revenue-generating operations are most amenable to . million program. Providence Parks Department relies on fees outsourcing,although some cities have found it cost-effective to for only about$250,000 of its$7.6 million budget.And outsource items such as fleet management and janitorial services. Competitive outsourcing began in New York,a lesson Peter Harnik is a Washington, D.C.-based writer and urban park learned straight from the financial markets downtown.New 0 analyst. This report is condensed from a study he carried out for the York's parks department opened some of its programs and Trust for Public Land, Funding Urban Parks Without Raising services to a bidding process and let the market determine the Taxes,single copies of which are available free of charge to APA value.The first result,in the early 1980s,was spectacular:The members. Contact: Trust for Public Land, 666 Pennsylvania Ave. golf program,which had been losing$2 million a year under S.E., Washington, DC 20003 or fax 202-544-4723. city management,became a$3-million-a-year profit center 2 under a private shops,but it ran into union opposition to outsourcing park After parking, golf is operator.Thereafter, maintenance and has had to move more slowly on that front. as leases on other .the largest revenue source operations came up, The Down Side of Outsourcing for most park agencies. they weren't Most observers feel that outsourcing is,on balance,a positive automatically direction for parks. But there is a risk that,along with the Other profitable ventures renewed.One services,some crucial park values can also end up being chagrined outsourced,says Erma Tranter,director of Friends of the Parks, include tennis, boat concessionaire was a citizen watchdog group in Chicago. marinas, weddings and hotel mogul Donald "We're in support of privatization in certain areas,like Trump,who was parking,which they were previously mismanaging,"says other special events. outbid for the lease Tranter. "A lot of things they've done make sense and have been Enterprises that are on the famous successful. But in the actual outcome,others have had their Wollman Skating down sides."In Tranter's mind,privatized park systems can generally less lucrative Rink in Central Park. work but are always potentially vulnerable to commercialism include swimming pools, The city now gets and consumerism. "Someone has to be the park advocate,"she $850,000 a year from says. "Either it's the park district itself or it's got to be the ice skating rinks, the new person who manages the contracts with the private entity.If it's ballfields, playgrounds, concessionaire (who the latter,we're very dependent on that person being an still makes money on advocate for parks." and bike trails. the deal). The reaction of New York's park- watchers is similar."New York is After that,the floodgates opened.The ' trying to privatize everything yearly concession for a marina in - .' ;emu ` . "' 'i ' they can get their hands on,"" Queens fetched$150,000; the ` ---,,~ - - . , sa y s Dave Lutz,assistant National Tennis Center in Forest ,. ` '::-':C.'"":.:°7, .- ' .. director of the t s r:' Hills brought$1.15 million and r `. Neighborhood Open an indoor tennis complex in �' : � °' � '° Space Coalition. Manhattan$290,000;the food ,-r ' "' ` rw "There's good concession in Battery Park, "" " fir" ,1 "i'F u'''`�Z.`-'"; privatization rivatization and $730,000.And the ultimate: ;, ; ,; ,. ' fa : '4`, t ` ' f . . there's bad •For the single pushcart selling .� 'r" V r; - s' 1 privatization,and pretzels and hot dogs in front ,,,, E .' `a : .I-re " for the most part t of the Metropolitan Museum ,, T `F ' of Art in Central Park,an • • it fr f ow 00,c..,:..,. �,' �4,1'4 I . "" 5 astounding$288,000 per year. ' ''''' w " ,,11.r�.o ," '*,, �i�llli,`��'.,tt Pushcarts in In the 18-year period between �+i'a'- It" vt = --" ' ' r: Central Park in f !� ;:, / 1979 and 1997,the city's parks : - . F New York,selling ry' P. department increased its annual a �, L f hot dogs,pretzels, concession and fee income from$2.5 ,a� i _, ` ice cream, and other " +' treats, are a ma or million to$36 million. �` 1 While New York is in a price league of its '''.1::'- '-`,,,..„,,,.." revenue generator for own,other cities have taken notice of the . ,.A New York City every year. privatization concept.In Indianapolis,the city's parks and s . Marys Morris recreation department,IndyParks,has signed contracts with Parks Commissioner Henry Stern has been very seven churches to maintain 24 neighborhood parks.The churches, sensitive,but you have to ask,`When does privatization end up which generally hire disadvantaged and hard-to-employ individuals driving the parks?" from within and around the neighborhood,are responsible for Lutz finds New York's privatization leadership ironic. "When mowing and trash pickup,and they sponsor annual cleanup days Central Park was built,"he wrote in his newsletter, Urban for neighbors and parishioners to come and plant flowers,paint Outdoors Bulletin, "the New York model set off a wave of park benches,etc.In some cases the churches have a direct monetary construction all over America. . . . Now,New York is the model contract;in others they receive park services of equivalent value, for park budget parsimony and the nation is beating a path to such as free use of parks,summer camps,or pools. our doorstep to see how." "By leveraging the interest and commitment that church leaders have in their neighborhoods,the program has been very Events successful,"says IndyParks Director Deb Norman. User fees aren't the only way to make money off parks.There is a Privatization is not an automatic winner,however.When growing recognition in the private sector that parkland and San Diego Parks and Recreation Department analyzed its 1300 recreation programs have positive public values worth associating acres-per-week mowing operation,it concluded keeping it in- with.And there is a growing boldness on the part of park agencies house was"by far the best use of tax dollars,"according to staff to ask for financial payments in return for those associations. member June Dudas. (Nevertheless, the department is analyzing Under the old way of doing business,park managers outsourcing other functions.) Seattle has had a good experience generally allowed their facilities to be used by private entities for outsourcing golf,marinas,restaurants and its zoo and aquarium free. Later,fees were instituted to cover costs associated with the 3 event—like traffic enforcement,crowd control,and trash and even corporations,are happy to make contributions to park removal. Recently park departments have moved to use certain agencies and programs solely to improve the community in private-sector park events as income generators—and many which they live or operate. companies are happy to comply in return for positive name and Margaret Frisbie,director of Chicago's Parkways logo recognition. Foundation,certainly notices it. "People are moving back into Thus,in Portland,the Trailblazers of the NBA sponsor a Chicago from the suburbs and they are excited about the parks," citywide three-on-three basketball competition called"Hoop It she says. "There is a sense of pride and civic duty—and not just Up"that in 1997 generated$10,000 for Portland Parks and on the lakefront,either. People call us up and say they would Recreation's Drug Free League.The Chicago Park District hosts like to do something for the parks." a similar event sponsored by the Chicago Bulls among others. In In fact,predicts Wheeling's Randy Worls,contributions will Austin,the$300,000 cost of the parks and recreation eventually become the dominant financial source for parks in department's annual Yule Fest lighted-trail extravaganza was cities. "The future of park funding is in philanthropy— recently picked up by Dell Computer in return for publicity donations from`regular'people,people who are not presently and recognition.The pinnacle(thus far)was reached in 1996, giving big money to anything,"he says.Worls has already built when the Walt Disney Co.paid New York$1 million for the Wheeling's park foundation into an impressive powerhouse right to hold a one-time public premiere screening of the movie which generates between$1 million and$2 million in interest Pocahontas in Central Park. payments per year—money that is used for park maintenance. While all that money makes some park advocates heady, the His goal is to increase the endowment to$75 million,which commercialism leaves others a bit woozy. "What would would generate enough interest to cover all park maintenance Frederick Law Olmsted have felt about these highly costs in Wheeling. conspicuous partnerships,complete with logos,company The largest-scale fund-raising is,again,in New York,where the names,and other commercial trappings?"asks Phyllis Myers, Central Park Conservancy,City Parks Foundation,Prospect Park long-time park watcher and editor of GreenSense, a newsletter Alliance,and a half-dozen other park organizations collectively pull on park funding. "On the one hand,he designed his parks to be in about$18 million in donations a year.Other cities are refuges from the commerce of the city;on the other hand,he scrambling to take advantage of the pro-park constituency,too.San wrote passionately about his goal of providing activities so that Francisco's Friends of Recreation and Parks raises about$1.5 people of all classes and cultures could meet,mix,and interact. million a year for park-related improvements,and a citywide task His parks were emphatically not designed to be wilderness areas, force is currently looking into establishing a conservancy specifically but he did want them to be green,naturalistic havens.To the geared to Golden Gate Park.Clevelanders and Seattlites are extent that these public-private enterprises eliminate the exploring the possibility of starting park fundraising organizations differentiation between the commercial city and the naturalistic for their cities,too. park,many people feel that something gets irretrievably lost." Conclusion Facilities It is evident that park and recreation programs have tremendous Raising corporate and philanthropic money to construct, intrinsic worth that many people are willing to pay for,even improve or rehabilitate physical structures in parks is often over and above their tax dollars when those tax dollars don't go relatively easy.The problem,sometimes,comes in with the far enough.The current moves toward park privatization seem name,the signage, or the logo that companies want to to reflect conscious calculations on the part of both politicians accompany their gift. and park advocates.The politicians are willing to cut park In Chicago,for instance,the H &R Block Foundation budgets because they believe their actions will be"covered"by donated$1 million to construct a cancer survivors'garden for private funds that flow into the gap,the advocates are willing to which Block requested three signs of recognition.The Park invest time and effort into private fundraising because they fear District permitted only one. "We have a special enhancement they don't have the political clout to win a lobbying battle over committee to protect against over-commercialism in the parks," park budgets. explains assistant superintendent Ed Uhlir, "and we relied on In most communities privatization is slowly gaining,both their recommendation." because it's seen as less risky by park advocates and also because Austin, too, "is being fairly purist right now,"according to it gradually gives them a greater say in how the parks are run. Planning Division manager Stuart Strong. Controversy recently How long this trend continues—and how far it goes—only time erupted when Motorola Corporation offered to buy the will tell. community theater a new sign in exchange for placing the company logo on it. "It would be good to find some external • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • money,"Strong sighed, "but the question is:What is the The PAS Memo is a monthly publication for subscribers to the Planning Advisory Service, a subscription research service of the American Planning Association:Frank S.So, appropriate trade-off?" Executive Director;William R.Klein,Director of Research. Other cities may be somewhat less choosy. Portland,Oregon, The PAS Memo is produced by APA staff in Chicago.Research and writing by Research is presently negotiating one deal to name a sports complex after Department staff:Marya Morris and Megan Lewis,Editors.Production by Publications Department staff Cynthia Cheski,Assistant Editor;Lisa Barton,Design Associate. a corporation or entity willing to pay about$140,000 a year for the privilege,another to sell about$100,000 a year of sponsor Copyright©l998 by American Planning Association,122 S.Michigan Ave.,Suite 1600, Chicago,IL 60603;e-mail:pasmemo @planning.org.The American Planning Association opportunities on and around a new softball complex,and a P has headquarters offices at 1776 Massachusetts Ave.,N.W.,Washington,DC 20036. third involving $10,000-per-year scoreboard sponsorship. g a All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical,including photocopying,recording,or by any Gifts and Donations information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the American Planning Association. Not every payment to a park agency must be associated with Printed on recycled paper,including 50-70%recycled fiber publicity,public recognition,or advertising.Many individuals, and 10%postconsumer waste. 4 ,, n vim" w :-, E •i - ,,.r „a' -, yam, , ,w ,7' ,, r +� , � r' .+✓.�,",.. .tea" � � il°-=`s^ ���' �� ���.' � r^" a rs �/ ".' fx � ..w. • *-ate t"". 'R.'+„� m '* '" "^"'✓ "�� ""`'",..' !✓� ,t „,,' :f s,v,„,,,,-;•-,.....,,', o s -. ,f#` t%.""m .,-er y sE13'.t„ i a ba, ;+ t...*�.. . ^�r, .,, /}iii'' lV�Y/y}}.J' � /VV�' � -� ,,,� �. 4 J'�,aq�'�'�,B°3`^�. n n�g� 1 .tx��:�"i'r� ,� �' �` $ s p�,»s% t„c .ue ,H'v f J- t ,. r"c aSe.i .' �` ' & �� j4ee � .fie `' �-� Z �. +,- 1::4,.‘,,,-.,s.-7."��' ^''� 9... gr �€ :-^s,` ,-'w*���' I.:::,1-"%°4:',„.,,,' a ' a S WC-°r s$ ,T g '1"�3 a ._ 4 ;+„ r d " „`; w ;3� 5 ..„' '3” w-td z, .r.� ,y '7'»., �7'%-^ , `+' k41' a�. ,"1x -gig 4'-` Wednesday, October 28- .1998 7.0 -9•,30 P l G� °z.'7 i t St Michael Ci t` Ha :; ` fi : ,, �•� "fir an � '�. � .., {» r r- "I'''*n '� , t § n . , +, t o "k :"w��� ? (s �+, ec s a;' ' ' ` Sponsoredby: St. Michael ParkBoard dCity council - Across the Country communities are layings� he groundwork for 'sue ' �°. r ;,a., .n; £ .t' -'_ '-.,..y t r,.'” Rib' 4 dam” ' networks ofgreenspaees This national trend reflects agrow�ng § w if --'-':‘,,,,,,,,.y awar ness of peoples dependen,e,47„,_,..,:;1$3:::n fheir natural environment, „,, -�r x,:.,-w"''" -� : r F y,K ax1 .. r °"" fe;; *,r^ a.Y,.. .w. ,- , , s'�` °^ '.y l - nd the benefits that arise when th environment exists�in c � r.,�, � .�� �--770y E ..,y S�� '�,���.,�.'�a',r x �,�, Ra.,.„a *..'�. � ....�". ,��,,$,r 6 �,.;k-' .^•,.,,,�,,,,,e.,.., *r io healthycondi t on The Twin C ties Metropolitan Area is of an ad- vantaghen it comes to establishing such a network=s�i�tany -high qual ty,1,,,%,4 -,:-natural`areas remain aaround wheyregion •Open SP ace,lakes �' .: �' and parks dot the landscape.. The abundant use of those:re•sources isNa testimonial to the importance of preserving thm Join us for,,,-sie seminar�on Wednesday,_.October 28, 1998 ZVO 9:30 P M., to explore the;value ro f gi een�i!ays and natural.are '- '- $ eas, and to discuss some of the:praetical tools that are arvailable for preserving their For more information call: 497-2041 y ,Presenters. �� M ��.� Hanna Dunevitz,�Regional Plant Ecologist, N DNR Robert E Engstrom, Developer �°� •• dE ,d , Hans Hagen, beve%per/Builder p 3 z � " Coffee, cookies an.'''J- eshme its will be provided _, 40 . 7' :'''''''';';;;',"ie,*;;%,-,11:••'ir:-.,:,' '''''::,..,:'''',"-,i'.'i »Y r pp e . y�� ...,:,'-,:,44,,,',. _ ,r e t x f,T K. .ra ' < -Y. Registration Form: Name Organization Name Organization • Name Organization Name '` . Organization Mailing Address Zip Phone You may register by phone, mail, or fax: Phone: (612) 497-2041 Fax: (612) 497-5306 Mail: Planning for Nature Seminar ' City of St. Michael . 216 Main Street South PO Box 337 St. Michael, MN 55376 If you have questions contact Bob berus at 497-2041 Directions to St. Michael City Hall: . • Take I-94 West to the 241 Exit(2 Miles NW of Rogers) left on TH 241 go 3.5 mites to Main Street(or County Road 19) Left on Main Street -- T - - - �37 ■sl 1.•k„,„, , „___,„„,,,„ • r it\ olaf./(r. :.., , �m 4 $ to , imillitIL--mar— 11 • z arFM ` :oip, Wit ± .. . �Wf YICHAELi. r .�� _I ID FRANKFO •T "+ � _ __ - -.--- ,:r4 -....AL.,.....-3.„-__ , ,,..,Neer- . park - Arran ',, ,, , ... ,„ ..... . seut 21 iltim zz r _ i � Hassan •i. ' ' Hen-yr,ice ............... . _, . yr - ® r ' 1 d • `., 4,1-34 !S / : „ i, I 3• 'e'�_ i ilk wawa sc - •-•f�'� 12 Frequently-Asked Questions about the 1998 Elk River fiefeniudiuu Family Aquatic Center/ til rh Palo- and What is the referendum t o on 3 Why a referendum necessary the November 3rd ballot? to raise funds for parks and trails "Shall the City of Elk River, Minnesota, be improvements? authorized to issue its general obligation At the present time,the only City funds for bonds in an amount not to exceed park improvements come from park $3,950,000 to defray the expense of the dedication fees paid by developers into a acquisition, construction, equipping and special fund. In an average year,the City betterment of an outdoor aquatic center spends $40,000 from these limited funds and other park and recreational facilities toward park improvements. On occasion, for the City?" the City will allocate additional funds for park related special projects—such as the 2 Who will benefit should the purchase and development of the Youth referendum pass? Athletic Complex site Kids will benefit! Families will benefit! If the referendum passes, the City will Neighborhoods will benefit! be able to make more improvements during the next 2 years than it could • At the present time, Elk River has over 700 over the next 25 years with its current acres of park land. While much of this land level of funding. is designed to stay in its natural state, there is a strong need for improvements Why is a Family Aquatic Center such as children's playground equipment, included in the referendum? basic picnic shelters, basketball courts, Elk River residents have expressed strong upgraded trails, landscaping, etc. in many interest in community surveys conducted of the city parks. Once the referendum in 1997 and 1998 for an outdoor swimming passes, funds will be available to make pool which combines both traditional improvements in 8 neighborhood parks*, lap lanes, a one meter diving board, plus purchase land and develop a new waterslides, a wading area, a bathhouse, park in northeast Elk River. In addition, sand volleyball courts,a refreshment almost 8 miles of trails will be upgraded. stand and other amenities. The Family Finally,the new Family Aquatic Center will Aquatic Center is included tocause a provide a family-friendly environment referendum Is the only feasible way of where people of all ages can swim, play raising the funds to construct such a and enjoy life. facility in a reasonable period of time. * Woodland Trails,Orono Park,Country 5 If the referendum Daises on Crossing 3rd,Mississippi Oaks,Ridgewood East,Hillside 5th, IV and ' Wuxi=win Lac Meadowvale Heights. Family Aquatic Center be ready for blic use? June 1, 2000. 40 Don't forget! Special pool & parks referendum information 7:00 pm • City Nall • Oct. 26th t ` $4I' ;i , Where will the Fad tic baseballs all fields will be added to the Center be Youth Athletic Complex. Combination • At the present time,the' ity toward picnic shelter/concession stands will be a location in the Orono Pam , but will added to the Youth Athletic Complex and + consider other suitable locations up to 'Oak Knoll Park. Funds also will be used to Jantiary 1, 1999. The Ororro-ParkioCation acquire and develop a new.park in is highly desirable because It is large northeast Elk River. enough to site the Center,hit easy pedestrian and auto access, has water and 1 When will f w ' ;' , , s . .. sewer In place, will comply with floodplain 0 coin feted? and other environmental restrictions,will By December, 2000. provide adequate parking, and will enhance a popular park. Haar < ' e" raisedtl tlist risberesmiont be Center the Family , Neighborhood park oompaw‘411 8341,.0® The facility will be managed by City of improvement: Elk River. Trail upgrading: to Purchase/develo cif park 8 How wilt the operating ea of land in northeast Elk Riven ,, 2, •r the Family' tic be for? Additional development of generate .,, '' .t. , Youth Athletic Complex anci "yes/2°to pay the caste? oak Knoll Park: $ ° . The operating expenses will be pain Engineering/design c•<ti, •, through daily and/or seasonal fees Family Aquatic Center , -:, 800 charged to users.These fees will be in line construction costs: - k ;', with those charged by other area pools Bond related costs: $50,000 such as the Becker and Anoka-facilities. - urbech Aquatics, the engineering and die What rem d rendinatoent sly esign team serving as pool consultant to pocketbook? the City, projects that user fees will cover The average homeowner in StAlver has a the annual operating costs of the facility: home valued at$110,000 8nf` ; In addition to daily passes,families will ` be able to purchase season passes. per year over n 20 ye " Residents will pay a lower fee schedule will average$4.3 p h or per than non-residents. week, DolftIrrscif What of Estimated "iaX tg liar ►ement s be fended Market Value Per $110,000 52 " itT the + n7 $150,000 1 Playground equipment and/or basketball $200,000 aloe- courts will be added to 6 parks. Simple $400,000 $190 picnic shelters will be added to 2 parks. $600,000 8 miles of trail will be improved.2 new $1,000,000 $475 For additional Information about the referendum, • Dana Anderson H J er 441.4874 241-0795 4414327 7 For informatkon about urbere to vote, please call X441_7 . 4,1. BITUMINOUS TRAIL O ty of kJ) GRASS TRAIL Elk River III +�p�,_ WOODLAND TRAILS PARK R `"�E4Ty 1 JJ Ai WOODED AREA WOODED AREA II ■ K f,' if / \ Q � a r 1 / vo�En AREA V/ `I, E f/j�> vETLANns `�' M y 0IIIIL TT 1111 y si, i iii ` ELK RI NER WETLANDS ' OPEN MEADOW B max COUNTRY EMT CLUB NI, NLY OF PROPERTY lerf .,, A ° o H -- WOODLAND / v. TRAILS .i. 0:..,_` PARK OPEN MEADOW �' �— P LI61TS — --..\\V4/ Al O EO AREA o y '-E PROPPROPtiTTYY PRIMATE PROPERTY WETLANDS CI PRIMATE PROPERTY PRIVATE PROPERTY •y °C z z ONE o L9 ROAD CW❑ODGRNT)