6.6. SR 06-21-2004
Item # ~
MEMORANDUM
FROM:
Mayor and City Council
Michele MCPherskector of Planning
TO:
DATE:
june 21, 2004
SUBJECT:
Parks and Recreation Update
Attachment
. June 9, 2004 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda
. Park Development Standard Operating Procedures
The primary discussion items for the Parks and Recreation Commission on June 9th were
park dedication review as well as approval the Standard Operating Procedures for Park
Development.
There are no items for the Council to act on as a result of the June 9th Parks and Recreation
Commission meeting.
s: \PLANNING\Michele McPherson \P ARKNREC\Council Updates \06 22 04 P & R Update. doc
CITY OF ELK RIVER
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AGENDA
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Elk River City Hall
6:30 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order 6:30 p.m.
2. Consider June 9, 2004 Agenda
3. Consider May 12,2004 Minutes
4. Parks and Recreation Commissioner to Attend June PC/CC meetings
a. June 21, 2004 City Council- Commissioner Peterson
b. June 22, 2004 Planning Commission - Commissioner Nystrom
5. Open Mike
6. Neighborhood Meetings/Discussions: None
7. Park Development Progress Report - Terry Bye
8. City Recreation Update: Michele Bergh
9. Action/Discussion Items:
A. Community Events:
1. Eagle Scout Update - Oak Savannah
B. Land Use Cases:
1. Consider Park Dedication, P 04-09 - River Park
2. Consider Park Dedication, P 04-11 - Carson Business Park
C. ParklTrail Development Issues
1. Approve Park Development Standard Operating Procedures
2. Approve Big Tooth Ridge Park Development Plan
10. Information/Update Items (No discussion or presentation unless requested)
A. Land Use Cases: None
B. ParklTrail Developments:
1. Park Dedication Fund Balance
2. Hillside City Park Donations
11. Update on 5/17/04 City Council Meeting- Commissioner Anderson
12. Update on 5/25/04 Planning Commission Meeting - Commissioner Peterson
13. Other Business
. Update on Parks & Recreation Director Hiring
14. Adjournment Next Meetina: Julv 14. 2004
"This agenda is available in alternate formats upon a 72 hour advanced notice. "Auxiliary aids and services are also available
upon a 72 hour advanced notice. Please contact the City Clerk at (763) 635-1000 or email tocitvclker@cLelk-river.mn.us to
make a request. Examples of alternate formats may include: large print, Braille, audio tape, etc." Examples of auxiliary aids
may include a sign language interpreter, assistive listening device, etc."
Park Development Standard Operating Procedures
1. Identify park location and purpose during the subdivision review process.
Discussion should include how the park meets the objectives of the Master Park
Plan, uses (passive or active), amenities, and other improvements.
2. Identify ecologically significant areas and methods for their protection during
development construction.
3. Identify a park name.
4. Park boundary surveyed and markers installed (for new parks this is the
responsibility of the developer, but in older parks, this is a task for the City to
complete).
5. Site inspection by staff and members of the park construction subcommittee.
The inspection would identify vistas, natural plant and animal areas, areas for
development, and safety issues. A recommendation to correct safety issues and
the method to achieve them would be forwarded to the full Commission, if the
safety issue did not pose an immediate danger to the public or staff. Once
reviewed by the Commission, safety issues would be immediately resolved by
park maintenance staff or a contractor if needed. Immediate safety issues would
be resolved by staff without review by the Commission.
6. Discussion by the full Commission utilizing the observations of staff and the
subcommittee in order to identify how the park will be used, the components of
the park, and other issues. Preliminary development of concept plans and
budget impacts to be refilled by staff.
7. Review of reflned concept plans and budget impacts by Commission.
8. Neighborhood meeting for input.
9. Final design, specifIcations, and phasing plan developed and approved.
10. Identify timing within the larger Capital Improvements Budget.
11. Park development after measures to protect ecologically signifIcant areas are in
place.
Adopted: June 9, 2004
MEMORANDUM
TO: Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Michele Bergh, Recreation Manager
DATE: june 21, 2004
SUBjECT: Staff Report
Hot Topic(s) ofthe Month
Garage Sale - We had 84 homes participate in our fIrst community garage sale on Saturday,
May 22nd. We plan on continuing this event on an annual basis. We also had 8 children
purchase tables to sell their items at Lions Park Center and I think they all had fun and made
some money.
Skate Park Completion - The skatepark is complete and busy just about every day.
Lions Park Center - The remodeling will be complete the week of June 14th. It looks great
so far and the contractors have been wonderful to work for.
Coloring Contest - We ran a coloring contest along with our Summer Kickoff event and
also had the children suggest a name for our new lion, who is now known as Leo. Our
kickoff event was a success, once again, in spite of the rain. We had 200-250 attend.
Ice Show - Our 7th annual ice show was held May 14/15 at the Arena. This year's theme
was the Wizard of Oz.
Annual End of the Year Concert Bash at the Bandshell- We had 200-250 students attend
our annual end of the school year concert in the park on May 28th. The skatepark was a
great addition to this event - providing them with another activity while they were here for
the show. We had 10 bands signed up to play.
May Programs
May programs running are the U Pass, Prenatal Yoga, the Community Garage Sale, the
Summer Kickoff, the Kids' Garage Sale, End of the Year Concert in the Park for students,
and the Skating Academy Ice Show.
Special Marketing Efforts
We had a booth at the Arena Craft Fair for children to do free projects while their parents
shopped. This allowed us to get information out to some who may not have gotten it
otherwise.
Facility Use
We reserved 742 hours of facility use in May. 330 of this was fIeld use, 220 was park shelter
use, approximately 100 hours was for Lions Park Center. The rest was miscellaneous use
throughout the city.
Wellness Committee
Our next event is Relay for Life and we are looking to form at least one team to represent
the city for this event.
Other
Weare progressing as planned with internet registration and should be up and running for
registration in August.
Photos
Construction in office area at Lions Park
Kids Garage Sale at Lions Park
Skatepark Use
Skatepark Use
Skatepark Use
Leo the Lion at Summer Kickoff
-
Indoor Activities at Summer Kickoff
End of the Year Concert Bash
~
River
Police Department
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Michele Bergh
Jeffrey A. Beahen, Chief of Police
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
June 16, 2004
Conduct at the Emporium/Band shell Concerts
Per your request, I have queried the offIcers who normally work security details at either the
Emporium or the Band shell. The offlcers are all in agreement that those in attendance may
be prone to use vulgarity and song lyrics have been vulgar in the past. But all agreed that
when the language is used that it is fIrmly corrected and a reprimand is issued, either by the
police offlcers themselves or by your site supervisors.
The language may continue to be inappropriate away from direct supervision, but it is
neither allowed nor tolerated by any of the adults or offlcers charged with supervising these
events.
Bands are not allowed to play any songs that contain vulgar or inappropriate lyrics or
content. Mosh pits are still allowed, and there have been no reports on injuries as a result of
that conduct for several years.
I hope this addresses any concerns that you may have. Feel free to contact me if you have
any questions concerning my response.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Michele Bergh, Recreation Manager
DATE: june 21, 2004
SUBjECT: Boys and Girls Club
As requested, here is an update of the City's rental use of the Boys and Girls Club.
The City is currently contributing $15,000 annually to the Boys and Girls Club for rental of
the facility on the weekends. While we have tried numerous programs in the gym, we have
struggled due to the following concerns:
.
Lack of storage space for equipment
No markings on the floor for basketball or any type of league play
Poor acoustics
.
.
We have limited plans for using the space this fall for the reasons listed above. We
encouraged programming for seniors in the space as well; however, their staff has chosen
not to use it as it is not conducive to senior programming.
Additionally, I would like to share some information regarding programming as it relates to
the positions they are proposing.
While I feel the Boys and Girls Club is an asset to our community and will support any
decision made by the City regarding funding, I am concerned about the city fInancing
programs that already exist internally and within the community by others. As I looked over
the proposed positions, I saw programming that is available through the District at the
schools such as after school open gyms, after school leagues, career prep, managing money,
and technology. I have attached a list from Community Ed of offerings available at the
middle schools.
I also noticed that they are proposing to provide league and teen band opportunities in the
evening. League play has not been desirable at the club for teens or adults due to the layout
of the gym and our open gyms will be moved back to the schools this fall for the same
reason.
We are currently meeting the needs of the teen band events and these events have been
running smoothly for years. We experienced problems when Emporium opened in the late
90's. We identifIed the reasons, which were:
.
No age restrictions, which led to a considerable number of older patrons.
Outside bands from Minneapolis area bringing their "followers", which led to a lack of
general respect for the facility and it's policies.
"Teen Managers" setting up shows for bands, which led to a lack of communication
with the band members.
.
.
To address these concerns, we set an age limit of 13-20, we focused on more local bands,
and we only allow someone in a band, which will be performing that night to set up a show
to help with communication. We visit with all band members prior to their performance
and require them to sign contract. We also have an offIcer on site "just in case" and I have
attached a memo from Chief Beahen for your review.
The Boys and Girls Club also mentioned the challenges we are having with the skate park
and, while I appreciate their offer to help, the challenges are directly related to use. We
would like the skaters to use the facility and will continue to aggressively address issues as
they arise. I am however open to partnering on other programs.
Should the City decide to fund programming at the Boys and Girls Club, I would
recommend funding existing programs if possible. Since they are already struggling
flnancially, this would help them with their current budget and alleviate some of the fmancial
pressure. As I stated, I believe they are an asset to the community and meet the needs of
many young children who may not have other options available. I will be available at the
meeting on June 21 st to answer any questions and please feel free to contact me prior to the
meeting if needed.
District 728 Community Education
Philosophy for Middle School Activities
The mission of Community Education, to build a sense of community through citizen involvement and lifelong
learning, applies to middle school students and activities. Community Education's middle school programs will
be built on the knowledge that participation in after school activities supports academic success, community
pride, student self-esteem and character building. Research shows that the after school hours are challenging
for students regarding use of time and choice of appropriate, healthy activities, therefore middle school
activities must be available immediately after school in a convenient and accessible format. Emphasis must be
on variety/choices, learning opportunities, and maximum participation, regardless of ability. Cooperation,
teamwork, self-discipline, leadership, and numerous other skills can be attained through these activities.
Activities are intended to enhance the educational experience as an extension of the school day. Youth and their
parents need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of activities to ensure a quality program is
maintained. Staff and volunteers that provide the leadership for students in these activities must have a
combination of knowledge, experience, and a genuine desire to be involved with middle school youth.
Partnerships with community organizations will be welcomed and duplication of services avoided. Sponsors
and contributions will also be sought to provide the funding necessary to offer a well-rounded program, keeping
the participation fees reasonable for families.
What Outcomes are we Hoping to Achieve?
Youth attending the programs will:
. gain new knowledge/skills in areas of interest to them
. have positive, supportive relationships with adult leaders
. develop and enhance positive relationships with peers
. exhibit appropriate social behavior
Athletics & Activities
Sports, clubs and other enrichment experiences are offered after school for grades 6-8. These opportunities are
held immediately after dismissal on school days, coordinated by District 728 Community Education for the
school district. Activities generally meet twice a week, but there are some exceptions. Most activities are
offered for grades 6-8 together, unless there are enough participants to divide by grade levels. There are four
seasons offered, Fall I, Fall II, Winter and Spring. Examples of activities offered include:
Soccer. Basketball. Bowling · Volleyball · Danceline . Drama · Speech. Art Club · Crafts · Ski and
Snowboard Trips. Speed & Agility. Track and Field. Technology. (such as Lego Robotics, Web Design,
Video, etc) . Tennis. Chess · Open Gym. After Class Club . Cooking/Snacks. Jazz Band. Choir.
Ensembles (some music opportunities are also held early morning).
Additional after school, evening, weekend and summer activities are offered as well, including
Languages. Fitness · Math/Reading Help · Guitar. Voice & Piano Lessons · Safety programs, and others.
It continues to be a challenge to build the after school program into a program that can cover its own expenses.
Success with activities has varied. Activity offerings are limited by the number of instructors or staff available
at that time of day, the number of interested students who register for the opportunities, fees, and transportation.
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Bergh, Michele
From: Duane Howard [howardd@sherbtel.net]
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 20042:15 PM
To: MBergh@cLelk-river.mn.us
Subject: follow up
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for the visit yesterday. Yes, we would be happy to work your department in a partnership of some kind as
you use our facilities. We have many programming areas that already exist that we are constantly seeking
financial support for. These programs are specific, and are proven as nationwide successful programs from the
national office, that are also used in some schools. We have a lot of ideas to help teenagers and adolescents at
our Club. These teenagers do not have to be members of the Club. Anytime your department or others use the
Club, as discussed, they do not have to buy memberships. They must sign in so that they are covered for
insurance, and that is a national Club mandate. We also envision having young teenagers use our computer lab,
and we need more computers and equipment for that also. Our outreach would include reaching all kids in the
community, working on behalf of the city and other organizations to help youth find organized structure.
The rental agreement for weekend use has always been reserved for the city to use. Many groups use the park,
and of course they line up to use our bathrooms. We usually allow folks to use our bathrooms, especially those
who have little kids... This does break our agreement with Canterbury school however, as they pay rent for their
usage of the Club during the school day. Sometimes, if it rains, I will personally offer kids using the park
basketball courts, to come and use our gym. We even take our kids out of the gym so that these kids who really
want to play ball have a place. It seems that most adolescents, aged to about 12th grade, who are not varsity
players, are not that concerned with markings on the floor or acoustics. On one occasion a kid with a bad
arrogant attitude came in to use our bathrooms, and his attitude was not a good thing around kids at the Club.
We let him use the bathroom, but it was quite a disturbance. Just as we clean the park daily, we try and help
those in need of bathroom or in need of first aid, even though they are not Club members.
Daryl Thompson and Todd Plaisted were involved in the $15,000 a year agreement, and a lot of factors entered in
that agreement relating to a maximum amount that we could mortgage against the building as established by the
city. It was called a rental, but the round table discussions did not talk of details of usage. The agreement that
then evolved seems to be a good plan.
I believe a good partnership on space usage would be great, and if there is anything that we can do to help
formulate a plan, we are happy to work with you. You past support is sincerely appreciated.
Duane Howard and the Club
6/21/2004