10 PRSR 11-04-2020 Memorandum
To: Parks and Recreation Commission
From: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
Date: November 4, 2020
Subject: Director’s Report
This report is a monthly highlight of department activities related to recent collaborations, strategic
planning, staff changes/developments, and park operations.
Multipurpose Facility Naming Rights
Front Page News! In case you have not heard, the new multipurpose facility has a name. It is Furniture
and Things Community Event Center. A logo for the new facility will soon be presented to the City
Council for approval. The Council approved the naming rights agreement that will bring in $975,000 over
the course of 15 years. We are excited to have a local business invest and furnish its name. Naming Rights
Consultant Chris Potenza has been working on this and other names for the other assets in the facility.
More soon to come……….
Active Elk River - Orono Park Plans
SRF continues to work on the construction documents for Orono Park and YAC. We are continuing to
work on bid documents for the YAC concessions building for bids this winter with the plans for
construction to be done by the spring baseball season.
Trott Brook Barn
We are working on opening the Trott Brook Barn for rentals and will follow the COVID guidelines to
allow 25% capacity, which will be 10 people. There will only be one rental per day, and it will be cleaned
after each rental. There will be two lockboxes at the Barn so people can access the keys instead of coming
to City Hall.
Staff is planning to update the rental fee structure as we update the rental fees for all of our park facilities,
including the packaging of fees for all of our facilities – for example, Furniture and Things Community
Event Center meeting spaces and Rivers Edge Commons Park for weddings.
Item: 10
Woodland Trails Regional Park Nature Play Area
The water feature at the Woodland Trails Regional Park stopped working two weeks ago because of a
defective part. Unfortunately, we only had 10 days to use the water feature before it broke down. We have
now winterized it for the season. We hope to have a Grand Opening in the spring.
Three New Park Kiosks
With installation of three park kiosks, we are now receiving requests from community organizations to
post their own posters/marketing. Our administrative policy, originally set up with the downtown Rivers
Edge Commons Park kiosk, is to only post city-sponsored programs and events. Also, we have a
marketing schedule already planned for this year, including our new facility.
Furniture and Things Community Event Center
Staff has been working on Senior Center operational policies and Pandemic Plans with plans for limited
programming starting next week. This includes opening the walking/running track at the facility. Tours of
the facility continue Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Registration is now required for all programming. We have
been surprised with the continued interest of 25 to 50 people attending the past few Wednesdays.
Great Northern Trail (GNT) Closure
City Council approved an ordinance in October to close the GNT during the time deer hunting is
permitted. Signs will be posted in the coming week. A copy of the sign language and a map of seven sign
locations is attached to this report. Based on the ordinance, the GNT will be closed annually for nine days
between CSAH 33 (GNT tunnel) and the city/county line. This year it will be November 7-15, 2020.
MRPA Facility Management Series
We will be hosting the MRPA Facility Management Series on Thursday, November 19 at the Furniture
and Things Community Event Center. 20+ parks and recreation professionals will be touring new
facilities for a tour, education sessions and sharing of ideas. The dates and city locations are as follows”
Shoreview – November 5, Brooklyn Park – November 10, St. Louis Park – November 17 and then the
best for last is Elk River – November 19.
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CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF ELK RIVER
ORDINANCE NO. 20-13
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 50 OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER CITY
CODE TO AUTHORIZE TEMPORARY HUNTING CLOSURES OF THE GREAT
NORTHERN TRAIL
The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1. That Chapter 50 of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances shall be amended to add
new Section 50-120, as follows:
Section 50-120 – Great Northern Trail.
(a) Hunting on private lands adjacent to Great Northern Trail (“GNT”) is
permitted with written approval from the Chief of Police as provided in Section 50-
117 of this Code.
(b) If approval to hunt adjacent to portions of the GNT is granted, the City may
close affected portions of the GNT for up to nine days during the time hunting is
permitted.
(c) Signs shall be posted at each end of the closed portions providing the public
with notice of the closure and that use of the GNT in violation of the closure order is
a violation of Section 50-120 of the City Code.
(d) Use of the GNT in violation of a closure order shall be a violation of this
Code and deemed a Petty Misdemeanor subject to fine per the city’s fee schedule.
Section 2. That this Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption and be published as provided by law.
Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 19th day of October, 2020.
John J. Dietz
Mayor
ATTEST:
Tina Allard
City Clerk