PRSSR 07-09-2025 Packet (3)
Parks and Recreation Commission
Regular Meeting
&
Work Session
Agenda
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
6:30 PM
Elk River City Hall
▪ Regular meeting in Council Chambers
▪ Work Session meeting in Upper Town Conference Room immediately following regular meeting
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. CONSIDER AGENDA
4. CONSIDER MINUTES
4.1 06-11-2025 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
5. OPEN FORUM
An opportunity to provide comments and feedback regarding items not on the agenda. Information provided in Open Forum
will not be discussed at this meeting; rather, the information will be referred to staff and/or scheduled for discussion at a
future meeting.
6. PRESENTATIONS, AWARDS, AND RECOGNITION
7. ACTION ITEMS
7.1 Torchlight Theatre Outdoor Performance
7.2 Neighborhood Playground Survey
8. PARKS AND RECREATION MANAGER UPDATE
8.1 Parks and Recreation Manager Update
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
10. MOTION TO ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING
11. WORK SESSION
Work Sessions are less formal meetings to encourage dialog. Official action or votes are not typically taken. At the
conclusion of a discussion, a simple consensus provides staff direction for execution of the item. This portion of the agenda
is audio recorded but not video recorded or broadcast. Work Sessions are open to the public; however, visitors who wish
to provide input must be invited by the presiding officer, assume a seat at the discussion table and provide their full name
and address for the official record.
11.1 Elk River Parks and Recreation Framework Plan - Table of Contents and Scope of Work
12. MOTION TO ADJOURN
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The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community
engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity
Request for Action
To
Parks and Recreation Commission
Item Number
7.2
Meeting Date
July 9, 2025
Prepared By
Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager
Item Description
Neighborhood Playground Survey
Reviewed by
Jeff Shelby
Joe Stremcha
Action Requested
Recommend, by motion, staff conduct the survey as presented to residents in the park usage area (south of
US HWY 10 and west of the Elk River).
Background/Discussion
In June, the commission discussed beginning the process of evaluating the playground amenities in the city
parks. Many of those amenities will be approaching the end of their life expectancy in the next few years and
during that discussion, it was decided that staff would compile a survey to potentially send to residents in
designated areas so that residents have the opportunity to provide feedback about the replacement and usage
of the amenities. The included survey is intended to give residents that opportunity to provide input, as well
as to provide staff with a better understanding of how the parks are being utilized.
The neighborhood park areas around the city will be divided up into regions for the purposes of the amenity
discussion. Region 1 (south of US HWY 10 and West of Elk River) includes Country Crossings Park, Fresno
Park, and Mississippi Oaks Park.
Financial Impact
Postage to ensure area residents had direct notice of the survey.
Mission/Policy/Goal
Work with citizens to achieve goals.
Attachments
1. Neighborhood Park Survey - Region 1
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Neighborhood Parks Usage Survey
We need your input! The City of Elk River is looking for feedback on the parks in your
neighborhood to help us understand how residents use them and what improvements you'd like to
see. Your responses are crucial as we plan for the future of Country Crossings Park, Fresno Park,
and Mississippi Oaks Park. This survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete.
Section 1: About You
1. What is your age group?
o Under 18
o 18-24
o 25-34
o 35-44
o 45-54
o 55-64
o 65+
2. How far do you live from the closest neighborhood park (Country Crossings Park,
Fresno Park, or Mississippi Oaks Park)?
o Less than 0.5 miles
o 0.5 - 1 mile
o 1 - 2 miles
o More than 2 miles
Section 2: Park Usage
3. Which of the following parks have you visited in the past 12 months? (Check all that
apply)
o Country Crossings Park
o Fresno Park
o Mississippi Oaks Park
o None of the above (If "None," please skip to Question 14)
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4. How often do you visit any of the 3 parks?
o Daily
o Weekly
o Monthly
o Annually
Section 3: Park Specific Feedback
Please answer the following questions for each park. If you haven't visited a particular park, you may select “Don’t
Know”
Country Crossings Park
5. How would you rate the following aspects of Country Crossings Park?
o Condition of Amenities (e.g., benches, tables):
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
o Condition of Playgrounds/Equipment:
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
6. When you visit Country Crossings Park, what activities do you typically engage in?
(Check all that apply)
o Playing with children
o Picnicking/Gathering with friends/family
o Using playground equipment
o Playing sports (e.g., basketball, soccer)
o Walking a dog
o Relaxing/Reading
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
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7. What improvements would you most like to see at Country Crossings Park? (Check
your top 3)
o More/improved playground equipment
o More seating/picnic tables
o Better landscaping/gardens
o More shade trees
o New or improved sports facilities (e.g., basketball court, open field)
o Increased accessibility features (e.g., ramps, accessible swings)
o Increased trash receptacles
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
Fresno Park
8. How would you rate the following aspects of Fresno Park?
o Condition of Amenities (e.g., benches, tables):
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
o Condition of Playgrounds/Equipment:
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
9. When you visit Fresno Park, what activities do you typically engage in? (Check all
that apply)
o Playing with children
o Picnicking/Gathering with friends/family
o Using playground equipment
o Playing sports (e.g., basketball, soccer)
o Walking a dog
o Relaxing/Reading
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
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10. What improvements would you most like to see at Fresno Park? (Check your top 3)
o More/improved playground equipment
o More seating/picnic tables
o Better landscaping/gardens
o More shade trees
o New or improved sports facilities (e.g., basketball court, open field)
o Increased accessibility features (e.g., ramps, accessible swings)
o Increased trash receptacles
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
Mississippi Oaks Park
11. How would you rate the following aspects of Mississippi Oaks Park?
o Condition of Amenities (e.g., benches, tables):
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
o Condition of Playgrounds/Equipment:
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Unsure
12. When you visit Mississippi Oaks Park, what activities do you typically engage in?
(Check all that apply)
o Playing with children
o Picnicking/Gathering with friends/family
o Using playground equipment
o Playing sports (e.g., basketball, soccer)
o Walking a dog
o Relaxing/Reading
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
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13. What improvements would you most like to see at Mississippi Oaks Park? (Check
your top 3)
o More/improved playground equipment
o More seating/picnic tables
o Better landscaping/gardens
o More shade trees
o New or improved sports facilities (e.g., basketball court, open field)
o Increased accessibility features (e.g., ramps, accessible swings)
o Increased trash receptacles
o Other (Please specify): _________________________
Section 4: General Feedback
14. If you had to pick just one park for a playground improvement, which would it be?
o Country Crossings Park
o Fresno Park
o Mississippi Oaks Park
o No preference
15. Are there any features or amenities that are currently missing from our neighborhood
parks that you believe are essential?
16. Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the future development
of Elk River's neighborhood parks?
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey! Your input is incredibly valuable as we work
to improve our neighborhood parks for everyone in Elk River.
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Memorandum
To: Parks and Recreation Commission
From: Jeff Shelby, Parks and Recreation Manager
Date: July 9, 2025
Subject: Parks and Recreation Staff Report
Senior Activity Center
As of June 24, 2025, the Senior Activity Center has 533 members. Our average daily attendance is 71, which is
higher than it was last year at this point in the year. This month’s program highlights included live music by Diane
Zilberberg accompanied by refreshing root beer floats, a scenic boat trip on the Mississippi River, and a fun
presentation and trivia session about the Beatles. Our two new front desk volunteers started this month, and they’ve
already been a wonderful help to our team.
Story Stroll Kick Off
The first kickoff event was held on Tuesday, June 17 at Lion John Weicht Park showcasing the bilingual book,
Searching for Habitat. This free event saw steady attendance and event attendees enjoyed a presentation from
Sherburne Soil and Water District on pollinators, made pinecone bird feeds, and enjoyed free popsicles. Great River
Regional Library - Elk River staff and volunteers were present to assist with the activities on site.
Popsicles with Public Safety
Orono Park had over 500 kids attend Popsicles with Public Safety on Tuesday, June 17. Kids were able to explore
vehicles from Police, Fire, and ERMU while enjoying free popsicles provided by Jonny Pops. Police reserves
provided free child ID kits too.
Sports/Programs
We hosted the Twins Playball baseball clinic on Saturday, June 28 at Lion John Weicht Park. This event was free to
attend for ages 6-12. We had great participation from the community and 150 registered for the event. A special
thank you to our friends at Geared Up Apparel for sponsoring a meal for all participants! Each child received a
hotdog, Gatorade, and chips!
Summer programs have been running very smoothly thanks to our Summer Intern Taylor.
The USSSA Top Tier Summer State Fastpitch Softball tournament is this weekend at the PT Complex. We
anticipate over 1,500 people at the complex. We then have softball for the next two weekends at the PT Complex, a
2-week break, and then tournaments every weekend through October 5. Field use remains very busy on a daily basis
with almost all 17 fields needing to be prepped every day. This can be a concern for fields to be overused and not
gaining sufficient rest periods and will be monitored closely. This utilization trend does support the need for
additional facilities as detailed in the Athletic Facilities Framework Plan.
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Summer Concerts
Our first two summer concerts moved indoors to the field house at the FT Center due to inclement weather. The
field house provides a much better indoor environment for the concerts and the feedback from attendees has been
very positive. Attendance at the second concert rivaled attendance at the outdoor shows, and the indoor
concessions offerings were a great addition to the event.
Lion John Weicht Park – Electrical Issue
We had a minor issue with the lighting inside the servery at the pavilion at Lions on a recent Saturday. The user
group alerted staff, and we were able to respond during the event to identify and repair the issue.
Friends of the Mississippi Event
On August 16, FMR is sponsoring a kayak paddle event from Otsego to the Houlton Conservation Area. They are
partnering with Twin Cities Kayaking to provide all of the outfitting free of charge to participants. After arriving at
Houlton, participants will have lunch, hear from FMR Agricultural Policy Manager Peter LaFontaine on policy
protecting the river, and then participate in a hands-on restoration planting to support pollinators and wildlife.
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The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community
engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity
Request for Action
To
Parks and Recreation Commission
Item Number
11.1
Meeting Date
July 9, 2025
Prepared By
Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager
Item Description
Elk River Parks and Recreation Framework Plan -
Table of Contents and Scope of Work
Reviewed by
Jeff Shelby
Joe Stremcha
Action Requested
Consider the Table of Contents and discuss the scope of work to develop a Table of Contents for the Elk
River Parks and Recreation Plan.
Recommend, by motion, the table of contents for the plan as presented by staff (or amended by the
commission).
Background/Discussion
The commission will help define the scope of work for the project by refining the categories within Elk River
Parks and Recreation Framework Plan. Staff provided the following for the commission to consider:
1. Four Tables of Content from the plans staff found comparable to the city.
2. A compilation of feedback from commissioners after reviewing the four plans, loosely organized in a Table
of Contents form
3. A suggested Table of Contents for the plan based the feedback received from commissioners.
Financial Impact
None.
Mission/Policy/Goal
Meet changing needs - agile. Opportunity to live, work, and play. Support the growth and development of the
community.
Attachments
1. Alexandria Master Plan Table of Contents
2. Bemidji Master Plan Table of Contents
3. Otsego Master Plan Table of Contents
4. Sherburne County Master Plan Table of Contents
5. Research and Feedback Summary Table of Contents
6. Potential Table of Contents - 2026 Parks and Rec Master Plan
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Research and Feedback Summary
Table of Contents
(Keep uniform design throughout) -Sherburne County plan for example.
First page flow chart style recommended with links to each chapter for website design.
Introduction and Overview
▪Mission and Goals
▪City Facts
▪Parks and Recreation Facts and Value
▪Plan Purpose and Organization
Inventory, Conditions, Needs Assessment (The System Today with links to parks
on website)
▪Chapter Overview (Questionnaire on page 162 in Alexandria plan)
▪Park Classification System
▪Existing Parks Inventory (Role of each park-Sherburne plan)
▪Existing Park Facilities
▪Park and Trail Use
▪SWOT Analysis
▪Trends
▪Access to Outdoor Recreation
▪Public/Community Engagement- Social Pinpoint?
▪Focus Groups and Town Hall meetings.
▪Gather Park usage data/estimate financial cost per individual per park.
Park Plans (Individual Analysis of each property)
▪Chapter Overview
▪Map (Alexandria with legend)
▪Description/Classification
▪Existing Amenities/Park Feature Inventory
▪Current Development Topics
▪Priorities and Priority Level
▪Future Enhancements/Needs Assessment
▪Timeline
▪Costs
System Recommendations/Initiatives
▪Chapter Overview
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▪Parks and Trails system Summary
▪Parks and Facilities Recommendations
▪Trails and Connectivity Recommendations
▪Recreational Programming and Marketing Recommendations
▪Staffing Considerations
▪Community Partnerships and Agreements
▪Natural Resources Plan (Protection/Acquisition Recommendations) including practices and
costs. Partnerships with non-profits to share costs.
▪Future Developments, additional park land, dedication funds etc. such as the gravel mine
pits. Create a sub document for Developers and City Planners.
▪Education and promotion of hunting and fishing opportunities within the Parks and
Recreation system including the policies and data that guide them.
Implementation Plan
▪Chapter Overview
▪Projects Phasing and Cost Estimates (Flow chart page 94 of Sherburne plan)
▪Policies, Planning, Operations
▪Funding Options
▪Plan to become environmentally stable within 10 years.
▪Flexibility to change this plan based on need.
▪Continue to gather input from the community as needed when projects arise. An example
would be project tabs for playground replacement input on our website. (social pinpoint).
Maintenance and Operations Strategy and System
▪Operations Overview
▪General Capital, Operations, and Maintenance Costs (see Otsego plan)
▪Funding Plan for financial sustainability with current funding sources.
▪Identify potential additional funding sources.
▪Operations and Maintenance Strategy-current funding and predictions for every 2 years after
2035.
▪Park and Trail Maintenance Cost Projections
Appendix
▪Park Maps
▪Peer Comparison/NRPA Metrics?
▪Natural Resources Supplemental Information
▪Community Engagement Summary
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Potential Table of Contents – 2026 Parks and Rec Master Plan
Introduction and Overview
▪Overview
▪Mission and Values
▪Planning Process
▪Plan Purpose
Inventory and Assessment
▪Chapter Overview
▪Parks Inventory
▪Park and Trail Use
▪Trends
▪Public/Community Engagement
System Plan
▪Chapter Overview
▪Parks and Facilities Plan
▪Natural Resource Plan
▪Trail System Plan
▪Recreation Programming Plan
▪Arts and Culture Programming Plan
▪Marketing Plan
Maintenance and Operations
▪Chapter Overview
▪Maintenance and Operations Strategy
Implementation
▪Chapter Overview
▪Timeline
▪Funding Options and Sources
▪General Capital, Operations, and Maintenance Costs
▪Implementation Recommendations
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Appendix
▪Park Maps
▪Peer Comparison
▪Natural Resources Supplemental Information
▪Community Engagement Summary
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