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5.0. SR 09-23-1996'"ity of ITEM 5. iver FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: MEMORANDUM Mayor & City Council Pat Klaers, City Admi~r September 23, 1996 ~/ Lions Community Park The Lions Club members have indicated a desire to come before the City Council to discuss the maintenance of Lions Park and the development plans of the Lions Club for the park. Attached for your review are the February 8, 1995, Park and Recreation Commission minutes where the issue of developing a youth soccer field in Lions Park was considered. At this meeting the Lions Club restated its position that the park should be for family use and not organized sports, and also stated that they would be taking a more active role in the development of Lions Park and would be coming forward with a five year plan. Also attached for your review is an update on Lions Park activities from spring, 1995, that Phil Hals provided Councilmember Dietz. Additionally, attached is a September, 1996, memo from Phil Hals that reviews some of the current concerns of the Lions Club about the park. The Lions Club has some "new money" from its pull tab operation. Some of this money has been donated to the city in order for the city to finance and manage some improvements. The pathways that have been paved this past year is an example of the Lions Park money being used by the city for park improvements. The current concerns from the Lions Club have to do with parts of the park not being mowed and with some playground equipment that was purchased by the Club not being installed. Regarding the mowing concern, I think that Phil will be able to offer the Council some comments on this issue. Phil's comments may relate to drainage problems based on the soils in the area being mostly peat, the drainage improvements that the city has completed, and the allocation of limited city manpower to maintain a park that has traditionally not been used very much. 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 Regarding the playground equipment that has been purchased but not yet installed, I think that there has been a misunderstanding and some miscommunication regarding this issue. Initially the city assumed that the Lions Club would not only purchased the equipment, but was also going to install the equipment. Eventually the city understood that it was being requested to have the equipment installed and have this project financed with Lions Club money that was donated to the city. Once this was more clearly understood by the city, action was taken to have this equipment installed, however, the actual installation has not yet taken place. Essentially, the park has been without playground equipment for a year when it could have been installed earlier in 1996. The city is very interested in the future plans of the Lions Club for this park. The city would like to see more of the paths being paved and also one of the hockey rink areas being paved. The city would like to see increased usage of the park for family activities and for some youth initiative programs. At the last Council meeting on 9/16/96, Lions Club members were present to address the Council under Open Mike. The Club members were in the hall when Open Mike came and went on the agenda, so I discussed with them coming to this meeting to visit with the City Council. \\elkriver\sysXshr doc\councilXlcprk .doc MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1995 Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Chair Dave Anderson; Commissioners Turtle, OIson, Daleiden, Dana Anderson, and Lipetzky (7:30) Commissioners Donais and Rolfe Anderson, Phil Hals, Street/Park Superintendent~ Steve Rohlf, Building and Zoning Administrator~ Jeff Asfahl, 728 Area Recreation Coordinator Lion's Club Members: Harold Gramstad, John Weicht, Wally Fox, and Ed Lukkonen o o o Call Meeting To Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Park & Recreation Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Anderson. Consider A,qenda Item 5, Election of Officers was moved to Item 8.1. COMMISSIONER OLSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE 2/8/95 PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA AS AMENDED. COMMISSIONER DANA ANDERSON SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. Consider Minutes COMMISSIONER DANA ANDERSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 11, 1995, PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES. COMMISSIONER OLSON SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. Introduction of New Members Chair Anderson introduced Robin Tuttle and welcomed her to the Commission. Open Mike No one appeared for this item. Discussion with Lion's Club Members on use of Lion's Park for Youth Soccer Chair Anderson asked the Lion's Club members to respond to the proposal to add soccer fields to Lion's Park. Harold Gramstad spoke to the group stating that the Lion's Club, at a meeting on Park and l~ecreation Commission Meeting Page 2 February 8, 1995 2/7/95, has reconfirmed their position to maintain the park as a family park and not allow organized sports. He also stated that the Lion's Club would like to complete the park as originally designed including open fields for family use. Commissioner Lipetzky arrived at this time (7:30 p.m.) Commissioner Olson spoke of his disappointment in not being able to utilize this area for an organized athletic use on Monday through Friday evenings, allowing full family usage on weekends. John Weicht stated that kids in the neighboring apartments are run off from the Oak Knoll fields so he feels that Lion's Park should always be open for kids. Commissioner Tuttle stated that she appreciates the Lion's Park because it is quiet and there is opportunity to use the open space. Commissioner Dana Anderson stated that he felt that this would be an excellent opportunity for a cooperative improvement which would benefit both the City and the Lion's Park. He also confirmed Commissioner OIson's sentiments of full family use of the park during weekends. Commissioner Dana Anderson stated he feels that it is a shame that this issue cannot be resolved by the City doing the construction and then, after a defined time of temporary use, the fields revert back to the Lion's Club's determination of use. Ed Lukkonen spoke of the term temporary classrooms and stated soccer and no to youth football or "temporary fields" as in temporary taxes or he feels it would be very difficult to say yes to other youth groups. John Weicht stated that the Lion's plan to do soil corrections and create fields for family use now that the Lion's Club has a better financial status. Harold Gramstad stated that the Lion's Club will be coming forward with a five year plan for the park development later this year. Phil Hals stated he feels that 1.) the park is grossly underutilized, 2.) the Lion's should consider replacing the playground equipment that is now used in the tot lot because of the equipment's condition, and 3.) the City needs to approve any playground equipment before the Lion's Club installs it in the park. COMMISSIONER DANA ANDERSON MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO PURSUE THE IDEA OF BUILDING SOCCER FIELDS IN LION'S PARK AND, SINCE THE LION'S CLUB IS MORE FINANCIALLY SECURE, THAT THE CITY WILL ASSUME A MORE "HANDS OFF" APPROACH TO CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK. COMMISSIONER DALEIDEN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0-1. Commissioner Olson abstained. 8. Discussion of City Non-Motorized Pathway System - Steve Rohif Steve Rohlf gave a brief description of his plan for a collector trail system and gave Commissioners a memo, including financial requirements for developing such a system. Steve went through his memo line by line, explaining the thinking behind these numbers and how they relate to existing and potential residential lots. He continued by explaining the options for trail funding. Although there are