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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes-April-05 j City of Columbia Heights Park and Recreation Commission April 27, 2005 Jerry Foss called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLLCALL Members present: Jerry Foss; Tom Greenhalgh; Gary Peterson; Gary Mayer; David Payne; Marsha Stroik; Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director; Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director/City Engineer Also present: Carrie Day Aspinwall; Richard Aspinwall Excused Absent: Eileen Evans Absent: None APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA Motion to approve consent agenda by Gary Mayer and second by David Payne. All ayes, motion carried. LETTERS AND REQUESTS REQUEST FROM CLASS OF 1976 FOR DISCOUNTED RENTAL RATES Resident, Roxanne Sorenson would like to request the 25% resident discount for their 30th class reunion on August 5th, 2006. Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director, stated that many of their classmates are Columbia Heights residents, but none of them want to put the lease in their name and provide their home owner's liability insurance. Motion to approve the resident discount of 25% provided they show proof of personal liability insurance by Payne, and second by Greenhalgh. All ayes, motion carried. REQUEST FROM RESIDENT TO REMOVE THE BASKETBALL HOOP FROM KEYES PARK Resident, Clli'Tie Day Aspimvall, t.l].ar.ked Mayor Ga.ry Peterson for I'l11111ing a great city. Carrie Day Aspinwall and her husband Richard reside at 1407 46th Avenue in Columbia Heights. Resident is requesting that the basketball hoop from Keyes Park be removed. She and her family have lived there for the last 15 years. Over the past four years this basketball hoop has drawn a number of concerns for the surrounding residents. Huge crowds of youth congregate at this site, some are actually playing basketball, others are engaging in drug use, littering, urinating in the bushes or surrolmding area, swearing and just being a nuisance. Some residents have had their cars broken into. They are also PAGE 2 concerned about the vulnerable adults in the neighborhood that have been harassed by these individuals. Recently the Aspinwalls have been tagged by gang graffiti as well. Resident brought in photographs of the graffiti and the gangs congregating in the park. When resident asked the youth what the gang graffiti meant they told her "boys are coming to town". Their immediate neighbor was so fed up with all the activity that he went over and took the hoop directly off the pole hoping for relief. Resident, Carrie Day Aspinwall, works closely with the Columbia Heights Police Department and calls 911 when necessary. Resident has observed the kids actually climbing up the pole and sitting in the hoop, and is concerned about the liability for the City should that child fall or cause injury to themselves. The residents are very concerned about the drug use in the park. They are fmding Marijuana butts on the ground. They are also concerned about the park being too dark at night. Commission Member, Marsha Stroik, indicated that there was a similar problem with a park in Minneapolis and when they took the basketball hoop down the problem was resolved. Commission Member, Tom Greenhalgh, suggested to take the hoop down for a month and see what happens. Motion to talce down the backboard and hoop for a month then reassess the situation by Greenhalgh and, second by Stroik. All ayes, motion carried. REPORTS RECREATION DIRECTOR Recreation Director, Keith Windschitl, introduced Beth Sarna, new Clerk Typist II for the Recreation Department. Members welcomed Beth to the City. Recreation Director, Keith Windschitl, informed the Commission that second interviews are being done this week for the new Recreation Coordinator and someone should be starting in a few weeks. Recreation Director, Keith Windschitl, suggested to the members that we take a tour of all the parks for the next meeting on May 25,2005 due to the fact that the floors will be refmished. PT TBLTC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER Public Works Director/City Engineer, showed the Commission the copy of the Grant Application for the Huset Park master plan. He informed the Commission that there is less money available for grants this year. Public Works is worldng on Silver Lalce Beach and tlle erosion problem They can do some berming to slow the water down. They can put in rain gardens that will help filter the water. The Rice Creek grant program could provide funding for this project. Some of the parking lot would have to be removed and this would clean up the water, be low maintenance and improve water quality. COMMISSION MEMBERS Commission Member, Jerry Foss, asked about the Silver Lake Beach building and what it would cost to open. Kevin, Public Works Director/City Engineer, stated that the lake is still swimable. It would cost between $6,000-$10,000 to fix it and get the building in shape, put in a sidewalk and make it ADA compliant. Commission Member, Jerry Foss, informed the Commission that we should set up a meeting with the neighborhood regarding lights at Prestemon Park. He informed the Commission that we need to provide lights on an adult field before we work on Huset Park. Once teams leave our City it will be tough to get them back. Commission Member, Jerry Foss, stated we should hold some meetings in the park again this year. It was agreed that we would meet in the parks for the next meeting and take a possible tour of the parks. The meeting would start at 5:30. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Beth Sarna, Clerk Typist II