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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-2006 Park Board Minutes Summary of Comments from Public Hearing Conducted by the Park and Recreation Advisory Council on the Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan Update held on Thursday, January 13, 7:00 p.m. Park and Recreation Classroom at City Hall Members of the Park and Recreation Advisory Council present: Duane Taber, Chairman, Rebecca Francik and Kristi Samifua. Stacy Estes arrived during the meeting. Staff present: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Stan briefly outlined the process and timeline that had been followed in updating the plan. In addition to "stakeholder" interviews by the consultant,the City mailed a park and recreation survey to each(10,000 +) City utility customers in October—November. More than 500 surveys were returned. The meeting was conducted for the purpose of receiving public comment on the draft plan that was prepared by Studio Cascade. Bill Grimes, representing Studio Cascade, was in attendance and gave a brief presentation outlining the items addressed in the plan. He summarized some highlights of the plan, noting that approximately 400 additional park acres would be required in the City by current standards by the year 2020. He noted public support for additional provision n of walking trails, as well as play fields. He stated that rehabilitation of some of the existing, older parks continued to be an issue that should be addressed, as well as ADA accessibility. Bill noted that the question of the future of Pasco's pools remains unresolved and dependent in some respects, upon a decision concerning the proposed regional aquatic facility. Following the presentation,the following discussions took place. Kees Koster questioned, what did the consultant feel was Pasco's biggest recreational asset? Mr. Grimes explained that he felt that the overall management of Pasco's Park and Recreation programs was the biggest asset as staff was doing a good job of taking care of public needs. In terms of facilities, he felt that the athletic complex was the greatest asset of the community at this time. Mr. Koster stated that he felt that the river and the water activities available by it should be considered the largest asset. Mr. Grimes felt that this should be considered the largest potential asset. Tim Fife,Franklin County Engineer, indicated that he felt the plan could place more emphasis on water dependent facilities and activities, including an inventory and specifically addressing the Franklin County Road 54 Boat Launch, a joint project with the City of Pasco. Juan Bayona asked how Pasco compared with other communities in terms of facilities and population—was it keeping up or falling behind? Mr. Grimes indicated that it was difficult to address based only on population, but overall he felt that the level of population in Pasco was well served by the facilities and activities. '*N Rebecca Francik remarked regarding the percentage of population under 25 and what horizon was addressed by the population projections. It was indicated that this was a 20 year horizon. Don Lynch indicated his concern that Chiawana Park be maintained after the County turned it back. He wanted to make sure that restrooms for path users were available. Staff explained that the City Council was aware of the County's position, but that no position had been taken at this point in time. Mr. Koster stated that he felt the public would be more acutely aware of this problem when Chiawana Park didn't open in April as has been announced by the County. Larry Singleton, caretaker at Chiawana Park, stressed the importance of maintaining this community asset and river access. A question was asked concerning the percentage of the budget spent on parks. Mr. Grimes indicated this was relatively stable in Pasco and though other communities may spend more, given Pasco's tax base this amount was impressive. Rebecca Francik asked concerning a 27% increase in population since 2000 as indicated in the report, but only a 15% growth in swimming pool usage. What could be the reasons? It was answered that capacity at Pasco's pools was most likely the limiting factor. The pools didn't have the capacity to increase use by 27% or the same amount as the population growth. It was also noted that some of the increase in Pasco's activity was coming from residents of Kennewick and Richland. Further notes. Much of the growth in Pasco has been a result of annexation of existing developed areas in the unincorporated area of the County. As such, some of the growth reflects in City population, but not as growth in use of the pools. Another consideration is that much of the growth taking place in the northwest area of town was simply too far removed from existing swimming pools for people to be able to reasonably take advantage of them. Don Lynch asked about plans for a river trail west of the I-182 Bridge. It was indicated that the City has not considered trails outside the urban growth boundary at this point in time. The focus of the City up to now has been on the existing levees between the Blue and Cable Bridges and east of the Cable Bridge to the Boat Basin. Tim Fife indicated he would like to see more emphasis placed on open space, particularly with respect to Corps of Engineers properties that are currently within the City limits. There being no further comments Stan stated that these comments would be considered and the revised plan presented to the Park and Recreation Advisory Council for recommendation to the City Council. He anticipated that this would take place within the next 30—45 days. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. ^ PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES February 10,2005 The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. at the TRAC facility by Chairman Taber. In attendance: Duane Taber, Rebecca Francik, Steve Putnam, Kristi Samifua, Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager, Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager and Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director. Resolution to recommend adoption of the 2005 Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan to the Pasco City Council. Following a brief discussion of changes that had been made to the plan document since the public hearing in January, Chairman Taber called for a motion to recommend the plan to the City Council for adoption. This was made by Steve Putnam and seconded by Kristi Samifua and passed with all voting in favor. Public meeting on Loviisa Farms Park development. Chairman Taber welcomed the public to the meeting and introduced Stan, who outlined the location, budget and possible time table for the development of the park at Loviisa Farms. Stan indicated that the budget included $190,000 for the development of this park and that it was likely that design would be completed in time for bidding the park later this summer with construction to begin in the late summer or fall. Following this introduction the meeting was turned over to the public for questions and comments. The public had a number of suggestions for improvements to be considered in the park as follows: 1. Swings 2. Trees vs. view—south 3. Basketball—safety 4. Volleyball—grass 5. Horseshoe pit 6. Space for open field athletics—soccer, softball 7. Switchable volleyball/tetherball standards 8. Asphalt path—south w/trees 9. Play area away from roadway 10. Benches/tables w/shelter 11. Trash receptacles away from picnic area 12. Use elevation to determine tree locations 13. Composite play structure 14. 2 slides 15. Riding animals for infants 16. Separate age groups for the play equipment—2-5 and 5-12 PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES March 3,2005 In attendance: Duane Taber, Andrew Tillman, Steve Putnam, Edmon Daniels, Kristi Samifua, Rebecca Frank, Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Bob Brawley was excused. Chairman Taber opened the meeting and called for a motion to approve the minutes of the prior meeting. They were approved. RECREATION Paul reported that the King Center is very busy these days with indoor soccer, basketball and volleyball leagues. Jaime Garcia is back working for the YMCA which is helpful because he is such a good role model. Softball starts on March 7. We are making good progress with the renovation of the fields and the first tournament, March 18 and 19 is CBC hosting a sixteen team field. Paul reported to summarize activities for the upcoming 4`h of July, including a circus, carnival and various entertainment. He also reported that Group Health was helping to sponsor a bike event in conjunction with River Fest on June 18. This will give us the opportunity to showcase new parks and sections of the Sacajawea Heritage Trail. Recently one of the Fitness Instructors and two Nurses at the Senior Center resigned. Recruiting efforts are underway. FACILITIES As Bob was sick, Stan passed out a written summary of maintenance activities. He reported that a contract has been let for design work for the new Parks Shop/Cemetery Sales Office, the Golf Course Lakes Renovation Project and the Sacajawea Heritage Trail Phase II. Also, City Council has approved an agreement with the Franklin County Irrigation District allowing the City to construct a trail on the piped portion of the Franklin County Irrigation District Canal right-of- way which runs from Road 111 to 100 south of 1182. The design process for Lovissa Farms Park is beginning. The neighborhood meeting went well and Mike Petersen, designer from Walla Walla, is beginning this work. Also, we are looking for suggestions for improvements at Highlands and Kurtzman Parks as these are slated for renovation this year. In addition, improvements will shortly begin at the Martin Luther King Center under the Community Development Block Grant which provides for '~ new roofing, exterior painting and window work. Additionally, if money is available, work to v provide greater accessibility to the building under ADA guidelines will be undertaken. The parking lot will also be repaved. There was a discussion concerning the aquatic facility. There was general frustration expressed that the communities were unable to come together at this point in time. Stan and Paul reported that they are continuing to meet to try to encourage the formation of grass roots citizens groups to help carry the message to the City Councils. Stan advised the Advisory Council that the annual City Volunteer Reception will be held on April 19 at the Senior Center. Each member of the Council will receive a personal invitation and we hope that all will be able to attend. In light of the proximity of this meeting and the Volunteer Reception and the fact that there is no pressing business, we will cancel the April meeting and plan on the next meeting being in May. Further information will be provided as the time draws nearer. PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES May 5,2005 In attendance: Edmon Daniels, Andrew Tillman, Steve Putnam, Tony Maya and Stacy Estes. Staff present: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager and Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Guests: Brooke DuBois, Ben Franklin Health Alliance and Ken Zimmerman. Excused: Duane Taber, Rebecca Francik and Kristi Samifua. The meeting was called to order by Edmon Daniels, acting as Chairman. A motion to approve the minutes of the March 3 meeting was made and passed. Brooke DuBois referenced the Walk Across Washington activity from October 9 through the 15th. She encouraged the City to participate in this and promote it to citizens and employees. Paul indicated that Recreation will take this on in conjunction with the other cities. He also referenced the City's participation in the Bike to Riverfest event in June. STAFF REPORTS Recreation Paul reported that the YMCA is still short of staff at the King Center. They are working toward filling the vacancy. Programs—softball has more teams participating in league play than ever before. It is anticipated the Big 9 Championship will be held at the City's facility. Possibly the City will host the regionals. The 1-A State tournament is also to be held in Pasco. Paul reported on the progress of the Grande Ole Fourth re: the City web site (grandold4th.com). He reviewed the concert, stage entertainment and other events that will be taking place. The new recreation program brochure will be ready for distribution in the next few weeks. Paul thanked everybody for participation in the Volunteer Reception and noted the exceptionally large turnout. Maintenance Bob brought a written report on maintenance activities. He also indicated that work was progressing on the painting of the King Center and the replacement of the window walls. It will shortly be prepared for the roof project. Also planning continues for the new City Park Shop and Cemetery sales office. McGee Park improvements are proceeding. NEW BUSINESS Stan stated that money is budgeted for improvements at Highlands Park and Kurtzman Park this year. Sometime at the June meeting would be appropriate to review what improvements need to be made. Stan gave an update on projects. Phase I of the Sacajawea Trail is essentially complete with minor clean-up items to take care of. Phase II is progressing in design. The biggest obstacle at this point is satisfying the railroad on the proposed routing of the trail underneath the railroad tressle at approximately 4th Avenue. Stan also indicated that the City would be interviewing on Friday morning for the Seasonal Park Ranger who will patrol park areas on evenings and weekends throughout the summer. Stan reviewed a request from Franklin County that the City participate in sharing 50%of the local match requirement(City cost approximately $75,000) for the Boating Improvement Grant Application for the boat dock and parking area at Road 54. The County has been working on this project for a number of years and several years ago the City participated in the local share for funding to purchase the property necessary for some of these improvements Steve Putnam made a motion to recommend that the City Council approve the $75,000. It was•seconded by Andrew and passed with all in favor. Council Members Suggestions and Reports Steve Putnam noted that he had heard recent complaints about the condition of the soccer fields and that he had inspected them personally. He wondered if a Ph soil analysis had recently been done. Ken Zimmerman also spoke about his concerns with the soccer field maintenance. He felt that adequate water was not being applied. Stan responded outlining recent history with respect to the availability of water; the exceptionally dry spring and the fact that the City no longer has a well and is subject to the schedule of the City irrigation system. He highlighted problems associated with TCYSA's use of the fields including attempting to remove snow and failing to rotate field playing at times of the year when the turf did not have the time to adequately recover. He said that he had recently become aware of the improper marking of lines (by TCYSA)with a killing herbicide as opposed to a growth regulating herbicide. Steve echoed these concerns and reviewed his observation with respect to the over play. Stan invited Mr. Zimmerman to sit down with the maintenance staff and the Soccer Association board members so that everyone could understand the problems and challenges associated with field maintenance. The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. in preparation for a public meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Loviisa Farms park plan. PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES June 2, 2005 In attendance: Duane Taber, Chairman, Steve Putnam, Edmon Daniels, Kristi Samifua, Stacy Estes,Rebecca Francik and Sharon Pace. Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Sharon Pace was introduced as a new member of the Park and Recreation Advisory Council, filling the position formerly occupied by Andrew Tillman. Minutes of the previous meeting (May 5)were approved as presented. RECREATION Paul reported on the Martin Luther King Center. The YMCA still has a vacancy. They are working to fill the position. Swimming pools are set to open June 10. Memorial Pool is currently open and the City will be hosting the Channel Cats swim competition this weekend. We expect that all swim lesson spots will be full for the summer. The softball facility is in full swing. The City recently hosted the Big 9 District Girls Softball Tournament and the regional tournament for `B" schools. A Clean and Sober Tournament was held this past weekend. Users have been extremely pleased with the quality and maintenance of the facility. Paul passed out the new recreation brochure and referred to July 4th activities that are being planned at TRAC. He reminded the Council that the parade would be on Monday, July 4 ending at Memorial Park with the pancake breakfast also at Memorial Park. This will be extent of activities at the park. The balance of activities over the 4 day weekend, Friday through Monday, will be held at the TRAC facility and the stadium, including circus,carnival, concerts and several other activities. Paul noted that the high school graduation party hosted by the Kiwanis Club will be held on Saturday, June 11 at the Senior Center. FACILITIES Bob provided a written summary of recent maintenance activities, including work progressing at McGee Park,preparing the pools for opening and installation of goals and the reopening of the Road 36 soccer complex. Things went very well for the Memorial Day activities at the Cemetery. The Cemetery looks as good as it ever has. Many compliments were received. Work is continuing on the design of the new shop and sales office for the Cemetery. It was noted that the Martin Luther King Center has recently been painted and there is a dramatic improvement in the appearance of the facility. OLD BUSINESS Stan gave an update on the recent meeting with the youth soccer association concerning field maintenance. It was decided that the association board and City would form a committee to meet a couple times a year to review the status and condition of the fields and discuss maintenance and scheduling issues so that all might be better informed of the conditions and how we might work together to maintain them in the best condition possible. Stan reported that the benches for Phase I of the Sacajawea Heritage trail project have been received and should be installed next week. We are still working to complete the design for the informational kiosks and interpretation materials that are required as part of the mitigation for the lowering of the levees. Phase II design is ongoing for the portion from 13th Avenue to the Boat Basin. We are currently working with the railroad to secure design approval for the portion of the trail that will go under the railroad bridge. ^ Stan reminded the Council of the public meeting on Loviisa Farms Park, which will be held at 6:30 this evening. It was suggested that a tour of parks be conducted, and decided that the next meeting,July 7 will be an appropriate time for the tour. Stan also reported that the golf course lakes renovation project is moving ahead. It is expected to have the project ready for bid in July. Park Renovations at Highland and Kurtzman Parks Stan passed out a sheet with suggestions for the renovation of Highland and Kurtzman Parks. Please see attached. It was suggested that, in addition to resurfacing the basketball court at Highland Park,that some of the concrete curbing was broken and should be repaired. There was a discussion on the cost of restrooms for Highland Park, whether they should be renovated or replaced. Motorized Vehicles on Trails Stan reported that he has been visited by an elderly citizen who complained about the fact that motorized vehicles were not allowed on trails. The City Council adopted Chapter 10.45 of the Pasco Municipal Code last year, which regulates motorized foot scooters. Section 10.45.020(b) ^ prohibits such scooters on multi-purpose trails. The City park code does not include restrictions on such scooters on trails, however,there are number of signs on the bike path in the City and County which prohibit motorized vehicles. The concern is that the City may be denying the elderly or handicapped individuals the ability to access some City trails inadvertently by trying to keep motorized vehicles off the same. The Council discussed this and decided that staff will research further to see if there can be appropriate clarifications made which will allow those with disabilities to access the trails. Being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m. n n PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES July7,2005 In attendance: Duane Taber, Kristi Samifua, Edmon Daniels, Stacy Estes and Sharon Pace. Steve Putnam was excused. Also in attendance Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager (Bob Brawley, Facilities Manager, was on vacation). The Advisory Board had previously scheduled a tour of several parks in the City and the following facilities were visited; Highland Park, Kurtzman Park, City View Cemetery, Mercier Park, the new Rivershore Trail at Riverside Park and Road 25 parking area, Road 54 Boat Launch site at Wade Park, Road 111 site of proposed Franklin County Irrigation District trail, Loviisa Farms park site, Vintage Park, Island Park and Sunny Meadows Park. The group also viewed the proposed high school property at Road 84 and Argent. The tour concluded at 7:15 p.m. NOTES Park and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting August 4,2005 In attendance: Sharon Pace and Tony Maya, Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Excused: Kristi Samifua and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Director There was no formal meeting held because there was no quorum present. Staff briefly reviewed the Recreation and Facilities reports and discussed the concept of bouncy houses and other imported equipment in the parks. There was concern over liability insurance when people bring such equipment into the parks. Also discussion concerning damage to the parks from vehicles driving on the turf to import such equipment, etc. Stan reviewed a survey that staff had done finding various approaches including no regulation, minor regulation, extreme regulation and no allowance of such pieces of equipment. Both Sharon and Tony recommended that the City seriously consider requiring an insurance policy naming the City as additional insured if these kinds of uses were to be continued to be permitted. Stan brought up the concept n of considering amendments to the park rules, giving the Park Director discretion to prohibit activities that may not be listed in the rules until rules could be developed or until the public demand and risk could be better assessed. This will be discussed at a future Park Board meeting. The meeting concluded at 6:15 p.m. PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES September 1,2005 In attendance: Edmon Daniels,Kristi Samifua, Steve Putnam,Rebecca Francik,Tony Maya. Staff in attendance: Stan Strebel,Administrative and Community Services Director and Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Excused: Duane Taber, Sharon Pace. Staff reported on park maintenance activities as outlined on the handout. In the absence of Chairman Taber,Edmon Daniels acted as Chair. (There were no minutes to approve as there was not a quorum for the August meeting.) The Loviisa Farms Park and the Golf Course Pond Project are underway and good progress is being made on both. The City received bids on the park maintenance facility and cemetery sales office, which recommendations are being forwarded to the City Council. Recently, only one bid was received for the Kurtzman Park project, including paths, renovation of the tennis courts and the pavilion. Since the bid was above budget, it has been rejected and staff hopes to repackage the bids with the path and tennis court project being separate from the pavilion renovation which may be combined with some improvements to the Kurtzman building to make both projects more appealing to contractors. Stan raised the issue of bouncy houses becoming more popular in the parks. This was discussed at the previous meeting for which there was no quorum. He expressed concern as to their growing popularity and the City's liability in the event of an accident. Some cities are taking the route of requiring release of liability, permits and insurance; other cities have no special regulations in place. In addition,there is the issue of power use with generators perhaps causing noise for neighbors or the use of city electricity, which should be repaid. Steve, Rebecca,Kristi and Tony had some reservations about the use of such equipment with Steve saying perhaps they should be outright banned. Edmon felt that there were too many restrictions and regulations and that parks should be places where people can enjoy themselves. Another item that appeared this past summer was a home made "slip-n-slide"where long plastic was placed in the park and water run on it. This has a negative effect on the park grass and also introduces the potential for injuries. In both of these cases staff is concerned that the City could be named as a party in a lawsuit with injury if there are not adequate safeguards in place. Stan also indicated that he had been approached by the Benton Franklin Health Department concerning"Tobacco Free"zones around play equipment. The idea is to put signs around play areas in the parks indicating that the area within 15' of the equipment is a smoke-free zone. This is largely self enforcing. Benton Franklin Health would offer to pay for the signs;however,the installation and maintenance would be at the expense of the City. Staff asked if the Council wished to hear a presentation. This was indicated positive, so they will be invited to the next meeting. Stan also reminded the Council that,while we have been referring to the Loviisa Farms Park, no formal name has been chosen. It was the consensus of the Council that"Loviisa Farm: has no special significance in Pasco, other than the name of the subdivision. Perhaps some of the natural features or the location of the park could be inspiration for a unique name. Some suggestions included Vista,Overlook and Lookout Park. This will be further discussed at the next meeting. With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. n Facilities Bob reported on park and facility maintenance activities with a handout. He also noted that the Loviisa Farms Park construction project has been somewhat slow going. The contractor was not able to get the area hydroseeded before cold weather this fall, but has applied a hydro mulch to minimize problems of blowing dirt throughout the winter. It is anticipated that the balance of the park will be completed in April. Bob also noted that the new Parks Shop facility is under construction with completion scheduled for March. The facility of 8,000 feet will be quite an improvement over the existing facility, which is about 2,400 sq. feet. Stan reported on the petition which had been received a few days ago from some residents in the neighborhood surrounding the Loviisa Farms Park. The petition expressed concern over trees that had been planted and requested that the perimeter columnar maple trees be removed. Stan had prepared a draft response to the petition signers outlining the approval process and information that had been provided throughout the series of three community planning meetings plus a Planning Commission meeting before the plan had been finalized. He suggested that the letter should be sent to those who signed the petition, inviting them to a meeting of the Park Board on Thursday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. Stan reported that the Sun Willows Golf Course Pond Project is nearing completion. The Phase II of the Sacajawea Heritage Trail is moving forward, however slowly, due to the difficulty of working with the railroad on passing the trail under the railroad bridge on the Columbia River. The project was recently granted $293,000 funding through the Washington Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant program. Finally, Stan discussed the new park projects that will most likely be undertaken in 2006: the three acre park at the Village at Pasco Heights and the five acre park at Casa del Sol just to the east of Pasco Heights. Both of these projects are located north of Burden Blvd. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES November 3, 2005 In attendance: Duane Taber, Sharon Pace, Steve Putnam, Edmon Daniels, Stacy Estes, Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager and Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. The meeting was convened at 5:30 p.m. by Chairman Taber. The minutes of September were approved as presented. Recreation Programs Paul Whitemarsh reported on activities at the Martin Luther King Center. He noted that the new Vergie Robinson School adjacent to the center has now opened and the YMCA at the King Center was coordinating with the school a number of events. The State Cross Country meet will be held at November 5 at Sun Willows Golf Course. This is the largest high school event in the state. r� Paul reported on the recent Walk Across America activity held on October 15 and also noted that the 27`h annual Cable Bridge Run will be held on December 17. Last year there were 1,600 runners. Paul reported that participation in many of the activities at the Senior Center is down, most noticeably with the dances held each Saturday and Wednesday. The City Manager has suggested that we prepare a Request for Proposals to solicit a consultant to assist in evaluating the center programs and the way in which our community is changing to decide what future the facilities and programs should take. Paul noted that perhaps something as simple as a name change (for example `Kilbury Center') could change attitudes about the facility and be more inviting to others. Staff expressed that many communities have probably already undertaken similar studies and transitions and are hopeful for positive results. Paul also reported on the progress of the Aquatic Task Force and referred board members to the task force web site. Stan reported that the City Manager had recently introduced a proposal for a joint effort with the three cities to contribute $15,000 each toward the hiring of a consultant who would help the committee, made up of Council members from the three communities, to identify, prioritize and explore funding alternatives for"community centers". Such"centers"are facilities that could be important to a community the size of the Tri-Cities, but which could not be supported entirely by any single city (i.e. aquatic facility,performing arts center, etc.). Pasco City Council is prepared to approve the agreement and has invited the other two communities to participate also. Park and Recreation Advisory Council Minutes December 1, 2005 In attendance: Duane Taber, Edmon Daniels,Kristi Samifua, Steve Putnam. Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director. Rebecca Francik and Stacy Estes were excused and Paul Whitemarsh and Bob Brawley were also excused. STAFF REPORTS Recreation Stan reviewed recreation programs and activities. He noted that the Martin Luther King Center floor has been damaged due to water. This was discovered just prior to the City scheduling to refinish the floor. Crews are attempting to determine the source of the water so that it can be repaired before refinishing takes place. Stan demonstrated the new Internet registration capability from the City's web site, which will n allow people to browse activities and register online. Stan discussed the continuing challenge of finding tenants to take over the kitchen lease at the Senior Center. He indicated that the current tenant has given notice of termination of the lease at the end of January, however,they have indicated a desire to go on a month to month basis for possibly six months beyond that. Stan also reviewed the request from the Northwest Justice Center(a non-profit organization which provides legal services to low income residents and senior citizens) for a lease of three offices formerly occupied by ALTC. The City is still considering this request and debating how it might fit in with activities at the Senior Center. It was noted, however, that with the plan to study the future of the center,this might be a good opportunity to view how other activities may be accommodated at the facility. Park Maintenance Stan passed out a summary sheet of park maintenance activities. He noted that winterization activities were continuing. Progress is going well on the construction of the shop and cemetery sales office, both scheduled for completion in March. Stan reviewed the status of the golf course pond improvement project noting that all work is complete with exception of testing of one irrigation controller which will now be done in the spring when irrigation water becomes available. The lakes are fenced to allow the newly planted n grass to remain undisturbed through the winter season. Things should be in very good shape about the first of April. Stan also reviewed the ongoing discussions with Burlington Northern Railroad on the Sacajawea Heritage Trail undercrossing of the railroad bridge. Duane Taber suggested that perhaps shippers might be contacted for their support in getting the railroad's attention. At 6:30 p.m. Council members awaited the arrival of those Loviisa Farms neighborhood residents that had been invited to attend the meeting to discuss the park trees. No one attended, therefore the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. n n PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES February 2,2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Sharon Pace, Edmon Daniels, Stacy Estes and Rebecca Francik. Excused: Kristi Samifua. Staff in attendance: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager and Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Minutes of the December meeting were approved as presented on motion by Edmon Daniels, seconded by Sharon Pace. Recreation Paul reported on recent water damage to the Martin Luther King Center gym floor. Staff has been working to try and determine the origin of water which appeared to come up underneath the floor. So far, they have placed a backflow preventer on the sewer line and removed earth from the north and east sides of the gymnasium in hopes of reducing possible sources of water. Also, the roof drainage system has been redirected away from the foundation. We are currently looking at a time span to fix the floor in the area of 3 —6 weeks due to the need to resand, refinish and paint. Meanwhile, indoor soccer is continuing at the Martin Luther King Center, as is the Court Kids program and use by the YMCA. Paul has been contacted by the ARC of Tri- Cities,which is interested in using the facility for programs before the daily schedule of the YMCA begins. The Recreation Division has introduced the on-line registration system for classes and programs with considerable success. Minor adjustments are still being made. The recent Cable Bridge Run was the second largest turnout in Cable Bridge Run.history. Paul indicated that registration was off somewhat from last year, in his opinion, due to the extremely cold weather early in the month. There was a greater percentage of"no-shows"at the race than in previous years. Activities continue at the Senior Center. Successful holiday activities were held. Of particular note was holiday dinner sponsored by Yoke's with 280 people in attendance. At the recent City Awards Banquet City employees in Parks and Recreation,Allison Mathews and Chuck Cutrell were recognized as Employees of the Year in their respective divisions. Vince Guerrero and Sue Linehan were recognized for their lifesaving efforts on a patron of the Senior Center last summer. Maintenance Bob provided a written report of maintenance activities. He noted that construction on the new Park Shop continues with walls and roof structure in place, work beginning on the interior. This ^ is expected to be completed by early April. The Cemetery sales office is also moving forward. Both halves of the portable structure have been delivered and should be set in place within the next week or so. Old Business Stan reported on progress for Phase II of the Sacajawea Heritage Trail, which has been slowed and frustrated by the inability of the City to gain approval for the undercrossing of the trail at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge at the Columbia River. Last week the railroad indicated its unwillingness to grant approval due to national security concerns. Senator Murray and Congressman Hastings have been asked to intervene on behalf of the City. Milemarker posts in Wade Park and along the lowered Levee 12-1 (extending from Road 54 east to 13th Avenue) have been placed. Stan reviewed the kiosk"you are here" maps that the TREC technical committee is attempting to get approved for trailhead locations. The Kurtzman Park trail and basketball court improvement project was bid this past week with the low bid coming in at $107,000, $41,000 less than was bid last time. Staff has recommended approval to the City Council and is pleased with the number. The question of Chiawana Park maintenance is still unresolved, however, a recent survey undertaken by the City Council showed apparent strong support by the public for the City's assumption of maintenance of the park. Staff is concerned about the ability to work with the Corps of Engineers to gain timely input on approval of projects that may be needed to update and s-� maintain the facility. New Business Stan stated that staff is anxious to begin the design process for two new parks north of Burden Blvd. These are located quite closely together; Village at Pasco Heights at approximately Road 54, a couple blocks north of Burden, and Casa del Sol at approximately Road 46, about three blocks north of Burden. While the Village at Pasco Heights residential neighborhood is quite well developed,there are only a few homes in close proximity to the park site at Casa del Sol. Stan proposed that it may be manageable to invite both neighborhoods to a combined meeting to review the two park sites and begin the design process. If this is acceptable to the Advisory Council, staff will attempt to set up a meeting at TRAC for March 2,the next regular meeting of the Advisory Council. This was acceptable to the Council, and staff will proceed to schedule. A guest from the County Park Board, Bob Scott, commented on continuing maintenance efforts at Wade Park. He was concerned about the spread of Bermuda Grass under the trail in the park and its growth breaking up the asphalt. He also stated that Chiawana Park by the Boat Launch has recently seen an infestation of the Kosha Weed, which spreads very rapidly and is very difficult to control. He encouraged the City to be vigilant in this regard if it received this maintenance responsibility. There being no further business,the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. ^ PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES March 2,2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Steve Putnam, Sharon Pace, Edmon Daniels, Kristi Samifua, Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager, Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager and Debbie Buell, Administrative and Community Services Secretary. Also in attendance: Mike Petersen, Consultant. The meeting was held at the TRAC facility prior to public meetings on the design of new parks in Casa del Sol and Village at Pasco Heights neighborhoods. The minutes of the February meeting were approved as presented. Recreation Paul reported that the drying is continuing on the floor at the Martin Luther King Center prior to refinishing. Recreation programs are continuing with new brochures for spring out. We have had some success with development of Spanish language activity flyers attracting some new participants. The Senior Center recently received a$1,000 donation from Wal-Mart. Facilities/Maintenance Bob presented a written report on maintenance activities. He added that the new shop and cemetery office should be ready for occupancy in approximately 1 month. Staff is also working to relocate the old Cemetery house to a location on Beech Avenue. Project Updates Stan reported on the Community Forum that was held last week. There were a number of comments about parks ranging from complaints about the Sycamore trees in Memorial Park to tackweed on bike paths as well as support for a regional aquatic facility and the suggestion that a new branch library be considered. The Board needs to make a recommendation on the name of the park at Loviisa Farms. This should be considered at the next meeting. The Chiawana Park issue is still up in the air. Staff has recently proposed to the Corps of Engineers that the City might assume maintenance responsibilities without a lease, allowing the City time to assess and address cost issues before formally binding itself for a 50 year lease. Stan reviewed the proposed process for the discussion on the new parks. A general presentation will be made with the combined group,thereafter, the two neighborhoods will be split into work ^ groups concentrating on the park at Casa del Sol and the Village at Pasco Heights. Y PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES April 6,2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Steve Putnam, Sharon Pace, Edmon Daniels and Stacy Estes. Staff in attendance: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Paul Whitemarsh. The meeting was convened at 6:00 p.m. at the Pasco Senior Citizen Center. STAFF REPORTS Recreation Paul reported that the basketball leagues are being wrapped up and softball is starting. We recently hosted a 16 team Columbia Basin College tournament. On-line registration in the recreation division continues. We are looking at ways to implement this for a portion of the swim lessons. The three cities now appear to be moving together somewhat to begin the regional facility planning process which includes the aquatic facility. Staff is encouraged by this. The damaged floor at the Martin Luther King Center has now been refinished and sealed. New bleachers have been ordered for arrival in June. The Senior Center is gearing up for a Volunteer Reception to be held on Tuesday, April 25. Of course, all members of the Park and Recreation Advisory Council are invited and encouraged to attend. Maintenance Stan reported on maintenance issues in Bob's absence. The irrigation systems have been charged and staff is in the process of repairing problems that have developed over the winter. The new shop is nearly completed. Staff should be able to move into the facility next week. The Cemetery sales office is also nearly finished and we are hopeful that the Cemetery will be in top shape for Memorial Day. Stan proposed a site visit to the new facilities for the upcoming May meeting. Stan reported on the continuing inability to get approval from Burlington Northern for the under crossing of the Sacajawea Heritage Trail. It appears now that we will be designing an alternate route that will cross over the rail at the Ainsworth overpass. Judge Taber indicated that he might be able to identify some individuals or companies with influence with the railroad. He will call Stan later. Stan reported on the million dollar grant from the State Legislature for the baseball stadium. Staff will be meeting with the team next week to begin to set priorities. The City Council retreat has concluded and one of the goals of the Council, in addition to the aquatic facility and �—. Chiawana Park, is to develop a satellite computer facility that can be used to relieve some of the .� pressure on the Pasco Library for computer demand. It is preferred that this facility be located in East Pasco and staff is reviewing different alternatives for a facility including, hopefully, non- profit group that may be willing to staff the facility. Stan also reminded the board that we will be looking at alternative futures for the Senior Center as we have seen the demand for the facility change in recent years. One possible alternative might be to manage it under more of a "community center" concept. Staff hopes to identify a consultant soon that will be able to lead us through this discussion and process. The board considered alternative names for the new neighborhood park at Loviisa Park Farms subdivision. After some discussion it was decided to recommend the name of"Liberty Park"to the City Council. Staff also discussed the concept for the proposed wishing well to be constructed as a subscription wall to support the Wishing Star Foundation. After consideration, the Advisory Board recommends against this as not appropriate for most City parks. At 7:00 p.m. the Advisory Council participated in a public meeting for refining the concept designs for Casa del Sol and Village at Pasco Heights Parks for submission to the Planning Commission in late April. The meeting was attended by approximately 15 citizens. r PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES July 6, 2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Edmon Daniels, Steve Putnam, Cheryl Smyth, Stacey Estes, Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Excused: Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager. Guests: Mr. and Mrs. Mike Matthews. Chairman Taber opened the meeting at 5:30. He introduced Cheryl Smyth as the newest member of the Park and Recreation Advisory Council, replacing Kristi Samifua. Edmon Daniels has been reappointed to his term. Minutes of the April 16 meeting were approved as presented. Recreation Paul reported on recreation programs. The summer program is going well. For the first time the City has implemented on-line registration for swimming lessons with good success. Approximately 30% of the slots were available for on-line registration, reducing the size of the crowds at regular registration. Paul also indicated that it was much easier to process swimming lesson rosters as a result of much of the data entry having been done by those who registered on- line. We have continued to have flooding problems at the King Center and are working on a plan to resolve this by tying roof drain systems into the drainage system through the park. The floor has been refinished and new bleachers are being installed under the Community Development Block Grant. The reception area at the Senior Citizen Center will shortly be reworked in order to be compliant with Federal Health Information privacy laws. It will also be more suitable for computer use. Facilities Stan reported for Bob who was excused. We had one of the most successful Memorial Days at the Cemetery with the facility in great shape, the new facilities having been installed, and no complaints received at the Administrative office. Stan also reported that the City Council entered into an agreement in May for the Corps of Engineers for the City to assume the maintenance at Chiawana Park by contract through September, for public use, through November for irrigation maintenance. At the end of the contract if there is no other agreement is reached between the City and the Corps of Engineers, the park will revert to the Corps. The City Council and City Manager are currently looking for n ways to keep the park open by raising the necessary funding. Because much of the service has been contracted this year, staff will have a pretty good idea in September as to annual maintenance costs with the City's maintenance regimen. Cheryl asked about the status of the City's pools and the status of the aquatic facility. There ensued a lengthy discussion about the Tri-City effort to consider regional facilities, status of Pasco's swimming pools and whether or not the City would build neighborhood pools in some of the new parks. Stan reported on projects. The Casa del Sol and Pasco Heights Parks are currently being bid with bids set to be open July 12. No bids were received on the Kurtzman Park improvements, which included the Sun Willows restroom; therefore this project will be rebid. Staff is currently proposing a study of the Senior Center in two phases, one, to look at how the demographics and trends of seniors centers have evolved through the country, and identify some of the kinds of activities that today's modern seniors might be demanding. The second phase might be to make specific recommendations for the Pasco facility. Stan discussed briefly the continuing efforts to get the second phase of the Sacajawea Heritage Trail designed. We are waiting on the railroad, as has been in the past. He displayed a copy of the trail marker poster to be used by the cities of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland to orient folks along the trail. The City Council is advertising for volunteers interested in serving on the Bikeway Advisory Committee, which will provide input to the Advisory Council and the City Council on bicycle trail maintenance as well as future routing and needs. Interested persons can submit an application to the City Manager's office. Duane Taber said he would like to see water extended to the new restroom enclosure at the golf course, also to see the golf course trails improved, particularly where tree roots are damaging the same. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES August 31, 2006 (September Meeting) In attendance: Duane Taber,Edmon Daniels, Steve Putnam, Cheryl Smyth, Stacey Estes, Rebecca Francik(Rebecca had to leave early at 6:00 p.m.). Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Bob Brawley, Facilities Services Manager and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Guests: Chuck Coleman, Julie Coleman, John Butterfield. Chairman Taber convened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. The minutes of the July meeting were approved. Guests were introduced and welcomed. The Coleman's and Mr. Butterfield attended the meeting to encourage the development of a dog park in Pasco. They provided hand-outs describing the concept. They noted that the City of Kennewick was currently working to develop a similar facility in Columbia Park. When asked about the size of the park needed it was indicated anywhere from 1 acre to 10 acres. 2 acres is a size that could be recommended. They stated that a dog park could be combined with other parks. The dog area, ideally, would be fenced so that dogs could exercise and run off leash. Other important improvements would be drinking areas for pets, benches and dog toys. It was noted that a temporary dog park was set up last year at Chiawana Park. Cheryl Smyth asked about how waste disposal would be handled. Dr. Coleman indicated ideally, in the sewer system, but most of the time this was probably just deposited with all other solid waste. The cost of building a park would vary depending on the features and the size. The Dog Park Society would hope to be able to provide volunteers to help maintain the facility. Stan explained that Chiawana Park was currently not under control of the City and that if something were to be proposed for development there extraordinary development costs would have to be considered due to federal regulations on ground disturbance activities. Chairman Taber indicated this was a worthwhile topic to study and would refer this back for further consideration. A question was asked about the status of the Chiawana Boat Dock. Staff indicated that damage problems had been reported several weeks ago to the Corps of Engineers, whose personnel indicated that they would have to remove the dock for repairs. As of yet the dock has not been removed,though the Corps has posted the dock and attempted to place barricades on its use. --� Recreation Paul reported on recreation programs. He indicated that this has been a busy year with the sell- out of public swimming lessons. On-line registration for recreation programs and swim lessons has been popular also. It was especially helpful in swim lessons registrations where initially 30% of available slots and later 50% were offered on-line. This helped reduce long lines for waiting and staff time to input information for swimming lesson rosters. The Summer Adventure program has also been very popular. Paul indicated that the Senior Center visioning study commenced last week with a good attendance of approximately 20 people studying ways to more fully utilize the Senior Center. There continues to be good activity at the King Center. Facilities/Ma intenanee Bob submitted a written report on facilities/maintenance activities. He indicated that he would be retiring on September 29. This year has been an unusual year with significant amounts of vandalism and graffiti. Chairman Taber noted that the County prosecutor had noted that gang activity appeared to be on the increase. Chairman Taber requested that staff look at the condition of the restroom on the golf course, particularly the condition of the floor. Proiects Stan gave an update on the status of the new parks under construction. Both Casa del Sol and Pasco Heights are underway. Jesse's Lawn Maintenance is the contractor and this is the first job he has had with the City, although he appears to be making good progress and moving forward in a timely way. We have continued to experience difficulties with getting the improvements at Liberty Park completed to satisfaction. There have been problems with the installation of the basketball court and also with the establishment of the turf. The court is being redone and the contractor has indicated that he will reseed the north half of the park. Pool Discussion Pursuant to a request from the City Council that the Park and Recreation Advisory Council forward a recommendation on staff's proposed Capital Improvement project for closing one of the small swimming pools and replacing the same with a water playground, staff had prepared a memorandum to the Advisory Council briefly reviewing history and status of the 3 pools. With a brief background by Stan the discussion was opened. Steve Putnam noted that he felt perhaps both small pools should be closed with a water .-� playground established at each and the renovation and enclosure of Memorial Park Pool so that ^ year round swimming and swim lessons could be accommodated. There was a brief discussion on the approximate cost of such proposal. Staff estimated this would likely be in the range of $5,000,000, although no specific numbers are available at this point. Edmon Daniels indicated he did not want to see any pools closed. Pasco had 1 pool when he was a young man and the City population was 5,000. Now with the City's population nearly 10 times that we only have 3 pools. Cheryl Smyth asked now any recommendation would affect the Aquatic Facility proposal. There was a brief discussion on this. Duane Taber indicated that if$5,000,000 were spend on upgrading Memorial Pool this would be money that could have been used for the Aquatics Facility. Paul briefly described the situation in Walla Walla County where the City had closed the City pool this year due to mechanical problems. Swim lessons, however, were accommodated at Whitman College, and apparently a bond issue for the Walla Walla Park District has been placed on the ballot. Cheryl Smyth asked about the possibility of accommodating a swimming beach at Chiawana Park. Duane Taber asked if the smaller pools could be remodeled into teaching pools with a shallower depth. Staff indicated there would be no real advantage for this. There was discussion regarding if one of the small pools were to be closed, which would be the likely candidate. Staff indicated that while in some respects Kurtzman Pool may be in greater disrepair, it is further from Memorial Pool than Richardson and serves a more distinct geographical area in the community. Its location adjacent to the King Center,the Mini-Station and the new school make it perhaps a greater hub of activity than Richardson Park. Richardson Pool being located much closer to Memorial Pool, makes it perhaps a more logical choice for closure. Following further discussion, Steve Putnam made a motion to recommend to the City Council as follows: The renovation of Memorial Pool, studying the feasibility of covering that facility within a 2 -3 year period; Proceed with essential renovations at Kurtzman Pool and close Richardson Pool. This was seconded by Cheryl Smyth. It was noted that completing renovation to Memorial Pool initially, and delaying work on the possible enclosure of the pool while feasibility is determined, would also allow further time for things to develop on the proposed Tri- Cities Aquatics Facility. After further discussion a vote to approve the motion was passed with all members in attendance (5) voting in favor. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. "IN PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES October 5,2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Steve Putnam, Cheryl Smyth and Rebecca Francik Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Dan Dotta, Facilities Services Manager and Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Recreation Paul reported on changes in personnel at the YMCA at the King Center. A new cooking class has been started with good participation. Fall softball is in full swing. Paul continues to receive very good feedback from softball users at the facility. Upcoming programs; Fall Hay Ride, Sporties for Shorties and Pee Wee Soccer. Paul reported that the final draft of the Senior Center study is complete and he should be receiving the document within the next week. As soon as that is received a copy will be forwarded to the Advisory Council for review. Facilities/Maintenance n Dan Dotta was introduced as the new Facilities Manager, taking Bob Brawley's place. Dan has been with the City since 1999 and has served for the past 4 '/2 years as Chief Groundsman. Dan reported on various maintenance activities including the efforts to establish tree rings around trees on the Boulevards in the north area of town (Burden and Sandifur), efforts at the cemetery, and treating turf areas with broadleaf chemical control. Prod ects Stan reported that the two new parks are progressing nicely (Casa del Sol and Pasco Heights). He also reported that the City Council had approved the regional facilities study with the other two cities. This is the first formal step toward making the possible aquatic for the area a reality. Other regional facilities may be identified. Stan also reported that the Council had removed the Richardson Pool demolition and spray ground project from the Capital Improvements list. In response to the Advisory Council's recommendation that Kurtzman Pool be renovated the Council's reason for removing the project from the list was to give more time for staff to develop a reasonable plan for both Richardson and Kurtzman with the eye toward keeping the Kurtzman facility and closing the Richardson facility. Staff will attempt to develop a plan for consideration by the Advisory Council and the City Council next year. The issue of a possible dog park was brought up for consideration as a follow-up to last month's n meeting. The Council discussed a couple of possible locations, including some of the neighborhood parks and Chiawana Park. Chairman Taber expressed concern that the facility should not displace people. A discussion of the potential maintenance costs for a turf facility was discussed. Staff suggested that they prepare a list of possible alternatives for consideration at the next meeting. Inasmuch as staff members have conflicts with a Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau function on November 2, it was decided to set the next meeting for October 26 in order to avoid the conflict. Items for the next meeting will be continuation of the dog park discussion and review of the Senior Center study. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. n ^ PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES October 26, 2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Steve Putnam, Cheryl Smyth and Rebecca Francik. Excused: Edmon Daniels. Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director, Dan Dotta, Facilities Services Manager, Vince Guerrero, Recreation Specialist, Senior Center. Excused: Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Chairman Taber convened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. He called for a motion to approve the minutes of October 5th. This was approved unanimously. Recreation Vince reported for Paul on recreation programs. The Martin Luther King Center is scheduled for a Halloween activity this Friday. Also, indoor soccer has commenced at that facility. A number of fall programs are underway as traditionally offered by the Recreation office. The State High School Cross Country Meet is scheduled (19th year) at Sun Willows on November 3 and 4. The 25th Annual Cable Bridge Run is scheduled on Saturday, December 16th Vince also reported that the new reception counter at the Senior Center has been installed. A recent flu clinic provided 1,300 vaccinations. A dance in conjunction with ARC is scheduled for this Friday evening. Facilities/Maintenance Dan reported that maintenance activities are continuing at all parks and the Cemetery with winterization of irrigation systems. The first 40 doors on golf cart storage sheds have been completed (replacement) and the new parks are progressing nicely with construction nearly complete. Turf has already been mowed at Casa del Sol Park. Senior Center Study Vince reported on the completion of the Phase I report on the Pasco Senior Center. The scope of the study was to conduct a visioning workshop and to conduct an analysis of trends in senior centers in the Pacific Northwest as well as across the country. The visioning session was held on August 24th with a number of participants who reviewed the history, physical facility, and programs offered at the center and the demographics of Pasco and surrounding areas. A follow- up meeting was held on September 19th with those attending the original workshop. A draft report was reviewed last week by the Senior Advisory Council with the membership being supportive of the findings and recommendations of the study. It is recommended that Phase II be commenced, including the formation of a planning committee to develop a marketing plan, access current and future needs and develop 1, 3, 5 and 10 year plans for the operation of the center. This is subject to City Council approval and budget authority. Following Vince's presentation the Advisory Council members asked a number of questions regarding use of the facility on evenings and weekends; computer availability; issues regarding income for program participants; meeting the needs of the Hispanic community; what age groups might better utilize the facility as well as what the demographics show as far as the future for the facility and the community. Following this discussion the Advisory Council voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the development of Phase II, including the formation of a planning committee and development of operational plans as recommended by the study. Projects The Advisory Council reviewed previous discussions concerning a proposed dog park in the community. Staff provided maps of 3 possible areas for consideration, including Lucas Park, a portion of Chiawana Park (assuming the City is successful in entering into a lease with the Corps of Engineers) and property on Sylvester at approximately Road 55 (purchased sometime ago by the County as part of the development of the west end of Wade Park). Each of the proposed sites was discussed. Staff also noted that in the spirit of regional cooperation, the City some years ago had provided a cash payment to the City of Richland to assist in the development of their skate park with the idea that such facilities needed regional support to be successful. The City of Kennewick is pursuing a dog park at Columbia Park. Perhaps the City could offer some financial assistance making this a regional effort also. Inasmuch as most users would have to travel by vehicle to a dog park,to go across the river would not be that much of a distance or inconvenience. Following this discussion the motion was made by Steve Putnam to recommend the concept of regional cooperation to the City Council as opposed to the specific development of a dog park at this time in Pasco. This motion was passed with all voting in favor. PARK& RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES December 7,2006 In attendance: Duane Taber, Becky Francik, Steve Putnam, Edmon Daniels, Stacy Estes and Cheryl Smyth. Staff: Stan Strebel, Administrative and Community Services Director and Dan Dotta, Facilities Services Manager. Excused: Paul Whitemarsh, Recreation Services Manager. Recreation Stan indicated that the new desk was completed at the Senior Center and reminded the Advisory Board that the Cable Bridge Run was scheduled for Saturday, December 16. Facilities/Maintenance Dan reported on park maintenance items. Staff has fully winterized all systems and a new fuel station has been installed at the shop to save on fuel purchases. Things continue to be busy at the Cemetery. New Business The Advisory Council took up the matter of naming the two new parks in the Casa del Sol and Pasco Heights subdivisions. There was a brief discussion concerning the general area surrounding the Casa del Sol Park. Most of the streets are named for Spanish or southwestern cities. The members of the Council remarked that at the public meeting on the design of the park some residents had suggested that the name Casa del Sol (House of the Sun) would be appropriate for the park. Upon further discussion it was decided to recommend the name Casa del Sol for this park. The Advisory Council considered the new park in the Village at Pasco Heights subdivision. Stan noted that streets in this subdivision were named for a number of U.S. presidents. Several names were considered, including Roosevelt, Founders, Kennedy, Lincoln, Presidential, Washington and Truman. There was no support for naming the park after the subdivision name. Following further discussion and a straw vote the name of Lincoln Park was adopted by the Advisory Council to be recommended to the City Council. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:15 p.m.