HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-07-2008 Parks and Recreation Advisory Council Minutes PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
August 7,2008
In attendance: Mike Mathews, Edmon Daniels and Curt Shaw. Also new members: Grace Adams and
Thomas Davenport. Staff: Stan Strebel,Administrative and Community Services Director,Dan Dotta,
Facilities Services Manager and Paul Whitemarsh,Recreation Services Manager
Excused: Rebecca Francik,Duane Taber and Cheryl Smyth.
Stan noted that Chairman Taber had an accident while traveling and was recovering from surgery. We
wish him a speedy recovery.
STAFF REPORTS
Recreation
Paul reported that activities were continuing at the Martin Luther King Center. We were able to work out
an agreement with the YMCA to keep the wading pool open two days a week in spite of the YMCA's
having lost funding to help pay for supervision. A successful Juneteenth Celebration(the 30`h annual)
was held in June at the King Center and Kurtzman Park.
Swim lesson registration continues intensely. We have had good success with internet registration,
having changed to a new system and this last session allocating 75%of the slots for registration on the
internet. The new system allows credit cards, checks or debit cards and is simpler to use.
A successful July 4ffi celebration was conducted. Paul noted that the fireworks show must have been very
much appreciated as the donations collected for the evening exceeded the previous high,by more than
$500.
Things continue busy at the softball complex with more tournaments scheduled than ever before.
Paul noted that the three cities and the ports, along with Benton County, are planning to hold a grand
opening event to underscore the essential completion of the Sacagawea Heritage Trail(of course the trail
has been completed in segments over the years with Pasco's Phase 2 portion of the trail representing the
last, final major link in completion—there are still a few blocks east of the Ainsworth overpass that have
not been improved as would be desired). The Adventure Challenge will be held on Saturday, September
20,throughout the Tri-Cities,giving runners,joggers,walkers,bikers and anyone else the opportunity to
experience first hand, segments of the trail. Along the trail various check stations will be established for
people to register, as well as gain tickets for entry into prize drawings. REI has agreed to fund the event
in the amount of$5,000 and thus be a major sponsor. Group Health is also planning to participate,
hopefully with a bicycle team to help promote the event. We plan to collect non-perishable food items for
the Tri-Cities Food Bank,thus making the event one in which many will participate.
Facilities
Dan reported on various maintenance activities at the parks, cemetery and facilities. It was noted that
major turf maintenance has been completed in the parks, sports fields and cemetery. An additional access
road at the Cemetery has been completed and will soon be striped. We have continued struggling with
maintaining equipment at the pools,Dan working with chlorinators at Memorial Pool most recently.
PROJECT UPDATE
Stan reported that the Baseball Seating and Net Replacement project is complete. There is approximately
$200,000 of the state grant left for the scoreboard replacement,which is being specified at this time. This
installation will probably be completed next spring. We are waiting for the decision of the voters on the
Aquatic Facilities Bond and we are also waiting to hear if we were successful with the Heritage Trail
Phase 3 Project grant application was which presented in Olympia last month. If approved,this project
will probably begin construction next fall.
Stan also shared with the group that it appears the City Council has approved$100,000 funding for the
remodeling of the Martin Luther King Center. This should be a project for next year and will consist of
removing the stage and remodeling the areas behind the stage and adjacent to the gym. Fitness and
exercise training will be conducted in the remodeled area.
Stan reviewed the brief history of the Cyber Stop computer access center indicating that nearly one year
has passed since the center was established. There have been nearly 1,000 people use the facility.
Establishment costs were approximately$12,000 and operational costs about$15,000 on an annual basis.
Staff will be reporting to the City Council to determine if the Council desires to continue with the center
in the future. While staff observes that the children and users of the facility have overall been well
behaved, most of the use is for social networking, such as My Space and Facebook. We would like to see
more productive activities carried on. There have been approximately 70 adults use the center and we
have been working to try and make this more available to adults in the community.
Stan stated that part of the experiment was to get further understanding as to how a computer center may
function as a possible satellite library inasmuch as more and more libraries seem to be centers for
computer use and other electronic media. Indeed,the number of books in the Pasco Library appears to
have decreased over the years, and while the number of checkouts regarding electronic media and the
number of visits for computer use appears to be increasing. Grace observed that in her own family they
have given away a lot of books as their children seldom turn to these and appear to be more comfortable
looking things up on the computer. Stan invited the Council members to provide any other comments
they might have regarding this facility.
Stan reminded Council members of the Joint Park and Recreation Commission meeting scheduled for
Thursday, September 11 at the Highland Grange building in Kennewick. He briefly explained that each
of the cities, including W. Richland and Benton County,take a turn hosting the meeting. It is an
opportunity for Parks and Recreation Council/Commission members to informally get together and
review activities and projects.
With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.