03/24/2003 (2)
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. PARKS &
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RECREATION
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Parks ,& Recreation Board' '
Minutes
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CITY OF CLEAR\V A TER
PARKS & RECREATION BOARD l\IEETING
March 24, 2003
Prescnt:
Jonathan \Vade Sr.
Thomas Fletcher
Larry Lindner
Stevc Swanberg
Sarah \Viand
Chair
Vice Chair
Board rvtembcr
Board Member
Board Member
Also Present:
Kcvin Dunbar
Commissioncr Bill Jonson
Bobbie Downs
Director, Parks and Rccreation Dept.
City Commissioncr
Office Assistant
Absent:
James Appelt
Board Member
Vacancv ,
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Board Member
To pr(widc continuit~. for res'earch, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that
order.
ITEM #1 Call to Order - Chair \Vade called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. at the Municipal Services
Building, Conference Room 130.
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ITEM #2 . Approval of Minutes of Parks and Recreation Board Meeting of February 24, 2003 - The minutes
were approved as suh,mitted ~o members. .
ITEM #3 Public Hearing - Naming of Park Area Known as Town Lake and/or Town Pond -
tv1r. Dunbar said he was pleased with citizen participation wherein 27 "Proposals for Park Name" were submitted
in \\Titten form to members. During discussion, Mr. Bill Wallace of Clearwater Historica] Society suggestcd
honoring the Mac Dixon family, which was among the first developers of the "Heights" area just cast of thc .
current Town Lake property. He pointed out that area was known as the "prairie," which contained a seasonal
lake or marsh land. He said the two proposals with the most historic value were Prairie Lake and Lake Dixon.
1\1s. Anne Green spoke on behalf of her nominees, Lake Progress and Sparkling Lake. Mrs. Anne Garris spoke on
behalf of her nomination, Lake Lil1ian, named for downtown business o\vner Lillian Trickel, whom she said is
the longest active business owner in dO\'.l1town Cleanvater. Mr. Lindner said it has been the board's practice not
to name facilities for living persons, thus avoiding any controversy. Mr. Dunbar said that also is the practice of
the National Park Service. Mr. Dunbar asked the board to consider attaching the word "park" to the name.
1\'fcmbers each chose five names then picked the top five from the consensus to be sent to the City Commission.
The suggestions, in order of preference, are: Freedom Lake Park, first choice; Prairie Lake Park. second choice;
Old Marsh Lake, third choice; Lake Lillian, fourth choice; and Clear Lake, fifth choice.
. tvtr. Dunbar s~id a name likely will be sel~cted at the first Commission meeting in May.
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ITEM #4 Correspondcnce - None
ITEM #5 Old Business
a) Capital Project Update - Mr. Dunbar updated the following projects:
Parks & Recreation Advisory 2003-0324
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. Community Sports Complex - Project moving forward on 5~hcdule. Topping out may be tirst
week of July. Entrance on Drew Street.
. ~1cKay Park - City will speak to Clearwater Beach HOmeO\\l1CrS Association in May regarding a
plaY&Jfound site. Ms. \Viand said she favors the opcn space concept, which also enables Bayflite
to land and take off. Mr. Dunbar said there would be space for Bayllit since a plaYbTf'Ound would
not be placed in the center of the park.
. Ross Norton Complex - Bid package going out this summer, In response to a question, rvlr.
Dunbar said the skate park could not be built before the center because of safety conccms. He
said the one skate park, at 27,000 square feet, will have clements that will attract participation
from throughout the area. It will be strictly extreme skating and not include roller hockey. It also
will be large enough to accommodate BMXcrs.
. Recreation Trails: Mcrvtullen-Booth Pcdestrian Bridge; Clearwater East- \Vest Trail -
Construction will start this summer with completion by early spring.
. Recreation Trails: Mandalay Channel Pedestrian bridge, Clearwater East-\Vest Trail - Longer
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construction time expected~ will connect the causeway and ~tarina. Regarding all trail activity. ,
r-..1r. Dunbar said. a Bikeway Pedestrian Coordinator has been hired by the City and begins work
April 7. She comes from Sprinkle Engineering and is currently completing the bikeway plan for
the City of St. Petersburg,
. E. C. r-.10ore Softball Complex Fields 8 & 9 - Completion expected by December this year;
a\vaiting Swiftmud permit for drainage before beginning work.
· Bayview Park - Cleanup of property continues.
. Glen Oaks Park - Nearby residents not excited about locating two multi-purpose fields there.
Department has made modifications to address citizens' concerns and will present them at the
April 14 City Commission \Vork Session. It is planned to shift the cast field to the west, and
have lights go off by 9 p.m. This would give the City 18 multi-purpose fields, which is adequate
for community needs but 10 short of the demand from unincorporated areas and the City of
Safety Harbor, Mr. Dunbar said. Discussion continues with the County over two facilities:
possible swap in Countryside with driving range and Complex where two additional fields and
parking could be added, and the Joe DiMaggio complex where an 8-ticld multi-purpose facility
could be built while retaining one baseball field. County is agreeable with partnering at the
Mcrvtullen facility.
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b) Upcoming Recreation Events - Mr. Dunbar said the 50th Anniversary of Fun 'n Sun begins in April
with Summer Beach Fest at Cleanvater Beach. Smooth Jazz at Coachman Park on will be followed by a
concert featuring ]:crforrners representing the five decades of music. Also, Florida Orchestra, Cinco de
Mayo, and the Fun 'n Sun Parade. Also in April, some swimming pools will open for the season.
ITEM # 6 New Business - Mr. Dunbar distributed the department's reccnt Annual Report listing the department's
accomplishments and number of people impacted, by its programs during 2002,
t\lr. Fletcher asked if Cleanvater High School baseball team could play at Jack Russell Stadium instead of
Carpenter Fields, Mr. Dunbar said that was their choice; also, they may be able to play at the new sports
complex, scheduling permitting.
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Responding to a question regarding status of the new North Greenwood Recreation Complex, Mr. Dunbar said he
is pleased with the growing citizen participation.' lvlr. \Vadc said he had heard younger kids not accompanied by
parents were being directed by staff to go to the Martin Luther King Ccnter.Mr. Dunbar said he would
investigate. Mr. \Vadc asked if fee schedules could be posted since there arc discrepancies in fees between North
Greenwood and Long Center programs. '
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Commissioner Jonson asked how many skate parks are planned. Mr. Dunbar said one at this time. This purk. ot
27,000 square feet, will be, challenging enough to attract serious skaters from all over upper county. That is nol
to say another smaller skate park would not be built in 'the future if needed. Mr. Dunbar said he would bring
some proposals to shnrc with the board, showing some of the clements available.
Mr. Dunbur said nhnost 3,000 persons came to Clearwater during athletic events held during Spring Break.
ITEM #7 AdjOllnmlcnt - ~1cmbcrs adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Next meeting is April 28 at the Marina and Sunsets @ Pier 60.
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JlC~C
, Attest: '
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dd~~dJ4:)t.~
Pffice Assistant " ,
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