09/22/2003 (2)
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." .... PARKS&
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. .. . RECREATION
Parks & Recreation 'Board .
Minutes,
. .' ..Date 'Oq I2.Zj03 . . ........
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CITY OF CLEAR'" A TEn.
PARKS & RECREA TIO~ BOARD I\IEETI~G
September 22, 2003
Present:
Jonathan \\"ade Sr.
Thomas Fletcher
Larry Lindner
Sarah \Viand
Chair
Vice Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Also Present:
Kevin Dunbar
~1i11ie r-.kFaddcn
Bobbie DO\\l1S
Director, Parks and Rccrca'tion Dept.
Parks Maintenance Coordinator
Staff Assistant
Absent:'
James Appe It
Stevc Swanberg
Allen \Veatherilt
Board T\1cmber
Board Member
Board Member
To pro\'ide continuity for research, items arc in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that
order.
ITEr-.1 #1 - Call to Order - The Chair called the. meeting to order at 6;35 p.m.
. ITEt\1 #2 - Approval of Minutes of Parks and Recreation Board Meeting of August 25. 2003 - The minutes were
approved as submitted to members.
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ITEM #3 - Nursery Presentation - Millie ~1cFaddcn. Parks Maintenance Coordinator - Mr. Dunbar congratulated
l\.1s. McFadden for the Project Team's accomplishments, most recently the landscaping of Countryside Library.
~1s. McFadden secured grants, developed landscape plans, and worked with other agencies to create the Florida-
friendly education/landscape project at the library. Helping were approximately 180 citizen volunteers
coordinated through the dcpartment's Volunteer Program.
-r-..'fs. McFadden said some operations havc shifted from previous concepts. For example, it was found to be less
expensive to purchase woody ornaments than to grow thcm; however, it is more advantageous to grow trees at the
Nursery rather than purchase them. In other services, Nursery relocated some 53 palms from the Memorial
Causeway to Island Estates medians and Sand Key beach. Palm tree donations arc accepted from citizens,
preferably when they can be. moved immediately to a new location. Nursery provides contrnctual serviccs and
support for.non-park properties such as medians and rights-of-way, and contracts out for fountain maintenance.
A six-person team of landscape construction is involved in 15 to 20 projects a year. Recent ones include Pier 60
Park, McMullen Tennis Complex, Allen's Creek, Countryside Community Park, and the Dog Park at Crest Lake
Park. Ms. r-..lcFadden is in charge orthe city's Adopt-A-Park project and is currently working with Skycrest
~eighbors to establish a native plant garden at Crest Lake Park. Board members were invited to contact r..1s.
McFadden if their neighborhoods arc interested in adopting a park.
ITEM #4 Correspondence - None.
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ITEM #5 Old Business - ,\
a) Ross Norton Skatepark - Mr. Dunbar showed site plan and floor plans for the new recreation center.
aquatics enhancements, and concepts for the SkateparklBMX Playground. The action playground would be over
28,000 square feet. 'Equipment could easily support, through session times, specific use of BMX with the ability
to host tournament-level play..The equipment can be easily re-oriented to create new play experiences with
change of equipment order. It is hoped to begin work by end ofNovcmber this year and open berore the holidays
Parks & Recreation Advisory 2003-0922
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in 2004. If a FRDAP grant is successful. it is planned to close the pool after school begins in August so aquatic
work can be done. .
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Mr. Dunbar said the Norton project would enhance a list of accomplishments for the department. In just two
years. the department has expanded Countryside Recreation complex, opened the North Greenwood Recreation
and Aquatic Complex. ta~en over operations at Joe DiMaggio. established the Dog Park, opened up Eddie C.
Moore \Vest, and acquired the Long Center.
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b) Capital Projects Update - Mr. Dunbar updated the following projects:
. Community Sports Complex - Seats are being installed in the bowl; offices arc going in.
Board is scheduled to tour the facility before it opens. Ribbon cutting is February 28 with
opening day March 4.
. McKay Park - Project slightly delayed by decision on playground equipment. It was decided
to place half of equipment in Forest Run Park instead of at ~lomingsidc. which is to get a
new center in 2006-07. .
. Long Center - Renovation begins in October. Safety Harbor pulled out of partnership since
that city has a new recreation center; however, those residents still use Long Center aquatic
facilities. Discussions on rates under way. \Vill go back to Commission to ask for staff to
conduct rev'enue-producing summer camp. which were previously provided by the City of
Safety Harbor.
. Trails - \Vork is moving forward.
. E.C. Moore 8 & 9 - Mo\'ing forward at good pace. Nursery installing plant material.
c) . Upcoming Recreation Events - Mr. Dunbar said Clearwater's signature event, Jazz Holiday, is
coming up in October. He pointed out the wide variety of recreation programming is a positive result
of decentralization wherein supervisors have autonomy and responsibility to create progra~s they
think will best benefit their individual facility users.'
ITEM #6 New Business -
In response to a question regarding plans for Kings Highway Center. t>.1r. Dunbar said the city is entering a tive-
year agreement with Mt. Canncl Community Dcvelopment Corporation of Clcarwater to operate Kings Highway
as a community arts facility.
ITEM #8 Adiournment - Members adjoun1cd thc business meeting at 7:45 p.m. to tour the Nursery facility.
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The next meeting will be October 27 at t>.1SB.
Chair
~f
. puts & Recreation B
Ico(. C~~ r
Attest:
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'Staff Assistant '
Parks & Recreation Advisory 2003-0922
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