07/22/2014 PARKS & RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
July 22, 2014
Present: Chair Ric Ortega, Vice Chair Norene M. Marlow, Board Member Candace Gardner,
Board Member Emilo Gonzales, Board Member Nola Johnson, Board Member Carmen
Santiago
Absent: Board Member Allen Weatherilt
Also Present: Felicia Leonard -Administrative Support Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board
Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Long Center.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2 —Approval of Minutes
2.1. Approve the minutes of the April 22, 2014 Parks & Recreation Board meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Re Items not on the Agenda, it was stated comments re McMullen Tennis Complex were not
quite accurate. The issue will be discussed as an agenda item at the October 28, 2014 meeting.
Member Marlow moved to approve Item 2.1. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3 —Citizens to be Heard re Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4— New Business
Administrative Support Manager Felicia Leonard welcomed new members and distributed Code
language re Parks & Recreation Board powers and duties and the Board's Rules and
Regulations. The Board operates under Sunshine Laws. She encouraged new members to
review the Parks & Recreation Department's Master Plan.
4.1. Parks & Recreation Projects Under Design
See Item 5.1.
5—Old Business
5.1. Update: Parks & Recreation Projects
Ms. Leonard reviewed project updates. Architectural renderings for the Marine District
Boardwalk were 60% complete. The City will construct the boardwalks' middle and end
sections; the first section was scheduled for completion in March 2015. In exchange for
development bonuses, waterfront East Shore Drive developers will be required to construct a
boardwalk along the site's entire waterfront based on the City's design template.
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Plans were to renovate a building at Phillip Jones Field, install public artwork near the foot of
Cleveland Street, and replace playground equipment at Cherry Harris Park and wooden sand
walls at the beach. Reengineering the Alligator Creek channel will affect parkland abutting the
Ream Wilson Trail near NE Coachman Road. Ms. Leonard discussed park and trail adoption.
Re the McMullen Tennis Complex, staff was costing out renovations, an expansion to 20 courts,
a playground, and other linkages. While previous City grant applications for the project were
ranked number one, the State did not provide funding. Staff will request a direct appropriation.
Planned improvements to the 10 year-old BrightHouse Stadium included a new video board.
Second floor press boxes were planned for the Eddie C. Moore and Joe DiMaggio complexes.
Construction at Joe DiMaggio, site a former landfill, required FDEP (Florida Department of
Environmental Protection) permission; staff monitored the site for contamination quarterly.
Ms. Leonard discussed challenges associated with the oversized sand dune at Rockaway
Beach; staff was working with FDEP to lower and elongate the dune. She did not think the
project would affect nearby beach activities.
BeachWalk will be extended through Pier 60 Park to Mandalay Avenue. The Pier 60 playground
will be renovated and the front of the park redesigned. Palm trees will be moved and some fill
added to slope the ground for movie night patrons.
The City was awarded a $400,000 land and conservation grant for Moccasin Lake Park and
anticipated receiving a $200,000 grant for the park.
The Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail should be completed by May 2015; the City was
designing a trail along Bayshore Boulevard to connect the Courtney Campbell Causeway and
Ream Wilson trails. Staff applied for a transportation grant for a pedestrian bridge over SR60 for
trail users.
Ms. Leonard said the Parks & Recreation Department looked for opportunities to acquire land
adjacent to City parks that would add value to the park system. Appraisals have been ordered
for: 1) 4 acres adjacent to Moccasin Lake Park; 2) northeast corner of Bayshore Boulevard and
Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard for pedestrian overpass; and 3) single-family residence and two lots
north of Del Oro Park for trailhead parking and Eddie C. Moore Complex overflow parking. Once
appraisals are received, staff will approach the City Council for funds.
Ms. Leonard said staff tracked recipients of the annual CFY (Clearwater for Youth) $10,000
grant. Also, fitness equipment saw heavy use and required ongoing replacement and upgrade.
6 - Items not on Agenda
In response to a recommendation for restrooms at Forest Run Park, Ms. Leonard reviewed City
Council policy that neighborhood parks not have restroom facilities. She will ask staff to install
additional picnic tables and benches at the park.
While upgrades to the Sid Lickton Field facility were praised, concern was expressed re ponding
on the fields after it rains.
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Consensus was for the next meeting to be held at Sid Lickton Field. A field trip to Coopers Point
will be scheduled during cooler weather.
7 - Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
NEXT MEETING — October 28, 2014
Field.
Chaff
Parks & Recre
Advisory Board
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