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09/22/2003CITY OF CLEARWATER PARKS & RECREATION BOARD MEETING September 22, 2003 Present: Jonathan Wade Sr. Chair Thomas Fletcher Vice Chair Larry Lindner Board Member Sarah Wiand Board Member Also Present: Kevin Dunbar Director, Parks and Recreation Dept. Millie McFadden Parks Maintenance Coordinator Bobbie Downs Staff Assistant Absent: James Appelt Board Member Steve Swanberg Board Member Allen Weatherilt Board Member To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #1 - Call to Order – The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes of Parks and Recreation Board Meeting of August 25, 2003 - The minutes were approved as submitted to members. ITEM #3 - Nursery Presentation - Millie McFadden, Parks Maintenance Coordinator - Mr. Dunbar congratulated Ms. McFadden for the Project Team's accomplishments, most recently the landscaping of Countryside Library. Ms. 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 department's Volunteer Program. Ms. McFadden said some operations have shifted from previous concepts. For example, it was found to be less expensive to purchase woody ornaments than to grow them; 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 are accepted from citizens, preferably when they can be moved immediately to a new location. Nursery provides contractual services 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. McFadden is in charge of the city's Adopt-A-Park project and is currently working with Skycrest Neighbors to establish a native plant garden at Crest Lake Park. Board members were invited to contact Ms. McFadden if their neighborhoods are interested in adopting a park. ITEM #4 Correspondence - None. 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 Skatepark/BMX 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 of November this year and open before the holidays 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. 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, taken over operations at Joe DiMaggio, established the Dog Park, opened up Eddie C. Moore West, and acquired the Long Center. Capital Projects Update - Mr. Dunbar updated the following projects: Community Sports Complex - Seats are being installed in the bowl; offices are 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 Morningside, 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. Will go back to Commission to ask for staff to conduct revenue-producing summer camp, which were previously provided by the City of Safety Harbor. Trails - Work is moving forward. E.C. Moore 8 & 9 - Moving forward at good pace. Nursery installing plant material. 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 programs they think will best benefit their individual facility users. ITEM #6 New Business – In response to a question regarding plans for Kings Highway Center, Mr. Dunbar said the city is entering a five-year agreement with Mt. Carmel Community Development Corporation of Clearwater to operate Kings Highway as a community arts facility. ITEM #8 Adjournment - Members adjourned the business meeting at 7:45 p.m. to tour the Nursery facility. The next meeting will be October 27 at MSB.