The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2005-07-26 Park Board PacketsSPECIAL EDINA PARK BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2005 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS EDINA CITY HALL AGENDA 1. Call to Order and Introductions. *2. Lewis Park Hockey Rink and Todd Park Hockey Rink Proposal. 3. Other. *4. Adjournment. *These are agenda items that require or request Park Board action. • City Hall 4801 WEST 50TH STREET EDINA, MINNESOTA, 55424-1394 Park and Recreation Department www.cityofedina.com City of Edina 952-826-0367 FAX 952-826-0385 TTY 952-826-0379 Memo To: Edina Park Board. From: John Keprios, Director Edina Park and Recreation Department Date: July 19, 2005 Re: TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2005, SPECIAL PARK BOARD MEETING STAFF REPORT. This is my Staff Report for the special Park Board meeting called by Chairman, George Klus, for Tuesday, July 26, 2005. Contrary to my email to Park Board members yesterday, I have decided to hold the special Park Board meeting in the Council Chambers because the City Council has a workshop scheduled in the Community Room until 7:00 p.m. PARK BOARD MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS EDINA CITY HALL 4801 WEST 50TH STREET This special Park Board meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Edina City Hall. If you are unable to attend, please call either Office Coordinator, Janet Canton, at 952-826- 0435 or me at 952-826-0430. LEWIS PARK HOCKEY RINK AND TODD PARK HOCKEY RINK PROPOSAL As you know, at the June 14, 2005 Park Board meeting, the Park Board passed a recommendation to build an outdoor hockey rink at Todd Park in time for the 2005-2006 outdoor skating season. The main purpose for proposing the addition of another outdoor hockey rink in the park system was mainly due to the request of the Edina Hockey Association to not reduce the total number of outdoor hockey rinks for the 2005-2006 outdoor hockey/skating season. On Wednesday, July 13, Edina Hockey Association President Mike Wagner and EHA ice coordinator Steve Helgren met in my office to discuss a facilities strategy that best meets their program needs. EHA is of the opinion that quality reliable outdoor ice is more important than adding more outdoor hockey rinks to the park system. In our discussions, I learned that EHA would prefer that the City of Edina spend its outdoor hockey rink resources on developing another outdoor hockey rink at Lewis Park rather than at Todd Park for the 2005-2006 season. The EHA would like to pursue the opportunity to have two outdoor hockey rinks at Lewis Park that are both maintained by an outdoor ice resurfacing machine, which would be the additional Zamboni currently stored at Braemar Arena. Whether or not artificial refrigeration will be feasible or affordable is still yet to be determined. Therefore, based on the Edina Hockey Association's input, I would ask that the Park Board reconsider its recommendation to place an outdoor hockey rink back at Todd Park for the 2005- 2006 season. I happen to agree with EHA that their program needs could be served just as well or potentially better by building a second rink at Lewis Park as opposed to placing a hockey rink at Todd Park. The $45,000 that we have budgeted for lighting and rink replacement could be used at Lewis Park rather than at Todd Park. This would also allow the EHA and the City of Edina the opportunity to further study the artificial refrigeration system concept at Lewis Park. On Friday, July 22, Mike Wagner, Steve Helgren, and I plan to meet with a representative from a company that sells artificial refrigeration systems, one of which is a portable system. The intent is to explore lease and purchase options and operating costs. EHA has decided not to pursue the feasibility study until after they have considered the portable refrigeration options. EHA is of the opinion that they would prefer that resources be spent on creating reliable and quality outdoor ice as opposed to simply adding greater numbers of outdoor hockey rinks to the park system. That being the case, EHA would prefer that another outdoor hockey rink be built at Lewis Park as opposed to building one at Todd Park at this point in time. The down side of this approach is that it leaves the northwest corner of the city with only two outdoor hockey rinks (Walnut Ridge Park and Highlands Park) and two general skating only areas (Countryside Park and Todd Park) for the 2005-2006 season. I would recommend, however, that we continue to provide a general skating area at Countryside Park, as well as, a special area plowed to accommodate small youth hockey play (shiny hockey) for the 2005-2006 season. In my view, the long-range plan should continue to include placing an outdoor hockey rink back into Countryside Park. In 2004-2005 there were 11 outdoor hockey rinks maintained by the Park Maintenance Department and were distributed as follows: Northwest quadrant (3) • Countryside Park • Highlands Park • Walnut Ridge Park Southwest quadrant (3) • Creek Valley Park • Lewis Park • Normandale Park Northeast quadrant (4) • Arden Park • Pamela Park • Strachauer Park • Weber Park Southeast quadrant (1) • Cornelia School Park U This proposal does not eliminate the possibility to build an outdoor hockey rink at Todd Park sometime in the future. From my experience, the City Council would be more likely to approve adding a park amenity when it is petitioned to have by neighboring residents who desire to have the park amenity. In this case, there are over 100 names from the Todd Park neighborhood that do not want an outdoor hockey rink built in that location at the present time. After giving this a lot of thought, it seems to makes sense to provide and maintain a general skating area and shiny hockey area at Todd Park for the 2005-2006 season. I suggest this for a few reasons. By continuing to provide a skating rink at Todd, the neighborhood may be more receptive to an outdoor hockey rink in the future if that is the chosen direction of the Park Board. There currently are not sufficient funds to make any significant turf improvements to convert the turf area under the skating rink into a safe and acceptable multi-purpose athletic field. Therefore, I find it difficult to justify not maintaining an outdoor ice rink simply for the sake of developing healthier turf for summer use when we currently do not have the resources to make those field improvements. This Park Board recommendation was initially made in the best interests of the community at -large and in particular for meeting the program needs of the Edina Hockey Association as opposed to reacting to a request from the neighborhood. In my view, it seems to make good political sense to support another alternative that is supported by the Edina Hockey Association and has a much better chance of being supported by the City Council. Another concern of mine is our ability to maintain more than 11 outdoor hockey rinks in the future without having adequate manpower resources to meet expectations. The Edina Park Maintenance Department continues to be short one full-time park maintenance worker due to a retirement in 2003 that was never reinstated. Since then, we have added over 1,200 additional man-hours of maintenance due to the addition of the new City Hall's landscaping, the Senior Center/Library grounds, Grandview Square Park, and Fox Meadow Park. In other words, we have lost 2,080 man- hours while at the same time added over 1,200 man-hours of maintenance labor per year. I have asked for the reinstatement of the full-time position in this budget cycle process; however, the City Manager is proposing under scenario three of the budget assumptions process that the position remain unfilled/unfunded. I anticipate that the City Council will not support the reinstatement. To be more specific, I support more outdoor hockey rinks for the community as long as we can maintain ice to a quality standard that meets or exceeds our customers' expectations. Ideally, I would like to see us add a second rink at Lewis Park and I would like to place one back in at Countryside Park after a master plan is in place, which would then bring the total to 12 outdoor hockey rinks. I am concerned that having 12 or more outdoor hockey rinks to maintain with the current number of maintenance staff in place would result in poor outdoor ice and a shortened season. If the Park Board feels strongly to have 12 or more outdoor hockey rinks to maintain, then I would ask that the Park Board recommend to the City Council to reinstate the unfilled retirement position being requested for the 2006 budget. Without reinstating the vacated park maintenance position, I would have to recommend that we hold off on adding a hockey rink back into Countryside Park; assuming that we go forward with adding a second rink to Lewis Park. Superintendent of Park Maintenance Vince Cockriel will be present at this special meeting to answer questions about maintenance. According to Park Maintenance Superintendent Vince Cockriel, we can still handle 11 outdoor hockey rinks; however, having 12 or more outdoor hockey rinks would result in less quality ice. We need to keep that fact in mind before recommending more park amenities than we have resources to maintain. EHA President Mike Wagner and EHA Ice Coordinator Steve Helgren plan to attend this special Park Board meeting. Because the Park Board has already heard from the Todd Park neighborhood on this issue twice, I did not mail notices to them informing them of this special meeting. Formal Park Board action is requested on this agenda item. OTHER This is also an opportunity for Park Board members and residents to address other concerns. Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways Fri, Jul 22, 2005 4:24 PM Subject: Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the Mayor of Edina To Edina Council Members James B. Hovland Mayor Scot A. Housh Alice Hulbert Linda Masica Ann Swenson To Chairperson of the Edina Park Board To Park Board Members Park Board Members: ;/ George Klus, Chairman Andrew Finsness, Vice -Chairman Mike Damman add Fronek .teff Johnson Raymond O'Connell Linda Presthus Jessica Selleck Karla Sitek Jeff Sorem Michael Weiss From the Rev Dr Roger R Anderson resident Edina 1956 to 1992 2003 to the present. 7440 Edinburough Way #4309 Edina 55435 I write to you about the danger of walkers along with bikers, skate boarders, roller bladers on the same pathway, much of which is very narrow, in Centennial Lakes Park. Every morning and evening I walk the three lakes pathway along with many other walkers. -`ften as I walk, a biker will go by me and other walkers inches from us as path often narrow. Page 1 of 2 Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways Fri, Jul 22, 2005 4:24 PM If coming from behind all of sudden the biker or bikers go by and if I had moved inches to the left i would have been knocked to the hard asphalt or concrete. The same is true for skate boarders and roller bladers. The City Lake Parks all have separate paths for walkers. The City Green Way the same. There is not that much room at Centennial Lakes Park. So for safety reasons bikers, skake boarders and roller bladers should be prohibited. It is interesting that the City of Edina prohibits use of tabacco on park property with many signs for health reasons. And yet the City of Edina allows a situation that can seriously injure or kill a person. Shortly after moving here in 2003 when i became aware of the danger I wrote the Board of Centennial Lakes Village Homes and they forwarded my letter to you. So I write now directly to you to make this appeal. I hope for the safety of the walkers, many of whom are 65 and older, and for our peace of mind as we walk, that the appropriate group acts on this before some one is seriously injured or killed. With deep concern, Page 2 of 2 v FW: Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways Mon, Jul 25, 2005 2:26 AM Subject: FW: Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the Mayor of Edina To Edina Council Members James B. Hovland Mayor Scot A. Housh Alice Hulbert Linda Masica Ann Swenson To Chairperson of the Edina Park Board To Park Board Members Park Board Members: ;,George Klus, Chairman Andrew Finsness, Vice -Chairman Mike Damman Todd Fronek Jeff Johnson Raymond O'Connell Linda Presthus Jessica Selleck Karla Sitek Jeff Sorem Michael Weiss From the Rev Dr Roger R Anderson resident Edina 1956 to 1992 2003 tc present. 7440 Edinburough Way #4309 Edina 55435 I write as an addition to my letter to you of last Friday. Sunday morning I went for a walk at the Centennial Lakes and there was .bout 200 Ib. bike rider on the pathway going at a fast pace. Page 1 of 2 FW: Safety on Centennial Lake Park Pathways Mon, Jul 25, 2005 2:26 AM I talked this morning to Mike Kojetin of the Laukka Mangement to get Opis permission to send enclosed letter to you. Also I spoke today to Mr. William Bossert, past chaioerson Village Homes at Centennial Lakes Board of Directors. In addition to the primary need to protect the safety of the walkers, our elected representatives have the repsonsibility to protect the financial interest of the citizens related to park property, secondary but certainly a factor. With the present very dangerous situation which the village is responsible for, I would willingly testify to support the injured or the killed person's family, in the event of an accident. The residents of the Village Homes at Centennial Lakes are persons who not only walk the paths but whose home overlook this very dangerous situation and we can see the danger daily. Ten months have passed since the Edina Park Board received the enclosed letter from the Village Homes at Centenneial Lakes Directors describing the present ituation as "Increasing dangerous situation" Please act now and get the necssary signs up ASAP. With deep concern, �7, Page 2 of 2 VILLAGE HOMES AT CENTENNIAL LAKES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. Telephone: (952) 831-8325 Fax: (952)253-3352 October 22, 2004 City Of Edina Mr. John Keprios & Edina Park Board 4801 West 501h St. Edina, MN 55424 RE: Centennial Lakes Park Walking path Dear John & the Edina Park Board: 3300 Edinborough Way #202 Edina, MN 55435 E-mail: info(Maukka.com Website; www.laukka.com The Village Homes at Centennial Lakes Board of Directors recently reviewed a letter from one of their homeowners at their recent Board of Directors meeting and have asked me to forward this to you. The Board agrees with Mr. Anderson's attached letter concerning dangerous situations that could occur when walkers, bike riders, skate boarders and roller bladers are using the same path. We encourage the Park Dept. and the Edina Board to find a solution to this increasing dangerous situation. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, For The Board of Directors Mike Kojetin Managing Agent LA UKKA MANAGEMENT INC. Enclosure