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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-09-11 Park Board MinutesEDINA PARK BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1979 EDINA CITY HALL 7:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Virginia Shaw, Chairperson, Joan Lonsbury, Les Wanninger, Frank Gyetvan, Arthur Erdall, Mack Thayer, George Warner, Al Fischer STAFF PRESENT: Bob Kojetin, Rick Jacobson, Cecelia Smith, Beckie Smith OTHERS PRESENT: Jim Curry, Mike Casserly, Bill Horn I. MINUTES APPROVED Mrs. Lonsbury MADE A MOTION to approve the minutes from the August 14 Park Board meeting. Frank Gyetvan SECONDED. CARRIED. Following a short discussion of the special Park Board meeting of September 4, Mrs. Lonsbury MADE A MOTION to approve the minutes, Mr. Erdall SECONDED. CARRIED. II. UTLEY PARK PARKING Virginia Shaw introduced Jim Curry who was at the meeting to present a proposal for expanding parking at Utley Park. The proposal is for St. Stephan's Church to build a 39 space parking lot in Utley Park between the creek & tennis courts. Mr. Curry emphazised it would be a no strings attached contract between the city and the church. The church would pay for the construction of the parking lot and maintain the plowing of it in the wintertime. Next summer the church would have the parking lot sealcoated, after that time it would be up to the city for future maintainence. A question was raised as to what the neighborhood'.s idea of the project was. At this point, Mr. Casserly, spokesman for the Wooddale Neighborhood Association mentioned that at the present it had not been discussed in length. He did say that he would be meeting with them next week and that by the next Park Board meeting he would have some answers. Mr. Casserly then brought up the question of whether a permit was needed from the Minnehaha Watershed District since the parking lot would require removal and addition of dirt and run off might occur. Jim Curry said he would look into it. Mrs. Shaw asked if the church was allowed to use the Edina Country Club parking lot. Mr. Curry said that they used the Wooddale School parking lot and were not allowed to use the country club. Mrs. Shaw asked if Mr. Curry could get figures as to how many members of the church use the school parking lot and the country club parking lot. Mr. Curry said he would have this for the next Park Board meeting. The cost of the parking lot will cost the church $11,000 plus an additional $1,300 for sealcoating in the summer of 1980. Street lights were discussed and no plans for lights in the future were mentioned. Mr. Curry mentioned that five bids for the parking lot were due last Friday and he expressed the need for speed in the decision because the cost of the oil base product would be going up. Mr. Curry expressed concern about the safety of the children when cars are parked on Wooddale and 50th St. Mrs. Shaw felt that a special Park Board meeting would be considered if something regarding the parking lot came up before the next Park Board meeting. Mr. Kojetin indicated the need for a Park Board member to be assigned to work with the Wooddale Neighborhood Association regarding a review of the 44th St. property. Art Erdahl volunteered to be a committee member for this. A discussion followed concerning Melody Lake and Browndale Park as being skating facilities with warming houses this year. The use of the parks as skating rinks is minimal and a suggestion was made to remove the warming houses at these parks. Bill Horn an Edina resident who lives across from Browndale Park mentioned the fact that he felt it would be a good Idea,to remove the warming house on this lake because it is used so rarely. A discussion followed covering the snow plowing procedures on the Minnehaha Creek. A decision was made to remove the warming houses on both Melody Lake and Browndale Park but to keep plowing the skating areas for the coming winter season. Mr. Kojetin brought the board up to date in regards to what was the progress on the Minnehaha Creek projects in Edina. As a quick overview of the projects he mentioned Williams Park where four canoe landings and a portage trail are proposed, creek bed maintenance at 44th St., the 54th St. Portage which would include 2 canoe landings and a portage trail, the France Ave. dam, and lastly the Meadowbrook area which was turned down at a past Park Board meeting. A handout which covered all these projects was presented to the board which discussed' in detail each of the projects. III. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS Mr. Kojetin suggested that since the bids for the pool and arena would not be coming in until Thursday that a special meeting be held to discuss the results of the bidding. The bids would cover a new roof for the pool, concession stand glass window and for the arena; new bathrooms and skate tile. After some discussion on this it was decided to hold a special Park Board meeting on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. With the exception of Frank Gyetvan and Al Fischer everyone said they would be able to attend. Mr. Kojetin brought to the attention of the board the increase in enrollment at the Art Center over the past year. He also mentioned that a donation of $1,000 was made to the Art Center from Howard Nichols. This gentleman would like to donate a $1,000 a year to the Art Center every year. Mr. Kojetin discussed what could be done with this money in the future, such as earmark it for expansion of the building over the Kiln room. A additional room would make it possible to expand some classes from 6 to 15. Mr. Kojetin discussed the extension of the Wooddale walkpath to the Crosstown Highway, bringing the board up to date on the progress that has been done on it. The path is being raised a foot and a 6 foot wide strip of asphalt will be laid. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.