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.