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2022.12.07 PRC Packet AGENDA December 7, 2022 Crystal Community Center – 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal MN, 55429 7:00 pm Regular Meeting Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order / Introductions 2. Public Comments 3. Approval of Minutes 4. Chairperson’s Report 5. Commission Business / Discussion (30 minutes) a. Recognition of Outgoing Commission Members b. 2023 Project Discussion c. 2023 Meeting Dates and Locations 6. Commission Open Forum (10 minutes) 7. Commission Reports (15 minutes) a. City Council Report b. Project/Maintenance Report c. Program Report d. Director Report 8. Community Reports (10 minutes) a. Community Activity/Event Reports • Crystal Frolics Report • Crystal Fund Report b. Citizen Contacts c. Other Community News Items 9. Adjournment Next meeting date: January 4, 2023 – Crystal Community Center MEETING OVERVIEW December 7, 2022 Crystal Community Center – 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal MN, 55429 Contact John Elholm – john.elholm@crystalmn.gov or 763-531-1150 if you cannot attend REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING – 7:00 PM 1. Call the Meeting to Order and Introductions Jesse McCaffrey will call the meeting to order 2. Public Comments Citizens may bring items of concern related to parks and recreation to the attention of the commission. Speaking time may be limited and no action will be taken. 3. Approval of Minutes – November 2, 2022 4. Chairperson’s Report 5. Commission Business / Discussion John Elholm: Introduce Business Items a. Recognition of Outgoing Commission Members b. 2023 Project Discussion c. 2023 Meeting Dates and Locations 6. Commission Open Forum A time for commission members to share their thoughts and ideas about parks and recreation in Crystal. 7. City Reports David Cummings: City Council Report Brad Fortin: Project/Maintenance Report Scott Berggren: Program Report John Elholm: Director Report 8. Community Reports Tony Sumnicht / John Elholm: Crystal Frolics Report Lynn Haney / John Elholm: Crystal Fund Report Commission Members: Other community activities and events 9. Adjournment Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes November 2, 2022 Crystal Community Center The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Commission Vice-Chair Tony Sumnicht. Commission members in attendance: Jesse McCaffrey (Chair) (arrived late), Tony Sumnicht (Vice-Chair), Shaz Ahmadi (Secretary), Dave Anderson, Joyce Cooper, Forest Eidbo, Lynn Haney, Erin Kolb, Taji Onesirosan, and Jen Zielinski. Also present were David Cummings, Council Liaison; John Elholm, Brad Fortin, and Scott Berggren from the City Staff. There was no public comment. Ms. Kolb made a motion to approve the October Park and Recreation Commission minutes; Ms. Haney seconded the motion. The Park and Recreation Commission minutes for October 5 were approved as written. The meeting was passed to Commission Chair McCaffrey to lead when he arrived at 7:16 pm. There was no Chairperson’s report. Mr. Elholm presented information on current park projects; including park entrance signs, Becker Park pickleball courts, FAIR School Park soccer field, Bassett Creek Park prairie planting and the Bassett Creek Park dog park. Information was also presented on the Bassett Creek Park pedestrian bridge project. Quotes for the bridge abutments came in considerably higher than the engineer’s estimate. Staff will now complete the project using a bid process. The pedestrian bridge project will be combined with the dog park project for bidding. Advertising for bids is tentatively scheduled for January of 2023. Advertising for bids to complete the community center south parking lot project is also scheduled for January. Mr. Elholm gave an update on park planning efforts for 2023; including Broadway Park, Crystal Highlands Park and the Bassett Creek disc golf course. The City recently applied for a Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant to fund $150,000 of accessibility improvements in Welcome Park, including a new play area and fitness component. The commission reviewed fitness pod options for Welcome Park and confirmed their preference for the FitLot equipment. Public input results for the future of the Crystal Cove Aquatic Center were presented. Input so far has indicated a community desire to repair the pool rather than demolish it. A meeting with the commission and city council will be scheduled in early January to discuss the aquatic center further. Mr. Berggren gave a brief overview of Winterfest; a community event planned on December 3. He asked Commission members to volunteer to help with different aspects of the event. Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes – Page 2 November 2, 2022 Commission members discussed items during the open forum, giving input, asking questions, and commenting. One suggestion from the discussion included recruiting new commission members, with two spots opening in 2023. Mr. Cummings presented the City Council report. The council chose the finalists for the city manager job at their meeting on November 1. The council will interview four finalists on November 16. Assistant City Manager, Kim Therres, will act as interim city manager. He also encouraged individuals to vote during the election on November 8. Mr. Fortin gave reports for park maintenance, and Mr. Berggren for recreation programming. Mr. Elholm gave a Director’s Report highlighting his recent presentation at the MRPA Annual Conference. Mr. Sumnicht gave a Crystal Frolics report recapping their October meeting. The Crystal Frolics Committee is doing outreach to recruit more members. All the organizations participating in 2022 will return to the event in 2023. Mr. Elholm gave a Friends of Crystal Parks Report. They are planning the Cheers to Crystal beer- tasting event on March 10, 2023, and have begun to reach out to breweries. Mr. McCaffrey made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Mr. Eidbo seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8:49 pm. John Elholm Recorder Park Last Visit Area Type of Park Comments Becker 2017 North Destination New Pickleball Courts Grogan/CCC n/a C Destination Bassett Creek 2017 South Community New Dog Park / Bridge North Lions 2021 N Community Valley Place 2018 S Community Welcome 2019 C Community Bass Lake 2022 N Neighborhood Broadway 2022 N Neighborhood Cavanagh 2021 C Neighborhood Crystal Highlands 2022 S Neighborhood Fair School 2019 C Neighborhood Forest School 2022 C Neighborhood Iron Horse 2021 N Neighborhood Kentucky 2018 Central Neighborhood Central - Not Recent Lee 2021 S Neighborhood Skyway 2018 N Neighborhood Sunnyview 2019 S Neighborhood Twin Oaks 2018 N Neighborhood Winnetka Hills 2017 South Neighborhood Arbor Day Brownwood n/a C Natural Area Florida n/a C Natural Area Hagemeister Pond n/a C Natural Area MAC Park n/a N Natural Area Memory Lane n/a C Natural Area Soo Line n/a N Natural Area Twin Lake Shores n/a C Natural Area Crystal Park and Recreation Commission History of Community Meeting Locations 2023 Proposed (yellow) Date Time Place Notes January 4 7pm Community Center February 1 7pm Community Center March 1 7pm Community Center April 5 6:45pm Community Center Tree Board @ 6:45; PRC @ 7 May 3 7pm Winnetka Hills Park Arbor Day Event @ 6pm June 7 7pm Becker Park June 21 TBD Start at Community Center PRC Tour of Various Parks July 5 7pm Kentucky Park Is July 5 an OK date? August 2 7pm Bassett Creek Park September 6 7pm Community Center PRC park clean-up before mtg. October 4 7pm Community Center November 1 7pm Community Center December 6 7pm Community Center All Meetings are on Wednesday Nights Park and Recreation Commission 2023 Proposed Meeting Dates Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Monthly Maintenance Report November, 2022 Vandalism: • Graffiti issues at Skate Park and MAC natural area Projects: • Removal of Emerald Ash Borer infected trees • City wide inspection of diseased trees • Winterize restrooms, irrigation systems, dog park and drinking fountains • Construct a new backstop at Fair School soccer area • Ice rink prep for the season • Hang city banners at streetscape • Prep seasonal equipment for snow removal • Install new park signs at MAC, Hagemeister and Woodland Parks • EDA house clean-ups • Fall leaf clean-up • Snow removal • Playground inspections and repairs • Remove tennis, volleyball and pickle ball nets • HVAC maintenance at city buildings • Garbage pick-ups Future: • Ash tree removals and tree trimming • Ice rink maintenance • Snow removal • Playground inspections • Work on bridge project at Bassett Creek • Trash removal • EDA house and property clean-ups • Police building operations training and maintenance • Warming house maintenance • Building maintenance • Research 2023 equipment purchases • Prep for 2023 park improvement projects • Attend pesticide recertification classes 4800 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55429-3553 Tel: (763) 531-0052 • Fax: (763) 531-0949 • www.crystalmn.gov P R O J E C T S U M M A R Y D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 Below is a highlight of the projects that will be happening in the City of Crystal. These projects will be taking place at numerous parks and buildings throughout the city. Bassett Creek Orchard This fall, an orchard was planted in Bassett Creek Park. Ten fruit trees were planted, including apple, peach, pear, and plum. The orchard was funded through the Find Your Five initiative organized by Hennepin County. Preparing Ice Rinks As temperatures drop, the flooding of rinks begins in order to build a good skating base. The goal is to have ice rinks ready for winter break. We are hoping for cooperative weather to keep everyone skating. Tree Trimming and Removal Staff will continue their tree trimming and the removal of diseased trees (mainly ash) from various city parks and public spaces this winter. The goal is to have tree work completed before things start to thaw in the Spring. Pickleball Lights New lights for the pickleball courts at Becker Park have been ordered and will be installed next year. The lights will be more energy efficient and turn on quicker when activated by players. P R O G R A M S U M M A R Y D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 Below is a highlight of the programs offered by the Crystal Recreation Department. Occasionally we will recap some key special events we offer. Crystal Sparkles The Crystal Sparkles holiday lights contest allows all homes in Crystal to add their holiday light displays to a map. All map participants will be eligible to win prizes for having the best display. Preschool Playtime Before the preschool playtime program returns to its regular schedule in January, we will host a pop-up playtime on December 7. The free activity will introduce participants to the program. A tremendous collaborative event will occur at the New Hope Ice Arena on December 27. Families can come to open ice skating and then stay to watch the movie "Encanto." The ACYHA is sponsoring the event. Each weekend, Crystal hosts adult open volleyball in the Crystal Community Center or Forest Elementary School gyms. It is an affordable opportunity for volleyball players to gather, socialize and compete. Skate & Movie Open Volleyball