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2024.05.01 PRC Packet AGENDA May 1, 2024 Skyway Park – 6112 Florida Ave N, Crystal, MN 55428 In case of inclement weather, the meeting will be held at the Crystal Community Center 7:00 p.m. Neighborhood Meeting Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Introduction of Commission and City Staff 3. Neighborhood Discussion a. Citywide Project Updates b. Public Safety Information c. Parks and Recreation Updates 4. Drawing for Recreation Activity Gift Certificate 7:45 p.m. Commission Business Meeting Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Public Comments 3. Approval of Minutes a. April 3 - Tree Board b. April 3 - Park and Recreation Commission 4. Chairperson’s Report 5. Commission Business / Discussion (25 minutes) a. Crystal Frolics Button Contest b. Project Updates c. Planning Updates 6. Commission Reports (15 minutes) a. City Council Report b. Project/Maintenance Report c. Program Report d. Director Report 7. Community Reports (5 minutes) a. Community Activity/Event Reports • Crystal Frolics Report • Friends of Crystal Parks Report b. Citizen Contacts c. Other Community News Items 8. Adjournment END OF COMMUNITY MEETING (Community meetings have a one hour time limit). There will be a short break between the two meetings. Residents are welcome to stay for the Business Meeting. MEETING OVERVIEW Contact John Elholm – john.elholm@crystalmn.gov or 763-531-1150 if you cannot attend Skyway Park – 6112 Florida Ave N, Crystal, MN 55428 May 1, 2024 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING – 7:00 PM Item 1. Call meeting to order Jesse McCaffrey will provide information on the purpose of the meeting. Item 2. Introductions of Commission and City Staff Item 3. Neighborhood Business John Sutter will provide information on current and upcoming development projects. Jesse Struve will provide information on current and upcoming public works projects. Police Chief Revering will provide information on public safety. John Elholm will provide information on park improvement and planning efforts. Brad Fortin will provide highlights of recent and upcoming park projects. Stacy Chouinard will provide information on recreation programs & events. Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions/make comments during the meeting. Item 4. Drawing for Recreation Activity Gift Certificate REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING – 7:45 PM Item 1. Call the Meeting to Order Jesse McCaffrey will call the meeting to order Item 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. Item 3. Approval of Minutes – April 3, 2024 a. Tree Board Meeting b. Park and Recreation Commission Meeting Item 4. Chairperson’s Report Jesse McCaffrey: Chairperson’s Report Item 5. Commission Business / Discussion John Elholm: Introduce Business Items a. Crystal Frolics Button Contest b. Project Updates c. Planning Updates Item 6. Commission Reports Forest Eidbo: City Council Report Brad Fortin: Project/Maintenance Report Stacy Chouinard: Program Report John Elholm: Director Report Item 7. Community Reports John Elholm: Crystal Frolics Report Lynn Haney: Friends of Crystal Parks Report Commission members: Other community activities and events Item 8. Adjournment ARBOR DAY AND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING Skyway Park May 1, 2024 6 pm: Park Clean-up 6:30 pm: Arbor Day Event Learn about Crystal's urban forest and help plant a tree. 7 pm: Neighborhood Meeting Meet commission members & staff. The meeting agenda is on the back.Scan for more Arbor Day fun! Crystal Recreation Department 4800 Douglas Drive N Crystal, MN 55429 Skyway Park Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 pm 6112 Florida Avenue North The Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission invites you to a neighborhood park meeting Neighborhood Mtg. Agenda 1.Introductions 2.Neighborhood Discussion a.Citywide Updates b.Neighborhood Watch/Safety c.Parks and Recreation Updates 3.Drawing for Recreation Gift Certificate Crystal Tree Board Minutes April 3, 2024 Crystal Community Center The Parks and Recreation Commission Tree Board meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m. by Crystal Tree Board chair Lynn Haney. Tree Board members in attendance: Lynn Haney (Tree Board Chair), Jesse McCaffrey, Jennifer Zielinski, Dave Anderson, J.D. Moore II, Terri Schultz, Angela Spores and Kassidy Swanson. Alex Popp attended via Zoom. Also present were John Elholm, Recreation Director and Brad Fortin, Parks Superintendent Tree Board member absent: Joyce Cooper Fortin reviewed the Forestry Annual Report, highlighting work done in the past year. Crystal currently has five certified tree inspectors. Their primary focus is tree inspection, maintenance, and replacement throughout the year. City staff and contractors removed 225 trees in 2023, 66 of which were hazardous. The existence of the emerald ash borer (EAB) is a concern and the motivation for increased tree removals. The goal is a one-for-one replacement. Trees removed on city and private properties are being replaced with a wider diversity of specimens, which leads to a healthier and more diverse urban forest. The goal is to have no more than 5% of any species within Crystal. A gravel bed nursery has been an effective way to create an accessible and more cost-effective source for trees. Fortin also reviewed the Tree City USA program. The requirements include having a Tree Board, a public tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and an arbor day observance and proclamation. Tree Board members discussed the May 1 Arbor Day event. The event will be held at Skyway Park, with a park clean-up at 6 pm and other activities beginning at 6:30 pm. The city will hand out 40 trees to residents, and plant one tree in the park. Trees are being provided by the Friends of Crystal Parks. If any trees remain, they will be planted in the city’s tree nursery. Schultz made a motion to adjourn the meeting; McCaffrey seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 6:59 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2, 2025, at 6:45 p.m. – at the Crystal Community Center. John Elholm Recorder Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes April 3, 2024 Crystal Community Center The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Commission Chair Jesse McCaffrey. Commission members in attendance: Jesse McCaffrey (Chair), Lynn Haney (Vice-Chair), Jennifer Zielinski (Secretary), Joyce Cooper, Dave Anderson, J.D. Moore II, Terri Schultz, Angela Spores and Kassidy Swanson. Alex Popp attended via Zoom. Also present were John Elholm, Recreation Director and Brad Fortin, Parks Superintendent Commission members absent: none Haney made a motion to approve the February Park and Recreation Commission minutes; Swanson seconded the motion. The Park and Recreation Commission minutes for March were approved as written. Chair McCaffrey deferred to Swanson during the chair person report. She gave a presentation on strategies for parks and events recycling. The presentation reviewed benefits of recycling, and highlighted what some cities with sustainability staff have done to improve recycling and sustainability in their cities. A discussion of the presentation followed. Commission members reviewed proposed sites to visit on the summer park and recreation commission tour. The tour will be on June 26 and stay in Crystal. Proposed sites include North Lions Park, Broadway Park, Twin Oaks Park, Cavanagh Park, Twin Lakes Shores Park, Valley Place Park and Crystal Highlands Park. Elholm gave a project update. The Crystal Cove Aquatic Center project is out for bid. Bids will be opened on April 4. The bid is for construction of the pool. Items not in the bid include site amenities like the climbing wall and the rope swing. Those items will be purchased directly by the city. The state is providing the aquatic center with a $2.35 million legislative appropriation. Staff is working through grant documents for these funds, which includes recording a restrictive covenant on the pool property. Quotes will be sought for improvements at the pool building and the community center service counter. The North Lions parking lot and Valley Place Park court design plans are complete. The bid packet has been advertised, with a bid opening scheduled for April 18 and proposed council approval on May 7. Since use at North Lions Park will be limited due to the parking lot being removed, staff will also evaluate converting the baseball field to a soccer field this summer; as proposed in the park system master plan. Post cards have been sent to neighbors informing them of these projects. Letters were sent to neighbors of the community center informing them that cameras will be installed in the parking lot this summer. Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes – Page 2 April 3, 2024 Elholm also discussed preparations being made for the refurbishment of Twin Oaks Park in 2025. Grants have been applied for; including CDBG and Hennepin County Youth Activities. Commission members discussed items during the open forum, giving input, asking questions, and commenting. Fortin gave reports on park maintenance, and Elholm gave reports on recreation programming. Elholm gave the Director’s report. He reported that the City of Crystal has been selected to receive a 2023 Award of Excellence from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. The award was in the parks and facilities category, for the projects completed in Bassett Creek Park. Elholm gave the Crystal Frolics report. Planning for the event is progressing, with new potential activities including volleyball and disc golf. Elholm gave the Friends of Crystal Parks report. The group is planning their plant sale for May 18. They also bought the trees to be given away at the city's Arbor Day event on May 1. The committee is actively exploring new ways to generate funds for other initiatives. Upcoming community events include the Blue Line Extension meeting on March 7 and the Iftar Dinner on March 14. Both events are being held at the Crystal Community Center. Haney made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Schultz seconded the motion. The commission adjourned the meeting at 8:19 p.m. John Elholm, Recorder Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Monthly Maintenance Report April, 2024 Vandalism: • Graffiti on Highway 81 bridge Projects: • Ash tree removal • Clean up and mulch landscape beds • Pick up trees from Hennepin County tree sale (75) • Gravel bed tree nursery maintenance • Turn on water to drinking fountains and dog park • Athletic field set up and maintenance for programs • Tree removals • Building maintenance • Attend Tree inspector training (2 new tree inspectors) • EDA house and property clean-ups • HVAC upgrades at Public Works • L.E.D. lighting upgrades at City Hall • Turf maintenance, fertilization • City wide tree inspections (special assessment removals) • Playground inspections and repairs • Boardwalk inspections and repairs • Trash removal Future: • Planting of seasonal planters and pots • City wide diseased tree inspections and notifications • Valley place Park court removals • North Lion’s Park parking lot and court removals • Building maintenance • Ash tree removals (special assessment enforcement) • Stump grinding and backfill • Over seeding at various park projects • Turf maintenance • Dock installation at Twin Lake Shores • Athletic field maintenance • Playground inspections and repairs • Tree planting • Arbor Day celebration at Skyway Park 4800 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55429-3553 Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-0949 • www.crystalmn.gov P R O J E C T S U M M A R Y M A Y 2 0 2 4 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. Tree Planting The 75 trees we received from Hennepin County will be planted in city parks and municipal grounds. The trees are of various species, allowing for larger tree diversity in the city to safeguard against other diseases. Water in Parks As May begins, park water will be activated, including the water fountains, park facilities, and the splash fountain at Becker Park. Restrooms at both Becker and Valley Place buildings will also be open to the public. Seed Libraries Seed libraries were installed at the Crystal Community Center and North Lions Park to promote health and nature. The libraries promote wellness through gardening and offer opportunities to donate seeds and try new varieties. Field Start-up Our city's athletic fields are open for rental season in May and will be busy with activity. Staff will prepare the fields by mowing grass, grooming infields, installing bases, and painting field lines for baseball, softball, and soccer. P R O G R A M S U M M A R Y M A Y 2 0 2 4 Below is a highlight of the programs offered by the Crystal Recreation Department. Occasionally we will recap some key special events we offer. Bike Rodeo The annual Bike Rodeo rotates to Robbinsdale in 2024 at Lakeview Terrace Park. The May 2 event is led by the police and fire departments of Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, and Robbinsdale. Mindfulness Walks The Storybook Trail program will begin in parks in May and run through the summer. The first book, "Tap the Magic Tree," will be at Skyway Park on May 1st. You can read it on your own as you walk through the park. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. You can take advantage of self-guided Mindfulness Walks in four different Crystal Parks. The walks help reduce stress and improve mental health outdoors. The signs are bi-lingual. The Spring Jam adult pickleball tournament, sponsored by Herself Health, Allina Health Aetna, and Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop, will occur at Becker Park on May 17th and 18th. It will have multiple competition divisions. Storybook Trails Pickleball Tournament