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2025.05.07 PRC Packet AGENDA May 7, 2025 Sunnyview Park – 3000 Hampshire Ave N., Crystal, MN 55427 In case of inclement weather, the meeting will be held at the Crystal Community Center 6:30 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 7:15 p.m. Commission Business Meeting Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Public Comments 3. Approval of Minutes a. April 2 - Tree Board b. April 2 - 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 Sunnyview Park – 3000 Hampshire Ave N., Crystal, MN 55427 May 7, 2025 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING – 6:30 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. Michelle Margo 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 – 7:15 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 2, 2025 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 John Budziszewski: City Council Report Brad Fortin: Project/Maintenance Report Michelle Margo: 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 Crystal Tree Board Minutes April 2, 2025 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), Dave Anderson, Jesse McCaffrey, J.D. Moore II and Angela Spores. Terri Schultz attended via Zoom. Also present were John Budziszewski from the city council; John Elholm, Brad Fortin and Michelle Margo from the city staff. Tree Board members absent: Joyce Cooper, Alex Popp and Kassidy Swanson. Fortin reviewed the Forestry Annual Report, highlighting work done in the past year. Forestry work is handled by the Parks Division. Their primary focus is tree inspection, managing contracted forestry operations, tree removal, tree trimming and maintenance of tree inspector licensing. City staff and contractors removed 125 trees in 2023/24, 36 of which were hazardous. City staff and volunteer organizations planted 210 trees on city property. The city council is reviewing the policy about planting trees on the boulevard. 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. Staff is undergoing continuous training as it pertains to Emerald Ash Borer, Dutch Elm Disease and Oak Wilt. Staff is also exploring available grants to help offset the costs associated with EAB. 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 an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and an arbor day observance and proclamation. Tree Board members discussed the May 7 Arbor Day event. The event will be held at Sunnyview Park, with a park clean-up at 5:30 p.m. and other activities beginning at 5:50 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. Moore made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Spores seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 6:58 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for April 1, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. – at the Crystal Community Center. John Elholm Recorder Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes April 2, 2025 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), Dave Anderson, Joyce Cooper, J.D. Moore II, and Angela Spores. Also present were John Budziszewski from the city council; John Elholm, Brad Fortin and Michelle Margo from the city staff. Commission member attending via Zoom (did not vote): Terri Schultz (secretary). Commission members absent: Alex Popp and Kassidy Swanson. There was no public comment. Haney made a motion to approve the March Park and Recreation Commission minutes; Spores seconded the motion. The Park and Recreation Commission minutes for March were approved as written. Chair McCaffrey gave a presentation on Multicultural Aquatics Recreation. It followed a report from the April 2025 NRPA Magazine on Advancing Aquatics Recreation and Play in and on the Water in Minneapolis. The discussion centered around inequitable access to aquatic spaces. He highlighted historical barriers and reviewed what two aquatics professionals have done to improve access. A couple of ideas related to the importance of representation and storytelling. A discussion on efforts in Crystal followed. Commission members discussed and reviewed options for their 2025 bus tour. Potential locations include buildings at the three winter recreation areas (North Lions, Welcome and Valley Place Parks) plus Bassett Creek Park, projects that are scheduled in 2026 (North Lions, Woodland and Forest School Parks) and the Crystal Cove Aquatic Center. There was also an interest in visiting parks in other cities. Most commission members preferred staying within the city this year to see the above-mentioned projects, unless an appropriate nearby facility in a different city could be located. Elholm provided the commission with an update on park improvement projects. An ad has been posted to select a contractor for Twin Oaks Park. Bids will be opened on April 24. Construction has been continuing for the Crystal Cove Aquatic Center. The jumping platforms are in, and installation of the flume slides has begun. Reconfiguring pipes for a new spray feature in the zero-depth pool and improving the front of the building has also been taking place. A celebration for the new aquatic center has been scheduled for June 25. Planning has begun for 2026 park projects. Grants for the North Lions Park soccer field and Woodland Park redevelopment have been submitted. A neighborhood meeting will be held at Crystal Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes – Page 2 April 2, 2025 Woodland Park on August 6 to discuss the project. Staff met with the Forest School PTO to talk about the play area in that shared park. There is strong interest in replacing the play area here, but the school district does not have funds planned as a match. However, this should be a good candidate for a Hennepin Youth Activities Grant application in the fall. Commission members had an opportunity to discuss items during the open forum. There was discussion about a Facebook post that proposed a new recreation facility. The question was raised about how to get people to attend a commission meeting to bring suggestions forward instead of posting on social media where thoughts were shared. Budziszewski presented the city council report. He mentioned that the city council also encourages residents to attend city council meetings. E-mailing their city council representative can also be helpful. The city is seeing development interest in Crystal, possibly because of the light rail line. Recent council discussions relate to the mayor’s initiative to reduce trash in the city, panhandling, parking, liquor/tobacco ordinances and donations vs. contributions. Fortin gave a park maintenance report, which included information on efforts underway to prepare for spring activities. He also discussed the new field striping machine the city purchased with Robbinsdale. Margo gave the recreation program report, which included information on edible courtyard planting, container gardening session, youth basketball and preschool playtime. Elholm also provided information on the new Recreation Facilities Supervisor that was hired. Olivia began work on March 10, and is already being helpful as we get the pool ready to open in June. Elholm gave the Crystal Frolics report. The city council discussed Crystal Frolics at their last meeting. A work session on Crystal Frolics will also be held in the near future. The next Crystal Frolics meeting will be on April 21. Haney and Elholm gave the Friends of Crystal Parks report. They provided information on the upcoming plant sale and planning for the disc golf event at Crystal Frolics. Their next meeting will be on April 3. Haney made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Moore seconded the motion. The commission adjourned the meeting at 8:52 p.m. Terri Schultz, Secretary John Elholm, Recreation Director Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Monthly Maintenance Report April, 2025 Vandalism: • Furniture drop off at North Lion’s Park Projects: • Ash tree removal, city wide tree inspections (special assessment removals) • Clean and mulch landscape beds • Twin Oaks park site demo and prep • Automated field striper training (joint venture with Robbinsdale) • Layout and stripe athletic fields • Dock installation at Twin Lake Shores • Preparation for Arbor day at Sunnyview Park • Interview seasonal employees • Prep seasonal maintenance equipment • Turf maintenance • Pick up trees from Hennepin Cunty tree sale(planting in gravel bed nursery) • Building maintenance • Pool construction project • EDA house and property clean-ups • Playground inspections and repairs • Trash removal Future: • City wide diseased tree inspections, removals and notifications • Building maintenance • Ballfield and soccer field maintenance • Turf maintenance (mowing, fertilizing, weed control, irrigation and seeding) • Disc golf course maintenance • Becker Park tree planting with Tree Trust (35 trees) • Playground inspections and repairs • Restrooms open for the season (Valley and Becker parks) • Pool construction project • Pool grounds maintenance • Trash removal 4800 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55429-3553 Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-0949 • www.crystalmn.gov PROJECT SUMMARYMAY 2025 This is an overview of the upcoming projects in the City of Crystal, which will take place at various parks and buildings across the city. Crystal Cove Aquatic Center Construction of the Aquatic Center continues. The flume slides are being assembled, while shade structures and tiles for the lap lanes are being installed. In addition, the interior paint, electric, concrete and other work is taking place. A celebration for the remodeled aquatic center has been scheduled for June 25 – ceremony begins at 5 p.m.! Small trees have been purchased to grow in the gravel bed nursery at the maintenance shop. The root balls will be covered with gravel and allowed time to grow. When they develop a fuller root ball, they will be planted in the parks. Sports Field Preparations Sport field rentals begin in May, and our park maintenance staff has been working hard to get them ready. The city prepares fields for soccer, baseball, softball, and ultimate. They also install nets on the pickleball and tennis courts. Gravel Bed Nursery PROGRAM SUMMARYAPRIL 2025 Below is an overview of the programs offered by the Crystal Recreation Department, along with occasional recaps of key special events we host. Friends of Crystal Parks-Plant Sale May 17 The Friends of Crystal Parks raises funds to support Parks and Open Spaces in Crystal, MN. You can donate plants or purchase at the sale. All proceeds go toward enhancing Crystal’s parks and open spaces! Crystal Recreation Dance Recital was on Sunday, April 27. The theme for this year was Icons Take the Stage. There were 326 people in attendance to watch these talented dancers perform. Crystal Recreation Dance Crystal Rock Garden at the Crystal Community Center. Make Crystal “Rock” by spreading positive messages. Visit the Kindness Rock Garden at the Crystal Community Center. Take a rock, place a rock or share a rock. Follow #CrystalMNRocks. Crystal Rock Garden Adult Open Pickleball wrapped up another indoor season on April 29, 2025. Volunteers will continue to meet and prepare for future sessions. Over 4500 participants attended October 2024 - April 2025. Adult Open Pickleball COMINGSOONSaturday, June 7Saturday, June 7 Youth ages 6-12 (adults are welcome) area challenged to obstacles and muddy mayhem! Register open! Young Mudder