PARC (Parks, Arts, Recreation, Culture) Committee

PARC Tax Advisory Board April 14, 2021 Virtual Public Meeting / ZOOM Video Conference Attendees Brian Thompson Laurel Shelley Karen Schaack Brandon Smith Cherylyn Egner Nan Kuhn Camden Bird Scott Okelberry Nate Mecham Clark Taylor The meeting started at 5:30 pm. Grant Applications Discussion: The Board viewed presentations given by all qualified applicants. Then, the Board reviewed and evaluated how the projects would support and enhance the American Fork community. The Board was unanimous with the final recommendations for allocation of PARC tax funds. With approximately $126,000 left to distribute, the Board would like to open a second round for applications with the Council’s approval. Grant Recommendations AF City Library Children’s Programming Room $55,000 Balcony Art Gallery Assets $4,000 AF Parks and Recreation Art Dye Dog Park $68,000 Frontage Trail $90,000 Playgrounds $190,351 Art Dye Park Bond $350,000 Pool Features $32,000 Alpine Community Theatre (ACT) Matilda $58,850 Christmas Carol $46,250 DUP July 24th Celebration $1,500 Friends of American Fork Library Balcony Art Gallery $5,690 Mural Commission $5,600 Book Fairy Project $8,765 Dictionaries for 3rd Graders $2,992 Fox Hollow Driving Range $36,636 Harrington Center for the Arts The Walls $16,319 Chalk Fest $14,860 Sculpture Exhibition $3,200 Exploration of New Works $3,687 Fork Fest $41,811 Concerts in the Park $13,750 Timpanogos Arts Foundation Mary Kawakami Speech Contest $2,460  TAF Visual Arts $10,395 TAF Community Theater $81,000 TAF Youth Theater $24,000 TAF Youth Choir $18,767 AF Symphony $34,050 Vivace Youth Orchestra $15,950 Administration $110,000 Wasatch Contemporary Dance Co. Guest Choreography $4,050 Wasatch Music Alliance Operating Expenses $50,266 Attached is a statement explaining the Boards recommendations PARC Administration Funds The Board discussed how to spend the approximately $23,000 administration funds. Although the PARC Tax expires in July 2023, the City Council plans to place the PARC Tax renewal on the November 2021 ballot. We support the Council in this action and desire to use the administrative funds to do the following: • Prepare, produce, and distribute an informational brochure with list of projects completed with the PARC Tax • Produce PARC project video • Hold Open Houses at various locations throughout the City This will be discussed in greater detail during our May meeting. Other Business a. Next Virtual meeting is May 5th, 5:30 pm Brian moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:40 pm, Laurel seconded. The following statements explain the reasoning for these recommendations: Alpine Community Theater (ACT): Matilda and Christmas Carol $105,100 Based in American Fork, ACT provides quality productions for our community and has been a good steward of PARC money in the past. They plan to present productions of Matilda and A Christmas Carol. These productions will bring great entertainment and enjoyment to our community. ACT has a greater need for funding this year because they must pay more building rental fees than they have in the past. American Fork Library: Children’s Room $55,000 The Board is supportive of this project and believes this should be a city priority. The library is a center for children to discover literature and culture, be tutored, and participate in many other worthwhile activities. An expanded area for children’s programs will enhance the library experience for the entire community--especially the children. Balcony Art Gallery Assets $4,000 This project will improve and beautify the balcony area of the library. It will improve the space so it can be used by Friends of the Library to hold monthly exhibits of local art. American Fork Parks and Recreation: Art Dye Dog Park $68,000 American Fork City is growing rapidly, and the need for open places for people to allow their dogs to run is increasing exponentially. This park will improve life for members of the community by giving a designated space for people to play with their dogs. Frontage Trail $90,000 The frontage trail will provide an ambulatory connection between the neighborhoods south of the freeway to Rotary Park, the library, Greenwood Elementary, etc. This will definitely enhance the quality of life for many American Fork patrons. Playgrounds $190,351 The replacement of worn playground equipment is a good use of PARC funds. Park playgrounds provide hours of enjoyment for children throughout the community. Art Dye Park $350,000 American Fork has been working to complete Art Dye Park for many years, and the vision for the park is excellent. The current plan, when completed, will make this an acclaimed gathering place for athletics, entertainment, and recreation. Ongoing funding for this multi-use park is a prudent use of PARC tax funds. Pool Features $32,000 These pool features will enhance the recreation center and provide hours of challenge and enjoyment for local swimmers. DUP July 24th Celebration $1,500 This celebration will help American Fork citizens celebrate and understand the pioneer heritage of our town and help children become excited about our history. Friends of the Library: Balcony Art Gallery $5,690 This project will improve and beautify the balcony area of the library. It will make it possible for the Friends of the Library to hold monthly exhibits of local artists. Mural Commission $5,600 Adding a mural will revitalize the rotunda of the library, provide a welcoming environment for patrons, and give local artists an opportunity to display their talent. Book Fairy Project $8,765 Literacy enhances arts, culture, and community. The Book Fairy Project encourages students to enjoy reading and learning and to pursue an understanding of literary arts. This project provides a book each month of the school year for every first grade student in our community. Dictionaries for 3rd Graders $2,992 Vocabulary is crucial to a child’s growth and development. The Dictionary Project encourages students to enjoy reading and to gain an excitement for learning new words. This project provides a dictionary for every third grade student in our community. Fox Hollow: Driving Range $36,636 Golf is becoming more and more popular, and the driving range is used heavily at Fox Hollow. To increase the space and availability for more people to use the driving range, the requested items are necessary. This project will allow for more community members to enjoy the golf experience. Harrington Center for the Arts: The Walls $16,319 The walls at the Harrington Center for the Arts provide an opportunity for local, professional, and amateur artists to showcase their art and provide an outdoor museum experience for the community. Chalk It Up $14,860 This week-long festival brings an exciting art experience to our city through professional chalk artists, chalk art competition, community participation, and live voting by community members. Having it happen in conjunction with Steel Days enhances the celebration and encourages art in the community. Sculpture Exhibition $3,200 This sculpture exhibition will offer new sculptors the opportunity to have their sculptures cast in bronze by one of our four nearby fine art bronze foundries. Then, American Fork citizens will be able to enjoy these sculptures, which will be placed on display in the community. Exploration of New Works $3,687 This program will focus on the exploration of new works, plays, and musicals by local writers. New musicals and plays will be selected by a committee of qualified specialists. Each workshop will conclude with a concert-version performance of the new plays/musicals followed by a critique with qualified panelists who will offer artistic feedback and comment on the commercial viability of the work. This project adds a new dimension of artistic involvement for our community. Fork Fest $41,811 This annual summer music festival offers an opportunity for the American Fork community to experience local musical talent as well as talent from outside of the community. The concept of this festival encourages participation and enjoyment in art, culture, and music. Concerts in the Park $13,750 Members of the Community value the tradition of the Concerts in the Park series during the summer. These concerts bring many people together and provide an important musical and social experience for American Fork patrons in the unique environment at Quail Cove Timpanogos Arts Foundation (TAF): $296,622 The Timpanogos Arts Foundation produces many worthwhile performances and educational programs for the American Fork Community. They provide an opportunity for community members to participate in their specialty areas (symphony, band, choir, visual art, theater, etc.) and produce quality performances and exhibitions for the members of the community. TAF enhances the life experience in American Fork and contributes to a well-balanced community. The Board recommends each group within TAF be given the following grants: Mary Kawakami Speech Contest: $2,460 TAF Visual Arts: $10,395 TAF Community Theater: $81,000 TAF Youth Theater: $24,000 Youth Choirs: $18,767 AF Symphony: $34,050 Vivace Youth Orchestra: $15,950 Administration: $110,000 Wasatch Dance: Guest Choreography $4,050 Dance is highly valued in the American Fork community and having a guest choreographer to work with company dancers will enhance the dancers’ experience. The final performance will showcase the art of dance in a new and exciting way. Wasatch Music Alliance: Operations and Equipment $50,266 The Wasatch Music Alliance with its two performing groups provides an opportunity for many American Fork instrumentalists to perform and for many other residents to enjoy concert band and jazz band music in our community. Requests Not Recommended for Funding This Year Timpanogos Arts Foundation (TAF): Timpanogos Chorale In light of the confusion regarding the adult community choirs at this time, the Board feels it best to encourage this group to reapply for funding when the second round of applications opens.