Park Commission

Minutes of a Regular Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting October 5, 2021 A regular meeting of the Blue Springs Parks Commission was held on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at the Fieldhouse. The Chairman called the meeting to order. Jon Burke -- Present Parks Dept. Staff: Dennis Dovel Kathy Richardson – Present Parks Dept. Staff: Justin Stuart Keith Hannaman -- Present Parks Dept. Staff: Derek Mayden Maureen Johnson – Present Parks Dept. Staff: Mary Herrington Megan Johnson – Absent Parks Dept. Staff: Jayla Coleman Richard Mitchem – Present City Council Liaison: Susan Culpepper –Present Gabriel Mejia – Absent Ken Horrell - Present A motion was made by Jon Burke and seconded by Ken Horrell to accept the Consent Agenda. It passed unanimously. Visitors/Correspondence: None Program/Activity Spotlight: Mary Herrington presented on the Night Ride and Wild Miles. Staff were happy to hold both events this year as both were canceled last year due to COVID. We welcomed 93 riders for our Night Ride. Blue Springs Police Department, VIPS, and Bike Stop were crucial partners that helped make this event a huge success. There were three different routes participants could choose from, which allowed the whole family to participate as there was something for everyone. The weather was amazing with plenty snacks like popcorn, granola bars, and Gatorade for when the participants returned from their ride. Room for improvement is to have more riders and offer more activities after the ride. Next, Mary presented on Wild Miles which is an obstacle course geared for children ages 5-9 group and 10-13 group. The event took place at Grounds Park. Most of our obstacles were recycled from when we hosted the race a few years ago and were built by our Parks Maintenance Division. They assisted with the setup and teardown of the event. There were plenty volunteers to help, and the kids had so much they did the course multiple times through. Room for improvement is to increase participants and offer more obstacles. There was also concern regarding the date of the event being that it was held the same day as the Fall Fun Fest Parade so looking into new dates will be taken into consideration as well. Finances: Dennis presented on financials. Staff Reports: Staff reviewed their reports. Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman’s Report: None City Council Liaison Report: None Old Business: Dennis presented an update for the Park Sales Tax. He stated that staff will be working with various contractors to develop construction timelines for the projects slated for this year. Some of those projects include the paving of Grounds Park Trail Loop along Jefferson Street beginning October 11th, and Woods Chapel Park Playground Replacement beginning in late October. Some projects that are being bid at this time include Vesper Hall Boiler Replacement and Hidden Valley Park Concession/Restroom Building Roof Replacement. Dennis explained that staff is anticipating starting the design work and construction document work for the new Aquatic Center in October. Once contractors are approved, we will begin meeting with the Architects, Construction Manager and Consultants to develop the final plans for bidding the construction. Dennis then explained that parks and recreation was awarded our third Scrap Tire Grant through the Department of Natural Resources for the installation oof the rubber surface at Woods Chapel Park. It is awarded to encourage use of scrap tires to divert them from being disposed of in landfills. 1 Dennis then presented on the City Owned Fiber Project. The City has identified a little over $600,000 from the CARES Act Funds to install a City Owned Fiber Line. This will provide greater operational connectivity on a more stable platform. It is anticipated the fiber run will be completed by December 31, 2021. The current plan is to run from City Hall to Vesper Hall to Public Works Operations and to the Fieldhouse. New Business: None Miscellaneous: None As there was no further business, a motion for adjournment was made by Maureen Johnson and seconded by Ken Horrell. 2