Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission

Bristol Tennessee Municipal Regional Planning Commission Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Joint Meeting March 20, 2017 6:00pm Present: Susie Chandler David Akard Karen Combs Sherry Willinger Jason Booher Bennett Cowan Chris Connally George Laoo Absent: Cade Ownby Randy Frye Staff: Terry Napier April Norris I. Joint Meeting Call to Order – The joint meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by the Planning Commission Chairman, Kelly Graham. II. Comprehensive Trails and Greenways Master Plan Presentation McGill & Associates - Mike Norris and Jim Ford of McGill & Associates presented the Comprehensive Trails & Greenways Master Plan. The Parks and Recreation Commissions was ask to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council on the Comprehensive Trails and Greenways Master Plan, encouraging council to adopt the plan. Jason Booher made a motion to recommend the plan to council. Bennett Cowan seconds the motion. All commissioners are in favor, the motion passes. III. Joint Meeting Adjourned - Joint meeting was adjourned at 7:10pm. IV. Call to Order – The Parks and Recreation Commission meeting was called to order at 7:18 pm by Chairman, David Akard. V. Approval of November 10, 2016 Minutes – Chris Connally makes a motion to approve the minutes. Jason Booher seconds the motion. All in favor, motion passes. VI. Introduction of New Commissioner- Terry Napier introduced and welcomed George Laoo to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. VII. Old Business A. Nature Center Addition Progress- The addition is progressing well and very close to completion. The Friends of Steele Creek Park are closing in on their goal of $400,000 needed to complete the interior design. The rest of the interior construction will be completed in-house and by contractors. B. Splash Pad / Pavilion - Grand Opening Day is set for May, 2017. It will be held in conjunction with the Junior League of Bristol TN/VA’s 5K Splash and Dash event. The Parks and Recreation staff is planning to provide inflatables, a DJ and cotton candy free to the public. C. Relocation of Peddle Boats - The peddle boat house and docking system will be relocated and opening up in May. The docking system is currently out for bid and the boat house is under construction. The new building will be located beside the Amphitheater and will feature a new floating dock system. Terry advised that two new boats with canopy tops have been purchases. The boats will operate in conjunction with the train. The old boat house will be transformed into a lakeside lab for the Nature Center. VIII. New Business A. Approval of Nature Center Exhibit Sponsors and Room Naming Rights- • Crawl-through Cave Exhibit – Lea and Rush Powers increased their donation to $18,000 for the Crawl- through Cave Exhibit. Motion to accept made by Karen Combs and Sherry Willinger seconds the motion. All in favor, motion approved. B. Loss of Shelter A in Steele Creek Park – Shelter A was damaged by a fallen tree and was a total loss. Terry advised that funding was included in the FY18 Capital Projects Budget to rebuild the shelter. C. Ballfield preparations for spring users – Terry advised that crew are working hard to get the baseball fields ready for the leagues to begin their spring seasons. IX. Staff Comments: X. Board Comments: Karen Combs asked about the progress on the Aquatic’s Facility Study. Terry advised that the study was sent back for revisions. He hopes to have the new plan by the next council work session and will email it to the commission. Chris Connally asked how they could be assured that the Comprehensive Trails and Greenways Master Plan would be fulfilled. Terry advised that the point of the Masterplan is to establish a plan, a direction to go forward. Susie Chandler raised a concern with leash rules for dogs in the park. Terry advised that we will have an attendant on staff in the park which will hopefully help with enforcement if the rules. Sherry Willinger asked the commissioners to reach out to any one that they may know that may be willing to donate to Friends of Steele Creek Park for the Nature Center. George Laoo expressed his fondness of the King University Trail that was covered in the Trails and Greenways Master Plan. Jason Booher feels that the group should narrow its focus on issues so that Terry can carry a mission to council. Bennett Cowan states that the city should look at a policy to put in place to go along with the Trails and Greenway Plan. He suggest that the group take a look at Complete Streets. XI. Next Meeting: May 11, 2017 at 6pm at the Nature Center. XII. Adjourned: David Akard made the motion to adjourn the meeting and Karen Combs seconds the motion. Meeting adjourned at 8:14 pm. ________________________ Terry Napier, Director