Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee

Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- Nov. 1, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Peter Testa, Leo Parker, Joshua Segal, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, John Barry, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall Guest: John Janosik TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 1. Approval of minutes Sean - Meeting called to order by committee chairman Sean Neary at 7 p.m. - Minutes of Oct. 4, 2010 approved unanimously with no changes.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2010 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 1 of 4  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- Nov. 1, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Peter Testa, Leo Parker, Joshua Segal, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, John Barry, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall Guest: John Janosik TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 2. Park-Recreation: Nick John Barry - Entrance Signage update: A step back, Nick received an e-mail from Merrimack firm stating it could not handle the job. - Nick will tighten specs for the rebid to install signs. - Boat Ramp: Bidding process will begin permitting awarding of the bid in April. Work will be done in June and July. - Presently the boat ramp plan is outside the park on Stellos site. Plan to move lot line to bring boat ramp back inside the park. -T-shirts: Nick requests all information needed on the shirt be accomplished by February so order can be placed. - John passed out a pictometry view of the Millyard where the fencing will go to protect the Cove. - Fence line cost was estimated at $5,300 with no gates. John stated nothing was mentioned about adding gates. Cost another $1,000 for a gate. - Fence will be 327 feet in length. - Committee members recommended two walk through gates be added and John said that would add about $600 each to the cost. - Two sites were chosen for the gates, one by the health facility in the Millyard and one on the other side for easy access for maintenance of the area. - Gate City Fence has put in a bid for the fencing. - Peter requested Nick and others take a serious look at the Red Trail and Red Trail shortcuts for there are serious underpinnings of the beams and erosion is making it dangerous. Peter suggested closing this area off until fixed. - As an aside it was noted a letter was sent to the city engineer by Sean on behalf of the committee to use the equipment for boat ramp construction to be used on the Red Trail spurs. This will give the committee a chance to put the proposal before them. - Large boulders and large twigs could be emplaced to help close off the dangerous spur. - John stated Bob Genest will contact Peter about the proposed effort. - Army Corps of Engineers due back to complete $50,000 study of the Mill Pond and Power Canal which began in 2004 but had to be put on hold because of Hurricane Katrina. - Peter explained the study had to do with removal of milfoil from park waters and Nashua River. - Soccer season ends second week of November. - On Nov. 8 2010 at Palm Square a meeting will be held about plans for the proposed Labine Park. - Regarding Cheyenne Drive entrance to park, John emphasized Nick requests only litter cleaning be done at this time as code enforcement is working on a boundary dispute. - Park Rec staff is thin at this time as two men had to be provided to Public Works for fall pick-up. - Nick will provide some graffiti removal material if requested by committee members for use in the park. - Joshua brought up the point the Mine Falls Master Plan called for a pedestrian bridge connecting the park to the northwest side of the park across the Nashua River to the area of Cheyenne Drive. This is about 20 acres of park land.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2010 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 2 of 4  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- Nov. 1, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Peter Testa, Leo Parker, Joshua Segal, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, John Barry, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall Guest: John Janosik TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 3. Park Recreation: Nick John Barry - The master plan was developed in 1973 and is available at Amy Gill's office and from Nick. Joshua called the view from this side of the park of the falls as breathtaking. (continued) - Committee members mentioned there must be some reason why the bridge was never constructed allowing the neighbors some privacy. - Sean stated this project needs some serious study by the committee and other city departments- - A subject for future discussion, Alderman at Large Mark Cookson will be invited to the February meeting to get a feel of what the neighborhood envisions for this area of the park. - Scott emphasized it was Alderman Cookson who approached the committee about the Inca-Cheyenne side of the park and be involved in trail days. 4. Chairman’s Notes Sean - Two October Trail Days – much was accomplished during the month – Sean happy with the work - Oct. 16 Trail Day - Fox Trail staircase was repaired and sides were covered with large twigs found in the area to divert mountain bikers from using them and causing erosion of the area. Under the direction of Leo Parker. - Culvert behind the soccer fields was repaired from erosion problems. - Cove Trail was cleaned of large debris. - Along with trash pick-up this made for an incredibly successful Trail Day. A well done to all. - Those students who worked on the Fox Trail also had an educational experience as Sean spoke about the history of the park and Nashua in walking to the Gatehouse and then touring the Gatehouse. - Sean said it was an incredibly great, great day. - Oct. 30 Trail Day - This seventh Trail Day almost was not held because funding was not available to cover the overtime costs for the parks and rec personnel but discussions between Sean, Nick and Scott resulted in Nick conceding and being creative in finding the necessary funding for the Trail Day to be held. - Sean stressed there have to be city personnel on hand when we are working in the park because of liability issues as we are volunteers and not city employees. - Second Trail Day was also incredibly successful. Scott and Joshua commented it was phenomenal of the amount of work done and amount of debris removed. - What was accomplished was highly successful to the park and the city of Nashua and thank you to all. - Guidelines for extra Trail Day: So we won't have to go through what we did this year it was recommended we have specific guidelines to enact specific Trail Day projects which have to be done before winter. A seventh Trail Day is not funded up front. - Peter mentioned volunteers tend to lose interest or maintain enthusiasm if we have too many Trail Days. - The extra Trail Day has to be discussed in committee and a seventh Trail Day must be necessary or an emergency. - Joshua interjected that nothing we do on Trail Days is done on an emergency basis and if so Nick's crews have to handle it.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2010 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 3 of 4  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- Nov. 1, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Peter Testa, Leo Parker, Joshua Segal, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, John Barry, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall Guest: John Janosik TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS Chairman’s Notes (continued) Sean - The subject of a seventh Trail Day will be taken under old business at another meeting for discussion purposes. - Telegraph article on Trail Day was wonderful except for two inaccuracies. Sean stated we never had a Bishop Guertin or Fairgrounds Middle School student at the Trail Day. Greg countered he spoke with them and the mother of the two boys who worked on the Cove ATrail Project so there was no inaccuracy in the article contrary to what the chairman felt. - Monday Dec. 6 meeting will be held at the Estabrook Grill, 26 Palm Street beginning at 6 p.m. and not 7 p.m. - It will be a 'Dutch" event. Committee members are responsible for paying their own way. 5. Sub Committee Reports Sub Committee - Sponsorships – Dave will be meld into another committee as we no longer have sponsors for Trail Days. representatives. - Registration – Forty-nine people took part in the Trail Day. - Gatehouse - Went well with people rotating through and Ed Moran stated he learned a lot just listening to Mike Dillon explain the history of the Gatehouse to the visitors. - Sean stated that is one of the reasons he wants members to rotate and man the gatehouse to learn more about the history of the park and Gatehouse. - Cove/Maple Island – Clean as a whistle. Sean gave credit to Scott in cleaning up that end of the park and applauded him for his efforts. People are no longer timid in going to the Cove area now. - John Barry mentioned that clean-up is saving the city $6,000 to $7,000 a year by not having to hire Manny's Trucking to clean out the area. - Public Relations – Greg passed out two photo books of the September and October Trail Days and said the Telegraph and Broadcaster have used articles on the Trail Days. He also mentioned a commentary in the Telegraph by Eduardo J. Lopez-Reyes which cited a need in the Vision 20 plan for a connecting running trail inside the park instead of using the Millyard parking lot. It's exactly what Scott, Joshua and Greg and others have done with the re-opening of the Cove Trail. - Trail Day – Nothing, discussed enough. 6. Old business All - Nothing 7. New Business All - Upcoming elections - All officer posts are up for election with nominations open until the January vote. 1- Sean will not be seeking re-election as chairman. 2- Scott would like to remain as vice chairman 3- Greg will stay as secretary 4- Joshua was nominated as a candidate for the chairmanship 5- All posts open for nomination so please make nominations for vote at the January meeting. - Sean greeted guest John Janosik - John Barry reported a woman lost her cell phone by Field 6 should anyone find it. 8. Adjournment - The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2010 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 4 of 4