Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee

Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- April 4, 2011 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Leo Parker, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, Nick Caggiano, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall, Mike Dillon, Dick Gillespie, Mark Soucy, TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 1. Approval of minutes Joshua - Meeting called to order by committee chairman Joshua Segal at 7 p.m. - Minutes of March 7, 2011 approved unanimously with no changes. 2. Park-Recreation: Nick Nick - Boat Ramp: Plan moving forward will be presented to Planning Board in May. Went before Conservation Commission also. Problem found with lot line of the park. City will transfer 1.03 acres of city-owned "Stellos" lot to Mine Falls Park. - Lot transfer will now have boat ramp in the park. Must be completed by September, bids to go out shortly and work started in June. Cost expected to be in the $130,000 to $145,000 range. Coffer dam will be used to build the ramp. - Signs: Nick reported the project is moving along and passed out copies of what the verbiage on the signs would be with some corrections. - Working with concrete firms on the stone the signs will set on. - Nature trail signs will be installed this spring. - Gatehouse restoration project received another award. New Hampshire Preservation Alliance has selected the Mine Falls Gatehouse as one of New Hampshire's 25 Milestone Projects of the last quarter century. Unveiling of the list will be done at the statewide conference in Manchester on April 8. - Nick spoke again on having people at the entrances of the park on Trail Days handing out information, rules, maps, of the park - Also mentioned having more than two dog bag stations. Question is if they will be effective. - Joshua mentioned more than vandalism he sees the problem as the stations empty of bags. Offered possibility of giving himself and Greg a supply of bags and keys to the bag holders since the pair frequents the park so often they could refill the stations. - If Nick stated that if Greg and Joshua agree, that would be great thing for the park.  2011 Meetings: Jan . 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 12, Oct.3, Nov. 7 , Dec. 5 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2011 Trail Days April 1 6, May 14 , June 1 8, Aug. 1 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Possible Volunteer Day in November . Page 1 of 5  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- April 4, 2011 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Leo Parker, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, Nick Caggiano, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall, Mike Dillon, Dick Gillespie, Mark Soucy, TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 3. Chairman's Notes Joshua - Develop organization Friends of Mine Falls under 501 c.3. - Collect and disburse funds for parks etc. Biggest problem is paper work and filing with the IRS. - Collecting funds comes from grants, donations and sales. Joshua asked if anyone else was interested in the program. - Though everyone agreed it was a worthy project, Nick agreed it was worthy idea and has use of one at Greeley Park, but pointed out it can't be done through a city committee as it is not a non-profit entity. - Can be done independent of the Mine Falls Committee, as individuals with no association with the committee. - Joshua needs names of three people to be trustees and if anyone interested to contact him after the meeting. - Extra annual trail day. Nick submitted a zero increase budget which amounts to a 1.5 percent decrease and it looks good for an extra trail day. Nick is confident it will be OK. - Long term plans for the Cheyenne Drive... would like to arrange for a hike from Lincoln Park to Nashua High School North just to inspect the land. Maps show that the park has a continuous right of way along the river. - Took walk last year and stated it's rugged in its present form. Would like to assemble a group of three to walk it and photograph it. - Questioned what purpose this was for by Nick..Joshua stated .just to present what was discovered to the rest of the committee. - Nick stated he will not support any development of that side other than picking up paper and trash. At this time won't support expanding that side. Clean-up only. Too much residential contact to cut new trails or expand current ones. - Needs to be completely thought out and Joshua understands that position but looks at the walk as an exploration of this section of the park which to his knowledge has never been done. - Environmental impact and enforcement issues figure in the possible long range plans for this section of the park. - Right of way questioned vs. ownership. Joshua explained the maps do show it to be part of Mine Falls Park. - The map shows a continuous strip along the river from Lincoln Park all the way through to the high school. - Large area around the falls itself, about 20 acres, which is part of the park. Has the most beautiful view of the falls. Passed around a photo taken by Greg of the view of the falls from the Cheyenne side.  2011 Meetings: Jan . 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 12, Oct.3, Nov. 7 , Dec. 5 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2011 Trail Days April 1 6, May 14 , June 1 8, Aug. 1 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Possible Volunteer Day in November . Page 2 of 5  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- April 4, 2011 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Leo Parker, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, Nick Caggiano, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall, Mike Dillon, Dick Gillespie, Mark Soucy, TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 4. Special Interest Projects Joshua - Trail Days: Coffee and donuts, voted down last meeting. - Change of location of registration for trail days also voted down as last session. - Gatehouse won't be open until the May trail day. - Six will be attending the first trail day. More than enough work without doing the walk through which now will be held on April 23 meeting at 9 a.m., at Lincoln Park. - Trail Day Tasks: Greg to head up clean-up of Triangle with three to five people. Blow over of trash unbelievable plus the silt around the drain needs removal. Mark has been doing some clean-up in the Triangle and asked where the non- trash materials should be placed. Answer was on the outside of the fence where the debris taken out last year has been decomposing. - Dismantling of chain link fence along the Nashua River. Nick thought it was a good idea but the focus of the April Trail Day should be cutting of the vines with loppers along the fence and poison ivy in sections so it dries for easy removal later. More bang for the buck now. Removal of the fencing will be easier. Cutting the vine at the bottom is key as it is a huge job. Must be cut in two sections so it can't regenerate, dry up. Tools will be supplied. Scott in charge. Nasty work especially if it's poison ivy, must be cut at the base so all sap is dried. Two cuts on each stem. -- Wrap trees to protect trees from beavers along the Purple and Blue Trails. - Clean up the garbage from snow melt near the Millyard entrance former baseball fields and clean-up of the two overlooks, two to three people. Once done with the overlooks clean up glass shards in between the two overlooks. No need for Polaris. - Deceptive on how much trash by overlooks and the Triangle could be more than enough work. Clipping of vines could provide more than enough work. Ed will assist on vine. Dick Gillespie will lead tree wrapping and Leo will head the snowmelt and overlook. Mark will go to assist vine cutting after registration. - Rakes for soccer fields and tables for handing out park information. - Scott will e-mail signs for marking of dog waste as done in Phoenix. - April 23 set for the walk through as some ideas will be developed from the trail day. - Number of volunteers should be assigned by team leaders.  2011 Meetings: Jan . 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 12, Oct.3, Nov. 7 , Dec. 5 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2011 Trail Days April 1 6, May 14 , June 1 8, Aug. 1 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Possible Volunteer Day in November . Page 3 of 5  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- April 4, 2011 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Leo Parker, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, Nick Caggiano, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall, Mike Dillon, Dick Gillespie, Mark Soucy, TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS Special Interest Projects . . Continued - Renaming Maple Island. An idea brought up by Scott a couple years ago. Scott passed around a newspaper article from year's back in which a guy named John, a "drunk" used that name in a story in the Telegraph and it's been referred to as Maple Island ever since. Renaming the island would be icing on Scott's cake. - Maybe it doesn't need a name. - Public Relations: Greg working on it. Joshua recommended committee members look at the Shutterfly web site to see the documentation of the park. -Using industrial revolution debris and granite posts to enhance the entrance to the park put on hold until the items can be collected and assembled at Greeley Park barn and placed in the park when good weather arrives... - If you see bricks along Spine Road, etc., they are taking down the Millyard chimney 20 feet and then replacing it as Illyard wouldn't look right. Leave the bricks there. 6. Old Business All - Capital expense list for Nick. Tabled until next time. Also Dick may have a host of projects along the Red Trail. - Get women on the committee Try to get women members on the committee...have to go through the process with Patti Rogers and City Hall .have them attend a meeting to see what it's like. No limit to the number of committee members. - Perhaps having associate members on the committee -- Inactive committee members, chairman should look up the bylaws and write a letter to the non-attending members and forward that to City Hall. Also, thinks there are a certain number of meetings one can miss. Will work in coordination with Greg. -Trail names make no sense to spend all the money for signage and then change the names. - Kayak rentals, committee not involved, Nick only allows those groups which do not charge to use Mill Pond for demonstrations etc. Y personnel should get in touch with Nick to see if it qualifies under the park regulations. New Business All - Bittersweet problem at the Cove and fencing already discussed. -Dedication of the new Y on May 21 at 10 a.m., Mike would like to see a representation of committee members at the event wearing our colors as a sign on friendship and welcome to the park. - .  2011 Meetings: Jan . 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 12, Oct.3, Nov. 7 , Dec. 5 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2011 Trail Days April 1 6, May 14 , June 1 8, Aug. 1 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Possible Volunteer Day in November . Page 4 of 5  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- April 4, 2011 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Leo Parker, Dave Silva, Ed Moran, Nick Caggiano, Scott Rogers, Greg Andruskevich, Sherm Sewall, Mike Dillon, Dick Gillespie, Mark Soucy, TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS Adjournment Meeting was adjourned as 8:12 p.m.  2011 Meetings: Jan . 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 12, Oct.3, Nov. 7 , Dec. 5 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2011 Trail Days April 1 6, May 14 , June 1 8, Aug. 1 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Possible Volunteer Day in November . Page 5 of 5