Board of Parks Commissioners Meeting

Norman Board of Parks Commissioners Regular Meeting September 6, 2018 The Norman Board of Parks Commissioners of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met in Council Chambers on the 6th day of September, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. and notice and agenda of the meeting were posted at 201 West Gray Street, 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. ITEM 1, being: ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Dolan, Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Rogers, and Sallee Absent: Commissioners Moxley, Salmond, and Wright City Officials Present: Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation Karla Sitton, Administrative Technician IV ITEM 2, being: APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 7, 2018 MEETING MINUTES Commissioner Isacksen made the motion and Commissioner Rogers seconded to approve the minutes. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Dolan, Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Rogers, and Sallee NAY: None ITEM 3, being: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Sallee made the motion and Commissioner Isacksen seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Dolan, Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Rogers, and Sallee NAY: None ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Park Board Page 2 of 4 September 6, 2018 ITEM 4, being ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF THE NORMAN YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION Mr. Brandon Hopper, Norman Youth Soccer Association (NYSA) President, read the NYSA Mission Statement to the Board and said the NYSA’s Vision is to be the best youth soccer program in Oklahoma. He highlighted the core values of the program and gave a narrative of all league and tournament activity for the 2017-18 season. Mr. Hopper said NYSA offers three (3) soccer leagues, which currently have about 3,000 participants. He highlighted their Academy (development) league for U8 and U10 boys and girls and said anyone can enroll in the league. Mr. Hopper said all players train with coaches and compete against Academy teams within NYSA. He said NYSA also offers a Competitive league to U11 to U19 boys and girls. Annual Competitive league tryouts are held in June each year and accepted players are placed on teams based on ability. All Competitive players train with professional coaches and compete against Competitive teams in other soccer organizations. NYSA also offers Adult and US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) programs and highlighted each. Mr. Hopper said the Adult recreational league is a fundraising project and US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer is for disabled players enrolled in the Norman Public School (NPS) system. Mr. Hopper said NYSA has partnered with Norman Police Department and one officer is present at all the Saturday games. He said there is also medical staff on site during the games. Mr. Hopper highlighted tournaments that NYSA operates as fundraising projects and camps that are held during the summer for a fee. He said NYSA provided approximately $100,000 (versus $80,000 in 2016) in scholarships to players in the Academy, Competitive, and Recreational Leagues. Mr. Hopper said the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated a $1.5 million economic impact to the City of Norman from the tournaments. Mr. Hopper said NYSA offers several youth camps during the summer for a fee and the camps focus on developing the technical skills and tactical capabilities of campers. The camps are open to any youth, but most camp participants are NYSA players. Mr. Hopper said NYSA also hosted a College Prep camp during the summer of 2018. He said this was the third year for this type of camp for the purpose of showcasing players’ talents and teaching the college recruitment process. A written report including financial information was submitted prior to the meeting. Commissioner Rogers thanked NYSA for the great job and felt NYSA and Norman Forward projects, such as the Griffin Park Project, will put Norman on the map. The Board acknowledged the report. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 5, being PRESENTATION OF DESIGN CONCEPT FOR CEDAR LANE PARK Mr. James Briggs, Park Planner, said Cedar Lane Park will be the first neighborhood park to be built with Norman Forward (NF) funds. He said the park is located in Cedar Lane Addition, off of Skylar Way, along a street front rather than in the back of a neighborhood. Park Board Page 3 of 4 September 6, 2018 Mr. Briggs said the surveys conducted of neighborhoods near the park site had a high response rate and also had good feedback. Commissioner Sallee asked how the surveys were conducted and Mr. Briggs said he distributed them to the Homeowner Associations in the area, who then distribute to the homeowners. Mr. Briggs highlighted the top requested items to include: Walking Trail; Trees; Playground with Shade; Shelter; Basketball; Fitness Equipment; Other (Pool, Dog Park, etc.); Soccer; Backstop; and Volleyball. He said Picnic Tables, Benches, Grills, and Drinking Fountains are included in all Neighborhood Parks, and therefore, not included on the surveys. Mr. Briggs said the fitness equipment will be the first fitness equipment to be located in a neighborhood park. Commissioner Isacksen asked Staff whether park shelters will be regular type or gazebo type shelters and Mr. Briggs said they will be gazebo type shelters with additional picnic tables in the park. Commissioner Favors asked if the picnic tables and playground equipment will be handicap accessible and Staff said yes. Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks & Recreation, said Staff will contact the Councilmembers for Ward 7 to see if they would like a presentation of the final park plan and if they have an additional comments and/or input. He said once their approval is obtained Staff will move forward in obtaining full Council approval. Mr. Briggs said a subcommittee may be formed to discuss the final naming of the park since there is more than one development and/or additions that would utilize the neighborhood park. Mr. Evan Dunn, 1400 Garfield Avenue, concerned citizen felt it would be cool to allow young families to name the park after a historical, ethical, or moral person. He also suggested having two and/or three track lanes in the park for running or walking. Mr. Dunn said more people could use the basketball goals if several different sized goals were installed. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 6, being PRESENTATION OF RENOVATION PLAN FOR PRAIRIE CREEK PARK Mr. James Briggs, Park Planner, said Prairie Creek Park was recently on the Park Tour in May, 2018, and reminded the Board that it is an older park that had good bones but needs updating. He said currently the park has two (2) playground areas; one located on the west side of Brookhaven Creek running through park, and the other located on the east side of Brookhaven Creek. He said the renovation plan will replace the west playground to include synthetic turf safety surfacing and installing synthetic turf safety surfacing under the existing eastern playground structure. Mr. Briggs said Prairie Creek Park has many big trees and a lot of green space/area. He said the Stormwater Division of the Public Works Department recently planted over 1,000 trees with a no-mow zone along Brookhaven Creek as it passes through the park and travels south in order to bring the creek/vegetation back to the area. The renovation will also add a perimeter walking trail which will connect to play areas and picnic areas; add a picnic shelter in the southeast corner and upgrade all park furniture; expand the existing basketball court; and add soccer goals and improve the existing backstop. Commission Rogers asked when the renovation would start and be completed and Staff said the work will begin this Fall and completed in the Spring of 2019. Mr. Evan Dunn, 1400 Garfield Avenue, concerned citizen, asked whether the cost of teepees would be comparable to the cost of park shelters. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Park Board Page 4 of 4 September 6, 2018 ITEM 7, being MISCELLANEOUS Chairman Dolan asked Staff if the Outdoor Movie Series at Lions Park and Westwood Family Aquatic Center (WWFAC) has been successful and Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation, said yes. He said the next movie in the Outdoor Movie Series is “Coco” which will be shown at Lions Park on Friday, October 12, 2018. Mr. Foster said Staff will provide updates on the 2018 Recreation Special Events as well as the 2018 WWFAC Season at the October Park Board meeting. Mr. James Briggs, Park Planner, provided an update on the Indoor Tennis Facility stating the contractor, Flintco, will begin constructing a manufactured building onsite in October, 2018, and completing it by February, 2019, pending the weather. Chairman Dolan said he volunteered to be a Park Board representative for the Legacy Park Activity Committee (LPAC); however, his schedule has not allowed him to attend any of the LPAC meetings to date. He asked whether anyone else on the Park Board would like to volunteer and attend the LPAC meetings. Mr. Foster said currently both Commissioners Moxley and Salmond attend the LPAC meetings, so it was not necessary for another Park Board Commissioner to attend, unless they just wanted. Mr. Foster said the City continues to work with the University of Oklahoma and State Department of Mental Health for a land lease agreement adjacent to the YMCA. He said the Norman Forward Griffin Park and Sutton Wilderness projects are moving along. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 8, being ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Isacksen made the motion and Commissioner Sallee seconded to adjourn. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Dolan, Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Rogers, and Sallee NAY: None Passed and approved this ____________of ________________________ 2018 Bud Dolan, Chairperson