Parks and Recreation Board

222 West Main Street City of Pensacola Pensacola, FL 32502 Meeting Minutes 3 - Final Parks and Recreation Board Thursday, November 18, 2021 8:00 AM Hagler-Mason Conference Room Members of the public may attend the meeting in person. City Council encourages those not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings that cover their nose and mouth. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Hicks read a statement to the public informing them about a one-minute delay when the meeting is viewed via the live stream on the City's website. 2. ROLL CALL Present 7- Chairperson Rand Hicks, Vice Chair Maranda Sword, Renee Borden, Antonio Bruni, David Del Gallo, Alejandra Escobar-Ryan, and Michael Wolf Absent 2- Leah Harrison, and Mike O'Donovan APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3. MINUTES OF OCTOBER 21, 2021 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING Attachments: Minutes of October 21, 2021 - Unapproved A motion was made by Del Gallo, seconded by Escobar-Ryan, that this Minutes be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 9- Borden, Bruni, Del Gallo, Escobar-Ryan, Chairperson Hicks, Wolf, Vice Chair Sword, Harrison, and O'Donovan 4. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Director Cooper introduced Sheri Carlton the new Assistant to the Director and David Forte, Deputy City Administrator. Director Cooper brought the following updates: - Kiwanis Park is well under way the dog park fencing and the amenities are going in project nearing completion. - Magee Field successful in purchasing the house adjacent to them; someone in community will put together an Impact 100 grant to renovate it into an educational center. - Long Hollow Playground is scheduled to start early December. - Bayview Community Center is scheduled to reopen to public next week. - Roger Scott Tennis Center tonight we have a council item to accept county's interlocal agreement where they have agreed to pay 1/2 cost of City of Pensacola Page 1 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes 3 - Final November 18, 2021 renovation pay up 1.3 million. - Hunter Pool bids open next week. - Skate Park will have final design and final bid documents mid December. - Bayview Park and Sanders Beach Park we are wrapping up funding and purchasing for the play ground equipment. - Osceola Pole Barn secured funding for project and will go to December council meeting. Member Bruni asked if the city will be removing 77 protected trees for the expansion of the tennis courts project at Roger Scott. Director Cooper explained that the project will take the 18 courts and will expand the footprint of each court going west towards the Vickrey Center to create more room between each court so the players would have more room to turn around and it would enable the city to bring back the international tennis tournaments. It is also a requirement of our agreement with the YMCA that we put in a parking lot for future plan of a YMCA fitness facility. The parking lot increases the impervious surface therefore an stormwater retention pond will be required. The percentage of trees allowed to be removed stated in the city ordinance when developing a site is within that percentage. Being that the city is within the percentage allowable the city does not have to mitigate but the city will be planting 60 trees as part to the project. Discussion followed in regards to the removal of trees. Member Borden asked when plans become available is it the boards purview to review the plans prior to posting for bid for discussion. Director Cooper stated although it typically is not the boards responsibility because an engineering firm designs the plans and three city departments reviews the plans before going out to bid he did welcome all board members to ask questions and if they wanted to review that he would make them available. The following motions was made- We encourage the council to accept funding of interlocal agreement for the completion of the Roger Scott Tennis Court project and to examine all possible alternatives to redirect stormwater runoff so that we can save as many trees as possible expressly the heritage live oaks. A motion was made by Borden, seconded by Wolf, that this be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Borden, Bruni, Chairperson Hicks, Wolf, Harrison, and O'Donovan No: 3- Del Gallo, Escobar-Ryan, and Vice Chair Sword STAFF REPORTS 5. ADRIAN STILLS - GOLF COURSE PRO AND GENERAL MANAGER (OSCEOLA GOLF COURSE) City of Pensacola Page 2 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes 3 - Final November 18, 2021 Adrian Stills, Osceola Golf Course Manager began presentation with a brief biography stating he grow up in Pensacola, went to Catholic High, got a golf scholarship at South Carolina State, a couple PGA tours in mid 80's, moved away, and came back to Pensacola after 20 years in Orlando. Is a city employee at Osceola Golf Course going on 16 years. Osceola golf course was first employment as a 16 year old which is the same pro shop that he now runs and governs. Involved with starting the chapter of First Tee and was the first Executive Director also involved in junior golf and other golf related activities within the community. Adrian continued with presentation about the Osceola Golf Course. The golf course was built in 1926 which will be coming up on the 100 year anniversary in a few years. Osceola has evolved over the years as it was part of a dairy farm that had supplied dairy to all of Escambia County. Osceola is seeing an upward trend with about 35,000 to 38,000 rounds of golf annually. Osceola is increasingly conducting more tournaments, junior tournaments and junior activities, such as First Tee. The tournaments are providing a revenue for 501c3 and non-profits to raise funds for their organization at a low cost. Osceola is in better condition and with the pandemic people are coming back. People can socialize safely and get engaged in outdoor physical activities. This trend has increased the revenue for Osceola along with an upward trend of weddings and receptions being held at the Osceola clubhouse. First Tee is a program that Osceola is engaged in that teaches kids life skills through the game's inherent nine core values. It has a curriculum that talks about how to engage juniors and teach them the importance of respect, integrity and good sportsmanship. The ages of the kids range from 6 to 17. Osceola is the first site for what is now Gulf Coast First Tee the chapter goes from Pensacola to Panama City. The chapter is doing about 48 programs per year with the juniors. Escambia High School just had a fund raising tournament who had 108 people come out and raised $7,000 dollars for their baseball booster program. The city has a big event tomorrow with the Mayor's Cup a tournament that started 10 years ago to raise funds for a lot of different charities but most of the funds will go to the First Tee chapter. Adrian invited all board members to come out play golf and to network with each other. Director Cooper spoke briefly about the golf course stating that it is now in the best shape and that the clubhouse has been renovated and is in great shape. Osceola has the only covered/shaded driving ranges in Northwest Florida. Recently put down approximately 600 ft. of new cart path. Taking every opportunity to making improvements. Director Cooper told Adrian he City of Pensacola Page 3 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes 3 - Final November 18, 2021 was doing a great job. Member Borden asked about sponsoring youth golf and summer camps and coordinating with schools and cross marketing. Adrian explained he does private golf instructions, youth golf clinics and First Tee depending on age group one can go on-line at firstteegulfcoast.com to register kids for a 10 week program throughout school year and also through summer. He has adopted Sherwood Elementary through the national school foundation and also present at Sacred Heart School. Chairman Hicks asked what comparative golf courses in this area have experienced. Adrian stated everyone in the golf industry at this time has seen an increase. We have improved our product and have raised our rates slightly but under everyone else. Chairman Hicks suggested having a board meeting on site and asked Adrian if he would host a meeting. Adrian said he has a new projector screen and it would be his pleasure. NEW BUSINESS 6. NAMING OF TENNIS COURT AT ROGER SCOTT TENNIS CENTER AFTER MARIO ALVAREZ Attachments: Court Dedication to Mario Alvarez Robin Olsson, Director, Under the Hill Tennis League at the Roger Scott Tennis Center addressed the board with his request to have a court named in honor of Mario Alvarez. He shared that Mr. Alvarez started playing tennis around 1967 , while in the U.S. Navy he learned and exceled in the sport by 1976 he was chosen as a member of the All-Navy Tennis team. He played with another notable Pensacola resident by the name of Ralph "Skeeter" Carson (The tennis facility at the University of West Florida is named in his honor). In the mid-1980's, while a resident Tennis Pro at NAS Pensacola, Mario began hosting monthly tennis tournaments at the base. These tournaments were well received, and over the years have transitioned to the courts at Bayview Park, and are still as popular a tournament as ever after 35 years decades. Mario has been a teaching pro for over 40 years. He has impacted thousands of people with is common-sense approach to the game. Mario's heart is all about giving back to the community, through programs such as: Special Olympics, Pollack Kids and Wheelchair Tennis, Tennis Across America, and Racquet Round-Up. Due to Mario's lifelong involvement in teaching tennis professionally over the years, he was awarded the 'Lifetime Member of the USPTA' by the United States Professional Tennis Association. Mario has helped MANY junior ranked tennis players earn scholarships to various City of Pensacola Page 4 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes 3 - Final November 18, 2021 colleges and universities, and has assisted local high school teams to win district competitions. Mario is the last actively playing, founding member of the Under the Hill League at the Roger Scott Tennis Center. He initially served on the Executive Committee, then as a captain and player. In the 33 years that this league has existed, part of the leagues overall success was having Mario's leadership and enthusiasm ever-present. At 82 years old, he is still on the court every Monday of every UTHL session, competing, teaching and inspiring those around him. Annually, Mario is still active in helping and playing in the Senior Games, both the Local and National levels. His highest Senior Games national ranking for his age group was #6 in Singles and #1 in Doubles. Robin thanked the board for listening to his request. Chairman Hicks stated it was a great presentation and thanked him of his patience in waiting so long to present. A motion was made by Del Gallo, seconded by Escobar-Ryan, that this Action Item be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 9- Chairperson Hicks, Vice Chair Sword, Borden, Bruni, Del Gallo, Escobar-Ryan, Wolf, Harrison, and O'Donovan 7. OLD BUSINESS Member Escobar-Ryan commented she is very happy to see the emailed newsletter from the Marketing Coordinator as it is a wonderful addition to the way we communicate with people in Pensacola and hope this continues to reach everyone. Chairman Hicks noted the board stills has the question to go before Council Executive Kraher to extend our issue to the council about asking for a master plan so we may gage and access the entirety of the parks and recreation system so we would then know what to do to improve tennis, to add disc golf, to expand soccer fields, to put basketball courts and lights where they are really needed. Some of the other consideration that really depends on that question is getting it to council so Council Executive Kraher is working to get that on their schedule to get that in front of them. Member Del Gallo inquired about what had talked in the past about parks that are coming up that we may consider turning into green space is there anything we need to talk about on parks being worked on and needing improvements that we might discuss. Director Cooper stated he will be working with Council Executive Kraher putting something before council to talk about a long term master plan. Member Bruni asked if we had a master plan example from another community that has been done recently. Director Cooper stated he could get a set easily and would share with him. City of Pensacola Page 5 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes 3 - Final November 18, 2021 Chairman Hicks noted that Director Cooper and Superintendent Kimball both have a good knowledge of what parks are in poor condition that need attention so if we had to act before the master plan we have a capable guidance from the staff to do good things. Member Del Gallo questioned so in the mean time we have a park in poor condition is in poor condition because of it gets a lot of use or because it sits there nobody uses it and it is weathered we need to talk about those type things before a decision is made involving spending funds. Chairman Hicks added or to recognize that a playground be removed because the child basis is not there. Chairman Hicks would like to add on next month's agenda continuing discussion of the masterplan. 8. OPEN FORUM 9. ADJOURNMENT The City of Pensacola adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs and activities. Please call 435-1606 (or TDD 435-1666) for further information. Request must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the event in order to allow the City time to provide the requested services. City of Pensacola Page 6