Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

Agenda Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Thursday, August 7, 2025, 7:00 p.m. City Hall, Room 122 203 S. Troy Street Royal Oak, Michigan 48067 Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 248-246-3050 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Pages 1. Meeting Called to Order 2. Approval of Agenda 3. Approval of Minutes 3 Recommended Motion: Motion to approve minutes of the June 5, 2025 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting. 4. Public Comment 5. Reports a. Staff Report – Nicole McEachern a. Congratulations to Sue Wells on mParks Hall of Fame Class of 2025! The mParks Hall of Fame honors exceptional individuals who have made outstanding, unique, and lasting contributions to parks and recreation in Michigan. More info at https://www.mparks.org/hall-of-fame.html b. City Commission Comments - Commissioner Kolo 6. Business a. Presentation– Garden Club 7 No action necessary. For informational purposes only. b. Presentation– Great Lakes Live Steamers Train 9 No action necessary. For informational purposes only. c. Red Run and Meininger Court Removal 10 Recommended Motion: Motion to recommend the City Commission approve the hard surface court removals Red Run and Meininger Parks as presented. 11  d. Kensington Play Structure Location Recommended Motion: Motion to recommend the City Commission approve the installation of the Kensington Play Structure at the Red Run Park location as presented. 7. Items Not on the Agenda 8. Upcoming Events Car Show in Memorial Park- Dream Cruise Weekend at Memorial Park Friday, August 15, 12:00 - 7:00 pm Saturday, August 16, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm 9. Adjournment 10. Next Meeting: September 4, 2025 Page 2 of 12  Minutes Parks and Recreation Advisory Board June 5, 2025, 7:00 p.m. City Hall, Room 122 203 S. Troy Street Royal Oak, Michigan 48067 Present: Sarah Kindinger Tony Rennpage Sue Wells Ryan Danescu Perry Abbey Ian McKinney Brandon Kolo Absent: Brigitta Burguess Hannah Holliday _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Meeting Called to Order Meeting called to order at 7:01 pm. 2. Approval of Agenda Moved by: Ryan Danescu Seconded by: Sue Wells Motion Adopted 3. Approval of Minutes Moved by: Ian McKinney Seconded by: Tony Rennpage 4. Public Comment None. 5. Reports 5.a Staff Report – Nicole McEachern Administration 1 Page 3 of 12   Full time Recreation Coordinator position has been posted. Applications close June 30. Anticipated start date in August. A second Recreation Coordinator position (start date Feb 2026) has been proposed and is in the budget for approval by Commission on June 9.  For the Senior Center, the vacant Assistant Senior Center Coordinator position is not being replaced. We have proposed a new full-time Administrative Assistant Position. We also proposed a change to make the part-time Chef position full-time, eliminating a vacant part-time baker position. Both are in the budget for approval by Commission on June 9.  Fall Insight planning has begun and goes to print in July. Recreation  We had an event debrief meeting with the County regarding Great Marshmallow Drop and attendance estimates are over 10,000. The County has expressed interest in returning to Royal Oak in the future, but nothing is confirmed yet. Park/Facilities  Director met with Downtown Manager Daniel Solomon to start planning updates to the greenspace at 5th and Lafayette Parking Structure. There will be community engagement to gather feedback on concepts.  Clawson Park improvements are underway. Drainage has been installed. New playground swing, shade structure, and picnic tables have been delivered. Project is estimated to finish in November. o There was a discussion about the feasibility and need to replace or repurpose aging playgrounds and tennis courts at parks like Meininger and Redrun. o The group is interested in having the Parks & Rec Director ask DPS Director Kevin Lee about the feasibility of repurposing some of the aged tennis courts that are already planned for removal. The Parks & Rec Director will discuss this with Kevin Lee, Susan Barkman and Joe Gacioch.  Senior Center Remodel: Krieger Klatt, the engineering firm responsible for creating the specifications, is currently preparing a bid form. Many of the submissions received lacked sufficient details. Once we receive the bid form, the contractors who submitted proposals will need to complete it and return it to us so that we can compare all the bids. We have informed them that this 2 Page 4 of 12  issue has become urgent due to the time constraints associated with the preschool starting.  Memorial Park Baseball Netting: We are currently awaiting the project schedule from the general contractor, as well as the approval of the structural plans for the new poles to be installed around the ball field.  Contract extensions for Ice Arena and Farmers Market will go to Commission on June 9 for approval.  New informational plaques have been installed at Hamer Finch Park. 5.b City Commission Comments - Commissioner Kolo  Commissioner Kolo: o City Master Plan recently approved. What's included is a some action items about the City prioritizing the parks more starting 2027. This is on page 56 of the Master Plan. o Rehab Board of Appeals recently chose Gundire Park at its next park to improve with grant money. 6. Business 6.a Consideration of Smoking Ban in Parks  Ryan Danescue: Interested in the Chief Moore's opinion on whether this is enforceable.  Commissioner Kolo: Arts Beats & Eats smoking ban signs were noticably successful.  There was a discussion about how enforceable this could be. A pilot program could be a potential avenue. Because signs need to be in an ordinance, taking this through the City Attorney's office would be a necessary part of the process. The DPS Department was relatively nuetral about the idea when the Director McEachern brought it up to them. Overall, the group is generally interested in looking into this.  Director McEachern will work with the City Attorney on putting something together to present to the group.  Tony Rennpage: Suggested looking into MSU as an example. 7. Items Not on the Agenda  Perry Abbey: Asked about the status on pickle ball court resurfacing. 3 Page 5 of 12  o Director McEachern: When this happens and which parks this happens to is very dependent on available funding and CDBG project prioritization.  There was a discussion about how to approach community concerns regarding expectations with tax and millage rates and how much actually goes to Parks & Rec. 8. Upcoming Events Director McEachern is looking for members of the group to volunteer for the Art Fair. Members can also volunteer at the Health and Housing Fest on August 5 as the Parks & Rec Department will have a table there. 9. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 8:36 pm. Moved by: Ryan Danescu Seconded by: Ian McKinney Motion Adopted 10. Next Meeting: Thursday, August 7, 2025 More meetings will likely occur at City Hall to stop impacting Senior Center programming. 4 Page 6 of 12 The Royal Oak Garden Club, Inc. (ROGC) is a 501(c)3 Public Charity. ROGC was formed in 1932 and is a member of Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc and the National Garden Clubs, Inc. The Club exists to create, promote and further interest in horticulture, gardening, floral and landscape design, plant and animal life and appreciation of the natural beauties of the State of Michigan and to educate the public in matters relating to horticulture, gardening, floral and landscape design, civic beautification, and resource conservation. Our organization is fully independent and operated wholly by a network of dedicated volunteers. ROGC relies on member dues, fundraising conducted by members, and donations for financial support. We are working on re-building and revitalizing the club following the pandemic. Membership is open to any adult interested in gardening; you do not need to be a Royal Oak resident. Meetings, Programs, and Events: Educational events such as lectures, workshops, field trips and other opportunities are offered throughout the year. We believe that with knowledge of the natural world we can impact our climate and community in healthy and vibrant ways. All of our general membership meetings and most of our programs are open to the public. • General Membership Meetings - second Monday of every month September through June • Programs – most months September through May • Field Trips • Semiannual perennial plant exchanges Some events are restricted to club members and guests, in the interest of privacy, as they are held at members’ homes. • Member Garden Walk – held annually. • Member Dinner – held annually. • Member Mingle Nights – new last year, Every Thursday night late June through August royaloakgardenclub@gmail.com PO Box 721331, Berkley, MI 48072 www.royaloakgardenclubmi.com Page 7 of 12 Partnerships with the City of Royal Oak: Garden sites fully maintained by ROGC members: • Royal Oak Senior Center: Assist with two gardens near the front door as well as the large tub planter near the front door. • Royal Oak Community Garden: Perimeter Pollinator and herb gardens at the Community Garden (800 DeVillen Ave, Royal Oak). Festivals and Events: • Royal Oak in Bloom • All City Block Party • Earth Day • Community Resources Fair Programs at the ROPL We have enjoyed partnering with the Royal Oak Public Library for our programs. The library has graciously waived the reservation fee for the auditorium and managed program registration, while we organize the program and pay the speaker fee, when applicable. • November 2024 -John Blair - My Prairies Restoration Journey • March 2025 -Rachael Carter, Floraculture - Plan Your Best Veggie Garden • May 22, 2025 - Michael Frawley, The Flower Project - How to Grow a Cut Flower Garden • June 4, 2025 - Ann Cline - Bearded Iris 101 royaloakgardenclub@gmail.com PO Box 721331, Berkley, MI 48072 www.royaloakgardenclubmi.com Page 8 of 12 Club: Great Lakes live Steamers Speaker: David Pierce Introduction: Hi I’m David Pierce, member of he Great Lakes live Steamers Let me familiarize you with us by giving a brief history of the club in Royal Oak. The club was started 45 years ago in 1980. It was originally started by a bunch of guys who wanted to run their steam engines in the Star Jaycee Park. Members would bring their steam engines and their own riding cars and give free rides to the public. An oval track was laid on the eastern side of the park. As the club grew in popularity, the track was extended to the west in 1982. As time passed it was felt things needed to be standardizes for safety and insurance reasons, so a number of riding cars were created and a shed was built to store them in. From then on, every year, the riding cars are inspected and certified and insurance is paid through the club. Over the decades, people who could build and run steam engines began to sadly die off. Gas and electric locomotives became more dominant. A set of gas locomotives was stationed permanently at the park. The club shifted from guys showing off their steam locomotives, more to guys giving free rides to the public. As the club moved in to the 2010s membership and enthusiasm started to take a hit. The tracks began to literally disappear as they sunk into the ground. Membership was aging and dropping off. In addition, club members began building private tracks, sadly leaving the public behind. The club was almost about to end in Royal Oak. Then around 2020 my 16 year old son Sam became a member and with the help of others began a campaign to restore the track. This restoration brought in new younger members who have given the track and the club new life. Ridership is up, with the club giving 600 to 1000 free rides on a nice day. Tonight Nikkie has ask us how we have been working with the city: When I joined the club five years ago, the attitude was The City of Royal Oak doesn't care about us. After all we don’t get any financial support from the city. But still I thought this was unfair, because I didn’t see anyone in the club reaching out to the city. So over the past five years I’ve reached out to various park officials. I would say we have started to create the foundation for a good working relationship. The City has made an effort to protect the tracks from damage when doing park maintenance. For example when driving trucks over the tracks to clear trees or set up the stage for Shakespeare in the Park. Recently the city has put in a station pad for us and started to resolve the parks spring flooding problem by improving drainage with some effective and also attractive solutions. In the future we hope to one day replace and consolidate are very cramped train barns and other sheds into one building, about the size of a two car garage. Nikki tells me this will most likely take outside funding and working through the city closely. We are hoping to build an attractive solution whether with help from the City or the club or both. Page 9 of 12  Royal Oak Parks and Recreation 203 S Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 248.246.3180 MEMORANDUM DATE: July 17, 2025 TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board FROM: Nicole McEachern, Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Yee, Public Services Director SUBJECT: Court Removal Projects Overview Staff recommends the removal of the courts at Meininger Park and Red Run Park due to their deteriorated condition, safety concerns, and alignment with the Recreation Master Plan. The proposed removals will be funded through the City’s Risk Fund, a special fund designated to support safety-related projects. Site Conditions and Maintenance Limitations Outdoor tennis courts in Michigan typically last less than 20 years due to climate. The tennis court at Meininger Park is estimated to be approximately 45 years old, likely installed around 1980. Its foundation is significantly compromised, making resurfacing impractical due to Michigan’s freeze-thaw climate. Red Run’s tennis and basketball courts have been used primarily as a dog run for over 15 years and sustained further damage in August 2024 when a tree fell on the fencing. Both locations are unsafe for play and beyond the scope of routine maintenance. While DPS can perform minor patching, such repairs are temporary, not suitable for rollerblading, and may pose safety risks. Strategic Planning and Funding Royal Oak currently has 25 tennis courts, though the National Recreation and Park Association recommends only 9 for a community of our size. The Recreation Master Plan calls for repurposing underutilized and severely damaged courts, with a recommendation to decommission 5 to 7. Meininger and Red Run are among the worst in condition and are identified for removal in the Capital Improvement Plan. The estimated removal costs are $75,000 for Meininger and $125,000 for Red Run, which include pavement and fence removal and turf remediation by a third-party contractor. Repurposing and Future Use Staff recommends converting the cleared areas into green space, which could support open play, picnicking, frisbee, and soccer. Request for Feedback Staff is seeking feedback from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on this recommendation. Page 10 of 12  Royal Oak Parks and Recreation 203 S Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 248.246.3180 MEMORANDUM DATE: July 15, 2025 TO: Joseph Gacioch, City Manager Susan Barkman, Deputy City Manager FROM: Nicole McEachern, Parks and Recreation Director SUBJECT: Kensington Play Structure - Location Staff recommends installing the stored Kensington playground at Red Run Park over VFW Park to maximize budget efficiency and ensure on-site accessible parking.  Site Options and Recommendation: Gametime’s installation quote is $228,311.53 for VFW Park versus $201,491.53 for Red Run Park, making Red Run $26,820 less expensive. Red Run also offers the only feasible location for dedicated, on-street accessible parking directly adjacent to the playground, whereas VFW visitors would need to cross a busy street from the Salter Community Center or neighborhood parking.  Park Space Requirements: The Kensington playground spans 73 ft by 54 ft and must be sited in a community-level park to support expected visitor volumes. Of the two finalist sites, only Red Run Park has available space to install dedicated accessible parking on the park-side of the adjacent street (Girard).  Budget and Cost Reduction via Insourced Engineering: We have $260,000 budgeted for construction, and by leveraging our in‐house engineering team for design and bid assistance, we will save approximately $39,000 compared to hiring an external consultant. These savings will be allocated toward parallel street parking with accessible ramps at Red Run, which would be completed by a separate vendor after the playground installation.  Decision Deadline and Project Timeline 1. Decision Deadline (July 2025) 2. Playground Installation contract approval (August 2025) 3. Parking design (August 2025) 4. Playground installation (Fall 2025) 5. Parking striping and accessible ramp installation (fall 2025 or spring 2026)  Background and Stakeholder Feedback: In FY 22–23, the City acquired the Kensington playground structure for $133,666 through a 50% matching grant; it has remained in storage awaiting relocation. We initially shortlisted Zucker, VFW, and Red Run Parks based on space availability, park classification, neighborhood demographics, and equipment condition/age. In April 2025, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed these options, splitting support between VFW and Red Run while ranking Zucker lowest due to its parking constraints. Page 11 of 12  Page 2 of 2 Park Name Percent Percent Percent Playground Current Population population Population Installed Structure 18+ aged 65+ Under 18 Age Isabel & Myron Zucker 83.7 21 16.3 2001 24 Park VFW Park 87.4 18.9 12.6 2002 23 Red Run Park 83.1 13.8 16.9 2002 23 Page 12 of 12