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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 10/17/2011CITY OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING 6:00 P.M., MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011 MUNICIPAL OFFICE COMPLEX - ROOM B-3 5850 W. GLENDALE AVENUE MEMBERS PRESENT: Jonathan Liebman, Chair Donna Williams, Vice Chair Jamie Aldama Samantha Cooke Gary Parr Rachel Nowakowski OTHERS PRESENT: Erik Strunk, Executive Director Bill Schwind, Deputy Director Karen Hesser, Deputy Director Zach Skinner, Senior Recreation Coordinator Christine Frederickson, Management Assistant Steve Hancock, Transportation Department Bob Darr, Transportation Department MEMBERS ABSENT: Patrick Church Allison Tedford I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Liebman called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Chair Liebman welcomed all present and noted that Commissioners Church and Tedford were absent. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 13, 2011 AND SEPTEMBER 12, 2011, MEETINGS Commissioner Parr motioned to approve the August 13, 2011, meeting minutes as written. Commissioner Aldama made the second. The motion passed 6 - 0. Commissioner Aldama motioned to approve the September 12, 2011, meeting minutes with the following change: On page 3, the sentence "Ms. Rosales noted that are two other..." should be changed to Ms. Rosales noted that there are two other". Commissioner Parr made the second. The motion passed 6 - 0. IV. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR None. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 2 V. UPDATE ON IGA WITH ADOT FOR GRAND CANAL MULTI-USE PATHWAY Mr. Strunk announced that this agenda item is for information and discussion only as was noted on the Commission memo, and not review and approval as is noted on the agenda. Mr. Strunk stated that the planned extension for the Grand Canal Multi-Use Pathway, which will extend the pathway 1.5 miles from the Loop 101 to the proposed New River Pathway, is part of the Open Space and Trails Master Plan, which is part of the larger City of Glendale Master Plan. Mr. Strunk stressed the importance of the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation to this project. Mr. Strunk added that besides this project, two other projects in the Plan are the Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge at 63rd Avenue and Loop 101 which has been completed and a path from Camelback to Northern along the New River connecting into the City of Peoria. Mr. Stunk complimented the Transportation Department on its efforts in making this project possible during a difficult economy. Mr. Strunk introduced Mr. Steve Hancock of the City of Glendale Transportation Department. Mr. Hancock gave a presentation on the planned extension, which included aerial maps of the overall project and specific segment photos as well. Mr. Hancock's presentation included the following information: The project is located along the Loop 101 out to New River along the alignment of the Grand Canal. The project will start near Bethany Home and the Loop 101 freeway ramps. The design cost for the project is $294,562 and the construction cost is. 856,361 for a total project cost of $1,150,923. Funding for the project is $250,000 in federal funds for design, $500,000 in federal funds for construction and $400,923 in funding from the City of Glendale. The project will begin in 2012. The existing Grand Canal Path is 3.4 miles. The Grand Canal Path with the new segment will be 4.7 miles. The Grand Canal Path with the new segment and with the New River Path to Northern Avenue will be 7 miles. When connected to the Peoria New River Path all the way to Pinnacle Peak Road, the Path will be 18.2 miles. Glendale and Peoria are the first two cities to complete nearly all of their scheduled segments in the West Valley's River Plan. By 2014, there will be a 50-mile loop of connected paths in Glendale, Peoria and Phoenix. All of these Pathways provide great access to the Stadium or Camelback Ranch. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 3 Chair Liebman asked if the new extension paths would be 10-feet wide. Mr. Hancock replied that some areas of the path would be 10 feet, but others would be 12 feet. Mr. Hancock displayed pictures and reported on the Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge over the Loop 101 at 63rd Avenue with the following information: Recent traffic counts on a Wednesday from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. revealed 43 users, comprised of bikers, joggers and pedestrians. Weekend counts will be performed soon. Mr. Hancock displayed pictures of the Skunk Creek Pathway Underpass at Union Hills which was completed three weeks ago. Commissioner Williams asked if the Bethany Home Road Underpass at the Loop 101 would be a bike lane. Mr. Hancock replied that it would be a section of sidewalk, probably 12-feet off of the roadway. Commissioner Aldama asked if there would be new signage or a change in the traffic lights. Mr. Hancock explained that the existing lighting would be utilized, but a possibly a new crosswalk would be devised. Chair Liebman asked for clarification of the 2012 project completion date for the Pathway extension and estimated completion date. Mr. Hancock replied that the project would most likely commence in July 2012 and construction should begin in mid-2013. Chair Liebman thanked Mr. Hancock for the presentation and requested that the Commission be kept up-to-date on the status of the project. VI. OVERVIEW OF THE AOUATICS PROGRAM Mr. Skinner stated that Summer 2011 was a very successful season for the Glendale aquatics program. Mr. Skinner provided an overview of the summer aquatics program, which included the following information: Four Glendale Pools o Cactus Pool o Foothills Aquatics Center o Ironwood Pool o Rose Lane Aquatics Center Other Responsibilities o Western Area Regional Park Splash-pad o Sycamore Grove Splash-pad o City Decorative Fountains Aquatics Programs o Recreational Swim o Group Swim Lessons o Private Swim Lessons o Lifeguard/CPR/WSI Classes o Water Aerobics o Junior Lifeguard Program o Lap Swimming Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 4 o Big Swim Program o SCUBA o Facility Rentals o Family Swim Nights o Birthday Parties Staffing o 140 Part-Time Staff o Includes Cashiers, Lifeguards, Instructors and Pool Managers o Two year-round Pool Maintenance Professionals Swim Lessons o At Foothills and Rose Lane, from May 30 2011 to August 6, 2011, there were 77,527 participants in total. This represents a 13% increase over the same period for 2010. Foothills increased 16% and Rose Lane increased 12%. o In total, for all four pools, 3,307 swim lessons were offered. This represents an increase of 3% over Summer 2010. o In total, for all four pools, approximately 800 kids participated in swim lessons each day. Pool Improvements - made during winter o Ironwood Renovation o Western Area Regional Park Splash-pad Filtration o Sycamore Grove Splash-pad Filtration o City-wide painting Pool Surveys o 700 surveys were sent and 648 were returned. o Very positive feedback was received. o The four pools received overall ratings between 96% and 100%. Chair Liebman was very pleased to see the increase in paid pool usage especially due to the economy. Mr. Skinner agreed and commented on donations to the Scholarship Fund by Southwest Ambulance in the amount of $5,000 and Councilman Lieberman in the amount of $1,000. Commissioner Nowakowski inquired about the pool schedules, noting that while the weather is still very warm, the pools close in early August. Mr. Skinner replied that once the children are back in school, it is not financially feasible to keep the pools open due to very low attendance. Mr. Skinner explained that it costs approximately 250 to $400 per hour to keep the pools open. Mr. Skinner noted that in the past, in August, there have been days where only 10 people arrive and it does not pay for the cost of keeping the pool open. Commissioner Nowakowski asked about the schedules for the splash-pads. Mr. Skinner replied that the splash-pads are open through Labor Day. Mr. Skinner stressed that the schedules for the pools and splash-pads are determined by usage/participation levels. Commissioner Aldama noted that at Rose Lane there were 45,000 participants over the summer and asked if the pool was designed for this amount of usage. Mr. Skinner stated that the pool maximum capacity is set by the county. Mr. Skinner Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 5 explained that sometimes the limit was reached and a line was formed outside of the pool. Commissioner Nowakowski inquired if a pool has been considered for the Western Area Regional Park (WARP). Mr. Strunk replied in the positive adding that a pool for WARP is in the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, however, in order to move forward, there must be funds available. Mr. Strunk added that there are other potential projects for WARP such as a library, recreation center and ball fields, but again, all of these projects require funding which is not currently available. Chair Liebman thanked Mr. Skinner for his presentation. VII. BRIEFING ON SPECIAL OLYMPICS Mr. Schwind stated that the Parks, Recreation and Library Services Department has been looking for ways to increase adaptive programs and was pleased to announce a partnership arrangement via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is bing drafted in tandem with Special Olympics Arizona. Mr. Schwind added that this partnership is also a Council initiative that was generated at a recent Council Workshop. Mr. Schwind provided the following information regarding the proposed partnership with Special Olympics Arizona: Special Olympics Arizona to Provide o Administrative Personnel o Local Sports Delegates o Program Coordinators o Certified Coaches City of Glendale to Provide o Ball/Sport Revenue o Park Space o Facility Management Glendale Police Department Fundraising o $10,000/year Campaign o Via National Torch Run held every March o Tip-A-Cop: Once a month o Sprint Triathalon: Annual event each September in Scottsdale but considering a move to Glendale o Cabela's: Fishing For Dollars event which is still in planning/discussion phase Ms. Bye gave the following highlights regarding the Special Olympics Arizona State Competitions: Held October 14 and 15 in Surprise, AZ State Bocce Ball Championships State Swimming Championships State Softball Championships - at which three teams from Glendale competed Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 6 Mr. Schwind hoped that the Memorandum of Understanding with Special Olympics would be signed soon so that the program can move forward with January offerings. Commissioner Aldama commented that he has been involved with Special Olympics events held at the Tolleson Union High School District and was very moved and impressed by the participants, volunteers and the program overall. Chair Liebman praised the City of Glendale and staff for moving forward with this partnership. Chair Liebman noted that during the public hearings for the Master Plan, there were comments made requesting an increase in adaptive programs and this partnership addresses that concern. VIII. COMMISSION WORK PLAN Chair Liebman asked the Commissioners for feedback on the status of the completion of work plan objectives. Commissioners Cooke, Aldama, Nowakowski and Chair Liebman all indicated attendance at the O'Neil Park Rededication. Chair Liebman was very impressed with the O'Neil Park Rededication noting that staff did a phenomenal job in obtaining the funding for the project and that there were approximately 1,000 attendees. Mr. Strunk agreed that staff worked extremely hard on the park improvements and the rededication event and also thanked the event sponsors and partners. IX. STAFF UPDATES Ms. Hesser provided the following update: A new kiosk was installed at Thunderbird Conservation Park south of the upper parking lot accessed from 67th Avenue and Patrick Lane. This is similar to the kiosk installed two years ago in the 59th Avenue area. The jet at Bonsall Park North has been repainted and restored to its original luster. The rededication event is currently scheduled for December 15, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. Both the Parks and Right-of-Way Divisions spent considerable time getting the city ready for city-wide events including Murphy Park and the area around Westgate. On Saturday evening, the design firm of Ritoch-Powell received the "Grand Award" from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona for the renovation at the Sahuaro Ranch Sports Complex. Only two projects received this award. The fall park visit report packets have been distributed for a November 10 return. Programming: o The Wild West Event was held this past weekend at the Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area. Great weather, good crowds that totaled approximately 7,500 attendees, resulted in another successful event. Training: Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 7 o Mr. John Akers attended the Association for Living History Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) regional conference in Prescott, AZ. o Several park staff attended a basic barricade certification class through the Arizona Tree Council, which was offered at the Valley Garden Center in Phoenix. o All parks maintenance staff were certified in First Aid and CPR. Upcoming Events: o Sahuaro Ranch Historical Area staff will represent the department at the Arizona Humanities Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, at the Civic Space Park in Phoenix. Mr. Schwind provided the following update: Recycle Program o This is a one-year pilot program that will begin in January. o The locations will be the Western Area Regional Park, Glendale Adult Center and Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center o There will be 30-foot long bins placed at the locations for people to drop-off recyclables. o This program is specifically geared towards apartment complexes and other large residential buildings that do not have recycle bins. Expansion of Special Interest Classes o Staff is looking at ways to bring Special Interest Classes to additional sites to increase participation. o The focus will begin on the southern and western Glendale areas. o Staff will utilize existing Intergovernmental Agreements in order to use school facilities during evening hours. Halloween Events: o Glendale Adult Center: On October 29, the Ghoulies's Dance will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., which is an Adaptive Program offering. o Glendale Adult Center: On October 31, the Halloween Luncheon will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. o Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center: On October 28, the Trick-or- Treat Off the Street event will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Chair Liebman looked forward to the development and implementation of the Special Interest Class expansion idea. Mr. Strunk provided the following update: Last week, Mayor and Council approved the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Peoria Unified School District for the use of their Cactus and Ironwood Pools. RFP's are being completed for the Youth Sports Complex at 91st Avenue and Maryland. On November 22, the lease agreement with Paseo Racquet Center is scheduled for approval by Mayor and Council. Two of staff's nominations for the WestMarc Best of the West Awards were received and processed. Nominations were made for the Sahuaro Ranch Sports Complex renovations and the Public Safety Memorial. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 8 Murphy Park is being over-seeded for Glendale Glitters. Discussions have been held with library staff regarding the expansion of Special Interest Classes to other facilities and the possibility of library offerings included in the program. X. UPCOMING CITY AND DEPARTMENT EVENTS Ms. Frederickson distributed a list of upcoming City and Department events. XI. COMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioner Williams requested spreadsheets to record the goal completion progress. Ms. Frederickson replied that she had provided Chair Liebman with a spreadsheet for the overall Commission, but will send out individual spreadsheets as well. Commissioner Williams inquired if the Commissioners could get a DVD of the programs that won awards at the recent Arizona Parks and Recreation Association APRA) Awards. Mr. Strunk stated that staff would inquire and possibly obtain some information from APRA. Commissioner Williams inquired about the thank you program for residents who help clean up the parks. Ms. Hesser explained that the "You Got Caught" program is ready to go as soon as sponsors are obtained. Commissioner Aldama enjoyed the presentations at the meeting and thanked staff for their time this evening. Chair Liebman would like to have a November agenda item regarding the Commissioners manning a booth at an upcoming event which would fulfill Goal #4. Chair Liebman recently biked the trails at Thunderbird Conservation Park and noted that the trails were in pretty good shape with a few rough spots. Chair Liebman noted that the parking lot by Pinnacle Peak Road was full around 9:00 a.m. and people were parking between the street and the fence. Ms. Hesser understood the problem and commented that this is the City of Phoenix property and people would get tickets for parking illegally. Ms Hesser anticipated this problem would be relieved upon the new road construction project in accordance with the new church facility to be built at 55th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road. Commissioner Nowakowski noticed approximately 15 to 25 beehives under the bridge at 91st Avenue and Bethany Home Road while biking the Grand Canal Linear Pathway. Ms. Hesser will follow up on this issue. Chair Liebman reminded all that the next meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., at the Rose Lane Recreation Center. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 17, 2011 Page 9 XII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:29 p.m. by consensus. The next regular meeting will be Monday, November 14, 2011, at the Rose Lane Recreation Center, 5003 W. Marlette Avenue, Glendale, Arizona. Respectfully submitted Denise Kazmierczak