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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 1/11/2017 (6)CITY OF GLENDALE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING O'NEIL RECREATION CENTER 6448 W. MISSOURI AVENUE January 11, 2017 6:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Manuel Padia, Chair Barbara R. Cole Len Koh Henry Rosas Ethan McAffee MEMBERS ABSENT: Alicia H. Rubio OTHERS PRESENT: Erik Strunk, Director Public Facilities, Recreation & Special Events Tim Barnard, Assistant Director Stephanie Miller, Program Manager Mike Gregory, Deputy Director Bryan Wagner, Park Superintendent Kim Larson, Marketing & Communications Program Manager Martin Dickey, Special Events Administrator Emmanuel Allen, Breakthrough Community Church I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Padia called the meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Chair Padia took roll call and noted absences. Chair Padia expressed sympathy to the family of Commissioner Faris upon his passing last month, and appreciation for all of the service Commissioner Faris has given to the community. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — DECEMBER 14 2016 Commissioner Cole motioned, second by Commissioner Koh, to approve the December 14, 2016 meeting minutes as written. Motion carried 5 — 0. IV. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR None. V. O'NEIL RECREATION CENTER FACILITY TOUR Mr. Strunk introduced Pastor Allen of Breakthrough Community Church. Mr. Strunk explained that Breakthrough Community Church operates the R.O.O.T.S. afterschool program at the O'Neil Recreation Center, which is an excellent program. Mr. Strunk announced that Breakthrough Community Church recently received a Channel 3 Surprise Squad Award. Pastor Allen conducted a tour of the O'Neil Recreation Center. Highlights of the tour included the following: • There is only two paid staff at the R.O.O.T.S. afterschool program. All others are volunteers and all are fingerprinted and cleared through DES. • Free offerings at the program include: o Dance lessons o Percussion lessons o Homework help — One hour of afterschool homework time is required by the children each day. The program has 23 Chromebooks which were generously donated by Channel 3. o Spanish class o Plans to offer ESL to parents are underway o PREP Mentor program will be rolled out soon o Career readiness for parents o Afterschool meal the food is donated by the St. Mary's Food Bank • The program is for children K — 8t' grades. • A recent report has stated that crime in the surrounding area has gone down by 57%. • Program hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. • Site amenities: o Video Room o Foosball, pool table, ping pong table o Conference Room o Stage for music, dance, recital, talent show o Basketball courts o Kitchen • There are currently 351 children in the program. Commissioner Rosas inquired if there are plans for the program to expand to include high school students. Pastor Allen replied that staff at Independence High School recently approached him with some ideas on this topic. Commissioner Cole wondered if the pool would become part of the afterschool program if the City approves restoration of the pool. Pastor Allen replied that this would have to be discussed with the City. Commissioner Rosas asked Pastor Allen what he would like to see done at the park or center. Pastor Allen stated that he would like to see the volleyball court restored for use. Pastor Allen commented that the City staff has a great presence at the Center and the City has always supported the program which is very much appreciated. Pastor Allen complimented the partnership with the City. VI. SUMMARY OF O'NEIL POOL PUBLIC OUTREACH Ms. Miller provided the results of an outreach plan to gather community input regarding the potential redevelopment of the pool and bathhouse at O'Neil Park, located at 64`h Avenue and Missouri Avenue. From September 26, 2016 to December 14, 2016, feedback was collected from 121 community members. Ms. Miller presented a description of the outreach efforts, a summary of the community members' responses, and recommendations as to the next steps of this project. The following details were provided: • Purpose o To gather community feedback on the potential redevelopment of the pool and bathhouse area at O'Neil Park. Outreach Efforts o In-person survey collection events at O'Neil Park ■ Monday, October 17 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ■ Saturday, October 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ■ Movies by Moonlight, Friday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m. ■ Cruz'n for Claus, Saturday, December 3 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. o Online surveys 2 o Phone Message Hotline • Demographics of Respondents o Pie charts depicting the Age of Respondents and Zip Codes of Respondents were displayed. • Park Use of Respondents o Pie charts depicting the Frequency of O'Neil Park Visits and Frequency of Recreation Center Visits were displayed. • Feedback —121 Surveys Completed o Desired Amenities: List of desired amenities according to survey rank was displayed. • Next Steps o Staff will consider the most popular options: pool, splash pad, updated playground, additional grills, additional youth programming, and additional picnic tables moving forward. o Staff will consult with the 2011 Master Plan and develop budget estimates to determine which options are the most feasible. o These options will be presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission at a future meeting. Commissioner Cole inquired if Council was awaiting the survey information. Mr. Strunk replied in the positive and noted that the exploration stemmed from a Councilmember's question and direction during a budget workshop. Mr. Strunk explained that in the City's current Master Plan, there is a call for a pool at Heroes Park and not at O'Neil Park. Mr. Strunk commented that regardless of final decision on the pool, some action must be taken on the pool and bathhouse. Mr. Strunk noted that funds for conceptual design of the park improvements will be requested in the upcoming budget. Mr. Strunk stated that the process will be a phased approach. Commissioner Koh noted that the volleyball court was in the top ten desired amenities on the survey and felt that this could be done at a feasible cost. Commissioner Rosas commented that during the tour of the center, Pastor Allen indicated that he would like to see the volleyball court restored. Commissioner McAffee asked if there could be funds for a pool at both Heroes Park and O'Neil Park. Mr. Strunk replied that these funds are not on the horizon and the current challenge is to maintain the existing amenities. Mr. Strunk added that the Master Plan update will either validate the plan for a pool at Heroes Park or determine if there is a change in the original plan. Mr. Barnard commented that one of the primary strategies of the current Master Plan is to take care of the current City infrastructure. Mr. Barnard noted that staff will be performing a review of the CIP soon. Mr. Barnard stated that any plan for a pool must include ongoing operating costs, which can be $250,000 to $300,000 annually. Chair Padia commented that the 121 surveys received are not a large amount overall. Mr. Barnard agreed but added that the Master Plan update will include a statistically valid, citywide survey. Chair Padia thanked staff for the update. VII. REVIEW OF SIGNATURE EVENTS: PHASE I Mr. Strunk introduced Mr. Dickey and praised the phenomenal work of Mr. Dickey and his staff. Mr. Dickey announced that he is one of ten or twelve certified Event Executives in the state of Arizona. Mr. Dickey praised the talents of his team and introduced Ms. Kim Larson. Mr. Strunk and Mr. Dickey provided an overview of the Office of Special Events, its overall mission and scope, and information regarding Signature Events. Mr. Strunk gave a presentation on the Office of Special Events, which included the following: 3 The new City Organization Chart effective July 1, 2016, whereby Special Events was moved into the Division including the Civic Center, Parks and Recreation, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau/Tourism • Mission: o To promote and brand downtown Glendale as a destination and attract new visitors and potential shoppers to the area, while fostering community pride among residents. ■ Via Signature Events • Glendale Glitters • Glendale's Jingle Bell Rockin' Nights • Winter Wonderland • Glendale Glitter & Glow Block Party • Glendale Spirit of Giving • Glendale Chocolate Affaire • Glendale Summer Band ■ Via Key Parks and Recreation Events • Folk & Heritage Festival • Touch a Truck • Movies in the Park • These three events were previously handled by the Parks and Recreation Department. ■ Via in-house expertise of Special Events Planning & Permitting Process Office of Special Events o Three FTE's, part-time staff, and volunteers o Budget: 8.3% of the Department, for a FY16-17 total of $1,063,387 o Partnerships with various City Departments o Awards & Recognition ■ AZTEC award for Arizona's Best Festivals (a statewide competition) — 20,000 in attendance and over category, the City received the following • Gold for Best Charity/Fundraiser: Spirit of Giving • Gold for Best Event Program: Glitter & Glow • Gold for Best Merchandise for Sale: Chocolate Affaire ■ The International Festival & Events Association awarded six different awards, 5 Silver and 1 Bronze, to the City of Glendale for its Signature Festival Series. The competition included submittals from around the world. • How do they spend their time? o Details on staff tasks and responsibilities were provided. Mr. Dickey gave a presentation on the Overview of Special Events, which included the following: • Glendale Glitters o This was the 23rd year of Glendale Glitters 0 16 blocks of Catlin Court and Historic Downtown o A 45 night season: Over 1,000 people each night on non-event nights 0 1.5 million lights and weekend festivals attract approximately 350,000 people annually on event days 0 2016 Sponsors include: APS, Nationwide, Channel 3, The Arizona Republic, KMLE Country 107.9, GMC Valley Buick Dealers, Eternal Spring Water, Camelback Ranch, Live 101.5, and Blue Cross Blue Shield 4 o Demographics on the attendees for Glendale Glitters were presented, as well as production costs, revenue, and economic impact. o Information on exclusive media partners and the value of media exposure was provided. o A map of street closures for Glendale Glitters, Jingle Bell Rockin' Nights, Winter Wonderland, and the Spirit of Giving was displayed. The Chocolate Affaire 0 22nd Annual Event will be held February 3 - 5, 2017. o Over 40 chocolatiers and 90 vendors expected o Approximately 75,000 visitors o Event demographics were provided. o Estimated $1.6 million in sales Other Initiatives o Touch A Truck o Folk & Heritage Festival o Movies in the Park o Downtown Farmers Market — new location at 59h and Myrtle beginning this Saturday, which will provide higher exposure o General Assistance with event planning — internal and external o Partnerships through the CVB with Camelback Ranch, Arrowhead Towne Center, the University of Phoenix Stadium, Centerline Mr. Strunk provided information on the Pending Review of Special Events, which included the following: Continuous Improvement o January — February 2017: surveys, media release, update website and overall assessment of the 2016-17 Signature Event Season ■ Placement of lights and types of lights ■ Current event footprint ■ Review of various processes associated with Signature Events, such as vendor selection, fundraising, local preference, supply lines, talent selection, peddlers, coverage of City services, and business requirements o February 8, 2017: Preliminary report to Parks and Recreation Commission ■ Comprehensive assessment and discussion ■ Draft staff recommendations o March 8, 2017: Final report to Parks and Recreation Commission o April 4, 2017: Tentative presentation to Glendale City Council Mr. Strunk commented on a Youth Scholarship fundraising activity scheduled for the Chocolate Affaire, which will be presented later in the meeting. Commissioner Cole stated that she volunteered for the Touch A Truck event, and commented that additional t - shirts are needed for the small children. Commissioner Cole stated that the small sizes sold out and parents still wanted to buy the shirts. Commissioner Koh asked if the busses are still running in downtown Glendale during Glendale Glitters. Mr. Dickey explained that staff is in communication with the bus operators and changes are made as necessary. Busses have to be routed around the closures but are still in operation. Commissioner Koh suggested use of shuttles to get attendees to Glendale Glitters. Commissioner Rosas suggested the use of shuttles for the Chocolate Affaire. 5 Mr. Strunk stated that more information will be provided to the Commission in February as part of the overall review of Special Events. VIII. APPROVAL OF ARCHERY RANGE PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT Mr. Gregory announced that the City wishes to engage 3G Archery to provide year-round archery classes and events at the Heroes Regional Park Archery Range. Mr. Gregory stated that RFPs for an operator at the Archery Range were advertised on two separate occasions, December 2015 and July 2016, with no responses. In September 2016, 3G Archery made contact with the City indicating an interest in providing organized archery programming at Heroes Regional Park. In October 2016, staff made a Special Procurement Request to engage 3G Archery as a service provider. City staff has met with 3G Archery staff multiple times to discuss program logistics, philosophy, goals, outcomes, and many other archery and operational matters. Mr. Gregory announced that after extensive research, staff is highly confident that 3G Archery can provide the necessary service at the Archery Range while accommodating drop-in use. Mr. Gregory presented details on 3G Archery and the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Glendale and 3G Archery. Mr. Gregory stated that the initial term of the MOU would be for two years, with four one-year renewals. Mr. Gregory commented that examples of public programming could include the following: o Exploring Archery classes twice per year o Six-week Beginning Archery classes four times per year o Two Intermediate classes per year o J.O.A.D. (Junior Olympic Archery Development) Program o Private coaching and lessons Mr. Gregory commented that as part of the MOU, 3G Archery will provide all of the archery equipment and will be responsible for regular upkeep of the range, such as litter clean up and routine tasks. 3G must also provide City staff with monthly reports and an annual profit and loss statement. Mr. Gregory commented that the City will provide 24 target stands over a three year period. Eight will be provided at the beginning of the contract, eight in a year two, and eight in year 3. The Commissioners were given a copy of the MOU for detailed review. Commissioner Cole inquired if 3G Archery will charge for classes. Mr. Gregory replied that there will be fee- based programming; however, there will be free introductory classes to introduce new users to the sport. Commissioner Cole asked if 3G Archery will have an onsite storage facility. Mr. Gregory replied in the positive and stated the storage unit is already on site and will be locked. Commissioner Cole asked if the archers could bring their own equipment instead of using 3G's equipment. Mr. Gregory replied in the positive. Chair Padia inquired about the number of lanes and open lanes at the Archery Range. Mr. Gregory relayed that there are 16 lanes and there can be two archers per lane. Mr. Gregory noted that there will be enough room for six to eight drop-in archers at one time. Commissioner Rosas asked if 3G Archery was a state-wide group. Mr. Gregory commented that 3G Archery is a local group looking to expand. Commissioner Cole asked about the hours of the range. Mr. Gregory noted that the range will be open from sun up to sun down, but lighting options are also being researched. Chair Padia asked if solar was being explored. Mr. Gregory stated that solar lighting could be explored but was unsure of how reliable solar could be for athletic lighting. Mr. Barnard commented that there are certain safety standards that must be adhered to which could cause a challenge with solar. P Commissioner Koh asked if there would be any merchandising on site. Mr. Gregory replied that there were no plans for merchandising initially, and added that 3G Archery has the resources to provide quality programming and they are extremely excited to provide it. Commissioner McAffee asked if there were concession stands and restrooms at Heroes Park. Mr. Gregory stated that there is a mobile concession stand and there are restrooms. Chair Padia asked if the City will receive funds from the 3G Archery program fees. Mr. Gregory replied that if 3G Archery holds SIC classes, the City will receive a percent of the fees. However, all other programming fees will be kept by 3G Archery. Mr. Gregory stated that it is important that 3G Archery has the resources to have enough equipment onsite so that archers are not turned away. Chair Padia wondered if two free archery events per year would be enough. Mr. Gregory stated that staff has had a dialogue with 3G Archery and wants to create achievable milestones. Mr. Gregory noted that range use will be reviewed each year and the contract can be revisited. Mr. Strunk added that staff will monitor the contract for accountability, which will give the program its strength. Mr. Strunk noted that two RFPs were done without any response. Mr. Strunk stressed that the Commission will be apprised of how the program is progressing. Mr. Strunk stated that the contract does not preclude the City from holding its own special event based on archery. Commissioner Cole noted that the contract allows 3G Archery to place banners at the range. Commissioner Cole suggested that the City have first right of refusal for placement of banners and/or signage for City functions. Chair Padia motioned, second by Commissioner Koh, to move forward with the Memorandum of Understanding with 3G Archery to provide classes and events at the Heroes Park Archery Range as presented, with the inclusion of the City of Glendale having the first right of refusal for placement of banners/signage at the site for City functions. Motion carried 5 — 0. IX. APPROVAL OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR PARK ADA ENHANCEMENTS Mr. Gregory shared that in September of 2010, the Department of Justice published new, national ADA design standards to which all jurisdictions with parks and recreation facilities must comply. By issuing this ruling, the DOJ required each jurisdiction with parks and recreation facilities to conduct an audit and develop an action plan for compliance with the new rule, which took effect on March 15, 2012. Mr. Gregory noted that as a result of these new requirements, Council authorized a comprehensive accessibility audit of the City's 91 parks and recreation facilities. The audit was conducted by Recreation Accessibility Consultants, LLC. Mr. Gregory explained that after review of the audit in November 2013 by the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, a specific plan of action was established to phase-in compliance with the new rule. Mr. Gregory explained that the initial phase of projects was completed via in-house staff with in- house resources. However, some of the projects are beyond staff expertise. Mr. Gregory presented a specific request to use FY2016-17 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds previously approved by Council to address another phase of the City's necessary parks ADA enhancements. Mr. Gregory presented the proposed construction contract with G&G Specialty Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $163,036.78 for completion of various ADA improvements at El Barrio, Myrtle, Northern Horizon, and Clavelito Parks, as well as the Rose Lane Community Center and the O'Neil Park Recreation Center. The proposed contract was provided to the Commissioners for review. Commissioner Koh inquired about the timeline of completion. Mr. Gregory replied that the contract is for not more than 90 days and all projects should be completed by June. Chair Padia asked if the improvements to the 7 kitchen at the O'Neil Recreation Center would impact programming. Mr. Gregory commented that the needs of the afterschool program would be accommodated during the project. Chair Padia motioned, second by Commissioner Rosas, to approve the construction contract as presented with G&G Specialty Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $163,036.78 for completion of various ADA improvements at El Barrio, Myrtle, Northern Horizon, and Clavelito Parks, as well as the Rose Lane Community Center and the O'Neil Park Recreation Center. Motion carried 5 — 0. X. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mr. Strunk announced the passing of Vice Chair Dewberry this week and Commissioner Faris' passing in December. Mr. Strunk stated that on Sunday, January 22nd from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., the Rose Society will hold a memorial for Vice Chair Dewberry at the Sahuaro Ranch Park Rose Garden. A reception will be hosted by the Glendale Women's Club. All are welcome to attend. Mr. Strunk also reported on the following: o Monday, January 23: The Commissioners are invited to an Appreciation Night at the Coyotes game. Details will be sent via email. o Commissioner Moreno sent in her resignation as she has a conflict with the meeting date and time. o This Saturday, the Glendale Farmers Market will be open at its new location at 59th Avenue and Myrtle from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. o Cerreta's Candy has made a donation of candy to be sold at the Chocolate Affaire to raise funds for the Youth Scholarship Fund. All proceeds will go to the fund. Volunteers are needed. Please let staff know your availability, and a schedule will be drafted. Outreach for volunteers is also being made to members of MYAC. Chair Padia commented that this effort would tie into a Commission goal of working with MYAC. Commissioner Koh suggested signage at the sales booth indicating that all proceeds will go to the Youth Scholarship Fund. Commissioner Rosas suggested finding a way to make an auto -donation to the Youth Scholarship Fund. Mr. Strunk congratulated Commissioner Rosas on his two upcoming trips. Commissioner Rosas announced that he will be attending the Hispanic Heritage Awards in Miami, Florida, and was also selected to participate in the U.S. Senate Youth Program at the U.S. Senate. XI. COMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioner McAffee enjoyed touring different sites for the Commission meetings. Commissioner Koh agreed. Commissioner Koh expressed condolences to the Faris and Dewberry families. Commissioner Koh appreciated the great partnership with Pastor Allen at the O'Neil Recreation Center and the impending partnership with 3G Archery. Commissioner Koh noted that these partnerships ensure that these public facilities are put to good use for the public. Commissioner Rosas enjoyed the tour of the facility. Commissioner Rosas stated that it is efficient to have non- profits operating the Community Centers. Commissioner Rosas was pleased to hear about the report that crime in the area has decreased by 57%. Commissioner Rosas commented that it was great that the City is very invested in the Special Events, which brings a lot of revenue into the City. Commissioner Cole noted that Pastor Allen was looking to bring high school students into the O'Neil Recreation Center Program and encouraged that direction. Chair Padia stated that he is looking to moving forward with the staff plans expressed this evening, the Master Plan update, and the Youth Master Plan. Chair Padia complimented staff on a great job. XILADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m. by consensus. A special meeting of the Commission will be held on January 28, 2017, at the City Hall Municipal Complex Room B-3, at 9:00 a.m. The next regular meeting will be held on February 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m., at the Glendale Civic Center, meeting room Diamond A, 5750 W. Glenn Dr., Glendale, AZ 85301. Respectfully submitted, Denise Kazmierczak 0