HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC minutes 050714
Meeting Notes
FROM: Parks and Recreation Council (PRC)
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting
DATE: May 7, 2014
LOCATION: Little River Park
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Neal Bench, Betty McDade Khan, James Carter, Joel Bulkley, Allan Green, Rob
Robinson, Tori Williams Reid
MEMBERS ABSENT: Eric Roeder, Erin Dillard, Denise Dickinson
STAFF PRESENT: Dan Derby, Lynn Hecht, David Stancil
____________________________________________________________________________
I. Call to Order / Welcome New Member
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Round-table introductions followed.
II. Additions or Changes to Agenda: None
III. Report of the Chairs (Bench)
a. Applications / Vacant Positions: With the position of Denise Dickinson expired, the
application of Robb English was brought forward. All were in favor of his
appointment and asked that his name be submitted to the BOCC for proposed
appointment.
IV.
New Business
a. Annual update on Parks with Parks Superintendent, Dan Derby. Derby spoke of the
following park issues:
The Parks Division currently has 10 full time employees and 12 seasonal
employees.
Park sites soon to come on board are Hollow Rock and Blackwood Farm.
Land-banked sites include Millhouse Road off Eubanks Road (where the
Parks Base is located), tentatively slated for construction in 2017. It will be
an active park with playing fields, trails, and more. McGowan Creek Access
Area is coming in several years, near the east side of Efland. Northeast
District Park (Schley/Mincey Road property east of 57) is another park set to
open in the future.
Current equipment is getting much wear and tear. Staff is hopeful for
replacement equipment at some locations soon.
This site, Little River Park, opened in 2004 and has 391 acres. Since its
opening, it has increased trails; has a nice group campground; a beautiful
butterfly garden and an amazing environmental education program. The
park needs new equipment shed. It currently uses an original old building
that is showing its age. The January trail run each year raises much money
for the park. Each year, around $10,000 goes toward park needs.
Blackwood Farm Park is expected to open on a limited basis in the fall as a
low-impact oriented park with trails and picnic sites and preserved
homestead.
Green asked about camping at Blackwood. This would help those hiking the
MST trail. Derby said he would look into it.
Derby said they use boy scouts for many of their Eagle Scout projects. They
have built many kiosks and benches for the current parks. They will use the
services of Soil and Water District (also part of DEAPR) to look at a part of a
trail that needs a bridge and get their feedback and expert opinions on this.
Then, the bridge could possibly be built by the boy scouts.
Fairview Park and Cedar Grove Park have both grown since opening. With
all the park development and growth in activity, the staff has not grown.
This is an issue. HYAA now runs baseball and softball at both parks and use
those fields a lot.
Parking is an issue at Eurosport Soccer Center, Little River Park and Fairview
Park.
V. Old Business
a. P&R Master Plan- the plan is almost completed, still open for final review. Several
binders of the plan were available and a few of the members took them home for
review. Stancil asked that any final comments on the draft be submitted soon.
Bench asked that input be given to Stancil by noon on May 16th.
b. Planning for Blackwood Farm Park Limited Opening (Fall ’14) – limited opening with
limited funds. There will be a parking area, picnic areas (perhaps a picnic shelter)
and a trail to the pond, with expectation to be open 2-3 days/week. Funds
proposed to come from Twin Creeks will help with these start-up costs.
VI. Report of the Director (Stancil)
a. Planned Guests and Topics for 2014 - Stancil gave out new calendars to the board.
June 3rd (7pm) is BOCC meeting with Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) on
the agenda for public hearing. June 4th will be next PRC meeting at EAC. September
3rd speaker will be Recreation Superintendent; October 1st will be NCR Land
Conservation Manager; November 5th will be our Landscape Architect.
b. Capital Investment Plan (CIP) - has been reviewed by the Board and will be
discussed in more detail on May 15. The CIP includes the following needs and items
for next fiscal year:
Improvements at Eurosport Soccer Center at $140,000.
Park and Recreation Facility renovations and repairs.
Space which opened up at the Whitted Building when the library mov ed
may become Recreation staff space.
Hollow Rock - with grant money to help fund trail work and public access.
Some funding to be transferred to other projects from Twin Creeks Park
account, since no activity possible there right now.
Williams Reid asked if we could partner with such a place as a private fitness club
to build a gym at the Efland and Cedar Grove sites.
VII. Committee Reports
a. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group: No report
b. Friends of P&R: No report
VIII. Adjournment
Next Meeting- 6/4/2014 (Env/Ag Center Conference Room)