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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Commission minutes - 01-09-19.docx Yakima Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes for January 9, 2019 Commissioners Present: Chairman Rod Bryant, Vice Chairman Paul Williams, Jo Miles, Roger Lewis, Matt Tweedy, Stacy Hackenmueller, Brynn Kloster, Joshua Korevaar-Dorsey and Kay Funk, Yakima City Council Liaison Absent and Excused: Rosana Bravo Staff present: Ken Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager, Leslie Richards, Recreation Program Supervisor and Jenise Sanders, Parks and Recreation Administrative Secretary Call to Order Welcoming everyone in the audience and viewers watching on YPAC, Chairman Rod Bryant called the nd meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers, 129 North 2 Street, Yakima, Washington. Election of Parks and Recreation Commission Officers Rod Bryant opened the floor for nominations. Matt Tweedy nominated Rod Bryant to remain Chairman and Paul Williams to remain Vice Chair. Roger Lewis seconded the nominations. The motion carried unanimously. Approval of the Meeting Minutes from December 12, 2018 Jo Miles requested that the date in the heading be corrected from November 14 to December 12, 2018. It was Moved by Matt Tweedy, Seconded by Paul Williams, to approve the Minutes as corrected from the December 12, 2018 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting. The motion carried unanimously. Franklin Pool – Revenue from Children’s Recreation Swimming Ken advised that there is a report in their packet showing the revenue generated from youth swimming at Franklin Pool. The report showing the revenue for Lions Pool will take a while longer to prepare. Staff will need to go through the daily receipts to separate by user age groups to retrieve that information. Ken stated that Matt had requested this information at the last meeting and staff will try and have the Lions Pool figures at the next meeting. Ken stated that revenue generated at Franklin from youth, which includes the $2.00 drop-in admission, the $16 punch card (10 admissions), $52 three month pass, $13 family drop in (2 adults and up to 4 kids) and $212 family three month pass was $52,615 for 2017 and $54,623 for 2018. Discussion followed. Ken stated that Lions Pool is currently being utilized more for fitness and health than for recreation. The modernization plans that are forthcoming could change that and could include more fun things for youth and families. Harman Center 2019 Update – Leslie Richards, Recreation Program Supervisor Ken introduced Leslie Richards, Recreation Program Supervisor. Leslie has been at the Harman Center for a year and half. Ken stated that Leslie has started many new programs and classes and last month’s Santa’s Workshop brought over 500 people to the center. Leslie advised that they introduce new programs each quarter. This quarter’s programs are the Chess Club and Ultimate Walking Soccer. The nd Trips and Tours booklet came out on January 2. There are 27 trips for the Pacific Northwest, 7 trips to the Mariners games and 8 trips that are a week or longer, including international trips. She stated they have started the Help the Community Project for this quarter; knitting and crocheting hats and blankets for preemies and chemo patients and those will be donated to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital. She reported that the upcoming events are the play put on by the Discovery Lab School on January 19th, Much th Ado About Nothing, the Valentine’s Day Blood Draw will be on February 15 and the St. Patrick’s Day Iron th Chef and dance on March 15. Leslie commented that the essential oils class was so successful last quarter that they added more classes for this quarter. Discussion followed. Lions Park Playground Update Ken advised that the playground has been ordered from Play Creations. He reminded the commissioners that the Lions Club donated $25,000 for the play equipment in Lions Park. The remainder of the funds for that playground came from 2018 Parks Capital. The equipment should be delivered sometime in February and possibly installed in April or May. The contractor will install the posts and Parks staff will build it. Discussion followed. Manager’s Report Ken stated that their packets include a flyer for the Randall Dog Park. He stated Karissa Thomas along with some other volunteers have been working on raising funds to build a shade structure or picnic shelter at the Dog Park. The cost is approximately $34,000 based on the other two picnic shelters built at Randall Park. Ken advised that he has been working on getting the account set up at the Yakima Valley Community Foundation like we did for the Randall Park Project. People can go to the Randall Dog Park Facebook Page, Yakima Park’s website or go directly to the Community Foundation to donate. Matt asked if they receive a receipt for the donation. Ken stated they do as it is a tax deductible donation. Ken reported there is another Eagle Scout that is interested in doing another agility toy at the dog park. Discussion followed regarding the popularity of the dog park. Ken stated that their packets also include a document of historical facts for Lions Pool that Jo Miles compiled. He commented that there is a long history of swimming in Yakima. Matt asked if the pool still uses the water from the artesian well. Ken advised that it does not. Jo stated that they used to fill and drain the pool every day for 25 years using the artesian well water because there were no filter systems back then. Jo showed a photo of the inside of the natatorium from 1913. Discussion followed. Ken advised that the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Pool feasibility study is moving forward and is on the agenda for next Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Once that is approved by Council it will be sent to Counsilman-Hunsaker for them to begin. They will have 120 days to provide the three schematic designs and the cost estimates for construction and operation. Ken stated that the designs will be shared with City Council and Park Commission as well as he is envisioning an open house to show the designs to the public. The consultants will be come out to meet with us and visit the site. Ken stated that they have started the process for the scope of work on the modernization for Franklin and Lions pools. He stated that we need to establish what we want the consultants to do for us. Ken advised there is an Ad Hoc committee working on the modernization plans for the pools and also the two community centers, the Washington Fruit and the Henry Beauchamp Center. For the Good of the Order Matt asked if there is an update on the tennis courts at Kissel and the Yakima School District possibly helping pay for the resurfacing. Ken stated that he spoke with Dr. Irion and the Yakima School District does not have funds to help with that. Ken said that we will most likely have to hire a contractor to do that and pay for it with Parks Capital. Jo asked about the Parks Capital money for 2019. Ken stated that it looks to be $125,000 and the feasibility studies will be paid for out of separate funds from REET. Jo asked if that money is already set to be spent on projects in 2019. Ken stated it is not earmarked for anything specific, but there may be a need for a new dehumidification system at Lions Pool. Discussion followed regarding the amount of money and the number of acres needing to be maintained. Ken commented about the amount of work that has been done with the help of volunteers, staff and donors. Kay commented about the Park Commission needing to show their support and promoting to keep Lions Pool open. Adjournment The next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting will be February 13, 2019. The meeting adjourned at 6:34 p.m.