Loading...
04/20/2009 - Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission AGENDA ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION EAGAN, MINNESOTA TOUR - Cedar Grove 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. Meet at Cedarvale Bowl Parking Lot April 20, 2009 6:45 - 7:00 p.m. Arbor Day Poster Judging - Ted Wachter Room 7:00 PM Eagan Municipal Center City Council Chambers WORKSHOP 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Cedar Grove Development 1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance 7:00 pm II. Adopt Agenda 7:01 pm III. Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of March 16, 2009 7:02 pm IV. Visitors to be Heard 7:03 pm V. Director's Update Pages 3-4 7:04 pm VI. Consent Agenda 7:10 pm A. Arbor Day Proclamation Page 5 VII. Development Proposals 7:11 pm VIII. Old Business 7:12 pm IX. New Business 7:13 pm X. Other Business and Reports A. Recreation Program Update Pages 6-7 7:14 pm XI. Communications Pages 8-9 7:25 pm XII. Round Table 7:26 pm XIII. Adjournment 7:30 pm WORKSHOP FOLLOWING REGULAR MEETING 7:30 - 8:30 pm The City of Eagan is committed to the policy that all persons have equal access to its programs, services, activities, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or status with regard to public assistance. Auxiliary aids for disabled persons wishing to participate are available upon request at least 96 hours in advance of the event. If a notice of less than 96 hours is received, the City will attempt to provide the aids. Next Advisory Parks Commission Meeting May is, 2009 ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION 2008-2009 MEETING SCHEDULE Jun Aug Dec May 16 July 18 Sept Oct Nov 15 Jan Feb Mar Apr NAME 19 No 14 Work 15 20 17 No Thum 12 16 20 mtg ony Mtg Mtg Thor Anderson x X 0* X X X X X Phil Belfiori x X X X X X 0* 0* Jennifer Dahlquist x X X X 0* X X 0* Bruce Goff (Alternate) 0* X X X X X X X Laurie Halverson x X 0 X X X X X Duane Hansen x X X X X X X X Dorothy Peterson x X X X X X X x Ryan Zipf x 0* X 0* X X X X X = present 0 = absent O* = notified staff of absence prior to meeting Recreation Sub-Committee Natural Resources Sub-Committee Acquisition/ Ryan Zipf Phil Belfiori Development Sub-Committee Jennifer Dahlquist Duane Hansen Dorothy Peterson Thor Anderson Laurie Halverson UPCOMING MEETINGS: OPEN ISSUES: ¦ Alternative Funding ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION 2008-09 MEMBERS NAME AND ADDRESS TERM TELEPHONE TERM START EXPIRES THURSTON "THOR" ANDERSON 2008 651-688-8157 (H) 5/2010 1658 Mallard Drive (2 yr. 2008) 651-687-8804 (W) Eagan, MN 55122 thorandersonCa)vahoo.com (H) thurston.anderson thomsonreuters.com (W) PHIL BELFIORI 2002 651-905-0293 (H) 5/2009 3671 Canary Way (1yr.2002) 651-266-9112 (W) (3 yr, 2003) 651-230-2051 (cell) Eagan, MN 55123 (3 yr, 2006) Phil.Belfion ci.s aul.mn.us JENNIFER DAHLQUIST 2007 612-803-0262 (H) 5/2010 3885 Gibraltar Trail (1 yr. 2007) 612-626-1602 (W) Eagan, MN 55123 (2 yr, 2008) Jenniferdahlauist(omail.com BRUCE GOFF (Alternate) 2008 651-686-7170 (H) 5/2009 782 Mill Run Path (1 yr. 2008) 952-833-8183 (W) Eagan, MN 55123 Bruce.goffftomcast.net LAURIE HALVERSON (Secretary) May, 2006 651-249-9245(Cell) 5/2009 680 Brockton Circle (1 yr, 2006) 651-686-0183 (H) Eagan, MN 55123 (2 yr, 2007) lhalversonCcilccintemet.com DUANE L. HANSEN May, 2004 952-894-9228 (W) 5/2010 3911 Denmark Ave (1 yr. 2004) 651-687-9566 (H) Eagan, MN 55123 (3 yr. 2005) dlhansenft.com (2 yr, 2008) DOROTHY PETERSON (Chair) 2000 651-454-6532 (H) 5/2009 4337 Sequoia Drive (3 yr. 2000) Eagan, MN 55122 (3 yr. 2003) norsk4337Criliuno.com (3 yr, 2006) RYAN ZIPF (Vice Chair) 2005 651-686-2958 (H) 5/2009 4721 Pebble Beach Way (1 yr. 2005) 651-281-1275 (W) Eagan, MN 55123 (3 yr, 2006) rziofRImnc.org Eagan City Staff E-Mail: I jsiohnson@citvofeagan.com cmesko@cityofeagan.com poison@citvofeagan.com ghove@citvofeacian.com emacbeth@citvofeagan.com 12-11-os Phone #651-675-5505 (Cherryl's # after 4:30 p.m.) Eagan Parks and Recreation Phone Number: 651-675-5500 Eagan Parks and Recreation Staff E-Mail Director Juli Seydell Johnson isiohnson@cityofeaaan.com Administration: Cherryl Mesko cmesko@cityofeaaan.com Paul Olson polson@cityofeagan.com Paula Nowariak pnowariak@cityofeagan.corrr Sonya Rippe srippe@cityofeagan.cor Forestry: Gregg Hove ghove@cityofeagan.com Water Resources: Eric Macbeth emacbeth@cityofeagan.com TO: ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION FROM: JULI SEYDELL JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION DATE: APRIL 17, 2009 Tour: 6:00-6:45 p.m. Meet at Cedarvale Bowl parking lot and bring good walking shoes. 6:45 - 7:00 p.m. Arbor Day Poster Judging -Ted Wachter Room Workshop: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. , Proposed Cedarvale Development The April meeting will begin at Cedarvale Bowl parking lot for a walking tour of the proposed Cedarvale development. Please be ready to start the tour at 6 pm and make sure you have comfortable walking shoes. The tour will wrap up in time to get back to the Municipal Center to judge the Arbor Day posters in the Ted Wachter Room (adjacent to the Council Chambers). If time doesn't permit, the judging will be done after the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting and prior to the workshop. The 7:30 p.m. workshop will focus on an update of the proposed Cedarvale development and will provide an opportunity to think about park amenities in and near this development. While this is not a public hearing this will provide an opportunity for neighbors to share their ideas with the APrC in anticipation of a future formal development application. 7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting ITEM I: Call to order ITEM II: Approval of agenda ITEM III: Approval of minutes of March 16, 2009 ITEM IV: Visitors to be Heard Staff is not aware of any visitors who wish to address the Commission at this time. ITEM V: Director's Update Director Johnson will provide a brief overview of activities and events within the department. 1 ITEM VI: Consent Agenda The annual Arbor Day Proclamation is included for review and recommendation to the City Council. ITEM VII: Development Proposals There are no Development Agenda items for the Commission to review. ITEM VIII: Old Business There are no Old Business items for the Commission to review. ITEM IX: New Business ITEM X: Other Business and Reports Recreation staff will provide an overview of the department's new marketing iniative. ITEM XI: Communications There are two communication items for the Commission's attention. ITEM XII: Round Table Any items of concern that might be placed on upcoming agendas or items of interest will be identified. ITEM XIII: Adjournment NOTE: This will be the last meeting for Dorothy and Ryan. Please plan to enjoy cake and punch as we thank them for their years of dedication and commitment to the Advisory Commission. 2 APRIL 2009 DEPARTMENT HAPPENINGS STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY IMAGE AND SENSE OF PLACE • The Eagan Community Center gymnasiums held the bi-annual MOM sale April 4th with over 1000 shoppers attending. • The Eagan Art House will host a New Again Art Sale in conjunction with the Arbor Day Celebration on May 16th. • 55plus/seniors programs will be celebrating their 6th Anniversary Party in the Lone Oak Room on May 20. • Holz Farm Spring Festival will be held Sunday, May 17 from 11-4pm. New this year....PICKLES! • Dakota Hills Middle School after school program Extreme Adventures, funded with CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) dollars, started on April 9 with 27 participants registered. • The Annual Ice show at the Civic Arena is set for May 2°d SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • The 5th annual Wedding Workshop at the Eagan Community Center on March 22 had a record number of vendors participate and a great turnout of brides and grooms. • Market Fest Vendor Recruitment Update: As of 4/13/2009 there are 28 vendors confirmed. Vendor recruitment will continue through the Spring & Summer. • As of the end of March, The Blast has seen a huge increase in the "After 5:00" admission special - a total of 1,081 kids paid the $2.50 rate to play after 5:00 p.m. PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS • The Eagan Fun Run is scheduled for Saturday, May 16th at Northview Park and includes a 2-mile, 5-mile and V2 mile youth run. • Because of the value and popularity of the single day walking pass available at the Eagan Community Center, the number of participants during the first quarter of 2009 have almost exceeded all of 2008. • A new program called Quickstart Tennis is being offered for ages 5-8 this summer. The Quickstart approach is a new and exciting format to make it easier to learn the sport. The net size, court size balls, rackets and even the scoring system are changed to make it easier for younger players. • Arena Softball is being played on Wednesday and Sundays with a total of 13 teams this year. That is up from 6 teams last year. • The Spring transition is underway; tennis and volleyball nets are going up, fields are being graded and lined, water in buildings is being turned back on. • The ECC began Saturday Preschool Open Gym on April 11th, that will continue through the summer. The program is extremely successful during the week and is hoped to fill a needed niche. • Towards the end of 2008, the ECC changed the availability of the gymnasiums to allow more opportunity for people of all ages to pay a nominal price to shoot baskets. Because of this change, the number of open gym participants in the first quarter of 2009 is 75% of the 2008 total. PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES • Municipal Buildings division is taking the lead in obtaining energy audits for several buildings in preparation for possible grant opportunities from the Federal Stimulus Program. They are also exploring the use of outdoor LED lighting and additional improvements to sport lighting. • Through the collaborative efforts of Forestry, Parks, Caponi Art Park and the County STS program several thousand buckthorn plants were cut and the stumps treated in the Art Park/City wood land south of Diffley. • The Emerald Ash bore has been found near the southern Minnesota border, quarantine on firewood from that area.. .know where your firewood is coming from to help avoid spread of Ash Bore. 3 • The woods surrounding the new Patrick Eagan Park parking lot are being rejuvenated with selective removals and infilling with native species.... they may look bare for awhile FACILITATE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS • The Eagan Art House is represented with an art exhibit of staff and student work at the new Dunn Brothers in Eagan. • Wescott Library is finishing up their visits to the Preschool classes this month. The Library has come out to conduct "story time" at many of the classes since the fall session and this partnership has been a great addition to the program. • Eagan Rotary, ISD 196, Wescott Library and ECC are partnering to host a reading program for 250 1St graders from 3 of Eagan's elementary schools on April 28. • Captain C Breeze was the special guest at the Eagan Convention and Visitors annual meeting. PROVIDE RECREATION EXPERIENCES • The Egg Hunt in the Blast on April 11th was a success! 45 registered participants (equal to last year), ages 1-6 had the chance to hunt for eggs, play in the Blast, have juice and cookies and get a picture and face painting from the bunny! • Spring training for t-ball begins next week! Little Sporties T-ball sampler will be held on the turf in the arena on Wednesday mornings and both classes are full! • Mapping Your Retirement a 5 week class that will help participants explore opportunities, challenges and options regarding retirement will be sponsored by DARTS and Dakota County's Living Longer Stronger initiative and will start on May 19. • April's Club 0 dance for middle schoolers had 103 participants. • The indoor park at the Eagan Civic Arena is open from 9am - 11 am , Monday thru Friday. • The installation of the new field lights at Northview has been completed, light readings have gone from less than 10 foot candles to nearly 50 in the infields/ 30's in the outfields, all with fewer fixtures and much less spill light. KUDOS TO STAFF: • Paul Graham and Mike Sipper for diving head long into the Government Buildings responsibilities • Parks Employee, Paul Watry for obtaining a Pesticide Applicator license; a rigorous test. GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS • West Ford Construction took 2nd place in the Men's Class C State Basketball tournament and Piggly Wigglies took 2nd place in the Men's Class BB State Basketball tournament. Congratulations to both teams on a great finish! • Any acts of vandalism or suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the Police via the 911 system.....it's most effective to catch the perpetrators in the act. The increase in vandalism that comes with spring has already begun.. .some of it very costly • Many community groups doing volunteer clean-ups of parks this spring.... contact the Park Operations Supervisor at 651-675-5329 to volunteer.... can sign up for most any time /most any where • Just a reminder, restrooms are NOT open until after Memorial Day... satellite toilets are available at many sites that have programmed activities. 4 Date: April 17, 2009 Agenda Item: VI-A; Arbor Day Proclamation ' Action X City of Eagan Information Parks and Recreation MEMO Attachments X 1. Arbor Day Resolution 2. Invitation to event AGENDA ITEM: ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION TO: ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION PREPARED BY: GREGG HOVE, SUPERVISOR OF FORESTRY I ITEM OVERVIEW: Acknowledge the Arbor Day Resolution setting Saturday, May 16th as Arbor Day and May as Arbor Month in the City of Eagan BACKGROUND/HISTORY: • Eagan has received the Tree City USA community designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation for the twenty-first consecutive year. Each year the Parks and Recreation Department conducts an Arbor Day program which includes participation in a tree planting project. This year the 23rd annual event will be held at Patrick Eagan Park. • Recognition as a Tree City is based on efforts by the City to promote tree planting in the community and the resolution demonstrates that effort. • To become a Tree City, a community must meet four standards: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance. • Eagan has demonstrated progress in the following forestry activities: Publications, parks and open space, and improved ordinance. • Receiving these awards acknowledges the City's efforts to minimize environmental impact during developments, and adhere to policies such as "Forever Green," aimed to maintain and enhance Eagan's trees and foliage. Scheduled Arbor Day activities include: 9:00 am - 9.30 am Arrival and social hour 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Eagan Art House Activities • Near the new, west parking lot 9:30 am Welcome & Schedule for Day • 20 years of Arbor Day Posters on Exhibit 10:00 am - 11:00 pm Tree planting activities • New Again Art Sale Park grounds Gently used and much loved artwork items 11:00 am -11:30 am Arbor Day Ceremony that can be repurposed New west parking lot • Art House Tours • Welcome • Learn about Art House programs • History of Poster Contest • Recognize 20`h anniversaryArbor Day poster winners • Recognition of 2008 Poster Contest Winner • 2009 Poster Contest Winner Announcement Noon - 1:00 pm Lunch served ALTERNATIVES FOR COMMISSION CONSIDERATION: 1. Acknowledge the resolution setting May 16, 2009 as Arbor Day and May as Arbor Month in the City of Eagan. 2. Other H:\ghovefile\2005\APrC\Arbor Day Resolution 5. CITY OF EAGAN RESOLUTION A PROCLAMATION OF EAGAN ARBOR DAY AND EAGAN ARBOR MONTH WHEREAS, trees are a most valuable resource in the State of Minnesota and City of Eagan - purifying our air and water, helping conserve our soil, serving as a recreational settings, providing habitat for wildlife for all kinds, and enriching our lives in so many important ways; and WHEREAS, pollutants, tree diseases and urban expansion have damaged and continue to threaten our trees, creating the need for reforestation programs and concerted public action toward ensuring the future of out City's urban forests; and WHEREAS, each year the people of Minnesota pay special attention to the wonderful gift that our trees represent and dedicate themselves to the continued health of our state's trees; and WHEREAS, The City of Eagan has been recognized as a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation since 1988 and desires to continue its tree-planting programs; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Eagan City Council does hereby proclaim Saturday, May 16, 2009 to be ARBOR DAY and the month of May, 2009 to be ARBOR MONTH in the City of Eagan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and Council further urge citizens to become more aware of the importance of trees to the well-being of our community; and to participate in City tree planting programs which will ensure a greener place for our citizens to live in the decades to come. CITY OF EAGAN CITY COUNCIL By: Mayor Attest: Deputy Clerk Motion made by: Seconded by: Those in favor: Those against: Dated: CERTIFICATION I, M. McGarvey, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota, in a regular meeting thereof assembled this 16t day of April, 2009. Deputy Clerk City of Eapn I= Crff M. 23rd ANNUAL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION TO BE HELD AT PATRICK EAGAN PARK SATURDAY - May 16, 2009 Dear Resident, Celebrate Arbor Day! You are invited to join with the City of Eagan as we celebrate Arbor Day on Saturday, May 16tH 2009, at Patrick Eagan Park. Arbor Day has been celebrated in Eagan since 1987, and was established nationally to emphasize the importance of trees and community reforestation. This year's Arbor Day Celebration will be held at this newly re-modeled park and will be combined with activities scheduled to take place at the City of Eagan Art House. A special recognition is scheduled to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the popular elementary school Arbor Day poster program and to introduce and recognize the past twenty poster winners. This will be a fun-filled family event with activities scheduled to entertain all ages. Scheduled activities include: 9:00 am - 9:30 am Arrival and social hour Near the new, west parking lot 9:30 am - 10:30 am Tours of "new" park areas and Art House Park grounds 10:00 am - 11:00 pm Tree planting activities Park grounds 11:00 am - 11:30 am Arbor Day Ceremony Welcome & Recognition of 20th anniversary Arbor Day poster winners New west parking lot 11:30 am - Noon Poster Contest Winner Announcement New west parking lot Noon - 1:00 pm Lunch served New west parking lot For further information or to volunteer for planting, please contact the Division of Forestry at (651) 675-5300. It is requested that you register for this event so we can ensure sufficient amounts of food for the picnic lunch. Thank you. Paul Olson Gregg Hove Superintendent of Parks Supervisor of Forestry See you there! I: \arbor day/arbor day invite2009 Continue the Celebration at the Eagan Art House Eagan Art House Activities Saturday, May 16 9:00 am - 2:00 pm • 20 years of Arbor Day Posters on Exhibit • New Again Art Sale Gently used and much loved artwork Items you can repurpose to use for artistic endeavors • Art House Tours • Learn about Art House programs Donate to the New Again Art Sale • Artwork that no longer fits in your home • Something you bought, but decided you didn't like • Picture frames, all sizes • Paintings, photos, prints, pottery, home decor, fabric art, etc., etc. • Items that be repurposed for new artistic endeavors. • All items must be in good condition. Donations will be accepted at the Eagan Art House on Wednesday, May 13 from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. Eagan Art House staff reserves the right to accept appropriate items. For more information call or visit us on-line 651-686-9134 www.cityofeagan.com/eaganarthouse ott Road Entrance 0 Q' Northviaw Park Road X m J R' Patrick Eagan Park 90 LIAP ,LdA GAN ART HOUSE f- TO 3S-E Ditfloy Road lCo Rd 3O) Date: 4-17-09 Agenda Item: X-A; Recreation Program Update Action of Eaall Information x Attachments Y OIt Clt MEMO AGENDA ITEM: RECREATION DIVISION REPORT TO: ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION PREPARED BY: RECREATION SUPERVISORY STAFF I ITEM OVERVIEW: An update and overview of recreation programs for September 2008 through March 2009 BACKGROUND/HISTORY: This month we are taking a little different approach to our report. Discover the Value of Parks & Recreation is the Department's new marketing campaign. This report will give you a synopsis of the campaign. All Recreation program highlights will be under the Recreation Happenings portion of the Commission packet. At the meeting, staff will share several of the marketing pieces with the APrC and there may even be a surprise guest. Discover the Value Building community has been a mission of Eagan Parks & Recreation for several years. With the state of the economy and all the worries our residents have as they go about their day to day activities, Parks & Recreation created the Discover the Value Campaign to remind residents of the value of Parks & Recreation right here in Eagan, Minnesota. Whether it is signing up for a program, attending an event or visiting one of the Parks or Facilities, Eagan has a lot to offer residents right in their own backyard. The Campaign was rolled out at the Home & Leisure show on March 13-15 which was held at the Eagan Civic Arena. Highlights of the campaign are as follows: Themes The campaign is divided into four areas depicting the different areas of Parks & Recreation as well as the seasons of the year when that area will be the focus. 1. Nature/Environment-Spring 2. Entertainment/Events-Summer 3. Destinations-Fall 4. Wellness-Winter Signs Four Coroplast Signs that are 24"x36" were digitally printed with eight indentifying photos depicting the focus area. These signs were designed to provide an appealing visual representation at events where Parks & Recreation has a presence. Magnetic and other signs Magnetic Discover the Value Here signs will be placed on vehicles to be visible at an event or program. Discover the Value Here signs will be placed in areas where projects are going on: i.e. playground construction, planting or forestry projects, irrigations, etc. Treasure Boxes Four Treasure boxes were made depicting the four focus areas. "Treasures" that represented each specific focus area were put in the box along with other fun items for the public to "discover". The boxes can be used for trade shows, open houses or display areas. Visitors are encouraged to choose their own treasure from within the boxes to take home to remind them of an event, program or facility. Videos Short videos are being developed with upcoming events, programs or facilities and will be broadcast on Cable TV or on the portable monitors at the ECC. Coins A wooden coin was created that will be given out by Captain C Breeze at various events, programs and facilities throughout the year. The coin will be good for discounts on various programs, activities, admissions and events. The lucky ones to receive a coin will be directed to the website for information on how to redeem their treasure coin. Postcards A postcard for each themed area will be developed. The first one is complete and is currently being handed out at various events & programs. It has the Nature & Environment theme on the front and listed on the back are free or low cost Eagan activities or events to attend. Did you know Statements Did you know statements have been created by each division of Parks & Recreation to be incorporated in the Discover brochure, flyers or other print media. Some examples are: • Did you know.... Cascade Bay has a 9-hole mini golf course called Captain's Course. • Did you know... the Eagan Civic Arena offers arena softball-the first in the State of MN to offer the Game • Did you know... the ECC offers three options for outdoor wedding ceremonies. Outdoor chair rental is also available. • Did you know ....in two years, the Eagan Market Fest event has become one of our fastest growing fee community events attracting more than 20,000 attendees over 12 weeks. • Did you know... Our preschool program has been teaching children for 30 years in Eagan parks. • Did you know.... Dandelions, while obnoxious, are not classified as a "noxious weed". Spring dandelions are from seeds produced the prior fall, fall dandelions are from spring seed fall treatment is best. Website- www.DiscoverTheValuelnEagan.com A website is currently under construction. This is the site where people can go to get information on the Discover the Value campaign and where they can discover the value of their treasure coin. The main objective for the website is to provide a more centralized location for people to find out about what is currently going on in Parks & Recreation in the most efficient manner. Our success all started when I saw a flyer in the mail that got my attention, it was about an Eagan market fest and it sounded like fun! The flyer said that there would be live music, theme nights, and fun for the family! The market fest was held outside on Wednesday nights; it was the perfect hours for our busy schedules. I had always talked about marketing the sauce, which we had been making for over 20 years, to my husband Chris. The market fest was the perfect opportunity to do so. I didn't really have an idea what would be involved, so I contacted Kerry Phillips. Kerry was very welcoming and excited about the venture as I told her about our product. She thought it would be a great mix with the other venders. She had scheduled us our first vendor meeting with others that hadn't yet been apart of the market. I had felt very nervous about our product, but Kerry had encouraged us throughout the meeting. This meeting had begun our journey of our sauce. Chris and I started out by purchasing the necessary equipments: tents, tables, etc. Then we had to produce many replicas of our sauce to start our very own business. We lacked a lot of customers the first year, but we still did great and had the opportunity to meet many new people. When the Eagan market fest was over, we started sponsoring our sauce into other markets: Cub, Valley Foods, Mississippi Markets, Whole Foods, and Just Delish. After our success with the sauce, we were able to manage our next venture. We perfected an all natural bloody Mary mix. Budweiser was our main distributor for this mix, and it had also become a great success. Our dream has soared since the market fest, and I would like to give a lot of the credit to Kerry Phillips for supporting us. Thanks, hope to make some events this summer! Chris & Julie Heimerl 8 Testimonial letter. This is from Allyson Perling who signed her daughter up for the first time ever with the Adapted Softball Program. She was initially worried how her daughter would fit in and if she would like it. The note below is her positive experience and you can tell how excited the mom is that her daughter is using the skills learned in the program at home. Kerry Phillips Hi Kerry, I can't begin to tell you how much Netta is enjoying the softball class. She is in the backyard right now with her 19 year old big brother playing catch. Today at school she played t ball and sounds like hit the ball! She can spend 2-3 hours a day playing ball outside. So--how long does this class go? Can you recommend somewhere else where she can take a class for summer. Thanks so much for hosting a great program. Allyson Perling Subject to approval ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION EAGAN. MINNESOTA MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 16, 2009 A regular meeting of the Advisory Parks Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on March 16, 2009 with the following Commission Members present: Thor Anderson, Bruce Goff, Laurie Halverson, Duane Hansen, Dorothy Peterson, and Ryan Zip£ Members Belfiori and Dahlquist were not present. Staff included Director Juli Johnson; Paul Olson, Superintendent of Parks; Water Resources Coordinator Eric MacBeth and Jessie Koehle. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Member Zipf moved, Member Halverson seconded, with all members present voting in favor to approve the agenda as presented. RECOGNITION OF CITIZEN LAKE MONITORING VOLUNTEERS Eric MacBeth, Water Resources Coordinator, introduced Jessie Koehle. Jessie spoke about the citizen volunteers who monitor the water clarity of the lakes and ponds in Eagan. She stated that there are 18 lakes and ponds that are monitored yearly with 12 of these lakes and ponds having been monitored for 10 years or more. She demonstrated the tool they use to measure the water clarity and recognized three individuals who have monitored the lakes: Mark Ochs - a 20 year volunteer; Dan Scheller - a 10 year volunteer and Bruce Peterson - a 10 year volunteer. Jessie presented Bruce Peterson, who has monitored Heine Pond for over 10 years, with a plaque honoring his commitment to the progam. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 15, 2009 Member Halverson moved, Member Zipf seconded, with all present members voting in favor to approve the minutes of January 15, 2009. VISITORS TO BE HEARD There were no visitors to be heard. DIRECTOR'S DEPARTMENT UPDATE Director Johnson informed the Commission that there had been an internal change to the government building services. Due to a staffing change, the building services was now under the supervision of the Parks & Rec Department. Mike Sipper and Paul Graham will oversee the daily running of this division. Director Johnson stated that Captain C-Breeze, the mascot of Cascade Bay, is now attending events around the city and noted the Holz Farm upcoming events on May 2, Holz Farm clean-up and May 16 /17, Holz Farm Festival. She mentioned that Arbor Day and the Eagan Fun Run are also taking place the same weekend as the festival so it should prove to be a busy weekend in Eagan. Director Johnson stated that there was a proposal to install new playgrounds at Northview, Wescott Square and Quarry as well as new lights at Northview Park. She mentioned that there was a great deal of interest in the community garden plots offered at Holz Farm. The response was great and staff has created a waitlist of over 40 people interested in the plots for next year. Director Johnson stated there was an overwhelming response to summer seasonal job postings; Cascade Bay received over 300 applications for 150 positions. Member Goff asked Superintendent Olson about existing rain gardens in the city. Olson replied that there were a number of rain gardens and cited the one on Denmark Avenue. He further stated that they are working towards establishing more rain gardens in the city. Advisory Parks Commission January 15, 2009 Page 2 - CONSENT AGENDA There were no Consent Agenda Items for the Commission to review. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS There were no Development Proposals for the Commission to review. OLD BUSINESS Eric MacBeth, Water Resources Coordinator, presented a proposal for the Wandering Walk Wetland Bank modification. He presented a brief history/background of the state wetland banking system. He presented a visual display of the proposed wetland south of Wescott Road across from Thomson Reuters. He stated that a neighborhood meeting was held in January regarding this particular site. Following his presentation, he requested that the proposal be presented to the City Council for approval. Member Peterson moved, Member Halverson seconded, with all attending voting in favor to present the proposal with a 30 day public comment period to the City Council for approval. NEW BUSINESS There were no New Business items for the Commission to review. OTHER BUSINESS AND REPORTS There were no Other Business and Reports items for the Commission to review. COMMUNICATIONS There were no Communication items for the Commission to review. ROUND TABLE Member Anderson questioned Coordinator Eric MacBeth about the fish kill in the Eagan lakes and ponds. MacBeth responded that to his knowledge there were no fish kills over the winter but there wouldn't be any evidence until the ice melted off the lakes and ponds. He reported that if they noticed a decline in the oxygen level at any of the lakes, they install an aerator to increase the oxygen levels. He stated that all 12 of the aerators in the city were used this winter. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to conduct, Member Zipf moved, Member Anderson seconded, with all members voting in favor to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Secretary Date Cherryl Mesko From: Juli Johnson Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 2:53 PM To: Cherryl Mesko Subject: FW: Eagan EDA - Cedar Grove Update - Parks Commission Workshop Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Cherryl Please add this e-mail received from one of the Cedar Grove neighbors to the APrC packet. Thanks, Juli Juli Seydell Johnson Director of Parks and Recreation City of Eagan, Minnesota Phone: 651-675-5500 From: shannon cannella [mailto:shannon.cannella@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 2:13 PM To: Juli Johnson; Jon Hohenstein Cc: ljstarks@comcast.net; Erin Johnson; Johnson, Terry F; Laurie.McIntyre@thomsonreuters.com; Marcia Holt; Robert Zak; shannon cannella; Tom Fredericks; Wendy Subject: Re: Eagan EDA - Cedar Grove Update - Parks Commission Workshop Dear Ms. Johnson, Thank you for your invitation to share with the Park and Recreation department ideas for a new park in the Cedar Grove Redevelopment area. I am planning to attend Monday's workshop. Ahead of that, I thought you might be interested in hearing some preliminary thoughts. What is so exciting to me about this park idea is that it could function as an intergenerational meeting place. With the senior housing, Nicols Ridge (where we have lots of toddlers and small children) and the new young adult residence (not to mention the proposed apartment residents) there is a tremendous opportunity to bring people together in meaningful ways that support physical health and community. I am reminded of the years I spent living in China and Taiwan, where the neighborhood parks are truly the centerpoint of the community and offer so many opportunities for both young and old. In the mornings, retired folks met for exercise classes (Tai-chi, ballroom dancing, walking clubs). In the evenings, young families brought their kids out for play after dinner. At all hours, people could be found reading, playing chess, or just hanging out. In a high-density urban area, the park was the place to get out and stretch and enjoy being in a beautiful surrounding (trees, grass, flowers). In the Cedar Grove Redevelopment area, we will also have a high population density and a similar need for recreation, fresh air and beauty. I have four specific ideas to share: 1. To meet the needs of Seniors, it would be great to have a shelter of some sort that would provide protection from wind and sun. This is important because the site is bare and it will take years for shade trees to grow. 2. To meet the needs of families with young children, a play structure and swings would be greatly appreciated. 1 3. Flowering garden spaces could be maintained jointly by volunteers from the Senior group, Nicols Ridge and the Young Adult facility. Having an organized way for us to get to know each other would help build community. Perhaps the Eagan Garden Club could provide suggestions and leadership. 4. It would be great to have a theme for this park. One idea relates to the fact that this land was inhabited by Dakota Sioux and Hwy 13 used to be called Sioux Trail. After that, there were many farms in the area. And how did this area come to be named Cedar Grove in the first place? Perhaps there is an interesting story to share. We could partner with local schools to create art (perhaps decorative tiles set into walls or walkways) that could link to this sense of shared history. In my old neighborhood in Mpls. local kids produced a lot of cool art for the parks! Thanks again and see you on Monday. Shannon Cannella 2