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2. MRPA Award of Excellence for Bluff Creek Elementary/Chanhassen Recreation Center.i fl t MEMORANDUM 1 n CITY OF .., CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 •. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 Action by City AfIltil Endorsed Modifie Rejecte 7 Dat — T JJ TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager Date submitted to commis" FROM: Todd Hoffman, Park &Recreation Director Date Submitted to Ceued 7— DATE: July 17, 1996 SUBJ: Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Award of Excellence, Chanhassen Recreation Center/Bluff Creek Elementary School I am proud to announce that the City of Chanhassen has been selected as a recipient of an MRPA Award of Excellence in the facilities category. The nomination of the new Chanhassen Recreation Center/Bluff Creek Elementary School led to this designation. Mr. Jon Carter will be present on Monday evening to present this award to the city council. Mr. Carter and his employer, the Minnesota Special Olympics, proudly represent the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. ATTACHMENTS 1. Nomination letter 2. Award Notification 3. Chanhassen Villager article dated May 30, 1996 g: \park \th\mrpaaward.doc 0 CITY OF CHANHASSEN AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 112 TEAM UP TO BUILD A COMMUNITY SCHOOL/RECREATION CENTER In September of 1995, Independent School District 112 and the City of Chanhassen opened the doors to a $9.3 million elementary school and recreation center situated on a 40 acre campus /park site. This cooperative venture was made possible due to the high level of trust and interdependence displayed by both the district and the city. The school district is financing its portion of the project, $6.8 million, with a portion of the proceeds of a $46.5 million referendum. The city is investing $2.5 million in tax increment proceeds from Pillsbury Bakeries and Food Service into its recreation center. The 90,000 sq. ft. school and 23,000 sq. ft. recreation center stand connected as one with separate parking lots and entrances serving both components. Each party owns 20 acres of property; however, the line separating the two is more of a formality than a necessity. As it turns out, the city's recreation center is located on school property. In addition to the main building, the site contains a multi - purpose park shelter, five ball fields, two lighted hockey /in -line skating rinks, four lighted tennis courts, a playground, landscaped courtyards, outdoor classrooms, and an access boulevard; all linked by a trail and sidewalk system. The new school and recreation center were built in response to a growing population within the district and city. Both facilities were filled to capacity upon opening. The new elementary school has a design capacity and core facilities for 650 students. Individual classrooms are grouped into "family clusters" to promote the education concept of multi -age learning groups (students within a two to three year age difference) and the "school within a school." Lifelong learning and leisure are the norm here and the building is accessible to the community and parents. Hammel Green and Abrahamson provided the architectural and associated professional services for the building and BorSon is the general contractor. Independent School District 112 and the City of Chanhassen are extremely excited about the opportunities this new facility offers the community. Response to the new facility has been overwhelming. The flexibility and carrying capacity of the campus is outstanding. On a single evening it can seem like half the town is at the center and school. The community is truly proud of their new school and recreation center. i i J .. . I City of INVERGROVEHEIGHTS May 9, 1996 ' City of Chanhassen RECEIVED ATTN: Todd Hoffman MAY 13 1996 ' 690 Coulter Dr. Chanhassen, MN 55317 CITY OF CHANHASSEN I Dear Todd: ' I am delighted to inform you that the Mmnesota Recreation and Park Association Awards Committee has selected The Chanhassen Recreation Center/Bluff Creek Elementary School to receive an MRPA Award of Excellence in the Facilities Category. ' This year, the Awards Committee granted the Award of Excellence to sixteen projects which include the following: ' COMITY CATEGORY PROJECT/PROGRAM 1 City of Plymouth Volunteer /Sponsorship Arbor Day Celebration City of South St. Paul Facilities Splash Pool City of Shoreview Programming Child Care Program City of Shakopee Volunteer /Sponsorship Shakopee Rotary Rest Stops City of Owatonna Programming Kids First Athletic Program City of Roseville Administration Roundup for the Environment Eden Prairie Arts Commission Volunteer /Sponsorship Taste on the Prairie City of St. Paul Programming SE Asian Elder Program City of Champlin Facilities Andrews Park City of Chanhassen Facilities Bluff Creek Elem./Rec. Ctr. Ramsey County Facilities Island Lk. Co. Pk. Transformation City of Hastings Facilities Vermillion River Trail Bridge AIN DNR Administration Dam Removal/Big Cottonwood Rv. City of Thief River Falls Facilities Gazebo City of Theif River Falls Programming Safety Camp City of New Ulm Volunteer /Sponsorship Kid's First Campaign Beginning in June, a member of the Awards Committee and/or MRPA Board of Directors will come to your Community to present your Award of Excellence before your City Council or Park and Recreation Commission. Please let me know (at 612 -450- 2588), when and where you would like the award presented. Please call soon so we can arrange for this presentation by one of our committee members. If possible give us 2 -3 possible dates so we can arrange for a presentation on one of the days suggested. 8150 BARBARA AVENUE • INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN 55077 TELEPHONE (612) 450 -2500 • CITY OFFICE FAX (612) 450 -2502 • POLICE FAX (612) 450 -2543 Continued cooperation Rec Center /Blu Creek Elementary win MRPA facility award B Kathy Nelson S erve Wm I ett The Minnesota Recreation and park Association (MRPA) Awards Conutittee knows the may to Chanhassen City Hall because next month's trip will be its fourth one. T he most recent Ch anhassen award is for the Chanhassen Recre- ation Center /Bluff Creek rlemen- tarY School facility Past awards were given for February Festival, the city's business and corporate sponsorship program, and the Lake Ann Park Shelter. N4RPA is a statewide profession- al organization that provides sup- port to park and recreation depart- 11 Wilts. Jon Gurban, bIRPA execu- tive director, explained that they provide training and education as .yell as heighten public awareness about city Apartment, awards program, especially in the last sev- en to 10 years• has been a real visi- ble way of raising public awareness, he said. (:11.tnh,1swtl I'm k and Recreation Uireclor Todd IToffntan said that NIRPA solicits applicatio from acrn:s the state tot projects in four different Catrgortrs: Luct11tes, volun- u cr /sj,onsnr shi1,, programming, and aclntinist ;u ion- \ "hen he con - sidrrrd thl• city's projects this year, I Ioffntan said that the Recreation ('enter was tic clear choice. hat obviously had a major influence .vas the joint agreement begs Cell the school district a ca the city of Cha III assen I Iofhman said. Along with it description of the project, he Included the site plan, the agreement lie[ween I)Mrio 112 and the city the building layout, Mid the financing agreement. "The people on the School Board and City Council really went into this (facility) without knowing where they were going to end up. '111.1 takes a lot of courage," 1loff- ntan said. The facility, just nosier a year old, has not only won 'Ti'loval horn a .rate organrr.ation but also gained sonic interest front officials across the count r•.. 1141111an said that they recently took a call from a phoenix , ;rrburh asking about the joint facil- ity.'I Ire suburb told 1 loffman they couldn't believe the city and school district came to it joint agreement because their city and school district didn't even talk to each other. I1411ltan added that there are A hot new release? several cities and school districts in the state that charge each other to use the other's facilities, rather than come up with a reciprocal agree- ment. The two governments continue to work together on the mainte- nance of the building. Hoffman ex- plained that they determined that school district staff has more exper- tise cleaning the interior of the building and the city has more ex- pert Ise keeping up the exterior, so they have divided the duties as such. "We are breaking new ground. They trust its and we trust them ... The partnership has worked out well," he said. The Recreation Center itself is going well, too. I Ioffntan said that the goal for the first year was to have rev enues support 50 percent of the operational costs. To this point, the facility revenues will surpass that 50 percent mark, thanks in part to the nearly $3,000 raised by punch cards during the winter months. I le ex- plained that during the sumrnc•r, which is expected to be a slower time, they will continue to look at the operations of the Recrc.tti<m (.'enter and perhaps do some finr- tuning before fall. Iloffman said that although he thought the Recreation Center ha l a chance to win an award, he was still sl1wrised when he found nut. "As with any award, there is ne•ter a guarantee. 'there are a lot of nire facilities out there," he said. Gurban added that there arc usu- ally "dozens and dozens of submis- sions in each category." Park and recreation departments across the state, front International balls to Rochester, are welcome to submit an application. "Ch:urhassen lus a st t ong, emerg- ing department. It reminds ntr of Eagan, Apple Valley, and Burnsville in the early '30s. They have pretty solid growth and the conununity is trying to develop an array of set- Vices. People who come to Chan - hasscn want the quality of life and the services. "['hat's part and parcel of a developing cotrtmunitv." Ir.• said. 11 said that Ill Rrc tc.ni nt ('enter It.ts filled the g.tp of indoor progrannninl;. Besides pro.idin}�. ICOV3tion, hr said that Ills cent"I has '11s, fern pr „corning son:ial in- teraction. "The City Council has been talk ing about the lack of comnnurity focus. 'I his facility and Lake Ann Park and the grocer,' stnwc air probably the hest places fol people to nu•et their neighbors. "I hcw kinds of places proilloto a sense of connnunrty ” I loffntan said. In an era when city budgets are often stretched, I loffntan noted 111.11 some Cities look to curt programs .rod ashen look to recreation ictivi tics as places to cut. But, (:h.tnhas sell has not bought into that tenclen cy and continues to provide support for the dep,ntnlent, ntaicint; it .t "progressive city according ao I toff nail. (. ui l7an agreed: "It wotddn t tm prise rile if they will it few Inure awards in the future. They are put - tutg the resonrces into it and they have good, strong leadership." Entertainment complex Carver County government may be on video • fr • Green •Ue' e 9, Markett 7880 Mark 9 i i 137111 Afric th t Scow ruo,o nr KAMY Nrlsou Melanie Rask, Chanhassen Recreation Center facility supervisor, is one of several employees that staff the center, under the direction of Park and Recreation Director Todd Hoffman.