PRC 2010 05 25
CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 25, 2010
Chairman Daniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jeff Daniel, Scott Wendt, Tom Kelly, and Elise Ryan. Glenn Stolar,
Steve Scharfenberg and Cole Kelly arrived later in the meeting.
STAFF PRESENT:
Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; and Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation
Superintendent
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Daniel: Anything Todd that we want to talk about?
Hoffman: Yes. The Memorial Day ceremony at noon on Monday so come on down to the
Veterans Monument if you have a chance on Monday, Memorial Day at noon. It’ll be a short
ceremony. Approximately a half hour with Gary Boyle, Commander of the Legion and Tom
Furlong speaking. And then there is a family picnic at the Legion afterwards.
Daniel: Great.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS:
None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Tom Kelly moved, Wendt seconded to approve the verbatim
and summary minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission dated April 27, 2010 as
presented. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
HERMAN FIELD PARK, IDENTIFY TOPICS OF DISCUSSION FOR FUTURE
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
Daniel: Herman Field Park, identify topics of discussion for future neighborhood meeting and
that was part of our goals that we set forth for 2010 here. And I know Elise, did you, you had
mentioned when I saw you on Sunday, did you get a chance to go take a look at it?
Ryan: I did and thanks to your direction I found it.
Daniel: I was going to say, I was hoping you would say.
Ryan: With a number of misses.
Daniel: Thanks to your directions I was nowhere near. Okay. But go ahead.
Hoffman: You go ahead.
Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Mr. Kelly: No.
Hoffman: We want to talk about this.
Mr. Kelly: Yes, yes. We’re talking about that first?
Hoffman: Andrew’s not here but young Mr. Kelly is here to at least view the proposed course.
Daniel: Oh! Okay.
Hoffman: This is the proposed course that Mr. Hagstrom and his colleague designed and I’ll just
go over it briefly for you and then hopefully Andrew will be here in June to talk more about disc
golf in the city of Chanhassen at Bandimere Park. Yeah you’ll be able to see it up in the screen
once Jerry pulls up the document. So that’s Bandimere Park. All the post it’s are the 9 hole golf
course. Go ahead and focus in. Closer. Closer. Closer. We’ll do half of the whole at a time.
There you go. That’s good. You can focus in.
Daniel: Beautiful.
Hoffman: So it starts at the north parking lot. The greens are the tee boxes and the yellows are
the goals or the, what do they call them?
Tom Kelly: The baskets.
Hoffman: Baskets. So the first hole would start somewhere in the vicinity of the parking lot.
Most of the golfers would come in. Park in this parking lot. Tee off at 1 and head across, there’s
a nice obstacle here in the center. This batch of trees and so you either have to decide to try to
shoot through it or around it. That’s your first. The second tee box is here. Just a set up shot for
number 3. Short across the top of the hill there to the net at hole 2. 3 is one of the signature
holes. You start right at the top of that hill and fly over the trail. This is a 5. The net’s down
low. Next to a water hazard which adds excitement. And so the course is using both basically
the pipeline. This is the gas pipeline corridor which preserved all this open space between the
back of the fields and the neighborhood and then it’s using to a lot it’s advantage.
Tom Kelly: Could I ask a question on this hole?
Hoffman: Yep.
Tom Kelly: How do they encourage, after they tee off, how are they going to encourage people
to go down? Are they just going to kind of walk down? Walk down that hill?
Hoffman: You would mow a trail right down.
Tom Kelly: Mow a trail, okay.
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Daniel: And there’s no obstruction Todd is there? I mean with the view from the trails. Okay.
So I mean that way people passing or walking through, they’ll at least be able to see them.
Hoffman: Yes, it wouldn’t be a problem. We’d mow a trail right down to the grass and then
they’d walk over to 3.
Daniel: Okay.
Hoffman: 4 picks up at this location. Kind of the back of the tree line. Shoots across and then
5. Oh excuse me. And 3 and then 4 shoots this way into the tree line and then sets you up for
the uphill shot. One of the more difficult shots on the course.
Tom Kelly: Oh wow.
Hoffman: Long. Long. Most people they reckon they’ll probably lay up right in front of the
trail and then shoot up to the top of the hill to a basket at 5. Oh yeah, 3. This is the tee box.
This is the net for 5.
Tom Kelly: Okay.
Hoffman: So the first 5 holes and then it moves down. So 6 is the silo or the grain silo as an
obstacle. You set up the tee box right in this corner. You’re walking through the net at 5 for the
tee box shooting parallel with the trail. When I talked with Andrew I suggested that they should
keep all the fairways out of this buffer and that’s going to appease the neighbors in that location.
He started to put tee boxes and nets and fairways into that preserved area. That’s when these
neighbors are going to start to have some issues with that. So they kept it on the manicured side.
You shoot around the silo.
Tom Kelly: But you’re going to get slices though that are going to, I mean.
Hoffman: Yeah. But it’s a pretty good distance.
Tom Kelly: Yep.
Hoffman: It’s a pretty good buffer.
Tom Kelly: And you have the, that, the silo’s really blocking that whole. Glad we found a use
for the silo.
th
Hoffman: You’ve got to go around. 7 hole you walk back up the hill and shoot down across
the intersection.
Daniel: Oh there we go.
Hoffman: Go ahead.
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Daniel: Oh I was just trying to find out where 7’s going to. Now it makes sense.
Hoffman: Yep. 7 shoots across here. Again this is some long grass area. 8 tees up. Heads back
to the corner of the trees and then 9, which shoots somewhere. This would probably come up,
wrap around the pond a little bit closer. But the idea here is to get a somewhat, the best circular
pattern you can find and so you end back up at a net near the other parking lot but then you can
walk back through and back to your car and back to the first hole.
Tom Kelly: Because that pond now is pretty much drained I think.
Hoffman: Right now. So that’s the proposal. I will let you know that I am teaching a class at
Minnesota State Mankato. I had 5 different groups design a course for this same, this same piece
of property without knowing what Andrew and his colleague did and none of them came close to
designing this exciting course. And many of them were disc golf players so.
Tom Kelly: Oh really?
Hoffman: Yeah, just as an exercise in that park and rec class I had them all design, and I would
have brought them if they would have held a candle to this one but none of them did. This was,
and they played this at least twice I know so Andrew again had to work this evening. He tried to
nd
get off but he was unable to do that. He’ll be here in June. He’s marked down the 22 and he’ll
be talking more to the commission.
Tom Kelly: Was the idea that we would put those, those cement tee boxes?
Hoffman: That’s up to the commission.
Tom Kelly: Okay.
Hoffman: Yeah, it’s up to the design.
Daniel: Well that was my next thought. I mean obviously that is a option. I mean worst case.
Just the worst case scenario is you go without it but you must have the nets.
Tom Kelly: Yep.
Daniel: The question I have Todd is what is the price of a good chain link net or basket for disc
golf?
Hoffman: Not very much. $500 bucks.
Daniel: Oh geez. Well I need to get into the chain link basket business.
Tom Kelly: And we have to have probably signs too that say the par and where the location of
the net is.
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Wendt: Plus a beer cart to go around.
Daniel: Now let me ask you this Todd. In something like this, especially laying out, even if you
do have the tee off or the cement pads, is that something that we would contract out or is that
something that would probably be done in-house? Plus the placing of the course and the baskets
and.
Hoffman: We would have somebody fine tune the design. A consultant fine tune the design and
then we would contract to have somebody install it would be a concrete person.
Daniel: Okay.
Hoffman: It’s just so much more, you know our parks crew are really jack of all trades but they
don’t do a whole lot of concrete and they would be, you would just be taking people off other
jobs and so it’s just more efficient to hire a contractor and more competitive.
Ryan: How about the maintenance of a course like that? Is there a lot of.
Tom Kelly: Low maintenance.
Daniel: Almost virtually, just trim around the cement. That’s about it. And actually that wears
down anyways. So no I mean the maintenance is very nil unless you’re like Three Rivers and
you want to make it really nice.
Ryan: Right, that’s what I didn’t know.
Daniel: But no, once you get it settled. Set. I mean the one in St. Cloud at Riverside Park is, I
don’t think it’s changed since I’ve been in college. I don’t think the nets have even changed and
that’s 20 years ago.
Ryan: So it’s just the initial set up?
Hoffman: And most of these areas are maintained as a routine part of the park.
Ryan: Oh, okay.
Hoffman: Initially I thought that they would be trying to put 9 holes in an out in back in this area
and so I like how they use the original Bandimere Park. The neighborhood park and then how
they wrapped all the way around the entire pipeline area.
Tom Kelly: You think hole 1 is a little close to the playground area with a slice or not?
Hoffman: I don’t think so.
Daniel: That’s one big slice.
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Tom Kelly: Okay. You haven’t seen me play. Okay.
Hoffman: That’d be a hook, wouldn’t it?
Tom Kelly: Oh it’d be a hook? Yep, yep. It would be a hook. I never hook.
Ryan: Do we ever as a commission go…if they came?
Hoffman: Oh sure.
Daniel: Just kind of walk it or.
Ryan: Yeah.
Hoffman: Play it.
Daniel: Play it. I’ve got a couple of them.
Tom Kelly: I have a couple too, yeah.
Hoffman: Your June meeting.
Daniel: Yeah, we could do that. That’d be a real good idea.
Hoffman: We’ll have a picnic and a disc golf match.
Daniel: I think it will allow us to link in too also Herman Field too again. Take a look at that
maybe. Any other projects that might be going on Todd.
Hoffman: Yeah, if we do Herman Field in here, that would be.
Daniel: That’d probably cut some time. Okay.
Hoffman: Other thoughts or questions?
Tom Kelly: You really took the baseball fields out of play which is nice. And the soccer field
too.
Hoffman: Yeah you try to imagine you know groups of people using it and I think this is going
to be a compliment. The pipeline heads right through. You can see up where the pipeline comes
through the parking lots because there’s no parking stalls on top of the pipeline. So the pipeline
is running right down through here. It goes right behind the fields so we did not place any of the
field over the top of the pipeline.
Daniel: How deep is the pipeline buried?
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Hoffman: I don’t know for sure in all areas. Typically 6 to 9 feet.
Daniel: Okay.
Stolar: The question in the beginning here. I’m sorry I came late. Are we going to have like a
sign over there? I think that’s what you were talking about Tom like at the beginning of the
course.
Hoffman: Just to identify.
Daniel: Hole 1. Par 4.
Tom Kelly: Each hole you’d probably want.
Hoffman: Bandimere Disc Golf Course.
Stolar: Yeah, something like that, yeah. And are we going to put like, are there like picnic
tables or anything over there so that people waiting to start can sit through or we’ll do something
like that as we see the.
Hoffman: That one white spot might be one right here. Permanent one and then we could add
more. Yeah, there’s a permanent one right there.
Stolar: So maybe, might need to add a couple just for people waiting to start.
Ryan: And the trail around it is very, used very often or heavily?
Hoffman: It is.
Tom Kelly: Is it, yeah.
Ryan: So would that be a problem?
Hoffman: Others who have played, from what I understand, it’s not a real issue. They shoot
over a road at Three Rivers at Bryant.
Daniel: I’ve got a dent on my van because of the, so. It is what it is.
Hoffman: You know they’re going to have to be polite and allow people to walk through when
they’re playing so they’re not taking the shots at those people.
Daniel: Yeah, they usually are pretty good about that. I mean that’s what I asked the question
about, I mean if you can see it, they’ll wait.
Tom Kelly: And this is, the trail’s more used in the mornings. People walking their dog. That
seems to be the higher time of use. I do like the use of the Bandimere Heights field because
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that’s just a green space that I’ve never seen used before so it’ll be great to have people down
there.
Hoffman: Yeah when Bandimere wasn’t here it was used as a soccer practice field and game
field and the parking lot was added. This parking lot was added to accommodate that. Now it’s
a half court basketball in the green space. Most the activity’s coming up on top of the park.
Other than Minnewashta Regional Park, we don’t have another piece of real estate that we can
identify other than the Lake Ann woods always comes back as either a dog park. Off leash dog
area or disc golf but I’m not sure that would really…cut enough for fairways.
Daniel: No.
Hoffman: So this is a little confined piece of real estate and they seem to do a pretty nice job.
Stolar: If we get the property to the north, will that change the dynamics of this course based on,
if you remember you showed us a while ago what the new park would look like. The parking lot
would move.
Hoffman: The course would still be isolated from that property and that property isolated from
the course so I don’t think it would be a benefit to try to incorporate it. There’s a parking lot
extension that comes in right through here.
Stolar: Oh that’s where the parking lot is, okay. Got it. So you wouldn’t take out the parking lot
that’s there or the half U parking lot?
Hoffman: No.
Daniel: Plus could we talk about, was there a tennis court Todd?
Hoffman: Tennis court and ice hockey.
Daniel: Yeah.
Stolar: So it’s all away, okay.
Ruegemer: Isn’t there a water drain, storm drain area in there as well?
Hoffman: Yep. Yeah, storm water down in the low area. That’s just discussion, the first asking
price that they came in with was too high so we’ll just wait and see if the property comes up for
sale. The other, you’re probably following on Highway 101 will be improved from 212 down
through this entire corridor to Pioneer Trail. It will include widening. Taking this kind of curb
out and taking this kind of curb out to some degree the best that it can and then putting trails on
one or both sides of the corridor and then incorporate and planning for an underpass somewhere
in the future entrance road area to allow for a neighborhood that will be developed to the west to
access the community park and to allow the neighborhoods to the east to access the nature
preserve over here. So that project was recently granted federal funds and will be in it’s planning
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stage shortly. And much of that thanks goes to Councilwoman Tjornhom who was at the hearing
and they did not include the project. She lobbied for the inclusion of that project and was
successful in the lobbying efforts and so it got back into the funding.
Daniel: Excellent.
Hoffman: You’ll see more about that. That project only goes to Pioneer. It stops there. Does
not go down to the causeway at Shakopee. That’ll be the second phase of that project and a
much more difficult phase. As difficult as this is, the next phase is.
Daniel: With the construction though from Pioneer south to the turn off right by Bluff Creek.
The Bluff Creek Golf Course, is that, is that done now? Construction but then I know from that
point on all the way down to.
Hoffman: This first project only goes to Pioneer.
Daniel: No, no, no, no. I know. I know that project. I’m talking about in the future because I
know they did some reconstruction last season.
Hoffman: Yep. Yes, they did some asphalting.
Daniel: Yep, and also moving guardrails for the gullies and stuff like that. So but that, is that
just temporary?
Hoffman: Temporary.
Daniel: Okay.
Hoffman: The next phase will be full reconstruct down to the river bottom. So Andrew will join
you in June and we’ll take a tour out there. Maybe he’ll be able to join us and look at the project.
Tom Kelly: That’d be great. Thank you for opening this up. The agenda as well.
Hoffman: What’d you think?
Daniel: Alright, well let’s move on to Herman Field and we’ve identified that as one of our 2010
goal settings goals for identifying opportunities to improve the park and what can we do to get
more use out of Herman Field. Todd I think you were nice enough to put in.
Hoffman: I have just a few ideas and then a, I think a park inventory was included. Chair
Daniels, members of the commission. The history on this park, it was given to the City by
Randy Herman Sr. and Mr. Herman was involved in the sale of the regional park but he held
onto this piece of property and then dedicated it to the City, donated it to the City for the tax
incentives, and then also there was a cash contribution that came along with the property for the
initial development which included development of the access road and the parking lot. The
deed to the property states that if the City ever changes it’s use, the only use that we can change
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it to is a donation to the regional park for including in the regional park property. It cannot be
sold to another entity. Another property owner. So the size is 12 acres, right? Do you have
your? And it’s separated, there are really three quadrants. The center quadrant is the portion
which is developed. Then there are two parcels, both to east and west that are heavily wooded
and have some wetlands. There’s a property owner that has been a neighbor to the park since
1937, Ben Gowen. I’m going to show you some trails that he and his neighbor maintain on the
east end of the park.
Daniel: How long has he been there?
Hoffman: Since 1937. These are, you can see the trail on this side. This is the access road off
of Forest Avenue. Large wetland that separates, without, one of the original plans had a bridge
across here. A boardwalk. That was never constructed. Fully constructed. Never included in
the CIP and then so this side is separated and these neighbors over here utilize these trails for
walking.
Daniel: Have their own private trail.
Hoffman: They have their own private trail. Well there’s an access point here so the entire
neighborhood comes in, so this is Mr. Gowen’s property and he mows some of these trails and
then the other neighbor to the north mows some of these and the whole neighborhood walks
down. This is a cartway access so you can see.
Stolar: Up off of Oriole Avenue?
Hoffman: Yeah. So they’re walking in and utilizing that portion of the park right now for their
activities. Dog walking and other things. And then you go back to the developed portion of the
park, it was approximately $50,000 investment in the access road and then some additional
money for the playground. There was a Phase II playground which a former park commission
and neighborhood deleted from the plan. They just the reason that it wasn’t the worth the
investment to put additional playground equipment in a park that was so under utilized. Used so
little. And then the open play field. The primary use from what we can assert is that this
walking trail that goes into the regional park, so in the summer and winter people park in this
parking lot or they just walk in from the neighborhood. They cut straight across along side the
playground and they walk into a trailway that comes into the regional park. See you later. You
can see on the aerial this comes right down to a cut in the fence and so in the early days the
neighbors would cut open the fence and peel back the regional park fence and then the regional
park people would come and close it up and then after a while battling that they just reasoned it
was better to leave it open and have it as an informal access point. The reason the County does
not officially recognize this as a public access to the park is because it comes in and puts it right
onto the ski trails so there’s not an official walking trail there. But if you have any kind of
neighborhood conversation you’re going to hear that this is one of the primary uses of Herman
Field Park is to gain access and so you’re going to have to further that conversation with Carver
County to identify well, then how do we want the neighbors to get into the park through Herman
Field Park. They come both summer and winter. The issue with the winter access is that there
are some cross country skiers but primary it’s dog walkers and/or walkers and the first thing they
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encounter is the cross country ski trail. So now you have a conflict between the users. The cross
country skiers that are in the park, accessing it from the regional park parking lot and the
neighbors that are walking with their dogs and so there’s some conflicts that go on there. You
can see a large kind of wetland surrounded by woods in this area. In the original plan there was
a, and it may still be on the books, there’s an easement through these two lots for a neighborhood
access but this is a very steep hill. Dumps right into a wetland and so this trail access was never
developed and that whole east/west trail system which was a part of the original concept plans
have never been developed due to all the wetland issues and steep grades in the park. So that’s
the history of the park site. Without the access that it currently has, there would be very low use.
I think the primary issue here is that the neighborhood uses it but there’s just no one else that
knows it’s there.
Daniel: And that’s the discussion. How do we make it viable? I mean beyond, you know that’s,
a lot of the other community parks are used by other or neighborhood parks are used by other
people than just the neighborhood. All the way from Curry Farms to you can just about name it.
Rice Marsh. You know I don’t know if any of the commissioners have had an opportunity to
think about some ideas. I mean given the limited space that we see, at least with the green space,
what are some activities that have come up or that we’ve read about or that have been of interest
where we could utilize it and bring some attraction other than just the neighborhoods, but also
something that would fit within the character and that they would approve as well. So Elise I
don’t know if you’ve given any thought?
Hoffman: Well before we start that discussion, excuse me. I’m not sure adding more to the park
is going to generate. It’s so circuitous to get there. That it would generate outside people
seeking access to find that, find that activity. But that’s something you can talk about.
Wendt: Giant water park.
Daniel: Limited parking but I think you’re on the right path.
Wendt: Yeah we actually went out there tonight, had a picnic just to check out the area and
walked around a little bit and walked down the trail a little ways and could see it’s heavily used.
It’s kind of a rut going down too Minnewashta Park so I don’t know.
Ryan: I’d be curious to know what the advantages or disadvantages in donating the site to
Carver County. I don’t know if you can answer that Todd or.
Hoffman: I don’t think there’s, advantages, it moves it over to Carver County for maintenance
and operation. Disadvantage is you lose the control. Disadvantages, they would certainly
eliminate the vehicle parking and make it a walk-in access only and then they would have, they
would be forced to identify how they’re going to get people walking into that neighborhood.
Daniel: And move parking away from the parking lots into the streets. I think that’s what would
happen.
Tom Kelly: Why would they get rid of that parking lot?
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Hoffman: Well I don’t think they would want to maintain a parking lot at that location. They
would have to go through a complete re-master planning. They may not accept the donation.
You know they may not want it.
Ryan: Did you not say that most of the people that utilize that area of that park walk in and don’t
drive in, correct?
Hoffman: Most would, yeah. The majority would walk in.
Ryan: Okay. So the parking lot isn’t highly utilized anyway?
Hoffman: It’s utilized but yeah the majority of the trips would be walking trips in the
neighborhood. Some people do drive there and park and then walk in. Did you see any cars
tonight?
Wendt: No, it was the neighborhood. The only person we saw while we were there.
Ryan: And I went at like peak mom and child hour when most parks are full and it was very
hard, I mean it was hard to find and I personally was not comfortable being out there by myself
with my daughter. I just was not. I felt very secluded and it was not a comfortable feeling. I
think the actual equipment looked very dilapidated as well so I just, that’s why I was curious
about the donation just because I, unless they can do something major, which I don’t know if we
want to do, make the investment but it was just an uncomfortable feeling back there.
Hoffman: Yeah, I’m not sure this neighborhood would go for a major public investment of
dollars to make because it’s just, I mean I’m not sure it makes sound planning. It’s so isolated.
Stolar: I still think, and I mentioned this last time we talked about it. I think putting a
soccer/lacrosse field there. People go to strange places for practices and for games. I’ve been to
many strange places and to me that open field, if I remember correctly, it’s got enough room to
put a couple of practice fields there. I don’t know what our demand is but, the reason I bring it
up again was because that one company that gives us the lacrosse field. Yeah, and we don’t
know when that’s going to go away and I’d rather set this as a stage, and it could be even
dependency then. If that goes away we use this for that period. I think once people know, and
you’ve got to probably isolate it to one sport. Once people know where it’s at, they’ll be able to
get there. There’s certain hidden fields you know for football or for baseball that you know
where they are once you go practice there once. And that’s fairly easy to get there and then like
from a crowd perspective you’ll have a group of people. The playground might need to be
upgraded then because you’re having families coming, dropping off one older kid and bringing a
younger one but that’s the only use, when we went out there, that was the only thing I saw in
there that might be beneficial.
Ryan: Unless you, could you ever just take out that playground all together and make a bigger
space for a field? Or do you have to have equipment where there’s fields?
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Daniel: Todd how, during the feedback, last discussion we ever had with the residents, is that
equipment used? The playground equipment, at least on a consistent basis. Not by a lot of
people obviously but.
Hoffman: Probably not.
Daniel: Would there be an uproar if there was a suggestion?
Hoffman: Well there’s going to be a lot of public comment about scheduling, building a field
and scheduling practices there. I’m not sure the neighborhood’s going to see that as a highly
desirable amenity to the neighborhood but it’s a conversation, if you want to have that
conversation. They’ll be involved with.
Stolar: What is our capacity issue? Do we have an issue right now for soccer or lacrosse?
Those would be the only ones. I mean I don’t think we could use it for baseball or anything like
that.
Ruegemer: Yeah. Well Tom can probably answer the lacrosse. You know lacrosse is growing.
Tom Kelly: It is growing.
Ruegemer: By double digit percentages every year.
Tom Kelly: Yep. I mean right now we actually are not using the Instant Web field. I think we
gave it to Minnetonka. We got the turf for our games.
Ruegemer: At the high school.
Tom Kelly: Yeah, having more fields, it’s just you know this field is, this is Minnetonka. It’d be
good to have another field but this would be.
Daniel: This would fall onto Tonka’s lacrosse or soccer program.
Tom Kelly: Yeah.
Stolar: Why would it fall under?
Tom Kelly: It wouldn’t fall under but it would just be, this wouldn’t be, from a program that’s
feeding from Chanhassen/Chaska.
Ruegemer: I think geographically.
Stolar: But then they could also allow for, the Instant Web, you know that becomes then a field
you guys could use.
Tom Kelly: Right.
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Stolar: I mean if there’s a capacity issue, and I know we need to talk to the neighbors first. I’m
not suggesting but I think that’s what we want to talk about but it’s also something limited. Not
just broad for any field scheduling. I would pick one sport and say this is what the sport is going
to be. You have limited seasons.
Daniel: I guess another question to ask based on the, given the proximity. The only other, well
the only other, we have 3 parks in that area. That’d be Herman, Cathcart and then Roundhouse,
right? Given on the north side.
Hoffman: And Minnewashta Heights.
Daniel: Oh, Minnewashta Heights, that’s right. And that’s right off of Highway 7, right? But
are there any amenities between those 4 that we’re missing that could be possibly, I mean again I
know you said do we want to add but again that could, that could produce a fill. I mean is there
something that we’re missing between those 4 on the north side that would attract.
Hoffman: Yeah, tennis courts are not there now. They’re scheduled in the master plan for
Roundhouse.
Daniel: Okay. And part of what I had, or what I had thought was exactly what Glenn had
touched base on. I mean I know again, and I mentioned it during our meeting with City Council
about the concerns about scheduling neighborhood parks for athletic programs. Now across the
board I think that’s generally been followed but from Pheasant Hills, at least I know along Lake
Lucy, every one of them are not scheduled but that’s where they meet for smaller youth
programs. Youth soccer programs. Soccer for Curry Farms and Pheasant Hills at least what I’ve
seen. At least we could have designated, if it is a neighborhood park and if we want to get more
use out of it, that one park as part of the program and if we can limit it. I mean it’d be seasonally
limited. For example we designate it only as a lacrosse space. What’s lacrosse’s season? Just
spring and summer?
Tom Kelly: Yeah. So April to end of July.
Daniel: Yeah. I mean just in considerations. Again I know that like we said, we’re not too
popular. There is parking there. How many stalls? Six? Eight?
Stolar: Eight.
Daniel: One handicap I think I read.
Stolar: And that’d be my only concern is would that force parking on the street. Now the
entranceway to the park had a little bit of room there.
Hoffman: Yeah, they would park along the entrance road.
Stolar: And that won’t go into the neighborhood per se?
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Hoffman: There’s a house, well there’s property right as you leave the turn. You’ve got one
home here.
Stolar: How big is that turn?
Tom Kelly: If we did all that, if we put a Biff or anything’s like that?
Daniel: There’s not one there now correct?
Hoffman: There isn’t one there now but we’ll schedule it if there’s a use.
Stolar: Again it depends on demand. If we think the demand’s there, then that’s where I would
use it. And if it’s not there, we don’t have to, and I would assume that’s an easy enough thing
that if demand changes we can just not have it there.
Hoffman: Well to Chair Daniel’s point, people are playing in our neighborhood parks right now
but the last, Herman Field…but there’s nobody there using it now.
Ruegemer: Right.
Hoffman: Neighborhood coaches find the green space pretty easily and I don’t think there’s
anybody that I’ve heard or looked at using it.
Ruegemer: Yeah. I actually had a couple requests to get some permanent soccer goals at Curry
Farms. You know we’re using it anyway, how come you just don’t bring any goals down so I
know people are, just like Todd said. People are finding available green space there is.
Daniel: Because Curry Farms will be under water again in about a year, which it almost is at this
point.
Stolar: Water polo.
Ruegemer: People are resourceful in finding open space.
Hoffman: Yeah, in Pheasant Hill they’re using it for volleyball.
Ruegemer: Yep.
Daniel: I think I saw some, there might be some girl soccer too. I think one of the coaches may
have, I’ve seen them play. So again between those two, again it’s informally done and maybe
it’d be nice if we want to consider down the road at least have something formally set aside for
either a group that would be, or the traffic and neighborhood concerns, saying you know this is
specifically for, again it will fall, we’re not naïve enough to know that fall, guess where practice
is being held because I found out there’s a green space that’s been laid out with some boundaries.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
I’m sure that will happen and maybe we ought to take that into consideration too. But at least
again we’ll be getting use out of a park that quite frankly is nothing more than a pass through.
Hoffman: Well and I’m going to recommend to the commission, I think the primary use of this
land will always be for the neighborhood so I would again solicit the neighborhood about their
ideas. We have park preserves in our community, in our system where they’re simply open
space and some have trails through them and some don’t. We may be reaching the ultimate best
use of this may just be a trail access. Close up shop and allow for a trail access to the regional
park and a nature preserve and that’s it. But I think talking to the neighbors, finding out what
their thoughts are is probably the first best move here. They were very active in the installation
of the access road and the initial playground. And they were active again when the commission
proposed expanding the playground. They said we came into this same room and said we don’t
need another playground. The one we have there isn’t being used. Don’t invest your money.
We’re here to let you know that the park’s fine just the way it is, and that was probably 10 years
ago.
Daniel: So yeah, I absolutely want input from the neighborhood and any decision that we would
make or at least, not decision but any discussions that we’re going to open up, we want their
input.
Hoffman: I think something we need to talk about tonight is, do you think it would be best
served to meet out there with the neighborhood or do you want to meet here? And when do you
want to do that? July or August.
Daniel: What have you found to be more effective. As far as attendance is concerned because
I’d want to maximize our attendance.
Hoffman: Both can be well attended. It depends on what kind of a process. It’s more informal,
we get more informal interaction out of the neighborhood so that may be something we want to
do. It’s easier to look at things obviously…and if you want a more formal atmosphere, more of a
public hearing type atmosphere…
Stolar: I guess I would think for a discussion with them you’d want to be over there. Just have a
discussion and then if we take formal action or any changes it would be here.
Hoffman: Yeah that would be the likely, we’d start there and then any formal action we would
move here…
Daniel: Okay, let’s take that approach. Should we schedule something for July then with an
announcement to?
Hoffman: Either June or July.
Tom Kelly: We should do July because we’re doing June at Bandimere.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Daniel: And take a look. Do a quick preliminary evaluation. Then we’ll meet with them in July
and then we’ll probably have in August another meeting as far as anything that be said formally,
or something that would be formal so.
Hoffman: So then formally a motion for the record and then we’ll go ahead…
Daniel: Let’s do that. Alright who wants to put forth a motion?
Tom Kelly: I move to hold an informal meeting with the residents surrounding Herman Park
during our July Park and Rec meeting for the purposes of discussing potentially uses for this
open space.
Wendt: Second.
Tom Kelly moved, Wendt seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission hold an
informal meeting with the residents surrounding Herman Field Park during their July
meeting for the purpose of discussing potentially uses for this open space. All voted in
favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 6 to 0. (Cole Kelly was not
present at this point in the meeting.)
RECREATION PROGRAM REPORTS:
LAKE ANN PARK SUMMER SCHEDULE.
Ruegemer: Thanks Chair Daniels. The summer is rapidly approaching us here. Lake Ann is
going to be the kind of the focus of a really busy summer. Been having a lot of phone calls lately
on just a lot of summer picnics. It’s just nonstop all day long so, which is great. I don’t know
how many phone calls a day. I probably take anywhere from 5 to 10 picnic phone calls a day
and people are booking so it’s, we’re doing really good on picnics right now so. What we’re
trying to do too is, as a staff and we’ll probably cover that a little bit more in kind of the program
section of the summer programs but we’re really trying to take some of that, the other activities
outside or in our park system. We moved Summer Sensations out to Lake Susan Park and we
practically doubled our attendance for that so we’re trying to take Lake Ann Adventure Camp
obviously is outside but really trying to kind of focus on kind of our community parks and kind
of get people outdoors a little bit with that so that’s been extremely popular. Lake Ann
concession stand is going to open up this coming weekend. We have all our staff hired for that.
It’s been busy this week just trying to get staff manuals and payroll paperwork and all that kind
of stuff is pretty much ready to go. We have 3 out of the 4 staff members returning from last
year and the fourth person we hired is another college student from UND that worked at the
hockey arena up at school in concessions so we have a pretty talented staff again for the summer.
We’ll be opening up here this weekend. We’ll be open from 11:00 in the morning til 7:00 at
night. And then we’ll kind of pare that down in the first part of August down from 11:00 to 6:00
so kind of when attendance kind of tails off we’ll try to save some of those labor costs when the
peak usage isn’t as great. And that will kind of coincide with the closing day with the end of the
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lifeguard season as well. So we’re going to be starting the lifeguards will be starting June 12.
The park maintenance crews did get the swimming buoys and markers out already. I was out
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
there again today and yesterday people are already swimming in Lake Ann so I think people are
pretty excited with the warm weather so again if anybody else you know wants to swim out at
Lake Ann, no problem. You can do that. The beach is not closed. It’s open. You just swim at
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your own risk and there’ll be guards then starting June 12.
Hoffman: There’s a note on Lake Susan. Water was very clear again from the carp removal
which allowed a lot of light and it’s attacking the phosphorus in the water and there’s a very high
philantageous algae bloom right now so it’s pea soup green and we’re not putting the swimming
buoys out… Very green.
Ruegemer: So Lake Ann will see a lot of people this year.
Hoffman: It makes you appreciate Lake Ann.
Ruegemer: No doubt about that so very popular area but you know again just picnics. We really
project to have a real good year for getting people into our park system with that. Booking a lot
of company picnics. Seems like we’re starting to get some of those kind of bigger companies.
The you know 300 to 400 people out there with that new picnic shelter. The Hilltop shelter so I
think a lot of people have really viewed that as really a need that we can be filled now to these
big, large group picnics and those are all non-residents so those are $250 rentals which is good
for us as well so. And what I usually try to do too is kind of talk people into renting watercraft
and boats and that kind of thing so we can increase the usage of those as well to get people
hopefully back after the picnic as well so we’re excited about that. Other than that, that’s kind of
it. We’re really kind of getting into the swing of things here and I think we have school groups
coming up here the first part of June so we’re going to have staff there in the morning to, and all
day long to kind of assist with watercraft rentals and any type of facility questions they may have
during the course of the day so. Minnetonka Middle School West is coming out. They usually
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bring about 150-200 kids out. They’re coming up I think June 10. Scenic Heights Elementary
is coming out the first part of June as well with that. St. Hubert’s and Chapel Hill will be at Lake
Susan for their annual picnic so this is kind of the school age groups that are coming out this
time of year and we usually try to, at least at Lake Ann try to get them to buy some ice cream
and get them out on a paddle boat or two so, that works out pretty good with that. Other than
that just facility questions have been extremely busy but with all that we have an intern Peter
from Minnesota State Mankato started this week here so I’m slowly trying to kind of get him
into the facility mode of picnic scheduling and that sort of thing so. No, he’s doing a great job.
He’s a smart young man and he’s going to really help us out this summer.
Hoffman: He’ll be here in June. Sewer line updates. The sewer line project is complete but for
restoration and so it is hooked up. They are working very quickly on the concession stand
project. All the carpentry work was done that we signed today and tomorrow. The plumbers on
site and so that will be operational shortly.
Ruegemer: City park, the street maintenance crew also got some asphalting done down there
today. Kind of the little turn around area down by the beach entrance. It was kind of tore up a
little bit down there where the kind of connected all the sewer lines. All that was done today and
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
also that little cut strip between the parking lot leading into the main picnic shelter, the lake side
area was also patched today too after a while so that looks good.
Daniel: And what was the, as far as the shelter, at least the new concession stand up, or the
concession stand up on the ballfields right?
Hoffman: Yep.
Daniel: Okay. Now the plumbing and the sewer line, that was I think we had discussed about
that right and I think the cost of remodeling the concession stand, was that going to be shared
with or a certain portion of it covered by the Little League?
Hoffman: Yes. They’re covering the majority of the cost. We’re investing the.
Daniel: Sewer line.
Hoffman: Sewer line and then $5,000 contribution and that cash. Basically what we did is gave
them back their $5,000 from when they gave us $5,000 for the fence on Field 3. So CAA sent a
check for $5,000. We said we’ll invest that back into your project and then they’re going to pay
for the rest. All of the other costs associated and appliances which are coming along with it.
And then the building will be used by anybody at that point. They will donate that equipment to
the City and donate those improvements back to the City. They will be the primary
concessionaire and they will have the opportunity to serve concessions at softball leagues,
tournament games but they’ll have to coordinate with whoever’s sponsoring those on an
individual basis and come up with some kind of an agreement on how they’re going to split the
proceeds. If there’s alcohol involved the Athletic Association may or may not be interested in
providing the concessions and they obviously won’t be doing the beer sales. They may do the
concessions in concert with somebody else doing the beer sales or they may choose not to do
concessions at all having beer sales that are associated with that concession operation.
Daniel: Two questions quickly. One, do we groom the beach in the mornings? Every morning?
Ruegemer: Yeah, routinely.
Daniel: Okay.
Ruegemer: Well I would say, well I can’t say it’s every morning but it’s. Is it every morning?
Hoffman: Yep, they’re all the way.
Daniel: Okay. And then as far as concessions, do you know if once it’s open, will they be
making it available during softball on Thursday nights?
Ruegemer: The CAA?
Daniel: Yeah.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Ruegemer: Yeah, I’m not sure.
Daniel: Because I know they have Little League during that night so I’m assuming they
probably will.
Ruegemer: Yep.
Scharfenberg: I don’t think the plan is to run concessions during the league. I think the main,
right now I think the goal is, was to get that up and running for tournaments and mainly they’re
putting on a State tournament this year so I don’t think the plan right now Jeff is to have that
open during regular games.
Daniel: Okay.
Scharfenberg: Maybe ultimately at some point they’ll do that but volunteer wise I think the plan
was to get it done. Use it for tournaments this year and things of that nature. Long term if it gets
used more, it might be.
Daniel: I would hope so. If it’s anything like they’re doing at Freeman, or Bennett as well. I
mean that’s a just cash flow.
Stolar: You buy tickets so that after every game a kid gets a treat. Well you know the parents
pay for that upfront. That’s a lot of money. A lot of cash flowing through.
Daniel: Yeah and Freeman, at least with their concession stand is open during every game at any
time and like I said, it is, the money flowing through there is insane so I would hope that the
CAA would consider that. And the volunteers, it’s all done through parent volunteer, so.
Stolar: Right. And when you get big enough you hire a paid staff. One paid staff and then
everything else is parent volunteers. I think it’s Bennett you have a fine if you don’t, if your
team doesn’t show up for it.
Daniel: It’s $150.
Hoffman: And then at Carver the Lion’s operate it similar on a night by night basis so for
whatever’s going on, the Carver Lion’s are there operating at Carver.
Daniel: Yeah, they’re wonderful money makers. Especially like I said for an athletic association
if they really want to generate some revenue during, not just obviously softball but when you
coordinate softball and it’s the only concession stand on that area, there’s a lot of money to be
made so I’m sure Todd has considered that as part of their plan and hopefully they’ll take
advantage of it. And we’ll get the kids off my back about being hungry or thirsty. It’s all
personal. Isn’t that why we’re here?
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Ryan: I guess I have something personal then. Not that personal but a suggestion for Lake Ann
for people that are training for triathlons in this area, which is a great number of people,
especially through Lifetime Fitness. Everybody starts talking about open lake swim and it’s a
hidden gem and we’re just talking about what a great lake it is. You know clear and clean and
it’s a perfect distance for people that are training so it might be something to promote when you
send out brochures or what not when you’re doing it is to say, you know get ready for your open
lake swim at Lake Ann. The concessions are open following your practice. At least that gets
them coming through the concession because I know there’s a big group that goes down from my
husband’s company. I don’t know if it’d be beneficial to talk to Lifetime to, to have them
promote it within their club as well.
Hoffman: That would be a change from our current practice of not promoting open lake swim
on Lake Ann.
Ryan: Oh really? Okay.
Hoffman: It’s simply because they, the beach does not promote it because of liability concerns
so you can’t start or stop in the beach when it’s in operation and so as an agency, that’s
something we currently do not promote so if that’s something that the commission wanted to
consider, is that we promote open lake swim at Lake Ann.
Ryan: Because then the City is liable for.
Hoffman: Potentially.
Ryan: Okay.
Hoffman: I don’t know what the liability ramifications are if as an agency we promote open lake
swims across the lake at Lake Ann. We would have to ask our attorneys what that would be.
Ryan: I didn’t know that.
Ruegemer: If the guards are on duty too it kind of puts them in an awkward situations too as far
as they’re not properly set up for.
Daniel: Well for rescues you require, for rescue it would require a motorized boat.
Hoffman: Because we don’t want them to start or stop in or near the guarded beach area. It just
provides a lot of confusion. If people start swimming outside of the buoys in the open water.
Ryan: Oh really. So the people that are doing it now should not be doing it?
Hoffman: No. They can, it’s fine but they’re doing it before hours I think primarily. Before
beach hours and so during beach hours if they try the lifeguards are going to tell them not to do
it.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Ryan: And what if they start on the far.
Hoffman: And come in? They’re again going to talk to them.
Ryan: Really? Okay.
Hoffman: Yeah, if they start from the far side they’re going to want to go to the rental dock or
the public access and turn around. I think most do that. Now they used to swim to the swimming
raft when it was floating and then swim around and then during beach hours again that was…but
during non-beach hours…
Ryan: So evening’s are the after 7:00?
Hoffman: Yeah.
Ryan: Okay. Well I apologize about that. There’s a big no-no.
Hoffman: You don’t need to apologize. Maybe it’s something we should be doing but
something we’re currently not doing.
Stolar: But there’s a question, to play on that for example if we did something, call it an early
morning swim club, that they could do an open water swim in the early morning there. That’d be
something different. It’d be a program. It wouldn’t be the beach right, as long as not the beach.
The question is whether there’s enough demand for such a program and all the costs associated
with it.
Hoffman: Yeah, we know they’re there. They’ve been there for a long time and we have no
problem with that. Groups come and go and groups get larger and smaller and there’s been
people swimming there and training for many years. Not an issue for us. It’s just something that
we don’t promote.
Ryan: Alright, thank you.
Daniel: Okay. Let’s move on to 2010 summer programs.
2010 SUMMER PROGRAMS REPORT.
Ruegemer: Thanks again. Just kind of a catalog of kind of what we have going this summer.
Have a lot going on. John and Jodi have done just a wonderful job on really kind of putting
together a really extensive list of programs and activities. Like I said some of the new, kind of
the new stuff we have going certainly is the Summer Sensations that we moved out to Lake
Susan. We also extended that to an hour and a half versus an hour and I think that also helped
with attendance. We moved it out to Lake Susan just to kind of number one, get it outside.
Number two, that we have such a nice, kind of age appropriate playground equipment there as
well so it really I think was appealing to families that are frequenting the park anyway so they
can kind of get into a program as well so it’s been nice for us. I just, you know Lake Ann
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Adventure Camp has been full probably for probably at least 3 weeks now. That filled up
extremely quick and we keep kind of expanding a little bit. Now we’re really at capacity right
now I think with I think 80 to 85 kids per week and we’re really trying to kind of keep that staff
ratio relatively low so we can really have a lot of one on one attention with the kids so continues
to be an extremely large program. We’ve had people calling back from spring break to get their
kids signed up for the Adventure Camp. It’s extremely popular so if we could expand that we’ll
definitely going to look into ways to do that in the future but we just have trouble with staffing
kind of at the tail end of the summer. Kids have to get back to college and that sort of thing so
we kind of have a tendency to kind of tail off on our staffing levels at that point so. Just a lot of
different new stuff with Sports Unlimited. The ball hockey camp is kind of a hockey, kind of a
hockey with a tennis ball. Kind of the old traditional kind of street hockey type of stuff so that’s
something new we’re trying and certainly with John and Jodi’s, with the Rec Center Sports, we
had really pretty good numbers up to this point with capacity and with T-ball here starting up
here first part of June so that’s been real popular again so. So if anybody has any questions I
certainly will field that but here’s just kind of a run down of kind of what’s going on. Everybody
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knows the concert series is starting here June 17 with that so feel free to come on down.
Stolar: One thing we could add next year if we do this disc golf, is a disc golf camp.
Ruegemer: You bet.
Daniel: Lots of activities, that’s for sure. Okay. It has grown I’m assuming Jerry over the last
couple years.
Ruegemer: Yeah we’ve had really good numbers in the summer discovery playground. You
know we’ve kind of been that, kind of between that 400 to 500 number for a while and that was a
significant jump from the previous 2 years from that and I think Sugarbush is always one of our
pretty popular parks and I think that’s full at this point and Stone Creek is always pretty popular
so we’re kind of taking a look at kind of those individual sites and neighborhoods per year to
kind of see if we can add another day somehow to kind of capture some of that, the popularity of
those programs so we can you know get that information out to the neighborhoods and get them
involved with that so we’re really kind of looking at individual sites if we can either take away or
add type of situation so it’s going great so far.
Daniel: Great. Questions for Jerry. Elise? Cole? Put you right on the spot since you just
walked in the door.
Cole Kelly: Lots of questions.
Daniel: Glenn? Steve? Scott?
Wendt: No.
Daniel: Alright. Tom?
Tom Kelly: No.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Daniel: Alright. Thank you Jerry. This is like I said a lot of activity and it’s just great to see.
Hoffman: Your kids been in summer camp at Lake Ann? Or our Discovery Camp. Almost near
civil unrest levels with the folks that did not get in. Yeah, it’s very, very popular. What is it, two
sessions? 70.
Ruegemer: I think we’re at 85 now and that started about 40ish when it first started and we’ve
practically doubled, well we have doubled the capacity.
Hoffman: Yeah, two sessions of 85 and it’s very, very popular.
Ruegemer: Yeah, added a second week probably 3 or 4 years ago and that’s been extremely
popular. We could add probably 2 more and fill them.
Hoffman: We just don’t have the capacity to do that. If you hear from upset folks that’s why.
Daniel: Alright, thank you Jerry.
SELF-SUPPORTING PROGRAMS: 2010 ADULT SOFTBALL UPDATE.
Ruegemer: Yeah just, I don’t know if I’ll go everything with that. It’s kind of I think self
explanatory but you know summer softball’s just kind of holding flat at this point for numbers.
You know we may have a couple less teams on one night but then add a couple more on the
other nights. It’s not, we’re certainly not at full capacity at this point but we’re kind of
maintaining with that. Certainly the double headers, if we could do more double header leagues
I think that would, we could probably increase the numbers somehow but it’s a little bit tough
with the number of fields that we have and it seemed like the uses there, kind of by the youth
activities, we kind of used Field #6 on some nights so kind of just trying to play the balance
game with community needs plus adult needs at this point and we’re just kind of maintain our
existence right now so, but I always look for ways to increase capacity. Things are still going
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great with the Tuesday night women’s league. We’re in our 11 year now with the City of Eden
Prairie and combining our efforts and coming the league. It seems like those numbers are
dropping a bit from where they were but you know that kind of goes, kind of rollercoaster a little
bit too but it’s been nice to work with the City of Eden Prairie on offering that league Tuesday
nights. Wednesday nights is another double header league with the over 40. With that we have
6 teams in that this year so they’re playing 2 games, at least 2 games every week. Sometimes 3
but it’s been a great league. Thursday night we’re up a couple teams on that and that’s where
Jeff is playing on that league on Thursday nights so we’re using all 3 fields, 4, 5 and 6 that night
with that but we certainly a little more capacity on that night as well. Friday night implemented
kind of a different format 2 or 3 years ago with doing the every other Friday night double header
league so I think people that are playing in that league, the teams certainly like having that every
other Friday night off so they can go you know to the cabin or go do other things with their
family and friends that night so I think the format of that too. I think it’s a little bit more easy to
sell. Hopefully we can gain capacity in the future with that so we definitely have room.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Daniel: And Jerry what’s the qualifications for blue and gold?
Ruegemer: Blue and gold? One is considered the upper and one is considered a little bit lower.
Daniel: And how do you get into the lower?
Tom Kelly: Start sandbagging.
Daniel: Just want to clarify.
Ruegemer: Yeah. You know it’s kind of, that’s why I tried to kind of coin it a little bit
differently. Instead of versus having an upper and lower and I thought it was a little more clever
to do a little blue and gold but you know a couple of the teams that had been in the upper league
in the past have kind of moved on a little bit and I think that the parity is kind of coming back in
again with the talent level and everything else so hopefully it’s going to be a little bit more easy
to get teams in the blue division is my hope so I think your experiences will be good.
Daniel: We’ll see. Unfortunately half the teams now qualified on Wednesdays so that’s the
problem. Alright, thanks Jerry. I think that’s it Todd as far as with reports. Quickly before you
move onto administrative packet. I don’t think we have any do we?
Stolar: No.
Daniel: We do not this week. So why don’t we go onto our commission member presentations.
Elise wants to talk a little bit about the Red Birds opener. Want to take a few minutes Elise?
COMMISSION MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS.
Ryan: Sure. First and foremost we won our home opener so we were very, very exciting. It
was a great comeback win and so it was a good turnout. We think we probably had 300 would
you say Todd?
Hoffman: 300 to 350, yep.
Ryan: Yeah, 300 to 350. So just a great day. Thanks to gosh the list is endless but Todd for you
and your wife and your friends, all your help before, during and after the game so thank you for
all that and John helped out a great deal giving us games. We had a few games set up before the
event and for families and kids to play and it was free and the kids got a thing of popcorn
afterwards and Steve, thank you for helping. Handing out season tickets and talking people to
buy more season tickets to friends. We sold out. We had to have sign-up sheets. I think we got
about 20 more people to sign up so it was just a great day. The City Council, everybody was
there. The Mayor threw out the first pitch. He did a great job. They were all there to
congratulate us and participate and they came out on the field and I know you were there so I
appreciate you coming as well. And then let’s see, then the former Red Birds came and out of
the 22 that were invited, 20 showed up. I think 8 or 9 from the very original Red Birds team of
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47 were there so, and then 3 of the original guys threw out the first pitch which is pretty cool.
They were all giving each other a hard time on whether or not they actually made it… Yeah it
was just really a fun day. It was just awesome. The weather held and we did great with
concessions and everything came through with the beer which we are keeping our fingers
crossed until the Budweiser truck rolled up and people were happy to have that and it just all in
all I think for the Board and the City and the community it was really a cool day to have happen
and take place so thank you all for your support and confidence that this would happen and it
was really a great day and certainly a success for the City I think so, yeah.
Daniel: Excellent. Well thank you Elise.
Ryan: And Jeff I apologize, you were there too.
Daniel: I was. I was only there for 4 innings. I just fit it into a very busy, busy day but
nonetheless I mean just my comments on it. It was great to see the baseball. I mean the prices
are fantastic. You can’t ask for more. I totally forgot they’re using wooden bats now so that
was, it was nice not to hear the ping so it actually sounded and looked and played like a real
baseball game and like I said, it was good to see the Red Birds won. What inning did they win
by the way? Did they pull it out in the ninth?
Hoffman: Eighth.
Ryan: Eighth.
Daniel: Eighth? Wow.
Ryan: Yeah, it was great.
Daniel: Because I left in the seventh of course. Things happened. But I guess a couple
questions I have. Who’s sponsoring the Budweiser beer truck?
Ryan: The Legion.
Daniel: The Legion is?
Hoffman: And Budweiser.
Ryan: Budweiser’s providing it and then it’s through the Legion with the licensing issues.
Daniel: That worked out slick as far as having the trailer there. It’s in and out and hopefully
were they happy with the concessions?
Ryan: Very happy.
Daniel: Okay, and as well as the concession stands themselves?
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Ryan: Yes. I think that’s something that we’ll need to talk about in the future and then I don’t
know, if the Mayor talked to you about that down?
Hoffman: …yeah the step down in the areas that are kind of ramped up and so… And then the
beer garden will always be there. That was there. They’ll just bring cans, cases in cans and
serve them out of a tank on ice and then during the Chaska/Chan game on a Friday night they’ll
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bring the trailer back and they talked about maybe the 4 of July. Other than that they’ll be
bringing, it’s more efficient for them. It’s actually a challenge to get that set up, that temporary
concession and take it down. Their next home game will be next Tuesday and the time?
Ryan: 7:30.
Hoffman: And if you want to get on the volunteer list to help out either with concessions, field
maintenance, clean-up afterwards, talk to Elise. Get your name on that and Megan Mell is the
official consulting for their volunteers and they really do need more help. That board is going to
wear themselves out so talk to your friends and neighbors. Get out and volunteer for a game or
two serving some concessions. Provide some support to the Red Birds. The only organization
out there, we’re having a meeting next week with the high school and I think what’s happening is
you know, it’s new for everybody and everybody is trying to put in as much effort as they can
and more but that sometimes is not enough and so people are looking at somebody else to pick
up the slack. Well I think there is anybody else to pick up the slack so I think that primarily
what’s going to be the outcome this season is that we’re just going to have to find more
volunteers in the community to support the high school and to support the booster club and to
support the high school sports and Red Birds and those future. There’s just not enough resources
to go around and so there has been some disappointments and some rubs that things aren’t
getting left like they should or aren’t like they should when you show up but the resources at the
school, I think especially on nights and weekends. Brian Wersburger, if you haven’t met him
there, he’s the basically the nighttime A.D. but he’s working Monday through Friday and so on
the weekends there’s you know the coverage is not always there so do what you can on an
individual basis and within your associations to try to help out. It’s going to be a task to get
through this first year and to really mold our future model for how the community’s going to
operate with the school district at that site.
Stolar: Couple things. One, to that point maybe you want to have notes sent out to the various
baseball leagues. South Tonka, East Tonka, and CAA. Just ask them do they want to pick a
night to volunteer at the Red Birds. It’d be one option. You just then they can work with their
teams. Second thing, just maybe working with Susan on doing a seniors night.
Ryan: I did talk to her and we were coordinating that because Dick Mingo is trying to do
another reasoning with his group… He definitely came through and yeah, they really had a
senior night that night but she’s going, we worked together on an article and she’s sending it in
her newsletter to have them come down at a discounted rate of you know 2 bucks for seniors and
so we’re going to do a reunion with that.
Stolar: And I like your point Glenn about you know getting South Tonka and East Tonka
involved as well as obviously CAA. I mean that will be a more natural fit but that’s, I mean I
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know South Tonka and East Tonka are tied heavily to the Millers but nonetheless they need to
know that half their, at least with that, a large percentage for East Tonka. I know it’s even a
larger percentage for South Tonka have their players coming from the City of Chanhassen.
Stolar: Well the idea would be to volunteer and meet the Chanhassen Red Birds. Talk to some
of the players. Talk to the coach. You know make it more of a, or even you know set up
something that you know hour before the game do a little bit of instruction and then you guys
volunteer and help at the game. Something along those lines.
Daniel: And I think a nice little hook too, if I remember hearing correctly, the Minnesota Twins
will be hosting a clinic?
Ruegemer: Yep. July 3rd. 9:00.
Daniel: Out at the stadium?
Ruegemer: Stadium.
Daniel: So again maybe make an announcement to them about that. Come support the Red
Birds. Here’s an opportunity, plus promote the game.
Wendt: So did the School Board allow the serving because I must have missed an update.
Hoffman: School Board approved the sale for Red Bird home games only and it’s in a gated
environment. No other activities within the stadium field at that time and the permit from the
school district is simply for one year for those home games.
Stolar: So it’s renewable every year.
Ryan: Every year.
Stolar: If the school board decides to renew it.
Hoffman: Correct. So it’s important that maintain a good experience. Maintain a good
atmosphere there. The Legion was very diligent in carding individuals and then you just have to
keep track of where the beers goes after it leaves the beer tent and heads into the stands. So
again something all participating adults with an interest in supporting the town team should keep
an eye.
Stolar: Because the reason I ask is at the Rec Center, if somebody wanted to use that during non
school times for the rooms there, could they also request a permit from the Board for alcohol at
the meeting rooms at the Rec Center?
Daniel: I don’t know if it’d go through the City wouldn’t it?
Hoffman: Well it’s school property. We would have to be involved in it.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Daniel: Oh, okay.
Hoffman: And we haven’t talked about it. We talked about it in the early stages but we just
haven’t discussed that as part of the operation. Not sure, it would add but I’m not sure for the,
right now I think the school board would probably be at a saturation point of allowing alcohol
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now that they’ve allowed it at the elementary school for the 4 of July. At the high school and
I’m not sure they would be interested in talking about it at Bluff Creek Elementary at this
point…either at the school or in the gyms or in the meeting rooms so we just haven’t discussed
that formally with them.
Ryan: Yeah that was one of the points of discussion at our meeting presented to them was to
make sure that there were no other activities going on at the high school so we ended up
changing one of our games because there was a potential of having a team or tournament playing
there and we didn’t want any kids around so we ended up changing the game.
Scharfenberg: Elise was there any talk about putting some recycling bins or something out there
because there were a lot of cans and stuff?
Ryan: Yes. Yep, we’re going to have recycle hopefully at the next game. That was brought up
a few times by some people there that they would like to see some recycling.
Hoffman: And they have planned it. It just didn’t come through this year for this summer, for
the first game.
Daniel: Excellent, thank you Elise and again thank you to Red Birds Board as well as yourself.
It was a fantastic night and hopefully the attendance will grow.
Ryan: Yes.
Daniel: So alright, well with that we don’t have any administrative packets. Why don’t we go
onto adjournment.
ADMINISTRATIVE PACKET.
Hoffman: Before we go let’s go over, for those who were not here was the future agendas.
Daniel: Oh, that’s right.
Hoffman: In June we have the whole staff coming at your regular meeting which will be at 7:30.
I would recommend we have a tour of Herman Field Park and Bandimere. That we meet at
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Herman Field at 6:00. And that’s June 22. And that we are at Bandimere by 6:30. Or yeah,
Bandimere by 6:30 and we’re here by 7:30. We’ll have a picnic at Bandimere. If you want to
carpool, let’s meet here shortly after 5:30. No later than 5:45 and for those who want to carpool,
we’ll carpool. The rest can either meet at Herman Field or Bandimere depending on your
schedule. And we’ll look at Herman Field and we’ll look at the disc golf course. We’ll see if
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Mr. Hagstrom is available to go down to Bandimere. And then in July we’ll be back at Herman
Field at 6:00 for a, on the scheduled meeting night for a neighborhood conversation from 6:00 to
7:00 with the neighbors. Again that’s the July meeting. If you want to carpool out, let’s meet
here shortly after 5:30. If you want to meet there, we’ll meet you there at 6:00 for that meeting.
Daniel: At Herman Field.
Tom Kelly: Do we need Herman Field two meetings in a row?
Hoffman: The first meeting’s just to go, on an individual basis as a commission to learn
something about it. It’s up to you.
Daniel: I think it’d be beneficial. To at least get a chance to quickly, at least have an
understanding of what we’re going to be doing.
Hoffman: If I can get Marty Walsh there that night I will. Carver County Parks Director. He’s
going to ask me some questions about what his ideas would be about the access, the trail access
and giving, potentially giving the park back to Carver County. At least on an informal basis. He
may join us at our neighborhood meeting as well.
Scharfenberg: Can we add on that Bandimere discussion, or the disc golf course, just looking at
the batting cages as well out there with expansion of batting cages?
Ruegemer: And lights?
Scharfenberg: Let’s just start with batting cages.
Stolar: Given what we want to do, I guess I’m kind of in Tom’s mode that do we just want to do
Bandimere in June and maybe we do in July meet at Herman Field a little bit earlier before the
discussion with the people and we just, you know those that want to get the background. We do
it a little bit earlier in July.
Tom Kelly: I’d prefer that. I think the Herman and Bandimere are almost on two different sides
of the city. I mean Herman at 6:00, we’ve got to be out of Herman Field probably no later than
6:10-6:15 with any traffic to get over to Bandimere.
Stolar: That’s what I was thinking. Maybe we do Bandimere at 6:00 on the June meeting and
just spend the evening.
Tom Kelly: Yeah, and then.
Stolar: Pre-meeting at Bandimere and then Herman Field, those that want to have a tour ahead
of time, 5:30. Meet there.
Scharfenberg: Or just people kind of on their own between now and then, stop out there.
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Park and Recreation Commission - May 25, 2010
Daniel: So should we meet at 6:00 out at Bandimere?
Stolar: Bandimere. But then if you want to carpool, be here at 5:30 or whatever.
Hoffman: Yep, we’ll still carpool if you want to meet here. Otherwise we’ll meet you at
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Bandimere on June 22 at 6:00 p.m. And we’ll meet near the playground.
Daniel: Excellent. Bring your discs.
Tom Kelly: I will bring some discs. We can just throw. There’s nothing, no target. Yeah, but
I’ll bring some discs.
Daniel: It’ll give us a good feel. Test out Tom’s skill level.
Tom Kelly: No, I’m not very good.
Daniel: Okay, anything else Todd that we want to discuss? Alright, why don’t we get
movement to adjourn.
Scharfenberg moved, Tom Kelly seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and
the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0. The Park and Recreation
Commission meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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