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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09242014PR MinutesRECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 The Sebastian Parks and Recreation Committee was called to order by Chairman. Members present were Greg Paschall. Matt Sims. John Tenerowicz, Joann Webster, Joanne White, Rosemary Flescher and Tammy Nelson Staff members present were Linda Kinchen, Secretary and Chris McCarthy, Parks Superintendent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AUGUST 25, 2014 A motion to approve the minutes was made by Mr. Paschall, second by Mrs. Webster, passed unanimously OLD BUSINESS: SKATE PARK DISCUSSION. Chris turns the discussion over to Mr. Paschall and he shows a visual of some possible ideas- This was the same presentation given at the last meeting Mr. Tenerowicz asks for the budgeted amount and Chris states $125,000 Mrs. White asks about funding from other organizations — she is in favor of some expansion into the football field Mr. Paschall wants to expand and Mrs. White in favor of expanding Mr. Sims in favor of an expansion also if possible but by shifting it, it may affect Volleyball courts and football players. Mrs. Flescher asks do we need the parking spaces and Chris answers yes- Chris to find out how many spaces are required there are only three. Mrs. Flescher is in favor of expansion if we can fund it. Mrs. Webster says make it concrete now and expand later, Mrs. Nelson and Mr. Tenerowicz agree. Chris will get prices for cement and will work on expansion later. NEW BUSINESS; None PARKS AND RECREATION MINUTES 9/24/14 Page 2 PUBLIC INPUT: Robin Donahey reads from the Storm water Management Plan not in favor of Disc Golf at the Storm water Park it would change from Passive to active recreation. Gave reference to three websites Bobby Jones Storm water Park has running, walking, fishing and a disc golf will affect all of this. Larry — Concerned about Disc Golf is told it is only funded at this point would like to see shade put on the benches instead Mrs. Flescher asks can we look at alternate sites — Chris says yes Jim Sunnycalb — there are lights out on the volleyball court at Riverview again can we get a bike rack for the park and we need new picnic tables — Chris says picnic tables are in the budget — Jim asks if we can relocate the old ones No per Chris they are in bad shape but will check some of the recycled ones maybe they can go to the Dog Park — Jim says there are lights out at the restroom at the dog park. He wants to know if a porta potty can be put at the storm water park. Mrs. White agrees with this request. CHAIRMAN'S MATTERS: Mr. Tenerowicz asks about the Tulip street paving and Chris says working on Grants wondered if the Disc Golf course could go at Filbert Street says none of the lights were on at Easy Street and there is a handicap sign missing at the Dog Park — the Trail signs look good. MEMBERS MATTERS: Mrs. White — Easy Street algae bloom was bad this year Chris says almost gone Maps look nice Thanks for refilling them when empty Says we need to consider buying more property to expand Mrs. Webster — Back in Little League says registration was down but getting it back up is $35.00 if can't afford come talk to someone Mrs. Nelson — Glad to see Easy Street Lake getting cleaned up Mrs. Flescher concerned about Disc Golf didn't do her research properly — George Street Park looks good Mr. Paschall — Disc Golf tournaments are a concern 2 per year in Melbourne we should bring in a professional designer when ready — Kayak launch limited damage to the grass area cement blocks with holes in future might be acceptable Why are private companies using the launch. PARKS AND RECREATION MINUTES 9/24/14 Page 3 Bike rack areas are good and a wooden swing would look good. Mr. Sims — In favor of all improvements BSSC is at the max capacity now — It is hard to envision a disc golf course at the storm water park when walking through the trails. Filbert Street has a lot of tortoises Will bring in some designs for bleacher shields — can't believe they are $50,000. Mr. Tenerowicz says homecoming parade is this Thursday at 4Pm support the sharks STAFF COMMENTS: October 13, 2014 there is a public workshop regarding the Community Center Needs Assessment at 6PM if the committee wants to attend. Next meeting is November 24, 2014 — No meeting in October due to early voting Mrs. Flescher says some emails are incorrect on the website With no other business to come before the Parks and Recreation Committee, the meeting adjourned at 7:73 PM Meeting. Tenerowicz, Chairman and Recreation Committee Skate Park Information/Discussion Points Other Skate Parks ■ Stuart Skate Park- Mary Brogan Park- wood ramp design ■ Rio Skate Park at Langford Park, Jensen Beach- concrete design ■ St. Lucie County Skate Park- concrete design, 13,250 Square feet (see attached) • Designed and constructed by Team Pain (teampain.com) • Team Pain is a Florida (Winter Springs) based skate park specialist with over 30 years of experience working world wide in creating custom skate parks and skate structures for municipal and government agencies, communities, private sectors, and professional skateboarders and bmx riders. • Constructed the following parks in Florida: ■ Lakeland 24,000 sq. ft. ■ Brandon 14,500 sq. ft. ■ Apollo Beach 11,00 sq. ft. ■ Bradenton 15,000 sq. ft. ■ Dunedin 10,500 sq. ft. ■ Tampa 14,200 sq. ft. ■ Sarasota 25,000 sq. ft. ■ Cocoa Beach 13,00 sq. ft. ■ Port Orange 13,00 sq. ft. ■ New Smyrna 8,500 sq. ft. ■ Oviedo 30,000 sq. ft. ■ Englewood 18,000 sq. ft. ■ Milton 8,000 sq. ft. ■ Jacksonville 15,000 sq. ft. ■ St. Petersberg 7,500 sq. ft. ■ Naples 13,500 sq. ft. ■ Tallahasse 24,000 sq. ft. ■ Lake Mary 10,000 sq. ft. ■ Sunny Isles 7,000 sq. ft. ■ Satellite Beach 13,500 sq. ft. ■ St. Augustine 25,00 sq. ft. ■ Jacksonville 30,000 sq. ft. ■ Deltona 15,000 sq. ft. ■ North Port 14,000 sq. ft. Construction/Design: It is often mistaken that any experienced contractor with good construction techniques can construct a good skate park. Although, many building principles are the same, skate structures require an area of expertise since they are "specialty projects." A good quality skate park facility is not merely wooden or pre -fabricated ramps or curved concrete structures. The radius', crests, grade and locations of each area and structure requires precise coordination and construction, produced by an experienced Skate Park Specialist, to create a park that the community will get the most enjoyment of. The design, function, type of materials and location of coping are just several examples of expertise only skilled individuals who skateboard can comprehend. -Sivowt Fee+ •CurreA+ = 9,372- P61- A ,372Pb+q = I, OW/9,96o e�loF Q = I76 /to, 54.5 (3Y x(A') ' {�lo+ G 2964 �II,a36 (ass xs$� Plot- 0 �« pole'® p IcN i LpAces 5io�^ S�A'^a 5;dev,alK kwsk�, ®� 3y'B �m m 13, r y e1d S 5 K4+e PSrK- yy - i — Sdd.,+c fde its . 7,g' IT PorKn Lo} G (�, 1,, 4H m x 0 oo* D on SOle,xi V- Gourd -S 12,7, zu5• e wool c„ r-e�c materials and location of coping are just several examples of expertise only skilled individuals who skateboard can comprehend. Concrete skate parks are in essence a sculpture project, the designer is also the builder that will ensure that all design details are up to skate park standards. At this level of expertise it is advantageous to allow the Skate Park Specialist to conduct both the design and actual construction of the skateable terrain to allow for progressive changes and ensure that all structural and design elements are precise. We work off the concept design and will most often perfect the design elements on site and under our own cost, if necessary, to achieve a top of the line skate park. The disregard of a successfully designed and constructed concrete skate park will result in skaters returning to the streets to perform and perfect their sport. It is essential for a municipality to understand that the design and construction of skate parks should not be separated. Tony Hawk Foundation With 6.3 million skateboarders in the U.S, and only about 3,500 skateparks available for them to ride, the need for more safe skateparks has never been greater. • While we realize that not every community can afford to build big, expensive skateparks, we feel strongly that public skateparks should be designed and constructed by experienced contractors. We also believe that local officials should treat public skateparks the same way they treat public basketball courts or tennis courts, meaning that anyone may show up and use them anytime, unsupervised. The foundation primarily considers skatepark projects that: I. are designed and built from concrete by qualified and experienced skatepark contractors. 2. include local skaters throughout the planning, fundraising, and design process. 3. are in low-income areas and/or areas with a high population of "at -risk" youth. 4. can demonstrate a strong grassroots commitment to the project, particularly in the form of fundraising by local skateboarders and other community groups. 5. have a creative mix of street obstacles (rails, ledges, stairs, etc.) and transition/vert terrain (quarterpipes, bowls, halfpipes, etc.) 6. don't require skaters or their parents to sign waivers. 7. encourage skaters to look after their own safety and the safety of others without restricting their access to the park or over -regulating their use of it. 8. are open during daylight hours, 365 days a year. 9. don't charge an entrance fee. 10. are in areas that currently have no skateboarding facilities. • What is better: Concrete or Modular skateparks? Concrete is by far the better solution for skatepark construction. The benefits of concrete eclipse those of wood or steel ramp -style parks in every way. Design: Concrete skateparks, particularly custom designs (as opposed to precast concrete), deliver a unique facility that your skateboarding community can be proud of. These skateparks reflect the unique qualities of your community. Cost: While the initial design and construction expenses of cast -in-place concrete are higher than prefabricated ramps, over the life of the facility the cost is quickly recouped in durability. With more than two decades of experience to draw from, prefabricated skateboarding ramps have consistently demonstrated a pattern of structural failure. The maintenance costs of these structures grows cumulatively larger until the ramps themselves are retired. Communities across the nation are looking today to replace their wood and steel skateparks with concrete. Appeal: Skateboarders prefer concrete. The appeal of the new concrete skatepark will incubate pride in the facility. There are no instances where prefabricated wood or steel ramps are the best solution for a heavily -trafficked outdoor public skatepark. • How should skateparks be supervised? We understand that some administrators are wary of an unsupervised skatepark. They should realize that most of the other athletic facilities their city provides (soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts) are also unsupervised and that people are more likely to be injured using those facilities than they are riding in a skatepark. The Tony Hawk Foundation recommends free, unsupervised skateparks that are administered like other athletic facilities. The expense of adding full-time employees can be a burden on a tight budget. Supervision is not likely to enhance a skater's experience or reduce the likelihood of injury. Therefore the easy answer would be to open your park and let the skaters ride it at -will, without an on-site monitor. Experience shows that broad community support for the skatepark is more effective in curbing unwanted behavior and achieving high policy compliance than any other factor. In most cases, this support develops during the process of approving the project and fundraising for the skatepark construction. Supervised skateparks can undermine progress made in natural stewardship by superseding that feeling of ownership with a "sanctioned" authority figure. There are two sound approaches to exploring the option of supervision. One method is to open the park with supervision for one month to help manage the excited crowds that will be jockeying for access. After the initial intensity fades, remove the monitor and assess the results with random site visits. The second method—and the one that we recommend—is to open the park without supervision and allow natural leadership among the regular park users to help check unwanted activities at the park. Park agencies should continue to meet with the principle advocates of the skatepark even after the ribbon cutting. This will provide the Parks Department with insight into the activities at the park and be the group that can best identify equitable solutions to common problems. Your goal is to provide the skaters in your community with a safe central place to skate. Since you've overcome the hurdle of actually building the park, the specifics of how to operate it would seem to be a much easier problem to solve. Otherwise, the skaters will be back in the streets, where the number of injuries and liability for the city will be higher. • Deciding where to build a skate park. Here are a few guidelines to consider when determining where to locate your skatepark: Most skaters don't drive, so a skatepark should be in a central location near residential areas (though preferably not directly adjacent to homes) and easily accessible by public transportation. Skateparks should be located near the street rather than tucked away in the back of a larger park area. Hidden locations attract elements other than skateboarders, and can lead to problems the skaters don't create, but may be blamed for. Skateparks should be located where the general public is likely to walk by. This helps curb inappropriate behavior but also allows the community to see and understand the healthy activity and positive environment. This positive experience will result in future skateparks being much easier to make a case for. By hiding the skatepark where the community isn't likely to interact with it, the stereotypes and negative preconceptions about skateboarders will likely persist. Existing public park areas are ideal locations to add a skatepark. Many necessities will already be in place: parking facilities, restrooms, and in some cases lighting. This can save money and allow funds set aside for the skatepark to be used for the actual skatepark, and not amenities. Skateparks can easily replace underutilized grass areas or ball fields. Many basketball or tennis courts can also be repurposed for skateboarding. Most cities already provide multiple facilities for traditional ball sports, so if undeveloped locations aren't available, repurposing is often the best solution. Sometimes community groups, like the Rotary Club, have property they are willing to donate for community facilities like skateparks. If an appropriate city property is unavailable, approaching local community groups and community -minded business organizations is often the best alternative. If the Parks Department is intending to refurbish an existing park space, it's an excellent opportunity to provide solutions for the skateboarders' needs. The park will already have construction occurring there so adding a skatepark can be less expensive than usual due to mobilization costs. Stay alert to public meetings regarding master park plans. It's important to get to these meetings, particularly in the earliest stages, and attend each one dedicated to design to ensure that the skaters' needs are recognized. Some people associate skateboarding with gangs and crime, when the opposite is generally the truth. Skateboarders are, by and large, dedicated and passionate about what they do and have little interest in joining gangs. Some people also decry the noise associated with skateboarding. A concrete skatepark should be no louder than most athletic activities. When skateboards are rolling down a rough sidewalk they are clearly heard and it may seem incongruent with other things happening on the street. But at a skatepark, where the concrete is smooth, skateboards are relatively quiet and the sounds coming from a skatepark are similar to sounds one might hear at a ball field or playground. The unfortunate reality is that these perceptions exist, and those individuals who voice them have a right to speak out. It's human nature to fear things that we don't understand. Once the park goes in, it's always better to not have neighbors vigilantly suspicious, as they will be eager to complain and will resent the kids who use it. Invite resistant residents to your meetings to meet the kids who will be skating at the park. If they're impressed, perhaps they'll decide the need for the park is greater than their concern for noise. Possible Solutions • Expand the current skate park where it is to varying dimensions. Upgrade to concrete vs modular units. Expand skatepark to new location near the basketball courts. ■ Replace old skatepark with Raquetball court: 40'L x 20'W and 20' high ■ Pickleball courts 44'L x 20'w Basketball courts H.S. 50'W x 84'L; College 50'W x 94'L 1 St Lude Counly flor. x ®Procxss I Team Pain • --Q I T Hawk Fc Q1 �. _. 5�.-a�+we. rx.er.r�l�� <- C' a teampain.com/process; i_____ mFryec's Tam I -E - PROCESS,,.; DESIGN - CONSTRUCTION - TESTING Itis often mkfaken Nat any ashellencea conal with goon construction techniques can construct Shia skate park ANlough, many hhllding prinnWes are Ne same. skate structures require an area of expeNse sine May are 'specially prolecte-A good quality, skate park facility Is not merely weaden or pre-fabiatoM ramps or curved concrete shut ores. The raarvs'. cr"s. grade dna mcauons of each area Ma structure requires prec8e Pan Featured Parks :RJd00. 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