05-12-04 PRCITY OF OTSEGO
PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
MEETING MINUTES
MAY 12, 2004 - 6:30 PM
Bus Departure: The bus left city hall at 6:35 PM
Roll Call: Co -Chair Jessica Stockamp, Terry Long, Cathy Roberts, Rose Cassady,
Aaron Stritesky, Mark Thorsted, Peter Torresani, Mike Brumm.
Agenda Approval: There was no agenda for this meeting
Approval of minutes from April meeting: There were no minutes from the April
meeting
Prairie Park Improvements: A list of desired improvements to Prairie Park was
generated. The list includes:
Four (4) more picnic tables in the shelter
Installation of two (2) grills near the shelter
Installation of a drinking fountain
An additional Porta -Potty
Installation of a screen or other device to keep pigeons out of the shelter.
C. Cassady requested information on how often the current Porta -Potty was cleaned and
how much it cost. C. Stockamp inquired as to whether we were still paying to have the
Porta -Potty by the ice rink cleaned on a regular basis.
C. Stockamp requested contacting the vendor who handles the pop (not soda) machine in
city hall to see if he could place one in the park. This would alleviate the issue of people
using the one inside city hall.
Park Shelter Reservation: A system for reserving the shelter at Prairie Park was
discussed. A proposal was generated to vote on at the June meeting.
Proposal Details:
Cost: Free to Otsego Residents / $20 for Non-residents
Da s- Reservations will be taken for weekends only
Times: Each day will have two time slots; 8AM — 2PM and 3PM — 9PM
It is acceptable for someone to book both time slots.
Booking: Reservations will be made through city hall.
Reservations can be made up to one year in advance
• receipt of reservation will be available at city hall
• city hall employee will post a sign at the pavilion on Friday listing name
and time of reservations
Becker Community Center Highlights:
Meeting Rooms: The facility has five (5) meeting rooms that are for rent (Whr-
resident, $ 1 O/hr — NR). They have a small kitchenette area, tables, white boards, and
other miscellaneous equipment. The rooms are rent free for non-profit organizations, but
this is something that they would like to change to improve the bottom line.
Community Room: They had a large community room that was used for recreation
(basketball, volleyball) weddings, senior prom, etc. The cost was $350/day-Res,
$450/day- NR. They had a list of approved vendors for food and alcohol.
Kitchen: They had a full kitchen for the caterers as well as a refreshment stand.
Childcare Room: They had a room setup for childcare. It was used for a tiny -tots
program, after school care and all day care during the summer. During school they had
day care available from 8:00-9:30 for facility users. This was done on a monthly fee
basis. The childcare programs were difficult to manage due to inconsistent usage.
Fitness Room: This was the most popular feature of their facility. It is the only fitness
facility in Becker and therefor fills a community need. They have cardio and strength
machines.
Rock Climbing Wall: This was a very popular feature when it opened ten (10) years
ago, but has fallen (no pun intended) in popularity as they have become more common
around the area. Its main use now is as a private rental.
Racquetball Courts: They have two (2) courts that are full in the winter and used
sporadically in the summer
Skate Park: The park opened up last fall and is very popular. It is in a fenced in area,
and open only at particular times. It is staffed whenever open. There is a $1.50 fee for
users. The insurance rules changed last summer and they are allowed 4 -foot ramps under
the level I insurance rider.
Swimming Pool: The swimming pool is classified as a leisure pool (4ft max depth). It is
popular in the winter months and less so in the summer. It is a very expensive from the
maintenance standpoint.
Cross Country Ski Trails: The area x -country ski trails come right up to the back door
of the facility. They rent skis.
Features that they wish they had:
Walking Track, Bigger Gymnasium, Bigger Fitness Center