04-13-05 PRMEMO
Date: March 29, 2004
To: Park & Recreation Commission
From: City Administrator Mike Robertson
Re: List of Potential Changes to Prairie Park
The City Council reviewed the list of potential changes
to Prairie Park. I have listed their response to each
item below.
ITEM DESCRIPTION COST ESTIMATE
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1. Horseshoe Pits. Install a wood back stop and rubber
mats to control flying horseshoes.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer. Summer is defined as by
Labor Day.
2. Garbage Cans. Install more permanent garbage cans,
especially near the skate park.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer.
3. Ballfield Benches. Purchase additional benches to
provide more room. Install protective screening around
the benches.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer, hopefully by the time
ball games start.
4. Ballfield Drainage Ditch. Have the City Engineer
survey the drainage around the ball fields to see if
the drainage ditches could be moved or filled to create
more useable land.
Response: City Engineer Ron Wagner and Brad Belair will
look at this and provide options this summer.
5. Concession Stand. Construct and staff a concession
stand between the four ball fields.
Response: This suggestion was rejected. There was some
discussion of the idea that construction and staffing
of a concession stand could be contracted out. The
consensus was that there would not be enough demand
until tournaments are held regularly.
6. Park Shelter. Install sharp pointed metal objects
to keep nasty birds out of the rafters so they will
stop pooping on the picnic tables.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this, or something with a similar result, is done
this summer.
7. Park Shelter. Clean and paint exposed metal.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer.
8. Park Shelter. Add a kitchen and bathrooms to the
park shelter.
Response: This suggestion was rejected and will not be
considered in the future without a great deal of
evidence that there is demand for it.
9. Park Shelter. Add something to the Park Shelter to
block the west wind.
Response: Council was intrigued by this suggestion but
concerned about maintenance and vandalism issues. Brad
Belair will review for potential products but this was
regarded as lower priority than all of Brad's other
projects.
10. Drinking Fountain. Install a drinking fountain
close by the park shelter and play equipment.
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Response: The City Engineer has been working on a
design and will have it before the Council April 11th.
11. Expand the Parking Lot. Expand the parking lot to
the west.
Response: This suggestion will be reviewed after this
year to see if there is a demand for it other than
during the festival.
12. Lights. Install lights for the park shelter and
parking lot.
Response: City Engineer Wagner will come up with an
estimate to do this.
13. Install Grills. Add 4 grills, especially near the
park shelter if kitchen not added.
Response: This suggestion will be reviewed after this
year to see if there is a demand. Staff will keep
track of how often the current grills have to be
cleaned out.
14. Fix Low Spot. Fix the low spot that floods the
path near the east park entrance.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer.
15. Volleyball Courts. Consolidate two courts into
one, remove the wood boundary and replace with fiber,
move the trees further away.
Response: Public Works Director Brad Belair will see
that this is done this summer.
16. Irrigation. Irrigate all, or most, of the park.
Response: City Engineer Wagner wi l l come up with an
estimated cost to do this.
17. Soccer Field. Construct a small soccer field on
the north side of the park where it juts out behind the
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adjacent farm.
Response: No action was taken but this suggestion was
not rejected.
18. Ice Rink. Dig out the ice rink; install a clay
liner to better hold water.
Response: This suggestion was rejected with the thought
that a "real" ice rink should be built at some time in
the future. My estimate of the statement was that
"future" meant 4-6 years.
19. Splash Park. Install a splash park for kids. A
splash park is a concrete area with anywhere from three
to fifteen devices which spray water down from them for
kids to splash around.
Response: This suggestion was regarded as the same as a
swimming pool and was rejected. An outdoor swimming
pool has always been regarded as a great way to spend
money and not receive much benefit.
20. Disc Golf Course. Construct a Disc Golf Course.
Response: This suggestion was rejected and will not be
considered in the future without a great deal of
evidence that there is demand for it.
21. Model Airplane Course. Provide an area where
enthusiasts can fly and land their model airplanes.
Response: This suggestion was rejected as benefiting
only a few users and the City will not consider it on
any public land in the future. The City Council would
consider this if it was on private land and was 100o
privately funded.
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