PR 03/22/1971�!, 1�' �"ntj �
MItdUTES OF REGULAR PARKS At'dD RECREATION CO��1h9ISSI0N fr1EETIt�G, f�1AF�CH �, 1971� ' ''
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m., by Chairman Fitzpatrick.
� MEMBERS PRESENT: Fitzpatrick, Blair, Olson, Stimmler, INaaar.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
OTHERS PRESENT: Tom Nielsen, 7583 Lyric Lane N.E., 55432, 784-2783, F.Y.F.A.
Sam Iaquinto, 6071 6th Street N.E., 55432, 560-4643, F.Y.F.A.
John Reeves, 6630 Lucia Lane N.E., 55432, 784-4$78, F.Y.F.A.
Other Members of F.Y.F.A.
Paul Brown, Director of Parks and Recreation.
Curtis Dahlberg, Park Planner.
Cathie Stordahl, Secretary to Commission.
MINUfES OF f�IEETING, FE�RUARY �, 1971,
MOTION by S�,i.rnm.2e�c, See�Kded by B.ea,vc, �a a��n�ve �t�e M�.v�c�t�s o� �he negu,2cvc
mee.t,i.ng U�2 Febhucvc.y 22, 1971. The M��,iav� ecvvu.ed.
M� R� P� A� C0�'J�1I SS IOPJ LETTER �
Mr. Brown called the Commission�s attention to the letter from the Minnesota
Recreation and Fark Association, dated March 1, 1971, informing us that a new
Commission Section of tlle M.R.P.A., had been organized, and inviting the Fridley
Parks and Recreation Com�nission to join the State Organization. The Commission
presently belongs to the National Organization, with annual dues of $50.00. The
State Organization has annual dues of $25.00.
n Boards whic}i take out memberships receive copies of the M.R.P.A. Quarterly,
� special reports, annual reports, and other information which will help the
individual Commissioners to better serve their boards. Mr. Brown also pointed
out that the Board of Directo.rs, of which he is Treasurer, has a member at
large, at present, under the Commission Section.
Mr. Stimmler said that he felt we should decide whether or not we were going to
participate in this program, before we decide to join. He asked if we actually
benefited from this program? b1r. Brown said that tive did and he fc>?_t the
Commission should belong to the State group as iaell as the National organization.
MOTION by S�.i.mm.eeh., Seeonded by B.e.cr,vc, Satc. �ie �n,i,deey Panh�s and Ree�cecc.t,i.on
Camrrws�5�.an �a bec�me a membeh a{y �he Carnm.iJ��tion Sec.x,(.an a� �ne M.R.P.A., �ay�.�y
an annua,� �ee a� $25.Q0. The Ma�.i.an ecuvc,i.ed.
DISTRICT tr`14 REQUEST FO�t PAP.K FACILITItS,
Mr. Brown received a letter form Mr. Tom Reynolds, Assistant Principal of tr.e
Fridley Junior High School, District #14, requesting the use of ball diamonds
3, 5, and 6, at The Commons Park, and the tennis courts at Dloore Lake Beach,
each weekday in April and May, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., for the junior high school
athletics. P�Ir. Brown asked the Commission to consider this request for facilities.
Mr. Fitzpatrick asked if this would interfere with any of our other organized
activities? D4r. Brown said it would not. Mr. Fitzpatrick pointed out that there
^ had been some problerns over the Tennis Courts last year. He reminded the
� Commission that when the courts are tiecl up every afternoon for two months, no
one else, meaning citizens of Fridley, not being students at the Junior High
School, would lie allowed to play Tennis. This is where the problems arose last
year. It was suggested that possibly they could leave one court open for public
�
MIhdUTES OF REGULAR I`1EETING, MARCH �, 1911�
DISTRICT -r�14 REGtUEST FOR PAf;K FACILITIES �COPd'T):
PA�E 2
n. use, but 1�9r. Brown pointed out that there are auite a few students playing Tennis
wit}i the schools, and if one court is left open, they will naturally move over and
use the vacant one, too. Then you're right back where you started from. N1r.
Brown said he felt the request should be approved as it reads.
MOTION by B.e.cc.vc, Seec,nded by Glayan, �a a�pn�ve �he xeque�s� gon xGce wse a� .�he
bcr.Q.2��,e,ec�s a� The C�►nrnovv� PatcFz avcd �G�.e Tev�rws C�uic�s a� Maane Lah.e Beaeh and
Pcucl�. The lvia�,t.an catv�,i.ed.
PLAYGROUPJDS REGISTRATION POLICY�
The Commission's attention was drawn to the Memorandum from Paul Brown, requesting
a change in the policy for registering six year olds for the Summer Playgrounds
Program. The minimum age limit for registering a child for this program is six.
Each year, the pxoblem arises, where a child is going to be six during the time
the program is in process, or the parent feels the child is really capable of
participating in the program because they�ve already gone to school for a year,
but won't be six until fall. The ladies who register the children are placed in
a difficult situation because the mothers ask the age limit and in some cases, if
their child is too young, they'11 take the form back and change the date of birth
to conform witli the minimum requirement. The ladies who are registering the
children can't c<<11 the mothers liers and yet they can't register a five year old,
either. Mr. Brown told the Commission that there was a certain amount of risk
involved in registering a child who is too young for the program. Liability
^ alone, if for no other reasons, should be evidence enough for �aanting zo have a
more rigid policy governing the registration of six year olds.
The new policy for registering six year olds for the summer recreation program
is proposed to read as follows: �
In andeh. San a eh.i.2d �a qua,Pi.�y �an �he Summeh Rectcecr�i.on
Pnagn.am, he/a he MUST 6e a� 2ea�s ��s�.x yecv�,3 a� ag e, �n hav e
eom�.�e.ied (z,c:�.detcgan�en. U�av� neg.i��e�c.i.ng a ch,i,2d who .i�s a�
.�e:cus� .��.x yeatus �� age, an ��,ve and w,i,e,2 have eamp.ee,ted Fr,i.�2den.-
gcvc,ten cLt �he e,2a�se a� �he ewrteer�t �ehao.� �etun, a�cucen� h1UST
.�haw e,i.ihetc a 6-uc�h an bapfi,usma,2 ee�c�,c:U�,ea,te (�h.e �NLy �alu�v�
ag ve�u:.b�.ca�',i_�n wG�,i.ch cu,i.P,2 be accep�a6�2e) {�an �ha.i ch,i.2d.
After a brief discussion, the Commission agreed to accept the proposed policy
without any revisions.
MOTION by Glaycrh., Sec�nded by O.P�san, �a a�pnove �he new �o-P.i.cy goveh.ru.rig �h.e
neg.i�s�r.a�,%:an a� ��,x yeah �.�d� �y�n �he Summeh Rech.e,a�,i.ovt Pnogna�n, a,s nee�mme�lded
by �h.e Patch� avid Rech.ecr,t,c.an �epah,tmen�. The Ma�,c;an. cajvu.ed.
F�Y�F�A� REVIEtiV,
A group of inen representing the Fridley Youth Football Association, was present
at the meeting to discuss their 1971 program. Mr. Tom Nielsen, President of the
/'1 Association, was the spokesman for the group and he informed the Commission that
- there were thirty to thirty-five active men in the Association and they'd made
some minor revisions in their program.
For the coming-season, the Association is introducing a Pony Division for 8 and
9 year olds (8 during the given year), with a weight limit of 90 pounds. The
n
NiINUTES OF P.�GULAR hiEETI�JG, MARCH �, 1971�
F�Y.F�A� REVIEVv' �CON�T):
next division will be Pee 1Vee, with a weight limit
limit �or the Cubs is 125 pounds. �Vith the program
for a l0o increase for their 1971 season.
PAGE 3
of 105 pounds, and the weight
as planned, they are hoping
Mr. Nielsen said that the Association is in pretty good shape financially, and
they're planning to purchase new uniforms for the boys this season. They'll be
the new nylon, stretch fabric and should be easisr to keep up than the old
style. The old jerseys will be used for scrimmage.
Mr. Nielsen said that as far as they were concerned, the biggest problem is the
playing facility. There's little grass at the start of the season and none at
all at the season's end. They request better maintenance of the field.
They would also like the use of other parks which have lights, such as Madsen,
Sylvan, Logan, etc. Moore Lake doesn't have lights now, but they are also
requesting a light standard to be installed at that location, Regular games
would be played at The Commons at their lighted field, but they'd like to save
the grass as much as possible by practicing elsewhere.
A third request would be to have the full 100 yards of playing field, roped off
on both sides during the game. People stand so close to the ��eld that, at one
time last year, a player was down with a minor injury, and the coach couldn't
see it. The Commission felt this was a reasonable request.
n Mr. John Reeves, a member of the Association, as well as a coach, reported that
_ he had a rather serious injury last season and he felt it was partially due to
the condition of the field. He stated that, in his opinion, the field was a real
hazard. Mr. Reeves suggested that a possible solution to the watering problem
would be to bank up the sides of the field and flood it like you would a hockey
rink, until an irrigation system could be installed.
The Commission asked b1r. Nielsen if the changes they'd made in their program
would in any way, change the agreement that they had with the Department? Mr.
Nielsen said that the only thing that was different, was that the age limit
was extended to 14 years old (during the given year). He said that they didn't
want any age group left out.
Mr. Olson suggested that one possible solution to the grass problem would be to
plant a combination rye and fast grass to tie over until a sprinkling system
could be installed and good grass either seeded or sodded.
POSSI�LE PARK LAiyU EAST OF OLD CEf�TRAI_�
Mr. Olson asked if there'd been any progress with the idea of developing a park
east of Old Central? Mr. Fitzpatrick said that the area discussed by the
petitioners has never been brought up again by the Planning Commission. The
recommendation has gone from the Planning Commission to the.City Council for
action on a zoning change for double bungalows.
^ The area that Viewcon, Incorporated was talking.,about donating to the City for
park purposes, was again discussed. The Commissioners asked if there'd been
any new developments. Curtis Dahlberg, Park Planner, said that Mr. Brown had
spoken with the Viewcon people after t}ie Council meeting, but as far as he knew,
there was nothing definite. Mr. Brown was trying to get the contractor to
develop the park before donating it to the City, so it wouldn't be idle acres
until the Budget could include the necessary improvements.
c. a
MINUTES OF REGULAR h1EETING, MARCH �, 1971�
POSSIBLt PARK LAND EAST OF OLD CEfJTRAL �CON�T):
PAGE 4
nMr. Fitzpatrick said that the last he had heard on the subject was that they
were talking about developing it for ttieir own use and not donating it to the
City. It probably wouldn't become a part of the present park system.
BRIDGE ACROSS RICE CREEK�
Mr. Stimmler asked if there'd been any progress in building a bridge across
Rice Creek? Mr. Olson reported that he'd donated a sizeable amount of timber
for this bridge. Mr. Blair told Mr. Stimmler that this in one of the items
that was cut from the Budget. Mr. Fitzpatrick pointed out that there was
quite a sizeable number of the population who could not get across Rice Creek
and the Commissioners agreed that there was definitely a need for a south
access to Locke Park.
an�oukr��►vT ,
M07ION by S�;imm-eetc, Seconded by �i.�a,vc, �a adjounn �he mee.t,i.ng cLt 8:55 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, April 26, 1971, at 7:30 p.m.
in the conference room at Civic Center.
n Respectfully submitted,
L�i���� �
CATHIE STORDAHL, Secretary to Commission
^