08-02-1994 Park Commission Minutes

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t � MINUTES OF THE PARK COMMISSION MEETING OF AUGUST 2, 1994 (#5) OTHER BU5INESS - CONT. • Minnetonka with a population of 48,370 has two beaches. The largest beach has a swimming dock and a pay phone. Both beaches have lifeguards with at least 2 and as many as 10 lifeguards on duty at any time. There are no floats and the lifeguards have access to a phone for emergency purposes at both beaches. Permits are required and fees are set at $18.00 for residents and $24.00 for non- residents. A total of 1,700 permits are issued a year. Wilson observed some cities had docks and suggested the City of Orono investigate further into the liability issue. Vongries made the following recommendations: 1. To assess the use of Summit Beach, which is the largest one to see if lifeguards are needed. The beaches at Lydiard, Casco and Sandy Beach are small. 2. Contact the telephone company concerning the installation cost of a pay phone and service during the swimming season at Summit Beach. 911 should be accessible without coins. Another issue to consider is the installation of pay phones at all beaches. 3. Gerhardson should contact Sonny Clark at Wayzata and Jim Fackler at Mound to discuss why the cities discontinued the use of swimming docks and floats. The liability issue also needs to be discussed with Orono's City Attorney and insurance carrier. 4. To determine whether parking spaces are adequate at Summit Beach. Wilson felt telephones are attractive nuisances and could cause potential problems as phones may be a temptation for kids to congregate around. The possibility of locked phones for emergency purposes could be a solution. McMillan suggested that the issuance of parking permits might be a method to keep Summit Beach use exclusive. White felt Summit Beach is not heavily used. Chair Flint commented that Summit Beach is packed on the weekends but during the week only two or three families are observed. The parking lot is only full on Sunday afternoons but that is not an indicator of use because many people live within walking distance. He recalled in the past that parking lot expansion had been discussed but the neighborhood residents were not in favor of it. Gerhardson noted it had been expanded once and no parking was posted on the street. Councilmember Goetten commented that Summit Park now referred to as Summit Beach had been donated to the City by Bruce Dayton with the understanding it was to be used by the neighborhood and kept low-keyed with little advertising. Wilson felt it would be a good idea to maintain it as such. Howells questioned Gerhardson if the rope had been removed from the tree at Summit Beach. Gerhardson replied that it had not but would be done soon. 4