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Big Island Park Management Activity <br /> June 15,2010 <br /> Page 4 <br /> Service Officer to provide an authoritative presence on the Island during peak visitor <br /> times and assist Gabriel in necessary ongoing maintenance, trash removal, etc. The City <br /> also purchased a boat for transporting the CSO to and from the Island. While having a <br /> CSO at the Park was generally a positive experience, the value of continuing this practice <br /> for future years was reconsidered after the 2009 season, given that there was not enough <br /> activity to keep him busy, and no CSO was hired for the 2010 season. <br /> Fencin . The only area of the Park that has existing fencing is at the bluff on the south <br /> hill. The bluff has eroded over many decades to the extent that the fence is now at the <br /> precipice rather than setting a ways back from it. We are planning to replace that fence in <br /> 2010. <br /> Si na e. In 2009 the City erected a variety of regulatory signs on the property, primarily <br /> at the two entry points. These signs are intended to inform visitors of Park rules. This <br /> spring it was found that many of the signs installed last year had been vandalized or been <br /> pulled out of the ground (along with their concrete bases) probably by roping them to a <br /> snowmobile or other vehicle. We are currently in the process of re-installing these with <br /> beefier footings to hopefully avoid this problem occurring again. <br /> Future interpretive signage will be considered as the Management Plan takes shape. <br /> B. Docks <br /> During 2006-2007, a floating dock on loan from Minnetonka Portable Dredging was <br /> installed at the property to accommodate the ongoing work at the Park as well as <br /> recreational visitors. The City determined it would be appropriate to provide dockage <br /> suitable for use by the steamer Minnehaha. In early 2008 the City surveyed the shoreline <br /> at the landing site and processed a variance application for installation of 4 concrete <br /> bulkheads to which floating docks with ramps could be attached. The bulkheads and the <br /> main dock and pilings (plus a smaller ancillary dock) were installed in spring 2008, and <br /> the initial visit to the Park by the Minnehaha occurred on June 25, 2008. In 2009 the City <br /> installed a second large floating dock. Although bulkheads have been installed to <br /> accommodate as many as 4 docks, it is undetermined at this time whether more than two <br /> docks are necessary. Signage was added to the docks in 2009 prohibiting fishing from <br /> the docks. <br /> Winter storage for the docks has been handled by floating them to a protected cove <br /> southeast of the landing area. During the spring of 2010 the docks were unleashed from <br /> their winter mooring by vandals and only because of favorable prevailing winds they did <br /> not end up floating around the bay. <br /> During 2009 the Minnehaha operators determined that regular scheduled visits to the <br /> Island would not be feasible due to the lack of toilet facilities on the Island, as their <br /> scheduling would only allow for stops at 4-hour intervals. <br />