Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Wednesday, September 10, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 9 of 27 <br /> <br />Edwards noted that came about as an aspiration after they had the Orono Rotary put together a project for <br />tree plantings last year, and they happened to have it at Lurton Park and Saga Hill. He said as they were <br />looking at it, one of the target parks for trees was French Creek Park and the thought was if anyone has <br />walked that park around the old sewage lagoon, many of those trees are falling into the water. The <br />thought process was if in the future it would make sense to do a sort of reforestation project where some <br />diseased, falling down or scrub trees would be removed and they could plant a mini arboretum with <br />specimen trees and plaques around that walk. <br />Roath asked who is assigned to French Creek Park. <br />Edwards replied it is currently vacant. <br />Roath noted they should get someone assigned to it and asked for a consensus on how big of a priority <br />this line item is. <br />Carter stated since it’s listed out under 2024, he doesn’t feel the need to worry about it much right now, <br />noting it’s a $20,000 item four years from now. <br />Roath said not to worry about what year it’s in for the document, he is asking if French Creek Park is <br />something the Commission wants to focus on. He noted they will get someone assigned to that park, they <br />will leave it in 2024 for now and if anyone proposes that the Commission work on that sooner or later or <br />not at all, they can take it up at that point. Roath asked if any Commissioners have an interest in that <br />park. <br />Edwards explained for anyone who has not been to French Creek Park that it is a nature park and is <br />basically a trail that goes around the former sewage lagoon before they integrated with the Met Council. <br />It is now a haven for water fowl, and said the past projects at the Park have been restoration of prairie and <br />a few Scout projects putting up benches to view the water fowl. He said it’s not a complicated park. <br />Berg said it’s more a wildlife area. <br />Carter suggested as they go into next year, in the same way they’ve done for the golf course and trails for <br />the parks, to have a strategic approach to the priorities. He noted he has a tough time doing it this way, <br />although they should get through it as they are halfway. He thinks if they were able to look at a column <br />and understand what is the No. 2 priority and the money is there, it makes sense. He said it’s kind of <br />throwing darts to him. <br />Roath replied there is a page that lists the 2020 focus parks, for instance the French Creek Park is not on <br />there for 2020 as it’s not a focus. <br />Edwards stated one of the things the Commission has done in the past is to drive what Committees they <br />want as some of the projects come forward, for example East Long Lake Trail, as it marched forward on <br />the calendar, the Commission formed a committee to help steer what that would actually look like. <br />Roath said he was using the CIP to start that prioritization and noted they could go alphabetically by park <br />name; however, they want to do it, but it should align with the focuses in 2020 and 2021.