11-05-2020 Park Commission Packet

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 17 of 27 of it was covered by the City, but they still left approximately $25,000 on the table of the match from the DNR. He said now there is an option for people to have a small brass plaque on a picnic table or a sitting stone for $2,500 for (half of a picnic table) or $650 (for half of a sitting stone), and they have two tables and three stones committed so far. He is hopeful they can spend as much of that $25,000 as possible and his guess is that is the last of the projects at Big Island for a while, but there is a bonding request for $300,000 that could happen if there is ever a bonding bill. As far as Carter knows, there is not a requirement for the City to put money in as it’s not a match. He said if that doesn’t happen, the Big Island Legacy will most likely fold up its tent and go away; however, if it does happen, they would try to raise money to do a similar sized project. He said the first project was between $400,000-$500,000 and they already have ideas on how to easily add another bathroom, build a shelter and add additional trails, but he doesn’t envision coming to the City for additional funding. Carter closed by saying they would likely wait to do a grand opening next year and hopefully they will not have to wear masks, the project is done and the weather is beautiful. Roath noted Seven Nations Park is the other park they’ve talked about in the past that didn’t make it onto the CIP. He said the park is a cool nature space that is surrounded by neighborhoods and could use some TLC regarding a driveway, parking lots, some tree removal and beautification in adding some natural gardens. He said a few Commissioners walked the park a couple of years ago and had that idea, although they’ve never put pen to paper. He stated it’s a park that hasn’t been touched in years and it is a natural park but it could serve many residents who live nearby. Berg reported it was former Commissioners Brenda Johnson and Julie Ruegemer who took that park and Johnson was very much for working on Seven Nations Park but since she’s been gone, they haven’t really concentrated on it. Klaahsen said with Seven Nations Park as well as French Creek being nature areas, the Commission could pick one or the other to focus on this year and look at the other the next year. Roath agreed they could do that and said they don’t need a motion, and clarified that the proposal is that they don’t add Seven Nations Park to the CIP at this point as a focus for this year, but perhaps they revisit it for the CIP again next year. Klaahsen answered in the affirmative and proposed the Commission focus on French Creek Park in 2021 and move Seven Nations Park to 2022. Roath added it would be with the idea that if the Commission wanted to do something, they could still add it in the 2024-ish time period. Berg said they need to look at both French Creek and Seven Nations and evaluate what they want to see there. She said they could put Seven Nations on the CIP but move it out in the future. Carter said in that spirit he wanted to remind people that the Commission did a drive-by visit of a park that most people don’t know exists on the West end of Big Island called Pleasant View Park, which has a wide fire road access out to the lake. He stated he goes there often, either in his canoe or on skis and he thinks they should also talk about that area at some point but he also wants to get through Big Island Park first, which could be done in six months or six years. He noted at some point he would probably bring it back to the group.