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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Monday, March 2nd, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 9 of 14 <br /> <br />Roath and Mr. Burrell discussed that they don’t anticipate the number of practices increasing for the <br />rowing club, but it was possible. <br /> <br />Roath reiterated they are constrained by the number of boats they have. <br /> <br />Mr. Burrell agreed and added they are also constrained by the number of coaches and safety launches. <br /> <br />Roath asked how other lake users could know or anticipate when the rowing club would be on the lake. <br /> <br />Mr. Burrell said he thinks the normal boaters on the lake pretty much know when they will be out there. <br />They have been wearing more fluorescent, bright colors so it is much easier to see the rowers. <br /> <br />Roath asked if Mr. Burrell could elaborate on his comment about partnering with the City regarding <br />playground equipment. <br /> <br />Mr. Burrell said originally the Park Commission was talking about a new playground which may have <br />been pushed off to the side with t his project. If there is an opportunity to help with that as part of a <br />partnership, they are open to that. <br /> <br />Berg commented that a playground is still part of the vision of Summit Beach. <br /> <br />Mr. Burrell said they are more than happy to have discussions about h ow to help pay for some of that. <br />They think it’s important to have that for family members of the club, and it gives more use to the beach. <br /> <br />Berg and Mr. Burrell agreed that bike racks would need to also be looked at. <br /> <br />Roath asked if Mr. Burrell could comment on the rough patch in the rowing club’s history that was <br />mentioned and if it was financial. <br /> <br />Mr. Burrell said he had no comment about the rough patch and that it was pre-2013. He has been involved <br />with the second evolution of the club and it has nothing to do with the club now. It was a different culture <br />and a different time, and there were some bad things that happened, but the people part of this club had <br />nothing to do with it. <br /> <br />An unidentified audience member stated there has never been a rough patch with the Long Lake Rowing <br />Crew. That was the previous entity, and this club had to rebuild confidence in the community. <br /> <br />Roath asked for comments/concerns based on the information regarding the rowing club and potential <br />partnership. <br /> <br />Ruegemer said she does not have any problems with the rowing club, it sounds like a wonderful <br />organization, but that does not mean it is a good fit for Summit Beach. Her concern is this is a nature park <br />and a swimming beach and this would change the use of the park. She would not feel safe if her children <br />were swimming there and rowboats were coming and going. She noted Bruce Dayton was an <br />environmental advocate and feels it would be a disservice to him to cut down old-growth trees to put in a <br />boat storage facility. Part of the Park Commission’s job is to protect the environment in addition to <br />serving the public. She does not feel it is in the best interests of the park to cut down old-growth trees to <br />build a place to protect boats. She loves seeing the boats on the lake and wished the LLRC the best.