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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Monday February 7,2022 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> the summer. She also takes her son there and it is really valuable to the community,noting many people <br /> have picnics there and it is the one place that is tiny and she drives 30-40 minutes from Maple Grove just <br /> to use the park. Many people in the community use it for picnics and would love to see it stay small, cute, <br /> and public. <br /> Fergus Weir, 710 Gander Road, wants to echo almost everyone that has been speaking about Summit <br /> Park and keeping the spirit of the Daytons,keeping it natural,and not having a structure on it. He said the <br /> west end of Long Lake where boats are coming in has a small Frisbee park would seem to be a better <br /> place to have a structure that could house the boats for the LLRC. <br /> Chair Roath noted that is a different City. <br /> Mr. Weir thanked Chair Roath for the clarification and noted he would like to see Summit Park stay <br /> natural without a structure. <br /> Jim Dustrude,2001 Arbor Lane in Mound, loves seeing the rowers out on Long Lake, it is a wonderful <br /> thing, and it is something to support somehow. <br /> Greg White,2185 Grand Avenue, agrees with everyone,he started learning about what is going on with <br /> the lake,but does not understand how the rowing club figures it has to come in at Summit Park. With the <br /> Committee that Councilmember Victoria Seals started because of the social media and clarifying what is <br /> true or untrue,Mr. White's concern is how will Ms. Seals tell this committee what is going on and go <br /> back-and-forth with that information?He agrees it is nice for the LLRC to be out on the lake but he does <br /> not understand how there cannot be something different for them. How can it be justified that they need to <br /> put this building in, even though the LLRC says certain things will be for the public? He does not <br /> understand the reason. <br /> Eleanor Winston, 765 Spring Hill Road,would also encourage the Park Commission to look at a natural <br /> playground as it would fit so nicely as opposed to bright colors and other things. <br /> Chair Roath closed the public comment time and shared with the public to get some facts straight. He <br /> noted the Park Commission has not taken the matter of the LLRC up for two years.In March 2020 there <br /> was"somewhat of a proposal"to consider, but it had so many unknowns,had not been fleshed out,there <br /> were other entities within Orono that had not weighed in, and at the time the Commission said it was <br /> really too soon to say anything. Looking back at the minutes,the Park Commission noted they did not <br /> have enough to either support it or deny it and that is where it stands today. It has not come back to the <br /> Park Commission and it may never come back to them.It has moved on and up to other entities outside of <br /> the Park Commission. He clarified the Park Commission is an advisory committee to the City Council <br /> and right now Ms. Seals is going to start a cross-functional group to respond to any future proposal that <br /> comes from the rowing club. Chair Roath noted that as of right now there is not even a proposal on the <br /> table. It is not currently, and may never be on the Park Commission's docket,but he appreciates <br /> everyone's comments and they have been noted for the City Council and for the City of Orono. <br /> Regarding Lowry Woods,there is no consideration right now,nor has there been since November 2020 to <br /> have mountain bikes in Lowry Woods. Chair Roath stated bikers do not even currently have access to <br /> Lowry Woods, so there is nothing that the Park Commission is considering or will be considering in the <br /> near future about that. <br /> Page 3 of 6 <br />