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Home My WebLink About06-06-2022 Park Commission Work SessionAGENDA City of Orono Park Commission Work Session for Monday, June 6th, 2022, 6:00 PM Orono Council Chambers, 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 952-249-4600 / www.ci.orono.mn.us WORK SESSION AGENDA 1. Chair Update Chair 2. Pickleball Update Pickleball Committee 3. Casco Point Listening Session Commissioner Benson 4. City of Orono Parks Department Website Commissioner Benson 5. Subcommittee Breakout Sessions Committees Purpose of Park descriptions: ● Provide accurate and relevant information on how to access parks ● Draws residents and others from outside the community to visit Orono ● Opportunity to communicate information and highlight unique assets in Orono to a wide audience Current issue: Site lacks detail and does not adequately highlight the unique benefits of each area park. More accurate, appealing descriptions would benefit potential park visitors within the City of Orono and surrounding communities. Example #1: Casco Circle Park There are no amenities at Casco Point Park. It is an eight acre passive nature conservation area that is conveyed as an open space natural woodland. It is periodically mowed. The park is located at the end of Casco Point Road. Example #2: French Creek Preserve Features 1. Parking French Creek Preserve is a passive nature park encompassing a seven acre pond and four acres of restored prairie which are the cornerstone of a large wetland complex (Outlot A). WETLAND & PRAIRIE The actual total acreage of Outlot A is 32.1 acres. The wetland ultimately drains into Crystal Bay in Lake Minnetonka and is home to many land and water species. The restored prairie was planted in the fall of 1993. A path follows the pond where many nesting birds can be seen. Please do not disrupt the birds. PARKING Parking is available for 8 to 10 vehicles. Example #3: Seven Nations Natural Area Features 1. Bench 2. Parking 3. Trails Seven Nations Natural Area is a three acre passive nature park containing both woods and prairie. HISTORY The land was donated to the City of Orono by the Dickey family so as to be used to educate the community about Native Americans and the early Orono settlers. AMENITIES The park has parking, benches, and mowed walking trails. Current challenges: ● Inconsistent format (feature different or no headers in descriptions) ● Information is inaccurate and/or incomplete (Casco has two different names) ● Parking information is inconsistent, lacks detail especially when needed (Casco) ● Photographs do not highlight unique park features well and more could be added ● Redundancies (athletic fields at Hackberry) ● Other helpful information- Lifeguard status at swim beaches, dog restrictions etc. Example from Medina website: LAKESHORE PARK Location: This park is located at 2975 Lakeshore Avenue situated on the east side of Lake Independence. Description: This neighborhood park is less than one acre in size and serves the Independence Beach area of the City and provides a boat access to the lake for residents through a permit process to make sure residents are educated on Aquatic Invasive Species. Amenities: ■ Fishing Pier on Lake Independence ■ Lake Access and Restricted Parking – The city requires that if you want to park or use the boat access that you have a permit. ■ Parking permits do not require an application, but we ask for the license plate number and the name of the owner of the vehicle. You will be given a parking permit sticker. Call City Hall or email city@medinamn.gov and the permit sticker will be mailed to you. ■ To use the boat launch, we require that you fill out the boat launch application. We will then provide you with the access code to the boat launch. Forms can be dropped off in the City Hall dropbox, mailed, or emailed to city@medinamn.gov ■ Picnic Shelter ■ Playground Equipment Pickleball update Orono Parks June 2022 Wayzata country club Thor Thompson Spring Park Lone Lake Park Minnetonka Navarre Park Orono Near term solutions: Casco Point Ice rink 140X90 •Dual use •Has lights already •Underutilized in summer Orono Orchards •Facilities nearby •Dual use opportunity •Destination and increased use / Concessions & staff •Parking •Maintenance building Fire department / Gardens 275X100 •Fairly isolated setting •Large unused area •Near Long lake’s Holbrook Park Ice skating rink Current Orono Works facility •Potential Indoor / outdoor options Next Steps - •June Meeting: Discuss the pros and cons of the proposal •Staff to work through feasibility/cost for proposals after discussion for July •July working session –Finalize plan for August Meeting. •Engauge 501(C)(3) at this time. •August meeting –review proposal at formal Parks meeting. •Send proposal to City council for 2023 budget consideration.