Parks & Recreation Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay, now I've got to get my PowerPoint shared. I got to go back again. Travis, can you see the um presentation? Yeah, I got you.

Okay, thank you. Okay. Um, now I need to get my other slide up to myself. Okay. All right. So, I am ready when you have anyone else. Is there anyone else? I Well, only one the only person can be on the screen is an actual question. Yeah. But is there anyone else online? There wasn't one looked

uh Today, September 17th, calling the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 703 at 50 War, 1200 North Road. Roll call. I'm here. Jim Person, present. Curtis Perry, present. Travis Neil present virtually and Stephanie Todd and Bill Hansen are absent Tucker Knight the park director is

All right. Any communication? We do not have any written communication hearing from citizens. And no one's in the minutes. Uh you said the link with the August 2025 park minutes. Does anyone have any changes or modifications? [Music]

Do we have a second? I second that. A vote. Everyone in favor. I any All righty. They are accepted in item number five, annual work plan progress updates from the working groups.

Okay. So, ebikes. I I have a quick um update on as you all know the ebikes uh passed the resolution passed and as an update to that this um last week the school district has now banned all electric bikes and MTVs from scooters from all uh uh school property grounds and they've sent out information to um all of their parents and family and they're working with the police department for enforcement So, um, I just thought that was a, um, interesting dovetail with what we're doing. So, they are not considering what we're doing with the speed limits and things like that. They just have an outright ban.

When I was invest Yeah. The police department's been working out there. We had an an issue last week with a big rig parking overnight in the park and when the police went up to investigate that then they found motorcycles in the park. So we're able to overnight. No, no. The big rig was being parked overnight. They were there to try and contact the driver and then they found motorcycles in the park. We have Yeah. Yeah. They're they're really trying to send a message that's not okay. Okay. Yeah. Uh, okay.

I didn't you guys, sir. Are you here for the soil workshop that is just next door? I'm so sorry. Oh, don't you worry. It's confusing when there's multiple events. Don't you worry. We were hoping you were here for park recreation. If you have any sensitive feedback at parks interact. Yeah. Recreation. Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. No one ever. Enjoy. Enjoy. That's what I was wondering. I'm like, but that's smart though to have this kind of defensive, you know, get people to accidentally come and come to They've got a good crowd in there. Yeah, I almost went over there and skipped this. They have 17 in there.

Go through the Yeah, I'm going to go through. So, um, Olive and Old Bottom ADA sidewalk project. Just an update to you because you were all very interested in this. Um, it is moving forward and it's good that we held off our redesign of that area. We're going to wait to see what happens. But they the um uh city of St. Louis and uh the Missouri Department of Transportation reached out to the city to ask if we wanted to have um when they quit deed that little parcel, if the city wanted to take over that parcel and we responded and said, "No, thank you. It's yeah because we really want it to be mod or we said we would be willing to look at having the whole corner or all of the park because little tiny parcels are very difficult to manage.

Yeah. So it's much cleaner if they just take care of that. So there's not not so that is that project we believe is being funded separately from the paving. So they are kind of parallel to each other but they are not but the same project managers. Yeah. This is the corner of Olive and Old Bonum where the traffic signal is. The traffic signal has to be moved in order to make the side sidewalk ADA compliant. Yeah. Okay. Where our sign and we have our, you know, our little sign there. So, our our sign's going to be relocated. That's a project we're going to work on. So, that's going to it's pushed that project out.

Yeah. Which is good because good thing we didn't do it. And then exactly we'd be very sad right now. Okay. Yeah. Not be okay. Yeah. So it's serendipitous. Okay. Um Okay. We're going to table to or continue to the next meeting the um dark sky certification progress report because both Stephanie and Bill aren't here.

Okay. Um however, for community outreach, we have a fabulous opportunity. I believe you all are aware of the harvest festival on Saturday, October 25th. We would love to have you all here. Um, and I will be sending out a um, sign up through Signup Genius for people to pick out kind of where they'd like to work. I would really like the commissioners though to help us with the um, alcohol sales if if we do them. Um, and Bill is going to be the leader of the parade, but we will have opportunities for setting up earlier in the day. And it's um, it's pretty exciting. Is that in the hall and not been decided?

Well, we're going through the through the process right now to get approval. Yes. Um, it is um the process is slightly different this year. So, I actually have a meeting tomorrow where we're going to talk with the finance director, city manager, police chief, and see if it's we're interested in pursuing it or we may go back to our old model of having fans do it. Okay. Yeah. So, we'll keep you posted. Trying to figure out that trying to figure that out. Yeah. It's much easier when we just give it away as opposed to sell it. So, might we do that? No. No.

But the question is whether Okay, good. Yeah, it'll still be there. It's just we were hoping to make money off of it. So, that's there's a question as to whether Yeah. So, it'll it'll still be there. It just will be either us or an outside.

Yeah. Okay. Um, next up, Turkey Trot. So, I really wanted to talk to the group about Turkey Trough because this is, you know, an amazing event. It draws 2,000 people, primarily all of it residents, but also from surrounding communities. And it is put on all through volunteers with the exception of the police department and the fire department that are required to work it. And then the only paid staff there that day is one park employee and myself. Um, sometimes the city manager is there, sometimes the finance director is there, but typically it's only one or two administrative staff. So, uh, we have a lot of volunteers, a lot of volunteer captains that are in charge of specific areas. The it is really a volunteer event. Um, our parking captain is Jim Pson. So, Jim Pson is in charge of getting all those cars in and on the field and parked correctly. He has a team that he works with, but he can always use additional volunteers. And then I manage all the hot drinks, which is a very large operation. We always need help with that. So, if anyone from the commission is interested in volunteering, we would love to have you. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet a lot of community members that you wouldn't maybe necessarily see. Um, if you do parking, then you can also run the race. If you do hot drinks, you cannot run the race. So, it's a very, it's not a very popular place for people to be, but you get to meet pretty much every single person that runs when you do hot drinks because everybody wants coffee and hot chocolate after the race. Um, so I'll send out a signup genius for that as well. I would love to have you if you have you guys participated before. Have you been there?

Really? Oh, okay. So either preparing stuff to take out. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Oh, Travis had a question. I I was just going to say I I we we attend, but I'm normally in uh doing the the the event. Yeah. Well, that's good. Participating is good. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. Well, very good. We'll work on uh we'll work on Bill. So, all right. But if you have any friends or neighbors that are interested in volunteering for things, this is a fabulous thing. It's over and done with very quickly. As Travis knows, you're home pretty quick afterwards.

Well, he's the fast runner. But you're pushing the twins, right? Not too fast, but pushing the twins. But it's a it's a good I love the turnout and it it makes you good good sense of community with everybody that's there. So, it's only twin the high school. We're going to ask them. Yeah, there's just no guarantee because they their their time is not their own on holidays. But we get pretty good turn out of high school at least for not in hotrs. No, but for the other uh typically not very many high school volunteers.

Well, they um they walk those scouts do the walk stop, but we're really trying to get the high school kids to run the um Founders Cup.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Okay. So, We'll send it out and you can decline. Um, all right. A couple other big things coming up. If you haven't been to one of our art gallery openings, these are tremendous. The next one coming up should have a a fairly uh large turnout. Maria Oh Castro, who is a local artist who has a a good following. She's uh very much involved with prison performing arts and doing arts as healing with them. and she will have a secondary exhibit down the hallway over here in our emerging artists with some of her um clients that are in the arts as healing program. So, the people that are returning from incarceration and going through the art program is fantastic. Um our last show we had about 150 people here. So, that was amazing. So, it's a really great opportunity for you to meet again people that you may not necessarily see in your day-to-day life who are engaged with the ALET community. And then our last event with the with our 60th celebration is the People's Choice Award, which as you know, ET won by a landslide and that is Friday, November 7th. So, we're really hoping for a good turnout with that. It'll be inside this room. Um, so there might be an opportunity also to see people. So, um, I encourage you to attend those. If you come to these, there's no no jobs. You just come and enjoy it. But it's a it's an it's an opportunity to chat with people and kind of hear their thoughts on things. Um, Jim, you've attended. Do you have any things to share about going to the art exhibits?

Very interesting. They're not artists that necessarily know outside the arts, but it's great. Yeah. Yeah. And you get a free glass of wine. So you get a free glass of wine at the um you do not qual

it would be a whole new uh process. They an individual date. So, we'll find out what's going on with harvest festival and that will determine what we what they want. Got it. Okay. Yeah.

Yeah. Um, green team has been moving chugging right along. They uh received the recycling mini grant. So, here's a picture of what they'll be purchasing. So, the one on the right is our permanent recycle bin that's going to go in at Stacy Park. This is a test drive. It's a we're going to put it out there and see if it works and if we can get better compliance with only putting recyclables in a recycling container. Our current ones are a dismal failure. So the the only difference from the one that you see on the screen and what we're getting is ours will not have that dog hone shape. Travis, you might be blocked.

Yeah. Yeah. Let me let me Oh, like that. There you go. Yeah. So, we will not have the dog bone. We will only have two round circles because at Stacy people just shove all their picnic materials into all the recycling. So, this hopefully will help with that. Then the ones the ones in the middle, those are for special events. We're going to be purchasing those through operating funds, not through the grant. And we'll be deploying those at um all of our special events and again to help people it's clear so they can see what goes in there. So hopefully they will not put their hot dogs in there. They will just put drinks in there.

Um and then at our big events like Holy Festival and some of our other larger events, we oftentimes get volunteers that will stand at the recycling stations with a bucket for people to empty their liquids into and then chat with people. And it really goes a long way till people because people want to recycle and when they're confused they just kind of give up. So having a a friendly face there to encourage you to do the right thing that we find very helpful. Um and then the they also uh approved the sustainability policy for the parks and recreation department. So that's a big deal because they started that last year and they've edited it. So that is that will um it really codifies uh all of the operations the parks and recreation department is already doing to reduce our um our emissions to lower our energy costs and to have a a more climate resilient operation. And it is approved by the green team because it's only for the department. It's not a citywide initiative because even though we're in the green cities challenge, we're in it as a department, not as a whole city, which is how a lot of cities start. So, Webster Grove started that way and some of the other cities around here. It's kind of an easy win and then eventually it can expand to the whole city or not. Depends on on what the city wants to do. Okay. And then commissioner site visits. Uh with Bill not being here, I was unable to get in to see the reports. So we will also continue that to next time.

Yeah, I was going to say if we can put we can put that Oh, wait. You were going to send it. Were you able to send it? I got I got it. Oh. Oh, you need it. Okay. Yeah. So, okay. And I sent the bill. You just want the link? Yeah. I I just open the new Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Sue. I'll make a note, too, that we want to resend the link. I apologize. Can Can I get that link sent to me, too? And um everyone, can you uh can you repeat the uh the art gallery? What what date that was? Oh, October 3rd. Uh it's the first Friday of the month. So, yeah,

October. Okay, cool. Thank you. You're welcome. Okay. I just love this picture of her side. That was an early morning this summer out there. It's just so so beautiful. Okay. Any questions on the work panel? All right. Uh item six, five on abortion monthly update.

Just move this right back up. So exciting news. We have 64 memberships added since our last meeting. So, we're up to 1870. That's really exciting. Yeah. I really hope I'm I'm hopeful that by uh the end of December, we'll be at 2,000, which would be fabulous. Those are unique numbers. Those are unique numbers. They do not count the individuals within a household, however. Yeah. Right. Right. So, that means it's much higher if you count all the household members.

What level of Well, there's always people that come in, they'll suspend or they'll discontinue and then they'll come back later. So, yes, absolutely. So, but this is No, the 1870 is what we currently have right now, active. Those are active memberships. Yeah. Yeah.

Um Oops. Let me go back. Um, one thing I did want to say, um, at the last meeting, we did talk about some of the, um, negative behaviors we've been having in the gym, and I am happy to say that they are all gone. Um, the photo IDs have been a remarkable, remarkable change to our policy. It was fantastic. So, um, everybody's feeling a lot better. And we also put in some little cameras around that highlight areas that the staff can't see. We do not record them. They're just a live feed. So, there's one at the front door. There's one over by E esports because when they're at the desk, they can't see around there. There's another one in the gym. The fitness attendant can see some areas. The front desk can see some areas, but they can't al all see.

We do not save those. Those are those are just a live feed for the staff. Correct. Correct. Our big cameras, we really don't want the staff to have access to that. those if someone wants if someone needs that that goes to the police department because that's a total separate operation and we really want to keep it away. Yeah.

All right. So, uh no city council reports this evening. Maxine had um an engagement come up which she was unable to cancel and no other commissioners I mean council members are available. In fact, Kate's giving the soil talk next door. So if we finish in time, you can go take a peek in and see. She's a fantastic speaker. Um, so moving right along. All right. Um, so that was Yes, it did a park and wreck.

Yes, park and wreck monthly report. So I am very happy to report that we finally had a star party that was not cancelled due to overcast skies. So that's the one silver lining of the drought. So they were able to have it and it was really interesting the night before there was the sky had clouds in it but only half so you could still see out the other side. So it was very exciting and um and then this last Friday night they had the Dobson Fest which was um Did you go to that too? Yeah, it was great. Really good. Yes, they they did.

Oh, excellent. Excellent. Um soccer is in full swing. We have a picture there of soccer practice up at Stacy. You can see the dismal state of the grass and from the drought. Um, soccer is going very well. Parking is a challenge. Uh, we knew it was going to be bad this year. Uh, we put the 15minute buffer between the games. Not enough.

It's not It's not enough. It helps, but it's not enough. So, this last weekend we actually had cars parking up on the grass and in the gardens. So the police officers came out and walked around to find the owners. One car did get towed. Um yeah, and in the midst of that, we had the big rig parking out there taking eight spaces, which didn't help. So that's why we were so motivated to find the owner of that that big rig. Uh so the an email reminder is going out to all the participants reminding them that car pooling is fantastic and that when your game is done, please visit on your way to your cars to allow the next people to come in. Um we have overflow parking at the elementary school, but we do fill that as well. So we can people are welcome to ride their bikes or walking.

Story your ebike. Talking about the season. Well, Warson is tough, too. Worson is not as bad, but um So that mean how many? It was really bad. I was there on Sunday. At which one? Uh you were at Stacy? Yeah, I actually went to bowl. Long story. I went to bowl but Stacy was worse. Yeah. Well, and I got there before a little before it was really bad and I was there long enough to come back to see it like empty out. It was better. But like when it was full it was like it was when people were always parking illegally. It was a problem. Yeah. And so it made people leaving a lot slower too. Yeah. So how many how many kids we have signed up? 1100.

Yeah. So do we have taken these steps to cordon off so people don't park on I mean eventually well they jumped the curve to get in there. Yeah. Yeah. But even but long long term it's an issue. I think we had to put some like no parking signs along like the median like you know where they're parking but like it's it's not an everyday occurrence. It's not. Yeah. Hopefully

Well, next year will be much better. Um when pavilion season stops, you know, we um we are not renting the pavilion in the mornings to avoid having extra congestion. There was a rental last Saturday, but it was only in the afternoon. Um and then the Dobson Fest came in also because the um The French Society also had their event. So as we get later in the season, we don't have those, but again, we really try and schedule those. Next year might be back. Well, yes, we really hope so. It'll make a huge difference. Yeah, that's Yeah, absolutely. September. Yeah.

Right. We had a great turnout at our last uh movie in the park for the year and it was um it was like over 125 people there. It was great. It was a hot night. It was. Yeah. I just had I counter I was like it wasn't that bad in the park. There was a breeze. Kids were running around. It was really hard to get a headcount because there were so many kids on the playground and running out throughout the park. That was pretty exciting. How's How's the playground like most coming along? Is it done now? It's almost done. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Very frustrating. Yeah. Thanks for your patience on that. Um what was the day last was last Friday. Friday was Friday. Yeah.

Uh we had the uh trivia night, our first ever trivia night. It was a huge success and we raised uh just under $4,000 for the for the foundation. Yeah. So that was fantastic. Yeah. We had we sold all the tables except one. So it was pretty good. Jim, I didn't get a picture of you. Jim was in a great costume wearing a Nou coat and everything. Yeah. So yeah, people had different uh years for their tables which was really cool. Yeah. And we people really got into it and so we've already had requests to do it again next year. So I think we will. I think it'd be a nice it's a nice new annual event for us to do.

Yeah. Yeah. Really nice. Um here's some pictures from the art gallery opening. It is difficult to take pictures of this because everything's so narrow, but we had a great turnout there. So the emerging artists uh gallery is going down the hallway. This is a wonderful exhibit because the one of the artists that's exhibiting in this show also had a workshop on a weekend for kids to come and do and make some art. Um and they and they she has photos of the class in progress up there and then their pictures too which is really nice. And then the kids came with their parents. So we had we had groups of adults, groups of kids and the artist talk was really really great. Uh, so in the parks division, you've probably all seen the piles of trees. Those are our poor ash trees. Most of the wood has now been hauled away. Um, and then we move this again. Sorry, Travis. I keep moving you around. Go. All of it in bloom has just keeps chugging along through the heat of the season. There were um it was great to see everybody out in the park out there. Um then the putting those goals together. They told us they wouldn't come. They wouldn't come. Then all of a sudden they're here and it was all hands on deck. So that's Darren Man, our finance director.

All hands on deck. And then that's uh in the back is uh is they look great. Yeah. Is is uh Richard Monroe, our uh facilities tech. Then we TJ, our rec supervisor was out there one day. I mean, everybody was doing it was Yeah, it was great. They do like they look really good. Much much better. Yeah, I really

Yeah. Um, here's some exciting things happening in the parks. So, uh, picture of the water dog. You It's in all the parks everywhere it can possibly be. You can see it all over. Yep. Um, because it's so dry, we're not mowing the grass as much. So, this has been a fantastic opportunity for us to do some clearing. So this is our mowing crew, but when we contract with the mowing company, they also contract for them to do right ofway clearing and other um tasks for us. So this is them cutting back all the growth along the parking rail in the five oaks parking lot. So every two years or so, we have to cut it all back as the honeysuckle grows back over us. Um and we don't necessarily treat that in there. There's a long-term project needed to restore the river banks in the river to pair, but that's kind of out of our scope. The Missouri um the Metropolitan Sewer District is in charge of that and they have very strict guidelines as you can imagine with with the riparian habitat in there and the creek. So, we can't really go in and replant and cut, but I mean we can cut, but we can't remove because the roots of those are the only things holding the soil back. Yes. We don't treat them. Yeah. We want them to live in there. Um eventually they'll they're hopefully we'll get higher and higher on their project list.

Yeah. Yeah. So, and then uh for those of you that aren't familiar with Watsonia, so in order for us to have our lease of Stacy Park and to have our wonderful pathway that goes from Lindley to Dealman, we are in an um an agreement with the city of St. Louis. And part of that is we have to care for parts of just sections of their the water transmission pipeline. So our pathway that goes from Lindley to Dealman is on top of those water transmission lines. They run from Stacy Park all the way to the city of St. Louis. So we have areas that we go in through private um private property to mow and to cut in the back. Watsonia is one of those areas. This is over by herbside park. Goes through one of the oldest neighborhoods in all of it. And there's a house. You can see that little tiny house. Well, the picture on the right is what it looked like before we went in and bush hoged it and what it looks like now.

Oh, wow. Yeah. No one lives in that house. Um you can sort of see the um see this chimney here is the chimney you see here. So, every two years or so, we have to go in and brush hog this. The property line for this house is right up here. This house is vacant. The house is vacant. And then this is an area that before the water rideway was there was a little pond. People used to actually ice skate there. Now there's a big uh storm water inlet, but we mow we mow this area all the way up to Price Road behind some houses and but you know it's just it's one of our little areas. No, they love it when we do this.

Yeah, they love it because sometimes Correct. Correct. Yeah. Yeah. Um if you ever want to go see their if you want to know where it is, I'll I'll have show you on the map where it is. Um, okay. Oh, my turn. Right. So, uh, upcoming dates of importance. All right. We have a lot coming. Really, uh, sweet reads. It's the only thing left in September and then October. You get you hit the highlights there.

So, I don't know that we need to hit any of those again particular attention. Um, and again, we certainly need help. That's probably the thing. Yes. Absolutely. Um so you can see those dates. One thing we didn't talk about is that trash bash on the 25th. Yeah. That's in the morning of the day of the harvest festival and that will be volunteers picking up trash out of the river to pair over off North Price. So Bruce McGregor from the public works department is heading that up and the green team is supporting it and helping get the word out.

Where is the The greenway is starting to do brush. When if you go up on North Price, you'll see crews working in there. Um we mow that area. Just not where the brush is, but on that corner, we mow it as part of our big mowing contract. And and we know from mowing it that under that are all the railroad ties. They're still in there. So right now, well, they're clearing brush right now. And then the future project will be getting the railroad ties out. We have creo a bunch of other stuff on it. [Music]

Some question I don't know. I don't know. I'm not sure they've resolved that on their website. It looks like it's going to go straight across down towards Murphy. That's what they're still showing. Well, it'll still go down past Murphy, but where it goes over there, I'm not sure that's 100% sign.

Yeah, big warehouse. They were talking about going across the back of their I don't I don't have an update on that. Yeah, seen that on there's a discussion at some point. Okay. Yeah, I think that was the board of No, they don't. Yeah. So, so there's been some working think It's going to take a while to tear it all.

Yeah, because they have to tear all this out along the railroad part and then they have to build a burm on the other side of the river so that the rail cars have a stopping point. So that's what they're working on right now while they figure out the other side. They they needed to get started. Okay. Yeah.

I am not going to say I I don't know. Well, they they were when they were here.

All right. So, future items, the meeting dates and five, you're going to send out that proposal. No, that'll be at our next meeting. Yeah. ble to be sent out ahead of Yeah. So, so um next meeting when we go over the meeting dates, I'll send out the draft recommended dates for the year, but if you could check your calendars, look for school holidays, look for high holy days or any other conflicts. Um that could potentially mean that we need to change a meeting. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that is uh the annual camp report. It will also get Bill Hans's report.

Yes. Yeah, that'll be on there. And then um in November, the results of the summer camp survey and then the projections of how their program will be offered next year is coming in. So, it'll be great for everyone to hear that and to get your feedback because all of you have kids that attend camp. So, we're going to be very interested in your um your insights on that. Okay. All right. So, I will entertain before we turn. Um, we've covered a lot of ground. There's basically a giant update. So, are there any questions that you guys have? Because you're both fairly new commissioners. So, don't hesitate to ask any questions about anything. What What is the

Oh, it's a mobile library that comes from the county and it pulls up outside and people go in and when sweet reads come everything in it is free. Okay. You don't have to have a library card. And they give out all sorts of things. They give out gunlocks. They give out um uh sanitary products. They give out lots of books and CDs. It's for all ages. They have bestsellers in there, current things as well as, you know, old faithfuls. So, it's a it's a fabulous resource. Updated bookmobile. It is. It's an updated bookmobile. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's very popular. Well, one thing that I did notice Have we added those shades in? No, we

they've always been there. There's not always damp, but at this time of year, so in fall and spring, we have a Stonehenge situation where the light as the sun is moving north and south, it suddenly lines up perfectly. So if you come in at a certain time, the sun's straight through there and blinds you. Haven't seen them, but I was also thinking about when you leave those down for a bird. Um, they don't necessarily prevent bird strikes, unfortunately. There's still a reflection. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Otherwise, yes, that would be great. Well, it has to be on the outside of the window. Yeah. So, all right. Okay.

Now, are we good? Yeah. Okay. I'll entertain you. First, motion to adjourn. Second, everyone in favor. Any Thank you so much, Travis. Thank you guys. Have a good night. You too. I will do my best. Hang on while I um Okay. Okay. Where's my cursive? Where is that? So I will try to send that link. Wait, it's just a recording.