Parks & Recreation Advisory Board - Regular Meeting

Thursday, May 29, 2025
Transcript
Video
Agenda

About this meeting

Government Body
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Meeting Type
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Location
Wellington, IL
Meeting Date
May 29, 2025

Transcript

145 sections (from 163 segments)

0:050

To order. First order of business is the pledge of allegiance.

0:131

I pledge allegiance to the flag of

0:160

The United States Of America and to the republic for which

0:192

it stands, one nation under God,

0:220

indivisible, and justice for all. And I will take a motion to approve the agenda.

0:323

So moved. Second.

0:344

Second, please.

0:35 – 1:000

Any objections? Hearing none, the minutes pass. And I have signed that copy as well for you. Thank you, sir. So there you go. And the presentation Oh, okay. We get we're reelecting this year now?

1:015

Okay. Once a year.

1:020

I I thought we usually did it in January. With appointments.

1:075

We talked to the clerk's office and they said, Brandon, they said we needed to do the vice chair and chair today. Right?

1:120

Okay. We will take nominations

1:142

for the chair. I'll nominate Sam Falcone. Which one? Surprise. To be the the chairman.

1:224

I'm sorry. Which what? Which

1:232

person? Doctor.

1:300

A second, please. Any other nominations for chair? Hearing none, I will accept the nomination.

1:395

Welcome again, Doctor. Falzon. Appreciate it. Now we need a vice chair.

1:440

We'll take nominations for vice chair.

1:504

Do you nominate yourself?

1:520

I'm not allowed to. No.

1:554

Do you nominate yourself?

1:575

Not typically. That's not. Yeah. But but I'm hearing somebody

1:594

that Oh, sure.

2:005

But I am hearing I'm hearing somebody that would maybe want to if somebody else would like to make a motion for possibly Mr. Levin.

2:093

I will nominate Mr. Levin.

2:100

Thank you. There we go.

2:121

No. All right.

2:132

Thank you. Any objections or any other nominations?

2:194

If so appointed, I'm willing to Alright.

2:210

There you go. If you will accept. Alright. Penny sales tax.

2:27 – 2:395

Alright, guys. So miss Crickle is not gonna make it. This is our penny sales tax. It was in your guys' packet. You guys should all have a copy of it. Nothing is different than from last time. No additional funds have come in

2:390

because So no updates?

2:405

No real update on this. Okay. Aquatics is on track and on schedule. That's the big thing that we're working towards right now and everything is still

2:490

good there. Thank you very much. Any other questions for staff? Knowing that she isn't here to give us the straight scoop.

2:59 – 3:284

No. But just a comment sidebar. When we went to visit the aquatics complex, was quite impressive. Aquatics and sports complex both. Just that I mean all of the project, every bit of the engineering and having to evacuate the water from underneath where the pool's going constantly so it doesn't pop out of the ground. Seeing the layout, the thought, and and and the fire road, every bit of it was was impressive. And the teams really seemed to know their material.

3:280

Yeah. Have you drew them by in a while?

3:31 – 3:474

Frequently. So now the red stack of girders has been stacked, sticked, stuck, has been erected and painted. And you've got the cinder blocks. Yeah, so I've seen some of the progress, but I haven't been on the site nearby. Yeah,

3:48 – 4:015

I don't think it's worth looking at it again in person yet, maybe when the Quadix roof gets on. But if you get a chance to drive by it, recommend it. It's it almost seems like both projects are in competition with each other to finish.

4:015

These are both going at they're both they're keeping up and they're they're on track and on time. So

4:060

It's tough with all the events being in the middle of the week, in the middle of the morning, not early or late.

4:115

Sure. Sure.

4:133

Is there any update on the anticipated timing for either project or is it still just on track?

4:185

They're both still on track to be completed sometime towards the end of this year.

4:220

Wow. That's insane. Mhmm. That's great.

4:264

And maybe out of sequence, but we're going to visit the South Shore Park?

4:305

Yes. I was gonna get to that, but I can get to that now.

4:334

No. I'll wait till the property.

4:340

No. We'll wait for the right place. Anything else on the penny tax?

4:395

I don't have anything unless you guys do.

4:420

Then we will go to staff updates, which is probably where South Shore is.

4:465

It is. Alright. So I try to do it in timeline order for you so you guys would know what's coming up.

4:521

But Okay.

4:53 – 5:285

We have a pickleball tournament. Our first pickleball tournament will be this Saturday that we're hosting ourselves at Greenbrier Park, the new six new courts that we have there. That'll take place this Saturday at 08:30. Daryl, myself, and a few of the other staff will be there. We're excited about that. Summer camp begins next week. As you all know, school is ending tomorrow. So summer camp is one of our sought after large programs. It's pretty much sold out for the entire summer. That starts next week, so we look forward to that and having all the kids and all the counselors.

5:28 – 5:525

And we just came from the summer camp final orientation prior to with the counselors prior to Monday, so we're looking forward to that. We're our Padel groundbreaking will take place at the tennis Center on June 14. I've talked to you guys about that briefly. We're gonna have that's another public private partnership that we're pursuing. Padel is an up and coming sport.

5:52 – 6:155

It's like a combination of racquetball and squash Mhmm. Meets tennis all together in one. That'll be on the north let me say this the Northeast side of the tennis complex and the vacant property in the back. And then below that, we're gonna add six new tennis courts, three hard and three clay to add to our 21 courts we have now. So then we'll have 27 courts.

6:154

The tennis center will be expanded to the east and north of that is the Paddell Court?

6:19 – 6:395

Yes. The Paddell will consist of the court's change room, restroom. It should be very nice. It'll add to our repertoire that we currently have. And the groundbreaking ceremony for that will take place on June 14 at nine a. M.

6:40 – 6:544

And I'm sorry to keep breaking in. But just to be clear, the private government partnerships, this is not new. We've done this at tennis. We're doing this at sports complex, few other places. So WCFL.

6:54 – 7:235

Welling so no. So WCFL would be a sports provider. That's a provider. Provider? Wellington athletics, the project that we were just discussing adjacent to Aquatics Complex, that was our first endeavor into the PPP public private partnership world. Padel is our second. Meaning we're taking private funds, putting it on our lands, provide a product to the to the residents. What

7:240

what company is involved with it?

7:335

I don't remember the name off the top of my head. Actually, I do have it. Ten by twenty, I think.

7:400

Might be a

7:415

I think it's ten ten by twenty is the name of the company.

7:520

And it's only for that portion of it, not the tennis complex. That's still under the tennis contract, right? Yeah. It'll all

7:585

be in the

7:59 – 8:170

same grounds but it's a separate activity. So the memberships or how it is that they're going to do it will be separate from from tennis. But I think they run a different model. I think it's memberships where you can pay as you go, but it's a little bit different model.

8:195

If you haven't had a chance, Google Padel and watch YouTube videos on it. It's it's pretty it's it's a cool upcoming sport. We're we're happy to

8:260

get ahead of it.

8:281

It's like highlight highlight untamed.

8:310

Yes. It's not a bad way to look

8:332

at it. Very good.

8:350

And I'm assuming this company is doing it at other places? Yes. Like, We'll have to look into it.

8:431

Eric, how's the pickleball tournament run? Is that sponsored? I know it's through the record, so it's just sign ups and a fee and they just play?

8:49 – 9:155

Yeah. We're doing it ourselves. We have some of the pickleball ambassadors that were there for the grand opening that are helping assist with the tournament itself, but internal parks and rec staff are helping run it. We advertised it was, $25 a person. It's a one day tournament. We'll probably be done, you know, 05:00 early evening. And we got

9:150

Pretty casual tournament.

9:162

They're doing

9:171

There's not levels or anything. It's open.

9:180

No. They have just just beginners, intermediate, and advanced, but you kinda place yourself and just do that in shootout form.

9:251

Okay. Got it.

9:260

Yeah. So it's just kind of a casual thing or I don't think we have the kind of facility to run the super competitive stuff. I don't think we have enough courts for that anyway.

9:341

So yes. Cool.

9:38 – 10:095

And I'm assuming this will go well and we'll do one and we'll do more and Mhmm. Keep adding to it. Our Juneteenth Red Teeth event is at the amphitheater on June 14 from four to 8PM. We've done that for the last several years. As mister Levin asked a few minutes ago, our South Shore Park grand opening will be on June 24 at 10AM. June 24 at 10AM. You

10:09 – 10:535

are all invited, obviously. And we sent you an email on that. July 4, our giant July fourth event, that's our number one highest attended event we offer to the residents. That'll be obviously July 4 from six to ten with the fireworks going off at 09:10PM. Our back to school party in the park will be August 1 at the amphitheater from five to 8PM. And our murder mystery dinner that we do every year, we're gonna continue to do it at the community center, but we're doing an additional one this year, July 19 at the mall, at the Wellington Green Mall from 05:30 to 08:30. And that is $50 a person and tickets are on sale now for that.

10:530

Interesting. That could be fun. Wow. Mhmm.

10:574

Whodunit?

11:004

Whodunit? Yes. Do we know?

11:015

I don't I I don't know yet. Who's that? No one's been murdered yet.

11:054

Well, we have to come to find out.

11:075

We have to come to find out. And that's what I have for you guys. Awesome.

11:13 – 11:260

Questions? Would it be appropriate at some point to have the Padel people come and give us a little bit about the sport and how they're doing? One of the other meetings maybe?

11:265

I think we could certainly do that.

11:27 – 11:380

I mean, it it sounds like it might be two meetings away, but it might be something They love talking about it, so I'm sure they would. Because I'm I'm still trying to figure out how it looks like Haili on Hinge. Trying to

11:381

get a follow-up.

11:395

Yeah. Carlos. I could talk to Carlos and

11:411

see. Yeah. Certainly.

11:455

Yeah. We could probably set that up.

11:46 – 12:050

But if we're trying to get get it off to a good start, it might be something worth It's a good idea. Any other questions on any of this? Alright. We don't have any old or new business, correct?

12:055

No. And

12:070

so we are board comments.

12:12 – 12:422

I would like say something. I've had an interesting six months, eight months and I thank you for putting up with me not being involved. But everything seems to be going in the right direction now. With my medical issues. I don't longer have a prostate. A lot of people say, what does that mean? I say, I have no idea what that means. I just don't have it. Anyways, thank God. I know a lot of people called me and was concerned, but thank you very much for putting up with my absence.

12:43 – 13:012

I also wanna say something. If you guys ever saw the gentleman that walks during season from the tiger shark all the way down to Palm Beach, Palm Beach Point. I mean, guys might have seen him walking. Anyone? Then he walks on Pier Pearson.

13:013

Does he have a longer hair?

13:03 – 13:482

No. He's he's a gentleman. He wears the same clothes. He A lot of people stop me over by a tiger shark there in in the in the deputy station and say, is that a charity case? Because he always has the same clothes on and he's just walking. And I'm behind him just making sure nothing happens. And the funny thing is that he's worth about $17,000,000,000 and he just walks 20,000 steps a day. And from December 19 to March 31, I'd not have one day off, at least eight hours a day of just following him around. And the only time we would get in the car is we went to Flagler's Steakhouse twice a week. And that's and he's a great man.

13:49 – 14:332

He has his grandchildren, two grandsons and one granddaughter doing very well in the equestrian field. And then he has a guy who trains his grandchildren. His name is Kian O'Connor He's ranked like third or fourth in the world. And actually that that was it's like I complain every now and then. My family say, you do nothing. You just follow him in the car. And then he's got the he's got the only the only farm at the end of Pearson has has his own entrance. And I think he paid 39,000,000 for it. So he's got a nice little lounge for me there during the day so I could do all my other work. So whenever I would complain to my wife, she would say, I don't wanna hear about any complaints.

14:34 – 15:082

And he paid me rather well. Anyway, I thought maybe mean, you guys never seen it because a lot of people say, yeah. And you know, he's he's a character. And by the way, he wears the same clothes every day. And I remember asking him about five years around, I'm with him about six years. And I said, so he goes, you make three major decisions every day in your life. And the first major decision you make in the morning is what clothes you're gonna wear that day, but what kind of day you're have. I have 25 of these shirts. I have 25 of these pants, 25 of these sneakers. He goes, so I don't have to make a decision.

15:08 – 15:242

It's the same clothes every day. So he's a great man. I'm blessed to to have him in my family's life. And you you I'll I'll point him out during the season next time, and I'll I'll take some videos. And he's a great man. He's been very good to myself and my family.

15:241

I got one question.

15:265

Does he

15:271

he order a medium rare steak at Flagler Steakhouse? No.

15:312

Is that what you like?

15:331

I'll bring don't

15:35 – 15:512

if I can answer that because when I come home, I have my two sons that live with me at at my home, and they always look at So I ordered the Tomahawk or this one and that. It's like a $189. And I don't eat that much of the steak. So I remember every now and then, but they don't believe it anymore.

15:53 – 16:132

the house and Nico will come home. He's a police officer now and Gianni works at the Breakers. And they'll say, where's your steak, dad? I said, oh, shit. Oh, whatever. I forgot it. Oh, my god. Really? And he said, dad. I said, it's in the car, Meatball. Go and get it. But anyway, sorry about that.

16:130

Yeah. It's okay. Anyway, yes. I they I'm sure he hasn't had that button back there.

16:172

Gonna give you a piece of that. Yeah. No. He's Thank you very much. But I wanna say thank you for putting up with me.

16:221

Thanks. You lost me when you said Flagler Steakhouse. That's right.

16:255

It's good stuff. Thank you for sharing, sir, and welcome back. We Yes. It's

16:284

great. Great. It's

16:295

It's not the same without you.

16:311

Any other questions?

16:320

When when they opened

16:341

their Burlington athletics, are you gonna do another just go over how it's gonna run again just to kinda refresh us and what what it looks like? If there are any changes, I'm sure it's probably still the same.

16:44 – 16:565

It's pretty much everything's the same. We we can give you an update closer to or as it opens. But, yeah, we'll I would there'll be a grand opening too that we'll invite you to, and there'll be people discussing items and stuff at that actual event. So we can

16:560

we'll let you

16:575

guys know about that as well.

16:581

Yeah. I mean, when we have our next meeting, is there yeah. I'm sure. Yeah. I'm sure there's a lot going on with that. It's gonna be nice.

17:06 – 17:280

Questions or comments? Our next meeting, is it what date do we have? Because I'm afraid it lands on That's why I was asking. Alright. So we'll pencil in nine eight to save. But not set?

17:295

It's a I'll I'll reach

17:301

out to you guys to talk to you about

17:325

Alright. So that

17:331

day works We'll

17:363

come from the the week after

17:375

The week after Labor Day.

17:393

That's the week after Labor Day.

17:411

I'm very

17:415

It should be said I have it in my calendar already, so we should be good for September 8. Yeah.

17:450

And with that, I will take a motion to adjourn.

17:493

So moved.

17:504

Second.

17:510

Alright. Any objections? Thank you, everyone. Thank you all.

This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.