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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-19-2015 Regular MeetingMinutes of the Fairhope Recreation Board August 19, 2015 The Fairhope Recreation Board met Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at 5:15 p.m. in the Rec Center at 803 North Greeno Road. Present were Vann Saltz, Bob Keyser, Sherry Sullivan, Cathy Hudson, Mary Gammer, Derek Thomas, Mike Ford and Gayle Fogarty took minutes. Diana Brewer, Charlie Langham, Tom Kuhl and Michelle Smith were absent. Guest: Al Johnson The meeting was called to order by Vann Saltz at 5:15 p.m. The minutes of the July meeting were considered and approved on a motion by Bob Keyser, seconded by Cathy Hudson, none opposed. Recreation Update: Sherry Sullivan provided an update for the group, she stated that football starts this week, the new concession stand in up and they will be serving out of it on Friday night. Soccer hosted a tournament this weekend; soccer opening day is in September. Football opening day is September 12, Soccer and Baseball will also begin in September as well. Sherry added that the recreation department is working hard to keep up with all the tournament s and league play. She is hoping they will have some down time to maintenance the fields November -February. Manley Road/Tennis Update: Sherry stated that the Manley Road project is coming along well, currently a month ahead of schedule. The light poles should be going in by mid -September and sod should be put down by December. Tennis bid extended an additional two weeks; City hopes to get two bids. Bids will open August 28. There are three bids for this project: 6 asphalt courts, 6 hydro courts and 4 asphalt/2 hydro courts. There was general discussion of the combination of courts that will be bid. Updates: Sherry stated that Zack Crawford, state director for coaching for the Alabama youth soccer association came to Fairhope recently to look at the area and soccer plans/fields. She also mentioned that the city of :Fairhope is hopeful to get a bid for the State Cup. Vann requested an update on the soccer concession stand. She stated that she has spoken to Bob Keyser about the concession stand, adding that there is a grant available to fund this project from the Restore Act, she will check with Mayor Kant on the status of the grant. There was also discussion of the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation and the possibility of assisting with this project. The estimated cost according to Bob Keyser is $400,000 to include the concession stand, bathrooms and storage. Cathy Hudson informed the group that the City Meet was held at the City pool on July 24-25 and was a great success. Summer Swim program had 150 (7-10 year olds). The Fairhope High School Parent meeting was held last night — 65 swimmers signed up. The County Meet will be held at the Fairhope Pool — set for November 10. She also mentioned that 7 home meets will be held at the pool this fall. Sherry mentioned budget recreation requests: new/leased equipment, additional personnel, engineering study for volanta. She also suggested updating the Recreation Board 5 Year Plan, as some items have been moved up on the plan. There was general discussion of what is currently part of the 5 Year Plan; she added that there has been discussion between the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation and turning the property at Hwy 13 and County Road 44 to the City. Sherry also informed the group that the Splash Pad is open and it is going well. Bob Keyser informed the group that the Booster Club's pancake breakfast is this Saturday - 8 a.m. at Fairhope Middle School. He mentioned that the play date for soccer that was held last weekend was supposed to be 40-50 team event and they ended up with 82. Bob inquired about the impact fee funds for this year. Sherry stated that it will all go towards the Manley Road project and be submitted with the budget, Sherry will double check and report back to the group. The Fairhope Soccer Club is expected to cover the cost of rolling soccer goals ($50,000- 60,000). There was discussion among the group about only hosting the amount of teams that the fields, bathrooms, trashcans and staff can handle. Vann Saltz informed the group that the (9-10 year old) boys placed 2"d in the Dixie Youth World Series and represented Fairhope very well. He added that John Malone won the batting championship for the 2"d year in a row, first time this has happened in 60 years. A motion was made by the Recreation Board to recommend to the City Council the approval of the Infant Swim Certification Franchise Agreement by Meg Johnson, "' motion by Cathy Hudson 2"d by Derek Thomas and unanimously carried. Sherry Sullivan asked that Gayle Fogarty inform City of Fairhope City Clerk Lisa Hanks of this recommendation for the next City Council work session. Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:01 p.m. Fairhope Recreation Board Five Year Plan_(2014-2019) L*Interim Update 9-15-15 The Fairhope Recreation Board has updated its Five Year Plan to provide recommendations to the Fairhope City Council on capital investments in recreational facilities. The Plan was developed with input from the recreational community, including concerned individuals and league officials operating sanctioned recreational programs at recreational areas. Among organizations providing input were Fairhope Youth Football, Fairhope Youth Baseball, Fairhope Tennis Association, Fairhope Soccer League, Fairhope Youth Softball, Fairhope Master Swimmers, Fairhope Youth Basketball, and the Fairhope Pirate Booster Club. While the Five Year Plan laid out below identifies a potential path forward for investment in capital improvements in recreation facilities, it should be noted that progress in this arena has been ongoing. In the past 2 years, the following investments have been made: 1. Leveling of soccer fields 5, 6 and 7 at Founders Park to create a single large field that has a greater capacity and versatility for supporting games and practices. 2. In partnership with the Blast Soccer Club and Fairhope Soccer League, acquisition of 18 new pairs of goals to support program growth at Founders Park soccer fields. 3. Purchase of goalposts for two youth football fields at Barnwell. 4. Purchase of new handicap -accessible bleachers for youth football at Barnwell. 5. Upgrades to landscaping, drainage, bleacher pads, fencing repairs and field improvements at Volanta youth baseball fields in support of State Championship tournament. 6. In partnership with Fairhope High School, construction of a new field house and dugout at the high school baseball field at Volanta. 7. In partnership with the Fairhope Pirate Booster Club, installation of new air conditioning units in the main concession stand at Majors Field, and in the high school baseball concession stand. 8. Acquisition of adjustable, lightweight basketball goals to support young age youth basketball. 9. Preparation of plans and specifications for construction of a_new _10-field soccer complex on 40 acres at the city's Manley Road site. *Construction start..in July 2015_ _Preliminary grading is complete.and uM tllty infrastructure is being installed: 10. Installation of a 10 station Par Fitness course at the running track at Stimpson Field, donated by the Fairhope Rotary Club and the Sunrise Rotary Club. 11.7,11enovation of Fairhopers Community Park to meet ADA accessibility needs, eliminate safety issues and provide asplash-pads *Splash pad renovations and repairs have been completed - - -- -,- . in August 2015 u~ - 12. *Municipal stadium buildings have been painted and a new metal roof was installed on the concession stan& _ 3 Pickleball courts have been incorporated into the existing_tennis courts at Stimpson as,well as the basketball court at the Recreation Centerl Routine operation and maintenance activities continue to be strained by program growth within the city's recreation programs. Current registrations show baseball with over 800 participants, soccer with over 1000, football with over 250, softball over 200, and basketball over 150. The Fairhope Area Swim Team, Fairhope Master Swimmers and Fairhope High School Swim Team keep the city pool in constant demand. The high volume of users of facilities has produced a nearly year round need for facilities. The Volanta baseball and Founders softball fields are used throughout the spring and early summer, and resume in September with fall ball. The Barnwell football fields are used from mid -summer to early winter, and then are used in the early spring to support high school and middle school soccer tournaments hosted in Fairhope. The soccer fields at Founders Park are used year round with approximate 2 week breaks in June and December for maintenance and refurbishment. This heavy usage drives more frequent mowing, painting and minor repair of equipment, which will be difficult, if not unsustainable, given level or diminishing resources. The Stimpson Tennis courts are experiencing steady usage, and are inadequate to support participation in league play. In recognition of program growth, as well as opportunities for recreational tourism, the Recreation Board recommends the following investments be made in recreational facilities. The investments have been prioritized based on what the board believes to be both the most urgent needs as well as greatest potential benefit. Costs are estimated. Priority 1. Construction of a new soccer complex at the Manley Road Property. Project start date Fall 2014. Estimated cost - $3-4,000,000. Appropriated amount $2,500,000! The city purchased 40 acres of land at the corner of Manley Road and County Road 13 approximately 6 years ago, with the ultimate intent to develop the space into a new soccer complex. The soccer program in Fairhope has grown to an average of approximately 1,000 participants over the past 5 years. This growth has exceeded the field capacity and resulted in teams finding green space wherever they can to hold practices and training. Annual tournaments that are hosted at Founders Park in the Fall and Spring are forced to move games to Daphne due to limited field space, allowing potential revenue dollars to be spent outside the city. The fall tournament held in late October annually brings approximately 120 teams and over 1,500 players to the Eastern Shore. Approximately 60% of the participants are able to play on Fairhope fields, but the remainder play in Daphne due to lack of field space. The Spring tournament played in early May brings approximately 140 teams to Fairhope, with 50% to 60% able to play in Fairhope when fields at the high school are available for use in addition to the city recreation fields. In addition to supporting the youth and high school soccer programs, the new complex would also allow Fairhope to host events such as the State High School championships, the NAIA championships, the SEC Women's championship and multiple Alabama Youth Soccer Association tournaments. As previously noted, money has already been obligated to complete design for the new complex. The project is currently out for bid. The recreation board supports the incremental construction of the facility, utilizing city funds, contributed funds and in - kind services. Priority should be the completion of sitework, utility infrastructure and turf establishment. Funding for construction of restrooms, concession stand, and meeting rooms is currently .,,... _.. . , u _ �._,�....,. _ being pursued through multipL rcesj Priority 2. Complete an engineering study of Volanta Park. Projected start date 2015. Estimated cost $80,000. Youth baseball participation has exceeded field capacity at Volanta Park. However, topography, proximity of both the new dog park and the disc golf course, and parking limit the current feasibility of expansion. An engineering study is needed to assess the existing property and identify modifications and improvements that would allow for the addition of at least one baseball field, additional parking, and improved drainage and storm water management, without compromising the aesthetic qualities that make Volanta Park such an attractive venue. It would also improve the safety of the site. Priority 3. Expansion of Tennis Facilities at Stimpson Field. Projected start date 2015. Estimated cost $300,000. The construction of the new Fairhope Recreation Center started a series of moves of recreation facilities. The recreation center was constructed on the site of the former city tennis courts. The tennis courts were consequently moved to Stimpson Field, where 6 new courts and an administrative building were constructed. The adult softball fields at Stimpson were relocated to leased property in Barnwell. The new tennis facility at Stimpson has enjoyed steady usage by residents, in addition to hosting the Fairhope High School tennis team. There are frequently people waiting to play, reflecting a need for more court space. The addition of 6 new all weather surface tennis courts, along with a shuffleboard court, bleachers and additional parking would better accommodate the playing public and allow the venue to be used to host competitions and tournaments. Bids received for three o rt options (6 clay courts;. 2 clay,_4 hard surface courts; 6 hard surface courts). Priority 4. Rebuild the home and visitors concession stands at Majors Field. Projected start date — winter 2014. Estimated cost - $105,000. The existing concession stands in the municipal stadium are undersized, underpowered, outdated and unfinished. During home football games, a volunteer staff of approximately 15 work in the home concession. This presents a crowded condition, which does not allow the staff to keep up with consumer demand. A typical game will have lines of more than 20 people at each of the three windows from about 30 minutes before kickoff until midway through the 4th quarter. The volume of heat lamps, cookers, coolers and coffee makers regularly trip the circuit breakers in the stand, further disrupting the frenetic operations. At the visitors concession, there is no air conditioning, no running water, and limited space to stock items for sale. The recommendation is to build out the home stand to 30x30, and the visitor stand to 15x20. The a/c unit that the Booster Club installed in the home stand should be capable of being re -used in the new visitor stand. The larger, more efficiently spaced stands should reduce crowding during operation, improve functionality and profitability for the operating organization, and make the experience of attending events in the stadium more enjoyable. The Fairhope Rotary Club has offered a $40,000 contribution to the construction of the new home concession stand. The Booster Club has accepted this donation and will manage the construction of the new building. The recreation board recommends acceptance of this project from the Booster Club and Rotary Club to construct the new facility shell and initiate furnishing, with provision of in -kind work and services by the city and other benefactors to complete the facility. Construction would be recommended to start following the 2014 high school football season. Final outfitting and renovation of the visitor concession stand would be completed incrementally subject to availability of funds after funding higher priority projects. Project underway and the new-stand"s operational but not complete: 'Booster Club ,co_ ntributed $15,000 to the Rotary donation of $40,d00s Building is still in need of stainless steel'tables and`a larger bin for the ice machine. Refrigerated room and walk-in freezer are.not yet complete. Brick veneer wainscot to be installed in next two weeks. AC uniqfroTold stand to be relocated to the vis for sta d by city perso„ nne f Priority S. Renovate Volanta Park consistent with results of the engineering study. Projected start date 2016. Estimated cost — unknown. As a follow-on to our Priority 2 project, this project would implement the recommendations of the engineering study previously performed. Anticipated outcomes from this project would be the addition of at least one moreasebull field to accommodate program , growth, relocation of an isolated field which currently presents safety issues due to being surrounded by parking and driveways, additional parking to support events both at the baseball fields as well as at the municipal stadium, and improved drainage and storm water management. The study may also recommend modifications to the existing disc golf course to accommodate field expansion. Priority 6. Construct a splash pad at the municipal pool. Projected start date 2017. Estimated cost - $100,000. The municipal pool remains a popular venue during the summer months. Splash pads have become attractive additions at parks, and would allow individuals to cool off without actually climbing into a pool, which would be particularly appealing to families with small children. The splash pad would also help reduce some of the crowding of the pools. Priority 7. Improvements/Expansion of Disc Golf Course. Projected start date 2018. Estimated cost — unknown. The Volanta Park disc golf course continues to grow in popularity and has hosted multiple tournaments. The engineering study may recommend alteration of the existing course, but with the activity's growing popularity, the need for additional facilities seems imminent. A considerable amount of open land surrounds the Scout building at the corner of Twin Beech Rd and County Road 13, which would provide an excellent location for a new disc golf course in a different venue. Priority 8. Expand the Recreation Center to add class space, training rooms and new racquetball court. Projected start date 2019. Estimated cost - $500,000. The new recreation center has become crowded during classes, and the racquetball court is difficult to schedule due to its popularity. Given anticipated growth, additional space for more fitness/training classes as well as a second racquetball court is expected to be needed by 2017. Additional space will also allow for greater flexibility and additional offerings in the activities that take place at the facility, e.g. team handball, indoor soccer.