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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Board Minutes Jan_10_20241 MINUTES WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING, January 10, 2024 Location: Recreation Center Chair: Stephanie Magers Secretary: Richard Cunningham Board members present: Stephanie Magers, Richard Cunningham, Sarah Barre9, Rebecca Brownlie, Ryan Firth, Stephen Damiani, Laura (Lulu) Lopez, Maryann Grahmann, Ariene Wells, Lauren Griffith. Board members absent: Samantha (Sami) Morrison Staff: Susan White Council members: Shannon Carroll Visitors: (none) Call to Order: Stephanie Magers called the mee(ng to order at 6:37 p.m. Approval of the minutes from November 7 meeting: Lauren Griffith moved to approve, and Lulu Lopez seconded. Unanimous approval. Council Update: Council member Shannon Carroll noted that over the last two months City Council has established its goals for the next two years. She added that the new Council is working well together. Goals include improving pedestrian mobility. One example is to make the pedestrian crossings at Weslayan and Buffalo Speedway more visible and thereby safer. Another long-term goal is improved drainage. Much work has already been done, but more is planned. Council also discussed the city’s Facilities Master Plan. Shannon noted that some of the city’s older buildings need upgrades. The fire station is a prime example. The bays are not tall enough for today’s fire engines. Likewise, living quarters for the firefighters are no longer adequate. Council is evaluating different options for funding the needed improvements called for in the Master Plan. Friends Update: Stephanie Magers (filling in for Sami Morrison) noted that there are only 10 spaces left for the 2024 Park Lovers’ Ball, scheduled for February 10. There is a need for auction items and wine donations. Contact Donna LaMond at the Rec Center or Sami Morrison. Parks & Recreation Update: Susan White updated the board on Wier Park funding. Nine bids came in, all but one within range of each other. Consultant and the staff agreed to take the second lowest bid. The contractor is Jerdon Enterprises, a company that did some work for the city in 2000 for the Colonial Park upgrade and a previous sidewalk project in the 1990s. Friends approved the funding up to $910,000. The project is estimated to cost $876,000 with an additional $33,500 for work that the city will be managing, such as resurfacing the tennis and 2 basketball courts, and painting the playground equipment. There is a 10 percent contingency fund in the budget to cover unexpected costs, but none are anticipated at this point. The tennis courts will remain open through most of the work on the rest of Weir Park. Susan is waiting on a project timeline from the contractor. Jerdon estimates that they can begin in February and that the project will take about 90 days, depending on when the shade structure arrives from the manufacturer. Wier Park fencing will also be replaced rather than repaired. The new fence will be a commercial aluminum material, similar to what is at the Recreation Center. The next step is to present this to City Council on January 22. Council needs to approve the funding, the Jerdon contract, and a zoning variance regarding the setback for fencing, lighting bollards and bike racks. Updates on the project will be sent to people who have requested to be on the distribution list and to neighbors who are adjacent to the park. Other than the tennis courts, Wier Park will be closed for the duration of the work. Susan reminded board members that Colonial Park decks and tables on the west end are available for anyone to use when they are not being rented. Park signage to that effect will also remind playground users that they are free to use facilities. A West U resident and former Parks Board member asked about getting a permit to sell ice cream in the parks. She was thinking of bicycle with a trailer, rather than a truck. (There is a distinction between regulations for a vendor operating from a truck on the street, and a vendor operating within a city park.) Susan asked for the Board’s feedback and noted that there are few guidelines in place for this type of enterprise. She is also discussing it with Legal. Susan noted that City Council is considering a “refresh” to the city’s Parks and Open Space master plan. The current master plan was completed in 2015. One modification could be to find space for a dog park, as this has come up many times over the past 25 years. The Colonial Park pool pump is working again. Susan credited James Browning’s efforts to get the chemicals right in time for the Polar Bear Pool Party on January 1 (shown here). Susan added that the event was not as well attended as previous years because it was not as widely promoted due to uncertainty with system, but that those who did come had a good time. Susan added that invitations to join Parks Board subcommittees will be going out in the next week, so board members should watch for them and consider which committee they would like to join. 3 All West U residents were reminded via email that the Chevron Houston Marathon will be Sunday, January 14, 2024. The Mayor’s Breakfast will begin at 7:15 at City Hall. (Photo at the event in front of City Hall is from January 14. About 160 people attended.) Board members were urged to RSVP. Susan encouraged everyone to attend the Founder’s Day social event at City Hall on January 18 (shown here) at 6:00 p.m. A time capsule from 25 years ago will be opened. There will also be items on display from the city’s 25th and 50th anniversary celebrations. Council Member Shannon Carroll added that as part of the city’s centennial celebration there are items for sale such as West U baseball caps, sweatshirts, and other items online. The West U Centennial Committee has also published its coffee table book highlighting the city’s first hundred years. The books will be available on Founders’ Day. The city is implementing new financial software. Once the system is in place, other departments will be in line for software updates and billing, reporting, and processing of automated membership renewals will be a focus. Park Ambassador Reports: Huffington Park – Ryan Firth asked if there were QR codes at the parks for feedback. Susan noted that there is an ongoing effort to provide uniform park signage. While currently using up the existing stock of park signs, the Parks Master Plan includes a 2025 request for new, improved signs that include more information and QR codes. Judson Park – Stephanie Magers Edloe Street Pathway – Richard Cunningham noted that the pathway seemed popular and other board members noted that several residents who were originally opposed to the pathway are now praising it. Recreation Center – Rebecca Brownlie 4 Colonial Park East – Maryann Grahmann Colonial Park Pool – Stephen Damiani Colonial Park West playground and decks – Lauren Griffith confirmed that the new deck on the south side of the park looks great, but the lawn looks terrible. She asked if there was an irrigation system. Susan agreed that the lawn was in bad shape before, and that all of the equipment needed to install the new deck had done further damage to the lawn. Lauren asked about Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance in that section of the park, noting that there was no sidewalk coming in from the gate, however the design has been ADA-approved. Wier Park – Lulu Lopez Jennie Hughes Park – (Comments about Whitt Johnson Park) Sarah Barrett asked how often the gravel in the pathway is refreshed. She said it seemed to be washed out. Susan added that the gravel is refreshed every two years, but that she would check on the path at Whitt Johnson Park. Sarah also noted that the paint on some of the poles needed attention. Whitt Johnson Park – Ariene Wells Friends Park – Sami Morrison Old Business: (none) New Business: - The next Parks Board meeting will be Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at the Recreation Center. - Mayor Sample’s State of the City address will be Wednesday, January 31, 6:00 p.m. at the Community Building. - The Centennial Festival event will be May 4, 2024. Adjourned: 7:49 p.m. Unanimous.