the Creation and Natural Resources Commission. Uh, roll call. >> Uh, please join me in the pledge of allegiance. Susie lead today. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Can I entertain a motion to approve the agenda for tonight? >> I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Uh any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> That passes. Can we have a motion to approve the minutes from uh September 8th? >> Motion. A second. >> Moved and seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? I I >> All right, those pass. Open forum. Then we have none. >> None. All right. Action items. Start with the ice arena remodel design review. >> Thank you, chair, members of the commission. Uh so over the past few months, we've been looking at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena and trying to solve some some logistical problems we're having up at the arena. So the original rink was built in 1973. that included both um the the the area that's the barrel roof and then we added on to it with that square rectangular flat roof building in 2008. Um but one of the areas we never touched was kind of from the offices all the way through the concession stand and into those uh previous restrooms. So I'll just go over the so that's what we're trying to uh the problems we're trying to solve are uh improving the office space. Right now the workstations are severely cramped. We actually have multiple staff sharing workstations and smearing sharing small workstations at that. So trying to solve some of that. Um the concession area is really pretty inefficient layout. It's kind of an L-shape with a separate room auxiliary room and um so that that needs some improvement there obviously because that is a re revenue generating operation. Uh the lobby is quite aged. It looks like 1973 when you kind of get in there the way the the design is. So, um improving the the the aesthetic look of it, but then also improving the traffic flow. There's a lot of bottlenecks in there just because the building was added on and um changed uh through through different construction projects. So, it's pretty compartmentalized. So, trying to improve the flow there. And then just uh we can always use more storage areas. So, um so we worked with a architect Ortel Architects uh who's familiar with this. They actually the um the architect is actually a goalie coach at um Cooper which practices at the New Hope Ice Arena which is a sister facility to our Arena. They're they were actually built this one Kajena the New Hope Ice Arena and the Alexander Ice Arena were all built in 1973 1974. If you go to any one of them you will recognize that design. So it's kind of neat. We have we have two sister facilities across the state of Minnesota. So, so with that I will uh just review the concept design and then looking for uh feedback on that before we get into any type of final design work. And when I say final design work that takes about a year process to design that. So we are a long ways from final design. So as you have questions and comments now is a good time to get that in the concept phase. So let me pull up my screen. So I just want to talk about the areas of consideration. So this is the areas we're working on. Uh if you walk in from the main entry, you can see the grade out area. So um let's see if my thing will work. So this is where you enter uh the facility and you're walking that way through there. So this is the areas that we're we're looking at um impacting. Let's see here. I shut that off. Oh, I knew I wouldn't be that good with this. So this is the current design layout. Like I said, you can see it's very compartmentalized. The different colors represent the different functions. So, you have the concession stand, you have the offices, uh you have old restrooms, which are in the green um over here, which are Oops. That going to work? Uh oh, Jim. Oh, I hit the wrong button. These are the green offices over here, or I'm sorry, the old the old restrooms there. We had kept those restrooms in place in 2008 thinking that we may use those for larger events. Um I think we used them one time during a Park Woodbury High School game and then we never used them again. So now they're actually used for we ripped out all the plumbing fixtures and they're used for equipment storage. Um so um so we can we can definitely use that space better. Then we'll get into the fun stuff. So this is the the floor layout. Um you know the 2D images imaging. So uh so so this area would be a new So as you enter from this area. Oh here we go again. So as you enter the facility from this area, not much would change upon the actual entry. Then as you get to this front desk counter, there'd be a nice front desk um receiving area. Uh as I said, right now there's a kind of a big glass window there, but it's mostly block cinder block walls. Uh this will this will soften that a little bit. And then we're actually moving the office wall out a little bit. Um one because then we can actually move this area in to release this bottleneck that's here right now. So that'll actually open that up a little bit and create a better flow through there. And then by pushing that in and pushing that in on that corner and then pushing it out in the middle, we kind of get back our office space and it makes it a little bit easier to create the extra cubicles. So you can see we have one, two, one, two, three, four, five, six cubicles, which right now we have four. Um, and then we have the two offices which are smaller, but the offices that are there now are quite large. So um, this function works. The staff has reviewed it. be taped everything on the floors, making sure everything feels right to them and they're we're not um crunching them too much. And then little things that, you know, maybe aren't important to this group as much, but like moving the skate sharpening machine into a spot that's a little bit better for noise control. Right now, the skate sharpening machine is right next to our reception desk where they got to answer phone calls and not not the greatest environment for doing that. So, so then as we move back to the um concession area, which is back here, we're actually what what's nice is this wall originally, this wall originally was a square. So, you'd come down and you couldn't actually see in the concession stand until you actually turned around the corner and then you could see the concession stand. So, then you could see your menu and things like that. So that line would actually wrap all the way down and sometimes go out to lo lobby which if you've ever stood in a concession stand line and not and you can't see the front. It's frustrating, right? You don't know if you're 100 deep or if you're six deep and you don't know what's going on in front of you. So um this will actually open up those viewpoints. So hopefully hopefully 90% of the time the customers can actually see into the concession stand from wherever they're at. So uh we actually don't lose any space in the concession stand. Um, we end up absorbing that space from the uh those restrooms that I showed you earlier and then adding that into the concessions and then I can show you um and then uh we add storage space um over on the south rink which I'll show you here in a second. Um anything the other thing is we do add a a serving station to the south rink over here because we're actually extending the mezzanine on the upper level. So this this is the south rank over here. Oops. So, this mezzanine that's that's currently right here actually extends this way and it's actually a heated warming indoor heated warming area. There is currently nowhere to view the south rink uh in an indoor warming area other than downstairs where there's two small windows that people kind of clamor and they try to watch from down there. But, um this will be a really nice addition of that feature that is on the other rinks. Some heated viewing areas. And then, like I said, we pick up some uh storage space here. Actually, this is additional storage space as well. So that that this would be storage space for the concession stand. This would be moving the hockey equipment that was in that um previous space. Just moving that down to that space over there. The other addition over here is along the north rink. So this is actually an outdoor area. It's a elevated mezzanine. So as you are in the as you are in the north or the CG logistics rink, you can walk outside into the rink. So getting the rink experience again, but you're up on a mezzanine. Part of the reason we're adding that is just to add capacity to the CG logistics rink, but then also if you've ever been on the west rink during a high school hockey game or a tournament, that is where a lot of people like to hang out is they want to be in the environment in the hockey environment, hear the noises, hear the calls, hear the, you know, hear the hockey players talking, but they also want to be elevated. So we think that'll add to that experience there. Any questions on the floor layout? Otherwise, I'll show you the 3D images. >> So, you would keep skate sharpening in the office area. >> Yep. We'll keep skate sharpening in the office, but it ends up tucking back into See if I can change colors. Nope. >> Wow. >> Tucks into this area right here. >> So, a little bit removed from the um reception area, which is up here. >> And all the rental skates would stay in there also. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yep. So, with that mezzanine, is there a reason why it's that short or could it go farther down or >> um well, it extends quite a bit. Uh I think it gets down to the blue line, but um the other thing is that the high school is looking at building a JV locker room, which actually comes from the other direction. So, that's going to start to create a and we and then so there's a let's see here. So, the JV locker room is going to come somewhere down here, and we still need an exit. There's an emergency exit here. So, we're kind of pushing it down as far as we can without >> Okay. >> encroaching on everything. >> I did like how the the picture on there was the traditional hockey dad standing there. >> That's what it is. With a drink rail. Yep. No alcohol, but Diet Coke or whatever it might be. Yep. So, so yeah, but going back just real quick, big points are improving that flow, you know, improving the vision into the into the uh concession stand, adding concessions to the south rink, picking up storage area down here, and then obviously improving that that uh office area. So then what that looks like. So this would be your entry from the from the main doors. As you can see, it softens up. It's a lot of glass in front. I think they did a good job with some of that lighting. Again, this is all concept, but trying to be creative with um you know, lighting and glass work and things like that to try to make it look more like uh 2025 than 1973. But obviously then still that barrel roof is a beautiful barrel barrel roof with the woodwork up there. So still keeping that exposed again just another view as you enter and you can kind of see how that how that area opened up um especially on those busy tournament events and you know e easing that flow into the facility. Again, just looking down at the concession area. Just a different angle view. Again, just different angles of the same same kind of area of concern. This is looking back into the so looking back at the exit doors towards the Park High School if you're not familiar with the area. And then we want to be creative with the use of the CG logo or any other branding, whether that's on the floor and stamped concrete. We would redo all the floors up there. they're in dire need of some updating um of the concrete floors. Um then taking advantage of some of that wall space that's up there. And again, this is the view as you're walking towards the concession stands. And they use some of that um ceiling fixture, seal ceiling decoration to kind of show some flow into the concession area. And then that's what the concession area looks like. We did not tell them to put all those murals up there, but I think they look pretty fantastic. There's some uh there's actually some local history there as well as you know more state and US hockey history up there, but we certainly could uh you know work in an art program of some sort. And as Commissioner uh had Larson had mentioned, so you can see where you know the the mezzanine now extends over on this side. So maybe not quite to the blue line, but um and we can certainly look as we get into design. We can certainly look to see how far we can push that. I'm just not sure if they're attaching to that beam there. Those beams are 30. These beams are 30 ft apart. So at some point, I think they're trying to attach to one of those um footings. We did look at trying to ease the the um bottleneck. So, it's a pretty tight stairway down here, especially with hockey bags because all the players, one of the great things about the Cajor Ice Arena is spectators never have to go down and hang out with hockey players or figure skaters. One of the tough things is getting people up and down. We have one elevator and then the the stairs aren't the greatest. So, uh it gets pretty tight down here, but to do that, we almost had to take out an entire section of bleachers and I'm not sure we want to do that yet. something we're still looking at to see if there's a better way to do it, but it'd be nice to to expand that uh walkway a little bit, but it it becomes pretty hard with you have to have a walkway down, then you have to have a turn spot, and then a second turn spot to get down underneath the mezzanine. So, but we're still looking at that. That's that bottleneck I was telling you about walking down the stairs. There's the hockey dad Adam had mentioned. So this is actually the south rink. So uh from here this area all exists right now. This is outdoor exposed to the to the elements of the rink. But then you would walk into this warming area here. And then this is the warming area. And then again, uh, concession service would be right through there, which we have z we have no concession service on the south rank now. Oops. And then the office areas, which is very exciting. A bunch of cubicles. And as far as the rental skates, we have uh three carts that we use. So, one of the carts would be in the facility at all times. the other two will have a little storage spot for them. So, they will actually come out of the office, but um there's enough to have at least one or two in there for our major events. So, and then uh just kind of the the square footing and whatever else. Uh the project right now is estimated at under $2 million. Um we'll see where it's at once we get through design and everything else. The ice arena obviously does uh generate revenue and typically is uh um uh self- sustaining. So we would hope to to pay for this through ice arena revenue. It'd be a bond and then they would the ice arena would pay for the project through revenues. So but uh obviously the city council still has to approve all this and so that's why we are looking for the commission feedback and then um there was a time schedule in there. So, we we are still a few months out from making any major decisions, but looking for feedback at this point in the design to make sure we're going down the right track with your experiences at the arena. >> Commission feedback. >> I think it looks really nice. Um, I've been going there because my son's been taking um skating lessons. Um, and I didn't realize how busy it is until I started going there on a regular basis. So, I think this would be since it's such a well regarded and used facility, it would be nice to have some of those updates cuz you can see it's kind of starting to look a little bit aged. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> I think it looks great. I mean, I' I've spent a lot of time in that live lobby. Um, but yeah, it looks fantastic. If Yeah. I I'd maybe consider a couple screens for the tournaments to put the tournament scores up instead of taping them to the walls and covering up half the glass. But uh I I really like the look of the openness and the access to the concessions. And uh having a a warm spot on the south rink is probably something that people have been asking for forever. >> Yep. I think it's also nice because it adds more space because it's always like there's not really space if you unless you stand down below and then up top it's like two rows and you're like >> Yep. >> So >> you got to be there quick, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Get that railing spot. >> Are we looking for a motion to uh >> Yeah, just a motion to approve the um concept design. I'll make a motion to approve the concept design. >> I second. >> Motion and a second. Any other discussion? >> Did you want to add the uh screens rather than taping up the scores for tournaments as one of our suggestions to council? >> I think that's I not really. It's just more of a suggestion for for the parks department. >> Yeah, we might actually do that before this even happens. I It's a good suggestion. So, it's a good idea. Something we could probably do before this project even. >> That's how I got my water fountain in there. >> Yeah. Where's that going to go, though, now that uh this wall moves. >> Yeah, true. >> That's That's true. That is >> That was the first thing I asked for when I joined the commission was the putting the drinking fountain back on the second floor of the ice arena. >> Oh, okay. >> So, we have a motion and a second. >> Motion a second. Any other discussion? All in favor? I. >> Any opposed? >> All right. Looks good. Ice Arena naming rights. >> Thank you, chair, members of the commission. So, the council, city council's expressed a desire for um to do marketing rights at the Cadro Ice Arena and we've actually had that as an option um to sell those naming rights since the ice ring was expanded in 2008. Um we just haven't had any takers. uh with the exception of a couple years ago uh CG Logistics um one of the industrial park tent um leasers or landowner uh building owners out there uh did partner with the city and rename the north rink to CG logistics rank. So we use that in every way. So we rent out the uh that rink. We call it the CG logistics rink and it's up there for tournaments and and everything else. So um that was our first naming right sponsorship. We did reach out to a few other potential um partners but have not had success in in in doing that on our own and that's why most cities actually partner with um advertising agencies to do this type of work. So we reached out to probably the most successful one that we know of in the area which is front burner sports and uh looking to see if there and then we we reached out to them received their presentation on what they've done for other communities brought that back to city council in the form of two different workshops um and actually the gentleman was there Chris Patenza was there to present to the council and the council said to um uh basically move forward with the proposal and so I'm working right now to get their fi the final proposal from front burner sports, bring it to city council, um negotiate those terms and and see if it moves forward from there. But I did give you the full presentation um of what their company does. It has their overview, how they approach this these types of projects. It also has some past history of uh some of their success stories and then um again just their their staging of the process and how they get to a successful marketing plan. So uh wanted to get your feedback on that. It is kind of a big um endeavor endeavor takes a lot of work. At the same point, it also um changes the the facility, right? I mean, if if if there were to be a it's important for people to understand that if there were um a company that that wants naming rights for the entire facility that it's no longer called the catch of ice arena, it's called something else, right? So, you you lose your identity a little bit there. So just you know the nearest example is uh the former Beenberg Sports Center in Woodbury was changed to >> what was it before that though? Does anybody know? >> I forget >> sports medicine. Some sports medicine. >> Yeah. What was it? Shoot. I had in my head. >> Yes. It was something else before M Fair View Health. Um Health Partners. Health East. It was Healthy Sports Center. So it was Beielenberg Sports Center, Healthy Sports Center, and now it's M Fair View Health. So again, so it's no longer has, you know, those ties that ti that direct tie to the community. So it's just something that doesn't doesn't mean it's wrong or it's right. It just means that you just have to recognize that you're losing that that little bit of identity. So it is kind of a big deal, but it also brings in quite a bit of revenue that can help support the operations. And obviously ice arenas have a lot of capital funding that have to come with them for equipment and um you know things like replacing the steel roof up there that's been up there since 1989 and Zambonis have to be replaced and refrigeration needs work all the time. So there's a lot of high costs that are associated with that. So these types of programs certainly help to to um to support the facility. So I'm not going to get into the details of this. hopefully have time to read through it, but I would like to h um take a moment to answer any questions, concerns, or share any comments you might have with city council as we bring this to them here in the next week or two. >> So, when they have naming rights, like so that's monetary, correct? But do they have a say in like what goes on or like what's done to the facility, things like that? >> No, they they have no ownership. Um, so they um they have a say in the in the signage that gets put up. So we would partner with them and and it's it's laid out in the agreements of, you know, they get x amount of square feet of signage and whatever else, but no, they have no say in how it's operated. >> Okay. >> When they evaluate partners for naming rights, what types of things do they take into consideration? Is it just who's willing to pay for it or do they look at company values and and vision to make sure it aligns with city? >> Yes, good question. So, they they do that. Um, and one of the first steps in this process is meeting with the uh the marketing agency and telling what our policies and procedures are and what you know right now like our policies say nothing with gambling, nothing with alcohol, um, smoking, you know, you can you can go you can kind of go down the list. So, um, we can lay all that out ahead of time so they make sure that they're finding partners that make sense with our policies and our expectations. Thank you. >> So, I was interested in knowing a little more about the CG Logistics Rink contract and if there's any um potential things with that contract that might impact our ability to move forward with the others. Do they have to play well together kind of a thing? And uh with said CG Logistics being right here in town, I just want to make sure that we make sure and let them know that we value the partnership we currently have with them and this is in no way trying to diminish the value of that for us. That feels important to me. >> Yeah, good comment, Commissioner Olsen. Um, I will say there when they entered in the agreement, it was less about marketing and advertising for them and it was more about just community support. So, we had given them some options on marketing, advertising. They said, you know, we want some signs, we want the name, but we're really not trying to generate a ton of business off this. We're just trying to when they when they enter new communities, they try to support and this is one of their supporting mechanisms. So, um, certainly we have had the conversations with them and we'll continue the conversations, but I don't feel like we're we're overstepping, um, their commitment to us, but I will say that on the back side of that, when we do get new partners, there definitely will be that potential for, you know, if you have a grocery stand advertising, if you have high advertising, right now they're advertising on the ice and they're advertising on the boards. If Cub Food is once name a rink, we're probably going to have to figure out how all that works out because typically grocery stores don't play nicely together. >> So those are things that we are definitely have to figure out as we go. >> The the other comment I wanted to make was that I just would encourage us to try to or actually two comments. One and be great to have a local business again, you know, if we find someone not necessarily Cottage Grove, but South Washington County that just feels better to me. I have a little resistance to the idea of changing the name of the arena itself. I sort of feel like Cottage Grove's known for this arena. Um, but I don't know if it's if others feel that way or not, if it's worth formalizing or anything, but I do have some there's this feeling of, wow, what are we losing? And how do we value the loss of that name recognition around town here? I I don't know how to answer that. I just would hope that council would take that into consideration. So, thank you. >> It's a fair comment and certainly something I've tangled with too is right now you talk to somebody from Roso and you say Cottage Grove, oh, you're that place with the nice ice rink. Now, it's going to be called something else and you lose a little bit of identity. But how much is that worth? >> Yeah. Yeah. I was say I mean I kind of to that point I feel like when it's like Cottage Grove it's like the community but then sometimes once you get a big name on it then you're like is it still have that community feel but like you said to what amount does that take >> I think something that we we will all have to t hopefully we have that option to tangle with that right >> yes >> might not even get an option to you know it depends on what they they can stir up so but it's a good comment I will definitely share How long is the average contract with a sponsor? >> 15 years. >> 15 years. Okay. >> 10 or 15. >> It's quite a commission payment then. >> Yeah. >> And they do have options to negotiate that commission payment down based on how you want to pay. You know, if you pay more upfront, the commission comes down considerably. So, like you said, on a on a large contract like this, 3% is a lot. So if you if you make your payments up front, you can get that payment up payment down quite a bit. >> Okay. >> Any other comments from the commission? >> What is the estimated like monetary value of something like this to the city? So I would say an entire facility can range anywhere from 750,000 to 1.5 million >> for the life >> for the entire life of that. >> Okay. >> And then a a a just a sheet device a facility would probably be more like the 500 to 850,000. So, it's significant >> that to be clear though, that's over the course of the 15-year agreement, >> correct? >> Yep. >> So, it looks like they've always been successful um in securing um a sponsorship, but what happens if you go through all of the phases and they don't? Then the city's just kind of out that amount of money that is listed in their presentation. Yes, Commissioner Gusson, that is true. Uh there is a 30-day opt out in the contract at any time. So, the goal would be obviously the city staff is going to be as big of they're going to be, you know, one of the >> one of the drivers in this process, right? So, meeting regularly and if something's not feeling right, you know, I think we've talked with the the owner and he said, "I'll know pretty quickly if it's a good market out there for you." But yes, you and then he said, you know, in his words, I'll tell you if I've got a bad feeling, it's probably time to stop and and cut your losses and move on. But he also says that he's never gone without a contract, too. So, >> okay. Yeah, cuz it says, according to this, it says they've been 100% successful, >> right? >> Um, so I just don't know. I mean, I know the market is a little bit more challenging. >> Yeah. >> Right now with businesses, so I don't know if that would be an impact. >> Yeah. So, it it is Yeah, it it's a risk. >> I believe we'll entertain a motion to support the the Ice Arena naming rights proposal moving forward. Okay, I'll make a motion to uh to approve. No. Well, are we approving? Are we just moving to support to support uh the ice rink um naming rights proposal? >> Second. >> Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I All right. Moving on to the 2024 2027 work plan review. >> Thank you, chair, members of the commission. I submitted the work plan review. I like to get to this at least once a year to remind the commission of our mission and our goals. Uh this is a document that I use to guide um our conversations. So, you know, I want to make sure that we're addressing all the goals that you've set forth. And then um based on some and when I I've done this in the past, but I I forgot to do it this time, so thank you for Commissioner Olsson for reminding me, but I added in red and I handed those out tonight some some of the examples of how we're achieving those those goals um uh on that secondary work plan list. And I guess at this point, I'm just looking to reaffirm that um the work plan doesn't need to change. We're happy with where it's going. Is there anything we need to do differently? >> Comments? >> Well, thanks for the update, adding the updates, Zach. Um, my only other comment I would say is on item number five. I you know, we we do it a lot to support that disc golf course. >> Oh, >> and that's uh athletic activity, too. And I I just think it's hard to remember it all. So, this I just >> it's good for us to talk about it all and and so I just wanted to add that. But otherwise, I like the work plan. >> I will do that. >> And I don't know that any action is necessary if there's no change actual change to the work plan, but otherwise any discussion is welcome. Any further comment? >> Sounds like we're good with the work plan. Commissioner term review. >> Thank you, Chair, members of the commission. Just want to get in front of you your commissioner terms. We do have. Bear with me as I find it. We do have one commissioner term expiring. Two commissioner terms expiring. >> Just one >> in February 27. In February 26, we have Commissioner Crabtree's uh term expiring. So, we will be looking for one new commissioner for sure. I don't need any action tonight other than I want to make sure that you that you are all aware of this. They are two-year terms. So if you are interested in uh renewing your so if you expire in 2026 and you're interested in in a additional term I'll want to know that prior to February so you have a little bit of time to think about it. And then also just a reminder that we are looking for two youth open seats. Uh Commissioner Waterman has uh aged out. He's no longer a student. So looking for two youth seats if you know anybody I think it's 13 and up. So 13 to anywhere any high school students can can be on the commission. So, any questions or concerns on that? >> All right, moving on to presentations. >> And then just back up for one second for the youth commissioner seats. >> I write out a ton of letters of recommendation and support for college applications, job applications, and so if you know anybody, remind them of that. Looks really good on the resume. Thank you. Uh back to >> oh >> action updates. So Desert Park uh we are if you haven't been near Desert Park, the homes are starting to be built and sounds like that apartment complex is interested in some property there again. So, you know, as there's actually development moving around the park, we're going to look next year at starting to construct that park. I don't think we'll get it all done next year, but um hopefully over the course of the next year, year and a half, Denser Park, we will open that up. >> Go ahead. Excuse me. I just wanted to mention I saw Randy uh this past weekend and kind of told him where we were at on it and he's really excited. He's he's really excited about the design. >> Remind him I still haven't got any information for the interpretive sign because we, you know, obviously his family name's up there and I'm trying to get some pictures or some information that we can put on that sign. So, if you see them, remind them. >> If I see them, I will. >> Cajrove Trailway corridor restoration. We've been burning some piles out there. Finally getting those large piles of brush and debris out of there. It's a slow process, but once the snow is on the ground, then we should be able to burn all those down. And then we did lose some trees to I think some overspraying unfortunately from Arbor Day. Most of the trees survived, but there was some patches that didn't make it. So, we'll probably end up doing another Arbor Day tree planting out there again to fill that in and then um continue with some of the forest management area there and then receding. But um the prairie started coming in really really well this past year. We saw a lot of flowers out there. So, that project is going well. Olman Park, if you haven't drive driven through Ultman Park, the three lacrosse football soccer fields are pretty much done. They'll they won't get seated this year or actually they'll get dormant seated this year. So, we've been waiting to put the seed down just because we didn't want it to germinate then frost and kill everything. So, they haven't seated yet, have they? >> They were up there working today. So, >> so they were seeding today. So they'll seat it and then they'll cover it. Um but basically that that park is 99% done. They got the parking lot in. They striped it. Uh so our crew will go in and excavate for the playground this week and then the P and then the playground's supposed to show up and start getting constructed into next week. So hopefully that's done. If you remember that's that timber that large timber kind of obstacle course looking feature which will be new to the community. So that'll be exciting. And then I don't know if the picnic shelter I'm guessing that'll probably go in next year. So anyways, that project project finally came through and uh something we've been talking about for many years. So it's nice to see that one complete and then they won't be able to play on. We'll let tomorrow next year will be a growing season and then they'll be able to play on it probably in spring of 27. Mississippi Dunes Park just continue to work on a lot of different funding options. We actually did submit I can't remember if I brought that to the commission, but we submitted the the trip the road the state state road I can't remember what it was called. um a new grant that we discovered, which doesn't happen very often these days, I feel like, but we discovered a new grant which is called a state park road access or something like that. So, if we can get that and we can get the road into the park, that opens everything up for us because that's money that I wasn't projecting we could get without the 3M settlement dollars. So, if we can get someone else to pay for the road in, now we can start getting grants for things like playgrounds and fishing peers and things and start piecing that together. So, that's that's very exciting. It seems like we should know. I think we should know that by the end of the year if we got that or not. So, in the meantime, there's trails down there and there's a small parking lot that people can at least enjoy the land. Kingston Park building, no updates on that other than the design is complete and waiting just for uh approval from council to move forward on construction, which probably won't be until late 26, early 27. Peterson Park, that's over by the former Roberts Lake area. if you haven't been through there. Um, they're starting to build homes there. So, the park is got it's got a we don't own the land around the lake yet. We own a little bit of land by the lake, but we own all the way around. We don't own all the way around it. The developer hasn't dedicated that to us yet, but when they do, I've had the privilege of walking all the way around the lake. It's an awesome trail back there around that lake. So, I'm very excited to see that come to fruition. So, they will build that trail for us. Um, they were talking about doing some of it this year, but if not this year, it'll be next year. And then they'll also build a small parking lot up on the north side with access from Jamaica. So you can park at the parking lot and then walk all the way around the lake. So uh one of the few areas where we have a pond or of trail all the way around a lake or a pond. So that's exciting. Still Ponds Park. Uh no major updates there other than the natural trail that you guys had walked before that's up. Um we put we put a sign up and then discovered that what we wanted to do for the sign. We used an old rock sign that um that used to be off of located off 80th in Hadley and then we discovered the sign we were going to put over it didn't work. So if you ever drive by and wonder why there's this goofy welcome to Cottage Grove sign up, we're working on it. I just I got the new design today. I sent it to the printer. So hopefully we have a new sign here within the next handful of weeks. So um it's a little odd looking for now. Any questions on any of those updates or anything else I missed that's happening in the community that I haven't addressed? I just asked that we go to Oakman Park on our tour next spring, next summer for sure. >> I'd love to see that. >> Yep. That'll be one of the stops. >> Any comments, questions? >> Good donations? >> Nothing to acknowledge tonight. >> All right. Staff reports and materials. >> Just uh the each manager had submitted division updates and then I attended a Minnesota Recreation Park Association conference a couple weeks ago. A lot of good topics in there. If there was anything in there that you saw that was interesting, I can I can tell you if I went to the seminar or not and then I can I can answer what I can about it for you. But there's a lot of good information there. One of which was uh Commissioner Glford was one of the probably something I would have never attended. I actually got lost and I ended up in a social media influencer class. And the impact of social media influencers on marketing your programs and places is uh pretty incredible. Something I never again I wasn't intending to attend this class and it blew my mind on what what social media influence how they how many people they can connect with compared to what the government can do because people don't typically engage with government posts very well but they like these social media influencers. The other thing I learned is that 51% of youth under the age of 15 want to be social media influencers. >> Oh boy. >> Yeah. Never knew that. So anyways, lots of good information in there. If you have questions, I'm happy to answer. >> You got lost in Heritage Center in Brooklyn. >> Yeah. Have you ever been there? >> I I've been to MRPA there. >> It's a weird layout. It's barns and Yeah. It's weird. >> Yeah. You end up all the way back at the hotel. I ended up in the hotel and I got lost. Yeah. >> All right. Um, commission comments. Any comments from the commission? Commissioner Clawson for council. >> Thank you. Um couple comments from the last council meeting as part of your parks ne park parks wreck and natural re the natural resources part. One of the big topics that is came before the council and will be in the next few years is the um Nelson Amry's Hulcom mining proposal. um Great Cloud Island if if it um just as a way of history there is a mining operation there now and they mining aggregate it gets pushed up by barge up into St. Paul and um up to Semstone and the product is used in building materials all around the metro. It's one of the closest ones and it's very efficient to push the gravel aggregate up there. Well, they'll be uh exhausting their current supply in about 5 years. So, they have um put a proposal back in 2022, it started um an environmental impact statement to expand the mine out into another area of the Mississippi, which is um created some comments um in the community and uh people that live on both sides of the river and in the area. Um, one of the things that just came before the council was the environmental impact statement and we had to approve the statement. So, the only thing the council was asked to um approve last week was uh very narrow questions and they were did we follow the state law in um setting up the environmental impact statement and did everybody follow the law and did the coun did the citizens and the public have enough time to comment. So over over three years and uh we've come up with this 10,000page document. If you want to read it, it's on the city's website. Um so we just approved that the document was done properly by the law. Um it is not we did not approve for them to go ahead and start mining. That is going to be probably years in the future. But that's something that um creates a lot of comments on social media and uh comments in the community. Just wanted to update you on that. Um the other thing is thank you for your comments about the um naming rights. That's a topic in the council. We're um I think the council is kind of divided on whether to move forward with that or not because um if they don't find somebody the total cost to the count to the city if uh would the minimum cost would be about $20,000 maybe a little more and you bring up great comments about well we would lose our identity when might be renewal by Anderson Windows Arena it could be you know and we lose uh just using that as an example and how much is naming it worth in terms of name recognition and dollar. So everything you said, great comments and I'll bring that back to the council. Um that is all I had on my notes. Uh, next, not related to parks, but I want to let everybody know now is you're going to hate driving on 80th Street next summer all the way from Highway 61 to the high school is going to be reconstructed. Uh, lanes are going to be closed. Ramps on and off 61 are going to be closed at various times. It's going to have a hard time getting to the businesses around Hi. I want to warn you now, it's going to be a lot >> uh in 19 and 80. is also going to have the roundabout being constructed and everybody should know about that. Now, do you have any questions for the council? Anything you want me to bring back or any other things around the city that you want to know about that I can try and answer? >> Any questions for the councilman? Thank you for the information on the mining because it made it seem like there's been some articles that made it seem like you guys had approved moving forward with doing the mining and so I was like, "Oh, okay." So, I'm thankful for that clarification. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh workshop >> then we'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Move to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Any discussion? No. All in favor? >> I I >> think we're ajourned.