Based on the context provided and the dialogue within the transcript, here is the formatted version with speaker names identified. **Identified Speakers:** * **Mark Shy:** Committee Chairperson * **Kayla Hexel:** Recreation Manager / Staff (identified as "Kayla" in dialogue) * **Aaron Rob:** New Committee Member (identified in dialogue) * **Craig Long:** Committee Secretary (identified in dialogue) * **Bill DeZelar:** Recreation Staff (identified as "Bill" in dialogue) * **Eric Carlson:** Parks and Recreation Director (identified as "Eric" in dialogue) * **Randy:** Committee Member * **Dave:** Committee Member *** [0:00] **Audio Check:** Heat. Heat. [1:00] **Audio Check:** Hey, [1:10] **Audio Check:** hey hey. [1:26] **Audio Check:** Hey, [1:32] **Audio Check:** hey hey. [1:46] **Mark Shy:** I would like to call to order this meeting of the Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for March the 5th, 2026. At this time, I'd like to invite all those present uh who are willing and able to please rise and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. [2:09] **All:** To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. [2:26] **Mark Shy:** All right. Good evening everyone. Um, this is the month of March. March has got a lot of things going for it. Spring starts at the end of the month and there's a sizable basketball tournament that always takes place. The other thing that happens in the month of March is the uh city standing committees all uh elect their officials for the um coming 12 months. And seeing as how we are one of the standing committees for the city of Apple Valley and uh this is the month of March, we will be um choosing our officials um here shortly. [3:04] **Mark Shy:** Uh we will be choosing um two positions. One will be for the um uh chairmanship and the other will be for the secretary. And so, um, we will start, uh, tonight with the, uh, committee chair. And, um, at this time, I will — [3:29] **Kayla Hexel:** Hi. Mr. Chair, current Mr. Chair and members of the committee, I just wanted to give you a little bit of a rundown of how this is going to go. [3:35] **Mark Shy:** Very good. [3:36] **Kayla Hexel:** So, I don't mean to interrupt. [3:37] **Mark Shy:** Oh, no. I'm happy to do. [3:38] **Kayla Hexel:** Yeah. Okay. So, as Mark's mentioned, we will start with the chairperson and then we will move to the secretary. In front of you, you have a paper ballot. In past years, um, we've had you vote on the paper ballot and then I would tally the votes, but we've also had people nominate someone and then that person accepts the nomination and we make a motion and we approve it without any discussion and tallying. So, you can pick your own adventure in this case if you want to go that route or if you would prefer to do a tally, we can do that as well. So um the statute says that you cannot nominate yourself and you cannot vote for yourself. However you can express your willingness to accepted a nomination if one comes your way. So I'll let you take it from here. [4:30] **Mark Shy:** So are we looking for nominations? Is that what what we're doing? Yeah, I think it best if somebody nominates somebody for the chair position. And then that person either accepts or does not accept that nomination and kind of we hash out all the nominations in one motion or or give all the nominations at once. [4:53] **Dave:** I'd like to nominate Mark as chairperson. [5:02] **Mark Shy:** I haven't even opened the floor yet. [5:05] **Dave:** Oh well, let's get it going. [5:07] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Uh we will open the floor for nominations for the uh committee chair of the Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. [5:11] **Dave:** All right. I'd like to nominate Mark. [5:15] **Randy:** All right, I'll second that. [5:16] **Kayla Hexel:** There's no seconding. [5:18] **Randy:** Are you sure? [5:19] **Kayla Hexel:** Positive. I'm I'm here. [5:21] **Randy:** Second. [5:22] **Kayla Hexel:** There's no seconding. [5:23] **Randy:** Just second. [5:24] **Mark Shy:** We have a nomination for Mark Shy for committee chair. Uh other nominations for committee chair. We can have upwards of six, seven. Any other last call for other nominations for committee chair? Hearing none, I guess I will close the floor for nominations and I will turn to Kayla for — [5:45] **Kayla Hexel:** Do you accept said nomination? [5:48] **Mark Shy:** I do. I accept the nomination. [5:52] **Kayla Hexel:** Okay. Well, then I look for a motion to elect. [6:02] **Dave:** Move to appoint Mark as chairperson by unanimous acclamation. [6:09] **Randy:** Second. [6:12] **Mark Shy:** All right. I have a motion and a second. Uh any further discussion? If not, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. [6:21] **Committee:** I. [6:26] **Dave:** I was late to the eye. I was I'm going. All right, [6:30] **Mark Shy:** We have an I. Not an A. Yes. All right. So, Mark, you may retain your gavel. Okay. And let's move on to the secretary position. [6:37] **Dave:** Like to nominate Craig Long to retain his secretary slot. [6:45] **Mark Shy:** I guess we'll have open nominations then. Are there any other nominations for the secretary position for the Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Committee? None. Okay, we will close the nominations for — [7:02] **Craig Long:** I will accept the nomination. [7:04] **Mark Shy:** Okay. And I would look for a motion to elect Craig Long for the secretary position of the Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. [7:16] **Dave:** Make a motion to appoint Craig as the secretary. [7:20] **Randy:** Second. [7:22] **Mark Shy:** All right. I have a motion from Dave and a second from Randy. All those in favor, please signify by saying, "I." [7:30] **Committee:** I. [7:32] **Mark Shy:** Anyone opposed. Congratulations, Mr. Long. [7:34] **Craig Long:** I've got a couple of minutes here for a speech if you want to make one. [7:38] **Mark Shy:** You're the head. You're the speech. I've already said that. You fine. All right. So, we're done. We're good with that. All right. One thing we need tonight is an agenda. Can't conduct a business meeting without an agenda. And Kayla has done a very good job of providing a copy of the proposed agenda for tonight's meeting. And everybody has that in front of them. Uh are there any changes uh or additions that anyone would like to be made in that um proposed agenda? [8:14] **Randy:** Um, should we add in there? Adding a new committee person. [8:21] **Mark Shy:** I was just going to do it because I can do that. But — [8:25] **Randy:** Okay, then just do it. [8:28] **Mark Shy:** You want to put it in there? We can put it in there. [8:30] **Randy:** No, that's okay. I'm good. I was I just wasn't sure if we should or not. [8:38] **Mark Shy:** All right. So, no no changes or additions. All right. Then I'd look for a motion to approve the agenda for this evening as it is printed. [8:48] **Randy:** So moved. [8:50] **Mark Shy:** I have a motion by Randy. [8:52] **Dave:** Second. [8:54] **Mark Shy:** Second by Dave. All those in favor signify by saying I. [8:54] **Committee:** I. [8:56] **Mark Shy:** Anyone opposed. We have ourselves an agenda. All right. So at this time, even though we have an agenda, we are going to uh acknowledge a new member that we have tonight. And at this time, I would on behalf of the Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Committee, I would like to welcome and introduce our newest member, uh Aaron. [9:24] **Aaron Rob:** Aaron Rob. [9:26] **Mark Shy:** Rob. Okay. Um, so if you'd like to introduce yourself and, uh, I think everyone in the room knows who you are, but we have a vast television audience that is watching right now. Love to know a little bit about you. [9:32] **Aaron Rob:** Wonderful. Hello audience out in the world. My name is Aaron Rob. Um I grew up in Apple Valley from 1984. I'm going to age myself, but 1984 and left um around 2000, so 99. Um and then came back in 2020 and I'm delighted to now be six houses away from my parents. Um I work in education half my entire career. I work on teacher retention and well-being um currently and I have a seven-year-old in second grade and a 19-month-old um at home. So, it's wonderful to be here. I'm excited to be part of this committee and learn uh more. [10:16] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Very good. Well, uh once again, welcome and we look forward to working with you going forward. So, um, one other question because this is a park and recreation committee. What is your favorite Apple Valley Park? [10:32] **Aaron Rob:** Oh, I love Lebanon Hills. [10:35] **Mark Shy:** There you go. [10:37] **Aaron Rob:** Yeah, I live right around the corner from Lebanon. I mean, I I have a lot of love for a lot of the parks. Oh, that's actually a county park, isn't it? Oh, see, now I'm embarrassed. This is what I'm going to learn being on the parks and — did everyone just think, "Oh, no. Roll eyes." Okay. [10:49] **Randy:** I was agreeing with you, but — [10:52] **Aaron Rob:** I know. Okay. What is my favorite Apple Valley city park? I grew up going to Redwood. I like the new Splash Valley. The new — what is it? Johnny Cake West currently um park. We just took the kids there. I don't know if I can name a favorite. I'm excited to tour all of them. Newly updated. I feel like my memories of the parks are probably from when I lived here before since I came back in the pandemic. So, I'm excited to reacquaint myself. [11:24] **Mark Shy:** The tour will take place July 1st. [11:27] **Aaron Rob:** Well, I will tour them soon as part of my um commitment to this new position. [11:29] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Well, very good. Well, again, welcome and thank you. Happy to have a new member. All right. Uh next up is the audience. Looking out at the empty uh empty chairs. I don't think we're going to have anyone speaking with us tonight. Um, for those that may be listening or watching at home, um, please come down and see us. If you have any thoughts or ideas concerning park and recreation for the city of Apple Valley, we are looking for ideas and, uh, if you're not happy about something, we'd like to hear that, too. We meet the first Thursday of every month, and we are in the municipal center, which is also known as city hall. and um please come down and see us sometime. We'd love to see you. [12:17] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Next up is the approval of the last meeting's minutes which I believe was from December of 2025 and Kayla has put together those minutes and you have a copy of that. Are there any changes that anyone thinks should be made for those minutes? If not, I would look for a motion to approve the minutes of the December 2025 park and recreation Advisory Committee meeting as they are printed. [12:54] **Dave:** So moved. [12:56] **Mark Shy:** I have a motion from Dave. [12:58] **Craig Long:** Second. [13:00] **Mark Shy:** Second from Craig. All those in favor signify by saying I. [13:00] **Committee:** I. [13:04] **Mark Shy:** And any opposed? That passes and uh we now have our minutes approved. All right, we are to agenda items and the first one is number A which is approve the park and recreation advisory committee and department's 2025 year end report and Kayla will be presenting that to us tonight. [13:26] **Kayla Hexel:** Yes, I am back. Um Mr. Chair, members of the committee, by city ordinance, the committee is required to put together an annual report of all of the items that you discussed and the things that you participated in in the previous year. Um, by city ordinance, the department is required to put an annual report together as well. Staff have prepared one on your behalf and for the department. In past years, we've had two separate reports. And essentially what happened was the committee's reports were put in the department report as the first few pages. So we kind of bypassed doing two and we put them together as one since they are together as one in most cases anyway. So the committee's portion of this annual report encompasses pages six through eight of the department's report. So, um, at this time I can stand for any questions on the report itself. Um, but provided there are none, um, or after the questions take place, we'd be looking for you to make a motion to, um, recommend approval of the department and committee's annual report. After it is approved by you, it will go to the city council for their approval as well. [14:49] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Um it was done very well. I think it was that a lot of a work by you. [14:54] **Kayla Hexel:** Yes. And and and team. It's a team effort. [14:57] **Mark Shy:** I think it was very well presented. [15:02] **Aaron Rob:** You did a nice job of hitting the right balance between concise and comprehensive. I really enjoyed it. [15:12] **Kayla Hexel:** Thank you. [15:13] **Craig Long:** Uh can you speak a little bit about where people can find the approved reports after it goes to council and they approve it? [15:18] **Kayla Hexel:** Yes. Um the 2024 report as that is the last report that was approved is on the parks and recreation web page. Um and the 2025 report once it is approved will take its place. The other annual reports are in our archive and um I don't believe we have a link to that directly from the website but I can put one up. [15:47] **Mark Shy:** Any other questions comments? If not, I would look for a motion to approve the parks and recreation advisory committee and department's 2025 year end report. [15:58] **Craig Long:** So moved. [16:00] **Dave:** Second. [16:02] **Mark Shy:** Motion by Craig. Second by Dave. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. [16:08] **Committee:** I. [16:15] **Mark Shy:** That passes. Thank you. All right. Next agenda item is item number B, division update. I believe that is Bill is going to present that to us. Hello Bill. [16:33] **Bill DeZelar:** Hey Randy, thank you for having me today. Um, I have two things to talk about tonight. One is winter and one is focused on summer. So, one is a review of Midwinterfest. Um, before I get started, I was going to ask Kayla, do I have the capability if I'm in the slides to go forward and backwards? [16:57] **Kayla Hexel:** Yeah. [17:00] **Bill DeZelar:** Okay, because there might be one I want to skip to. Um, so I will be starting with Midwinterfest. Um, was anyone — I know Randy was there. Was anyone else there? Okay. Yep. Um, it was held Oh, it's about a month ago. February 7th and it was held out at Johnny Cake Park West and in the activity center as well. Uh primarily everything was outdoors but um inside we we had a few activities and a nice place to warm up and uh get a beverage and things like that. The weather cooperated. Um we've had weather somewhere a lot of years somewhere between um Antarctica and um springtime and this year it was pretty much dead-on winter. We were able to get um into most of our activities. We had actually had ice this year. We had a frozen surface where we were able to do horses. Um, so yeah, it was fairly normal as far as weather. We probably had about an estimate of 500 people, give or take. It's really hard to say. A lot of people coming and going. [18:28] **Bill DeZelar:** Um, the event is a true group effort. Um, it's organized and facilitated by the recreation department. However, um the parks department obviously has a huge hand in the logistics and support uh and especially the day of setup and take down and everything. Um but it's also a partnership between uh the parks department, police, and fire departments. They're involved with it, too. So, we appreciate the partnerships within the city departments. Um, one other thing I wanted to highlight, um, Diane Ericson, who is our volunteer coordinator for the city of Apple Valley, as well as a few other cities. She's done a phenomenal job at getting volunteers for this event. I believe I had 24 volunteers this year, which made my life a lot easier. Um, so that went really well. Well, not only are they valuable for the fact, you know, the day of um being out and about and helping with activities, but they're kind of the eyes and ears of the event and they have a lot of great feedback after the event, which which we we really appreciate. [19:41] **Bill DeZelar:** Um some of the — let me get going on my slides here. Um, I included an event map, um, in case you weren't familiar with with the layout. Um, it's been we've kept it this way for the last few years. It's worked really well. Uh, ample parking. Uh, we've kept the horses in one area so they don't get spooked. um had a lot of the activities off to the pink area and then with the fireworks which um would be on the south end of the park. Um so I just wanted to include that in case you were curious about the layout. Um, I won't read all the activities but these are the activities for this year. Uh, a lot of the a lot of familiar ones. Um, a couple highlights, uh, definitely the fireworks were spectacular. Um, they were really good this year. Really long, too. Um, the other the other thing that jumped out was um, we had a lot of mascots. The kids just love the mascots. We had uh, TC Bear, Madonna from the St. Paul Saints. Uh, we had our city mascots. We had Herby from Urban Air. Um, the one that really stood out this year, if you were there, um, was a sheep from the Heart of the Beast Theater. Um, wasn't sure how that was going to go, but um, it was awesome. The kids loved it, parents loved it. Um, it was it was really unique. So, I just wanted to mention that. [21:55] **Bill DeZelar:** And I wanted to mention the arts foundation sponsored that. So that we appreciate that. Um, speaking of that, I'll jump ahead to some of the sponsors since we're talking about sponsors and partners. Um, the Apple Valley Arts Foundation, Renewal by Anderson, Rotary Club of Apple Valley, TF Fiber, Urban Air from Apple Valley, and the Wise Swim School, which is right down the road from Johnny Cake. Uh, Rascals has always been an outstanding partner with us providing beverages. And, uh, the other two that I wanted to mention that failed to get on there was MVTA. They provide a warming bus each year. Um it's kind of a donation. Um so that's really appreciated. And the other one was um we had the Cub Scout Pack 227 I believe they were there selling s'more kits for the fire pits. So I wanted to acknowledge that. [22:45] **Bill DeZelar:** Um, so oops back to another activity. So, if you take a look at this, um, our new activity was Klondike is the polar bear mascot for Midwinterfest. So, we had five polar bear figurines that each week leading up to Midwinterfest, the day of Midwinterfest, we put some clues out to find one of the polar bears. Does anyone know where this one would be according to those clues? And they were all hidden at city parks or facilities. [23:25] **Dave:** I guess the first one is Valleywood. [23:29] **Bill DeZelar:** Yeah. Valleywood, correct? So, we had we, you know, that was our first year doing it. We had a lot of fun with it. Um, and look forward to doing it again next year. So, we always try to mix some new things in and just included some photos from this year. And I want to thank Tom Lawell, he does such a great job at chronicling all the events. Typically he's got his camera out. Better than my iPhone. [24:10] **Mark Shy:** Was that the sheep? [24:12] **Bill DeZelar:** It was. Yeah, it was very animated. Um Yeah, and like I said, the fireworks were phenomenal. We had the Rotary and Rascals together selling beverages. Some of our volunteers talked about that. Um, so I think I think that's it. I just want to say thank you for your continued support for events like Midwinterfest as well as um, city council and mayor. um look forward to next year um mixing some new things in and trying some new things and hoping we have winter. [24:48] **Randy:** I got a question for you. How was the uh energy there without having a live music like I know there has been in the past? [25:00] **Bill DeZelar:** It was a little different. It was more family focused or a lot more kids I thought. Um I think that was a big difference. I don't think there was any drop off in energy. It was a different kind of energy. It was just purely family focused. And we may return to having live music. [25:15] **Randy:** Okay. Thanks. [25:17] **Bill DeZelar:** Yep. Something we'll take a look at. Um the other reason I was here — does anyone have any other questions about Winterfest before I move on? Okay. [25:31] **Mark Shy:** Oh, you you you did have TC Bear there. [25:33] **Bill DeZelar:** We did. Yep. [25:35] **Mark Shy:** Do they charge us for that or — [25:38] **Bill DeZelar:** Yeah. Yep. And a lot of the sponsors that you see up there, um, can't remember — one of our sponsors, they did sponsor TC Bear, I think. Yep. So, we had some of our costs covered by our sponsors, which is really nice. So, we appreciate that. [26:00] **Bill DeZelar:** My next topic is looking towards summer. Besides our freestanding programs and our new skate park, my focus today is on our summer-long two program options for kids and and parents too um in Apple Valley. Uh one is the traditional playground program that's been going for decades. Um and then the other one is — I'll skip ahead — we're offering the traditional playground, two sessions, morning and afternoon session. Um it's on site, Corey Point Park. Um all the activities and games and sports and different things take place all on site. Um both sessions, there's no lunch or anything in between. It's just it is what it is, you know, as you see there. [27:00] **Bill DeZelar:** And then the expanded version um would be our new Valley Adventure Club, which is kind of a hybrid of a lot of the camp activities, themes, trips that we've done in the past, but we expanded it. We felt there was a need out there for a true full day, full week camp for parents who work. So that's what we did. Um, so it's Monday through Friday, um, 8 am to 5:00 pm. Um, we will, you know, like I said, it's a hybrid of — we will be going to Splash Valley once or twice a week. We've got day trips lined up. We will be doing a lot on site. We may even bring um different activities in, uh, contracted things like that. So that I'm pretty excited about this. I mean, it's it's it's going to be a good situation for parents looking for all day coverage for their kids. [28:05] **Bill DeZelar:** Um, and oh, I listed up here some of the potential trip destinations. We're trying to stay fairly local. Um, so you can kind of see where we are probably headed. I've locked a few in, but um our our goal was to keep the cost within check, do a lot locally. Um transportation costs is it's substantial these days. So, um so that's kind of what we've come up with. Right now, we're in the process of hiring staff. [28:43] **Aaron Rob:** Have you already publicized that and had families sign up? [28:47] **Bill DeZelar:** Yes, we — yeah, we've had quite a good um early registration coming in. [28:52] **Aaron Rob:** I can imagine. [28:54] **Bill DeZelar:** So, yeah. So, it's looking very promising. Um I guess more details about the Valley Adventure Club. Um like I said, Monday through Friday, it goes from June 15th to August 21st. Johnny Cake Activity Center and Johnny will be based out of that area and Johnny Cake West. Um yeah, Splash Valley is right there. So, we'll take advantage of that. And yeah, I kind of mentioned pretty much the rest. I kind of talked about that. [29:34] **Mark Shy:** Can you — do you know the cost offhand? [29:36] **Bill DeZelar:** Yeah, the cost for the traditional playground program, it is $15 per week um for one session, either the morning or the afternoon. Um the full adventure club that is $275 per week. So, we did a lot of um price comparisons to public and private offerings for the summer and I we landed on 275 which is you know a little more affordable than some. Especially during doing it for the first time we wanted to make it affordable. [30:21] **Randy:** What's your — what's your capacity kids? [30:24] **Bill DeZelar:** Um we, you know, we're looking at right now between — the capacity would probably be 50 kids. Um especially at the first year. Um that would be probably the max and then we'll we hope to grow it from there. [30:46] **Dave:** This is — I'm I'm very excited to hear about this. Um we — we take advantage of all day summer care. I didn't — I was not aware that we were starting a program like that and signups for the program we use already gone by, but I'm certainly uh certainly excited to hear about this program and I'm excited to hear how the first year goes. because I think this will be popular. It's — it can be tough to get into some of those camps and some of those programs. [31:17] **Bill DeZelar:** Um yeah, it is it's quite competitive and things fill up rather quickly and I think we've noticed it's been filling. [31:26] **Dave:** Are we still doing the free um in the park programs? I think they're at like three or four different parks. [31:35] **Bill DeZelar:** Yeah, that — that's been consolidated into the playground program, which is the morning and afternoon session at Corey Point. Um I think it used to be free. I think the last four or five years we've actually charged a minimal — I think it's $15 for the week. [31:52] **Dave:** And was that what you just said? $15 for a half day for the whole week. [31:56] **Bill DeZelar:** Yep. [31:57] **Dave:** Impressive. [31:58] **Bill DeZelar:** And you know, and that's a really good opportunity, especially for the younger kids that maybe it's their first exposure to the park programs in the summer and and it's great for parents that have a little more flexibility, too. So, so there's a couple, you know, two good options out there. [32:15] **Mark Shy:** Nice job. [32:20] **Bill DeZelar:** I love that you're saying thank you. Have a great summer seems so far away at this point, but we're hoping it's coming with no questions. Thank you very much. I appreciate your time. [32:32] **Mark Shy:** Thank you, Bill. Appreciate it. All right. Next up is uh item D, update on community center senior center project. And that will be Mr. Carlson. — C — we'll do — we'll do what we're doing in the parks first. [33:14] **Eric Carlson:** Mr. Chair, members of the committee. So update for the committee members, update for people in the community watching this evening, what we have planned for work in our parks this coming summer. So, these are the parks. Um, these are some of the parks in which we'll be doing work in this summer. Um, so we're going to be starting at Apple Valley East where they're going to be getting a new playground, a new basketball court. We'll be making some ADA improvements to the trail. Um, as you recall, um, we let the community weigh in on the playground equipment that we're selecting at each site. They have a chance, um, last fall to look at different options, different color schemes and whatnot. And so this is the playground that um the majority of the people um that weighed in on that for Apple Valley East. And so this is the playground that we'll be installing uh sometime this summer, early fall at Apple Valley East. [34:00] **Eric Carlson:** Then at Cedar Nolles, again, they'll be getting a new playground. The tennis court there that they have there today will be transformed into a new tennis court, a basketball court, and a pickleball court. Um and we'll be making some ADA trail improvements there as well. And this is the playground rendering that they chose. [34:21] **Randy:** Can I ask a question about that last um the layout there? I saw uh porta potty pad. Is that uh put out there by the city and service year round or is that more of an event like it's there for events or things like that? [34:38] **Eric Carlson:** Oh, that's there in the summer months if you will. And we go back to this one. There's one on here somewhere. I can't — Steve, do you know where this one is at? Oh, yeah. I see it just in the crooks of the pathway there. So, our our goal, we're trying to get to having a porti-potty at every single park in the entire system during the summer months. In the past, we've had one wherever we've had scheduled events, athletic events usually, or a park program, but based on community feedback, we're trying to get one. And we're also trying to make sure that it's ADA. If you have one, it needs to be ADA. If you have more than one, at least one of them has to be ADA. So, we're working on it. [35:11] **Randy:** And summer is roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day, unless there's schedule of regular schedule there. [35:17] **Eric Carlson:** Thank you. Yep. All right. So, then we're at Faith Park. So, Faith Park doesn't get a new playground this year. It doesn't get a playground until 2035 based on the age of the existing playground. Um, but it has a second playground in the park right now and that one has aged out. So, we're taking that one out. We're making some improvements to the ball field, to the basketball court, and some ADA trail improvements as well. But then we'll be back in 2035 to replace the playground. [35:48] **Aaron Rob:** Is that trail and Faith park going to be the one that goes deeply up the hill? Is that going to be adjusted or that's — [35:54] **Eric Carlson:** Not as a part of the work that we're doing um in this project. Not in '26. No. It'll be a future project. [36:03] **Eric Carlson:** Then we've got Finlay Park — again, new playground, ADA trail improvements. We are making this ADA accessible. Today it's not ADA accessible. So extensive amount of work to make sure that we can get from the trail that kind of goes through the picture that you see here up to the playground itself. And this is the playground that they'll be getting at Finlay Park. Again, based on neighborhood input. [36:31] **Eric Carlson:** And we've got Fred Laren — new playground, new basketball court, ADA trail improvements. And this is what their playground's going to look like. Then we got Hagemeister. It's getting a new playground, new tennis court. These tennis courts were replaced by the school district two years ago, so we're replacing the ones to the south of that. Then we're, as you will recall, as part of the park's amenity plan, we're lighting all four tennis courts. And we won't be lighting the tennis courts at Scott Park in the future. Did I get that right? Scott Park, right? Yeah. All right. Again, ballfield improvements and ADA trail improvements. And this is the playground that they'll be getting at Hagemeister. [37:18] **Eric Carlson:** Then we've got Long Ridge Park, new playground, some uh ADA trail improvements. We'll be removing the back stop. It's kind of on the second tier, if you will, way back in this park. There will not be a back stop there anymore. Again, based on the park amenity plan, this is the playground that they'll be getting. [37:37] **Eric Carlson:** Then we've got Tinta Park, new playground, new basketball court, some ball field improvements, ADA trail improvements, and this is the playground that they'll be getting. It may not look good in this image, but um this is the image that got sent to us. Different vendors do a better job at providing images than others do. So um they they have — they're getting an equally as nice playground. Again, one that the neighborhood selected. [38:13] **Aaron Rob:** Is there a swing set in that one or — [38:15] **Eric Carlson:** Yeah, I think it's on the back side as this image. [38:18] **Eric Carlson:** And we've got Wallace Park. Um some of the playground equipment staying there. We're adding on to it. Um doing a new basketball court and some ADA trail improvements there. And so this is what that playground will end up looking like. [38:34] **Aaron Rob:** Will there be benches or picnic tables in that new concrete plaza space I saw in there? [38:39] **Eric Carlson:** And so in all the sites that we're doing, we're doing a concrete plaza and we're incorporating a bench, some benches, and a picnic table on all of those sites along with garbage and recycling and again eventually portable toilets at all of them, but constructing a space for them now as we're doing construction. [38:57] **Eric Carlson:** Uh then we've got Delaney Park, new playground, and it's that tennis, basketball, pickle ball complex. Again, infield improvements to the ball field, improvements to ADA trail access, and this is the playground that they'll be getting. We've got Belmont Park, again, new playground, tennis court, in this case with pickle ball lines. It's a single tennis court. Ballfield improvements, ADA trail improvements. This is the playground that they'll be getting. We've got Mohler Park, new playground, basketball court, ball field improvements, ADA trail improvements. Um, if you've been to Mohler, there's a big swale on the trail right about here. It's a pretty big dip down. It's not handicap accessible. We are making that handicap accessible as a part of this project. You need to have a handicap accessible route from the parking lot to the play amenities. And so that's why we're fixing this. So it's a little bit on the expensive side, but we need to make our parks accessible. This is the playground that they'll be getting. [40:12] **Eric Carlson:** And we've got Pennock. As you recall, there's three parks in the southwest part of town, Pennock, Greening, and Duchess. We've been working closely with our engineering department because we're doing some storm water treatment in all of these parks. The city got approximately a $5 million grant to do a lot of storm water work. Um some of that is helping pay for some of the park improvements because of the work they're going to be doing associated with storm water in the park. So, in Pennock, um, a new playground, a new tennis, pickle ball, basketball court complex, the water infiltration basin, and then a lot of ADA trail improvements within that park. And this is the playground that will be at Pennock Park. [40:53] **Eric Carlson:** Then we're off to Greening where again, new playground, basketball court, ball field improvements, water infiltration basin out in kind of left field if you will, along with ADA trail improvements. There will not be a trail around the park that's shown in this image. Uh but there there still remains trail from Greening Drive into the park and connected to the amenities that are in the park. This is the playground that's been selected for that park. [41:20] **Eric Carlson:** Then you've got Duchess — new playground, new basketball court, ball field improvements. There's an infiltration basin, but there's also an underground infiltration system. And that's a basically a big huge box that gets buried underground and then earth gets put back over it again. Grass and whatnot will grow on top of that. You won't really know it's there unless you watched it get put in. And obviously our maintenance staff will know that it's there because they have to go and maintain it. Um but that's what's happening at Duchess Park. And there's the what the playground equipment looks like for Duchess Park. So, those are the 15 parks that we're doing work in this summer as part of the parks referendum. [42:04] **Dave:** Does that include — I recall a couple last year we didn't get work done in. We ran out of time um of the neighborhood parks, unless I'm incorrect and they were being pushed to this year. Does that 15 include those? [42:16] **Eric Carlson:** Yeah, it didn't. Uh that was Belmont. That was Delaney. Yeah, I think it's these last three actually. Not the last three. Belmont, Delaney, and Apple Valley East. The first one, Delaney. [42:30] **Dave:** Thank you. [42:31] **Eric Carlson:** Yep. All right. So, then just a kind of an update on other projects that are still going on within the park system. So, we've got we've been working on the Hayes Youth Athletic Complex. Again, that construction began in May of '25. We had a lot of rain last summer, so we weren't able to complete it. We will be completing that early this spring by seeding the entire complex. Um, we may open it up to use this fall, but most likely it's going to wait until spring of '27. These are just some images that we took last fall, late last fall, on the progress we've been making on it. Um, I think once the grass grows in, people are going to be pretty excited about the improvements that have been made at Hayes Park. They're really they really are fantastic improvements. [43:24] **Eric Carlson:** Couple different images. The space in the foreground here — these will end up being batting cages. And for reference, this is Westview Elementary School here. This is a lighted soccer or football field. These are four baseball softball fields. The down the lines on every field is 210. Straightaway center is 230. That's the U13 baseball field on the right hand side as you drive in towards Wings Arena or the senior center community center. Wings Arena. [43:56] **Aaron Rob:** And is that like an infiltration basin there along the right? [44:00] **Eric Carlson:** It is. So Hayes Park did not have any storm water features in the park itself. And so as part of all of these projects that we were doing, we needed to comply with the city code. So if this would have been private development, they would have done some of these similar things. So um we did this um and you can kind of see the one here in the top right hand. So there's an infiltration pond here as well. [44:31] **Aaron Rob:** And are those planted with native plants or is it grass that's mowed off lower when it's dry enough? [44:35] **Eric Carlson:** Native vegetation. So, we actually had in this one, we had an Eagle Scout do an Eagle Scout project and planted the hillside, the slopes of this pond last fall. [44:46] **Aaron Rob:** Awesome. Thank you. [44:47] **Eric Carlson:** And then this will be another rectangular soccer, football, lacrosse field uh just to the what that be the north of Wings Arena. And then this will all also all be rectangular field space along Hayes Road. And there's a better picture of that infiltration pond. [45:15] **Eric Carlson:** All right, Redwood improvements. We started in June of '25. Uh the building should be ready in this May. The pool should be ready for an opening in June. Playground should be ready sometime in August. We'll probably do a ribbon cutting sometime in August. This is an image of what the playground will look like. These were pictures from last fall on the building. We're obviously, if you've driven by lately, we're obviously much further on this building than we were last fall. Um, it's pretty much sided. A lot of the interior finishes are getting taken care of. It's has a roof on it, etc., so I'll just flip through these kind of quick. [45:54] **Eric Carlson:** Kelly Park, kind of the same story. Started in July. Restrooms will be ready this June. Band shell will be ready sometime in August. Splash pad will be ready sometime in August. Um playground should be ready sometime in September. We will be doing a ribbon cutting on Saturday, September 26th for the stage itself. So we invite the community to mark that date on their calendar and come out and celebrate with us. And so these are just some images of the work going on here. So this is looking north. These — this will be on-site parking. Um, you've got the building going in right here. The splash pad will be here. The playground will be roughly in this general area. And you've got the stage over here. [46:38] **Randy:** And that ribbon cutting accompanies a concert. Correct. [46:42] **Eric Carlson:** Correct. Yep. And just some images. [46:51] **Randy:** Did we ever get any corporate sponsorship for that performance? [46:53] **Eric Carlson:** We are still working on that. We are still working on that. We don't have anything official at this point. You can see the roof structure going up on the stage. This is the restroom building. It also houses all the mechanicals for the splash pad. [47:15] **Eric Carlson:** Then a project that we're we continue to work on with Dakota County is the North Creek Regional Greenway. What you see on the map is Johnny Cake West, East View High School area. Um, and the red line going through the site is the future North Creek Regional Greenway. Here you've got Splash Valley. So, it comes to the west of Splash Valley up the hill and down and eventually under 42 and then through um, Quarry Park and Cobblestone etc. [47:50] **Eric Carlson:** And we're also working on a bunch of natural areas. You'll recall that the national natural resource department got a $250,000 grant to start implementing portions of the natural resource management plan we have for Alimagnet. So they have been working on approximately 20 acres inside of Alimagnet removing buckthorn and non-desirable species. Um if you went there right now it doesn't look very good. Uh but we knew that — that's what it takes to do what our ultimate goal is is to be able to restore Oak Savannah and Natural Prairie areas within Alimagnet Park itself. It's going to take a little bit of time. We ask for the public's patience. Uh it's just part of the process. If you want to look at what we're striving for um and you want to drive north on County Road 11 from 35E um when you get to the top of the hill, you'll get to Terrace Oaks West, which is in Burnsville. But if you look to the to the right is Terrace Oaks West and you will see um what we're striving for. Um if you go down a little further, you get to a roundabout on on the Burns Parkway. Take a right. Terrace Oaks is on your right hand side. Again, it'll just — it's a good example of what we are trying to get to in about three or four years. So, it doesn't look very good right now. We know it, but give us some time and it'll look a lot better. [49:05] **Randy:** Was that about a quarter of the park that they did were able to do on this? [49:08] **Eric Carlson:** Oh, Alimagnet's probably about 80 acres. So it's yeah, a quarter roughly. [49:13] **Randy:** And that's our half of Alimagnet is 80 acres. [49:15] **Eric Carlson:** Our portion of Alimagnet. Yep. That'll look great. Yep. It will. Um earlier we talked about the the challenge course at Johnny Cake. We are applying for a grant through the DNR on Monday night, Monday, March 9th, 5:30 to 7:00 at the Johnny Cake Activity Center. We're holding an open house. Would love to have the public come and talk to us about this project. Talk to us about our plans for the stadium soccer field and the potential to change the park names of Johnny Cake East and Johnny Cake West and tell us what they like about all of those three things and what their wishes and dreams are for those three topics. [50:08] **Aaron Rob:** What's the time frame on finding out about that DNR grant? Do we know? Is there like a specific award period or is it still open for applications? [50:18] **Eric Carlson:** So, the deadline for applications is the end of the month, end of March. It's due by the 31st of March. We've turned in a draft grant. They'll review it, tell us what we need to change, fix, whatever. We'll take their feedback, try to improve it, turn it in by the deadline. Then we should hear sometime in June or July whether we were successful or not. Then there's just a period of time where you have to go through a bunch of due diligence and paperwork, etc., etc., as you may expect. Um, so if we're successful, we won't actually be spending any money or doing any work until '27. This is a layout of what that would look like if we're successful. And here's some images of what that might look like. [50:58] **Eric Carlson:** All right. So, in the future, we've got other parks that we'll be working on. In '27, our list includes Farquar, Gali, Long, Nordic, Scott, and Sunset. And then in '28, Briar Oaks, Cobblestone, the playground on the north side, Greenleaf South, Heritage, Huntington, Lac Lavon, and Reata. So, that's what's planned for in '27 and '28. [51:24] **Dave:** And that road map is on the website as well. [51:27] **Eric Carlson:** Yep. Hey, Nordy — questions? [51:28] **Dave:** Are we still for the Redwood Park? Are we still looking at 2027 for the county 42 project? [51:36] **Eric Carlson:** That is my understanding that the county still plans on doing work on 42 in '27. I haven't heard different. [51:41] **Dave:** Will we be working on the south part of the park at the same time? [51:44] **Eric Carlson:** They will be. Yes. They — the county. So that'll be part of the county project. We the city won't be doing that work. The county will be doing that work of the park itself, the south park. [51:56] **Dave:** How did we how do we get them to do that? [51:57] **Eric Carlson:** It's part of the road project. [52:00] **Mark Shy:** They have to from a — [52:01] **Dave:** Watering. Yeah, I was going to say if I remember correctly, they have to have water retention there. [52:05] **Eric Carlson:** Oh, okay. Other questions committee members have about what we're do planning to do in '26? [52:13] **Randy:** Well, another question on that. Is that going to dry out that part of Redwood? Is that going to dry out that part of Redwood? Meaning — but when when the county takes care of that park is because Redwood is wet on that side. [52:27] **Eric Carlson:** Yeah. So, on the south side of County Road 42, the Redwood Park on the south side of County Road 42 is going to be a series of infiltration and storm water improvements meant to help treat some of the storm water from the roadway. Um, and so yes, while it's been wet now and it's hard to use for park purposes, especially after a lot of rain, um, it won't matter in the future because it's going to be intended to help treat the water and the rain that comes from the roadways. We will have some natural trails mixed in throughout that those infiltration basins and whatnot. So, and we're hoping to be able to plant natural vegetation, etc. We're not planning to cut it on a regular basis. So, it should not — not that it's going to be Alimagnet park, but it should be a little bit more natural feel than a manicured Kentucky bluegrass situation. [53:18] **Mark Shy:** And just for clarification, so people don't know, the the county project is to put an underpass there. So where the field on the south side will be removed and replaced with the vegetation, that sort of stuff, but people will be able to freely access the north side without having to actually cross County Road 42. [53:35] **Eric Carlson:** Yeah. For those listening at home and it may not be aware of it, the county plans to remove the light at Elman and 42. And while they do that, they're, as you mentioned, they're going to be putting in an underpass. So, um, pedestrians, bicyclists will be able to freely pass underneath County Road 42 without having to worry about getting in traffic, so to speak. [54:02] **Dave:** Did we get any information on a welcome to Apple Valley sign in that area? [54:06] **Eric Carlson:** Yep. So, we we've put together — we've had a company put together some concepts that have been provided to our city administrator and he's working with the city council on what and when that may or may not happen. Cool. Other questions? [54:23] **Eric Carlson:** All right. I think our next item on the agenda is to — just wanted to give the parks committee and the viewers at home an update on our community center senior center project. And so our vision for the community center senior center project again which is a part of the '23 referendum is we want to preserve and improve the two buildings. We want to make sure that the improvements that we're making help us operate the building as cost-effectively as possible. And we're focused on the future use and the trends uh for the use of those buildings knowing that seniors today use the building about 40 or so hours every week and the public uses the building somewhere between 50 and 60 hours every week. [55:10] **Eric Carlson:** So we're planning to begin construction this spring sometime around mid-May. We expect construction to last through the summer or fall of '27. Generally speaking, we're planning to centralize the entrance to the building, build an indoor playground, add a small indoor fitness component geared towards seniors, um build an expanded coffee lounge for seniors, add some additional programming space, fix some mechanicals and do some roofing projects, and we're hoping to be able to change some of the facades to try to make it feel like a campus as you drive in off of Hayes Road and come onto the campus. This is just an image of what the campus will look like from a conceptual perspective. Um, we've already — we've done a lot of the work on the exterior. All you saw the slides earlier of all the work that we've done fields and rectangular fields and whatnot. We've added parking to the site so that we're we can accommodate more vehicles. And then this this image just shows the two — the existing community center, the existing senior center connected with Wings Arena um kind of in that foreground there. This is an image of what that new front centralized front entrance will look like. On the left hand side is the indoor playground and these are just some exterior elevations of the facility. [56:39] **Eric Carlson:** As a part of the tip-up panels that will be used to construct the facility, we're proposing to use some of the topography within the neighborhood that would be imprinted in on the concrete panels that get tipped up. So instead of just having dull concrete gray panels standing up, we're proposing to add some topography from the neighborhood on those panels. Put a little bit of color into the concrete so that it's not just gray concrete standing up there and it should look pretty attractive. [57:08] **Aaron Rob:** Will there be some sort of a sign explaining that so it doesn't just look like squiggly lines? [57:13] **Eric Carlson:** Yep. Yep. We can do something like that. [57:16] **Mark Shy:** What years are you going to be using? Are you going to be using modern topography or older topography? The city's changed. [57:24] **Eric Carlson:** Well, just the existing topography from the area. Yep. So, this — this is a little bit of an image of what that might look like on on the tip-up panels. All right. [57:37] **Eric Carlson:** Overall, we talked about naming the facility and so we're recommending that it be just referred to as the Apple Valley Community Center. The existing senior center internally uses national parks to name all of their — a lot of their rooms or all of their rooms. And so we're just suggesting that we extend that through the rest of the facilities. So it'll be the Apple Valley Community Center and the name and the rooms inside the building, the the different spaces inside the building will be all named after national parks. And we've kind of got that list laid out here. We're using earth tones and light textures from an interior decoration way of outfitting the insides of the building. Flooring, different types of flooring throughout the facility depending on the use that each different space is getting. And these are some of the different materials that will be found as a part of the project. [58:33] **Eric Carlson:** This gives a good overview of what the project is and the connections. So, we've got the existing senior center here. We've got the the new addition link that connects the two buildings. Here we've got the indoor playground. These are park and recreation offices. As you recall, prior to all of this starting, the Valley Athletic Association had their building here, which is where they store all of their equipment, held some of their meetings and whatnot. We worked with them to remove their building under the promise that we would replace their space as a part of this project and so they will be taking over this space. This is a currently a community room. It's about 1,900 square feet. It's just off the main gymnasiums and so that space will become theirs and that's what we're replacing the space with if you will. [59:24] **Eric Carlson:** Parking — we've added parking to the site as already mentioned. We're also adding some ADA parking and some senior-only parking during the day during the week um to help accommodate um the heavy senior use it gets Monday through Friday um during the day and then in the evenings and on the weekends um not the handicap stalls but the other stalls will be open for the general public to use. Again, we mentioned the centralized front entrance. This red box is meant to show that we're planning to have a heated sidewalk out the front door so that in the winter months we don't have snow and ice building up. That's especially anticipated by our senior population, but also our maintenance staff are really going to appreciate that because a lot less sand and dirt and mud and everything will be tracked in the building. So it it should save on the interior of the building as well. The front desk is areas where our senior center staff will be located from an office perspective. Uh, which is something that we work with seniors on and that was important to them. And this is just an image of what that will look like. [1:00:31] **Mark Shy:** Are we going to go with that artwork? [1:00:33] **Eric Carlson:** Uh, not that specific artwork, but but we're in those locations. Yes. We had talked about the local — yep, we'll work with. We haven't figured — we don't have all the details figured out at this point. All right. [1:00:44] **Eric Carlson:** So, this is the hallway. Um on the left hand side of this is the entrance into the indoor playground. This glass is overlooking the patio area on the south end of the building. This is the senior coffee lounge located directly behind the front entrance. It's about 1,100 square feet. It's got large windows on the west and the south again overlooking the patio and all the other park improvements that have been made. It'll be used by seniors Monday through Friday, but after hours and on the weekends used by a multitude of groups, private uses, but it'll be a rentable space that the public can use for, you know, a baby shower as an example, a small graduation party possibly. And this is an image of what that space will look like. [1:01:34] **Eric Carlson:** We've got indoor fitness space geared towards seniors currently planned for the existing coffee lounge area. Um there's quite a few windows here so lots of natural light. Um a wall that would be planned to go up here to help make this be kind of a private space if you will as opposed to working out in front of all the public that's going to be going through the building from time to time. Image of what that might look like. [1:02:00] **Eric Carlson:** We've got the senior executive club office would be located upstairs in the Denali room. We will be repurposing the existing senior center office space into the warming kitchen because we'll be taking away the warming kitchen on the south side of the building to help create that common entrance, if you will, to the two buildings. Upstairs, there's some ping pong and pool tables. We're putting up a wall so that we can lock that space off so we don't have folks up there monkeying around with the equipment possibly doing damage to the pool tables etc. That was something that was important to seniors. Little look about what that might look like. Then there's a storage room across from the Yellowstone rooms that we're hoping to repurpose and finish out as a multi-purpose room. We can store the tables and chairs in other locations within the building. So that just gives us more programming space. [1:03:00] **Eric Carlson:** And then our indoor playground, we're planning to refer to it as the Voyager playground. Voyageurs National Park being the only national park in Minnesota. Um there'll be two reservable rentable party rooms attached. So we envision a lot of kid birthdays taking place here. Um cake and ice cream. Go run off some energy, come back for some more sugar, go run off some energy, and then leave. Again, an image of of the front door and that indoor play space. Lots of glass, lots of natural light and the indoor playground itself. That's not the exact one, but it's a pretty close rendering of what it's going to look like. [1:03:45] **Aaron Rob:** Will the decor in that room kind of fit what Voyageurs is known for? I mean, that's kind of a unique national park as far as its the environment. Are we going to be able to kind of match that with the feeling of the equipment in there? [1:04:00] **Eric Carlson:** We're hoping to connect with a local artist that can help decorate the walls. Um, in Woodbury, they just did a community center project and an indoor playground and they chose to engage with an artist that was able to decorate the walls in kind of the St. Croix River theme. Um, since they're kind of close to the St. Croix River. Um, so we're hoping to engage with whether it's that artist or another artist that can do something similar. So the walls would hopefully be decorated in in a way in which it made it feel like you were out in the Voyageurs National Park. [1:04:30] **Eric Carlson:** This is just an image of one of the party rooms. Then we've got our park and recreation offices that house all of our staff. We'll have a meeting room that can be used by the general public. So, we'll be able to lock lock it off so that they can't, you know, the public can't get into the rest of the office space. Little image of what that might look like. We got the VAA storage room. Um, we're hoping to renovate the existing locker rooms into some better storage capabilities for us and the needs of the facility, but still maintain the restroom facilities and a little bit of the showering that happens there. They really don't — the space really doesn't get used as locker rooms. So we want to take better use of existing space without having to build other space. [1:05:14] **Eric Carlson:** Um and then again we're hoping to start or planning to start construction in mid-May. The community center will be closed between May and September. All of us as staff will move over to the senior center during construction of the community center. Then when they're done with the community center, we'll move probably to the meeting room that's in the northeast corner of the building. Um we'll all have to be tight and cozy in that space until the construction project is over. But then they're going to start on the construction of the senior center. That'll take a few months. We'll move folks back into that. They'll finish the link hopefully in the early spring of '27. They'll be working on the outside landscaping, things like that. Hopefully we will be fully open by June-ish of '27. It'll be a little bit of painful during the whole process, but um I think the end result will be very positive. [1:06:15] **Mark Shy:** I know both the community center and the senior center act as polling locations on election day. Do we have to do anything um in particular? It looks like the senior center is going to be closed through November, which would put it um into or past election day. Do we have to do anything for that or is that something that the state's aware of that they take care of or how does that work? [1:06:36] **Eric Carlson:** So, we're working closely with our city clerk, Christina, who is in charge of elections, running elections for the city of Apple Valley. Um, the first election that has to be held at this facility is August 11th. So, the senior center will be available. She's planning to use Yellowstone, two of the Yellowstone rooms for that election. Um, and our contractor knows that we need to make sure that the building is also available on — I think it's November 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, or third, fourth, and fifth, whatever the three days are, the setup day, the election day, the day after. Um, there's three days in November that they're going to need to make sure that the building's accessible, handicap accessible, there's no hazards for people to get into the two Yellowstone rooms. Um she she needs us to — she needs election to be held in the same two rooms both in August and in November. And so we're working around that to make that happen. [1:07:22] **Mark Shy:** Awesome. Thank you. [1:07:23] **Eric Carlson:** And so this is just a diagram of uh some of the construction fencing and whatnot that has to go up. So we're going to be taking up portions of the parking lot. There'll be equipment and materials and whatnot laying around. Um, all the red area will be inside the construction zone, if you will. And so for reference, this is the existing front door of the senior center. This is the wing lot, if you will, between the senior center and Wings Arena. So it'll be off limits to folks during construction. Um, but there won't be as much traffic on site because the community center will be closed, then the senior center will be closed. So um, again, there'll be some pain. Um, there'll be some confusion. Uh, but we'll do the best we can to communicate with folks and try to make it as easy as possible on everyone. Little more of a close-up. [1:08:23] **Eric Carlson:** So, that's all I have. Questions, comments from committee members? [1:08:29] **Aaron Rob:** So, is the intent to have just this whole area under one name or is it going to be the community center will have one name and the senior center will have a different name? [1:08:38] **Eric Carlson:** The intent is to call the finished facility the Apple Valley Community Center. Period. That is the intent. [1:08:44] **Aaron Rob:** Okay. So there will be no more senior center name. [1:08:48] **Eric Carlson:** Correct. Okay. All the internal rooms will be named after National Parks. On the monument sign that sits out on Hayes Road, um it's going to say Hayes Park on it. And then as you saw earlier tonight in the renderings that we put together, it's going to say the Apple Valley Community Center. It's going to say the Voyageurs Playground. It's going to say — it's going to say the youth athletic complex. It's going to say senior center and it's going to say Wings Arena on it. So those are the the major things inside the park that'll be on the monument sign itself. [1:09:23] **Aaron Rob:** But if you're going to rent a room or anything, it's going to be the location will be the Apple Valley Community Center. [1:09:28] **Eric Carlson:** Correct. And then it'll be in the Yellowstone room or whatever. [1:09:32] **Aaron Rob:** Yeah. or one of the other rooms, the Sequoia room or the Denali room or you know the Shenandoah room, who knows? [1:09:41] **Dave:** Are you working on sponsorship? [1:09:43] **Eric Carlson:** We — we are interested in a sponsorship. Um the the firm that helped us with Wings Arena and securing that feels like until we have a construction project under construction and people can see things actually, you know, rising out of the ground, that's when it's time to start knocking on doors again. So, it's it's in the back of our minds. Um and we're hopeful that we'll be able to find someone to partner with for that from that perspective. [1:10:14] **Dave:** All right. But right now, we're not talking we're not talking to anyone specifically right now. [1:10:19] **Randy:** So, the um the indoor playground — that is going to be an entrance fee for people to use that? [1:10:24] **Eric Carlson:** Yes, that's the plan. There'll be a a fee to use the indoor playground and that's pretty consistent with other indoor playgrounds that you find across the Twin Cities. [1:10:33] **Randy:** Are we going to have any way of having people that financially can't afford that be able to have access to that at all on some sort of basis? [1:10:44] **Eric Carlson:** Well, we have our parks and recreation scholarship fund and we'll have to see if if how we could potentially utilize some of those funds for that situation if that arises. We'll have to look at the pros and cons of that and how we do that. [1:11:00] **Randy:** Why — why would we need funds to do that? I guess I'm I kind of confused it. [1:11:05] **Eric Carlson:** So, it's just it would be just like any one of our other programs. There's a fee to participate in a lot of our programs. And so, we expect to collect revenue for those programs to pay for the expenses it takes to run those programs. And so, the indoor playground is a place for us to generate revenue to help pay for the overall operations of the building. It won't completely pay for it, but will help cover some of our operational costs of the building itself. [1:11:35] **Randy:** Okay. Well, I — I guess I just don't quite — I don't know why you would — you set up a program and if someone doesn't have financial means and can show that then maybe they get one pass a month or something that they can — [1:11:51] **Eric Carlson:** Exactly. We — we need to figure out some parameters. [1:11:55] **Randy:** Yeah. [1:11:57] **Aaron Rob:** Okay. I just don't want it to become a playground for the wealthy. [1:12:00] **Eric Carlson:** Nope. Understood. I mean, we don't either. [1:12:05] **Dave:** I saw that you didn't mention solar. Did you scrap that or? [1:12:10] **Eric Carlson:** So, the only roof in the facility that can support solar is the roof over the indoor playground. That roof is being constructed to support solar. We are putting all of the raceways and conduits in to put solar on the roof. Um, we're making the accommodations in the electrical room for solar, but we're not installing solar as a part of the project. We don't have the financial resources to do that, but at some point in the future, we can do that, and we're making all the necessary accommodations to make it easy once we get there. [1:12:43] **Dave:** Got it. [1:12:45] **Aaron Rob:** Is the senior center retaining its green roof? [1:12:48] **Eric Carlson:** We're not touching the roof at the of the senior center during this project. The roofing material itself is still in good enough shape where we don't have to replace it. Um, we'll have to decide, you know, when that time comes, we'll have to decide what kind of roof and what color roof goes on that building once that time comes. Any other questions? [1:13:08] **Mark Shy:** Signals. Great work by the parks department. I mean, that's a ton to fly through, but it's — good things are happening. It's exciting to see. [1:13:17] **Eric Carlson:** Yep. And so while I might be the person up here talking about it, um don't want to overlook all of our staff that are really doing all the behind the scenes work, if you will. You know, Steve Rother, Kayla Hexel, Nate Rosa, Brian Christensen, and a whole bunch of other people doing a lot of work to make sure all of this stuff happens. I'm just happen to be the one here talking about it. So, thanks to them for all of their hard work. [1:13:42] **Mark Shy:** All right. Very good. Um, number seven is committee staff discussion items. Anything there? Anyone? [1:13:50] **Aaron Rob:** I'd maybe like to add um for future meetings or I guess that's eight. Sorry, I'm jumping the gun. I don't have anything for you today. [1:14:02] **Mark Shy:** I'm jumping the gun a little bit. Yeah, no, I'm good on seven. All right, then. Future meeting items. We have um four of them listed on there. I guess I had one question. Um the parking concerns at the pickle ball complex. Have we worked out anything there at all? [1:14:26] **Eric Carlson:** Mr. Chair, members of the committee, internally we actually discussed that a few weeks ago and for this spring we want to just leave it status quo. We want to see that. We want to see if with all the construction that was happening at the park last year between the pickleball courts and the skate park, etc. How much did that contribute to the frustrations people had? We understand that some of the frustrations, if not most of the frustrations, has to do with um school use of the parking lot. But we we want to give it the spring to see what happens with no construction going on. And if it still seems to be an issue, then we will try to figure out how to address it. So that's how we would like to proceed with that topic at this point in time. [1:15:15] **Aaron Rob:** Is there any cost-effective way to get an idea of the use or turnover um of vehicles parked there as we're kind of doing this — let it ride. I mean, it's I agree with the idea to get through the spring and see what happens once construction's done, but is there any way to collect data that would be actionable other than what we hear anecdotally from individuals? [1:15:37] **Eric Carlson:** I mean, I can — I can tell you that virtually every spot, well, it it would be like going to any mall or any fitness facility, every spot that's close to the front door of the school, if you will, is being taken by a high school student because they get there by and large prior to pickleball people, if you will. And so they're taking the the the closest spots and then whoever comes after that is having to walk to whether it be the pickle ball courts or walk maybe a little bit further to get to school. The the only real idea that we have to provide parking stalls that are closer to the pickle ball complex that might work would be if you can think about driving there and driving past the activity center and before you get to the big parking area — it's a kind of a narrow drive if you will — putting some kind of a barrier or barricade at the end of that before it opens up to the big thing and put a sign that says something to the effect of "no student parking beyond." Now, a lot of students will maybe read that and obey that. A lot of students won't and so the internal talk was well then what's the sense of putting up a sign? So, that's why we said let's just let's just see what happens this spring. If it continues to be an issue, we'll have to see if doing that is a good next step or not. [1:17:15] **Randy:** Well, it will continue to be an issue. I, you know, until school is out. I mean, because — [1:17:23] **Dave:** The challenge is it's a public parking lot. I mean, it's a public parking lot with restrictions that there's signs there that say this is no parking for students, basically. And I think the hard thing is how do you enforce it? Yeah. I mean, you know, that's not really the parks department's job, nor do we have the resources to do so. [1:17:33] **Randy:** That's why I think you have to go to East View and find out how can they — I mean, if they're enforcing a parking situation on the other parking lots on the west side, then they've got somebody out there trolling that. And yes, you don't need a permit to park on this other lot, but I can tell you in the afternoon, those pickle ball courts aren't used that much. So, if if there's four people playing pickle ball and those all those spots are filled, you know who's parking there. And it, you know, it's full. I mean, you have to — you're going to have to park in the aquatic center parking lot if you want to play pickle ball the way it's set up right now. [1:18:34] **Dave:** Yeah. And I and I'm not — I agree with you and I agree it's an issue. I I just I do recognize what Eric was mentioning that it's one without an easy solution. [1:18:50] **Randy:** Well, it will take care of itself after 1st of June when school's out. I mean, in the summer months, it's not a problem. So, it's just those two months before school gets out and the two months — [1:18:55] **Dave:** It's an issue in April and May and August and September into October a little bit. [1:18:58] **Mark Shy:** Okay. [1:19:02] **Randy:** I do have one thing I'd like to add um for the future meeting items. Uh we discussed this in our last uh informal meeting, but um I just want to get on there so we don't lose track of it. um to consider uh mission and vision statements for the parks department itself going forward. Um we had discussed that in the last informal and I know that the parks department's very — the staff are very busy and we have a lot on our plate, but I just don't want to lose track of that. So if we could add that to 8A just so we have it on there for future use I would appreciate that. [1:19:35] **Mark Shy:** Okay. Any other agenda items anybody would like to have considered going forward? All right. Well, Dave, would you have a motion? [1:19:54] **Dave:** I'd like to make a motion to adjourn. [1:19:58] **Mark Shy:** I have a motion from Dave to adjourn the meeting and I have a second from Randy. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. [1:20:03] **Committee:** I. [1:20:05] **Mark Shy:** Anyone opposed? Meeting is adjourned. Thank you very much everyone. [1:20:10] **Eric Carlson:** Thank you.