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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes RAB 111802I 0 CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA - Revised November 18, 2002 6:30PM Council Chambers — City Hall 1. Call To Order 2. Roll Call 3. Presentation — Recreational Design and Construction, Inc. 4. Discussion & Consideration Of Potential Bond Referendum Components a. Enhancement's • b. Land Purchase — Parkway Creation — Trust for Public Lands s. Referendum Schedule 6. Comments By the Public 7. Comments by Board Members 8. Adjourn n U CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA November 18, 2002 6:30PM Council Chambers — City Hall 1. Call To Order 2. Roll Call 3. Discussion & Consideration Of Potential Bond Referendum Components 4. Referendum Schedule 5. Comments By the Public 6. Comments by Board Members 7. Adjourn 0 i z CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA November 18, 2002 6:30PM Council Chambers — City Hall 1. Call To Order 2. Roll Call 3. Discussion & Consideration Of Potential Bond Referendum Components 4. Referendum Schedule 5. Comments By the Public 6. Comments by Board Members 7. Adjourn 0 PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES NOVEMER 18, 2002 The Parks and Recreation Board Meeting met on November 18, 2002. The meeting was called at 6 :30 P.M. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Tory Buckley, Mary Ann Hedrick, Phil Milton, Bert Premurso, Wendy Walker, Dave Lil, Michael Axelrod, excused; and Geroge Schmidt. III.PRESENTATION- RECREATIONAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, INC. Before the presentor came forward, Charlotte explained the information distributed. 1. Agenda 2. FYI an article from the Aquatics magazine 3. Flyer- County Campaign for their Recreational Library Cultural Bond Issue 4. Precinct break down of how the City of Palm Beach Gardens voted in the County Bond Election S. Updated Bond Referendum Schedule and Action Plan 6. Break down of what debt it will cost the taxpayers. Allen Owens (Finance Director) will explain later 7. Trust for Public Lands 8. Newest City of Palm Beach Gardens, used to be the Recreational Brochure and it's now called the Activity and Events City News Letter, pointed out on page 8 all the City Advisory and your names appears. There are two Bond Issues (1) Enhancement Project (2) Mac Arthur Blvd Land Acquisition Parkway Development. Presentor — Mike Rosa / Specialized in Design Contractor 1. Qualification of a good contractor 2. Never had a change order 3. Been in business for nine (9) years 4. Design contractor / no bidding, schedule for starting 5. Showed projects that his company has done or revamp in the past IV. DISCUSSION & CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL BOND REFERENDUM COMPONENTS Presentation / Richard Jackson / Glatting Jackson Master Plan — 11 sites divided into three 1. LAKE CATHERINE AREA a. Passive Park b. Softball Complex c. Mac Arthur Blvd Improvement 2. GARDENS PARK a. More sidewalks b. More parking c. Soccer concession storage building d. Batting cage renovation e. Signage and Way findings 3. MUNICIPAL PARK a. Public restrooms b. Stage c. More Shady Trees d. Separate parking from plaza. 4. BURNS ROAD a. Good standing building b. Restroom upgrade c. Opportunity to expand the building d. New roof e. Lighting in Parking Lot 5. POOL a. Separate adult usage from children usage b. Need a new building c. Main pool upgrade d. Competition pool 6. OAKS PARK a. Shade b. Beautify landscape c. Clean lake d. Full Basketball court 7. PLANT DRIVE / LILAC / DOG PARK a. New building b. Dog park — Lilac site c. Skate park lighting d. Roller Hockey roof e. Shade Structures f. Grant program to enhance the cost g. Multi - purpose building 8. PGA PARK a. Access b. Lighting at Sports Fields c. Drainage d. Renovation softball fields e. Picnic Pavilion f. Re -align and enhance entrance road g. Parking lot expansion and renovation 9. RIVERSIDE a. More parking b. Safety concerns c. Better lighting in parking lots d. Building improvement e. Fagade improvement f. Restroom upgrade 10. SANDHILL ACCESS PARK a. Construct the facility for accessibility b. Trailer and Car parking c. Restroom facility d. Improve Boat Ramp 11. TENNIS COURT a. Need additional courts (4) b. Practice backboard c. Controlled access fence d. Shade structure over bleachers This project will total 18.9 Million Finance Director — Allen Owens - Bond Issue A flyer disturbed to gave an analysis (1) dollars required for the upgrading facilities (2) dollars required for the acquisition of enhancement.20 years financing, based on current rates of 4.8 %. An example: Referendum/ $200,000 Homeowner/ Less $25,000. Homestead Exemption, projected annual cost per homeowner. Debt Service Millage 1/3 of a million; base on 18 million for One year a homeowner would pay on a yearly bases $57.68 and $4.80 monthly; vacant land would be taxed as well. Charlotte asked for a recommendation to set -up a Workshop to met the City Council on December 5'h to discuss these issues and on January 9`b considerate question for the referendum. a. ENCHANCEMENT Working with School District to re -plan and have a partnership; Tory has been working with the principal. b. LAND PURCHASE - PARKWAY CREATION -TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS Jack issued a brochure / handout indicated that Broward County Bond Issue is one of the largest in the state; Not for Profit, National Organization. When you are acquiring an additional open space or enhancing the water and air quality, this company is willing to help. (Parks For People). V. REFERENDUM SCHEDULE Our meetings are scheduled on the Third Monday in every month. There are two holidays that will fall in the month of January and February, MLK Birthday and George Washington Birthday, need to re- schedule. VI. COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC 1. John English- interested in a gateway for the city 2. Carol Estrada - trying to do something on Mac Arthur Blvd on street parking. Is a concern with several residents? 3. Mike Martino- Compliments to the staff for presenting a great package, ask the residents to vote on a total package. 4. Ask for a park for kids to play, instead of the street in the neighborhood. VII. COMMENTS BY THE BOARD 1. AREA 1 LAKE CATHERINE PROJECT - adding more parking space 2. GARDENS PARK -not adequate parking 3. MUNICIPAL PLAZA -not a functional plaza. 4. BURNS ROAD No comments 5. MUNICIPAL POOL- 1.6 MILLION 6. OAKS PARKS- restrooms 7. PLANT DRIVE- overflow of Riverside 8. PGA PARK- Lamination 9. RIVERSIDE- Safety, lighting 10. SANDHILL CRANE- no comments 11. TENNIS COURT- materials for the court "eraser" court It was motion and second that we combine the Park Enhancement Land Acquisition in the Bond Issue as one. It was motion and second to set the Bond Issue for 21 million. A Workshop will be held on December 5"' with the City Council and Recreational Board at 6:00 P.M. VIII. ADJOURN The meeting adjourn at 9:09 P.M. • City of Palm Beach Gardens Parks & Recreation Bond Referendum Schedule and Action Plan October 19 Public input session on Enhancements /Improvements November 5 - 20 Preparation of Council Agenda Item (staff) November 5 -16 Referendum Language formation with City Attorney (staff) November 18 Regular Recreation Advisory Board Meeting (RAB & staff) November 21 Presentation to City Manager (staff) December 5 City Council Meeting — Agenda Item Consideration — Agreement with Trust for Public Lands (staff) December 16 Regular Recreation Advisory Board Meeting - Planning Session for Public Education Program (RAB & staff) December 19 Workshop /Presentation to City Council seeking authorization to proceed with a March Ballot question (RAB & staff) TBA Publish Notices (staff) January 9, 2003 City Council Meeting — Agenda Item Consideration — Ballot Questions (staff) January 13, Regular Recreation Advisory Board Meeting (RAB & staff) January 15 - Public Education Program (RAB & staff) March February 7 Ballot Wording due to Supervisor of Elections (staff) February 10 Regular Recreation Advisory Board Meeting (RAB & staff) March 4 Referendum Vote C RECREATION TO: Recreation Advisory Board Members Eric Jablin r FROM: Cheryl McQuiston C RECREATION TO: Recreation Advisory Board Members Eric Jablin Mayor FROM: Cheryl McQuiston Carl Sabatello Administrative Secretary Vice Mayor David Clark Mayor Pro Tem DATE: November 14, 2002 Joseph Russo Council Member Annie Marie Delgado RE: Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled Council Member ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next meeting of the Recreation Advisory Board has been scheduled for Monday, November 18th at City Hall, Council Chambers at 10500 North • Military Trail. Please note that the time for this meeting has been changed to 6:30pm instead of 7:00pm. Please contact the office at 775 -8270 to confirm your attendance or if you have any questions. Clm Cc: Charlotte Presensky Jack Doughney Ron Ferris Patty Snider 0 ONTERNAT/ONAL r in %V E- 30 ISM j VAW POPPING When entering into a relationship with the community, it's all about learning what everyone wants. The only way to find out is to ask, ask and ... ask. by John F. Whitmore, CPRP Special to Aquatics International hese days, it seems as if every time you turn around there's a new aquatics center opening. What's behind this growth? Is it specious lines of reasoning, such as "everyone else has one," "a re- election is coming up," or perhaps the "we must create a monument to our- selves" strategy? In reality, there's a little bit of these attitudes in every project. How can you determine if a new facility is right for your community? The answer is through a care- fully planned and executed community needs assess- ment, research of aquatics facility trends, communi- ty education and a comprehensive feasibility study. Building an aquatics facility is a monumental task; it could take five years or more for the entire process to unfold. The majority of the effort often takes place well before groundbreaking in the form of needs assessment. Leaders must determine who the center is for, how and where it will be built — and whether it should be built at all. Indeed, much of the effort centers on whether to build, rather than where and how to build. The only way to find out is by asking. COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT How does city leadership determine if a new facil- ity is needed? It really has to learn how current facil- ities, public and private, are being used. How well are the facilities attended? How often do pro- grammed classes fill and close? Is anyone ever turned away from public swim times because bather load limits are reached? Which programs cannot be offered because of overcrowding or other lack of pool space? What part of the city do people come from? If they are just coming from the neighbor- hoods around the pool, then maybe many citizens don't come because of transportation problems. The availability of alternative facilities also must be explored. Are there other pools nearby? Do these • THE QUESTIONS pools allow the general public to use them? Some might be in health clubs, high schools, universities, country clubs, homeowners' associations or other organizations that restrict use to their own groups. How are these organizations meeting the public need? In some cases, it may be best to contract with a private agency to provide public programs. It could be the most cost - effective way if there are a number of privately operated pools that have unused space and hours. In this way, some cities have totally leased out private facilities to provide traditional public services. But it has proven quite painful to other cities when services were poor or prices for the ser- vices made the programming affordable only to higher- income households. Community demographics are important to assess- ing need. The most significant demographic is commu- nity growth. Many communities built their first pool after a period of sustained growth. That facility became a source of civic pride and met the hometown demand. One traditional public pool may meet the needs of a community of 20,000 to 25,000 residents. However, when the city experiences another growth spun, that facility may be overwhelmed with demand. The socioeconomic mix of the community is key. Mapping the average incomes, average ages and population concentrations can show where some population segments are underserved. Areas where there's new community growth usually means family growth. Developers often create recreational facilities in new housing tracts to draw in new home buyers when cities do not have adequate facilities. In communities that have under -built or "never built" aquatics facilities, where are people going? Most of the time, they're helping a neighboring city to sup- port its pool by attending, and usually paying higher, nonresident charges. Checking the neighboring city that has more or updated facilities for its percent- ► • A ap- - Decrease water turbulence and s ` you help decrease your swimmers' times. Competitor Racing Lanes disperse and absorb wave energy with a patented flow - through design combined with wave reduction technology. Available in standard 4" or Gold Medal 6 ". Fully assembled and ready to install. -gy�pp O c�" { j 40 800.888.SWIM . E -mail: sales@competitorswim.com www. com peritorswim.com C 2001, Richev Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. 901 -11 Circle 14 on Postage -Free Card f ■ BLUEPRINT FOR i age of nonresident users can be eye - opening. Nonresident usage can be more than 40 percent of its total attendance. What does that mean for the local government, which is underserving the citizenry's aquatics demands? It means there's some loss of civic pride and livability in the town. More importantly, people are spending their leisure dollars elsewhere. Aquatics facilities attract people, and that attracts businesses. The peo- ple support the businesses, the taxes support the facility and community needs are met. TRENDS RESEARCH Once your community needs assessment has identi- fied unmet needs, it's time to examine those needs in rela- tion to the types of facilities that can serve them. The three facility design trends that will need to be researched are traditional and untraditional facili- ties, and a hybrid facility, which has ele- ments of each. A traditional facility is the "old" com- munity pool comprised of a large, con- crete -lined hole with water in it. It's great for swim lessons, swim teams and, with a lot of imagination, it's fun, too. The problem is that this is the video - game generation. That's where untradi- tional facilities come in. These centers add lots of entertainment. They include stand- alone or combinations of splash (or spray) grounds, interactive play equipment in very shallow water, slides, wave pools and continuous rivers. These are currently the most popular style in private- sector facili- ties because they serve large numbers of people, can require a smaller safety staff, command higher user fees and have the best chance of turning a profit. Larger untraditional facilities with waterpark features may charge admis- sion fees in excess of $20 along with con- cession, locker and novelty sales oppor- tunities. These kinds of parks will turn a handsome profit despite higher costs for maintenance, operation and taxes. Successful parks typically turn back a percentage of their profits into a sinking It isn't the glamorous part of pool building, but gaining the public's support is imperative. That's where community meetings come in. 32 AQUATICS 1NTFRNeT1nK1n1 _ ....••........ - (or reserve) fund to expand or upgrade to keep their image fresh and exciting. It's rare for public agencies to build the larger parks; they typically opt for small- er waterparks with just a few entertain- ment features. These community parks can be built close to target neighbor- hoods to allow for walk -in patronage and have bather loads of up to 1,500 at a time. Hybrid facilities might have a tradi- tional competitive pool along with sever- al waterpark features — for good reason. While it's tough to turn a profit with a traditional pool (let alone break even), one with waterpark features attracts enough public attention to make up any losses. And it generates a little profit, too. The waterpark features usually are added as a renovation to an older, tradi- tional pool when enough space is avad- able. Indoor - outdoor facilities are an excellent example of making this con- cept work. Officials in Denton, Texas, have authorized construction of just such a facility. A joint project between the city and the Denton Independent School District, construction is funded through bonds. The revenue is expected to cover operating costs. Result: a facility that does not require taxes to operate and was approved by taxpayers through a bond measure. continnaat on page 34 0- LL • 0 SIMPLY THE BAST! We specialize in the manufacture and refurbishment of public and competition swimming pools. Our commitment to the strictest level of Quality Controls, means that our innovative products are engineered with precision and conform with the relevant F.I.N.A. and U.S. Swimming norms for: movable bulkheads, air bubble system for diving towers and accessories for competition. Swimming Federations around the world have recognized the advanced technology and precision of Myrtha by choosing our pools for some of their most prestigious events: World Championships in Rome -1994, European Championships in Vienna -1995, World Short Course Swimming Championships in Rio de Janeiro- 1995, Olympic Games in Atlanta -1996, Central Asia Games in Almaty -1977, University Games in Sicily -1997, World Championships in Perth -1998, University Games in Palma de Mallorca 1999. Myrtha Pools are also installing com- petition pools for the 2000 European Short Course Championships in Spain, the 2003 Long Course World Championships in Barcelona and the 2004 World Short Course Championships in the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Myrtha Pools USA, Inc. Myrtha one Sarasota Tower 2 North Tamiami Trail, Suite 102 Sarasota, FL 34236 • Informatlon@MyrthaPools.com T w .Myra9 t 5 Fax: 941.955.0862 Circle 38 on Postage -Free Card 33 Questions continued from page 32 UCH It's important to use the demo- graphic data from the needs assess- ment to determine the kinds of fea- tures that will meet public entertain- ment needs. For example, slides are always a favorite with teens — the greater the thrill, the better most teens will like it. Younger children prefer interactive play. Add a few valves, levers, geysers, and dumping buckets and the little ones will be amused for hours on end. One of the best ways to research fea- tures is to visit a number of newer facil- ities of each type. Watch how people interact with each feature, note their ages and which features are more pop- ular, and observe how long the water component holds their attention. One last item to research is how "theming" a facility can add entertain- ment value. The addition of murals on indoor walls, faux rock, patterned con- crete and even sculptures can change simple playgrounds into adventures. COMMUNITY EDUCATION This can be the easiest or the hardest part of the process. If there are trendy facilities in neighboring cities, chances are, many people know about them and have visited them. Nearby communities may even have a large commercial waterpark that has already spent many thousands of dollars to educate the public on how fun water can be. In this case, the public also knows how expen- sive those parks can be and may want to have a closer, less- expensive alternative. The most difficult community edu- cation process occurs when people just have not seen anything other than their own traditional pool. "That pool was good enough for me as a child, and it is good enough for my kids" will become a constant comment. To counter that attitude, you must first show the public that the current facilities are not meeting demand. A separate com- munity meeting to report the needs assessment findings is vital to set the stage for introducing a "new kind of pool." . The real goal is to create buy -in for a new pool. Once that need is recognized, an introduction to the kinds of features can be made in another community meeting. Issues such as fun, family togetherness, youth involvement, safety, affordability and self - sufficiency are some important benefits to stress. The best way to start is in face -to- face presentations and discussions with the public. Special interest groups, such as swim team booster clubs, can help rally whole neighborhoods. The secret to involving groups is to answer the "What's in it for me ?" question. General community meetings can be followed up with radio interviews, cable TV access channel reports, and PTA and school presentations. Once a certain level of community expectation has been created, the public agency must satisfy it with a new facility. A "blue ribbon" committee of citizens and staff representatives should be formed to match the now - documented need with appropriate waterfeatures to pr ' 4 E d � 1 I ,t I • ---!!! Matting Ramaker & Associates' team Reduce of professional engineers is ' n, u ry nationally recognized as experts in the aquatic industry. We've & designed and managed projects of various sizes, from resorts Provide Comfort and waterparks to municipal , and therapy pools.Team within,Y us on your next project for anh =+ -` Textured surface reduces slippage innovative aquatic design. Soft P.V.C. construction gives comfort to bare feet Porous design allows water to RAMAKER drain and air to circulate & ASSOCIATES. INC. cs Street . Ssuk Ck,t Perfect for any Aquatic Application! u2b Dallas Street .Sauk Cky, WI 53583 / 9 PP Volee: 800.332 -7532 . Fax: 608443.7999 Emdl: ramaker®ramaker.com 800-783-2358 Web: www.ramaker.com Member at IAAPA . WWA . NRPA . ARDA _ = aba- mat @juno.com wwwaba- mat.com Circle 52 on Postage -Free Card Circle 45 on Postage -Free Card 34 AQUATICS INTERNATIONAL % JULY /AUGUST 2002 • create a preliminary facility design. This basic design then can be used as a tem- plate for a feasibility study. FEASIBILITY STUDY The goal of the feasibility study is to see if enough business can be generat- ed by the documented need to support the facility. A complete turnkey facility would have operating expenses and bond payments fully covered by operating revenue. This private sector approach is gaining more acceptance in public sector agencies. A second option, and by far the most common, is that the public funds the facility construction through bonds, and the facility revenue supports the operating budget. Feasibility studies can be done in- house if there's enough expertise in the organization. However, many agencies prefer an independent opinion and often contract with recreation consul- tants. Either way, information is collect- ed from public sources, surveys of sim- ilar facilities, pay schedules and market prices for services. Then it is compiled into what is really a "best guess" of expected revenues and expenses. Economic feasibility is just one part of overall facility feasibility. More ques- tions need to be answered to establish if other community resources will sup- port the facility: How deep is the labor pool? There's already a lifeguard short- age in many communities. Which of our competitors are now meeting the excess public demand, and how much of that business will they retain if the city does build? Other recreational opportunities also compete, such as large "dry" amusement parks, movie theaters and "mall crawling" (essential- ly, teens hanging out at the mall). The funding of a new facility is usual- ly much easier when the needs assess- ment, facility feature research, commu- nity education, and feasibility study are done conscientiously. To determine if you've been conscientious enough, see if you can answer "yes" to these questions: Can I document the need for a neu- facility or renovation of an existing one? Did I get enough community input? Has the project's feasibility been established? Congratulations. Public agencies that follow this process often see bond approvals reaching up to 80 percent. John F. Whitmore has been in aquatics for 30 years, working with public and pri- vate agencies managing multiple aquatic and recreation facilities. He has written articles on aquatics management and was awarded the National Park £r Recreation Association's Exceptional Aquatic Service Award in 1998. Currently superinten- dent of leisure services for the city of Denton, Texas, he serves as chief instructor- trainer for NRPA's Aquatic Facility Operator course. He can be reached at john.whi tmore@ci tyofdenton. corn For more on how to involve citizens and private companies, visit... SYSYSl.ilS)J?J' =� :::7JJ' ��.5�lJJJ Circle 16 on Postage -Free Card www.aquaticsintl.com 3S