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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-09-2023 Parks & Recreation CommissionIowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Wednesday, August 09, 2023 5:00 P.M. ' Robert A. Lee Recreation Center — Meeting Room B CITY OF IOVVA CITY 220 S Gilbert Street, Iowa City, IA 52240 Public Comment for each item will be limited to 3 minutes for each person and a total for no more than 30 minutes per item. Written comments submitted to parksondrecreation@iowo-citv.ora, prior to 5 p.m. on Monday, August 07, 2023, will be distributed to the Commission via email in advance of the meeting. Written Comments submitted at meeting will be included in following month's packet. AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER ITEM 2 APPROVAL OF JULY 12, 2023, MINUTES ITEM 3 PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA ITEM 4 PARKS AS STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE - Parks & Forestry Supt. Tyler Baird ITEM 5 REVIEW FUTURE LOWER CITY PARK SHELTER RENOVATION PLAN - Parks & Forestry Supt. Tyler Baird ITEM 6 SCHEDULE OCTOBER COMMISSION MEETING — Dir. Juli Seydell Johnson ITEM 7 REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF a) Parks and Recreation Director—Juli Seydell Johnson b) Parks & Forestry Superintendent —Tyler Baird ITEM 8 CHAIRS REPORT ITEM 9 COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ITEM 10 ADJOURN If you will need disability -related accommodations to participate in this program/event please contact Gabe Gotera, Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department at 319-356-5210 or ggotera@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. IOWA CITY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION PRELIMINARY MINUTES OF JULY 12, 2023 ROBERT A. LEE RECREATION CENTER — MEETING ROOM B Members Present: Alex Hachtman, Rachel McPherson, Melissa Serenda, Brian Morelli, Aaron Broege Members Absent: Connie Moore, Missie Forbes Staff Present: Juli Seydell Johnson, Matt Eidahl, Gabe Gotera Others Present: Sue Protheroe, Mitzi Read, Justin Fishbaugh, Jill Fishbaugh, Carin Crain, Marc Cannon, Anne Stapleton, John Downer CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Hachtman called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: (to become effective only after separate Council action): None OTHER FORMAL ACTION: Moved by Morelli, seconded by Serenda, to approve the May 10, 2023, minutes. Motion passed 5-0 (Moore and Forbes absent). PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Sue Protherce, speaking on behalf of City Park Pool: Back to the Future, thanks Du. Juli Seydell Johnson, City Mgr. Geoff Fruin, & the City Council who have met with members of the steering committee, listened to their vision plan, and offered good advice and public engagement. Protheroe says that CPP: BTF members have been thinking about the public outreach meeting that Parks & Rec staff are planning for Phase 2, should the City Council decide to rebuild City Park Pool, which Brad Barker referred to as an open house in his council presentation on June 20. Protheroe suggests, regarding the format, to benefit the community and bolster the integrity of the public engagement process, to have a meeting with breakout groups of community members, Parks and Recreation Commission members, department staff members, and design team members, where each group would select a facilitator and a recorder to discuss a standard set of guiding questions focused more directly on user and design issues. After a predetermined amount of discussion time, a spokesperson from each table could share salient points with the large group. Protheroe says that the advantages of this format are that community members would have an opportunity to hear one anther's ideas, community members would feel heard and that they had participated in the process in an authentic way, and that staff and consultants would have the opportunity to hear community ideas in a setting that has a lab dialogue. Protheroe proposes that if this process works, then another meeting could follow the presentation of the three pool designs. Protheroe says that she is speaking to the Commission about this now rather than in September because she knows how quickly a plan can be locked into place. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 2 of 10 Anne Stapleton begins by welcoming both Commissioner McPherson and Commissioner Broege to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Stapleton thanks department staff, Gabe Gotera for helping her earlier in the week with a cheerful attitude. Stapleton states that she is a solution -oriented person, but that there is no problem with the RAL pool yet. Stapleton says that for the past 19 months, administrators have only allowed access into the RAL pool on limited hours, which currently are Monday -Friday 2.75-hour & 2- hour periods, Saturday until noon, and Sunday evenings. Stapleton reminds the commission that the RAL pool is a treasure valued by Iowa Citians as shown by the 1,100 signature documents from Summer 2022 supporting the maintenance and improvement of the pool and survey respondents from the Recreation Masterplan who ranked Aquatics number one above all other programs and preferred the downtown central location for accessibility, Stapleton says that she has been a swimmer at RAL pool for 37 years and that the location has always been very popular with swimmers, with swimmers having to wait for an available lane multiple times during the current summer season. Stapleton states that there were 21 swimmers in the 6-lane pool that same day. Stapleton lists a series of problems caused by the current scheduling, no downtown swimming for folks after a traditional work shift, Mercer Pool closing for a swim meet leaving no indoor pool, children need to learn to swim but are unable to tolerate the Mercer pool temps, all of which could be solved by extending open swim hours at RAL pool to the same as at Mercer pool. Stapleton says that the numbers provided by staff do not equate to the actual number of people in the pool at a given time, encouraging the commission to look at the July pool numbers when released to see if it includes her observation of 21 pool users at noon on July 12, 2023. Stapleton asks the commission to not make decisions about limiting the pool hours based on numbers provided in the commission agenda packets. Carin Crain starts by addressing a common goal between the department and herself, that everyone needs the opportunity to learn how to swim. Crain states that she is concerned that the department is missing key opportunities to achieve this goal. Crain says that when walking into the RAL facility, there is no indication that swim lessons are offered. Crain says that she attends the family swim nights on Sundays and Saturdays, where there are many children all in life jackets, pointing out that children love to be in the water but do not know how to properly swim. Crain says that the number of children that know how to swim can be increased by publicizing the availability of swim lessons either throw signage, emails, or even a staffed table at the family swim nights. Crain says that she has two school -aged children in the system that have taken swim lessons but that she has never received any email from Iowa City Parks and Rec about swim lessons. Crain asks the commission if they truly want every child to know how to swim, then why is the commission not taking every step possible to publicize this. Crain refers to a New York Times article on drowning deaths, stating that while drowning deaths has gone down, this statistic is still high for children of color which the department can address by offering more swim lessons. Crain says that she hears that the swim lessons are commonly full but talks about how in March 2023 there were still opening in Level 2 & Pre -School swimming lessons. Crain says that now there are openings in Level 4, 5, & 6 swimming lessons, which are a result of kids taking the earlier lessons but not persisting to a higher degree of water safety. ROBERT A. LEE POOL FALL 2023 HOURS — Asst. Saot. of Recreation Matt Eidahl Dir. Juli Seydell Johnson introduces Assistant Recreation Supt. Matt Eidahl. Seydell Johnson explains that this item is not typically something that the commission would actually weigh in on and that ultimately it is a staff or administration decision. Seydell Johnson elaborates that is not something that would be recommended to the city council but rather to the department staff, and that the item was added to the agenda due to the amount of public input received. Seydell Johnson refers to the staff report, pointing out that sets of numbers from both department staff and the Save RAL Pool group were provided. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 3 of 10 Assistant Recreation Supt Matt Eidahl says that the reasons for his presence at the meeting are not only to speak as the person in charge of customer service staff at both RAL & MPAC but also as the member of staff who pulls the numbers for open swim times. Eidahl states that since September of 2022, RAL Pool has had open swim hours Mon -Fri 6:15am-9am & 1 lam-lpm, Sat 6:15am-3pm, and Fri & Sun $2 swim from 5pm-8pm. Eidahl states that Mercer Pool hours are Mon -Sat 6:15am-8pm, Sun I lam-8pm, and Tue & Thu $2 Swim from 9am-1 lam. Eidahl says that since Oct 2022 he has been recording pool attendance numbers which include pool pass scans, daily admissions, special events, private reservations, water fitness classes, swim team counts, and water certification classes that are open to the public. Eidahl adds that items that are not included in the count are internal certification classes and in-service training that are closed to the public. Eidahl explains that this data allows staff to see how these facilities are being used by the public and how attendance is distributed during open hours. Eidahl refers to the first graph in the memo that shows the RAL average daily pool admission from 6:15am-9am has a consistent average of 17.9 users, which were made using numbers pulled from ActiveNet but also numbers from the Save RAL Pool group. Eidahl refers to the second graph showing RAL pool daily admissions from 1 lam-lpm which has seen the monthly average increase from 12 to 20.2 users. Eidahl notes that in the last 2 months, there have been groups of 10-13 users utilizing the deep end during that time versus just the lap lanes. Eidahl refers to the third graph showing the average daily attendance of the Mercer Park Aquatic Center from 6am-9am, 9am-1lam, and 11 am-lpm. Eidahl explains further that the MPAC 6am-9am averages at 22.6 users, the 9am-1 lam has increased from 19 users to 26, while the llam-lpm has increased from 12 users to 17. Eidahl believes that the sharp increase during the 9am-11 am is due to the $2 swim which sees a lot of different groups and families utilizing the shallow pool. Eidahl says that based on this data, the Parks & Recreation department recommends that the 2023 Fall hours be consistent with the 2022 Fall hours. Seydell Johnson explains that what this item is regarding is setting the hours from September through the end of winter break. Staff would re -look attendance figures around November to determine what to do for the following semester's hours. Commissioner Broege asks what numbers are not included in the pool attendance. Eidahl responds numbers not included are staff training or when the pool is closed to the general public, such as certification classes and in-service training. Commissioner McPherson asks for clarification on the difference between the council and the commission regarding this Item. Seydell Johnson explains that this is generally a staff decision, but that staff has brought it to the commission to receive their advice/recommendation on how to move forward since the item has received a large amount of public interest. Commissioner Serenda asks for a reminder of what the limiting factor is that would prevent the pool from being opened for longer hours. Seydell Johnson responds that when looking at pool operations, the efficiency and effectiveness of lifeguards and staffing must be considered across the entire Aquatics program, so originally the RAL hours were cut for low attendance and for putting resources where they are being used. Seydell Johnson explains that staffing -wise, it costs about $75 for two lifeguards across two hours, which at the time of the hours being cut, were being used for 1 or sometimes 0 swimmers. The idea was that hours would be trimmed at RAL knowing that MPAC was still open during that time. Serenda asks if there is anything that would prevent the department from opening a few days a week with some expanded hours as a good faith demonstration to make the hours available as a test for the fall. Seydell Johnson explains that that can be the Commission's recommendation to staff. Commissioner Broege asks if the staff sees a spike in lifeguards during the university school year. Seydell Johnson says typically not enough to make a noticeable difference. Seydell Johnson adds that aquatics PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 4 of 10 supervisors are usually entering Fall schedules now, so staff that are hired or currently working already know what they're going to be working. Commissioner McPherson refers to the correspondence in the packet and asks if the same standard should be used for measuring the pool attendance when the MPAC pool is 3x the size of the RAL pool. Seydell Johnson says that she does not believe the size of the pool is important in consideration, but rather looks at the pool on a granular level as the number of lifeguards present is the same between facilities. Seydell Johnson says that past decisions had been based on the overall numbers at MPAC and keeping that consistent. Seydell Johnson makes the point that the decision -making should not be one pool vs the other, but more so how the department provides a service to the public, what other services are provided in town, and how can recreation services be used to the most impact. Commissioner Morelli asks for clarification on what the staff recommendation is. Seydell Johnson answers that the staff recommendation is to keep the RAL hours the same as they currently are, 6:15am- 9am and 1 lam-lpm, and return the evening hours to Fri & Sat after the summer swim season is complete. Seydell Johnson says that not many people are looking for the 1pm-5pm hours as those hours see low attendance across the board and that the more discussed focus is the RAL 9am-1 lam. Commissioner McPherson asks about after -work hours for the RAL pool. Seydell Johnson says that typically swim lessons take over the RAL pool during those hours. Commissioner Morelli asks if the review is coming up, regarding the future of indoor pools. Seydell Johnson explains that the current Item is regarding pool hours at RAL and that the discussion of opening/closing of any indoor pools, until after City Park Pool is done at the end of 2025. In the meantime, staff will be monitoring attendance numbers and making operational hours for the upcoming fall season. Chairman Hachtman opens Item 4 to Public Comment. Carin Crain disagrees with the staff recommendation before giving a handout to the commission members. The handout shows a graph comparing both the physical size difference between RAL Pool & MPAC Pool and the attendance difference of early morning & midday sessions between the pools. Crain uses the graph to state that on average there is only 2 more swimmer at MPAC Pool over RAL Pool, while MPAC Pool has 3x the water surface, showing that it is MPAC Pool that is underused and that if a cut should happen it should be MPAC Pool over RAL Pool, not that she wants any cut to happen at all. Crain disagrees that MPAC Pool is cheaper since there should be more guards available for a larger surface area pool. Crain states that that department has said that the RAL pool hours will increase if the attendance increase, but that no exact number/goal has been stated. Crains says that when the target is not known, having 2 fewer swimmers does not justify cutting open swim hours. Crain makes that point that not as many swimmers will be attending RAL Pool, since if they arrive at 8:40am they will be kicked out at 9am, while swimmers arriving at MPAC Pool at 8:40am could swim straight to 1pm. Crain does not believe that the department's own data supports their staff recommendation and asks that RAL Open Swim Hours at least be from 6am-lpm. Crain compliments staff on the concept of the Pool & Pad Crawl, but points out that it is scheduled at MPAC on a day that MPAC is closed. Seydell Johnson clarifies that the Pool & Pad Crawl schedule has been correct on social media. Eidahl explains that the MPAC event will instead be in Mercer Park with water balloons, activities, and an inflatable slip -and -slide staffed by lifeguards. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 5 of 10 Marc Cannon says that this discussion has been happening for years and asks why the accuracy of the numbers are still being discussed. Cannon says that he spends 2 hours, 3 days a week counting attendance at RAL Pool and that he knows how to count, meaning that there is something radically wrong when it is said that these numbers are not accurate. Cannon asks the commission members what their role in this process is and why are numbers still being discussed. Cannon says that numbers are numbers before asking the commission to take their time when considering that MPAC pool is 3x the size of RAL pool, look at the averages, how are they derived, and why are there so many caveats. Justin Fishbaugh asks Eidahl specifically why he can not find anything on the Recreation website talking about what Matt discussed earlier regarding the Pool & Pad Crawl. Seydell Johnson & Eidahl explain that the correction was made on social media where the initial post was made. Fishbaugh says that was the only item he wanted to bring to staff s attention. Seydell Johnson responds to the prompt, won't it take more lifeguards to cover a larger surface area pool like MPAC, yes at a point if the pool were full. Seydell Johnson continues that the number of guards necessary is comparable when both pools are not close to their overall capacity. Seydell Johnson says when looking at the balance of resources, staff have to consider how to be efficient and effective with tax dollars. Not only do pool numbers have to be analyzed, but also how the pool space is used. Seydell Johnson refers to the increase of users during the RAL 11a-lp and says that about 8-10 of those users are all condensed in the diving, leaving generally the same number of users in the lap swim area. Seydell Johnsons says that capacity can still be increased in all areas of the pool, especially when the pools are not near capacity. Seydell Johnson explains that how the pool is used is a factor when considering hours, and it can be challenging to define a cut -and -dry attendance number to reach. Seydell Johnson states that the department does advertise swim lessons and that most sessions are full. Seydell Johnson details that not all classes are full now, but this is because after registration, if there is a larger amount of people on a waiting list for a Level 2 class, but not much interest in a Level 4 class, the call could be made to move the Level 4 instructor to Level 2 at a later date. Commissioner Broege asks if the people in the RAL deep end for water aerobics are included in the pool attendance counts. Seydell Johnson confirms that they are included in the counts. Commissioner McPherson says that her recommendation would be to extend the RAL open swim hours from 9am-1 lam. McPherson mirrors earlier conversation, that people wouldn't come to swim at 8:40am if it were to close at 9am, quoting Robinson (1989) The Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will come". McPherson believes that Marc Cannon had made a fair point about the dedication of the people who have been coming to talk about it for the last year and says that while she may not know the money situation, believes it could be worth the tax dollars and that it won't be appeasing a small group of people. McPherson comments on the unique nature of the central location for the pool arid what it brings to the community, having an incredible variety of programs and people present in the facility. Commissioner Serenda agrees with McPherson and says that she feels that the commission has been dealing with a lot of hypotheticals over the past year regarding whether more users would come if there were more hours or if that growth just is not present. Serenda says that to her, someone not involved with the staffing, it would be an easy test to open the pool from 9am-11 am and perhaps the occasional evening swim. Serenda states that if there is demand for those hours, then it should be evident after the hours are provided which would provide more data for further seasons. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page li of 10 Commissioner Broege says that both swim counts are showing a steady increase and that it would be worth extending the hours just for the FalUWinter of 2023 as a trial period to see if it affects attendance. Broege states that if the number goes up, then the argument is there to keep the extended hours. Commissioner Morelli asks if there are any scenarios planned for extended hours and what these hours would look like. Morelli believes that to get a solid sense of the matter, a change would have to be implemented for every day of the week, as opposed to only extending hours for I or 2 days of the week. Seydell Johnson says that staff would strive for consistency in a pool schedule and would either extend hours as either Mon -Fri, Mon & Wed & Fri or Tue & Thu. Seydell Johnson agrees that only having extended hours for one day would be difficult, especially in terms of staffing. Chairman Hachtman says that the commission seems to be leaning towards adding a consistent schedule of extended pool hours for a trial period, to get a better indication of the data, Hachtman asks if there are any ways to poll swim users for their preferred extended hours. Seydell Johnson replies that a survey this late in prep for the Fall season would not see the results in time to make the schedule. Seydell Johnson says that if the commission is wanting to do the 2-3-day extension, then staff can look over the pool counts by day to determine the best trend to follow, or the commission could recommend extending for the 5 days of the week. Commissioner Morelli asks if RAL open swim hours could match MPAC open swim hours for the duration of the trial period. Seydell Johnson does not recommend the extension for the afternoon hours. Commissioner Morelli asks about the budget impact and what the exact dates are for the Fall 2023 season. Seydell Johnsons states that the extra 2 hours would cost roughly an extra $75 a day which she believes is worth it for a trial period. Seydell Johnson explains that the Fall hours would likely begin the Tuesday after Labor Day through the beginning of the University of Iowa's winter break. Seydell Johnson reiterates the recommendation to staff, as a trial period from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the beginning of winter break, adding the Mon -Fri 9am-I lam hours and tracking attendance to see how the numbers fare. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF Director of Parks & Recreation — Juli Sevdell Johnson Parks and Rec Month: Dir. Seydell Johnson announces that July is National Parks & Recreation month, which was recently proclaimed in Iowa City. Seydell Johnson says that there will be a full-time all -staff training over the lunch hour planned for the following day. Seydell Johnson invites the members of the commission to attend and meet staff from all department divisions. Assistant Supt. Eidahl encourages the commission members to stay past 1 pm after the training to see the Mercer Park Hydrant Party. Project Updates: Seydell Johnson gives updates on several different department projects. The Mercer Park Aquatic Center Entrance project is not going as smoothly as preferred, but that that is not unexpected on this type of project. Several the concrete panels will have to be removed and repoured to ensure the correct slopes for ADA standard. Seydell Johnson expects the current phase to be completed within a few weeks. Seydell Johnson announces that the Hunter's Run playground is completed and open for use. Seydell Johnson says both Kiwanis Park and Happy Hollow Park are waiting for the playground to be delivered before installation can be finished. Seydell Johnson explain that the contractors should be able to complete the playgrounds before the contracted end date in October, but that more work completed by now would be appreciated. Seydell Johnson praises Chadek Green Park, talking about how the playground installation is complete and on the arrival of raised garden plots for accessibility. Seydell Johnson says that the North Hickory Hill Shelter & Restroom project is behind due to a material delivery delay. Seydell Johnson reassures that the project is still expected to be complete during the fall. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 7 of 10 City Park Pool: Seydell Johnson says that consultants have been coming in and out of town for the past week to look over City Park Pool, with a larger meeting with the entire consulting team scheduled for next week. Seydell Johnson describes the Standing Water Test conducted when the pool was closed on July 5, where the water pumps are turned off and the water level is observed. Over 12 hours, the pool was seen to drop 5 inches. Seydell Johnson adds that this test was also conducted the week prior when the pool was closed due to air quality, showing the same results. Seydell Johnson talks about the Dye Test, where someone in scuba gear goes around the pool with red dye, aiming to find where the pool is leaking. Seydell Johnson did not want to give a final report on the matter but confirmed that the pool is not holding water very well. Seydell Johnson adds that the consultations have requested for staff incident reports and maintenance logs to try and find any areas of the pools that have been consistently problematic in the past. Seydell Johnsons believes that the project is on track for reporting to council during either the August 15 or the September 5 City Council meeting, where a decision will be made to either repair or replace City Park Pool. Commission: Seydell Johnson announces that Commission Member, Doloris Mixon has resigned from her commission seat to accept a paid job within the Parks & Recreation department. Seydell Johnson elaborates that there are now 2 commission openings, the first spot being for Penandjo Lemoupa and is expected to be appointed in August, while Mixon's spot is expected to be filled within 2 months. Assistant Recreation Superintendent — Matt Eidahl Sporting Goods Drive: Assistant Supt. Matt Eidahl explains that for National Parks and Recreation Month, the department is sponsoring a Sporting Goods Drive, encouraging the community to donate new or slightly used equipment to either the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center (RAL), the Mercer Park Aquatic Center & Scanlon Gym (MPAC), or City Park Pool. Eidahl explains that the equipment will be collected for the entirety of July before being donated to kids in need or different neighborhood groups. Summer Events: Eidahl brings up the 50 events that are being hosted by the Recreation division over the summer. These events include Tuesday night Rec n' Roll, Thursday night Party in the Park, Saturday movie night, Water Wednesdays & Food Truck Fridays at City Park Pool. Eidahl elaborates on the Recreation divisions involvement in bigger events like Arts Festival, Juneteenth, and the Block Party. Eidahl closes by talking about a Recreation Division all -part -time -staff training at City Park Pool. Eidahl says that the event was well received with about 230 part-time staff in attendance. Due to the number of staff at the training, both MPAC and RAL closed at early at 6pm. Chairman Hachtman asks if there are any specific equipment that staff are looking for. Eidahl responds that they are acceptation anything from fishing gear to t-ball helmets and can be suited to any season of the year. Commissioner McPherson asks if a rowing machine would be accepted. Eidahl responds that the equipment would have to be suited for neighborhood kids and their interests, so a rowing machine is likely not that fit. CHAIRS REPORT: Chairman Hachtman announces his opportunity to accept the proclamation from Mayor Teague June 20 City Council meeting. The proclamation established July as Parks & Recreation month. in Iowa City, IA. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 8 of 10 Hachtman takes the moment to thank the individuals who came to speak to at the City Council meeting to talk about City Park Pool, COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioner McPherson talks about spending time in the Oakland Cemetery, talking with staff. McPherson says that the staff there are big tree people who want to put in the work to raise trees in the cemetery, but that they are heavily limited by their budget. McPherson clarifies that while this is not urgent, it would be worth it to see about having more trees present, adding to the beauty that is already in the Cemetery. Commissioner Morelli ask Du. Seydell Johnson for more context about what's happening regarding the Court hill Park Shelter. Seydell Johnson explains that the new shelter by the playground was installed and that there are still plans for a smaller shelter by the basketball court. Seydell says that this project would be installed by department staff and is waiting on materials, but that at this point, it is not likely to be completed by the Fall season. Commissioner Broege says that there is a lot of underutilized space in Scott Park, which could be used as an opportunity to add additional amenities, such as a new park shelter or community garden plots. Seydell Johnson explains that the largest open spaces in Scott Park are a part of the stormwater management system for the Public Works department and by design floods regularly during a normal summer, making it not viable for additional structures. Broege is glad that the space can be effectively used by the Frisbee Golf league, given the circumstances behind Scott Park. Commissioner Serenda makes note of the Pollinator Prowl event that she is enjoying. Serenda explains that the event a wooden pollinator hidden in 16 parks across town, which members of the community are encouraged to go and out and find before taking a picture to send in for a prize drawing. Serenda says that the event is a fun way to get out and see some of the parks. Serenda comments that there are other parks that have functionality in stormwater management and would be interested in learning more about them in a future topic. Commissioner Morelli brings attention to a "really cool" solar system installation along the bike trail between Court Hill Park and McPherson Park with the planets in relatively correct distances. Morelli explains that the project was a partnership with Willowwind School, with a lot of community members checking it out. Seydell Johnson echoes Morelli's gratitude towards the school, crediting the students and staff for reaching out to the department and for the planning of the installation. Commissioner McPherson refers to the prior May 10, 2023, Parks and Recreation Commission meeting and asks if a consultation firm has been decided for the City Park Pool project. Seydell Johnson confirms that lead firm is Williams Architects out of Chicago, joined by several sub -consultants. Counsilman- Hunsaker is the primary aquatic sub -consultant and has experience with swimming pools in the Midwest. Barry Dunn, who was part of the Recreation Masterplan will be helping with public input if the project PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 9 of 10 gets to that phase. Hitchcock design is the landscape architect on the team, who is also working on the Mercer Athletic Field project. ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Hachtman calls the meeting to adjourn at 6:05 p.m. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD NAME N N N N N N N N N N N TERM rl rl rl rl O 'r rl O O rl rl N rl EXPIRES Aaron 12/31/24 * * * * * * * * * * X NM X Broege Missie 12/31/25 X X X X X NM X O/E LQ X X NM O/E Forbes Alex 12/31/24 X X X X X NM X X LQ X X NM X Hachtman PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 12, 2023 Page 10 of 10 Rachel 12/31/26 * * * * * * X X LQ X X NM X McPherson Doloris 12/31/26 * * * * * * X X LQ X X NM Mixon Connie 12/31/25 * X X X X NM X X LQ X X NM O/E Moore Brian 12/31/25 X O/E X X X NM X X LQ X X NM X Morelli Boniface 12/31/23 O O/E O/E O O NM O O LQ O O Penandjo Lemou a Melissa 12/31/23 X X X X X NM X X LQ X X NM X Serenda KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting LQ = No meeting due to lack of quorum * = Not a member during this meeting as 0 7 U O C 'y U J O Q m u m Q O T r y o w m E N o m C y � m � N W N "OCL m N m O y 'C v w Y Q C c m m o o L y O N GJ 'O C .0 u to co° c u 7 C Y O c m w 'm a a c E as N N v Y O t'' C � . 0. m ` u .m. >, c O L N H C y L N m c y a _ o w � CL E w m v C N J y L O N w += 0. a T o Y C C aJ > h N N L O E 0 0 CL c 3 c m � 7 m U Ew;r. 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'u C N a E 3 N G d 0 0 N C N i O T m w c 0010 O w A V u a D: N t F Public Comments Mitzi Read, Iowa City July 12, 2023 Parks and Rec Commission Meeting Dear Commissioners, I submit these comments for the July 12, 2023, Parks & Rec Commission meeting and have asked that they be included in your agenda packet. I would like to bring your attention to concerns about the contents of the July 6, 2023, memo regarding "Swimming Pool Hours at Robert A. Lee Recreation Center" from Recreation Superintendent Brad Barker to Parks & Rec Director Juli Seydell Johnson that appears in the agenda packet for your July 12, 2023, meeting. The topic also appears as Agenda Item 4 as "Robert A. Lee Pool Fall 2023 Hours." I ask that you give them careful consideration before making a recommendation regarding the Fail 2023 hours at the Robert A. Lee pool. • The memo provides the following average number of users for three weekday time segments: RAL M PAC 6:15am 9:OOam 17.9 22.6 9:00am-11:OOam 20.2 11:00am-1:OOpm 16.5 13.8 RAL = Robert A. Lee Pool; MPAC = Mercer Park Aquatic Center Pool The Department claims that this "data does not yet fully support that the addition of a 9 am to 11 am or afternoon weekday timeslots are needed" at RAL. Considering that the RAIL pool is approximately one third (37%) the size of the MPAC pool, instead of providing justification for limiting RAL's hours, these averages actually confirm a far higher rate of pool use at RAL and its more efficient delivery of recreation services. The data provided completely contradicts the Department's recommendation to continue restriction of RAL's hours. Not only do the provided attendance averages fully support increasing open pool hours at RAL, but they also beg the question, why is the MPAC pool, at nearly three times the size of the RAL pool, being used as the Department's standard to determine acceptable attendance numbers without scaling for pool size? It would be like using the daily customer count at the Big Grove Brewery to set the expectation of the daily customer count at the Bluebird Diner. • Under the "Graphical Representation of Data:" section of the memo, the two charts depicting average attendance at RAL contain columns labeled "Save RAL Group Counts." The title applied to these columns by the Department misrepresents the data shown. Community evaluations of monthly pool count reports quantify the minimum number of identified omissions that represent only a fraction of unreported pool use. Community members do not possess or report comprehensive pool counts. Verification of Parks & Rec data occurs for a portion of days and hours each month and is limited by volunteer availability and their ability to obtain and afford fees for relevant data through public information requests. Public Comments, Mitzi Read, Iowa City July 12, 2023, Parks and Rec Commission Meeting To: Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission From: Justin Fishbaugh Re: RAL Fall Pool Hours Date: July 10, 2023 Included in the July 12, 2023, Commission meeting packet is a Parks and Recreation memo from Brad Barker to Juli Seydell Johnson dated July 6, 2023. Provided in the background information section, there are two sentences I would like to draw to your attention that reference RAL pool use during the 11:00 am to 1:00 pm time slot. 1) "This has grown from an average of 12.0 users per session in October to 20.2 in June." 2) "Staff observation indicates that, at least in the previous two months, an average of approximately 10-13 users in the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. timeslot use the deep -end diving well and the remaining use the lap swim lanes." The first sentence indicates the average use of the RAL pool in this time slot has almost doubled, an increase of 1.7 times from October 2022 to June 2023. The second sentence attempts to downplay this increase by noting that 10-13 of those users are in the deep end, but that means 7-10 people are using the lap lanes in a pool that only has six lanes. Using the Parks and Recreation Department's own data, increasing RAL's fall pool hours is justified. Also note that the second sentence refers to "staff observation" for the previous two months without providing charted daily data to support the "observation." It appears that anecdotal information is being used to justify the Department's conclusion not to increase fall RAL pool hours. O .N a�00 N a N can ), N rI M co J Cl IQ Ch � r--, �.o O O E) 0 O i O O tar Lr) 0 p yTW T Q U m O O 0 v m MmI m I Parks as Stormwater Infrastructure Tyler Baird, Superintendent of Parks & Forestry F � M Types of Stormwater Pa ■ River & Creek Floodways ■ Retention/Detention Areas ■ Wetlands Rivers & Creeks Floodable areas along streams and in some instances include flood buyout lots (e.g., Normandy Dr and McPherson Park). C . Yb "'m. ®�/ P' ®®"' is T, ®� yye, •�, ,•J; J,�pr0� � o m � m• ..N. _ m. dh .�•obi 4 1 ®(�•_ yy Recr,ea�ion Recr au°ou Parts- Recreauo'n Parks e "- Recreation Retention & Detention Retention areas hold water for extended periods of time (i.e., ponds), and detention areas hold water for shorter periods following storm events. EN V" r RANIM ion Parks Recreation r Wetlands Areas that tend to have shallow water, often substantially covered with vegetation growing in the shallow pools, and typically not directly connected to streams. tea, ® r 'w!9 �. •�y � e ®�o 0 Retreat ion Parks x Recreanoii Stormwater Parks by Category Rivers & Creeks (27) Retention & Detention (15) Examples: City Park McPherson Park Longfellow Trail Glendale Park Court Hill Park Riverfront Crossings Park Peninsula Park Examples: Hickory Hill Park Scott Park/Rita's Ranch Villa Park Hunter's Run Park Windsor Ridge Park Walden Green Terry Trueblood Rec Area Wetlands (6) Examples: Whispering Meadows Park Sycamore Greenway Foster Rd Park Am IFSTORMWATER MANAGEMENT PARKS m * * CD STORMWATER PARKS LO�LA RIVERS&CREEKS 10 RETENTION & DETENTION WETLANDS ■ Dam Management ■ Mowing/Tree Removal ■ Access ■ Limited Uses • Vegetation Establishment p t0 A E E E E E E d 0 d � E m .3 O N �n 3 y u O 9 I— F pp O e O d on � C 6 m vi F 1 Q O C I L aj a Y C q' N m U O .Y V cu 6 e o ,u N J ~ Q a < y N K 0 � < a a y a o' 3 e E E E E E f f 2 E E E E N n E E E N N n n V N N V O E 3 N M CN o T a — iol' �; 5 $ , F;7;o $ OS c a b C. e non O Ln.� o a m g m v m o a — e 'a a N.- Y U V A P C:r Q'. is a o a o v a a m e (U a. 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Iowa City Parks & Recreation Commission Packet August 2023 Upcoming Events • Farmers Market; May 6— October 28 (Saturdays only); 7.30 am —Noon Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp • Garden Parties at the Children's Discovery Garden, RALCRC, Tuesdays in August 2:00-4:00 pm • Rec N Roll Series, Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm (Part of Summer of the Arts) o August 8, Terry Trueblood Recreation Area o August 22, Upper City Park • Water Wednesdays, City Park Pool, Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 pm o August 9, Back -to -School Bash o August 16, Swim & Sounds —Awful Purdies • Party in the Park Series, Thursdays, 6:30-8:00 pm o August 10, Chadek Green Park o August 17, Wetherby Park o August 24, McPherson Park (July 27 reschedule due to heat) • Pollinator Park Prowl, July 1—August 13 Notable from Parks & Recreation Staff Parks: • Watering of trees continues to be a staff priority 7 days a week. • Seasonal staff are starting to come to the end of their work seasons. • Parks staff have been working on multiple inhouse improvements/additions to the trail system. • Contracted construction and trail paving projects continue with measurable progress on the Willow Creek Trail, substantial completion at Hunter's Run Park, and soon to begin construction at Kiwanis and Happy Hollow Parks. • Staff lent a hand with RAGBRAI staffing as riders went through Coralville and then Iowa City. • Forestry staff has been working on integrating the new bucket truck into operations and have found new efficiencies in splitting up the crews with the more capable second equipment set-up. Recreation: • Fall activity registration begins August 8 for Iowa City residents, August 9 for everyone. • Recreation Division staff accepted new and gently used sporting goods equipment throughout the month of July in celebration of Parks and Recreation Month. This equipment will be redistributed back into the community in August. Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City Facilities: • Abdou Razac Ibrahim has accepted the part-time weekend custodial position with Facilities. Abdou will start in early August. Cemetery: • Seasonal staff are beginning to end seasonal employment. • Staff will work on stump removal in the next month or two. Top Staff Issues Parks • Drought conditions are stressing many of the plants around town, even those that are well established. • Seasonal staff are ending their seasons and leaving us short staffed in a few locations. Recreation • Extreme heat has cancelled, postponed or relocated a number of outdoor recreation programs. • Program Supervisor staff is replacing many hourly staff that have moved on after graduation and hiring new staff for fall programming. Facilities • The full-time custodian position for Robert A Lee Recreation Center has been posted and applications were due on July 191^, we will be interviewing candidates the week of July 31". • The Aquatics and HVAC team continue to work hard keeping systems running through the summer season. Aging infrastructure has proven to be challenging on many fronts. • Ped Mall Weatherdance Fountain temporary paving stone and anemometer are repaired, replacement motor and pump due to arrive week of July 31st. Pending recirculation system equipment installation, the fountain should be operational early August. Cemetery: • Mowing and trimming is slowing due to dry conditions. • Staff has been busy with watering sod, flowers and trees due to the dry conditions. • Staff will work on fencing young trees for protection from the deer this month. Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City Oakland Cemetery FY 24 Revenue Report ** shaded areas represent previous 5vr average Revenue from Lot Sales Lot Sale Syr Average # of Interments Interments 5yravg. Revenue from Interments 5-year Avg. on Interments Total Revenue Syr Avg. on total revenue July $6,750.00 $4,550.00 3 6.6 $2,642.50 $3,504.00 $9,392.50 $8,054.00 August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June Totals 1 $6,750.00 1 $4,550.00 3 6.6 1 $2,642.50 1 $3,504.00 1$9,392.501 $8,054.00 Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City The following documents were handed out during the meeting. 8/11/2023 LOWER CITY PARK SHELTER/RESTROOM RENOVATION DRAFT PLAN \4 1 yy 1 x ' n mw RE E 17 LARGE SHELTER STANDARD DESIGN SMALL SHELTER STANDARD DESIGN 18 8/11/2023 "RED BRICK" RESTROOM (RENOVATETOINCWDE 4 SINGLE STALLS) "GRAY BRICK"RESTROOM & SHED (REMOVE) M (KEEP) 19 SHELTER #10 (KEEP) SHELTER #6 (KEEP) RIVERSIDE STAGE SHELTER (KEEP) 20 8/11/2023 21 SHELTER #5 (REPLACE WITH SMALL SHELTER) SHELTER #11 (REPLACE WITH SMALL SHELTER) 22 SHELTERS #12 & #13 (CONSOLIDATE NEARBY WITH LARGE SHELTER) SHELTERS #7 & #8 (CONSOLIDATE NEARBY WITH SMALL SHELTER)