{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 1, "text": "apd\nALAMEDA RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION\nMINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING\nDATE:\nThursday, November 9, 2017\nTIME:\n7:02 p.m. Called to Order\nPLACE:\nCity Hall Council Chambers\nROLL CALL\nPresent: Chair Limoges, Vice Chair Tilos, Commissioners Delaney, Chen and Carter.\nStaff: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation Director\nAPPROVAL OF MINUTES\nMinutes of October 12, 2017 Regular Meeting were approved with 2 corrections, by all who\nattended the meeting.\nM/S/C Commissioner Delaney / Commissioner Chen\nAll present and who attended the October 12, 2017 Regular Meeting in favor with 5 - 0 vote.\nWRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\nChair Limoges received and read an email from Linda Johnson, Alameda resident, regarding moving\nthe Main Street Dog Park to provide more Ferry Parking. Director Wooldridge will follow up with Linda\nJohnson.\nORAL COMMUNICATIONS\nSpeaker Dorothy Freeman of the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park, (JSOSP), reported that the\nfundraising for the JSOSP benches is closed. There was an overwhelming response and a total of\nover $39,000 for 30 benches. Received $500 to be added to the Kiwanis/Alameda Community Fund\nplayground. Director Wooldridge applauded Dorothy Freeman for her hard work.\nNEW BUSINESS\n4-A Review and Recommend Public Art Proposal for Jean Sweeney Open Space Park\nHighlights: Director Wooldridge gave the report on the process for the request for public art. In\nSeptember 2017, the Community Development Department issued a Request for Proposals for Public\nArt, which is an ongoing program. Director Wooldridge clarified the process of choosing the artwork\nand that the Commissioners will be reviewing the art that is for the Parks. Chair Limoges clarified the\ncommission's responsibility is to approve so the Director can provide a letter of approval.\nNorman Moore proposed an art piece for JSOSP, titled \"Gateway to California.\" The JSOSP Steering\nCommittee already reviewed his proposed art piece and unanimously agreed that it was a good fit for\nthe park and recommended the art piece to the Recreation and Parks Commission.\n1", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 2, "text": "All creation and installation would be funded by the public art grant. Maintenance is minimal and\nrequires hosing the piece down when urban grit accumulates and, once annually, applying a coating of\nwater sealant. This can be managed within the scope of the Parks Maintenance budget.\nNorman Moore, artist, answered questions and shared his Gateway concept behind his art piece.\nHe wanted to capture the ocean by using the blues and greens of the ocean.\nCommissioner Discussion:\nChair Limoges: Questions about the fragility of the ceramic glass. Artist response was that it is\nembedded in cement which makes it as strong as the cement. Commission Limoges expressed\nconcern that it feels disconnected to the garden location as it has so much of the ocean them. Prefers\nthe location to be in the middle of the open space area. Artist Answer: The advantage to the art piece\nis that it broadens the experience by mixing elements of nature.\nVice-chair Tilos: Likes the idea of having a magnificent piece of artwork in the parks and thinks it goes\nwell with nature. It's like getting a piece of art at no cost to ARPD to enhance the Parks.\nCommissioner Delaney: Asked if the glass would reflect light. Artist Answer: Yes, the glass is very\nreflective. Commissioner Delaney auestioned if the theme of JSOSP was to honor the railroad\nhistory. Directdor Answer: The goal was to be sure we honored the railroad which we are doing in\nvarious areas of the park. This piece celebrates the open space and natural environment of JSOSP.\nCommissioner Carter: How many years before the trees would look like the picture? Chair Limoges\nsaid they will be bringing in mature trees.\nCommissioner Chen: Asked if artist had had experience making something of this size. Artist\nAnswer: Yes, I did a piece in New York which was between 18 and 25 feet from steel. Also said he is\nopen to changing the location.\nVice-chair Tilos made motion to approve the art work by Mr. Moore in the Jean Sweeney Open\nSpace Park.\nM/S/C Vice-chair Tilos / Commissioner Delaney\nAll present in favor with a 4 - 0 vote. Abstention - 1, Chair Limoges\n4-B Review and Recommend the Littlejohn Park Playground Design\nDirector Wooldridge gave a presentation on the Littlejohn Park playground design which will be a\nNational Demonstration site. It is an all-inclusive playground for all children to play together and learn\nfrom each other. It will include two expression swings and two ADA swings. Two grants were secured;\nHousing Related Parks Grant for approximately $125,000 and those funds were matched with the\nCalifornia Parks and Recreation Society (CPRS) - Healthy Play grant. Friends of the Park is donating\n$20,000.\nCommissioner Discussion:\nChair Limoges: Can we find funding and space for the platform wheelchair swings? Answer: No space\nin present design due to the required fall zones. Also, it is an outside company and this grant requires\nthe use of GameTime components. However, it could be included at a later date if the border of the\nexisting playground is expanded and funding identified. Chair Limoges: Clarified that the benches\nalready there would stay. Answer: Benches would remain but may be moved within playground area.\nAlso would like to see some shade structures for benches. Answer: Park maintenance will be planting\n4 to 5 trees near the playground that will eventually give shade. As funding becomes available for the\nPark maintenance, they have discussed putting more shade structures where they can. Chair Limoges:\nConcerned that all three panels obscure a problem to sight lines as they are not transparent and could\nbe a problem seeing the children. Answer: Each panel is an activity panel which would be difficult to\n2", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 3, "text": "make transparent, however; the benches could be moved to provide a better sight line. Limoges: Has\nany one given thought to the impact that will be coming when the Del Monte Building project is\ncomplete? Answer: The Jean Sweeney Open Space Park was intentionally design and placed a\nplayground closest to the Del Monte project side.\nVice-chair Tilos: When they replaced Woodstock Park playground, they incorporated the seal logo;\nwould like to see the ram logo for the Buena Vista Ram at Littlejohn Park to maintain the history.\nCommissioner Delaney: The Wheelchair Platform Swings are possibly expensive but would love to\nsee them in at least one of the Parks. Let staff analyze if this is the appropriate park for the platform\nswings.\nCommissioner Carter: Since the park is designed for children with different physical abilities, would\nlike to see swings that are platforms that you can put the wheelchair on to swing. Is the swing accessible\nby wheelchair? Answer: Yes, it is poured-in-place rubber surfacing. Is this the only vendor who\nproposed? Answer: The grant is a collaboration between GameTime and the funder, CPRS and\nGame Time is the required vendor. Normally for a park of this size we provide multiple company design\noptions.Commissione Carter: So the option for the platform swings could possibly be changed out with\nthe present swing design? Answer: It wouldn't be funded by this grant and could to check with the\nfunder to see if another company would be allowed.\nCommissioner Delaney made motion to approve the design for the Littlejohn Park playground\nequipment and agree this design should move forward.\nM/S/C Commissioner Delaney / Commissioner Chen\nAll present in favor with a 5 - 0 vote.\n4-C Review and Make Recommendations to Update the Recreation and Parks Commission By-\nLaws\nCommissioner Discussion\nChair Limoges: Update name to City of Alameda Recreation and Parks Commission. Would like to\nchange the order of business and update Section 6 Order of Business. Consolidate it so it matches\nwhat we are doing and is clear.\nCommissioner Delaney: Article 4, Sec. 1 - change to reflect a two-year term versus one year for Chair\nand Vice-Chair.\nCommissioner Carter: Would like to see more subcommittees. Also wants to read the bylaws of other\nCity of Alameda commissions who are similarly appointed.\nChair Tilos: Maybe look at 3 other Commissions' bylaws instead of all 15 Boards and Commissions\nCommissioner Carter made motion to table the bylaw review and establish a subcommittee\nconsisting of Chair Limoges and Commissioner Carter.\nM/S/C Commissioner Carter / Commissioner Chen\nAll present in favor with a 5 - 0 vote.\nREPORTS\nA. Recreation Commission Reports\nCommissioner Chen: Visited Japan. Noticed they have less playgrounds in parks and\nappreciates Alameda parks and her kids' opportunity to play here.\n3", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 4, "text": "Commissioner Delaney: Attended an East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Measure CC\nmeeting at Harrison Center in Lincoln Park last Saturday. This measure was voted on in 1994,\nincluded Alameda. It has generated over $34 million for infrastructure, safety, maintenance in\nEBRPD. Projects include enhancement of Crab Cove Visitor's Center, now year-round;\nincreased police patrol along shoreline trails. Met Ellen Corbett, who is the Board Director for\nWard 4, which includes Alameda. Commissioner Delaney expressed concerns about smoking\nin parks/beaches, homeless at beach, security and better parking at Crab Cove.\nChair Limoges: Interviewed by Dorothy Peri, Encinal High School student making a\ndocumentary of JSOSP park construction that should be finished 3 months after the park opens.\nVice-chair Tilos: Attended groundbreaking ceremony at Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for\nCross Alameda Trail. Attended Alameda Boys & Girls Club Kids Night Out fundraising event of\nwhich adults get paired with a kid to play games, earn points and spend time with the kids. It\nwould be great to consider an ARPD event that has some kind of connection to the park t-shirt\nleague to give back to the community.\nCommissioner Carter: Felt trail opening was a touching event and a monumental moment.\nBroadcast documentary to a broader audience to encourage rails to trails and park projects.\nAttended Alameda Loop shuttle ribbon cutting event. Attended Library Book sale.\nB. Friends of the Park Report (FOTP)\nCommissioner Delaney: Sponsored Teen Halloween Haunted House at South Shore which\nis a great connection between ARPD and the teens. Pat and Christina ran the event this year.\nC. Recreation and Parks Director Amy Wooldridge Report\nMastick Senior Center\nThe \"World Comes to Alameda\" a memoir written by Mastick Senior Center members is expected\nto be released before the holidays with a tentative book signing.\nThe annual Holiday Sing-Along with Jim Franz and friends is December 7 at 10 a.m.\nOn Tuesday, December 5, Mastick will host a Holiday Art Boutique featuring creations made by\nmembers participating in Mastick Senior Center art classes. The boutique is open to the public and\nan opportunity for our artists to sell their creations. Alison Limoges and Diane Alabaster are\nassisting with this event.\nThe ribbon cutting for the new Alameda Loop Shuttles was held on October 30. The shuttles are\navailable for everyone.\nThe two dining rooms at Mastick Senior Center will be painted beginning November 13.\nParks Maintenance\nReplaced arbor over the stage at Harrison Center.\nInstalled a new, large group BBQ and kept the older, smaller BBQ but put a stainless steel top over\nit to create a prep area at Littlejohn Park.\nWood chips were filled at Bayport and Franklin Parks.\nRepaired electrical service at Woodstock for pathway lights and irrigation.\nReplace 3 bollard Lights at Marina Cove Park.\nRenovated Atlantic soccer field.\n4", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 5, "text": "Repaired large water service break at Shoreline Park.\nEmployee training: CPR, Field turf Maintenance, Astro turf Maintenance.\nReclaimed and repaired the corners of Main Street Linear Park from water being off during the\ndrought. Irrigation has been repaired in these areas.\nThe lights at the tennis courts at Lower Washington remain off but new security lids are almost\ncomplete and new wire will then be run to get lights working again.\nAdmin\nFollow up on alcohol and recreation buildings not in parks, such as Veteran's Building and the\nAlameda Point Gym.\nPer Alameda Municipal Code 23 - -1.7 - Alcohol in Parks states:\nNo person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverage in the outdoor areas of\nany City park. No person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverage in City\npark buildings except as authorized by permit from the City.\nConfirmed with Police Chief that this includes any City recreation building regardless\nof whether it is located within a park.\nFollow up on Encinal Beach cleanup bags requested: These are from All One Ocean. They would\nenter into an agreement with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) who then installs it.\nEBRPD requires that there be a volunteer who takes responsibility to keep it clean and check to\nmake sure there are bags in the box; EBRPD does not maintain it or stock it. If the volunteers stop\ntaking care of it, then they remove it. There is one currently at Crown Beach.\nFollow up on Leydecker Curry Court surfacing concern: Park Maintenance Manager is aware of the\nissue. It is not the coating surface wearing out from irrigation but all the cracks reflexing\nthrough. When Under Armor improved this court, ARPD asked for a full resurface before coating\nbut Under Amour chose to only patch the cracks.\nRecreation User Fee Schedule to City Council -Staff will be making three recommendations that\nare different from the Commission recommendation. The Commission recommendations are made\nclear in the staff report and presentation. City Council then makes the final determination on fees.\nOpen Gym: Commission recommended increasing the adult drop-in open gym fee from $6 to $8. Staff\nrecommendation is to keep the Alameda resident adult gym drop-in fee at $6 but add a non-resident\nfee of $8 in order to keep strong attendance and provide a benefit for residents.\nAdult flag football league rate specific to Estuary Park synthetic turf field. Commission recommended\nthe Non-Resident fee for this activity be increased to $900 per team, however staff continues to\nrecommend that Non-Resident league teams at synthetic fields be charged $800 per team per 10-game\nseason. ARPD is working to expand its adult flag football league and wants to continue to grow the\nleague. A higher fee may be a deterrent and this synthetic turf fee is already higher than the current\ngrass flag football team fee.\nLastly, a 3% increase is proposed to be added to most rental and program activities, but excluding all\nathletic facility fees and deposits, in order to recoup transaction fees for a new, user-friendly web-based\nregistration system. ARPD will be paying fees now based on a per transaction cost rather than an\nannual fee. Staff determined that this fee should be incorporated into all rental and activity registrations\nto ensure that the Recreation Fund does not experience a net loss from transitioning to a new system.\n5", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 6, "text": "Commissioner Discussion:\nCommissioner Carter: Request to meet with the City Attorney to understand section 2, article 1 of the\nbylaws. Believes staff recommendations are against the bylaws and is only the Commissions\" duty and\nresponsibility and not the staff's. Answer: To clarify, the Commissions are still Advisory Boards to\nprovide the City Council with a recommendation of which the City Council ultimately makes a choice.\nVice Chair Tilos: We made a recommendation and staff is presenting both which is reasonable. Staff\ncan always bring a recommendation to Council and I have faith in the process and in the staff and\nappreciate the staff for getting more information to make a recommendation as they know the programs\nbetter than the board. We have to have faith in the council to hear both point of views. It is how it has\nbeen done for years.\nCommissioner Delaney: The staff is trying to nurture a program to see that the program grows. This\nCommission has worked hard over the last 5 years to gain credibility and if anyone supports that it has\nbeen Director Wooldridge and her staff and suggest that for now that we recognize that observation. I\ndon't have an issue with staff making adjustments to some of these fees, based on their personal\nknowledge as I trust their logic, knowledge and experience on whether or not they can promote a\nprogram. I agree that this Commission needs to be seen as a viable body of people but in this case I\ndo not have an issue with it.\nChair Limoges: Comfortable that the City Council has the final ultimate say and comfortable with staff\nmaking a recommendation based on additional information to present to the City Council to help guide\ntheir discussion. Is the issues on the User Fee time sensitive? Answer: Yes, in the future we can start\nthe User Fee schedule changes earlier to provide two months for Commission discussion. Chair\nLimoges concerned that the City Council will see the Recreation Commission as being not accountable\nif there are changes from the staff. Suggested that Director Wooldridge not take staff's suggestions to\nthe Council and instead the Commission could revisit them after the Field Allocation. Answer: The\nagenda is going out tomorrow and she check if it could be changed to remove the staff\nrecommendations. She reminded that this body is an advisory body for the council. That is why the\nreports say \"Review and Recommendation\" on every motion.\nCommissioner Chen: Do the fees that the Commission voted on go to the City Council for approval\nas well as the staff's? Answer: Yes. Commissioner Chen: It goes back to the bylaws if they are set in\nstone because it says we the Commission have the responsibility to set fees and charges, so that's the\nambiguity. Answer: The City Attorney has stated strongly in another matter that the Commission is to\nadvise the City Council so it comes back to the Commission being an advisory body.\nTrainings: Staff is participating in ongoing disaster preparedness training at new EOC. Also,\nsensitivity training offered by the Center for Independent Living (The CIL).\nActiveNet implementation with \"Go Live\" anticipated in December. This effort is requiring\ncoordinated efforts from every area of the department. Proposing a 3 percent increase on all rentals\nand programs to cover the 4.25 percent fee on credit card transaction to balance to budget from the\nnew software program.\nPublic art in Parks - 3 more potential artists coming to RPC in December.\nJean Sweeney Open Space Park - Phase A (Eastern side) - starts construction mobilization on\nMonday.\nRecreation Services\n6", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2017-11-09", "page": 7, "text": "Teen Haunted House very successful and was featured on Channel 4 and Channel 7. There was a\ntotal of 1,237 volunteer hours provided by over 80 teens of Alameda. A big thanks to Alameda\nFriends of the Parks for supporting this event.\nPumpkin Decorating contest by RAP and Parks and Playgrounds went well and are in main office\nfor the public to vote.\nHoliday Boutique was very successful at the O' Club and money raised is for the Leisure Club and\nARPD scholarships.\nNew flag receptacle mounted outside Veterans Building where citizens can drop off used and\ntattered flags so that they can be disposed of properly by the Boys Scouts\nUpcoming Events\nEstuary\nPark\nGrand\nOpening:\nTues,\nDec.\n12\nat\n5pm\nwith\na\nreception\nhosted\nby\nLittle\nLeague\nand\nWolverines afterward at the O' Club.\nMayors Tree Lighting - Dec. 2 at 4:30pm.\nBreakfast with Santa on Dec 9 at 10am at the O' Club.\nFREE Starlight Movie in the Park - Dec. 1 at 5:45pm. Collaboration with College of Alameda on\nDec. 1 at COA Gymnasium. Featured Holiday movie is \"ELF\".\nFREE Theatrical Performance to be held at Franklin Park on November 12 at 4:00 called the \"Elixir\nof Life\".\nAlameda Community Band - Holiday Concert is on December 8.\nAlameda Sings! - Alameda Community Chorus concert is on December 1; both at the Veteran's\nBuilding.\nITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA: Public Art Proposals, ParaTransit Update, Interest of doing a second\nmural at the state park, bylaws. Commissioner Carter wants an update on leasing the tennis courts to\nthe soccer group, wants a subcommittee for the field, gym and related allocation prior to the policy\nbeing submitted and wants an update on the restrooms at the Alameda Point Gym. Director\nWooldridge volunteered to address the Alameda Soccer Club and update on the bathrooms at the\nGym in the Directors report.\nSET NEXT MEETING DATE: Thursday, December 14, 2017\nADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Delaney made a motion to adjourn the meeting.\nM/S/C Commissioner Delaney / Commissioner Carter\nAll present in favor with a 5 - 0 vote.\nChair Limoges adjourned the meeting at 10:18 p.m.\n7", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2017-11-09.pdf"}