INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND

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1 TO: Park and Recreation Commission FROM: Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager SUBJECT: Skate Park Project Location and Concept Design Approval DATE: February 10, 2016 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memorandum is to request the Commission recommend approval for the skate park project location and concept design to the City Council. BACKGROUND The City Council established a Council high priority for development of a skate park in the Policy Agenda. Funding was established as a part of the budget process. In the FY16 CIP budget ( ) a total budget of $800,000 with $200,000 of that to be fundraised by the skate community. In the fall of 2015, a committee was approved to provide input on the development of an RFP to select a consultant to gather public input and create a concept plan for the skate park along with cost estimates. The following served on the committee: Tony Breitbach, Purchasing Coordinator, Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager, Brian Feldott, Recreation Program Supervisor, Wally Wernimont, Assistant Planner, Laura Bies, Kids in Dubuque Skate (KIDS) and Ben Kahle, Reality Check employee. The scope of the RFP included evaluation of the City s two current skate parks, public engagement, conceptual design development, site analysis and determination, capital and operating costs, fundraising and approvals. On August 17 th, 2015, the City Council approved the selection of Pillar Design Studios as the consultant for the Skate Park Evaluation and Conceptual Design project for a not to exceed cost of $16,295. To be able to get as much community engagement as possible, a webpage was created on the City s website. The link to the website is The webpage was designed to provide updates on the progress as well as collect input for the skate park. News Flashes on the Leisure Services webpage were used as well as 1

2 Notify Me, flyers, Facebook and press releases anytime there was a public meeting scheduled. On October 19 th 2015, City staff met with the consultant from Pillar Design Studios for a kickoff meeting. Staff and the consultant toured the City and the two existing skate parks at Comiskey Park and Mc Aleece Sports Complex. The consultant also met some members from community group Kids In Dubuque Skate (KIDS). Before the first public engagement meeting a Dubuque Skate Park Facebook page was created. The consultant also prepared an evaluation of the two existing skate parks (Appendix A). On November 9 th, 2015, a public engagement meeting was held by the City and consultant at the Five Flags Center to gather input for the new skate park. The meeting was well attended with around 35 attendees most being the skate community but others being moms, dads and interested community members. The meeting gave the consultant a chance to discuss what kind of skate park the community wanted as well as where they might like it located. An online survey was also created for the community to provide input as far as design and potential location. At the end of the meeting the attendees were asked to place a smiley face where they would like to see a skate park built (Appendix A). Most were placed on Flora Park but other locations included the Lower Bee Branch, Veteran s Memorial Park and Usha Park. Additional feedback indicated other locations such as Comiskey Park and Allison Henderson Park. A second public engagement meeting was held by the City and consultant the Five Flags center on December 15 th, This meeting was well attended with around 30 attendees, most being the skate community. The consultant provided two conceptual designs (Appendix A). The consultant and the attendees discussed the pros and cons of both concepts in depth through a 3-D model computer generated program. Following the December public input meetings, City staff met in January 2016 to discuss the possible locations for the skate park. It was decided that based on the community input and other factors, the three potential locations for a skate park would be the Lower Bee Branch near 15th and Pine Streets, Usha Park and Flora Park. Veteran s Memorial Park was not considered due to the proposed Miracle League Field. Comiskey Park is to be master planned and Allison Henderson Park did not have the parking capacity to support a skate park. In March of 2016, public information meetings were scheduled for the three locations identified as possible locations for a skate park. Press releases were created, social media was used and letters were sent to neighboring properties and homeowners around the specific location. A digital online input form was also created for those community members who might not be able to attend the meetings. Dan Kroger, Recreation Division Manager and Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager hosted all three meetings. At each meeting a short summary of the project was given 2

3 and then input was collected on a pros and cons basis. The information from each meeting was then compiled in a spreadsheet (Appendix B). There were also 17 digital online input forms collected for all three of the locations. This information was compiled in a separate spreadsheet (Appendix B). Usha Park was the first public input meeting which was held at Hempstead Senior High School on March 8 th, There were 23 attendees with most being the skate community and 1 being an employee from Dupaco. Approximately 170 letters were mailed to surrounding businesses and homeowners. The Lower Bee Branch location was the second public input meeting which was held at Comiskey Park on March 16 th, There were 25 attendees with most being the skate community and 3 being community members. Approximately 100 letters were mailed to surrounding businesses and homeowners. The Flora Park location was the third public input meeting which was held at Irving Elementary School on March 24 th, There were 55 attendees and was evenly split between the skate community and interested community members. Approximately 250 letters were mailed to surrounding businesses and homeowners. Flora Park was unique in that there were 5 potential areas within the park where a skate park could be built. Each of these areas were discussed individually during the meeting (Appendix B). Location number #5 and location #2 were chosen as the top 2 sites. The consultant prepared a site selection and feasibility study regarding the 3 specific locations (Appendix B). The report is based on skate industry standard criteria and information gathered in the first two public input meetings held in November and December of 2015 regarding location and concept design. It also included the feedback from the three public input meetings. Based on the feedback and public input, Flora Park became the top choice for a skate park. The consultant also scored Flora Park as their top choice using their scoring matrix. Usha Park was second, with the Lower Bee Branch location being third. Leisure Services staff felt that more community input was needed for the top 2 locations within Flora Park since the location was generally described as Flora Park. Staff also felt it was important for the consultant to review the specific locations based on conceptual drawings and potential related costs for each location. The consultant returned to assess those 2 locations within Flora Park on July 5 th, 2016 and prepared an additional report (Appendix C). Input was also gathered from the KIDS community group. They agreed that Flora Park was the best location for the skate park and provided feedback related to the top 2 potential areas within the park to build the skate park (Appendix C). A public input meeting was held on August 31 st, 2016 at Irving Elementary School to collect input related to the top 2 locations (Appendix C). Letters were once again sent 3

4 to neighboring properties and homeowners around Flora Park. Press releases, a news flash on the Leisure Services web page and Notify Me notifications were sent out and social media was used. A digital online input form was also created for those community members who might not be able to attend the meeting. At this meeting, there were 27 attendees with most being the skate community, 4 neighbors to Flora Park, a TH representative and a Council Member. The locations were discussed specifically. At the end of the discussion, each person present was given a ticket to secretly vote for their chosen location. The location chosen was option B with no one voting for option A. There were also 16 digital online input forms collected. This information was compiled in a separate spreadsheet (Appendix C). The final 2 locations at Flora Park were visited by the Park and Recreation Commission on September 29 th, 2016 during their annual facilities tour. Advocates from the KIDS community group were also present at the park to provide additional input related to the two sites. At the October 11 th Park and Recreation Commission meeting it was unanimously recommended by the commission to approve the option B location in Flora Park. Geotechnical work was completed in December of 2016 and survey work was completed in January of 2016 at the approved location for the consultant to provide an accurate final concept design and cost estimates. A final concept design has been prepared to specifically fit the location designated at the Commission meeting. (Appendix D). DISCUSSION It has been a long process to get to the recommended final location and design of the skate park. This is because of the extensive community engagement in determining the location. Staff collected as much community engagement and input as possible with a total of six public input meetings. All of the meetings were well advertised through several different outlets and online input feedback forms created for those who were not able to attend the meetings. The consultant has provided detailed reports regarding evaluation of the existing skate parks and potential site locations for the new skate park. The consultant has been actively working with the KIDS group during the design process. The consultant is also assisting the KIDS group with fundraising ideas and strategies. The KIDS group and skate community have been very active in participation and engagement during the entire process. A summary of their actions since the skate park was built at McAleece Recreation Complex is attached (Appendix E). This summary is provided by KIDS to the Council. They are poised and ready to amp up their fundraising efforts once the location and design are approved by the City Council. 4

5 The next step in the process is to create an RFP for construction and design documents for the skatepark. This can be done during the same time that the KIDS group is fundraising and would allow for bidding to happen in early spring of RECOMMENDATION I respectfully request the Commission recommend approval of the final design concept and specific location of Flora Park for the site of the skate park to the City Council. Prepared by Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager 5