TOWN OF MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT ADVISORY RECREATION & PARK COMMISSION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010 MINUTES

Transcription

1 Meeting began at 7:04 p.m. TOWN OF MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT ADVISORY RECREATION & PARK COMMISSION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010 MINUTES PRESENT: Chairman: Tom Crockett; Commissioners: Ken Miffitt, Bill Gochee, Dennis Cumberbatch, Owen Carroll, Frank Livingston; Parks and Recreation Staff: Scott Sprague; Field Services Staff: Ken Longo Guests: Kathy Thornton, Eddie Widofsky MINUTES: The minutes for September 2010 were unanimously accepted. COMMUNICATIONS: RECREATION REPORT: The three Recreation Centers opened the first week of October for the indoor season. The fall programs are in progress. All programs that were expected to fill, did fill to capacity. All indoor swim lessons have a wait list. Fall softball ends next week. There are 47 teams for adult volleyball this year. This program continues as one of the best in the state. The Senior Games may want to come back to Manchester. However, there are still unpaid invoices (direct expense reimbursement) from the 2010 event. They have been sent bills and phone calls have been made. The Town had very short notice for this event and was very accommodating to this organization. The Senior Games went well and were well run. Cricket players are still seeking a playing field, but the players may not be Manchester residents. The proposed capital budget was mailed to all of the Advisory Recreation and Park Commissioners. Scott Sprague asked that the Commission members review the budget so there can be a discussion at the November meeting. The resurfacing of the high school track needs to be a high priority. It is at the top of the list. FIELD SERVICES REPORT: Ken Longo reports that there was a great meeting between the full staffs of Parks and Recreation and Field Services. There was a review of the summer season and a discussion of priorities for the fall. The pools are closed. There were a lot of significant repairs this season. Verplanck is still closed. Waddell re-opened this year. The in-field of one Little League field was renovated after the 2010 season ended.

2 MINUTES 2 OCTOBER 21, 2010 Hillstown #2 is shut down for renovation work. This was done for the fall growing season in cooperation with soccer club. The Oakwood club has a new complex in Portland with artificial and natural turf fields. The winterization of fields and facilities with running water is in progress. Softball fields are being prepared on a daily basis to support the fall softball league. The New State Road football practice area has no lights. When it gets dark, players move closer to the softball field to take advantage of the lights. This is causing safety concerns for spectators who have their back to the ball field as well as players. The new Athletic Director, Lindsey Boutillier at the high school is working hard to improve the working relationship with Recreation and Field Services. He is helping to preserve fields by moving events to other locations in town. In turn, press box work was done and the bleachers were re-arranged. A good relationship is developing. Lindsey was a school administrator in Hartford before coming to Manchester. He also upheld physical education classes being held on the practice field only, not the game field. Funding is available for re-soding the high school field in the spring. The work will begin after the JI Track Meet. There has been a rash of vandalism which has led to some costly repairs. A slide was destroyed. There was also damage to the skate park. The Road Race preparation is in progress. Perennial gardens in town have been trimmed back. The Bennet Middle School field has improved greatly. It is currently shut down to any organized event. The turf is re-establishing. The true effects of the new law restricting pesticides at K-8 school sites will be seen next spring/summer. Ball fields at these sites will not be in the condition users have come to expect. The Robertson School s field is park property, not school property. It is unclear what will happen, as the school uses the field for recess. The law is property specific. Park and Recreation fields can have any product necessary on them. The law only affects school fields. This law has already been appealed. Discussions are ongoing. OLD BUSINESS: The facility naming/naming time limits/advertising space matters were researched. Add space is available on donated scoreboards. There is a lot of opportunity in parks to put up advertisements, but where do you allow? Every bleacher? How is the worth of an advertising space determined? Information packets were passed out to all Commissioners in attendance this evening. Most towns give all the advertising monies to the youth sports programs. The advertising signs on baseball/little league outfield fences give the fields a ballpark feel. However, if signs are put on bleachers, it may look tacky. Is the purpose of advertising to

3 MINUTES 3 OCTOBER 21, 2010 supplement youth sports? Would there be limits on who can purchase the ad space? Liquor stores? Has there been any word about the status of the former Silkworms? The Charter Oak to Highland Street section of the bike path is currently under construction. It is planned to eventually continue the path to the Bolton town line. There will be no lights. It was questioned if there would be any parking across from Highland Park Market. Commissioner Cumberbatch reports that the Bennet field has become wavy. Can it be rolled? Grass conditions have improved from past years, but it is very bumpy. Rolling compacts the field. It may be better to aerate and top dress the field. Ken will look into this matter. The field use fee for the Cheney Tech fields is still under discussion. The request letter was written this past summer. It reminded them what the Town has done for them at no charge for the past 40 years. The Town is willing to reimburse Cheney for direct costs, but does not want to pay the facility use fee. There has been no response to the letter yet. On November 6 th, Midget Football wants to use the Cheney field. There is a push for the use. The Midget permit would be between them and Cheney, but the Town is supportive of the program. Cheney would be a good place for a soccer tournament and some football. The girls softball regional tournament also needs space. The Town would not abuse the privilege of using the Cheney fields. Community use was always a part of the idea for Cheney s artificial turf field. The lease between the Town and the country club is in negotiation. A resolution is expected in the near future. NEW BUSINESS: Manchester resident Kathy Thornton is present this evening to discuss adult swim passes. The adult lap swim program is treated like a class, so it now has been switched to three sessions. The cost is now $50 per session. Adults can swim 6:15 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. or 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Ms. Thornton feels that if adults register for all three sessions of swimming each year, they should receive the pass for the outdoor season for free. Ms. Thornton participated in swimming in town for 25 years. Those under age 21 in town receive a facility pass at no charge. As a teacher, Ms. Thornton believes in recreation. Ms. Thornton feels the adults pay more in order for the youths to get free facility passes. A pass was $25, it is now $50. Some people have a hard time paying $50. The adult swim program was in danger of being cut. Adults use to pay only $50 for a pass. They now must pay a $50 registration fee per session. From 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. is a free youth swim. 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. is adult lap swim. There are four to ten people who attend the evening swim on a regular basis. As many as 15 people attend the morning swim session. In the spring, the pool is only available Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but the fee doesn t get reduced. The IOH pool has adult activities, but they don t have the same fee. If adults do laps at Globe Hollow, no extra lifeguards are needed. Most of the indoor group does not swim in the outdoor pools; they swim at a lake instead. The high school pool s fall session runs from fall until Christmas, $50. The winter session is $50 and the spring session is $50. The facility pass for the summer is $25 for a total of $175 to swim year-round. To swim between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., you have to have a facility pass, as it is a free swim. A facility pass will only get you into a free swim session, not into programmed adult swim sessions. Ms. Thornton

4 MINUTES 4 OCTOBER 21, 2010 is here this evening, as she would like everyone to have the opportunity to pay for three sessions of indoor swimming and receive a complimentary summer outdoor pool pass. Scott Sprague stated this scenario only affects four adult swim attendees, as other participants are senior citizens. The $5 senior card (age 55+) is recognized as a facility pass. Does the Park and Recreation computer system have the ability to track those eligible for possible complimentary summer passes? The Commissioners present this evening discussed Ms. Thornton s proposal. If the $150 is paid all at one time, could a facility pass be immediately given? If the receipts for three paid swim sessions are presented, could a card then be given at a later time? This group of adult swimmers now pays three times what they were originally paying to swim. Ms. Thornton will not have to go before the Board of Directors herself. Scott Sprague will notify the Board of Directors of the Advisory Recreation and Park Commission s decision on this matter during the budget approval process. A motion was made that any adult that registers for all three sessions of indoor swim will receive a complimentary facilities pass for summer pool use, beginning in The motion was unanimously passed. A facility pass costs $25 in April and $50 in September. Eddie Widofsky originally planned to attend November s Commission meeting. Mr. Widofsky is an architect in Hartford. He is on the Little League board. He was advised no action will be taken tonight. Little League would like to pay to create a bullpen area in Northwest Park. There may be maintenance costs involved; it may be possible for Little League to maintain. The fence and netting would need to be extended. A gate and taller poles would need to be added. Bleachers are near this area. The plan has to allow for access by maintenance equipment. Currently, there is crushed stone along the fence. This would continue where fence is added. They would like to do two bullpens, but they don t want to cut down trees. This plan wouldn t affect the drip line of the trees. It is possible there are underground lines/pipes in the area. Regional and State tournaments are held at Northwest Park. Could there be a problem if only one bullpen was available? Are there any alternate locations that could accommodate two bullpens? This plan could take away from the field, especially for bigger games, as this area is used for 100 people who watch the game standing along the left field sideline fence. Currently, players just throw behind the press box. There is no space on the right field side for dugouts. Bullpens outside the outfield fence is not an option as there is a substantial slope as you move away from the outfield fence. It is pitched toward the pavilion. Should parking be eliminated in order to accommodate the bullpens? It is a very tight area. Most players would use the bullpen before a game to warm up. They also go along the sideline fence. If the concession stand was located elsewhere, it would be okay. Could a temporary area be made at the larger field? This is not possible, as both fields are used at the same time. Bullpens are not really necessary for Little League. Many coaches are expressing interest, as other fields in town have space out of the way for this purpose. It would be nice to have. Could a three sided fence be added without extending the net? Could a retaining wall be built and fill added to level off an area outside the outfield fence? Ken Longo stated the area would need to be built up. This park attracts out of town people. There have been lots of compliments about this field. Could someone stand behind the catcher if they warm up between innings? There is an emphasis on safety, so that wouldn t be possible. It was questioned what the cost would be to build up the ground in right field. Each bullpen needs to be 9 ft. by approximately 66 ft. Could one bullpen be placed at each foul line? Could the bleachers be moved away from the dugout? The bleachers are fixed. Bleachers are

5 MINUTES 5 OCTOBER 21, 2010 put in this area for large events. Could the below grade area be utilized? Whenever earthwork is involved, there are costs. Could two bullpens end to end be placed horizontal to the home run fence? No action will be taken tonight, but it is good Mr. Widofsky came this evening to obtain the comments/items for thought. Adjournment Respectfully Submitted,