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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - February 20, 2025, Regular Meeting of the Ames Parks and Recreation Commission MinutesCITY OF AMES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES DATE February 20, 2025 COMMISSION PRESENT Sarah Cady, Janet Rathe, Duane Reeves, Debra Tapp, Jeff White ABSENT Jeff Iles, Nathan Shimanek STAFF Keith Abraham, Joshua Thompson 1. CALL TO ORDER: 4:02 PM 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: (Reeves/White) to approve the January 16, 2025, meeting minutes. MOTION PASSED: (5-0) 3. PUBLIC FORUM None 4. MOTION APPROVING AGREEMENT WITH MID-IOWA LACROSSE ORGANIZATION, INC. Mid-Iowa Lacrosse Organization, Inc. (MILO) and Ames Parks and Recreation wish to continue partnering to offer lacrosse clinics at Emma McCarthy Lee Park. Abraham reported participation increased to 14 registrations in 2024, up from 8 in 2023. MILO hopes for continued growth. The renewal agreement is unchanged from prior years. MILO provides equipment and instruction, and program fees are shared – 60 percent paid to MILO and 40 percent retained by the City. MOTION: (Rathe/Tapp) to recommend Alternative 1, which states: Approve the agreement with Mid-Iowa Lacrosse Organization, Inc. to offer a Flex6 Lacrosse program in 2025. MOTION PASSED: (5-0) 5. MOTION APPROVING AGREEMENT WITH AMES YOUTH BASEBALL Thompson reported staff recommends renewing the long-standing agreement between Ames Parks and Recreation and Ames Youth Baseball regarding use of baseball fields at Brookside Park. The renewal agreement contains no changes except the dates. Reeves asked if upcoming removal of field lighting would interfere with facility usage. Abraham said light removal would not occur for a few years and can be done outside of the baseball season. Thompson noted the lights have not been functional for some time. MOTION: (Tapp/Reeves) to recommend Alternative 1, which states: Approve the agreement with Ames Youth Baseball regarding use of Fields 7, 8, and 9 in Brookside Park, from April 1, 2025, to November 1, 2025. MOTION PASSED: (5-0) 2 6. PROJECT UPDATES a. Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center Since the January 2025 Commission meeting, Abraham reported, Story Construction and RDG Planning & Design gave an in-person project report to City Council. At the project site, natatorium work progress includes all precast and steel installed, and roof work is underway. Non-natatorium precast is done, plus most of the steel. Extreme cold weather temporarily affected roofing work progress. As roofing work is completed from west to east – exterior openings are covered – interior heating will allow electrical conduit and ductwork installation. Digging of the wellness pool basin will begin within the next month. As roofing continues, a second crew will begin work on the lap pool, with work meeting in the middle with the rec pool. RDG and Story Construction did a walk-through of the precast and some of the steel to develop a punch list of any needed repairs to address before the end of the project. Staff presented budget information to City Council on February 5, 2025, including Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center information, and shared the good story of project costs decreasing from an estimated $32 million a year ago to $28 million now and perhaps as low as $25 million when done, yielding a quality facility without breaking the bank. b. Steven L. Schainker Plaza At the end of January, staff received from Terracon ground penetrating radar results that found inconsistencies in the depth of the refrigerant tubing. An elevation survey found most as-built elevations are low and the ice-skating ribbon surface will not drain properly. Henkel Construction and the City’s concrete expert will review this information. Henkel Construction’s request to test the ice will be considered by the concrete expert; Confluence, the lead designer; and the ice consultant. Staff hopes to have information and direction for moving forward by the March 27 Commission meeting. When weather allows, seeding and planting work will be done. City Council’s decision about opening the spray pad or waiting until all project work is done will follow. There may be some discussion beforehand with the Commission, Abraham indicated. c. Daley Park Splash Pad Thompson shared details about State of Iowa approval of a waiver regarding required bathroom fixtures that may have doubled project costs. The waiver approval reduces both capital and operational costs. Staff will work with Snyder & Associates and a splash pad vendor to bring updated costs and bid specifications to City Council. Thompson said this is a huge win for the City and residents. Abraham indicated approximately $300,000 in savings could potentially be applied to other project(s). 7. MONTHLY REPORT Thompson highlighted two items at Ada Hayden Heritage Park.  In late January, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stocked the north lake with rainbow trout. Due to potential ice instability, the stocking was unpublicized.  Staff recently removed invasives and volunteer trees around the lake perimeter to improve sight lines. Parks and Recreation will implement new standards and invest in equipment to make this work easier and to improve management of invasives and woody vegetation. Cady asked if staff had concern about cancelled grant funding. Thompson reported receiving an email earlier in the day from the Arbor Day Foundation regarding notice from the federal 3 government cancelling the entire awarded USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grant totaling $810,500. Abraham highlighted the following Recreation items:  Many new programs and classes began in January.  Staff hosted Duckpin bowling clinics at Sixty Forward, with 31 participants. A Duckpin bowling league just began as well. Reeves asked if the noted 131 fitness class participants at Sixty Forward exceeded expectations. Abraham said everything at Sixty Forward is exceeding expectations, that people love having fitness classes, EGYM, and cardio equipment at the facility. Nancy Shaw, Public Wellness Manager, will continue to look to offer additional classes for that age demographic, and staff expects continued growth. Rathe shared her 90-year-old mother loves her fitness class at Sixty Forward, and that participation numbers will probably increase when “snowbirds” return to Ames. Abraham said this level of interest may be indicative of what to expect at Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center, which will include spaces for various classes and fitness activities. 8. COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS None 9. NEXT MEETING: Thursday, March 27, 2025, 4:00 PM (Regular Meeting) 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION (Reeves) to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 4:27 PM.