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2021-03-10 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING City Hall Council Chambers, 33 E. Broadway Avenue, Meridian, Idaho Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 5:30 PM Mission: The Meridian Parks & Recreation Commission is a volunteer citizens' group that is created and empowered to advise the City on issues relating to park facilities and recreation programs of the City. Their mission is to gather input from staff and other qualified personnel on issues relating to the creation and design of public parks and open spaces; to listen to public input; and to provide advice and recommendations on parks and recreation related matters to the Mayor and City Council. All materials presented at public meetings become property of the City of Meridian. Anyone desiring accommodation for disabilities should contact the City Clerk's Office at 208-888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting. Agenda VIRTUAL MEETING INSTRUCTIONS Limited seating is available at City Hall. Consider joining the meeting virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89000120949 Or join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 Webinar ID: 890 0012 0949 ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE ____ Jo Greer, President ____ Keith Bevan, Vice President ____ Dom Gelsomino ____ John Nesmith ____ Autumn Short ____ Albert Kang ____ Jennifer Bobo ____ Jessica West ____ Camden Hyde ____ Jessica Perreault, City Council Ex-Officio ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES 1. February 10, 2021 Regular Meeting Jo Greer, MPRC President ~ 2 minutes ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 1 2. Upcoming Events Shelly Houston, MPR Marketing Coordinator ~ 5 minutes NEW BUSINESS 3. Community Garden in Kleiner Park Update Juli Bokenkamp, Meridian Co-op Gardeners President ~ 30 minutes 4. MPR Department Classes & Camps Update Jenna Fletcher, MPR Recreation Coordinator ~ 30 minutes 5. MPR Department Movie Night Update Renee White, MPR Recreation Coordinator ~ 15 minutes 6. Pathways Branding Discussion Kim Warren, MPR Pathways Project Manager ~ 15 minutes 7. Pathway Projects Update Kim Warren, MPR Pathways Project Manager ~ 20 minutes OLD BUSINESS 8. New Community Center Update Steve Siddoway, MPR Director ~ 20 minutes WORKSHOP ~ NONE STAFF REPORTS 9. MPR Staff ~ 20 minutes ADJOURNMENT NEXT MEETING ~ April 14, 2021 at 5:30 PM 2021 All-Commission Goals: 1. Support development of a connected pathway system across the City of Meridian, with a focus on developing projects for future construction. 2. Support design and construction of Discovery Park Phase 2. 3. Participate in the design and programming of a new Community Center on the Civic Block. 4. Participate in the development of the Lakeview Golf Course Master Plan. 5. Pursue improved tools and opportunities to engage citizens and stakeholders. 6. Engage other task forces, commissions, entities, and agencies through workshops and other outreach for partnership opportunities. 7. Participate in the partnership with the Meridian Arts Commission to add theming and identity reinforcing art in Meridian parks and along pathways. Page 2 8. Continue to foster greater Commission involvement/presence in community events whenever appropriate. 9. Discuss progress on Goals and Objectives in the MPR Master Plan. 10. Hold workshops during Commission meetings to address current issues. Page 3 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 1 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING  MINUTES City Hall Council Chambers, 33 East Broadway Avenue, Meridian, Idaho Wednesday, February 10, 2021  5:30 p.m. The Meridian Parks & Recreation Commission is a volunteer citizens’ group that is created and empowered to advise the City on issues relating to park facilities and recreation programs of the City. Their mission is to gather input from staff and other qualified personnel on issues relating to the creation and design of public parks and open spaces; to listen to public input; and to provide advice and recommendations on parks and recreation related matters to the Mayor and City Council. Roll-Call Attendance Commission President Jo Greer called the meeting to order at approximately 5:35 p.m. MPR Administrative Assistant II Rachel Myers took roll-call attendance as follows: X Jo Greer, President X Albert Kang X Keith Bevan, Vice President X John Nesmith X Dom Gelsomino X Autumn Short X Jennifer Bobo X Jessica West X Camden Hyde X Jessica Perrault, City Council Ex-Officio Others present were: MPR Department staff—Parks & Recreation Director Steve Siddoway, Parks Superintendent Mike Barton, Recreation Manager Garrett White, Marketing Coordinator Shelly Houston, Pathways Project Manager Kim Warren, Recreation Coordinator – Sports Maggie Combs, Recreation Coordinator 1 (Sports) Skyler Cook, and Arts & Culture Coordinator Audrey Belnap; Deputy City Attorney Emily Kane; National Golf Foundation Director of Consulting Services Ed Getherall; and Golf Course Architect President Forrest Richardson. Adoption of the Agenda Commission President Jo Greer entertained a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Dom Gelsomino moved to adopt the agenda. Commission Vice President Keith Bevan seconded. All were in favor of the motion. Approval of the Minutes 1. January 13, 2021 Regular Meeting – Jo Greer Commission President Jo Greer entertained a motion to adopt the minutes as presented. Commissioner Dom Gelsomino moved to approve the minutes. Commission Vice President Keith Bevan seconded. All were in favor of the motion. Announcements Page 4 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 2 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. 2. Upcoming Events – Shelly Houston MPR Marketing Coordinator Shelly Houston reported on the following: • Meridian Has Heart – This is a campaign which encourages the public the weekend of February 13, 2021—in light of Valentine’s Day—to show love and appreciation to others with acts of kindness. Who do you appreciate? The recipients could then take a picture and post it to social media #MERIDIANHASHEART. • Blind Date With A Book – This is linked to the Little Free Library on Saturday, February 13, 2021. Staff wrapped several novels and disguised their cover/title with brown paper and decorations. A tag is added to each one with hints about what the book is about. People can come to City Hall Plaza between 1-3 p.m. and can choose a book to take home for free. People can also donate their used books at this time. Old Business 3. Lakeview Golf Course Master Plan Progress Update – Ed Getherall & Forrest Richardson National Golf Foundation Director of Consulting Services Ed Getherall provided a brief overview of where they’ve been, where they are, and some of the next steps regarding the Lakeview Golf Course Master Plan. They are still early in the process. This is a months-long study, and they are about 1-2 months in. Their initial focus has been on community and stakeholder engagement. The first piece of this was a golf course survey that was initiated in December 2020 by KemperSports. They plan to do another golfer survey some time around March or April 2021. They are having one-on-one virtual meetings and/or one-on-one calls with various City officials, MPR Commissioners, the Lakeview Golf Course Focus Group members, City staff, the Men’s & Women’s Associations, HOA representatives, and others. They will follow up with an online survey specifically geared toward the golfers. The second key part they have been focusing on is the physical assessment of Lakeview Golf Course. Golf Course Architect President Forrest Richardson visited the golf course, assessed current conditions, and is looking at some of the key issues. In addition, Forrest visited five other courses in the Treasure Valley for comparison. They want to prioritize a Capital Improvement Plan and will get it to Steve Siddoway in the next few weeks. The report will note the negative as well as the strong points about the golf course. They’ve had ongoing meetings with MPR, Lakeview, and KemperSports staff. The next steps are to finish the stakeholder engagement over the next few weeks to get the survey of the HOA residents into the field and to produce a prioritized Capital Improvement Plan by March 1, 2021. They will then turn their attention to the operation side and will provide high-level strategic recommendations; i.e., enterprise vs. general fund, operating structure, etc., as well as other best practice operational recommendations; i.e., fees, marketing, direct sales, staffing levels, food and beverage, programming, etc. Commission Feedback: • Jessica West – Regarding the issues that Forrest Richardson noted while assessing the golf course, was it a surprise to MPR staff? No. MPR staff want to have a prioritized list because budgets are tight. They want to spend money wisely, and they want this to be viable for many years. She would like to consider holding an onsite workshop to visit the golf course together as a Commission. Page 5 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 3 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. • Jo Greer – She would like to see a map of the course added to Lakeview Golf Club’s website. 4. Community Center Update – Steve Siddoway MPR Director Steve Siddoway reported the community center partnership that MPR staff has been working on over the past year will not be moving forward as originally planned. The agreement that existed between the Meridian Development Corporation (MDC), the City, and Galena expired at the end of January 2021. Even though the agreement expired, staff members still remain committed, as well as the Planning Department and MDC, to bring forward a new community center and transform that civic block into an iconic section of downtown. Efforts are underway to prepare a Request for Proposals to get the ball rolling again, which is anticipated to go out late spring/early summer and be open for a few months to solicit new proposals for the project. MPR staff look forward to continuing this process and project and will keep the MPR Commission apprised as it does move forward. As part of that moving forward, Steve would like to come back to the Commission for the March 10th meeting and bring the current vision for the community center; he would like to revisit this with the MPR Commission and ask if this is still the right vision for the new community center, or is there anything the Commissioners would like to discuss—change/update. New Business 5. Meridian Parks & Recreation Department Adult Sports Update – Maggie Combs & Skyler Cook MPR Recreation Coordinator – Sports Maggie Combs and Recreation Coordinator 1 (Sports) Skyler Cook provided a PowerPoint presentation about the MPR Department’s adult sports. Copies of the slides are attached to these meeting minutes. Commission Feedback: • Camden Hyde – Being a teenager, were there age restrictions on Cornhole and Spikeball Tournaments? There was a 16 and older rule in place for Cornhole and Spikeball Tournaments. The MPR Department focuses primarily on adult sports. They are looking at adding a Girls Fastpitch Tournament. Disc Golf with Halloween was the first time youth was involved with no age restrictions. They hope to bring on additional youth sports opportunities in the future. • Jo Greer – Will the City offer any type of golf tournament or league out at Lakeview? The Meridian Chamber of Commerce has historically had their annual golf tournament there but moved last year. With Public Works Week, they had a golf tournament at Lakeview as well. They want to get the Chamber back and continue to hold the Public Works Week annual tournament. MPR staff is open to ideas. She would like to see the MPR Department offer some adult golf lessons to the community to get move involved at Lakeview and for more exposure. • Garrett White – He provided kudos to both Maggie and Skyler for their work over this past year. 6. Arts & Culture Update – Audrey Belnap Page 6 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 4 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. MPR Arts & Culture Coordinator Audrey Belnap provided a PowerPoint presentation about the Meridian Arts Commission and the Meridian Historic Preservation Commission. Copies of her slides are attached to these meeting minutes. 7. Kleiner Park Pickleball Concept Discussion [Action Item] – Mike Barton MPR Parks Superintendent Mike Barton reported the MPR Department has an opportunity for a partnership that would bring pickleball to Kleiner Park. He provided a PowerPoint presentation about the background of pickleball, the potential partnership, and concept. Copies of his slides are attached to these meeting minutes. Commission Feedback: • John Nesmith – Overall, this is a good idea/project. He would like to ensure that the courts are emphasized for public use and that there is no entitlement by the citizens from the development outside of a priority use agreement. Add proper signage to explain the partnership and priority use and acknowledge the donation. • Jessica West – She believes this is a great opportunity to partner with an organization the City has partnered with in the past in trying to add more amenities for the community. She would like to see pickleball lessons be extended to additional age groups. • Jennifer Bobo – She asked if the courts would be in the path of the disc golf course. Move the courts away from the sledding hill. The #8 tee and basket would be relocated. The courts would be shifted away from the toe of the slope. She would like staff to consider the correct positioning of the courts with the direction of the sun. • Jo Greer – She would like staff to explore a dual-use scenario of tennis and pickleball. She would like to see a wide variety of new amenities, including pickleball, that would serve all age ranges, not just for a certain demographic. Staff will take forward the Commission’s feedback to City Council. Workshop ~ NONE Staff Reports 8. MPR Staff Parks & Recreation Director Steve Siddoway reported on the following: • Jessica Perrault – She is now the MPR Commission’s City Council Liaison for 2021. He introduced everyone to Councilmember Perrault. She took a moment to share a little bit about herself. • Adult Sports – He expressed his pride in the numbers related to the sports program the Commission heard earlier in the evening. There were 124 Volleyball teams in winter, 73 in spring, and 98 in the fall; 106 Softball teams; 425 total teams; and almost 4,000 participants, inspite of such a challenging year. • Arts & Culture - The work Audrey Belnap with the Arts Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission has been wonderful. • Jennifer Bobo – He gave a shout-out to Commissioner Bobo for participating in the Meridian Challenge. Thank you! • Homecourt – The MPR Department is looking forward to opening this facility soon. Staff anticipate things are likely to open up after the February 19, 2021 Central District Health meeting. So there are tentative plans in place to open on February 20th. Page 7 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 5 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. • Community Center – The Commission received an update earlier in the evening. He looks forward to providing an update next month. • Lakeview Golf Course – The Commission received an update earlier in the evening. He gave a shout-out to Mike Barton for doing 99% of the heavy lifting on the MPR Department’s end. • FY22 Budget – It is budget season, and he gave a shout-out to Rachel Myers. MPR staff members are starting their budget development this week. There is lots of work yet to come. • Annual All-Employee Meeting – He has been heavily involved in the planning of this year’s City-wide All-Employee Meeting that is coming up on February 24, 2021. This will be a large-scale virtual event with over 500 people in attendance. • Strategic Plan – This is another big-ticket item. Council approved a framework with focus areas for the City to move forward for the next five years. Staff is gearing up for a very busy March where they will be developing goals and actions under the focus areas and figure out how they implement these things over the next five years. Pathways Manager Kim Warren reported on the following: • Various Pathway Projects – She has been working with the three teams of consultants to do 13 projects. A lot of these projects came out of the pathways tour held last year where they noticed the disconnects and gaps in the system. Some were low-hanging fruit. She has conceptual alignments for these projects. There has been coordination with the irrigation district. They are starting to communicate with property owners. • Five Mile Pathway – MPR staff have been in discussion about striping this pathway. In general, they have been focused on how to create an identity in the system with the Five Mile as the priority pathway. • Pathway Branding - She has been working with Stephanie Inman on pathway branding to mark the Five Mile Pathway. Stephanie is an artist and graphic designer who has completed various signage for Meridian’s park system. They are also discussing how to integrate this with public art. The goal is to create more visibility for all the pathways. • Ten Mile Trailhub – This project is still on hold for the winter. • South Slough Pathway – She gave Mike Barton a shout-out on this project. The northern portion was completed. Crews will use some excavated dirt from the Fairview Avenue project and use it to fill this stretch of pathway. • Fairview Avenue Connection – This construction project is to start up in the next couple of weeks, weather permitting. • Pedestrian Bridge – They are very close to having a pedestrian bridge at Ten Mile Creek to connect to the Whitestone neighborhood with Twelve Oaks. This will be a safe route to school. Recreation Manager Garrett White reported on the following: • Concessions – He has been working on an RFP for concessions at Kleiner and Fuller Parks. • Covid-19 – He has been working a lot with Central District Health protocols for programs the recreation staff are doing and to point them in the right direction regarding CDH guidance. • MYB Baseball – He is still in touch with Meridian Youth Baseball to finish up their 2020 agreement amendment based on Covid-19, as well as the 2021 Fuller Park agreement. Page 8 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 6 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. • FY22 Budget – He has been involved with the budget process for fiscal year 2022. • External Events – He has been working with external event organizers who want to utilize the parks and determine what kind of protocols may be in place at the time of their event. MPR staff members are keeping tabs on what CDH and the Governor are doing. • Special Events – Renee White has been working on logistics with the committee planning for the City-wide Employee Meeting. She has been planning for Unplug & Be Outside Week that will happen the first part of May. She is also planning logistics for Movie Night. • Classes & Camps – Jenna Fletcher has been planning for summer and is working with her current programs with limited gathering sizes and social distancing. There have been almost 4,000 participants in classes and programs with limited numbers. Some classes are still going while following all CDH guidelines and protocols. Jenna is starting to piece together the 2021 Summer Activity Guide that will be released in April, which will be done in-house with Shelly Houston. • Homecourt – While the facility was closed this winter, staff have been completing various Parks Division projects, such as replacing and painting picnic table boards and painting park restroom interiors. Jake Garro is still working on hiring some additional staff. • Shelter Reservations – Picnic shelter reservations opened February 1, 2021 at 8 a.m. The season runs from April 10th through October 17th. Customers may go online and reserve a shelter at this time with the caveat that they have to click and agree to that their shelter may be cancelled, pending where the City is, what stage we are in, gathering size limitations, etc. MPR staff members are already receiving phone calls and emails about this and associated external events. Adjourn Commission President Jo Greer entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting. Commission Vice President Keith Bevan moved to adjourn. Commissioner John Nesmith seconded. The vote was unanimous and in favor of the motion. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 7:50 p.m. (AUDIO & VIDEO ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) APPROVED: _ ________________________________________ ________/ ________/ ________ JO GREER, PRESIDENT DATE _________________________________________ KEITH BEVAN, VICE PRESIDENT /rem Page 9 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes – February 10, 2021 Page 7 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Attachments: 1) PowerPoint Presentation: Meridian Parks and Recreation Adult Sports (7 pages) 2) PowerPoint Presentation: Meridian Arts Commission & Meridian Historic Preservation Commission (6 pages) 3) PowerPoint Presentation: Kleiner Park Pickleball Discussion (4 pages) Page 10 Item 1. Page 11 Item 1. Page 12 Item 1. Page 13 Item 1. Page 14 Item 1. Page 15 Item 1. Page 16 Item 1. Page 17 Item 1. Page 18 Item 1. Page 19 Item 1. Page 20 Item 1. Page 21 Item 1. Page 22 Item 1. Page 23 Item 1. Page 24 Item 1. Page 25 Item 1. Page 26 Item 1. Page 27 Item 1. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 1 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORTS March 10, 2021 Administration Division Director’s Report: STEVE SIDDOWAY (Please note, a verbal report will be provided at the March 10, 2021 MPR Commission Meeting.) Parks Division Parks Superintendent Report: MIKE BARTON (Please note, a verbal report will be provided at the March 10, 2021 MPR Commission Meeting.) Pathways Project Manager’s Report: KIM WARREN (Please note, a verbal report will be provided at the March 10, 2021 MPR Commission Meeting.) City Arborist’s Report: MATTHEW PERKINS 1. Plant Health Care – My truck has been upfitted/modified to have the spray rig loaded into the bed so that I won’t have to use a separate vehicle for treatments. We Page 28 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 2 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. will begin drenching selected trees in our parks and other city properties with systemic insecticides to protect them from damaging insect pests. 2. Urban Forest Management Plan – The plan is in the second draft review. There will likely be a few more modifications and changes made to some of the verbiage and content, as well as having some imagery and improved formatting added. 3. Tree Inventory at Lakeview Golf Course – I will be working closely with a student from the CWI (College of Western Idaho) Horticulture Program over the next couple of months. He will be hired on as a seasonal. As part of his student project for the Horticulture program, he will be working on the tree inventory at Lakeview Golf Course. This will be a HUGE help as it relieves me of the burdensome task of performing this time-consuming work on my own. This is a great collaborative effort working with the College of Western Idaho. 4. Tree Planting – I have had one of the larger caliper trees transplanted into the south dog area at the Storey Bark Park. The contractor who is doing the transplanting has run into some issues with accessing his field where the trees are growing, due to the wet conditions we have experienced. As soon as he is able to get into his field to harvest the trees, we will arrange to have them moved to their new homes in Storey Bark Park. Recreation Division Recreation Manager’s Report: GARRETT WHITE 1. Community Center RFP – I have attended weekly meetings in regards to the Community Center RFP. We are actively exploring potential partnerships with a new community center. We continue to evaluate our needs and what kind of programing the new community center could have. 2. Meridian Youth Baseball (MYB) Agreements – I have sent both the 2020 Amended Fuller Park Agreement and the 2021 Fuller Park Agreement to Jake Hines with MYB to sign. Late last week, Mr. Hines sent back the 2021 Agreement signed but did not submit the 2020 agreement. That said, I am still waiting for the documents to be sent back; and once they do, I will get them on the next available City Council meeting. 3. Covid-19 Protocols – This is a continuous item I work on literally every day. Now that the Governor’s Office has moved the state into Stage 3 and the CDH has moved their Order to an Advisory, we have opened up additional programs, classes, and leagues that meet the current restrictions. Registration is now open for Spring Page 29 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 3 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Volleyball and Spring Softball Leagues. We have also opened classes up that meet the current gathering size restrictions. All leagues and classes have protocols in place that align with Central District Health. 4. Kleiner Park & Fuller Park Concessionaires – I have been working with our Purchasing Department to accurately score the RFPs (Request for Proposals) that were submitted. We hope to have this RFP awarded by the middle of March or sooner. 5. Fuller Park Snow Cone Concessions RFP – Similar to the Kleiner Park RFP, we are working with Purchasing to accurately score the RFPs that were submitted. We would like to have this RFP awarded by the middle of March or sooner. 6. Main Street Market Contract – The contract has been signed and approved through Council. They will begin the Market in April 17th and run through October 16th. The Market will have the same footprint as last year. Broadway Avenue will not be closed, as the market will stay in the south parking lot and City Hall Plaza areas. 7. Jabil Fields Agreement – We are working with Legal to get an updated field use agreement. We hope to have this agreement completed by the end of March. We plan to have a draft to the West Ada School District by March 10th. 8. Fee Data Collection/Priority Based Budgeting – We continue to work with Finance to determine our “actual costs” for the services we provide. Our Recreation fees are based on our current cost recovery philosophy approved by Council. Our Park fees are still being explored. 9. External Events – I am working with all event organizers that want to host their events in our parks. While working with CDH and the organizer, we are scheduling events, as long as they follow the current Governor’s Orders and CDH restrictions. Homecourt Facility Manager’s Report: JAKE GARRO 1. Facility Operations – Meridian Homecourt re-opened Saturday, February 20 for business. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; weekend hours 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Page 30 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 4 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. 2. Facility Schedule - Due to the Covid-19 shutdowns, it is our goal to keep court space open on a first-come, first-serve basis to the general public. Currently, we are not scheduling special events, such as tournaments and/or taking facility reservations during weekend hours. We want to ensure a fair and equitable re- opening process. 3. Community Athletic Group Practices – Youth community athletic group practices have resumed on Monday – Friday evenings from 4:30p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Court space is periodically available around scheduled practice times. Please note: One court is available each evening for general public use. 4. Pickleball - Pickleball is being played Monday – Friday mornings, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on all 4 courts. During the weekend, 3 Pickleball nets are available on Court 4. Court 5 is used for overflow Pickleball play during weekend hours. Please note: Pickleball play is allowed to play after 12:00 p.m. during the week, if needed. 5. Noon Basketball - Noon Basketball resumed play on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 6. Open Court Evening Activities – With our facility now open, we are excited to offer Tuesday night Volleyball, Wednesday night Pickleball, and Thursday night Basketball. These activities will take place from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. 7. Weekend Court Designations - During weekend hours, the following activities take place as follows: a. Court 1: Volleyball b. Court 2: Basketball c. Court 3: Basketball d. Court 4: Pickleball We are remaining flexible with our court designations during weekend hours. If needed, Court 1 may be used for basketball activities, and Court 5 may be used for overflow Pickleball play. 8. Public Safety - Homecourt staff members are disinfecting the facility when appropriate. We as a staff are encouraging patrons to wear masks upon entering and exiting the facility. We are also informing patrons masks do not need to be worn during physical activity. Recreation Coordinators’ Report: RENEE WHITE Looking back, I’ve started most of our February and March Parks & Recreation Commission reports by mentioning how busy I am with planning, contracting, and Page 31 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 5 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. confirming a year’s worth of activities. This year is similar, except it has the twist of reviewing Central District Health guidelines and Governor’s Orders regarding Covid-19. I’ve enjoyed offering unique activities in 2020 but am missing the sense of community that comes with large gatherings. Planning for 2021 is a little different since it entails keeping people socially distant and limiting attendance, which is the opposite of my usual mantra of ‘MORE ZHOOSH.’ My hopes are that things will continue to improve as the year continues. What is coming up? 1. Unplug & Be Outside – I am excited to say that we will be moving forward offering classes for small groups in arts, sports, and recreation. This event, one of my favorites, is designed to connect our community to resources to get them active. We offer all kinds of activities for all ages, including self-directed activities, organized sports, and arts. The underlining premise is to unplug from television, online games, and social media and get plugged into something engaging. (This year we can add unplugging from ZOOM!) Classes will be offered on Thursday, May 5 – Saturday, May 8, 2021. Many of the instructors from the previous years are returning. We will forgo the kick-off, field day, and Care Enough to Share Food Truck Rally this year since they draw large groups together. My hopes are to bring these popular events back in 2022. 2. Sparklight Movie Night in Meridian – I am looking forward to discussing a few thoughts during the Parks & Recreation Commission meeting about how we might be able to proceed with Movie Night. This includes several changes to mitigate health concerns and meeting all the very necessary precautions outlined by CDH. 3. Gene Kleiner Day – As you may have expected, the Meridian Symphony Orchestra has not been rehearsing. This is due in part to their rehearsal facilities being closed, but also most of their members are in the older, high risk category for Covid-19. They have hopes of receiving vaccines this spring but have not begun to plan for their next performance. We have expressed interest in a late summer performance to support the Meridian Art Commission’s ART WEEK. We will continue to work towards that goal. There are a number of events that we produce annually that do draw very large crowds, beginning with the Independence Day Festival in July and then Trunk or Treat and Christmas in Meridian Winterlights Parade & Tree Lighting in the fall and winter respectively. In 2020, we shifted to offer alternative activities; the Fall for Meridian Decorating Contest, Scavenger Hunt, Zoom with Santa, and Winterland in the Bag. We will continue to review the evolving health situation and announce decisions as we get Page 32 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 6 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. closer to those event dates. And, of course, we will continue to rely on the direction from Central District Health. As always, I welcome your thoughts, suggestions and feedback regarding our events. JENNA FLETCHER (Please note, a verbal report will be provided at the March 10, 2021 MPR Commission Meeting.) MAGGIE COMBS 1. 2021 Spring/Summer Leagues – We currently have registration open for both Spring Volleyball and Spring/Summer Softball. They are both scheduled to start their leagues the week of March 29th. 2. 2021 Summer Fun Kickoff Tournament – This tournament takes place on Memorial Day Weekend. Currently, we are planning on hosting 44 teams. This tournament does bring teams from other areas. Currently, we have teams from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington planning on attending. Volunteer Program Coordinator’s Report: CHELSEA CANTRELL The volunteer program is still suspended with the hopes that Covid-19 case numbers keep declining. We are anticipating being able to start bringing volunteers back after Spring Break. The majority of our “regular” volunteers have received at least one dose of the vaccine. We are having an increase of groups seeking volunteer work. I have met with the parks crew, and we are getting projects set up that would allow us to safely allow groups to volunteer in the parks. Recreation Coordinator 1 (Sports) Report: SKYLER COOK 1. Winter Cornhole League – Winter Cornhole will finish the playoff tournament on Tuesday, March 9th. There were 40 teams that competed in competitive and social divisions. 2. Field Reservations – I am working with tournament, camp, and league directors on their Attestation Form submissions for Central District Health Covid-19 protocols. I am sending out unpaid invoices and collecting insurance. 3. Staff Hires – We hired on 3 new scorekeepers for Spring Softball League. Brianna, Linda, and Chris will begin March 22nd. We are looking to hire on 2-3 additional staff. Page 33 Item 9. Parks & Recreation Department Staff Reports ~ March 10, 2021 Page 7 of 7 Persons desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings: Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. 4. Sports Leagues – Spring Softball and Volleyball have a registration deadline of March 10th and are slated to start the week of March 29th. Arts & Culture Coordinator’s Report: AUDREY BELNAP 1. Meridian Arts Commission –  The Initial Point Gallery is back open with the first installation and opening reception of the year to take place on Friday, March 5. The new show will include 37 artists from the Treasure Valley Artist Alliance.  A Request for Proposals will be released to the Park Identity’s Artist Roster later this month for a new public art installation at the Ten Mile Trailhead. Project installation is to be determined.  The Call to Artists for the traffic box artwork repository and the Call to Artists for the Initial Point Gallery 2022 Calendar will also be released to the public later this month.  Two artists in the Meridian Mural Series have begun the design process with the respective property owners. The third mural is in legal negotiations. The murals are still expected to finish by September 2021.  The new Subcommittee—the Arts Inclusivity Meridian Subcommittee (AIM)—is preparing to make a mission statement for the Arts Commission to adopt centered on how the Arts Commission can be equitable to all communities. 2. Meridian Historic Preservation Commission –  Commissioners are reviving a Student History Competition this spring. Students will be able to submit essays or creative projects on their personal experience in Meridian and win prizes.  The Commission’s social media efforts are ongoing as the Commission acquires the History of Meridian, Idaho and determines best practices for the group.  The State Historic Preservation Office awarded the Commission a $5,000 grant to be used for the Commission’s preservation projects. Page 34 Item 9.