2013 Arts Commission Annual ReportC~E~r~
MERIDIAN PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT
FISCAL YEAR 2®13
(10/1/12 - 9/30/13)
A. All-Commission
1) Pursue additional funding sources for future pathway construction
opportunities.
We have applied for and received funding from the Federal Highways
Administration (FHWA) to study the arterial road crossings for the Rail
With Trail Project. Jay Gibbons is currently scoping the project,
which should be under contract this winter.
2) Pathways plan implementation -Coordinate Safe Routes to Schools,
ACHD Community PYOgrams, east/west bicycle connections, and Yail
COYYldOY.
The Commission has received presentations/updates from the Safe
Routes to Schools Coordinator at the YMCA and the ACRD Community
Programs/Pathways Coordinator.
In addition, Jay Gibbons secured an easement and license agreement
over the summer months of 2013 to begin finalizing the construction
plans for the next section (Segment E) of the Five Mile Creek Pathway
(near Bridgetower Subdivision). Construction will lciclc off in the
spring of 2014.
The Rail With Trail project is also moving forward, as noted above.
The Pathways Tour was also held in April investigating future
potential connections to the north.
3) Continue to engage otheY task forces, commissions, entities, and
agencies through workshops and other outreach.
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The Commission has engaged the City of Eagle Parlcs Director,
Meridian PAL, Western Ada Recreation District, and Meridian Youth
Baseball this calendar year.
Other surrounding cities, including Nampa, Kuna, and Boise; were also
recently engaged in pathways workshops to explore connections.
The YMCA's Senior Vice President joined the Commission for the
annual MPR Facilities Tour and discussed the future Meridian YMCA
facility.
4) Work with the City's Communication Manager to develop a Parks and
Recreation communication plan.
The Commission has worked with Natalie Podgorslci, the City's
Communications Manager, to create a Parlcs & Recreation
Communication Plan. The plan was developed in the Community
Liaison Committee and presented to and discussed by the full
Commission in May.
5) Refine and implement the Borup property concept plan. Continue to
work with the Dog Park Task Force (DPTF) to create benchmarks;
investigate any potential expansion opportunities; and investigate the
feasibility of a softball complex or rodeo facility.
This goal will be modified or deleted now in response to recent
changes in direction. The Borup Property Phase 1 and dog park plans
were put on hold intentionally this past winter while we investigate a
potential partnership that could affect both the field house and dog
park location. Milce Barton gave a future dog park presentation at the
October 8, 2013 City Council meeting and provided them with three
potential options for a new dog park. Afollow-up discussion will be
held with Council at the November 19 meeting. The Dog Parlc Taslc
Force has disbanded and no longer exists in its original form. We are
proposing an enhancement for FY14 that would develop updated
concept plans at several future parks, including the Borup Property.
6) Complete the production of an MPR Department community video.
The Community Liaison Committee led the effort to gather video clips
of activities over the past year. This spring, additional video footage
was taken, and production was recently completed and used at the
Department's Strategic Presentation with City Council. It was featured
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at the July Commission meeting. The new video is a great new tool in
our toolbox to market Parlcs & Recreation in Meridian!
7) Implement the park dedication signs at all parks.
Park dedication signs information and layout was completed with help
from the Parlcs Amenities & Signage Committee and presented to the
City Council in June. Jay Gibbons has been coordinating the
fabrication and installation of the signs, which are nearing
completion.
8) Improve communication among Commission members through
combined workshops and other events; i. e., party, barbecue, all-
committee workshop, DPTF workshop, etc. engaging in this type of
setting; cross-committee participation. Hold an annual team-building
event, such as a so ftball game, bowling, ropes course, etc.
Our June Commission meeting was specifically held as a teambuilding
event with a barbeque and games in Kleiner Parlc. In addition,
pathway workshops have involved all Commission members.
9) Create a partnership proposal process, application, and policy.
A draft partnership proposal policy has been drafted and presented to
the Commission during the May meeting. The proposal policy is
currently under review by the Commission and was discussed again as
part of the August Commission meeting.
B. Recreation & Special Events Committee
1) Increase participation in the MPR Community Golf Scramble by at least
15 percent.
The Committee planned and coordinated the 2013 MPR Community
Golf Scramble beginning in November 2012. However, this event was
eventually cancelled, due to a lack of team registrations.
2) Establish a Christmas in Meridian committee and put on a great event,
which will include a night light parade combined with the Christmas
Tree Lighting Ceremony, followed with a Children's Winterland
Festival.
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The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was held on Friday, November
30, 2012 at Generations Plaza. In addition to lighting the Christmas
tree, there was free coffee from Starbuclcs and hot chocolate, a Toys
for Tots drop box, donuts from Krispy Kreme, and carriage rides.
Participants also viewed the movie, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
There was a great turnout of people.
A successful Children's Winterland Festival was held on Saturday,
December 1, 2012 and stationed for the first time at Meridian City Hall
after being at the Meridian Community Center the last couple of years.
Festivities included pictures with Santa Claus, trolley rides, a
gingerbread house contest, and a food drive to benefit the Meridian
Food Banlc. Colin Moss hauled over 1,580 pounds of food to the Food
Banle.
The Meridian Symphony Orchestra gave a spectacular performance as
well.
Colin Moss formed an informal Christmas in Meridian Committee last
winter. Members have been hard at work ever since to bring back the
Winterland Parade, which was modified to be the Winter Lights Parade,
and a downtown business decorating contest. This event is planned
for the winter of 2013.
C. Parks Amenities & Signage Committee
1) Implement the master amenities plan for all parks.
The Committee recommended off-leash dog hours at Kleiner Parlc
during late fall 2012 through early winter 2013. The proposal was
approved by City Council.
Adding shade at city parks was the focus of the Committee's
implementation efforts for FY2012-2013. Additional trees, especially
larger caliper trees, were prioritized for planting in the city's parks for
additional shade especially around playground areas.
Committee members and staff also investigated and discussed the
cost effectiveness and appropriateness of other types of shade
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structures in Meridian parks. The Committee agreed to go on a case-
by-case basis for structure type, depending upon park theme and cost
effectiveness with preference towards trees.
Funding was obtained for 8th Street Parlc playground and restroom
improvements. Playground equipment was purchased. Actual
construction was delayed due to coordination with a Public Worlcs
project.
2) Finalize and implement park amenity and pathway signage.
A directional signage system to our pathways was developed and
implemented in FY2013.
The Committee finalized and submitted park dedication plaques for
all parks in May 2013.
3) Develop a program for pathway distance markers.
The Committee and staff developed a distance marking system for
pathways based upon tenths of a mile with Meridian Road as
origination point. The system has been named the "Liddell System."
4) Review and approve park site plan updates.
The Committee reviewed and updated the individual park sites plans
in February 2013. Staff is in the process of digitizing all site plans.
5) Organize and update the park site plan data binder.
Nominal progress was made on this goal.
D. Community Liaison Committee/Dog Parlc Taslc Force
1) A Meridian Parks & Recreation Department video will be used to
highlight the Department and all of its activities and programs. It is
the Committee's goal to complete the video by May 2013.
Following ayear-long effort by members of the Community Liaison
Committee, a video highlighting the City's parks and recreation
activities is now complete. The video documents a full year of
activities and highlights many of the City's offerings and events that
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tools place during 2012-13. Filming for the video started in February
2012 and was completed in March 2013.
The video is now being used by the Parlcs and Recreation Department
as a marketing tool in a variety of ways and through a variety of
formal and informal public platforms. The goal of the video is to
share what happens within the City's Parlcs and Recreation
Department during everything from a regular day (i.e., dance lessons,
skate park, baseball game) to a groundbreaking, historic day (i.e., the
Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Parlc grand opening).
2) To outreach to the community better to inform the citizens of Meridian
o f activities, programs, and projects a f filiated with the MPR
Department. This will be done through different media outlets, both
internal and external.
In order to improve overall communications with the citizens of
Meridian, and to inform them of the news and activities within the
Parlcs and Recreation Department, the Committee worked closely with
Natalie Podgorslci, the City's Communications Manager. The outcome
was the MPR Communications Plan.
To better publicize what the Commission is doing, the
communications plan details what outlets are being used (in-person,
media, social media, events, etc.) in order to communicate community
events and happenings. The plan was accepted by the Committee in
April and taken to the full Commission in May. The plan is currently
being used to publicize MPR Department activities, programs, and
projects.
3) To provide continued priority support to the Dog Park Task Force. The
Committee will support their fundraising efforts, and all will continue
to support all activities that will make the Meridian Bark Park a reality,
Due to the dissolution of the City's Dog Parlc Taslc Force, this effort is
no longer a priority for the Community Liaison Committee. The
Committee will continue to support the full Commission on any
efforts related to the DPTF in the future.
4) Create a Z-Card map to distribute to the public highlighting Meridian
parks and pathways.
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The idea to create a map highlighting the City's parks and pathways
system started in the late spring/early summer of 2012.The idea
stemmed from a similar project in a neighboring city. Rachel Myers
tools the prototype, which was obtained and brought to the Committee
by member and Commission President Treg Bernt, and created her
own version. After working with Committee members on a number of
revisions, the Z-Card map was approved for final production in April
2013. A printing company in Caldwell was able to produce 1,000
copies of the map for $785. Commission President Bernt secured
Meridian Cycle as the map's sponsor; which paid for the printing
costs.
The map, which has received a plethora of positive reviews from the
citizens of Meridian, was handed out at a Cab1eONE Movie Night in
August and at Meridian's Community Bloclc Party in September. The
maps are currently available at Meridian Cycle, the Chamber of
Commerce and the city's libraries. Approximately half of the maps
(500) were reserved to be given out this coming spring.
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TREG BERNT, PRESIDENT
MATT STOLL, VICE PRESIDENT
DATE
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