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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. - - - - - - Meridian Parlcs & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 1 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 - _ __ Meridian Parks & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 2 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. Meridian Parlcs & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 3 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 Meridian Parlcs & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 4 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 _. ® _. _. Meridian Parlts & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 5 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. Meridian Parks & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 6 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. / / TREG BERNT, PRESIDENT MATT STOLL, VICE PRESIDENT DATE Meridian Parlcs & Recreation Commission -Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report Page 7