2005-03-20PLEASF~ TURN OFF AT CELL PHONES & PAGERS IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Call meeting to order
Staff presentation, public hearing and action authorizing the grant application to DNR for
Zero Gravity Skate Park improvements
1-5
3. Adjourn
ITEM 1- APPLICATION SUMMARY
Local Unit of Government: City. of Mound
ContaCt Person: Jim Fackler
Title: Parks Director
Address: 5341 Maywood Rd. Mound, MN
Zip: 55364 County: Hennepin
Daytime Phone: 952-472-0611
Fax Number: 952-472-0620
Email Address: JimFackler~ci _tyofmound.com
Project Name: Zero Gravi _ty Skate Park Amenities
Existing Park Acreage
Acres
Please identify the activities to be completed with your Application:
Acres to be purchased: n/a Acres
Facilities to be Developed/Renovated:
We plan to add amenities to a new, state of the art skate park facility, in the ci_ty of
Mound. The current park is very_ popular and was built by communi _ty dOnations and few
public dollars. As more people discover the park, we see the need for additional seating, a
shelter for equipment storage, fund generating vending machines, electricity_, shade, and an
area for beginning level participants.
Cost Breakdown:
Grant Request (50%) $ 5,500
Local Match (50%) $ .5,500
Total Cost (100%) $ 11,000 ...
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ITEM 2 - PROJECT NARRATIVE
Provide a.one-page description of your project.
1. Describe the park history. Include the date the park was established, list all existing buildings
and facilities and the year they were built.
2. Describe what recreation facilities will be developed or rehabilitated and any lands that will
be acquired.
3. Describe your community's need for these facilities and how they will complement existing
recreation facilities.
1. Zero Gravity Skate Park opened for use in the spring of 2004. After more than a year
of construction and several years of planning and designing, the unique cement structure was
completed and the kids began using it immediately. Additional features including a half pipe and
hook up of the already installed lighting, drinking fountain and mister will be completed in the
spring of 2005. There are currently no buildings on the site.
Zero Gravity Skate Park came about as a community effort to replace an indoor facility
that was no longer feasible to operate.
After the summer of 1999, the indoor skate park called Take Five closed due to
the high cost of maintaining the wooden ramps and the lack of a permanent, year round location.
The park was staffed by a community collaborative group and fell under the insurance coverage
of the Westonka School District.
Funds to construct the new facility were raised from youth, community members and
businesses. The Cities of Mound and Minnetrista also contributed to the park and the City of
Mound donated the land to house the park. Much of the labor and supplies were donated or
discounted by suppliers and contractors. To date $163,000 has been spent and (appx $$$$)
several thousand dollars of in-kind labor and supplies have been donated.
We learned a lot from the old Take Five skate park that allowed us to construct a top
quality, free and multi skill level park. It was important that we keep the ramps within the four-
foot height restriction of the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, allowing the City of
Mound's general liability insurance to cover the skate park at no additional charge to the
taxpayer. The tier one park (ramps four feet and under) does not need to be staffed, allowing for
a free facility to serve a wider group of participants.
2. We are requesting funds to:
- add a shelter that will hold fund generating vending machines, electrical hook ups, and a place to
store brooms and squeegees for the park.
- Landscaping and side walks to connect the skate park to the building, parking lot and drinking
fountain.
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- Picnic tables and benches.
- A cement slab for beginners to practice on small, street course obstacles.
3. The need for this facility has been seen in the tremendous use. We have also seen a
need to improve the park for parents and children not yet using the park. It is a pleasure to watch
the park users and builds a greater understanding of the sport and the children who are
participating in the sport.
The Westonka Collaborative group that initatiated the skate park construction identified a
community need of free, healthy things for kids to do in our community. The children that do not
drive are isolated in our small community with little public transportation and few pa~:k facilities
for older children.
The skate park is located near a new, City of Mound Greenway Project that includes
trails, transient docks in a former water transportation route, and an observation peer. A new
retail and residential development is planned for the area. The improvement of the skate park will
complement the greenway area and offer the community youth an area for recreation r~ear other
family and adult recreation facilities.
ITEM 3 -EFFICIENCY OF DESIGN AND MATERIALS
In accordance with Minnesota Statutes, this program encourages facility design and use of
materials that are low maintenance and environmentally sensitive.
1. Describe how your design and material selection for the proposed project will result in
greater durability, resistance to vandalism and/or lower long-term operation and
maintenance costs.
2. Describe how your design and material selection for the proposed project will result in
reduced energy use, reduced water use, use ofrecyclable and recycled materials, and/or
similar measures to reduce environmental impacts.
1. The shelter is designed with cedar walls and minimal smooth, flat space for graffiti or
defacing. The natural cedar will require no painting and should weather nicely with
little maintenance. The electrical hook up attached to the shelter will assist the Mound
Parks Department with nearby access to electricity for maintenance. The existence of
the shelter allows for storage space of brooms and squeegees to be placed on site.
These tools will be available to the park users but having a secure home for them will
encourage respect for the tools and an understanding of where the youth can f'md them
each time they need them.
2. The current park users are walking to a nearby Super America store to purchase
drinks and snacks. The plastic glasses that they are purchasing are landing in' our
garbage cans and has created a daily need for trash removal. With our own machines,
we can offer screw top bottles that may encourage the consumer to take it with them
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and still keep out bees while the beverage is sitting, unattended. Profit from the
machine sales will be restricted to skate park maintenance. Hook up of the drinking
fountain, which is planned for this spring, will also reduce the need for purchasing
soda or other drinks.
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ITEM 8- PROJECTED OPERA TIONAND MAINTENANCE COST._~
Estimate the projected maintenance and operations costs for the proposed facility for the time
periods outlined below. In developing these estimates, it is important to consider not only the
routine costs (such as labor, materials, utility costs and equipment costs), but also periodic major
repairs or preventive maintenance (such as seal coating or replacement of plumbing, lighting,
aglime, tuff, etc.).
Each applicant should assess the particular needs of their specific project. It is not sufficient to
simply reference the overall park and recreation budget and suggest that the operations and
maintenance costs for the proposed project are somehow covered within that budget. You will be
expected to have made a careful, thorough assessment of the specific cost impact of the proposed
project. Cost estimates may be explained in a narrative or table format. However, actual dollar
figures must be included for each identified cost.
These estimates should be made available at the public hearing. See Item 9.
Time Period:
The time period needs to be long enough to reflect the ongoing operation and maintenance
costs, future repairs and preventive maintenance measures for the Zero Gravity Skate Park
Amenities proposed project. Provide an estimate for each of the following time periods.
- Annually $5,000
- Every 3-5 years $5,000-$10,000
- Every 10 years $10,000-$15,000
- Every 20 years $15,'000-$30,000
II.
Cost Factors:
Depending on the type of project proposed, estimates should be made for:
(The following are annual costs.)
- Utility costs $1,000
- Grounds keeping $1,500
- Waste management $ 250
- Services N/A
- Repair and replacements
- Vandalism
- Vehicle costs
- Others (?)
$5,000-$10,000
$1,000
N/A
N/A
III.
Inflation:
Factor in reasonable inflation rates into the estimate.
Above figures based on 3% inflation rate