Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/10/2013

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October 10, 2012 Dear North Commons area Resident, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW ® Ramsey, Minnesota 55303 City Hall: 763 - 427 -1410 ® Fax: 763 - 427 -5543 ww w. cityofram s ey. com As you may know, the City of Ramsey continues to make progress and investments in your neighborhood park known as North Commons. The most recent successes include a MN DNR grant for trees for the park and also City Council go -ahead to begin the planning for a playground. This letter shall address both projects somewhat separately - and in both matters I am respectfully requesting your response and feedback. Tree Planting: As you know, grading, seeding and irrigation was completed earlier this summer so the site is ready for our trees, which will be delivered on Wednesday the 17th. We have deliberately scheduled the planting for Thursday the following day, as this is the school district's first day of MEA with children out of school. The hope is that families can join city staff in the park for planting and learning about trees. You are hereby invited to meet at the park at 1 O'clock October 18t11 for a primer on how trees grow, and what important considerations there are in properly planting a tree. (What a great opportunity for children to learn on their day off from school!) Thereafter together we will plant your neighborhood park! If the weather is exceedingly poor, the volunteer planting will be delayed until 1 PM on Friday, the following day. Below this letter is a summary* of the tree planting grant and other aspects of the planting project. Playground for North Commons: As you may have noticed, there is a lot of construction staking within the park and to the west. This is to receive bids for bringing sewer and water to the lots that were created that will provide funding for the play equipment. (Please see the earlier letter I sent to you, or the large sign in the park for detail on these proposed new homes.) Indeed, City Council has authorized staff to begin the planning for the playground. In August, the Park and Recreation Commission met at your park and determined that you and your family should have direct input on what the play equipment looks like. The Commission thought the best way to communicate all these ideas would be if people e- mailed me pictures of your favorite elements of playgrounds that you currently visit in the city or elsewhere. In fact this may serve as a bit of a treasure hunt for you and your children. On the City's web site is a Playground Location Map. Please go to http:/ /www.cityoframsey.com then 'Departments' - 'Public Works' - then 'Parks' and scroll down the page to near the bottom for a link to a map with 13 playgrounds within Ramsey.