Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 09/12/2002

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Ms. Stockston stated there are no groups in Ramsey that represent horse shows. She stated there are clubs around that would pay to use the facility and follow the rules. She stated there are different types of users and shows that would use it, but as far as she knew, none are Ramsey residents. She stated there are residents in the City that own horses that are going to other cities to use their facilities. Mr. Fredericks asked if the City is interested in fixing up this park for horses. Chairperson Cook stated that his concern is that there has been a horse park there for a long time and it was not used and so the City gave up maintaining it and now if they do fix it up, there may not be a need for a horse park and it may be used for something else. Ms. Stockton stated that there are not any groups in Ramsey but there may be people wanting to use this park for horses and it is not available so they are going outside of the City. Commissioner Ostrum asked if the lack of use is due to the facility not being maintained. Ms. Stockston stated that was true. Parks/Utilities Supervisor Boos asked if it was the consensus of those in attendance that the park is in disrepair and unusable and the equipment should be removed - regardless of the future use. Ms. __ (did not give name or address - this was uniform agreement) asked if there was a way that bars could be put up on the building to keep kids out of the arena. Mr. Fredericks stated that the kids would still get in and vandalize it if they want to. Commissioner Ostrum asked if there was a need for another type of recreation in the park beside just the horses, because if there is a need, then it would draw more people in there and would slow down the vandalism. Chairperson Cook asked if there was any other kind of mixed use that could be brought in there to keep the vandalism out. He stated that if this were a mixed-use park, it would encourage him to put more money into it and maintain it instead of having a horse show once or twice a year. Mr. Webb stated that he would prefer the horse park to be torn down and gate both side and leave it empty, if it does not get improved. Mr. Fredericks stated what the residents would like to see in Ramsey is a large play area for kids to go and they were expecting this at Community Park and it did not happen. Commissioner Shryock asked what the age of the kids are in his neighborhood. Mr. Fredericks stated it varied from age three to mid teens, four of the homes have children within those ranges, and the other eleven do not. Park and Recreation Commission/September 12, 2002 Page 4 of 11