Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 09/10/1992

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Case #2i: I Determine Feasibility and Vehicle for Resident (Individual i. Group and Business) Participation and/or Donation for Parks ,~ ~and Programs Mark B°9~'s. slated that in this difficult budget time the City is looking for a more effective way to m~in~n it's parks and to also encourage residents to become involved with them. He added ,~h~L1993 improvement requests should include looking at each developable park and also ?e ~?act that there are many things that could be done through volunteer work. Mr. Boos! s~ted that he and Kathi Peterson have been working on an Adopt-A-Park program ~hi~h may be a way to illicit volunteers. Currently, there are two parks that have been inf0rrrla!y adopted, Hunters Hill, adopted by Ray Renner, and the Ramsey Elementa~ chool Prairie, "adopted" by the Cheerful Chuggers 4-H group. He felt the volunte~el d, served more recognition. He expressed a need to communicate that there are parks in ~R~n~iey available for adoption. Commtss~pne r Swokowski suggested asking the residents what they would like done to the parks. The conse~$tlsof the Commission was to draft a "wish list" for each park so the residents could see~h~t is be suggested. Mark Boo~s f~lt that residents adopting parks may experience more pride in the parks and help prevent ~andalism. Commissigner Prall suggested a "pilot park" to show appreciation for what has been done. CommissiOner Cook suggested placing an article in the Ramsey Resident suggesting certain things thatlcoii[d be done in the parks and asking for residents to volunteer. Kathi Pete~so~a stated that she would hate to have this program come to an end and felt that ownership ian~! trecognition would make a big difference in the amount of volunteers. Commissiqner Gookin suggested having a booth at the EXPO explaining the Adopt-A-Park program arid ~sking for signatures of people who are interested. Chairman He~tand suggested doing some research in the surrounding areas to see what other citie~ arar doing and how successful their program is. Kathi Peterso~l :informed the Commission that Anoka County is starting an Adopt-A-Park program ~d that these programs are in Nebraska, Texas and Kansas. Chairman Heltand expressed concern regarding the amount of volunteers the City would get because ofthe economy. Commissi0ne~ Cook felt it was unrealistic to think the larger, thousand dollar' or more projects, eOulO',be done with volunteer help and suggested thinking of several smaller projects. CommissiOne~iFlorentius suggested that something visible be done for the "Adopt-A-Park" volunteers,!R~: Renner and the Cheerful Chuggers 4-H Group. A1 Pearson. e 1~821 Bowers Drive N.W., stated that he has done a lot of volunteer park work and d~d~t:feel he needed a sign dedicated to him. He received satisfaction in seeing the work get dOne. Mark Boos irea0mmended that as the program develops the City could put a request for help on the cable messages and in the Ramsey Resident. P~gK AND RECREATION COMMISSION / MAY 14, 1992 Page 3 of 5