Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 03/12/2020

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structures for up to age 6 and then ages 6 to 12. Also included is a 4-bay swing and a large articulated balance beam. The draft budget is approximately $71,000. Commissioner Barnes stated she has some personal comments as well as residents' comments shared with her. She indicated that this has been defined as a pocket park, which is a small park surrounded by homes. Ford Brook park is not a pocket park; it is a neighborhood park. It should serve as a focal point of the community. Forty years ago, Ford Brook received used equipment from the City of Minneapolis. Now, this park will be updated with used equipment from an Anoka park. A look should be taken as to whether Ramsey should continually provide its citizens with second-hand equipment in its parks. As one citizen commented to her: if that is true, watch property values plummet. Going forward, the City should focus not on The COR, but rather on the Rest of Ramsey (ROR) where the citizens of Ramsey have chosen to build homes and raise families. Signage change is nice, but it should only be the beginning. Chair Bennett thanked Commissioner Barnes for input. He also asked to clarify whether the estimated cost of the used equipment and installation is $21,000. Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood confirmed that figure, noting that the equipment is $5,000, and the balance is installation and all new fasteners as required. Chair Bennett asked about projected cost if all new equipment, with the upgrades the neighborhood would like, were purchased. Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood responded there are comps included in the packet. The play equipment itself (not the rest of the park) would be $100,000-$130,000 plus installation of over 15 to 25% of that cost. Thus, it would be approximately $150,000 for comparable play equipment. Chair Bennett appreciated Commissioner Barnes' input. He wishes new equipment could be placed everywhere in the city. Financially that is a challenge. This is a unique opportunity. The alternative here is the removal for the safety concerns and the potential risk of not having a park there at all. This is a creative solution for the City to provide the neighborhood the amenities they wanted in a unique way. The original placeholder in the CIP was around $60,000. Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood concurred the CIP showed $50,000 plus $20,000 from the city of Nowthen. He also noted that Ford Brook is a neighborhood park, not a pocket park. Commissioner Barnes clarified she is not saying the used equipment should not be installed. Rather, if the County of Anoka can replace new equipment, surely Ramsey can provide new equipment going forward. This should not be the standard. Chair Bennett stated the parks developed in the City over the last few years have all had new equipment. There are some aging parks in the City, and the alternative is how to continue to update and maintain the equipment. Those are challenges that will be faced over the next several years. Park and Recreation Commission/February 13, 2020 Page 6 of 10