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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRNR Commission - 04/06/2026 Meeting Agenda Eden Prairie Parks and Natural Resources Commission 7 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2026 Staring Lake Park Building 14800 Pioneer Trail Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES Commission Members: Patrice Erickson, Chair; Pedro Curry, Vice Chair; Cecilia Cervantes, Duane Hookom, Jennifer Meyer, Kirk Spresser, Sana Elassar, Lisa Nichols, Giridhar Kuppili, Kevin Harris, Troy Parish Student Representatives: Jack Dennison, Seth Gilligan, Everett Gilligan, Simone Kauna, Allison Schuessler, Daniel Siegert, Ani Dirks, Rose Wicks, Affan Syed, Gwendolyn Glasrud, Ella Brazil City Staff: Amy Markle, Parks and & Recreation Director; Jana Graczyk, Recreation Services Manager; Matt Bourne, Parks & Natural Resources Manager; Gamiel Hall, Community Center Manager Recording Secretary: Joni Komperda MEETING AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order II. Approval of Agenda III. Minutes A. Approval of the minutes for the Parks and Natural Resources Commission meeting held Monday, March 2, 2026 IV. Report of City Council Action V. Report of Planning Commission VI. Petitions, Requests and Communications VII. Reports of Commission and Staff A. Parks Director 1. Project Updates (Bike Park, Proposed Baseball Facility, Homeward Hills Playground Renovation) B. Recreation Services Manager 1. Public Art Presentation C. Community Center Manager D. Parks and Natural Resources Manager E. Parks and Recreation Experiences 1. Share your experiences of events, park/building visits, news articles, etc. VIII. Other Business IX. Next Meeting A. June 1, 2026, Homeward Hills Parks, Playground Renovation and Park App Update X. Adjournment PRNR COMMISSION PURPOSE STATEMENT Act in an advisory capacity to the City on matters of leisure services, recreation programming, and development and use of parks and recreation facilities supported by the general public. • Enlist the support of organizations and individuals in providing City parks and recreation facilities and activities. • Provide input to staff in the promotion of awareness and use of recreation facilities and activities by community organizations and individuals. • Provide input to staff on park plans including the site development and facility modifications and/or improvement program. • Provide input to staff on park and recreation facility use. • Provide input to staff on leisure programs and activities. • Provide input to staff to ensure the inventory, preservation, and management of natural resources. Unapproved Meeting Minutes Eden Prairie Parks and Natural Resources Commission 7 p.m. Monday, March 2, 2026 Eden Prairie Community Center (Cambria Room) 16700 Valley View Road Eden Prairie, MN 55346 ATTENDEES Commission Members: Patrice Erickson, Chair; Pedro Curry, Vice Chair; Cecilia Cervantes, Sana Elassar, Duane Hookom, Giridhar Kuppili, Jennifer Meyer, Lisa Nichols, Kirk Spresser Student Representatives: Ella Brazil, Jack Dennison, Ani Dirks, Everett Gilligan, Seth Gilligan, Gwendolyn Glasrud, Simone Kauna, Allison Schuessler, Daniel Siegert, Affan Syed, Rose Wicks City Staff: Amy Markle, Parks and Recreation Director; Jana Graczyk, Recreation Services Manager; Gamiel Hall, Community Center Manager; Matt Bourne, Parks and Natural Resources Manager; Recording Secretary: Joni Komperda MEETING AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order Erickson called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Commissioners Curry, Cervantes, Elassar, and Spresser were absent. Student Representatives Brazil, Dirks, Kaura, Schuessler, Syed, Wicks, and Dennison were absent. Parks and Recreation Director Markle was absent. Erickson noted there was no quorum at the start of the meeting and decided to proceed with agenda items. II. Approval of Agenda Due to the lack of a quorum, the agenda was not formally approved at the start of the meeting. III. Minutes Approval of the minutes for the Parks and Natural Resources Commission meeting held Monday, February 2, 2026, and Monday, January 5, 2026. Motion: Action on the minutes was delayed until a quorum was reached later in the evening. At 8:19 p.m., Erickson noted that a quorum was established. Erickson asked if there were any changes to the January 5 minutes. Hearing none, Hookom moved to approve the January 5 minutes, and Kuppili seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0. Motion: Erickson then asked for any changes to the February 2 minutes. Meyer moved to approve the February 2 minutes, with Hookom seconding the motion. Motion passed 5-0. Erickson expressed appreciation for reaching a quorum to finalize these records. IV. Report of City Council Action None V. Report of Planning Commission Action None VI. Petitions, Requests, and Communications None VII. Reports of Commission and Staff A. Parks and Recreation Director B. Recreation Services Manager C. Community Center Manager Hall introduced Josh Rockey, the Customer Experience Supervisor at the Community Center. Rockey provided a detailed presentation on the center’s staffing structure and operations, noting his tenure with the city since 2014. Prior to Rockey presenting, Commissioners Kuppili and Nichols arrived, as they had not been at the meeting when it first started. Rockey outlined the various divisions: • Customer Experience: Rockey manages 19 part-time staff and one lead at the front desk. • Play Care: Managed by Rockey and lead Carrie Mitchell; Rockey noted this is a primary entry-level job for local students. • Fitness: Megan Munoz supervises approximately 80 part-time staff. • Aquatics: Nick Remmes oversees roughly 100 part-time staff, including lifeguards and instructors. • Ice Arenas and Cafe: Doug Tucker manages 50 part-time staff. • Park Shelters and Room Rentals: Nate Storey handles the high volume of rental requests. • Facilities and Custodial: Jason Carter supervises facility setups, while Ken Patel leads the contracted custodial team. Following the presentation, Rockey led the commission on a walking tour. During the tour, Hookom noted he recognized several names on the Hockey Wall of Fame. Nichols asked a question regarding how many ice rinks EPCC has. Nichols also shared a story regarding Munoz, noting that her mother receives workout sessions as a gift and that Munoz was exceptionally helpful in managing the account and listening to requests for specific equipment like mid-range dumbbells. Rockey agreed that the center was lucky to have her. The commission returned to the Cambria Room at 7:40 p.m. to discuss four specific questions posed by Rockey as thought starters prior to the tour, which prompted the below suggestions and questions from the group: • Parking/Flow: Siegert suggested utilizing the high school "B" lot for overflow. Meyer asked about handling large events. Nichols proposed a second temporary entrance for the pool and suggested using color-coded or alphabetical signage to help visitors navigate the lots, joking that she often loses her car in big parking lots. Hookom inquired about the possibility of shuttles between lots via Southwest Transit. • Student Communication: Rockey asked for advice on communicating a new policy regarding students spending free periods at the center, encouraging students to stay at EPHS instead of at EPCC. Siegert and E. Gilligan discussed ways to discourage students from loitering at the Community Center during free periods, suggesting that communication be funneled through the high school’s "Eagle News Network" and Principal Anderson. Nichols suggested turning the loitering issue into a positive by encouraging student memberships or volunteering. Hall and Rockey confirmed that while 99% of students are well-behaved, a small group had caused issues, particularly in winter, which unfortunately ruined it for the rest of the students. • Amenities: Meyer advocated for the addition of saunas or steam rooms for health benefits, a suggestion supported by Nichols. Rockey noted that such a project would require significant planning regarding power supplies, cleanliness, and budgeting. Meyer and Nichols also discussed implementing mindfulness and meditation initiatives, with Nichols highlighting Vinyasa yoga as a popular option. Hookom asked for clarification on the facility's policy regarding outside food, noting that he had visited other venues that strictly prohibited coolers. Rockey responded by stating the Community Center prefers that patrons do not bring in their own food. Hookom also addressed the efficiency of the current concession stand. He asked if there were times when the lines became backed up and suggested that the center consider using food PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA April 6, 2026 trucks or satellite concession stations during major events to help manage the crowd. • Demographics: Nichols emphasized the importance of capturing young families through indoor play areas. Hookom asked about the impact of Life Time Fitness and the YMCA dropping SilverSneakers programs. Rockey confirmed that seniors are the largest and fastest-growing demographic at the center, particularly between 8:00 a.m. and noon. • Other Inquiries: Erickson asked about the activity levels at "the cage" (Rink 2) and the presence of bandy (a fast-paced winter team sport played on ice with skates, curved sticks, a small orange ball, 11 players per side, 45- minute halves, and soccer-style rules like offsides). Rockey was not familiar with the sport. Hookom asked about the potential for an outdoor pool, to which Bourne directed him to attend Erickson's session the following day. D. Parks and Natural Resources Manager E. Parks and Recreation Experiences Hookom spoke regarding equipment, mentioning he had seen a funny video regarding borrowing specific tools and noted the city seemed to be well- equipped. Hookom also shared that he had ordered trees for the annual tree sale earlier that day. Rockey informed the commission that spring registration would open on Wednesday, March 4. Hookom mentioned the upcoming working sessions. Erickson noted that a joint meeting, the City Council Workshop, between the Parks and Planning Commissions was scheduled for the following day, March 3, at 5:30 p.m. Nichols asked what information is typically shared at these joint meetings. Erickson explained that they usually share updates on projects from the current and previous years. Erickson mentioned that students would be participating in a book sale. Nichols asked how the book sale came together and what time it started. Rockey and Erickson clarified that it would feature children’s and young adult books and would take place at the Community Center with "rows and rows of tables." Hall discussed Arbor Day, noting that a Sign-Up Genius link for volunteers would be sent out soon. Rockey encouraged participation, especially from students needing volunteer hours, and mentioned tasks like park cleanup and helping with the tree sale on April 25. Siegert asked a question regarding the volunteer PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA April 6, 2026 roles, which Hall and Rockey confirmed would include various outdoor activities. VIII. Other Business None IX. Next Meeting April 6, 2026, Staring Lake Park Building, 14800 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 X. Adjournment Erickson adjourned the meeting at 8:21 p.m. No motion.