Parks and Recreation - 06/01/1964 1964
JUNE 1
MINUTES
CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE
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EDEN FRAIRIE PARK AND RECREKTION COMMISSION MEETING
June 1, 1964 (First regular meeting)
VILLAGE COUNCIL ROOM, EDEN PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL
Meeting night (Prier to this meeting, the Commission met informally at 7:30 p.m.
set on May 27, 1964 and decided that the regular meeting night would be
the first Monday of each month.
Sworn in At 8:00 p.m. that same evening, the members were sworn into office
May 27, 1964 by Eden PrairielMayor Don Rogers before the Village Council.)
Present June 1: Don Nygaard, Frances Blacklock, Al Bruce
Russe]L Marsh, Howard Merriman
Others: Bernard Reuper, Suburban Recreation Association
Bill Holte, E.P. Summer Recreation Director
Vier Wood, Supt. of E.P. Schools
Election of Mr. Marsh saggested that members who are also on the School Board
Officers or Village Council should not serve as officers of the Pa7k. and Recrea-
tion Commission. lion NygaE%rd was nominated Chairman, Frances Blacklock,
Secretary. Nominations were closed and the Commission cast a unanimous
ballot for the nominees.
Mr. Reuper Mr. Bernard Reuper of the Suburban Recreation Association discussed the
and SRA work of his Agency - a United Fund Agency. Operating since 1951, some
of the orginal nine communities who were members have dropped out as they
were able to take care of their own recreation programs. Others have
been added until today SRA has 19 Community Council members representing
56 suburban communties. The governing Bawd is made up of representatives
from the various member Boards. We could have a representative on the
Board. The present budget is $69,000 from the United Fund.
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Work of SRA SRA assists communities in establishing public recreation departments.
It fosters leadership workshops, program clinics, tournaments, exhibits,
leagues and expositions and demonstrates projects. It promotes activities
such as United Fund Day Camping, Senior Citizens clubs and Safaris.
E.P. Allot- Eden Prairie receives $700 in! services, from SRA, which pays the salary of
ment from SRA Linda 3rekke 0475) and for special teams that will come to E.P. seven times
during the summer for Drama; Art, Crafts and Puppet Shows. E.P.'s allotment
of money comes from unassigned funds and is comparable to that received by
other eomnunties in a similar stage of development.
Survey Don Nygaard inquired about a survey that Minnetonka Village had had done
through the cooperation of the SRA and the U. of M. Mr. Reuper said that
the E.P. Par;c Board could send an official request to his office for such
a survey and he would follow through with -the proper persons at the U.
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Eden Prairie Park and Recreation Commission Meeting, June 1, 1964
The Survey work would be done by students in the winter quarter survey class
and would cost Eden Prairie about $50. aerial photo maps which will be
ready about August 1 and the School Census taken this summer would both
aid the survey workers. The next step would be to hire a Park Planner
or a planner through the National Recreation Association (Regional Office
In Chicago) . The latter woiild cost about $50 per day.
Tiny Tots When he learned that E.P. had no kindergarten, I�ir. Reuper mentioned that
Program Columbia Heights had a Tiny Tots program run by the mothers aided by SRA.
Insurance Any program S'RA co-sponsors is protected by its insurance. (Bill Holte
will not be covered by SRA insurance.)
Evaluation SRA has received an evaluation report of the summer program from Linda
Report Brekke and the E.P. Park Commission could receive copies if it wishes.
in the pas-D
E.P. Summer The E.P. Summer Recreation Program will begin June 22 and run for 8 weeks.
Rec. Schedule Hours will be 9 - 12 and 1 - 4 Monday through Friday for those 6 yrs. and up.
There will be Junior Leade:-s chosen from 7th and 8th graders.
Staff The staff wills be Bill Holte, Director (E.P. H.S. teacher and basketball
coach); and Lira Brekke, assistant, Junior at the U. of M. Both will be
employed by Eden Prairie but SRA will pay Linda' s salary. Bill will be
responsible to the Par.: Board, Linda will be responsible to Bill.
Turtle Derby Mr. Reuper mentioned that special events such as Turtle Derbies spark a
summer rec program. Four winners from an E.P. Turtle Derby could enter the
Met finals in Mpls. July 26 as part of the Aquatennial. There will also be
a State Open for non-winners and a Dignitaries Classic.
E.P. Park It was noted that E.P.'s park property at the present consists of about
Property two acres in the center of Sterling Field and a small but excellent beach
on Riley Lake near Dutch's Resort.
Park Land from It was suggested that the Commission might want to draw up a Resolution
Developers recommending that developers donate land for park purposes. This is done
in many other suburbs.
Red Cross Mr. Merriman distributed copies of the Red Cross swimming class schedule
Swimming which includes classes on Mondays at Holasek's Beach on Bryant Lake.
Publicity Communication regarding recreational facilities and classes is a problem
in E.P. and it was suggested that perh4•ps the Commission should provide
publicity for all recreation which is available to the community, whether
sponsored by the Commission or not.
(Bill Holte and Vier Wood came into the mseting at this point.)
Budget for The E.P. Village Council has appropriated $1500 for the summer recreation
Summer Rec program. Bill Holte's salary will be $700. Discussion followed regarding
Program the use of the remaining '800. Al Bruce said that last year the remaining
money on a similar budget went for miscellaneous expenses and that we should
check to find out how it was used and if the same needs would occur again.
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Eden Prairie Park and Recreation Commission Meeting, June 1$ 1964
The possibility of using school equipment which has been the
" practice in the past was discussed. The advisability of using the
trampoline was questioned due to injury problems. Mr. Merriman felt
the town should take over the responsibility of equipment as far as
possible. Mr. Wood said equipment could be stored in the west end of
the elementary school and a large box is available for small equipment.
al Bruce asked Bill Holte to submit a plan of proposed purchases at the
next meeting, his recreational plans and what publicity help he will need.
Baseball Mr. Merriman asked if the Village sponsored the baseball program and Mr.
Wood explained how it got started and is now operated entirely by the
parents. Mr. Lloye Christiansen is president of the program called
Eden Prairie Junior Baseball. Each boy pays $3 for the summer. There are
ten teams - 6 in one league and 4 in the other, meeting Mondays and
Wednesdays at the Presbyterian Church, Miller and Kasid fields, and school.
Babe Ruth baseball meets Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays.
Experts to Mr. Merriman suggested that Mr. Holte could get experts to help out in
help the recreation program with their specialty such as archery, nature etc.
Bus transpor- Mr. Holte asked about the possibility of using school buses for transpor-
tation tation for special trips. Mr. Wood said that school insurance does not
apply during the summer on buses, but had to purchased for any extra trips.
Al Bruce felt that perhaps we should stay away from transportation. Mr.
Holte will need a definite answer in order to plan his program.
Next meeting Since the next regular meeting night conflicts with the School Board,
al Bruce moved that the next Park Board meeting be held June 29 with a
preliminary meeting at Sterling Field to inspect the park there at 7:30,
adjourning to the Council Room at 8:00. The motion was seconded and carried.
Hennepin The proposed Hennepin County Park in the Anderson Lakes area was discussed.
County Park action in the form of a letter to the Park Reserve District Board was
postponed upon the suggestion of Don Nygaard until the Board can get
figures on the tax loss to E.P. Al Bruce will ask Mr. Wittmer for these
figures.
Park Board Mr. Marsh suggested that the: Board should draw up some basic policies
Goals and goals that could appear in the minutes and also be circulated in some
way to the rosidents of E.P. He volunteered to begin work on such a draft
and suggested that all members of the Board do the same.
Cooperation Mr. Merriman asked if a Park Board member could also serve on the Zoning
between Zoning Board since the work of the two boards is so closely related. Don Nygaard
and Park Bds. said that such an arrangement was suggested when the original request for
a Park Board was made to the Council but the idea was not implemented.
Al Bruce said he receives the minutes of the Zoning Board and that it might
be a good idea to review them at .each Park Board meeting. It was suggested
R that the Park Board should send any of its pertinent material to the Zoning
Board.
Liability Members of the Park Board are part of a municipal group and not personally
liable.
A motion to adjourn was made, seconded and carried at 10:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Frances Blacklock