7.1 PRSR 11-09-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 7 ELK RIVER PARKS & RECREATIONDRAFT 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% April May June July Aug Sept Oct Rectangle Fields - Weekdays Used by Others Used by Youth Lacrosse Used by Boreal Used by Tackle Football Used by Flag Football Not Used 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% April May June July Aug Sept Oct Rectangle Fields - Weekends Used by Others Used by Youth Lacrosse Used by Boreal Used by Tackle Football Used by Flag Football Not Used RECTANGLE FIELDS The rectangle fi elds (football, lacrosse, soccer) are slightly underutilized in Elk River during the spring and summer. While the graphs above show limited use, that is somewhat helpful for resting fi elds. Boreal Soccer is a regional club and as such, uses fi elds around the north metro. The club was started in 2020 and based on trends, it is likely to expand signifi cantly over the upcoming years. This will likely come with additional demand beyond the limited current use. The data shown is also for spring/summer and one of the larger users is a fall user in youth football, both with tackle and fl ag football. While tackle football participation has dropped below the levels from 2015-2018, the numbers appear to have stabilized for the time being. At the same time, fl ag football has expanded rapidly. Lacrosse and football are both heavy users of the school fi elds as well, particularly for practices. One of the primary issues with the City’s current fi eld situation is that there are very few rectangle fi elds if something happens to one of them. If there is an issue with one of them, the City’s capacity becomes much smaller. National trends suggest more rapid growth in demand for rectangle fi elds than diamonds, and the City is also lagging behind many of its neighbors when it comes to the provision of rectangle fi elds. RECOMMENDATIONS • Consider the development of 3-4 fi elds over the long term (by 2035) to accommodate growing and future demand. • Continue to limit access after weather events or long winters. With only 3 fi elds in the City’s system, having one go off line due to being torn up would cause signifi cant issues. • Explore bringing amenities to the fi eld at YAC similar to what has been constructed at the ballfi elds. If the expansion occurs, it may be better to focus investments on support facilities in that area. • While Kleiver is a reasonable overfl ow location for occasional needs, the parking and support facilities suggest the City should not rely on it for regular programming. Preferred 25% fi eld rest and recovery Preferred 25% fi eld rest and recovery