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<br /> <br />Item 6.3. <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Bill Maertz, Parks and Recreation Director <br /> <br />DATE: February 22, 2005 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Parks and Recreation Update <br /> <br />. 2005 park improvement projects are moving forward. Staff is preparing requests <br />for proposals that will go out in the next two weeks. Components of the various <br />projects have been broken out individually in order receive the best prices <br />possible. <br />. The design concept for Rivers Edge Commons (hardware store site) has been <br />reviewed by the Park Commission. The design, which includes an amphitheatre, a <br />gazebo, and historical interpretation, will be brought to the Council for <br />consideration in March. <br />. The Park Commission has requested that the consider forming a taskforce <br />composed of two Park Commission members, two planning commission members <br />and council person, to examine ways that areas identified in the Natural <br />Resources Inventory can be preserved. This NRI taskforce will be a discussion <br />item at the March Council workshop. <br />. Staff will be advertising a full time park maintenance position in March with a <br />projected mid-April start date. <br />. Staffhas proposed a partnership with the school district at the potential school site <br />at The River Park development. In this proposal the school district would build a <br />warming house addition to the gymnasium at the school. Elk River Park and <br />Recreation would provide a skating rink and lights and operate the warming house <br />in the winter. In the summer the Park and Recreation or Community Education <br />could offer youth programming. This model is used in other cities and is a <br />efficient use of resources <br />Parks and Recreation currently operates the warming house at Handke School and <br />maintains the rink. This has been a very positive partnership both in terms of <br />recreation opportunities provided and in terms of district/city cooperation. <br />. The Sherburne County Soil and Water Conservation District has finalized plans <br />for a rain garden demonstration project at Orono Beach. The estimated cost is <br />$15,000, of which the Soil and Water district would pay 75 percent. Much ofthe <br />city contribution would be in-kind services such as excavation and planting. <br />