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Memorandum <br /> <br />To: Parks and Recreation Commission <br /> <br />From: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Manager <br /> <br />Date: October 17, 2023 <br /> <br />Subject: Parks and Recreation Manager’s Report <br /> <br />This report is a monthly highlight of department activities related to recent collaborations, strategic planning, <br />staff changes/developments, and park operations. <br /> <br />Athletic Facilities Tour <br />Three team members (Warren Ellingworth, Joe Stremcha and Michael Hecker) visited various athletic facilities to <br />get ideas on the latest designs, services, and amenities. Facilities visited include the following: Schwan’s Regional <br />Amateur Sports Complex in Marshall, The Irish Yard in Milroy, Riverside Park Ballfield in Springfield, Johnson <br />Ballpark in New Ulm, Caswell Complex in North Mankato and Gleason Fields in Maple Grove. <br />We appreciated the four turf fields at Gleason, but we were not as excited about their design layout. They seemed <br />too spread out. We prefer the pinwheel type layout with a central service building in the middle that overlooks <br />the fields. Marshall had the best example of this, with an elevated central plaza (concessions, restrooms, shelter, <br />and playground) that overlooks their four athletic fields. Marshall was also creative in using stone/pavers for <br />their seating. <br />Highlights from our tours that staff want to consider and pass along to the Athletic Fields Planning Committee <br />and HKGi include the following: <br />• Seating areas/concourse overlooking the fields (built up) no bleachers. <br />• Separate seating areas at all fields ADA accessible <br />• Sport decking for the premier fields <br />• Large dugouts with storage areas and decking (Gleason had the best example) <br />• Archway/plaza at the entranceway <br /> <br />Plants and Things Recreation Complex Shed <br />The shed at the Plants and Things Recreation Complex is nearly complete. It is a total of 350 sq. ft. complete <br />with interior and exterior lighting and separate entrances. One half of the shed will be shared with baseball and <br />softball. Baseball has notified staff they would like to store new grooming equipment. <br /> <br />Item: 6