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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-18-2005 Approved PCSC Minutes CITY OF DUBLIN PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MINUTES OF: APRIL 18,2005 Chairperson Flores called the April 18, 2005 meeting of the Parks and Community Services Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Dublin Civic Center,Dublin, California. Pledge of Allegiance Chairperson Flores led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Flores, Guarienti, Cain,Muetterties,Jones and Smith Commissioners Absent: None Oral Communications 3.1 Senior Center Advisory Committee Al Edge, Senior Center Advisory Committee, stated that a subcommittee has been formed for the planning of the Grand Opening for the new Senior Center but they have not met yet to start planning. Edge stated that the last Senior Center Advisory Committee meeting, the Committee reviewed the lunch menu and the approved fees in place for the upcoming year. Edge feels that once the new Senior Center is open, more interest will develop in the senior programs and activities. Approval of Minutes CM. GUARIENTI WANTED TO CLARIFY THE STATEMENT REGARDING THE FUN RUN, LOCATED ON PAGE THREE,PARAGRAPH EIGHT, UNDER THE OTHER BUSINESS HEADING. CM. GUARIENTI ACTUALLY STATED THAT HE FELT THE NEW LAYOUT OF THE REGISTRATION AREA OF THE FUN RUN WORKED VERY WELL THIS YEAR AND,HE WANTED TO COMPLIMENT STAFF ON A JOB WELL DONE. ON A MOTION BY CM. CAIN, SECONDED BY CM. MUETTERTIES AND BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE ' COMMISSION VOTED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MARCH 21,2005 AS CORRECTED. Written Communications-None Public Hearing-None Unfinished Business-None New Business 8.1 Grand Opening of the New Dublin Senior Center Parks&Community Services Director Dian Lowart explained that planning is underway for the Grand Opening of the new Dublin Senior Center. Although a specific date has not been established for the opening, it is estimated the opening will occur during summer 2005. It is recommended that two different Grand Opening events be planned, with the purpose of creating significant awareness of the new facility in the community. The first event would be a themed gala banquet event targeted to older adults. The second event would be the official "ribbon-cutting" for the facility and feature a "Health & Wellness Fair". Lowart reviewed the proposed plans for each event with the Commission. The Gala Banquet would be held on a Saturday evening and have a "Cruise Ship" theme. It would feature a catered dinner, entertainment, and other unique venues throughout the facility. Staff has invited the Dublin Senior Foundation to partner with the City on the event to assist with soliciting monetary donations to keep the costs of tickets to a minimum for seniors. Minutes—April 18,2005 Page 2 of 5 Following dinner, a "big band"would provide music for dancing. A cruise ship style casino would be setup in the game rooms for fun and door prizes after dinner as well. A caricature artist could also be available to draw pictures of guests throughout the evening. Guests would be asked to dress in semi-formal attire for the gala. Depending on the level of sponsorship received, Staff would like to keep ticket prices for seniors at$25 and no more than$45 for regular paying guests. The second event could serve as the official ribbon cutting for the facility and would be promoted to the general public. It could be held during the daytime and feature a "health and wellness" theme. The event would begin with the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Following the ribbon cutting the public would be invited to participate in a variety of activities and interactive booths that promote healthy, active lifestyles. Cm. Cain stated that the Steppin Out for Seniors would also be a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony during the Open House/Health and Wellness portion of the Senior Center grand opening. Cm. Guarienti suggesting having pictures of various senior activities and events on display during the grand opening. Cm. Jones asked if anyone has provided the City with a completion date for this project. Lowart stated that the targeted completion date is mid June with a move in date somewhere towards the end of July. Cm. Jones asked when the Senior Housing would be done. Lowart advised that she was not sure of the completion date for the Senior Housing but, she stated that the City would be coordinating the grand opening(s) with the builders of the Senior Housing and the Senior Center and, if the Senior Center and the Senior Housing are ready at the same time,the City could host a joint ribbon cutting ceremony. Cm.Muetterties liked the cruise ship theme and the idea of having a casino and a midnight buffet. Cm. Jones asked if the City has approached any organizations to obtain donations for this event. Lowart advised that solicitation of donations would be handling by the Foundation. No further questions or comments were presented to Lowart by the Commission regarding the Senior Center Grand Opening event planning. 8.2 Fall 2004 Quarterly Report Lowart explained that the Parks and Community Services Department develops and implements quality programs that strengthen community image, provide recreational experiences, encourage healthy lifestyles and preserve the City's heritage. This is accomplished by providing innovative recreation, social and cultural programs in the areas of playgrounds, preschool, teens, sports, special events, leisure classes, seniors and aquatics. She reviewed the quarterly report with the Commission. Leisure Classes serve customers of all ages and cover a wide variety of activities such as Fun for Ones, Puppy Preschool, and Country Western Dance. Classes provide an opportunity for attempting new experiences or refining current skills, as well as providing a venue for meeting new people and sharing experiences with friends. During the fall quarter, total registration was 546 with an average of 10.5 per class. Eighty four classes were offered and 52 classes were held. Popular classes during the fall included Country Line Dance, Terrific Twos, Judo, Bowling, and Fun for Ones, Hatha Yoga,Karate, Cheerleading and Golf. Minutes—April 18, 2005 Page 3 of 5 The Dublin Senior Center strives to provide diverse activities that strengthen participants' physical, cognitive and mental wellness. The Trips and Tours Program and extended travel programs open up a whole new world of discovery, experience and lifelong learning. Recurring events, like the daily lunch program, weekly food distribution, and monthly special luncheons are reassuring and dependable. These activities reinforce community relations and help seniors maintain a healthy nutritional balance. For the months of September through November, total attendance was 6,605 with an average daily attendance of 115. Volunteer hours totaled 1,912. The Shamrock Preschool is a recreational preschool that provides opportunities for social and educational development in a well-supervised environment. Classes are offered in two and three day combinations in both the morning and afternoon. Three 12-week sessions are offered each year. Registration for Preschool, which was held in May, resulted in an extensive waiting list for the Red Rockets class. A second Red Rockets class was established because the Purple Pilots class was cancelled due to low enrollment. This provided space for the children on the waiting list for other classes. There were 38 students registered for the Red Rockets classes,which was two spaces short of capacity. Blue Explorers filled with 20 children and 11 children registered for Green Giants. After School Recreation is a supervised activity program for children in first through fifth grades. The program operates on school days at Dougherty, Dublin, Frederiksen, Murray, and Nielsen elementary schools. Session I was held August 29, 2004 through January 28, 2005 on school days from the time of school dismissal until 5:30 P.M. The were 204 children registered for the program with 50 at Dougherty, 52 at Dublin, 36 at Frederiksen, 36 at Murray and 30 at Nielsen. Combined average daily attendance was 129 children. The After School Enrichment program offers a variety of one-time workshops after school that are designed to broaden children's experiences in the areas of art,performance, science,nature, and music. The program is held at the Dublin Public Library. Each workshop has suggested topics for books to checkout from the Library that relate to the workshop. Six workshops were offered during Fall 2004 including Mad Science, Marine Science Institute, Really Rad Reptiles, Percussion Discussion, Advanced Scribbling and The Wildlife Associates. Following is a summary of registration for After School Enrichment. Total registration was 94 with an average of 16 per class. The Recreation on Campus (R.O.C.) program is for middle school youth and provides a variety of recreational activities in an elective format on different days and times. The goal of the program is to provide safe and positive ways in which teens can use their leisure time. Each day is broken into two blocks of time, 1 hour and 15 minutes in length. The program was expanded to include Fridays this year. Additionally the program time was extended each day to end 15-minutes later at 5:30 PM. Session I was nine weeks long and included activities such as Homework Club,Basketball,Flag Football,Monday Madness Open Gym, Scrap Booking,Music Appreciation and Self-Defense. Total registration was 264 with an average daily attendance of 47. The 2004 "Day on the Glen" Festival was held at Emerald Glen Park on September 24th and 25th. This was the fourth year the City sponsored the event. Festival components included live entertainment on two stages ranging from magicians, puppetry and rock bands, to dance groups and violinists. There was also roaming entertainment, a petting zoo and pony rides. As with last year, the "City Hall On The Glen" booth was one of the most popular attractions. The Community Marketplace highlighted over 50 local businesses and community organizations. The Teen Zone had a snack area, rock climbing wall, mini-stock car racetrack and deejay. A skateboard competition and sanctioned Tennis and Volleyball Tournaments were held. Children's attractions included carnival rides; games and inflatable jump houses as well as the make-and-take craft tent and a toddler play area. Based on estimates by the Police Department as well as the beverage and carnival ticket sales, it is estimated that over 10,000 people attended the festival. Minutes—April 18,2005 Page 4 of 5 The City operates the Dublin Swim Center. The facility features two pools, a waterslide, diving board, group picnic area and heated showers and locker rooms. The main pool consists of a free-form shallow area, 25-yard lanes and a diving area. A 1-foot deep wading pool is also available for toddlers. During the fall the Swim Center was open for Recreational Swimming on weekends from 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. Attendance at Recreational Swimming was 951 which was a 1% decrease over last fall. The Learn-to-Swim Program offers.group and individual instruction for all ages. The classes are based on the American Red Cross Water Safety program. Total registration for the Learn-to-Swim program was 116 which was an increase of 22% over the previous fall. This was due to classes being added to accommodate full waiting lists for specific swim levels. The greatest demand was for infant,preschool and beginning lessons. • Lap Swimming is held in the mornings and evenings on weekdays.Attendance at Lap Swimming was 18. Lowart asked the Commission for their questions and comments regarding the fall 2004 Quarterly Program Report. Cm. Guarienti stated that most of the decrease in registration for leisure classes was in the non-resident category and, although, the City offered less classes, there was actually a small increase overall in the class size. Cm. Guarienti mentioned that he noticed some classes had five or less participants in a class, he asked what the criteria was for running classes. Lowart advised that the instructor sets their class minimum and maximum requirements, which vary from class to class. However, the City does monitor and assess registration on a class-by-class basis to ensure minimum registration and revenue requirements are being met. Cm. Guarienti stated that before the Senior Center luncheon fees were raised last time, he suggested raising program fees instead of increasing the luncheon fees. He feels that a majority of people have stopped eating at the Senior Center because of the latest fee increase. This increase has put the cost of lunch at the Senior Center about the same price as it is to eat out at a restaurant. The food is still good and he hopes that when we move into the new center, things will turn around. He feels that if the City subsidizes anything, it should be the senior lunch program. Cm. Guarienti stated that the registration report does illustrate that seniors are active in the new programs offered through the Senior Center. Cm. Guarienti felt the report was very good and very comprehensive. Cm. Jones said that registration in preschool remained high despite the fact that the preschool moved from the Shannon Community Center to Emerald Glen. Lowart advised that although we lost a few students because of the move, overall, the programs have remained full. Cm. Jones stated that the fact that registration remained high is a testament to what a wonderful preschool program the City offers. Cm. Cain asked if the new preschool location at the Emerald Glen Activity Center is temporary. Lowart advised that the building is temporary until the new community center at Shannon Park is rebuilt. Cm. Cain asked if Shannon Community Center rebuild project is considered a high priority with the City and whether the Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic facility would immediately follow the rebuild of Shannon. Lowart stated that the City Council had directed Staff to proceed with the Shannon Center project and that staff is currently looking at the costs to run and maintain the Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic Center. Cm. Cain asked if Shannon Community Center and Emerald Glen Community Center would both have a preschool onsite. Lowart confirmed that preliminary plans do show a preschool at both locations. Cm. Muetterties asked if Lowart could explain why registration participation was very good until 2002 and then registration dropped off. Lowart stated she really couldn't answer her question at this time; she would have to research the issue further. Minutes—April 18, 2005 Page 5 of 5 Chairperson Flores asked if the opening of Fallon would help alleviate the overcrowding of the after school program at Dougherty. Lowart stated that she hoped we would be able to see a decrease in the need for after school care at Dougherty once Fallon opens. Other Business Brief INFORMATIONAL ONLY Reports from Parks & Community Services Commissioners and/or Staff Cm. Guarienti stated that he attended the Eagle Court of Honor for Andrew Sevilla which was very well attended. The event was very well organized. Cm. Guarienti was very impressed with the whole program and the Sevilla family and he was thankful to be able to participate in this event. Cm. Guarienti recently visited Livermore's Community Center. He thinks they may be having trouble coming up with the operating costs for this new facility as office furnishing in the lobby and luncheon areas are very scarce. However, the facility is gorgeous. They have a big main hall with a huge banquet facility, meeting rooms, a full size gym with two courts and two swimming pools. Cm. Guarienti stated that he would like to see a community group assembled to provide input on what amenities would be included in the City of Dublin's new Community • Centers. Cm. Guarienti stated that at the Council meeting tomorrow night, the Bicycle Master Plan is on the agenda. He also saw on the goals and objectives, the Council committed $25,000 to study the 580 under-crossing walking trail in cooperation with East Bay Regional Parks District. Cm. Smith apologized for missing the Special Meeting last week. He received a meeting cancellation notice in the mail and thought it was a cancellation for the Special Meeting but, it wasn't, it was actually a cancellation of the Planning meeting. Cm. Muetterties stated that Mayor Janet Lockhart was recently featured in Tri Valley Magazine as one of the most powerful women in the Bay Area. Cm. Muetterties encouraged everyone to congratulate Lockhart on the recent recognition she received. Cm. Muetterties stated that there was also an article in the same magazine about the Taylor Foundation, which discussed playground needs for special needs children. Cm. Muetterties also stated that she felt the Special Meeting with Council went very well. Chairperson Flores stated that the Special Meeting with Council went well. Chairperson Flores felt that City Council really listened to the Commission's suggestions and it was a great opportunity to exchange ideas between the two groups. Lowart reminded the Commission of the Bray Commons park dedication on May 7 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Lowart advised that interviews would be held the week of April 18t to select a consultant for the Historic Park Master Plan project. Adjournment Being no further business,the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Christie Marks, Senior Office Assistant • 'PROV. D: /\ f 1 1 C airpe on