HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRYC 2025-05-28Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission (DRYC)
May 28, 2025
HybridPresent:Leslie Debo (chair), David Peck (vice chair), Julie McLean, Will Olson, James WhalleyLiaisons:Jason Leifer (Town Board) 7:25Athena Steinkraus (Cornell Cooperative Extension
– Tompkins County)*Staff:Marty Conger (Recreation Director) 7:17Allison Kjellander-Cantu (Deputy Town Clerk)Guest: Craig Schutt (Conservation Board), Greg Knight (Coach)
“*” Denotes attendance via Zoom
The meeting was called to order at 7:11 p.m.
Review and Approval of MinutesofApril 25, 2025
On motion made by L Debo, seconded by J McLean, the minutes of April 25, 2025 were approved as written. J McLean abstained
Reports: Cornell Cooperative Extension Rural Youth Services
A Steinkraus reported thatDave's summer programs are filling up. His in-school and after-school programs are also reportedly going great.
The candidate for the HOURS position has declined the offer due to family issues, which prevent them from relocating. The commission has a few more promising candidates and will be reaching
out to them to set up interviews. The search was delayed partly because Shelley was on medical leave; she is now slowly returning to work.The YOURS Presidentand other individuals will
deliver the final set of kits to participants. This has been a successful way for students to stay connected, with positive feedback from both kids and parents. Kits have been delivered
multiple times and mailed to those who opted in.
Reports: Recreation Department
M Conger informed the committee that a parent involved in Little League approached a commission member and commented that there is a lack of ball fields. Their commentson the current
fields, particularly for the younger age groups (5U and 12U),were describedas "absolutely ridiculous," "sad," and "embarrassing."
The adult softball program is experiencing significant growth with four teams, compared to the usual two. Virgil adds two teams, and they have no nice field to play on or anywhere to
play. This highlights the importance of incorporating baseball and softball facilities into future planning.
The upcoming weeks will see lacrosse and track ending, resulting in a break before summer programs begin, followed by preparations for fall activities.
The Varna Community Center is hosting a fundraiser on June 7th called Varna Walks, aimed at making improvements. This event has been publicized through newsletters, Facebook, and email,
and avenues for further outreach are being sought.
Reports: Town Board
J Leifer has nothing to report on from the town board.
A question regarding the updateon Dryden Lake and the dam is on their plan, but no specific date has been provided.
Dryden Dairy Day:
The DRYC has secured a table for Dryden Dairy Day. There is some confusion and potential frustration regarding communication with other chairs who may have also planned to have a table.
M Congar, who is organizing the recreation activities for Dairy Day, has a significant personal conflict and will be unable to serve as the primary person in charge. She is seeking someone
to take over her role and is facing challenges with volunteers and logistics.Supervising the equipment and the need for a pickup truck for transport are highlighted as key logistical
challenges. She is reaching out to coaches for assistance.
A request for her to write out what needsto be done to help others step in.
The idea of having the recreation field development maps available at the Dairy Days table is a proposed way to inform the community and gather initial feedback.The importance of gathering
community opinions on the concepts is emphasized.
FieldsBehind Town Hall Project:
Two similar development concepts were reviewed, with the main difference being just over $100,000 due to the cost of composting toilets to gain 25 additional parking spaces. Members
consider this parking increase worthwhile. A significant concern raised is the insufficient parking in the proposed plans. Using gravel for parking is suggested as a cheaper alternative
to asphalt. The reality that parents will create "makeshift parking spots" regardless of the official plan is also acknowledged. The option of using the nearby town parking lot is mentioned.
G Knight feels this does not meet the needs; there are not enough parking spots or fields. There are concerns about whether the proposed plan includes enough field space to accommodate
current needs, particularly for recreational soccer. The need for more space either way is acknowledged.
C Schutt, the Conservation Board,reviewed the concepts and was seen as avoiding the wet area, indicating an awareness of an effort to steer clear of wetland zones.
The property on the yellow barn business development is mentioned as an alternative location with no wetland issues. This is the other area looked at for the possibility of larger recreational
fields, and more central to the town.
There is discussion about the possibility of a Phase Two development on the current property to add another large field. However, there is some disagreement on whether there is sufficient
space for a large field.
M Congar spoke with the Highway Superintendent and whether the highway crew has time to help if asked. Rick has no concerns and likes the fence for keeping people out of the equipment.
The possibility of including a walking path or trails in the undeveloped wetland space was discussed.It was stated that the commission is not allowed to touch any of that spacedue to
it being a wetland.
A potential issue with the state regarding the access point is raised, noting that the state may have more problems withaccessing space with a parking lot attached to it than they would
if it were a road.D Peck asked about the green space by the recreation building that runs parallel with the access road, and if there was an answer from the Highway crew, if they would
be willing to do the grading.
Finding a date for a community meeting is challenging, as the available dates in June do not align with town board meetings and some are during graduation week or too soon to publicize
effectively.Evening meetings are considered best for the public. It is suggested to ask the consultant for dates in July, as a more realistic time frame,which potentially leads to betterattendance.
It was mentioned that CHA uses a slide show presentation to present the final recreation development concepts to the community.
DRYC Logo Discussion:
Several logo concepts were reviewed. There is discussion about possibly changing the logo color to match the town colors, although there is resistance to keeping purple, which is associated
with the schools and seen as more vibrant than brown. A strong desire for the recreation program to remain independent influences preferences for logo design and color. The desire to
include people with diverse interests, not just athletes, is also noted. A suggestion is made to incorporate "DRYC" into the logo, possibly in small letters, because that is how the
commission is commonly referred to, and many people may not recognize the full "Dryden Recreation Youth Commission" name.
Village of Dryden, New York Forward Grant:
The New York Forward grant is identified as a potential source of funding for a recreation/community center.There is a spot on the New York Forward site for submitting proposals. The
grant money can't be used for certain uses, specifically noting that it can't be used for acquisition. It can be used for construction or refurbishment.This restriction is a key consideration
for potential projects.The state has the final choice on approved projects, even after local groups submit ideas. Scoring criteria likely play a role, though specific details are not
fully known from the meeting discussion.
There being no further business, on motion made by L Deboand secondedby J McLean, the meeting was adjourned at 8:16p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Allison Kjellander-Cantu
Deputy Town Clerk