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Home My WebLink AboutTB Minutes 1986-01-10 1 . PARKS AND RECREATION LAYS ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1985 Susan C . Beeners Richard H . Schoch January 10 , 1986 This past year the two permanent park employees , assisted by the Highway Department and in summer by a record number of temporary student interns and youth workers , accomplished a variety of construction , upgrading , and maintenance projects at Town park , trail , and municipal sites . The year was typical of those in the recent past , with winter occupied by snow removal , park furniture prefabrication , and project planning , spring by landscaping projects and grounds maintenance , summer by intensive upgrading and maintenance with the summer youth work force and by budget preparation , and fall by landscaping and site construction . Due to the temporary nature of summer staff and their experience level , the summer work program has been most productive in performing routine maintenance and upgrading projects . With the logistics of summer work at a large number of sites , orientation of summer workers , especially the student interns /crew foremen , has proven crucial . Specialized projects such as play structure carpentry , and those which require spring or fall. implementation , such as large-scale planting and lawn seeding , are typically conducted during the non-summer months when maintenance staff is generally reduced to one person . This program of work , where weather-dependent maintenance and construction activities revolve around a fluctuating work force , is a continual challenge to existing staff . An increase in park use , especially by young families , has been noted . User requests for play equipment for young children led to the 1985 addition of infant swings to all park play areas . One new park site , the Coddington Road Playfield , will in January increase the number of Town parks to seven. The nearly four miles of off-road recreation ways have proven successful in providing safe commuter routes and recreational outlets for walkers , joggers , bicyclists , and cross-country skiers . The Town has taken a lead in the community by developing these trails , and must continue to seek the cooperation of other governmental and institutional agencies in expanding the trail system in the years ahead . 1985 Staff : - Planner-Consultant 80 % full-time - Working Foreman full-time - Summer : 2 Cornell Tradition Landscape Architecture interns - crew foremen 20 Youth workers from Summer Youth Employment and Summer Job Training Programs r Annual Report 2 S . C . B . /R . H . S . 1 / 10 / 86 1985 Projects , Parks and Recreation Ways Eastern Heights Park oompleted driveway and parking lot near Tudor Road , restored Skyvue Road parking lot - expanded play area with additions to the existing play structure and freestanding equipment - replaced and installed new benches and picnic tables - conducted selective tree thinning and resurfaced uDodland trails Forest Hcme Walkway - constructed a 150 -foot long handrail along path below Warren Road entrance - continued landscaping and wa]kvray resurfacing Coddington Road Playfield - topdressed and reseeded portions of infield and other outdoor play areas , expanded and resurfaced parking lot , and cleared brush - constructed . new fence along playground - transmitted permanent easement for Town park designation of playfield to ComTunity Center for execution in January , 1986 - designed sign /bulletin board for January , 1986 construction - designed parking lot planting buffer for Spring , 1986 installation Cayuga Heights Ccmnunity Center Playfield - regraded , topdressed , and reseeded infield , cleared brush around backstop Inlet Valley Park assisted City of Ithaca in preparation of a recreational land substitution proposal submitted to the State Legislature - discussed route of State trail from Cass Park to Buttermilk Falls State Park with landowners and with State and City officials Pleasant Grove Recreation Way - discussed route with Cayuga Heights and Cornell representatives , and reached tentative agreement of Cornell participation - awaiting final agreement , and route design by Village Engineer East Ithaca Recreation Way - proposed construction of spur near Graphic Arts Building and requested participation by Cornell . Proposal rejected due to Cornell ' s concerns with the Route 366 crossing - proposed extension of trail south of Honness Lane , with proposal rejected by abutting residents due to space and privacy concerns I • Annual Report 3 S . C . B . /R . H . S . 1 / 10 / 86 Other Park and Trail Sites - conducted general maintenance at all sites , including : - regular garbage removal and litter pickup - pruning , fertilizing , and mulching of trees and shrubs - lawn mowing and fertilizing - development of low-maintenance perennial gardens and wildflower areas - woodland management - trail snow removal - resurfaced trails at Salem and Lisa Lane Parks - installed infant swings and seesaws at Eastern Heights , Salem , Northview , Tareyton , and Tudor Parks - replaced and added new benches at Eastern Heights , Salem, and Northview Parks Municipal Nursery - continued expansion of nursery facility at Highway Barn - collected and potted coniferous tree seedlings fran park sites for future park and trail use - maintained purchased nursery stock for Burns Road revegetation project - continued stockpiling of organic materials for use as mulch , soil conditioner , and in seed beds Park Use Law - mended law to include permit fee structure and other group use requirements Sand Bank Road- Buttermilk Falls Road - executed agreement with Finger Lakes State Parks Canmission and Tompkins County for improverents South Hill Drainage Interceptor / Recreation Way - discussed feasibility with City Forest Hane Drive - met with Cornell Plantations officials to discuss permanent repair to the adjacent walkway . This repair awaits further development of associated repair projects on Forest Home Drive and Judd Falls Road 1985 Projects , Municipal and Other Sites Burns Road Relocation Annual Report 4 S . C . B . /R . H . S . 1 / 10 / 86 - cleared and chipped trees and brush in Phase II right of way - planted trees and shrubs on finished banks in Phases I and II - coordinated and assisted in machine mulching of banks Water and Sewer Main Construction - inspection of contractors ' work - special lawn and garden cleanup and restoration Water System Maintenance - brushed , primed , and painted 95 per cent of Town ' s fire hydrants - painted Troy Road and Pearsall Pump Stations , and replaced steps at Pearsall site Forest Home Drive - wired gabions Ongoing Development Projects - monitored and reviewed landscape develcrnent Toum Hall - erected new sign - pruned shrubs , planted annuals Highway Barn - mowed lawn and maintained plantings - built and erected new sign 1986 Objectives Inlet Valley Park - assist City of Ithaca in landcvmer contacts and land acquisition process - obtain site access , conduct preliminary site improvements Pleasant Grove Recreation Way - participate in the construction of pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements after review of the design to be developed by Cayuga Heights Hungerford Heights Park - complete site plan - develop peripheral buffer areas , primarily by transplanting shrubs from adjacent house construction sites Annual Report 5 S . C . B . /R . H . S . 1 / 10 / 86 - prefabricate and erect play structure , sign , and benches Tareyton Park - resubmit request to Cornell for park expansion to enlarge play and picnic areas , as per park user inquiries East Ithaca Recreation Way - continue planning for trail extensions in East Ithaca and safe connections to Cornell - plant wildflowers at Honness Lane entrance , and make other landscape and drainage improvements in coordination with Circle Greenway South Hill - plan and discuss pedestrian/bicyclist safety improvements between Ithaca College and downtown Ithaca - select , acquire and develop a vest pocket park for Pennsylvania/Kendall/Juniper residents - coordinate trail development with Circle Greenway in Six Mile Creek area and Townwide - continue planning for City/Town recreation way from Buttermilk Falls to Burns Road , and apply for State funding for such Coddington Road Playfield - build and install sign /bulletin board , players benches , backstop safety screen , and complete landscaping of parking lot Forest Herne - assist in walkway design and construction upon finalization of road repair plans Burns Road - complete landscaping and seeding All Park and Trail Sites - update park and trail site inventories and master plans - continue to develop general and site-specific management plans - continue implementation of comprehensive park and open space plan - refine middle and long range objectives - incorporate historic and scenic resource inventories into Plan - complete computerization of project management and budgeting -- expand photodocumentation of park and open space resources - conduct user surveys and usage counts - continue play structure and park furniture improvements and safety enhancements - install new trail signage at entrances of recreation ways Townwide a 1• . Annual Report 6 S . C . B . /R > H . S . 1 / 10 / 86 - develop small- scale projects for scouting and other groups PARKS AND RECREATION WAYS MONTHLY REPORT - JANUARY , 1986 Bulletin board construction for Coddington - Road Playfield . Prefabrication of park benches Repair of Forest Home Walkway upper steps and railings . Winter park and trail maintenance , snow and ice removal . Site inspections and planning , proposed South Hill Trail from Buttermilk to Burns , and Forest Home Drive road and path restoration project . Attended time management seminar , SEQR conference , and demonstrations of computer - aided design and mapping . . Landscape review of proposed and ongoing development projects . Susan Beeners Richard Schoch February . 10 , 1986