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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PARKS-2014-07-14Approved 8/11/15 1 CITY OF ITHACA PARKS COMMISSION Tuesday, July 14, 2015, Noon to 1:30 p.m. Cornell Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, City of Ithaca MINUTES Present: Commissioners: Dan Krall Ellen Leventry Roberta Moudry Staff: Megan Wilson, City Planner Jeanne Grace, City Forester Jim D’Alterio, Recreation Facilities Director/Cass Park Bill Goldsmith, BPW liaison Josephine Martell, Common Council liaison Others: Cynthia Brock; Marc Messing Persons to be heard: Marc Messing – several boating accidents on the lake. Notes that the Ithaca Journal has recently written an editorial about life vests. Two other boaters were hospitalized this week due to an accident. Marc says he has not been able to use Stewart Park since April due to objections by the CBC. Marc would like to propose that there be signage in all parks concerning boating in cold water. New York State and Pennsylvania and others have laws in place concerning boating in cold water. He asks that we consider appropriate signage warning people about dangers. Cynthia Brock distributed a memo to various agencies to look for appropriate storage for rowing shells. A group of people applied to CBC for rental space to store shells. The CBC requires that all rowers become members in order to rent storage space. This makes it very expensive for those just looking for a rental space. Cynthia suggested that (1A) a trailer could be parked near to the boathouse and the city would get revenue. Or the city could (1B) build boat racks. A third option would be to install a floating dock on Inlet Island, where there would be little visual impact on the park. This could be a good spot for a paddler to come to town for lunch or shopping. The BPW and the mayor support the idea of a rowing rack. Approved 8/11/15 2 Cynthia said that the floating dock would need considerable permitting, but it could be achieved with fundraising. Dan felt that storage at Stewart Park (1B) would be preferable. He feels that if there is a long-term vision for Inlet Park then there is really not space for boat storage. The concrete wall in question at Inlet Island has ladders, for safety purposes only. The work is to develop a plan for Inlet Island for next year, to consider options and to then create a proposal. This idea is more of a long-term idea, but not the solution for present, which is to place racks near the boat house and to rent them. How are spaces allocated? Who is liable? Is the city liable if there is damage? Jim notes that we are already “leasing” boat storage to the dragon boats. The boat owners carry liability insurance. Bill notes that the state provides boat storage racks at Myers. Cynthia clarifies that this is a late spring to early fall storage situation. Not a year- round storage. Bill recalls that the BPW meeting endorsed a quick arrangement for the present to store shells. The task is to bring in a trailer for storage purposes. BPW strongly endorsed taking quick action on this, after approval of city attorney. Dan notes that the Stewart Park racks are temporary but will also give a sense of how much demand exists for boat storage. BPW approved placement of trailer. Ellen and Jeanne are concerned about parking storage trailer near swan pond. OLD BUSINESS UPDATE ON LAKE STREET PARK ENHANCEMENTS The area will be a staging area for improvement of Lake Street Bridge, and the idea is to then do improvements after the bridge work has been completed. Addisu Gebre has provided some renderings and a plan to show fencing along perimeter of area. There is also a gate that could be closed if water levels became dangerous. Jeanne feels it would not be all winter, but just during dangerous or emergency situations. Bill would like the documents to be labeled Ithaca Falls Park and not the Lake Street Public Park. Bill also notes that the commission should look at this area and consider the design. Cynthia notes that there are concerns about the amount of concrete in the area and cost. Jeanne feels that some of the concrete could be eliminated. Discussion about costs: county offered $60K and now it has been reduced to $20. Bill asks about signage that notes danger, and there is an additional question about the wisdom of including a gate (this could be a liability concern). Approved 8/11/15 3 NEW BUSINESS MURAL PROPOSAL FOR CASS PARK (DENNIS & MARIA BAUSER) Cass Park walls are a possibility. The proposed design doesn’t seem to relate to the use of the facility. Ellen feels the image is inappropriate. Others note that this is not an “Ithaca” design. Bill suggests that perhaps a participatory project would be a good thing. MEMBER AND STAFF REPORTS UPDATE ON WATER RECREATION COMMITTEE (BILL GOLDSMITH) Meeting on July 23. Roberta now appointed to committee. Group of about a dozen people – State Parks director, 1-2 IYB, 1 BPW, 1 CBC, 1 from Planning, Jeanne Grace. Four from Parks on committee. Tasks assigned at each meeting – to come to next meeting and report on conditions, including town park just north of the Cornell Sailing Center. Idea to see what is going on, and long-range plans to improve access to water for swimmers, non-powered craft and some power craft. We don’t have much going on at Cayuga Lake. There is a group doing a “blue way” access to the water. For example, we don’t know who owns docks along concrete wall and the status of existing docks. There is great enthusiasm to provide more opportunities and more docks. We have a problem because we are at the bottom of the lake. One possibility is to swim in the swan pond. Jeanne notes that the birders would object. Dan notes that there will be a car problem if people can swim at Stewart Park. Jim notes that we have two aging pools that also need to be maintained and this could be a competing interest. Megan notes that the IYB, Planning Dept and BPW have put in a capital project to do a master plan for the park system. Ellen notes that walkability is important. Megan clarifies that this is parks and recreational facilities, but that a phase two would include management for natural areas. OSPREY INTERPRETIVE SIGNS IN STEWART AND CASS PARKS (JEANNE GRACE) Two platforms are up-one in northern end of Stewart Park between IYB and the park. The other is on the golf course. The NYSEG forester (Paul Paradine) and his wife (works at Lab of Ornithology) created an interpretive sign that has been placed at spots in Lansing. He would like to place two signs, one in Cass Park related to the next across the water, and one in Stewart Park. Ellen feels that the sign should be redone for design and grammatical reasons. Jeanne asks if there are concerns about signs near nesting platforms. None noted, all positive responses. Approved 8/11/15 4 TRASH COMPACTOR AT CONWAY PARK (JEANNE GRACE) Jeanne reported that there have been complaints about excessive garbage in this area. She noted that Dewitt Park has a trash compactor that has reduced garbage there. Jeanne put a garbage can in the park as a test, and it hasn’t reduced garbage, so she feels that there is no justification for a trash compactor. The issue is behavioral and not because there is no receptacle for garbage. The trash compactor is solar-powered and it has worked well in Dewitt Park. UPDATE ON ESTY VAULT IN CITY CEMETERY (ELLEN LEVENTRY) Vault wall has collapsed. The large monument has been removed as the lower wall has eroded, due to rain, animals, people. People sled and sit on the stones. This is an endowed monument, which means that the family gave $250 in the 1920s to maintain the monument. It is unclear what it means – is the city required to maintain the monuments? Are there grants available? Jim suggested checking with the city clerk’s office to see if there is a list of endowed monuments. The cemetery will have another cleanup day on August 29. Discussion about need for improvements to cemetery.