HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-08-27 - MinutesPRAB Members Present: Staff Present: Guests Present: Media Present: BUSINESS: • PUBLIC MEETING WALKER PARK EXPANSION AUGUST 27, 1992 7:00 pm Alexander, Anderson, Jenkins, McConnell Clark, Braswell, Cox,"Edmonston See attached Morning News-M.B. Lohr, NWA Times -Rusty Garrett, Grapevine- , Claudine Stark- KIX104, Channel 29/40, Channel 5 Parks and Recreation Director, Dale Clark, called the meeting to order and introduced PRAB, Parks staff, Media, and individuals running for a City position. He also gave definitions for a regional park, a community park, and a neighborhood dark. Steve Alexander welcomed all guests and asked that everyonebe_brief. Ila Campbell - I am here on behalf of the Friends of Youth Recreation, which represents over 2,000 of our youth in the City of Fayetteville which are actively involved in the•sports program. The goal of this group is to provide an organization that helps finance and meet the needs of the Fayetteville Youth both now and in the future. It is our understanding that there is more than adequate area to facilitate the needed sports fields and parking, and still have extensive area for nature. There are over 56 Bambino Baseball teams playing on 6 fields. There are over 750 children in the soccer program playing on six fields. There is absolutely no room for growth. We have pushed our existing facilities to the limit. The Fayetteville Soccer Association and the Bambino Baseball League have written proposals stating how their needs can be met. Tonight, I and others wish to make a statement in favor of our children. We ask you to put their needs at the top of your priority list, and that we all work together for their benefit. There is certainly enough talk about the needs of today's children. I' challenge everyone here tonight to unite behind our children and to work together for a goal that will clearly benefit everyone. Thank you Kathryn Laurain-I am a representative for the Friends of Walker Woods. I am not against youth recreation, but we should be able to accommodate that without Page 2 sacrificing the natural state of the woods. There should be some other options such as practicing on Wednesday nights or land in the City that has already been cleared. Industrial Park is clear and flat land. How much will it cost to complete each project? Steve Alexander -I cannot answer that question right now. We are just here to gather input. That question will have to be directed to the Parks Division at a later date. Laurain- How many moret fields are needed to accommodate the children? Campbell- We would like to keep fields together, and it would help in maintenance costs. Bambino needs two fields now, and eventually six fields. Soccer will need two additional fields for future growth. Including the parking lot, this should take 15 to 17 acres which would leave over half the land to be developed for nature area. Laurain- Do you think lengthening the season of scheduling different would help? Dennis- Kelly- President of Bambino Baseball League We have already lengthen the season and are playing until 10:00 pm. Saturdays we play from 8:00 am until 10:00 or 11:00 pm. Sundays and Wednesdays are not used because of church. These two days are used as rainout games. Laurain- We are not against youth, but we think preserving trees would be as big an asset. Joe Alexander- Has anyone asked what the kids want? I enjoyed ball in the street, in the vacant lot, at the school, and on the organized Little League field. When I look back, I realize the places I most enjoyed were the lot, the street, and the school. The diamond was too organized. As a kid, I liked things kind of rough and wild. I have a small farm close to Fayetteville and a lot of friends bring their kids out°there. What I have noticed is that the first things the kids like to do when they get there is run down to the creek where there are trees and wild animals. Kids often like things that are not too perfect, not well organized. They like things wild. I think it would be a good idea to ask the kids and see what they would like, maybe a survey. The current City Government is- not financially or environmentally responsible so they should not make any decisions on this issue. That is why we voted for a new government. Larry Tabor- President of the Soccer Association We are registering soccer players now. Last year we had 769 kids. We have the most successful program in the state. We have 850 kids signed up Page 3 this year. We have filled all 70 of our teams. We get 15 to 20 calls a day and we are turning kids away. This should show what the children want. There are 36 teams practicing at churches and other parks because there is not enough room on soccer fields. We also have to schedule some teams on half of a field to practice. Thirty-two acres is a lot of land. As Ila said, what we want is less than half of the acreage there. If we can meet these long tern needs of the kids and still leave half for nature and trails. We could leave a buffer on the residential side. This is a perfect opportunity for compryomise. It seems like every issue that comes up in town anymore is so decis_ive. We live in a fine community. If you look at some surrounding facilities, Fayetteville does not compare. It may be more economical if we had flat, cleared property. It seems the fields should stay together. Please give priority to our youth. Ted Laurain- I played sports all of my life. I \live in the Walker neighborhood and this seems like an invasion. When you add the new land to the old land, it will be like taking over. It is nice hearing kids from a distance, but not that close. I would like to see both happen, but I just wanted you to know how the neighborhood felt. Jack Butt- I grew up in City Park. There is lot of nature in parks now. This track would be a nuisance if left wild. Bad things happen in wild areas. In City Parks, these things happen now in bushy parts. The neighbors need to be considered in the planning of the park. Organized structured activities can be combined with nature. I am concerned about over nature zealous activity. Rough unmowed areas create a nuisance - a hot bed of crime. Preserve the finest trees. Letting the park grow up becomes a dangerous options. This needs to be a managed, manicured park: Hate to waste the land. Barbara Pritchard- Mother of four with all participating in soccer and baseball. Youth should come first. The core of commitment to community needs to be with the youth programs. Advantage to have all kids games in one spot. Kids fondest memories are soccer, baseball and watching old films. My kids would say "give us what we need for a quality youth sports." As Boy Scouts, my kids like nature. This could be the best of both worlds. We need to trust the professional landscape architects of what they put together for the design of the park. - Zina Starr- Also lives on South College and has four sons who play. My sons like having the woods across the street. Understand the need of baseball fields. Page 4 We need to recognize sports and nature. They don't want to run on asphalt trails thru the trees but thru the real nature and snakes. We need to set aside wild spaces in the middle of the City. Bob McAnarney- The City seems to have a majority of the citizen's interest in hand. It is time we support the City. We can't compete with other city's facilities. They generate lot of revenues because they get tournaments and this money helps pay for the facilities. This would improve the property value of neighbors. Robert Royce- No doubt we need fields. Is this the appropriate place. Relief lines will have to be removed by the City. This creates costs. One mile from Walker Park is land owned by the •City in Industrial Park that is flat and has been sitting there for years. We can spend our money on facilities instead of removing so many trees and the relief land. Cities must preserve areas like this and have a better quality of life. Like Chicago with a woodland surrounding it. Most of the oak trees re 100 to.. 150 years old. This is a neighborhood with low income and senior citizens that needs are not be represented tonight. Lots of senior citizens .in this neighborhood want the peace. All of the sport activities going on here, we have a traffic problem, pollution, and are taking over the neighborhood. I am for protecting the trees and don't want to spend as much money as it will take in a another location. I believe we need the sport facilities. We will regret cutting the trees some day. Wayne Stout- There are trees way over 100 years old on this property. I helped collect money to blacktop College Avenue. I live on College and llth Street. = I don't want to live across from ballfields going on late at night. Should clear the underbrush. Dave Kerwin- Supports the Children's sports, but also for older folks. Excellent for exercise stations and a fitness trail. Leave natural with the underbrush cleared out. If we build on part of it, the land will attract more nice people, maybe not so many homeless. It needs to be a quiet park. Don Elliot- Need to compare use of nature to youth sports. When you compare the two, a lot more people would be served with the sport fields. Look at the highest use and best use. This is the best place to put the ballparks. Over thirty years ago the first ballfields were built here and this has -been the use. Coralie Koonce- Having a grove of trees is different than having just a few. Amphibians are disappearing all over • Page 5 the world (frogs, salamanders). This is an ecosystem. Dennis Kelly- President of youth baseball ages 6 to 12. Most kids have brother and sisters, with some from single parents. If we start splitting •locations most can't play. Parents can't drop young kids off at different places without parental supervision. Baseball is great for kids to have the opportunity to learn. We can give more kids a chance if we have the room. For some, kids, this is all they have. Carol Conger- Sense mutual respect at this meeting. Dispute started when thought the city already had plans for the land. I'm glad there will be two more meetings so we don't act in haste. What if we didn't own this land. Look at other options such as Industrial Park, other land on 15th street for 1/2 the price. People in the north have Gulley Park obtained as natural and people in the.,south want to preserve nature. We want the same\options the north people had on Gulley Park. Please everyone come back to the other meetings. I've learned from all the speakers. Nese Nemec- My kid and myself play softball. Wilson is the only softball field within a neighborhood. Most kids don't bother the neighbors.' This meeting is a true spirit of compromise. Concerns of putting fields in a neighborhood. I view a buffer area. Consider the neighbors. Zina Starr- Do soccer and baseball fields have to be in the same place? Maybe move all the soccer to one park and make -another all baseball. Jean McClellan- Compromise solution is the best. Why can't we form a planning committee form all groups to find use of this property. Frank Conners- Don't wan to see people that live there suffer. Have never heard of anyone asking for nature parks, only after other plans has been made. Find out where nature people want to preserve before the land is purchased with a commitment. I have kids that went to different areas to play ball and it is a real headache. Why can't nature parks be thought of before. This land has already been paid for. Mike Oglesby- I think the park can be used for both. Barbara Moorman- Remember the Town Creek situation, we got the Arts Center parking lot. In a compromise, everyone has to give something up. Leverett Woods was another place that none listened. We need to watch compromise. The City just bought that land.' We didn't ask for a nature park because it wasn't a threat. Across 6th street there is 38 acres for $60,000 that is flat and it belongs to the Walkers. Page 6 why didn't the City consider that land? Please consider a survey on how many fields, number of kids, days played a year, hours played a day. Why a parking lot? Dan Coody- Would like to research all of the options from tonight. Thanks for having good attitudes. Steve Alexander- This has been a real pleasure. We forget how important everyone's opinion is. Keep the positive attitude. Dale Clark- Received a letter today from the Sang Center requesting a building for senior citizens. A special thank you to the school system. It is important to be in the neighborhood. The next Public Meeting is tentatively set for September 28. Kathryn Laurain- Is this an appropriate time to get the committee to have something for the next meeting. Jean McClellan- If the house stays, it would be good for the senior citizen's food program. Dale Clark- We are looking at this and for a summer daycare program. Right now the Park Maintenance staff are there to prevent vandalism. Barbara Moorman- This is the old Archibald Yell Estate. The house was torn down in the 70's. He and two wives were buried there, but now they have been moved. Five slave graves are still there. Don't overlook the historical significance. Don't forget traffic problems. The parking lot should come out on 15th Street. Greg Anderson- There is a logical process. By next meeting, there will be a concept plan.. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.