Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-03-07 - Minutes�Itn�H'•M1' FAYETTEVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Minutes for March 7, 2011 Opening: The regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was called to order by Jim Meinecke at 5:35 p.m. in Room 111 at the City Administration Building at 113 West Mountain Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Present: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members Meinecke, Watson, Waite, Thompson and Mason were present. Hazelrigs, Bailey, Lindsey, and Meldrum were absent. Staff members Edmonton, Humphry, Jumper, and Thomas were in attendance. 1. Approval of February 7, 2011 PRAB Meeting Minutes: PRAB Motion: Watson motioned to approve the February minutes as written, and Waite seconded it. Motion passed 5-0-0 by voice vote. 2. Botanical Garden Monthly Report: Michael Lindsey Lindsey was unable to attend the meeting. A report will be given next month. 3. Recreation Programs Report: Chase Gipson, Recreation Superintendent Gipson was unable to attend the meeting. Wade Colwell gave a report on the trails at Lake Sequoyah. Colwell has been working with boy scouts for several years by guiding them on building a trail system around Lake Sequoyah. There are several sections of the Lake Sequoyah trail. The Kingfisher Trail has two picnic tables. Across from the boat dock is a kiosk. Another portion of the trail is Rookery Trail, which goes around a heron nest. The trail ends at a big eddy. Colwell wants to take the trail all around the lake. Sometime in the future an extension bridge will be put in. Donated steel cables are needed. Meinecke said he has some steel cables he can donate. Mason asked if Rookery Trail was named that because of the herons. Colwell said yes. Meinecke asked if one of the trails was going across a pond. Colwell said it goes around the pond. He and the scouts are trying to build trails so that mountain bikers will also be able to use them. Colwell wants people to come out and explore. It's a beautiful trail for a sunset hike. Thompson asked how close the heron rookery is to the trail. Colwell said it was about 50 yards away. He said that when the vegetation grows in, the nest can hardly be seen. He has also seen in the area black vultures with gray heads. He commented that this trail will be good for the Round Mountain and Elkins area. Meinecke asked if a person can wade across the stream with normal flow. Colwell said that in the summer it is bone dry. He said he's thought about putting elevated stepping stones in the stream. Another idea he has is installing zip lines. It would be a pulley system for bikes and people. Edmonston said that she is thankful that Colwell has stuck with it all these years working on trails with boy scouts. He's done a remarkable job. Colwell said that he would like to do an annual boy scout trail builders reunion. Edmonston said that Bill Shotner and his heirs have a lifetime lease there. Another person, Mr. Price, also has leased land around Lake Sequoyah. Colwell said that he has seen cows are grazing around the trails. He would like a program, such as a grass fed beef program, to be developed for the boy scouts. The beef raised could be used in the school systems to provide organic beef. Edmonston said that the land isn't owned by Parks and Recreation, but by Water and Sewer. They allow us to use it. Colwell said the trails are being maintained by volunteers. Edmonston commented that Colwell was instrumental in developing the trail system around Lake Fayetteville also. Thompson asked if the Streamside Ordinance would affect Colwell's trail building program. Edmonston said that it will. Colwell said that future trail building will need to be kept away from water Meinecke asked if they were single track trails. Colwell said yes. 4. Native Grass Program Report: Byron Humphry, Park Maintenance Superintendent Humphry gave an update on the Lake Fayetteville Prairie Restoration. Volunteers from the Lake Fayetteville National Heritage Association volunteered this winter to clean the area up. Humphry is getting bids for a controlled burn for units one and two. Nineteen acres will be burned. There will be a press release published before the bum. The burn will happen when the weather cooperates. 2 5. Other Business: Meinecke read over the upcoming events. Humphry said that there are now push button lights at Wilson Park and Gary Hampton. There is a timer that is activated when the button is pushed. Once pushed, the lights will stay on until 11:00 pm. 6. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 6:22 pm.