July Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes and Resolution

We have uploaded the minutes for the July 2011 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting where the commission reviewed the results of the VIP Committee process. Their resolution in support is also uploaded. Click on the links below:
2011 PRC Minutes
2011 PRC Resolution regarding the north RJSP project

These are also available by navigating through our "Related Files" link in the upper right side of this blog.

The light poles have been installed

The light poles have been installed for the northern half of Russian Jack. Stay tuned for the actual lights and cabling required for them to work.

New Trail Lighting for north RJSP

The Anchorage Park Foundation signed a construction contract today with Inlet Electric for the installation of 21 pole lights that will illuminate a portion of the existing paved trail in the northern half of Russian Jack Springs Park. The trail lighting will extend from the picnic shelter in the northwest corner of the park to the trail’s approach to Boniface. Providing lighting for this existing paved trail in the north was the highest priority that arose from the project’s VIP (Very Important Parks) committee work. The contractor reports lights will arrive in 6 – 8 weeks and that the project will likely be completed around Thanksgiving. They will be starting work as soon as possible to install the electrical line and the poles for the lights.

Letter of Thanks to VIP Committee

Letter from John Rodda to the Very Important Parks (VIP) committee:

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your participation in the north Russian Jack Springs Park VIP Committee’s deliberations since January of 2011 involving over twelve hours of meeting time for each committee member as well as numerous hours outside of meetings for additional consideration. 

In addition to the 12 public meetings held during the summer of 2010, the six meetings of the VIP Committee brought valuable information to the discussion regarding needs of current and future nRJSP users:

• Meeting One – Introductions, Overview of Project Goals, Approving Committee Tenets, Existing Conditions, Identifying Stakeholders
• Meeting Two – Stakeholder Presentations
• Meeting Three – Top-5 List Presentations
• Meeting Four -  Prioritization Matrix
• Meeting Five – Supported Priority List
• Meeting Six – Review of NW Corner Concept
• Electronic Input Regarding Revision of NW Corner Concept

Throughout our nRJSP VIP deliberations there has been good public discussion and a realization by the Department that no final plan will satisfy all members of the group.

After review of all input from the Entrance Concept review, the Department has chosen to postpone major construction until next construction season.  I have directed the Project Team to proceed through the normal municipal design development process shown below with major construction planned for Spring 2012.    Upcoming public meetings for consideration of these plans are as follows:

• Consideration of Conceptual Design including Concept A2, as presented to the VIP Committee, at the Parks and Recreation Commission on July 14^th, 2011 6 PM at Spenard Community Recreation Center
• First consideration of nRJSP First Review Design at the Urban Design Commission (to be announced)
• Last consideration of nRJSP Second Review Design at the Urban Design Commission (to be announced)

To maximize and leverage improvements - In the remainder of 2011’s construction season, we will design and construct the entry driveway and adjacent pathway, leveraging improvements with the existing PRUHS contract for water and wastewater project.  In addition, the Trail Lighting will be constructed before snowfall this year and will light as much of the paved trail beginning at the North West part of the existing paved trail with the $100,000 allocated. 

The Department appreciates your willingness to be involved and thanks you for your assistance in prioritizing improvements for the north part of Russian Jack Springs Park.  Thank you for your valuable input and your service on the VIP Committee.

Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - July 14th

The project team will be back before the Parks and Recreation Committee next week for an update:

• Consideration of Conceptual Design including Concept A2, as presented to the VIP Committee, at the Parks and Recreation Commission on July 14th, 2011 6 PM at Spenard Community Recreation Center

Additionally, the project will be in front of the Urban Design Commission:

• First consideration of nRJSP First Review Design at the Urban Design Commission (to be announced)
• Last consideration of nRJSP Second Review Design at the Urban Design Commission (to be announced)

Russian Jack Springs Park VIP Committee Holds Its Sixth Meeting - draft summary

Attendees for the on-site final meeting of the nRJSP VIP on June 7, 2011 were: 
Fred McLeary, Kathy Lyn Thompson, Kathleen Plunket, Frank Desroches, Terry Cummings, Carla McConnell, Don Brooks, Clif Reagle, Beth Nordlund, Tim Kosednar, Marc Grober, Tess Nott, Kep Pierce, John Rodda, Peter Briggs & Suzanne Little

The group reviewed preliminary design information by Corvus with depictions of each of the elements prioritized by the group at the last meeting including:

• Trail Lighting – $100,000 - design team determined that bringing electricity from the NW side would provide more lighting for the money than bringing conduit and wire from the transformer on DeBarr.
• Building improvements – main water line to building is not functional – may be able to leverage current construction project to provide excavation for repairs, although repairs may take whole $50,000 budget
• Fenced Dog Area – $15,000 funding adequate to complete 50 foot by 50 foot enclosure at 4 feet in height with fence preventing entrance by dogs onto Boniface
• Signage – $20,000 one main park entry sign, two smaller park signs, friendly rules signs and wayfinding signage on trails
• Park Entry & Playground – $300,000 (combined) includes trail connections to sidewalks and existing trails with measured walking loop along with welcoming entry to park and play components
• Parking reconfigured 120-space parking to eliminate pedestrian-vehicle crossings - new parking must be paved and lit – estimated cost $200,000
• Tennis – Committee wishes 4 rehabilitated tennis courts costing $200,000 - the committee allocated $65,000 – the tennis court construction can not be accomplished without sufficient funding
• Picnic Shelter  - Committee allocated $100,000 but the shelter is not included in this phase of work to maximize work on other elements

The review of the reconfigured parking / entry area engendered opposition from some committee members regarding removal of trees for parking.  John Rodda requested suggestions for parking configurations that would work by drawing the solution on the plan at the meeting. A sketch was accomplished that would not require removal of trees and it was determined that further refinement of the concept would be completed by 5 PM Tuesday, June 14th to be e-mailed to the whole committee.  The committee would get comments back (reply to ALL) by 5 PM on Friday June 17th. Discussion (as summarized by John Rodda) was that the design would be acceptable to the group if the revised drawing showed a design that eliminated the removal of trees from the treed area to the south of the tennis courts. This would be accomplished by reconfiguring the community/play areas, trails, tennis court and other elements on the plan that was shown to the group.

The group walked through the restroom building which was observed to be in very rough shape.

Russian Jack Springs Park VIP Committee Holds Its Fifth Meeting - draft summary

The north Russian Jack Springs Park VIP committee held our fifth meeting last night. Previous meetings achieved sharing of historical and current information about current uses and needs in the park. A prioritization exercise in meeting #3 produced a rough listing of key areas where investment is needed.  In meeting #4, that list was prioritized with an understanding that it was a working document. 

Given several million dollars in value of work on the list from meeting #4, meeting #5 attendees grappled with the limited in-the-ground construction budget of $700,000 to assess what items would actually be funded to achieve some of the desired outcomes and which items would not receive funding at this time.  Meeting #5’s discussion led to the creation of supported priority list approved by the VIP Committee for the desired capital improvements using available funding (see photo below).

The design process will now begin in a collaborative project team effort.  The goal will be to design-smart and value-engineer to achieve as much as possible given limited funding. 

The nRJSP VIP Committee requested one more meeting to review the preliminary design, once it is available.  We anticipate the preliminary design will be available for review by the Committee in 40 to 60 days.

The group present at VIP meeting #5