Parks and Recreation Board Special Meeting 3.13.23

Detailed briefing

Parks and Recreation Board Special Meeting — March 13, 2023 • The board reviewed two state grant applications due April 1. For Kiwanis Park, staff described a proposed $300,000 Michigan DNR Trust Fund request, with a stated $75,000 anonymous match if awarded. The current scope includes a permanent ice rink, ADA-accessible exterior restrooms, parking improvements, and related accessible circulation. • Board members discussed whether the Kiwanis Park proposal is moving faster than a full park master plan. The existing building was described as structurally sound by people who reviewed it, but its future use, potential expansion, and whether to renovate or replace it remain unresolved. The grant cannot fund indoor recreation work, though exterior-access ADA restrooms may be included. • The board indicated support for moving forward with a concrete ice rink rather than a grass trial. Participants said a permanent surface would be more workable for a public rink and could also serve summer uses, while others raised concerns about hardscape, warm winters, and the future cost of chillers. Staff said the grant concept can be refined after an award, with engineering later. • For the public hearing, the board selected the second Kiwanis concept as the basis for a revised visual. The consultant was asked to incorporate green infrastructure, including possible permeable pavers and rain gardens; revise playground circulation with an ADA loop; and show a deck attached to the building. The discussion stressed retaining trees and maintaining the park's rustic character where feasible. • The board also reviewed a separate Harbor Springs Skate Park grant request of about $78,000. The proposal is for site improvements around the planned concrete skate park, not for the skate features themselves. Proposed items include a five-foot walkway, landscaping with native plants, berms, picnic tables or seating, windows, and fence work. • Shade and safety at the skate park were recurring concerns. The group discussed potentially using existing shade sails with new poles, subject to coordination with the skate park designer. Members also flagged the need to consider skateboard movement toward M-119 and the heavily used sidewalk, with berming, landscaping, or a low barrier among ideas for later design work. Worth watching: • Kiwanis Park still needs a fuller master-planning discussion, especially on the building, ice-rink operations, hardscape, and tree protection. • Staff and the consultant must convert the broad scopes into grant cost estimates and revised public-hearing visuals. • Skate park safety, shade, lighting retention, and final coordination with Evergreen remain unresolved. Upcoming: A public hearing on both grant applications was planned for the following Monday; applications are due April 1. Why it matters: The grants could fund major public-recreation improvements, but the board must balance accessibility and year-round use against long-term design, environmental, and operating questions.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.