The focus of the meeting will be to update the Commission on current and upcoming recreation programs and park projects.

Transcription

1 City of Oakdale, Minnesota -established Department of Recreation 4444 Hadley Avenue North Oakdale, MN (651) (651) (fax) February 16, 2017 Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners: Enclosed is your packet of information for the regular Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to be held on Tuesday, February 21. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Oakdale City Hall Council Chambers, 1584 Hadley Avenue. The focus of the meeting will be to update the Commission on current and upcoming recreation programs and park projects. Should you have any questions regarding the upcoming meeting, or are unable to attend, please feel free to contact me directly at (651) A reminder, the joint workshop held with the City Council will be held on Tuesday, February 28 in the Hadley Room from 5:45 6:15 p.m. Information regarding the workshop is included in your packet. Please review and share your comments at the Commission meeting. Sincerely, Julie Williams Julie Williams Recreation Superintendent

2 Oakdale Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Tuesday, February 21, :00 pm, Council Chambers Oakdale City Hall 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. Approval of Minutes November 15, Council Update Bill Rasmussen 6. Joint Workshop Comments Jeff Koesling 7. Parks Update Jeff Koesling 8. Recreation Update Julie Williams 9. Commissioners Comments 10. Adjournment The next regular Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting will be held March 21, 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers

3 REGULAR MEETING PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION City of Oakdale November 15, 2016 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Oakdale Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Avenue, Oakdale, Minnesota. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Masterman at 7:01 p.m. CALL OF ROLL On a call of roll, the following were present: Chairperson: Commissioners: Also Present: Gary Masterman Maxine Bethke Colleen Swedberg Jane Klein Janet Cunningham Brian Bachmeier, Public Works Director Jeff Koesling, Parks Superintendent Julie Williams, Recreation Superintendent PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Regular Meeting, September 20, 2016 A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BETHKE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KLEIN TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2016, AS PRESENTED. 4 AYES 0 NAYS DOG PARK MEETING Brian Bachmeier Director Bachmeier reviewed that there will be an open house for the dog park being considered for the north end of the city tomorrow at the Discovery Center from 4 to 6 p.m. Property owners that live within 500 feet were directly invited to the meeting. This includes 140 to 150 property owners. There have also been postings on the city website and a press release in the Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review. The facebook post has over 1,000 views, and the 40 comments are very positive and supportive of the project. They appreciate that the city is considering it. Tomorrow night there will be a board displaying the location of the site at 50 th between Helena and Heather Ridge Road and another with general information regarding the site. This project would be the first dog park in Oakdale, would be a little over 4 acres in size, and bordered on 3 sides by publicly

4 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 2 improved roads. Along the south side there is an unimproved right of way that is 50 feet wide. There are no homes within 80 feet of the perimeter fencing and the site is limited in uses because of existing pipelines on the property. The general hours of operation would follow park hours; opening ½ hour before sunrise and closing ½ hour after sunset. Initial improvements will include fencing, vestibule gates to stage dogs before leaving the area, grass trails, seating areas with benches and picnic tables, bag dispensers, garbage cans, and signage for operation guidelines. The future improvements, depending on popularity, are a potential parking lot, drinking fountain, shade trees, and a woodchip or gravel surface treatment. A number of the commissioners volunteered to attend tomorrow night, along with a couple council members and city staff. Jeff Koesling will be there. We will answer very general questions and give guests an opportunity to provide comments. Comment forms will allow guests to fill out their information and we will document and respond to comments. PARKS UPDATE Jeff Koesling Oakdale Park Fitness Stations The stations are finally installed and were completed about a week and a half ago. All 6 stations are located throughout the Oakdale Nature Preserve. With the extended nice weather, they will hopefully be put to good use and enjoyed by those who frequent the park. We were hoping the project would have been installed 2 months earlier. The contractor was behind/busy. They are in now and we ve heard good feedback. A lot of people have been seen in the park going there to use the fitness stations. Northdale Hockey Rink Dasherboards The contractor anticipates reinstalling the new dasherboards the 1 st week of December. Jeff Koesling has been in contact with Becker Arena Products to move up the install date. Originally when they were given the job, they told us September. The rink surface s outside edges were milled and the entire surface area overlaid with an asphalt base. Once they are reinstalled, this will be a completed project on the 2016 CIP. There is a little concern, and we hope the date gets moved up, as it is would give us only 2 weeks until Christmas. They said they will start December 5 with 3-5 days needed to install. This will require good weather. Ted Bearth Memorial Dedication Mr. Koesling reported that the event was held Monday, November 7, at Tanners Lake Baseball Field and had a good turnout of people. Those in attendance included the mayor, council, Washington County Commissioners, parks commission members, Ted s wife, family, and several close friends. It was a beautiful night, the field was dedicated and renamed Ted Bearth Memorial Field. The memorial was located at the southeast end of the park behind the backstop area consisting of 3 individual plantings, including a memorial rock and plaque, a Ted Bearth Memorial Field sign, and a 25 foot flag pole that will soon have a light installed. Chris Larson, the City Forester, designed the memorial and did a phenomenal job. Fall Parks Clean-up The parks and streets crews took advantage of the great weather the past couple of weeks and worked together sweeping, cleaning, and removing fall leaves from all park areas. The Hadley Boulevards were also done from 4 th Street to Highway 5. Oakdale Nature Preserve New Trail Map The map has been updated to show the new fitness stations identified by number. The trail signs will be put in where pink dots are located on the map. Locations

5 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 3 include the Discovery Center, near Castle School, Granada and 45 th, the cul-de-sac at Granada and 40 th, one a block down from Granada & 40 th, and one by the schoolhouse. The designer will get the signs in production tomorrow and they will be in by early next week. Chair Masterman asked if the signs pictured on stands by the fitness stations provide instruction on equipment use. Superintendent Koesling responded that some stations have signs with instruction, but most don t. Most have stickers on the equipment itself outlining how to use it. Likely within one to two weeks there will be numbered signs and the maps will be shared with the police and fire departments to assist with locations if calls are made to the park. RECREATION UPDATE Julie Williams Community Walk The season wrapped up on October 31. Superintendent Williams reported that it was another great season with over 200 participants walking over 24,000 miles. We were down on participants this year, likely because of the change to a resident-only program. But the residents walked 4,000 more miles than last year s group. 28 participants reached the ultimate goal of 400 miles. Congratulations to them, as they were out there a lot. Colleen was also one of the walkers; nice work! The top mileage walker was Jill Sadler who walker over 600 miles. She was out sometimes 2 times a day. Art Fair The art fair was held Saturday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There were an estimated 450 in attendance; a fairly decent turnout. 17 local artists displayed sculptures, woodworking, paintings, prints, clay creations, jewelry, and glass. It was good to see a variety of high quality pieces. Hopefully there will be just as many next year. Oakdale Wellness 50+ Event - The next event will take place this Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Discovery Center. This one will focus on winter recreational opportunities in Oakdale and Washington County, making sure everyone is aware and knows what is out there, and what they can do to keep active this winter. Fitness evaluations are offered those event dates as well. Master Gardener Program Our own Jane Klein will discuss climbers and vines, a free program held this Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Discovery Center. Art Gallery This month, the nature photography of Jeanne Dziuk is on display and has been really popular. She does some really unique framing of her photographs, something different that we haven t seen before. In December, returning artist Joe Hilyar will show his abstract paintings. He is holding Joe s Rockin Open House Art Show on December 8 th from 4:30 to 8 p.m Shelter Report Revenue is up and rentals were up this year. It was almost every weekend that Tanners and Walton were booked. The Discovery Center was used a bit, and Northdale was used often as well. Indoor Market Saturday, November 26, the Indoor Market kicks off at the Discovery Center. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and run an hour later this year by request of vendors and shoppers.

6 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 4 We re close to 25 vendors, and will reach that when the season kicks in gear. Right now, we have 23 vendors. There are a few new vendors including Best Cellar Pickle (canned goods), Kerry s Donut Bites, Platense (Argentinian Frosted Nuts), and Kombucha Tea (a healthy tea that is all the rage). Market dates are November 26, December 10, January 7 & 21, February 4 & 18, and March 4 & 18. Hopefully everybody can swing by! Santa Truck Held Thursday, December 8, from 6 to 7:35 p.m., the fire department partners to bring this event again. The new route this year starts at the North Fire Station and works its way down Hadley. Annual Winter Wonderland On Saturday, December 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., one of our biggest events will draw over 1,000 participants. Activities include a visit from Santa, hayrides, the dogs of winter, face painting, a candy cane hunt, bonfire with s mores, breakfast & lunch, and holiday crafts. It is a free event that is sponsored by the Oakdale Chamber, Platinum Bank, and the Oakdale/Maplewood Lions Club. Commissioner Bethke asked about having the Indoor Market start before Thanksgiving. Superintendent Williams responded that this year s market date is the earliest it has been, as the season usually starts in December. Market dates are set based on the building schedule and vendor availability. Vendors wanted to have the first date two days after Thanksgiving, so we went with that date. We can look into season date changes in the future. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Master Naturalists Commissioner Bethke Commissioner Bethke proposed subsidizing training to start a Master Naturalist program. She presented that North St. Paul funded 3 people to become Master Naturalists, all are still working, the program blossomed, and they now have a large staff of them. She noted that Oakdale has AJ Moses, a Master Naturalist in his 2 nd year. Trainings are offered in different regions, applicants can be interviewed, and they could pay back the $200-$400 cost in hours under Julie s use as needed. The training would be paid by city, travel expenses would be their responsibility, and the classes taken would get them a certificate as a Master Naturalist. At the Maplewood Nature Center they re doing trainings at Southwood Park with Maplewood Jr High and Middle School kids working with Cower on the garden. The program has expanded by word of mouth. Commissioner Klein recommended an internal conversation with Julie. Citing her volunteer experience at the Maplewood Nature Center, she explained that it is a staffed full time nature center with an outreach program to teach nature programs to the kids and neighborhood (birds, bees, bugs). At the Discovery Center, we don t have staff that specifically targets teaching those things. Master Naturalist is a wonderful program. But we have to decide if we want to go the Maplewood route and teach the whole piece (trail hiking), or do we stay as a Park and Recreation Discovery Center. The program would have to be monitored, having staff make sure that the hours are giving back what was invested, and increase that visual and participation for the community. Would that be the future and idea for the Discovery Center?

7 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 5 Chair Masterman said if this were implemented, it would be under the city s responsibility, not the park commission, to hire a person, and if the city were to put money toward training, it should come out of Julie William s budget. Perhaps Commissioner Bethke could work with Superintendent Williams, or if Director Bachmeier or her supervisor decided it is not going to happen, or there aren t funds, that is where it falls. Mrs. Williams agreed that the Master Naturalist is a great program, but felt it would need internal discussion. Commissioner Klein input that like the Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists can be contacted as a program and their naturalists come out, without charge, to volunteer their education into the community. I d assume they d welcome a request if we had the need, and come on board to work with us, without us having to get involved in a training program. Bethke Park Commissioner Bethke In planning for the future of Bethke Park, Commissioner Bethke proposed buying nearby Bachman s land that Washington County has valued at $66,600. Uses could be a mid-area dog park, soccer practice, ballfields, and safe parking off Stillwater Road. The brothers who own the property, Jim and Tom, are getting older and considering selling the land. Right now they are doing trailer storage there. She noted the drawback that the soil would need removal because it is fill, rubble and concrete, from 3M. Mr. Koesling has seen the property and commented that it is a nice piece of property. It may not be able to hold a baseball or t-ball field due to the area layout, but may be able to hold soccer. Chair Masterman suggested we bring it up in January. Pickleball Courts Commissioner Cunningham Commissioner Cunningham recalled her first meeting with the Oakdale Pickleball Club in attendance. She has been proactive in walking by Eastside Tennis Courts to see if anyone ever plays there. Its fall, kids are in school, but she never saw anyone playing tennis on those courts. After the September meeting, she went to play pickleball at night as it started to rain and talked to the club. This past Sunday, she biked past the courts and they were all still playing pickleball on the hockey arena. They asked her to join in the game and cordially shared the rules of play, but also pointed out the big cracks we are aware of on the hockey arena. Where does their request fall, now that they ve attended the meeting; where does that go from here? Commissioner Swedberg replied that pickleball isn t in the initial plan; we weren t going to do it until Maybe something else should be put on the backburner and we can move this project forward. It is impressive that the club all came out that night and spoke. They made very good points. I am willing to relook/revise the budget if it isn t set in stone. Chair Masterman met with the Oakdale Pickleball Club a couple weeks ago. In a conversation with a couple people, it was noticed that the basketball court at Walton has the perfect setup for their pickleball courts because they want blacktop. It could be an option to move the basketball and make that court a pickleball court as it wouldn t cost anything but marking the courts. Mr. Koesling says that the basketball courts get used quite a bit, so the other thing we could do is have a timeframe for pickleball and basketball and have the two share the court. Chair Masterman discussed a plan to upgrade Walton s bathrooms and

8 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 6 add storage. He asked Superintendent Koesling to come up with some figures with Director Bachmeier. We could put money toward the bathrooms instead of pickleball courts, and work something out with basketball. This could be a temporary accommodation until we could provide a court. It would be a quick remedy with no cost, unless we moved basketball to another location. There are basketball hoops at Tanners. Commissioner Klein asked if the basketball players drive or walk to the Walton courts. It would be wrong to convert courts that users walk to, because you take it away from them. Drivers have the option to go to courts elsewhere. If we were to convert a basketball court, what location would be recommended? Mr. Koesling responded that Walton basketball players both walk and drive to the courts, and that the courts are heavily used, daily. The ones at Tanners and Guthrie are also heavily used. Walton and Golfview basketball courts have slopes that would be a problem for loose balls. In the hockey rink at Walton, the balls are confined in the courts. Oakdale Park s basketball court has 2-5 kids during the summer when Mr. Koesling walks through; it does not have the heavy use of Walton and Tanners. If a basketball court was converted, the courts could be painted in 1 day. Mr. Koesling assured Commissioner Swedberg that there would be enough parking at Oakdale Park to support the pickleball club, because the parking on the east side of Granada spans from 45 th to 48 th. The Oakdale Park courts are also fenced in, confined. Commissioner Swedberg shared her concern that the Oakdale Park Basketball Court is used during the evening, though she agrees that it isn t used as much as the others. Pickleball could share courts at Oakdale Park for the interim, with A.M. pickleball and P.M. basketball. Commissioner Bethke asked how busy the Tanners tennis court is, as the September minutes noted that Sarah Scott from the pickleball club preferred Oakdale Park, but then Eastside and Tanners for tennis courts. Pickleball and tennis could share courts. Mr. Koesling replied that there are not many tennis players at Tanners, though there are some, it is not as heavily used as Walton or Eastside. Chair Masterman input that the weather is turning and their club will be going inside shortly. A final decision could be made when we reconvene in February. If they are indoors until March/April, it will give us time for discussion. He had a conversation with Finance Director Suzy Warren, but he wants Superintendent Koesling and folks to be on board. Moving the pickleball courts makes more sense. Superintendent Koesling doesn t want an issue for the pickleball players and the current users of the space at Walton Park. He would like to get an aerial view of the desired location and measure out how many courts could be laid out and look at it together with the commission. The Pickleball Club is a great, dedicated group Director Bachmeier suggested that the commission bring up the pickleball courts to the city council during the workshop in early January/February because they may see the opportunity to address unmet park needs with the development of the 3M property. When council was approving the Capital Improvement Program, during a couple of the workshops they had a conversation regarding pickleball. To convert an existing park amenity into something else, it would be a recommendation that would go to council for approval.

9 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION November 15, 2016 Page 7 Ted Bearth Memorial Director Bachmeier Director Bachmeier stated that Superintendent Koesling did a nice job recognizing Chris Larson for his contributions at the Ted Bearth Memorial. Mr. Bachmeier also wanted to pass off his thanks and a good job to Mr. Koesling and his crew for the outstanding job for their part doing the boulder, flagpole, sign, and field. Ryan Anderson was there that night. It was a beautiful sight. ADJOURNMENT A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER KLEIN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SWEDBERG TO ADJOURN THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, DATED NOVEMBER 15, 2016, AT 7:58 P.M. 5 AYES 0 NAYS Respectfully submitted, Laura Heimkes

10 M E M O R A N D U M TO: Park Commission Members FROM: Brian Bachmeier, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Bart Fischer, City Administrator DATE: February 21, 2017 SUBJECT: Preparation for Annual Council/Park Commission CIP Workshop Discussions Introduction This annual workshop gives the Council and Commission the opportunity to discuss the planning of future park projects. Last year staff was directed to complete studies that evaluated locations and potential costs associated with: splash pads, dog parks, and development of the Passages of Oakdale Park (Priory site property). After reviewing those studies staff was directed to pursue the development of the 50 th Street Dog Park in The Park Capital Improvement Program was reviewed last fall with the understanding that it would be reviewed jointly by the Council and Park Commission at the winter joint workshop. Power Point Presentation Attached is a copy of the draft power point presentation that will be reviewed at the workshop. It would be appreciated if the Commission would review it and offer comments at the commission meeting. s:\engineering\parks-building information\memorandum to park commission in regards to the 2017 council & commission workshop.doc

11 Council - Park Commission Workshop Tuesday, February 28, 2017 Capital Improvement Program Park Funding Policy

12 Draft Park CIP

13 Capital Park Fund New Facilities Park Dedication Fees Antenna Rental $328,000 over CIP Period Replace Existing Facilities Property Taxes Donations $594,000/year over CIP Period

14 Comparison of CIP to Park Fund New Facilities Park CIP 50 th Street Dog Park - $275,000 Titan Park Tot Lot - $75,000 Oakfield Park Tennis/Pickle Courts - $125,000 Tanners Splash Pad $442,000 $917,000 over CIP Period Replace Existing Facilities Oakfield Trail Resurfacing - $75,000 Walton Complex Repaving - $100,000 Tanners Parking Lot/trail Repaving - $200,000 Eberle Parking Lot/trail Repaving - $100,000 $475,000 over CIP Period New Facilities Park Fund Park Dedication Fees Antenna Rental $328,000 over CIP Period Replace Existing Facilities Property Taxes Rents Donations $594,000 over CIP Period

15 Unprogrammed Needs New Facilities Brockman Property Acquisition - $100,000 Walton Warming House - $300,000 Passages of Oakdale - $3,610,650 Existing Facilities Walton Complex Backstops - $120,000 Oakdale Park Trail Repaving - $450,000 Walton OAA Building Rehab - $75,000 Walton Hockey Rink Resurfacing - $250,000 Walton Skate Park Resurfacing - $115,000

16 Course of Action Prioritize Projects Review CIP Schedule Identify Additional New Park Facilities Identify Additional Park Replacement Needs Revise CIP Schedule as Council/Commission see fit

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18 Dog Park Concept

19 Oakfield Tennis/Pickle Ball

20 Walton Pickle Ball Courts

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23 M E M O R A N D U M TO: Bart Fischer, City Administrator FROM: Julie Williams, Recreation Superintendent DATE: February 16, 2017 SUBJECT: Monthly Update February, 2017 The following information is provided to the City Administrator and Parks and Recreation Commissioners as information only. There is no need for any official commission, council, or administrative action; but rather, this is an effort by staff to keep you informed of the Department s day-to-day operations. 1. Indoor Market The Indoor Market has had a good season thus far. There are currently between vendors at each market. Traffic has been good as we are averaging over 300 each date. February 18, March 4 and 18 are the remaining dates for Products include a large variety of bakery items, cheeses, bbq sauces, veggies, salsas, strudels, sausage, honey, jellies, coffee beans and coffee, paintings, jewelry and essential oils. 2. Spring Newsletter The Spring newsletter has been out for a few weeks and the department has been busy taking registrations for programs. The newsletter covers the months of February through May. 3. School Newsletter Each season the department submits a two page modified version of the newsletter to schools. ISD 622 posts the e-flyer to their webpage. See attachment. 4. Snowshoe, Sip & Sample Over 75 participated in the annual Snowshoe, Sip & Sample at the Discovery Center on Friday. With temperatures in the mid 40 s and the full moon shining bright, conditions were ideal to enjoy the beautiful luminary lit, one mile trail through the Nature Preserve. Beer was sampled and wine was sipped while Hy-Vee served a variety of appetizers and provided food demonstrations. 5. Aging With Gusto 45 participants took part in a lively four-hour session of Aging with Gusto on January 28 at the Oakdale Discovery Center. The session was hosted by Oakdale Wellness 50+ and led by the Vital Aging Network. See attachment for a summary of the event. 6. Warming Houses and Ice Rinks On February 13, the warming houses and rink closed for the season due to the unseasonably warm weather. See attached report. 7. AARP Tax Assistance The Discovery Center is acting again as a tax assistance site for AARP this winter. Volunteers are here on Thursdays mornings through April 20 to assist in the filing of tax returns. All appointments have been filled at this point! 8. Art Gallery Betty Bryan s skillfully captured nature photography is on display during the month of February at the Oakdale Discovery Center. Betty Bryan invites you to enjoy her images that encompass still shots of birds, including a tiny hummingbird above a flower, through landscape scenes, including a towering lighthouse with the backdrop of approaching dark clouds. Betty Bryan is quoted saying, In the real world, chaos is everywhere. My goal is to bring order within the photographic frame.

24 9. Oakdale Wellness The Oakdale Wellness 50+/Discover Your Fitness group will host Line Dance Your Way to Wellness on Saturday, February 25 from 1 2:30 at the Oakdale Discovery Center. The event is a fun introduction to line dancing. As always, senior fitness tests will be given to gauge levels of fitness. The event is free to those 50+ in the community. See attached flyer. 10. Employment Opportunities The department is now hiring Summer Recreation Program Instructors. Applications and job descriptions can be found on our website. We are accepting applications through the end of March. Interviews will be held in April. Upcoming early March Programs 1. Indoor Garage Sale The department s annual Indoor Garage Sale will be held at the Discovery Center on Saturday, March 11 from 9 am 1 pm. 23 vendors will be on hand to sell a variety of new and used merchandise. We are anticipating lots of traffic as we typically average participants at this event. 2. Family Skating Day On Saturday, March 11 from 11 1 p.m. the department will offer a free afternoon of skating at Tartan Arena. Complimentary hot chocolate will also be served.

25 2017 Winter Warming Houses/Ice Rink Report Once again the outdoor ice rink season was cut short because of the bizarre winter (warm weather). This season continued to follow the trend of opening up the rinks after Christmas, despite trying all we could to get them open before Christmas break, and closing down for the season before reaching March. This made the season extremely short, just reaching a month and a half of prime winter weather forecasts and optimal ice rink operations. Besides the weather issues the season had some other highlights; Hope Church reconnected with the department to coordinate Tuesday night pick-up broomball games, at Walton Hockey Rink, after warming house hours, from 8-9pm. They were only able to attend one night at Walton Hockey because of the conditions, but were able to utilize the Eastside Hockey Rink the remainder of the season, with no interference with other skaters. They still had a fun season, with over 15 individuals attending each Tuesday session. Northdale Hockey Rink opened later than the other rinks because of the new boards and blacktop that was put in at the park. The warming house staff got a lot of compliments about how nice the new boards were once the rink finally opened on January 4 th. The staff also stated that the warming house smells a lot better this season compared to past seasons. Suggestions continued to come in about moving the warming house at Walton Hockey over to the rink (now with lights) at Eastside Park. The Eastside rink gets overwhelmingly used and the warming house shack could easily make the move over to the park. Summary Total Days Open: 34 out of 44 total days of season Dates: December 28 th through February 10 th Number of Staff: 6 (2 New, 4 Returners) Total Hours Warming Houses were open: 369 Hours Total Number of Skaters: 1,114 Total Skaters Walton Pleasure Rink Days Open: 34 (December 28-January 9, January 12-January 18, January 27-February 10) Days Closed: 10 (January 10-January 11, January 19-January 26) Last Season: Open 32 Days, Closed 4 Days Total Skaters: 674 (462 Skaters Last Season) Total Hours Open: 179 (145 Hours Last Season)

26 Walton Hockey Rink Days Open: 18 (Dec. 28, Dec. 30-Jan. 9, Jan. 12-Jan. 18) Days Closed: 26 (December 29, Jan. 10-Jan. 11, January 19-End of Season) Last Season: Open 23 Days, Closed 11 Days Total Skaters: 266 (395 Skaters Last Season) Total Hours Open: 94 (113 Hours Last Season) Northdale Hockey Rink Days Open: 18 (Jan. 4-Jan. 9, Jan. 12-Jan. 18, Feb. 3-Feb. 5, Feb. 9-Feb. 10) Days Closed: 26 (Dec. 28-Jan. 3, Jan. 10-Jan. 11, Jan. 19-Feb. 2, Feb. 6-Feb. 8) Last Season: Open 23 Days, Closed 11 Days Total Skaters: 174 (293 Skaters Last Season) Total Hours Open: 96 (113 Hours Last Season)

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28 Aging with Gusto at Oakdale Discover Center January 28, 2017 It was fun to talk to each other about the ideas and issues and possibilities that come with aging. This is important. Thank you for bringing it to our community. I ve been involved in all sorts of professional development and community activities and this is like nothing else I ve seen. It has changed the way I think about myself as an older person. Comments from participants at January 28 Aging with Gusto, Oakdale Discovery Center Forty-five people took part in a lively four-hour session of Aging with Gusto on January 28 at the Oakdale Discovery Center. The session was hosted by Oakdale Wellness 50+ and led by the Vital Aging Network. Facilitators led participants through a series of exercises to surface their thinking and feelings about what it means to age, to examine what has influenced their thinking and to start to fashion a new, more positive narrative about aging. Towards the end of the session, participants generated a long list of ideas about how to age with gusto, including: Maintain your social life and add new connections with people younger than you; Learn to say no; Teach Grandma to use a cell phone; Share books, share memories; Be involved in the community; Be an model of a vital older person; Speak or write to elected officials about aging concerns. After generating ideas as a group, each person created his or her own action plan and shared it with someone else in the room. After I created my Aging with Gusto action plan, I hung it on my refrigerator, noted Mark Skeie, executive director of Vital Aging Network. When my grandchildren came to visit they looked it and were very excited. They asked if they could have an Aging with Gusto action plan too. I said, Of course! In a closing circle, each participant responded to the question: What is one thing that was important and/or meaningful to you about these Aging with Gusto discussions?

29 Oakdale Nature Preserve Fun Facts Find All 6 Fitness Stations! #1 Sit-Up/Back Extension & Chest Press Balance Beam & Lat Pulldown The Preserve is a 220 acre passive recreational area, with an abundance of prairies & mature trees. Find paved hiking & biking trails, grass trails, tennis courts, playground, picnic shelters, observation deck, and boardwalk overlooking Mud Lake in the Preserve. The Discovery Center features rotating art exhibits, wildlife exhibit area, community interest exhibits, fireplace, and meeting space. #2 Oakdale Nature Preserve Trail Map Find These Points of Interest #3 Horizontal Chin-Up, Plyometric Boxes, & Balance Board #4 #5 Climbing Wall & Balance Board Push-Up & Chin-Up #6 Shoulder Rotator & Chin-Up American Mountain Ash it produces bright red/orange berries, smooth grey bark and a compound leaf. Deer Beds deer tend to bed down along the Green Trail loop, look for signs of their activity along this trail Birds generally seen (Spring-Fall) - Cedar Waxwing, Gray Catbird, Pileated Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Goldfinch. Migratory species include the Rubycrowned Kinglet and the Black and White Warbler. Wildlife includes fox, wild turkey, squirrels, deer, and rabbits. At dawn or dusk it is not uncommon to also see raccoon or even the occasional fox. Bogs and ponds throughout the Preserve. Waterfowl, including wood ducks, make their homes here. Mud Lake located along the north side of the Preserve, is home to a wide assortment of birds, including Hooded Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, Tundra Swan, Great Egret, Wood Duck, and Ringnecked Duck. Above photos taken in Nature Preserve courtesy of Mark Wheeler Walk the scenic trails, watch for a variety of wildlife, enjoy the solitude of the outdoors, and enjoy the mosaic of box elder, aspen, red and white oak, cottonwood and black cherry trees among the prairie meadows and wetlands. Step inside the award winning Discovery Center home of the Recreation Department and a unique place to learn about nature and community or sit fireside for quiet reflection. Discovery Center Open Hours Monday Friday 8 AM 4:30 PM Thursday Extended 8 AM 8 PM Saturday 12 PM 4 PM Sunday 1 PM 4 PM

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31 Oakdale Recreation Department Mystery Egg Hunt When: Saturday, April 15, 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center and Nature Preserve Cost: $11 per child (parents attend free!) Age: 10 and under The clever Easter Bunny has hidden eggs along the new trails of the Oakdale Nature Preserve. We need kids to help find one and exchange it for a very special surprise! The Easter Bunny also hides two golden eggs redeemable for extra special surprises! After hunting for eggs, enjoy games, crafts, face painting, petting zoo, and great prizes! Don t miss this very popular event! Parents, bring your camera! Egg hunt begins approximately 9:15 a.m. Register by April 7 Learn to Kayak When: Saturday, May 13, 9:00 10:30 a.m. Location: Silver Lake Beach, Margaret St & 19th Ave E in North St. Paul Cost: $19/person Join Wahoo! Adventures and other nature lovers at Silver Lake to learn how to paddle a kayak and how to get in and out of one. Get close to nature and learn how easy and relaxing kayaking can be! Double and single kayaks are available, life jackets provided. Wear shoes that can get wet and dress in layers. Youth must be at least 6 years of age. Register by May 5 Mom s Day Family Kayak Paddle When: Saturday, May 13, 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Silver Lake Beach, Margaret St & 19th Ave E in North St. Paul Cost: $23/person or $70/family of 4 Treat mom to lunch and a paddle on Silver Lake for Mother s Day! This event is for everyone, so bring grandma, grandpa, the kids, or grandkids to learn to paddle a kayak and get up close to nature, feel a sense of adventure, or just relax and enjoy the day. Afterward, enjoy a camp lunch and flowers for Mom. Camp lunch, beverages, single and double kayaks, and life jackets provided. Wear shoes that can get wet, dress in layers, and bring chairs or a blanket for lunch. Youth must be at least 6 years of age. Register by May 5 These programs are not sponsored by School District 622. Indoor Market Over 20 local vendors will have a unique variety of items including: Baked Goods Jams Sweets Meats Gourmet Food Salsas Jewelry & much more! When: Saturdays, January 21, February 4 & 18, March 4 & 18, 9:00 a.m. 1 :00 p.m. Where: Oakdale Discovery Center Oakdale Nature Preserve Scavenger Hunt Head out into the Oakdale Nature Preserve on a scavenger hunt that will open your eyes to nature and help you discover new and exciting things! Stop at the Discovery Center beginning April 1 to request the scavenger hunt guide. Prizes will be given to those who find items on the list! (Prizes will be age 12 and under appropriate). Oakdale Recreation 4444 Hadley Avenue (651) Sign up online, with no extra fees, at Skating Rinks and Warming Houses Schedule:.Rinks will close the end of February (weather permitting) Warming House Hours Regular Schedule Monday Friday 4:00 8:00 p.m. Saturday 12:00 8:00 p.m. Sunday 12:00 7:00 p.m. Holiday Hours February 20 1:00 8:00 p.m. Locations: Northdale Park 50th St & Granada Ave, supervised hockey rink with warming house Richard Walton Park 15th St & Hadley Ave, supervised hockey & pleasure rink, 2 warming houses *Complimentary hot chocolate & ice scooters available at Walton Pleasure Rink. Learn skating basics! Eastside Park Helmo Ave, unsupervised lighted rink, no warming house 2017 Programs Family Skating Day When: Saturday, March 11, 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Tartan Arena (740 Greenway Ave. behind Tartan High School) Cost: Free! Bring the family to Tartan Arena for an afternoon of FREE skating and hot chocolate too! Skates are not provided. No registration needed. Meet inside the arena before skating. Best Snow Sculpture Contest Calling all creative families in Oakdale! Do you have what it takes to create the Best Snow Sculpture of Oakdale? If so, get out there anytime the snow begins to fall! This year s theme is: Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. If your sculpture is chosen, you will receive a $100 gift card to Marcus Theaters! All entries need to be submitted to nathan@ci.oakdale.mn.us by March 31 to be eligible to win! Winner will be contacted by April 5 by . Snowshoe Rental When: Rentals available daily (pending on snow conditions) at these times: Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sundays: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center and Nature Preserve Cost: $5/person for a two-hour rental Take your family and friends snowshoeing in the 250 acres of the Oakdale Nature Preserve. Sizes available for both children and adult. First come, first served. Reservations recommended for groups of six or more. Please call (651) Junior Master Gardeners: Seed Starting When: Saturday, April 1, 9:00 11:00 a.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: Free! Age: 12 and under Learn new techniques for growing your own flowers and vegetables from seed. Decorate a flower pot, select the seeds to plant, and then bring your plant home to watch it grow! Reserve your spot today by calling !

32 Indoor Youth Tennis Lessons When: Tuesdays, February 14 to March 28 6:00 p.m. 6:45 p.m. (Age 4 7 years) 7:15 p.m. 8:00 p.m. (Age 8 12 years) Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $35 Learn basic fundamentals of tennis in this exciting class! Skills taught include grip, stance, swing and more in a fun and personal learning environment. We use USTA approved tennis equipment designed for youth tennis. If you have your own racquet, please bring it along each week. The Recreation Department has a few to loan each night. Instructor: Dan Stumpf, Head Coach of North High School Girls Tennis Team and Hill Murray Boy Tennis Team. Register by February 7 Makin Maple Syrup When: Saturday, March 25, 1:00 3:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center and Nature Preserve Cost: $5 Learn where maple syrup comes from and how to make it! Head out into the Oakdale Nature Preserve, tap a tree, and start the maple syrup process. Build your own ice cream sundaes will be included for all participants. All ages welcomed! Participants under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress for the weather. Register by March 20 KidCreate Studio launches children into the incredible world of art. Our energized classes offer an exciting format for art exploration. We focus on art creation and art education. Lesson plans, designed by an art education professional, are age appropriate and devised to inspire the individual child. KidCreate Studio: Goo Factory When: Friday, February 17, 9 :00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $32 Age: 3-6 years Let your child explore the messier side of art. We are going to roll up our sleeves and make a mess as we mix up a bunch of messy concoctions including silly putty and finger paint. Making a mess is the best, especially when you leave the mess with us! Please pack a nut free snack and a drink for your child. Register by February 10 KidCreate Studio: Marvelous Messy Monster Art When: Friday, March 31, 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $32 Age: 3-6 years We ll use plaster, paint, and more simply sloppy supplies to make a project that s way too messy to do at home! We ll become masters at making a mess, learn some pretty cool stuff and have lots of fun as we create these messy monsters on a canvas board! Please pack a nut free snack and a drink for your child. Register by March 24 KidCreate Studio: Beyond Pokémon Art Camp (No School: Spring Break) When: Monday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 14, 1 :00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $59 Age: 5-12 years Is your child going crazy for Pokemon Go? In this camp, your child will put their Pokemon Go skills to work as they create Pokemon inspired art. The kids will work with a variety of art materials as they make their own trading cards, Pokemon Balls, a Pokemon-inspired creature, and a map of its habitat! Please pack a nut free snack and a drink for your child. Register by February 6 Sundae Bingo When: Sunday, April 9, 1:00 3:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $8 What could be better than ice cream sundaes and two hours of bingo!? Join us for this fun filled, Sunday afternoon event. Make your own sundae while shouting out BINGO! Prizes are awarded to winners of every game; every participant eligible for two game-winning prizes. All participants will be eligible for the Grand Prize raffle drawing at the end of the event (must be present to win the raffle). All ages welcomed! Register by April 3 Discovery Backpacks Stop at the Discovery Center and check out one of our Discovery Backpacks. Inside the packs you will find everything needed for summertime exploration into the adjacent nature preserve. Seek out animal tracks, identify different types of trees and flowers, go on a scavenger hunt, use binoculars to bird watch, or catch a glimpse of the deer, fox, and owls that call the nature preserve home. Catch interesting critters using the insect net. Park Clean Up When: April 24 to 28 Volunteers are needed to help rid our parks of the debris and clutter that has accumulated over the winter months. Businesses, scout groups, schools, daycare centers and civic groups are encouraged to participate. Parks may be cleaned any time between April Garbage bags are provided and each participant will receive a complimentary thank you gift. To volunteer, please call the Recreation Department at Curious Critters Club The Discovery Center offers a wide variety of fun and educational nature programs for children ages 3-6 on Fridays throughout the year. Children participate in discussions, play games, watch DVDs, and create projects for each themed program. Critter Club kids like to go outside, so please dress for the weather! When: Select Fridays, 9:30 11:00 a.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Cost: $7 per session Age: 3 6 years (must be potty trained) Dates: February 10 Snow Clues February 24 A Nest is Noisy March 10 Maple Magic March 24 Beaks April 7 Robins April 28 Spring! May 12 Outside Your Window May 19 In the Pond Register one week before each session Indoor Garage Sale When: Saturday, March 11, 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center Start your garage sale season early this year! Join us indoors to buy new and formerly new merchandise from 20+ sellers! No early birds! Register to be a seller by March 3! Birds: Name that Song (Non-school Day) When: Monday, May 15, 9:00 11:00 a.m. Location: Oakdale Discovery Center and Nature Preserve Cost: $10 Age: 10 and Up Did you know birders identify and locate birds by their song some 90% of the time? Ever hear a bird singing in Oakdale Nature Preserve and wonder what it was? With some 162 bird species seen in the preserve come join us for a fun educational walk as we learn the songs of several birds. Short classroom introduction followed by a mile walk in the preserve. Resource materials provided including a bird check list to track what you see. Jill Sadler has birded on all 7 continents and is a former Minnesota Zoo World of Birds Trainer. Register by May 8 Visit our website for the full Spring Recreation Newsletter at: These programs are not sponsored by School District 622. Oakdale Recreation Department 4444 Hadley Ave N Oakdale, MN

33 Get on board! Discover Your Fitness Join us for these free events Line Dance Your Way to Wellness February 25, 1 2:30 pm Oakdale Discovery Center A fun intro to a popular way to get up and move. Fitness evaluations will be offered. Cooking for a Healthy Lifestyle March 23, 6 7:30 pm Oakdale Discovery Center A delicious exploration of eating for wellness. Yoga for Everyone April 8, 10:30 am 12:00 pm Oakdale Discovery Center Come and try some chair yoga, laughter yoga, and ways to include yoga in your daily life. Fitness evaluations will be offered. Nutrition for Our Lovely Bones May 6, 10:30 am 12:00 pm Oakdale Discovery Center Improve your body s infrastructure with good nutrition. Register online or contact the Recreation Department at Follow Discover Your Fitness on Facebook Coming later this year: June - Walk the Nature Trail w/fitness Instructor July - Pickleball at Walton Park August - Tai Chi. September - Sex and Aging October - Younger Next Year November - Mental Health Our fitness evaluations are based on the Senior Fitness Test, developed at Fullerton University by Dr. Roberta Rikli and Dr. Jessie Jones. Each component tests functional fitness for adequate strength, flexibility and endurance to accomplish everyday tasks. These events are brought to you by Oakdale Wellness 50+, a volunteer team, that aims to engage Oakdale residents age 50 and older in health-focused activities that lead to measurably improved wellness. O A K D A L E Wellness50+ supported by: