PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 MEETING MINUTES

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1 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 MEETING MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Yon at 7:00 p.m. II. ATTENDANCE Present: Mark Yon, S. Joseph Jablonski, Michael Veltri, Mary Lasher, Matthew DiGirolamo Absent: Staff: Mary Lee Mahon, Shamus Petrucelli Julie A. Jakubec, CPA, CGMA, Township Manager III. NEW BUSINESS A. Update on Squaw Valley Park Flood Damage Manager Jakubec noted Squaw Valley Park was severely damaged from the flood. Currently the walking trail loop is in the process of being paved. The trail will be five feet one inch wide (5 1 ). The original trail was five feet wide, but the trail dust migrated and the trail became about six feet wide. Sidewalks are four feet wide; and the trail is one foot wider. Some people are happy the trail will be paved, and some are not. After next spring, the trail could possibly be edged with twoinch trail dust berm. Trail dust will be used for the trail along the creek since the gabion wall is to be replaced. The split rail fence has been replaced; the rubberized surface on the adaptive playground is done and AstroTurf should be put down tomorrow; the fencing around the adaptive playground is done; wood chips have been replaced at the Kratsa playground; new pea gravel has been spread around all the pavilions; and everything has been power washed. The Manager explained the tennis court surface is a floating surface. Staff pulled the surface back, cleaned under it and put it back down. There is a wrinkle and a few areas that need patching. The contractor knows how to get the wrinkle out and will attempt to re-seal the surface sometime in October. The baseball fields have one more day of work to be done, but it has to be dry. The outfields will need to be reseeded. Manager Jakubec hoped the fields would be ready to use by spring. She noted some things that need done could be done by volunteers. Chairman Yon asked if the trail would be maintained during the winter. Manager Jakubec stated it is a trail and would not be cleared. The Manager noted a berm was built around the adaptive playground for some protection. The Township received $50,000 from the insurance claim. She stated aside from the park, the biggest damage occurred to the stormwater infrastructure. Some of the repair expenses will be rolled into the 2018 bond issue. A stormwater pipe blew out and a wall collapsed at Eton and Woodshire Drives, totaling $38,000 in repairs; Ravine Street stormwater pipe needs relined and additional work is estimated to cost $120,000; in addition to necessary repairs along Robinhood Road, Division Street, Westchester Drive, etc. Parks and Recreation Commission 1

2 Ms. Lasher inquired about the condition of the pond. Manager Jakubec stated Ron Heisel, a Public Service Department employee was able to get a lot of muck out of the pond, and Joel, the pond maintenance provider, administered treatments to the pond and removed some of the parrot feather and other plant growth. The aerators and fountain are not functioning. Mr. Jablonski inquired about damages at other parks. Manager Jakubec noted a fallen tree took out a power line at Woodland Park; some of the edible trail washed out, but has been fixed. The Manager indicated she would continue to keep the Parks and Recreation Commission up to date on park repairs. B. Crofton Nature Reserve Potential Donor for Improvements Manager Jakubec recalled a donor has decided to do a butterfly and bird preserve with fruit trees in Crofton Nature Reserve to commemorate his mother and sister. A proposal was prepared by the Audubon Society in the amount of $2, to design the preserve, with the donor s input. Township staff would construct, plant, and maintain the preserve and a memorial bench would be provided. The donor is elderly and would like to see this done before he dies. The estimated cost of improvements is $75,000. Manager Jakubec indicated there are not a lot of park projects planned for next year. Three boy scouts are working on Eagle Scout Projects at Woodland Park. The Manager noted Eric Kratsa had contacted her about a memorial reflection for Melissa Kratsa. She suggested the memorial reflection spot at Woodland Park Edible Trail since it is so peaceful and tranquil, along with a plaque similar to the one of Beulah Frey, and a gazebo or pergola. Mr. Jablonski expressed concern of people speeding on Field Club Road from Powers Run Road. Manager Jakubec suggested he Police Superintendent Scott Slagel. The Police Department has four new Officers; Jay McMahill, Greg Bauman, Maria Sciacca and John Lennon, and they love to run traffic and write tickets. It was noted the O Hara police are the third highest paid police in Allegheny County. The Manager also explained the new active shooter kits recently purchased. Mr. Jablonski commented the Township will be buying a drone next. Manager Jakubec stated she just wrote a grant for a drone. Officer Sciacca was a Drone Pilot for Millvale Borough Police Department and would be able to obtain the required pilot license. Manager Jakubec believed the park playgrounds to be in good shape; if necessary the courts could be recoated. Chairman Yon commented just to recover from the flood was a monumental task to get the parks opened in an improved state. Mr. DiGirolamo stated he has been using Meadow Park and recommended opening the trail to the edge for the spectacular view. Mr. Jablonski noted the cliff. Manager Jakubec stated a fence would be needed. Mr. Jablonski suggested putting up a railing like at the Grand Canyon. The Manager indicated she would put it in the five-year plan. She agreed some work could be done around the perimeter of Meadow Park. Parks and Recreation Commission 2

3 Manager Jakubec stated the Sacco Park parking lot would be paved since part of the agreement with the construction of the mausoleum was to allow overflow parking in the Park parking lot. Mr. DiGirolamo confirmed the floating surface of the tennis court would remain. Manager Jakubec added that she hoped the court could be re-sealed. She also intends to have pickle ball lines painted on the court. The court at Sacco Park would probably be painted with pickle ball lines in the future. She recalled the pickle ball people would like a water fountain at the community center, but it is not in the budget at this time. Chairman Yon noted one thing not discussed has been the tremendous number of trees that have died in the last ten years and the trees are not there to soak up the water. He suggested planting a few trees that drink a lot of water and prevent over-saturation of the ground. Manager Jakubec stated part of MS-4 is tree planting. The Paw Paws at the foot of the edible trail love water, and it is a fruit tree. O Hara Township and Fox Chapel Borough have formed a rapid intervention to pull fallen trees out of the creek to prevent the formation of dams and water going where it shouldn t. Chairman Yon noted Fox Chapel Borough s entire course of Squaw Run Creek is like a floodplain with no creek, just a flat area. Manager Jakubec explained every municipality must have an MS- 4 Plan, and Fox Chapel Borough s Plan includes creek stabilization, so they will be planting and doing things to improve the area. Chairman Yon noted the recent dumping of boulders along the creek in Fox Chapel Borough. The Manager explained the boulders are to help with erosion. O Hara Township is at the end of the watershed. Nothing could have stopped that amount of water at such speed. Mr. Jablonski stated even if you straighten the stream or dredge them, you re only increasing the velocity of the water and it will tear up more. Chairman Yon recommended planting trees, possibly memorial trees. Manager Jakubec indicated Fox Chapel Borough needs to plant the trees. Chairman Yon indicated trees could be planted by the gazebo. The Manager referenced a program where the Township receives credit for keeping sediment out of the rivers when residents plant a tree and provide documentation to the Township. She indicated the article about the program would be included again in the Newsletter. She recommended planning where trees should be planted. Chairman Yon stated someone could donate a tree, not a seedling, but not a 16-foot oak either. He noted seedlings can t grow because the deer eat them. Manager Jakubec noted the Whitetail Deer Management Program started, but the first week was too wet and they didn t see any deer. IV. MINUTES A. May 23, 2018 B. July 25, 2018 Chairman Yon asked how the surveillance cameras held up in the park. Manager Jakubec stated a pole fell, but the camera was ok. The cameras will be put back up. New cameras were recently installed around the perimeter of the municipal building and in the back yard. Motion by Ms. Lasher to approve the subject minutes was seconded by Mr. Jablonski and carried unanimously. V. COMMISSION COMMENTS OR CONCERNS Parks and Recreation Commission 3

4 VI. STAFF CONCERNS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Mr. DiGirolamo to adjourn the meeting was seconded by Mr. Veltri and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Attachment(s): Sign-In Sheet(s) Cathy Bubas, Manager s Secretary Parks and Recreation Commission 4

5 Chairman Yon compared it to sidewalks; there are a lot of broken sidewalks. Sometimes when you call a contractor to fix 2 pieces; if you get together for a sidewalk deal, and subsidize it a little bit, and are able to do so many feet of sidewalk for x amount of dollars, if you want to get into the game now, and if your stuff is all busted up we re going to start issuing citations, because some of that stuff is in terrible shape. And these people would have a chance to do this. I don t know if anybody else has been down there, but there are still sidewalks, and they re still functional, with the WPA stamped in the cement. So you re talking those sidewalks went in in the 1930 s. They re years old. Mr. Jablonski noted pictures of trees in Pittsburgh back in the 1920 s. All the hills are bald. There are no trees. They cut it all down and used it for firewood. Parks and Recreation Commission 5