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05.27.2025 PRC MinutesCHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MAY 27, 2025 Chair Leisen called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Rob Swanson; Kristin Fulkerson; Michael Leisen; Sean Morgan; Emily Nagel; Kurt Scheppmann; Nora Nashawaty; and Clara Christenson, youth. MEMBERS ABSENT: Aayan Shrestha, youth. STAFF PRESENT: Jerry Ruegemer, Park and Recreation Director; Priya Wall, Recreation Manager; and Luke Kegley, Recreation Supervisor. PUBLIC PRESENT: None. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Commissioner Swanson moved; Commissioner Fulkerson seconded to approve the agenda as presented. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: None. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. Approve Park & Recreation Minutes dated April 22, 2025 Commissioner Nagel moved, Commissioner Morgan seconded to approve the minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission meeting dated April 22, 2025, as presented. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0. GENERAL BUSINESS: 1. 2025 Lake Ann Park Summer Programs Luke Kegley, Recreation Supervisor, reviewed the details of the watercraft rental availability. He explained that the Summer Concert Series would take place at Lake Ann Park on Thursday evenings. He reviewed the concession stand management and watercraft rental partnership. He commented that they received many picnic shelter reservations already, and he anticipated additional reservations. He commented that they would not have lifeguards at the beach in 2025 Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 2 and would be open during park hours. He expected that Lake Ann Park would have a busy season and asked for additional feedback or suggestions to improve services. Nashawaty stated that the Communities of Belonging Organization was providing guided meditation hikes, which might be a good partnership to provide that service. Swanson asked if there was any change with moving the concert series to Lake Ann. Priya Wall, Recreation Manager, answered that they saw a slight decrease in attendance, but they also had weather and food truck cancellations at the start of the series. She thought the first artist would draw attendees, and they partnered with Hackamore Brewery to serve drinks at Lake Ann Park. If there were weather concerns, they could hold the series at Hackamore Brewery. Chair Leisen asked about statistics for the watercraft rentals. Mr. Kegley answered that he could provide them at another time, but they were utilized heavily throughout the summer. Jerry Ruegemer, Parks and Recreation Director, estimated that there were just over 2000 rentals for the season. Nagel asked if the intention was to move the concert series back to City Center Park. Ms. Wall answered that the intention was to move it back to the City Center Park with the Performance Pavilion. Mr. Ruegemer said that the Performance Pavilion would be a good setting for the concert series with the covered performance stage and additional amenities downtown. 2. 2025 Summer Youth Programs Preview Priya Wall, Recreation Manager, stated that summer was a big time for the youth programs. She stated that they offer camps for ages three to sixteen. She highlighted the Summer Discovery Playground program, which rotated to different parks. She stated that they were lower in enrollment this year, so they would seek feedback for the future. She reviewed the different classes and camps available at the recreation center, along with Tae-Kwon-Do, dance classes, and Sky Hawks sports options. She stated that the Lake Ann Adventure Camp would return to Lake Ann Park, which added a third session to accommodate more children. She stated that there would be different programs for older kids, such as babysitting and the teen volunteer program. The teen volunteer program would volunteer at different summer programs. She highlighted the Summer Concert Series sponsored by Old National Bank and expressed gratitude for their support. She noted that another group was interested in sponsoring a DJ for kids to kick off the concert event. She stated that the annual 4th of July celebration was back and reviewed the different activities catered towards kids and families. She said the Chanhassen Community Days in August would have additional activities for children and families. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 3 Youth Commissioner Christenson asked about past feedback from the Summer Discovery Playground program. Ms. Wall answered that they previously did a survey, and they received feedback that the kids like to connect with others, but parents like programs that run from June to August. She stated that they also had a struggle with weather or air quality, which led to the program's cancellation. She said that they would seek additional feedback this year. Commissioner Fulkerson asked if they would get feedback about the demographics of children in the neighborhood. Ms. Wall answered that they switched up the locations three years ago for a similar reason, but they can look into the information again. Commissioner Nashawaty asked if there was a difference in participation for younger and older kids at the Summer Discovery Playground program. Ms. Wall answered that they are split into groups between four and seven years old and eight to twelve years old. She said they see most participation for kids between five to eight years old. Commissioner Scheppmann asked if they had demand for other programs not listed, such as soccer. Ms. Wall answered that she gets feedback about camp offerings, but local youth organizations tend to run sports camps for kids aged five and up. She said they pursue different groups based on requests. Commissioner Scheppmann stated that it sounded like they met the demands. Ms. Wall answered that the trends change each year, and they try to offer appropriate options. 3. Park and Recreation Commission Brainstorming Session Jerry Ruegemer, Park and Recreation Director, explained that this time was to brainstorm ideas, especially since there are new commission members. Chair Theisen thanked Mr. Ruegemer for being open to the conversation, as there were many wide-ranging topics to discuss. Commissioner Morgan discussed the need to make a proactive Park and Recreation Commission that would provide value and clear direction. He said one thing that would be valuable was for the Park and Recreation Commission to establish goals and values for the year. He discussed various items they could deliberate on to support the community, including large infrastructure and developments, key community events, programmatic recreational offerings, and policy. Youth Commissioner Christenson stated that another aspect to consider would be communication. She discussed the benefits of the sixty-second Chanhassen Check-in on Instagram. She said one idea could be to have a weekly park feature on social media to increase awareness. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 4 Commissioner Morgan asked how issues got elevated for the Chanhassen Check-in. Mr. Ruegemer explained that a lot of the information communicated was based on the City Council meetings. He thought it would be great to feature parks. Chair Leisen discussed how to build awareness and attendance for the amazing programs through communication. Mr. Ruegemer explained that the Communication Department is continually evolving. Commissioner Fulkerson talked about the packet that reviewed the Environmental Commission's social media post statistics. Mr. Ruegemer answered that these statistics are often compiled after the 4th of July. Commissioner Nashawaty said utilizing Instagram would be more beneficial than Facebook for the younger generation. Ms. Wall asked if younger Instagram users were more interested in photo, video, or story content on Instagram. Youth Commissioner Christenson stated that short videos and stories were more engaging. Commissioner Nashawaty said that the posts would be important for individuals to find the information, but to use the stories to make sure people see the post. Mr. Ruegemer said that the Communications Department would be open to ideas, and he would schedule more conversations for a future meeting. Mr. Ruegemer commented about programming for July 2026 and beyond in the downtown area to engage the business community during construction. He said that the staff had ideas, but they would like to get ideas from the Park and Recreation Commission. He stated that they had a lot of public engagement with the Chan Bluffs Community Center, and the City purchased an additional three acres if there was a desire to build a pool in the future. He said that they needed to break even from an operational standpoint, so there would be events to bring people into the center. Commissioner Fulkerson suggested that there should be a subcommittee to inquire about a figure skating school. She said there was a need for ice aside from hockey ice. Commissioner Nashawaty said that not all of the community was bought into the project, so they would need to figure out ways to get community buy-in. She suggested an innovation challenge in the community for members to suggest different items to include around the Chan Bluffs Community Center, such as a mural or a little free library. She commented that it would be important for the community to feel as if they had some agency. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 5 Commissioner Nagel commented that she liked the Movie in the Park. She said that other communities had multiple nights geared towards different genres or audiences. She said that there could be different community sponsors for movies in the park. Commissioner Nashawaty encouraged partnering with existing organizations to make events happen, such as partnering with the library to do a story time in the park, or a yoga studio to do yoga in the park. She encouraged partnering with different organizations in the community to get members into the parks and different City locations. Commissioner Fulkerson suggested a Park and Recreation Academy, like the Environmental Academy for the Environmental Commission. Commissioner Fulkerson talked about her first experience going to Arbor Day when many of the City Council and different commission members attended. She said this year, there was only the Environmental Commission. She encouraged all the agencies in the City to work together. Youth Commissioner Christenson asked if Chanhassen had ever sponsored a 5 K race. Mr. Ruegemer answered that they hosted the Dave Huffman Memorial 5K for approximately ten years. He said that 5k races seemed to run their course. Youth Commissioner Christenson asked if they would ever sponsor a walking club to promote health and connection. She thought it would be easy, low-cost, and take low-staff involvement. Commissioner Scheppmann asked if they had anything planned for the 10th anniversary of Prince. Mr. Ruegemer answered that it was Paisley Park’s territory. Commissioner Scheppmann suggested that there could be events that would be complementary to anything hosted at Paisley Park. Commissioner Nashawaty suggested a monthly chalk-the-walk in a specific park. She suggested an outdoor community game night. She said an art in the park could be fun and low-key. She said a recycling and sustainability workshop would be helpful. Commissioner Fulkerson said that the Environmental Commission does that. Commissioner Nashawaty suggested partnering with them. She asked about a chance for kids to paint the benches and picnic tables in the park to make them more vibrant. Ms. Wall said she was not an expert on food truck code. She thought that the City Code did not let food trucks park on a random day at a park, but often they were allowed to be parked there for events. Mr. Ruegemer answered that food trucks were allowed for a permitted event in the City. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 6 Commissioner Nashawaty asked if the Park and Recreation Department was a part of the National Night Out. Mr. Ruegemer answered that the City was involved, but the Carver County Sheriff's Department took the lead. He said that they have tailed off over the last year or two as Carver County took responsibility. Commissioner Scheppmann said that he previously had the mayor stop by at their event, so it might be helpful for different city officials to stop by events. Commissioner Nashawaty asked if there could be large activities to include all kids in the community to make them feel as if they belong. She noted that Chanhassen did not have a Human Rights Commission, so each department needed to work on it. Commissioner Morgan said that there were different themes discussed. He encouraged the Park and Recreation Commission to identify how they could move the ball forward with specific ideas. Commissioner Scheppmann suggested additional events. He said that the medallion hunt helped people get into the parks, but it was for those who did not have kids in school at that time. He suggested replicating an activity in the summertime for families. He said that some large events incorporated families, such as those in February and on the 4th of July, but suggested considering additional events for families with older children. Mr. Ruegemer said that they used to host an Octoberfest. He said it went on for a few years and then was changed to a September Fest. There would be a pumpkin contest, music, fishing, and 5ks. He said that attendance fell, so there was not a strong return on investment. He said that there were other groups or community organizations that they could share information with. Chair Leisen said it might be time to start a new tradition in the community when the new facilities open up. He asked if there were any thoughts about youth offerings. Youth Commissioner Christenson suggested group fitness classes at the community center. Mr. Ruegemer answered that they plan to do so. Commissioner Nagel thanked the teams who run youth sports and suggested they continue offering the opportunities from an early age. Mr. Ruegemer said that they could offer a walking group once a week, especially with additional space at the new community center. Chair Leisen suggested events for the ages between 55 and 65, who are often overlooked. Commissioner Nashawaty said that most of the senior center offerings were for ages 55 and up. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes – May 27, 2025 7 Mr. Ruegemer said that the intended audience was 55 years and above. He stated that the seniors had become a lot more active and independent, and they needed to consider their niche. Commissioner Morgan said he did not know how frequently items get elevated to the City Council. Commissioner Scheppmann clarified that the question was the role of the Park and Recreation Commission with policy. Mr. Ruegemer discussed that they were discussing wildlife management. Chair Leisen commented that this was a brainstorming session to help discuss these topics orderly. He said he wants all members to participate in events, and he requested the staff to let them know how they can support them. REPORTS: None. COMMISSION MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS: None. COMMISSION MEMBER PRESENTATIONS: None. ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Nashawaty moved, Commissioner Fulkerson seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0. The Park and Recreation Commission meeting was adjourned at 7:16 p.m. Submitted by Jerry Ruegemer Park and Recreation Director