[Town Hall on April 13, 2023.]
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THE QUESTIONS FROM THOSE OF YOU IN OUR LIVE LISTENING AUDIENCE.
AS YOU'RE LISTENING TONIGHT, THINK ABOUT QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT FOR Q AND A.
YOU, IF YOU ARE JOINING US BY PHONE, YOU CAN PRESS ZERO AT ANY TIME DURING THIS LIVE FORUM TO SUBMIT A QUESTION TO ONE OF OUR OPERATORS FOR Q AND A, THEN YOU CAN EITHER ASK YOUR QUESTION LIVE OR LET YOUR OPERATOR KNOW IF YOU PREFER TO HAVE THE MODERATOR READ YOUR QUESTION OVER THE AIR.
SO IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE, THE EASY WAY TO SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR Q AND A IS TO PRESS ZERO.
YOU MIGHT ALREADY HAVE A QUESTION IN MIND.
WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON PARKS AND RECREATION TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT PARKS AND REC IN THE CITY OF PLANO, PRESS ZERO.
GET THAT QUESTION TO AN OPERATOR.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN EITHER GO LIVE WITH YOUR QUESTION AND GET IT ANSWERED LIVE, OR YOU CAN LET YOUR OPERATOR KNOW YOU WANT ME TO READ YOUR QUESTION.
WHATEVER'S MORE COMFORTABLE FOR YOU IS FINE WITH US.
ALSO, IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE AND YOU'D LIKE TO GET EMAIL UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF PLANO, PRESS SEVEN, SPEAK TO AN OPERATOR, GIVE THEM, UH, YOUR BEST EMAIL ADDRESS, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOU IN THE CITY.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED INTRODUCING SOME OF OUR OTHER AUDIENCES TONIGHT.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE BROADCASTING LIVE VIA PHONE, AND THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US BY PHONE FOR THE REST OF OUR AUDIENCES, I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR Q AND A TONIGHT.
AGAIN, IF YOU'RE JOINING BY PHONE, YOU CAN PRESS ZERO TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.
IF YOU'RE JOINING AND WATCHING US ON PLANO TV OR ON PLANO TV.ORG, YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO US VIA TWITTER USING THE HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL.
IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIA FACEBOOK OR YOUTUBE TONIGHT, YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO US IN THE COMMENTS OF THAT VIDEO FEED USING THAT SAME HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL.
WE'LL TAKE AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT.
TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION, AGAIN, WILL FOCUS ON PLANO, PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A QUESTION IN MIND, UH, A QUESTION OR COMMENT IN MIND OR PARKS AND REC, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PRESS A ZERO IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION NOW, OR, UH, TYPE YOUR QUESTION INTO THE COMMENTS IF YOU'RE STREAMING TONIGHT'S FORUM OR SUBMIT IT VIA TWITTER.
AGAIN, WITH THAT HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL, IF YOU'RE JOINING US LIVE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION DURING Q AND A, YOU CAN FLAG DOWN OUR DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS, STEVE STOLLER.
HE CAN BRING IT TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN ASK YOUR, UH, QUESTION AND SO THAT OUR VIRTUAL AUDIENCES AND CITY LEADERS CAN HEAR YOU AGAIN, TONIGHT'S FORUM WILL FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON PARKS AND RECREATION.
ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET OCCASIONAL EMAIL UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF PLANO ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOU AS A RESIDENT, PRESS SEVEN NOW.
GIVE YOUR BEST EMAIL TO AN OPERATOR SO THAT WE CAN KEEP YOU UPDATED MOVING FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, ZERO IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.
OTHERWISE, USE THAT HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL, YOU'RE STREAMING US LIVE, LIVE OVER, UH, A LIVE STREAM, OR IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON TV OR PLANO DOT PLANO TV.ORG.
NOW, LET'S GET EVERYONE UPDATED TO KICK OFF OUR DISCUSSION, BUT THAT'S, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO TURN IT OVER TO MAYOR PRO 10 CASEY PRINCE TO GET OUR CONVERSATION STARTED.
MAYOR PRO 10 PRINCE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S PLANO TOWN HALL.
I'M MAYOR PRO TEM CASEY PRINCE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OUR VIEWERS WHO ARE WATCHING THE LIVESTREAM@PLANOTV.ORG, OR ON THE CITY OF PLANO FACEBOOK PAGE OR YOUTUBE PAGE, AS WELL AS OUR GUEST JOINING BY PHONE AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. TONIGHT, WE'LL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANOS PARKS AND RECREATION HERE AT THE DIAS.
WITH ME, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, JACK CARR, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, RON SMITH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, SHELLEY SIEMER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION, SUSIE HERGAN, RAIDER, WRITER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS, DAVE ANGELUS AND PARK PLANNING MANAGER, RENEE JORDAN.
ONE SPECIAL THING ABOUT PLANO IS OUR WONDERFUL PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM.
THIS PAST YEAR, THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, ONCE AGAIN NAMED PLANO PARKS AND RECREATION, FIRST IN TEXAS AND 15TH IN THE UNITED STATES PER THEIR ANNUAL PARK SCORE RANKINGS, PLANO HAS 85 PARKS, 98 MILES OF TRAILS, FIVE RECREATION CENTERS, AND NINE PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS.
PLANO PARKS AND RECREATION HAS BEEN NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, ACCREDITED SINCE 1994.
WE'VE BEEN A TREE CITY USA FOR 32 YEARS, AND 77% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF A PARK.
PLANO PARKS AND RECREATION IS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN UPDATE TO ITS MASTER PLAN.
SO BEFORE WE START TUCK TAKING QUESTIONS, WE'RE GONNA HEAR A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE PROCESS FROM RENEE JORDAN.
ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THE CITY OF PLANO HAS SUCH A ROBUST AND WELL-PLANNED PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM IS BECAUSE OF ITS COMMITMENT TO MASTER PLANNING.
THE CITY OF PLANO HAS HAD A PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN SINCE 1972 AND HAS UPDATED THAT PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS SINCE IN EARLY 2022, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BEGAN AN EFFORT TO UPDATE THE 2018 PARKS, RECREATION TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN PLANS, SUCH AS THESE REQUIRED UPDATE TIMING
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OF FIVE YEARS, NOT ONLY BY OUR OWN CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT ALSO FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN ITS ACCREDITATION AND ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN GRANTS.THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN WILL INCLUDE UPDATED POPULATION PROJECTIONS, PARKLAND DISTRIBUTION ANALYSES, RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED PARK IMPROVEMENTS, PROJECTED LAND ACQUISITIONS, REVISED BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES, AND RESTRUCTURED APPENDICES.
IN ADDITION, AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL BE NEEDED.
THIS WILL ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH THE UPDATES TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATED PARKS MASTER PLAN MAP, THE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN MAP, AND THE OPEN SPACE NETWORK AND SOCIAL NETWORK CATEGORIES.
ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS BEGAN IN THE FALL WITH A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY, A COMMUNITY-WIDE SURVEY, AND A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.
THE PROCESSES ALSO INCLUDED WORK SESSIONS WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION PLANNING BOARD, AS WELL AS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT STAFF.
RIGHT NOW, THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE IS OPEN AGAIN, THE PARKS MASTER PLAN DRAFT IS PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT AND FEEDBACK THROUGH APRIL 21ST.
FURTHER UPDATES TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN DRAFT WILL BE MADE IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS WE HEAR IN THIS VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE SESSION BEFORE BRINGING IT FORWARD TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ADOPTION AT PUBLIC HEARINGS, AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL IN THE SUMMER, THE DRAFT PLAN AND MAPS ARE POSTED TO THE PARKS WEBPAGE WITH A SURVEY.
PLEASE VISIT PLANO PARKS PLAN DOT H A L F.COM TO PARTICIPATE.
IAN, LET'S BEGIN TAKING QUESTIONS FROM OUR VIEWERS.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING WITH US AGAIN.
AND, UH, ONE QUICK REMINDER HERE ON HOW YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTION.
YOU PRESS ZERO, SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION TO AN OPERATOR, THEN YOU CAN EITHER ASK YOUR QUESTION LIVE OR LET YOUR OPERATOR KNOW IF YOU PREFER, UH, TO HAVE, UH, MYSELF THE MODERATOR READ YOUR QUESTION, HAPPY TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON PLANO TV OR PLANO TV.ORG, USE THAT HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL ON TWITTER TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.
IF YOU'RE ON FACEBOOK OR YOUTUBE TONIGHT, YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS AS A COMMENTS USING THAT HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL.
AND IF YOU'RE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, FLAG DOWN STEVE WITH THE MICROPHONE SO THAT YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTION AND WE CAN HEAR YOU OVER THE YEARS.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN TONIGHT, AND TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION WILL FOCUS ON PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO OUR FIRST QUESTION.
WE HAVE JERRY IN STONE HOLLOW CAME IN VERY QUICKLY WITH A QUESTION.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK? I'M JUST, UH, WONDERING, ARE YOU GONNA HAVE ANY, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO, UH, SET UP ANY PERMANENT OR, UH, WHAT, LIKE TENNIS COURTS OR FOR, UH, THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, PICKLEBALL? I KNOW THE REC CENTERS HAVE, UH, THE COURT AND OFF THE BASKETBALL COURTS, UH, ON A SCHEDULE FOR PICKLEBALL, BUT I WAS WONDERING, SINCE IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR, WILL THERE BE DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS SET UP? THANK YOU FOR THE CALL, JERRY.
PICKLEBALL IS OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, THE DEMAND HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT ONLY GROWN HERE BUT NATIONWIDE AND ACTUALLY ACROSS THE GLOBE.
IT IS BECOMING VERY POPULAR AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS AN ACTIVITY THAT YOUNG AND OLD CAN PLAY AND, UM, FAMILIES CAN PLAY TOGETHER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR AGE OR ABILITY.
AND SO IT'S GREAT EXERCISE AND IT'S A VERY SOCIAL SPORT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
UM, HAVE WE KEPT UP WITH THE DEMAND? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE.
UM, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM OUR RESIDENTS, WE ARE, UM, AWARE THAT WE CAN DO MORE AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, JUST A FEW THINGS, SHERRY.
WE DO HAVE PICKLEBALL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR RECREATION CENTERS.
OUR MEMBERSHIPS GIVE YOU ACCESS TO, UM, ALL OF OUR RECREATION FACILITIES.
UM, AND WE DO OFFER PICKLEBALL IN EACH OF THOSE RECREATION CENTERS.
SO IF IT'S NOT BEING OFFERED ON ONE NIGHT, IT'S PROBABLY BEING OFFERED, UM, ON ANOTHER DAY.
DAYTIME, WE ALSO, UM, ARE WORKING WITH OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH, UM, MORE PLACES THAT WE CAN PLAY.
UM, ONE OF WHICH BEING, UH, PLANO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, WORKING WITH THE PARKS DIVISION AND DAVE EVANGELIST AND HIS TEAM.
UM, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH P I S D TO RES STRIPE, UM, SEVERAL MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS FOR PICKLEBALL.
NOW, AT THOSE COURTS, YOU DO HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN NETS.
UM, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH P I S D TO, UM, SEE
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IF WE CAN ADD FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PICKLEBALL WITH P I S D ON THEIR FACILITIES.UM, THIS SOMETIMES TAKES TIME.
WE ALSO WANNA EVALUATE THE CURRENT PICKLEBALL COURTS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE DONE THEM RIGHT, AND IF WE HAVEN'T DONE THEM RIGHT, MAYBE MOVE WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN GOING FORWARD ON ADDITIONAL COURTS.
SO WE DON'T WANNA RUSH, UM, RIGHT AWAY.
WE WANNA EVALUATE WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO, UM, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE DO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH P I S D, UM, AND ADDING ADDITIONAL COURTS.
UM, I WAS OUT AT HIGH POINT TENNIS CENTER TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EIGHT PICKLEBALL COURTS ALREADY ESTABLISHED THERE.
UM, WE PLAN, I'VE TALKED WITH THE, UM, STAFF THERE WHO HAVE VISITED SURROUNDING CITIES AND THEIR COURTS AND HOW THEY'VE ADAPTED PICKLEBALL INTO THEIR TENNIS FACILITIES.
UM, AND WE HAVE MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDING ADDITIONAL, UH, PICKLEBALL COURTS AT HIGH POINT TENNIS CENTER.
SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH, UM, OPPORTUNITY AS WE'D LIKE AT THIS POINT, BUT WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN BETTER SATISFY THE DEMAND.
UM, I I CAN'T PROMISE THAT WE CAN SATISFY ALL OF IT BECAUSE I, I'M NOT SURE WITH HOW POPULAR THIS SPORT IS, UM, THAT WE COULD EVER FULLY, UM, PROVIDE ENOUGH COURTS.
HOWEVER, AS COMPARED TO SURROUNDING CITIES, I CAN SAY THAT WE DO, UM, OFFER A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF COURTS AVAILABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO PROVIDE MORE.
GLAD WE COULD TAKE THAT EARLY.
AND THANKS TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION, SUSIE HERGAN RAIDER FOR THE ANSWER.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO, TO OUR NEXT QUESTION COMING TO US FROM REDDIT.
UH, THIS QUESTION IS, AT RUSSELL CREEK ATHLETIC FIELD, THERE IS DIRT.
IT ALWAYS WASHES OUT FROM UNDER SEVERAL TREES OVER THE BIKE PATH.
IS THERE A REASON THAT MULCH ISN'T ADDED UNDER THESE TREES TO HELP PREVENT THE EROSION? I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARK STATE EVANGELIST FOR THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE.
YES, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS, DAVE ANGEL.
UH, FIRST THANKS FOR PRESENTING THIS.
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT WHEN RESIDENTS HELP US KEEP A PULSE ON ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PARKS.
UM, I BELIEVE, UM, THE AREA BEING DISCUSSED IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF RUSSELL CREEK BY GIFFORD DRIVE.
UM, THIS SECTION DOES SEE EROSION, UH, DURING HEAVY RAINS.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE HAVE, UH, A LANDSCAPE BUFFER BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE PLAYING FIELDS, AND IT'S A RAISED BURN WITH MATURE TREES.
AND AS THE TREES HAVE MATURED, UM, THE SHADE HAS, HAS CAUSED, UM, THE GRASS TO DIE.
STAFF HAS ATTEMPTED, UH, A FEW TIMES TO RESAW THE AREA WITH MINIMAL SUCCESS.
UM, WE HAVEN'T PLACED MULCH THERE OR OTHER GROUND COVER YET, UH, BECAUSE OUR CONCERN IS THAT WE DON'T WANT THAT MATERIAL THAT WE PLACE TO WIND UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT OPTIONS THERE ARE FROM HEAVIER, UM, ELEMENTS OF GROUND COVER TO WHETHER WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RENOVATION TO CONSIDER SOME TYPE OF, UM, PERMANENT, UM, CURBING STRUCTURE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE, THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED, UM, AND WE'RE AWARE OF.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR AWARENESS, WE ALSO ARE OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AFTER HEAVY RAINS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT AREA CLEAN.
BUT I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE QUESTION.
YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO OUR NEXT QUESTION.
ALSO, COMING FROM THE PHONES, WE'VE GOT STEVE AND LOS RIOS NEXT.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
I'M ON THE FLOOR OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STEVE, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT STEVEN LOS RIOS ON THE PHONE.
STEVE, DO YOU, ARE YOU THERE WITH US
I THINK WE'RE GONNA, OH, GO AHEAD.
I'M THE PARK PLANNING MANAGER IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT AT, UH, LOS RIOS IS THE NEARLY TWO MILE LONG TRAIL CONNECTION PROJECT THAT'S ANTICIPATED TO START SOMETIME THIS SUMMER.
IT'S GOING TO CONNECT THE SOUTHERNMOST END OF THE BOB WOODRUFF TRAIL AT 18TH STREET TO THE SOUTHERNMOST END OF COTTONWOOD CREEK GREENBELT AT COUNTRY CLUB AND DRIFTWOOD.
THIS TRAIL WILL GO THROUGH LOS ROSE PARK SITE.
AND THANK YOU TO STEVEN LOS RIOS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO STEVE SOLAR HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH A QUESTION FROM OUR LIVE AUDIENCE.
STEVE, YOU GOT THAT LIVE AUDIENCE NUMBER WITH A QUESTION? YES,
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I DO.IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S NAME'S STEVE AROUND HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STORY IS.
UH, WE HAVE SHELLY BRACKEN WITH US WHO HAS ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT PICKLEBALL.
SHELLY, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE VERY AWARE YOU'VE EVEN STATED THE, UH, GROWTH IN PICKLEBALL, AND I'M TALKING MAINLY ABOUT THE REC CENTERS AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT PICKLEBALL GETS AS OPPOSED TO ALL THE OTHER SPORTS.
IT'S LIKE 10% DURING THE SUMMER, 12% DURING THE YEAR.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT OBSTACLES ARE PREVENTING YOU FROM ALLOCATING MORE TIME NOW TO PICKLEBALL THAT DOESN'T COST ANY MONEY, DOESN'T COST ANY INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES, BUT BETTER UTILIZES THE GYM TIME AND SPACE? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO WITHIN THE RECREATION CENTERS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE CHALLENGING TO PROVIDE PICKLEBALL.
UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER SPORTS THAT LIKE TO USE THAT SPACE AS WELL.
SO WITHIN OUR BASKETBALL COURTS, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE BASKETBALL PLAYERS.
THEY'RE THE HIGHEST POPULATION.
SO THERE ARE MORE BASKETBALL PLAYERS, UM, WANTING TO USE THE BASKETBALL COURTS THAN ANY OTHER SPORT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE BADMINTON PLAYERS.
WE HAVE TABLE TENNIS, WE HAVE VOLLEYBALL.
THOSE ARE OUR OTHER LARGE USER GROUPS FOR THAT SAME SPACE BEING USED BY PICKLEBALL.
SO WE DO HAVE A SCHEDULE THAT WE LOOK COMPREHENSIVELY AT ALL OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS SO THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SPREADING OUR TIME OUT AT THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
SO LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU CANNOT FIND A TIME AT ONE CENTER, POTENTIALLY YOU COULD BE GOING TO ANOTHER CENTER AND FINDING A TIME.
IT MIGHT NOT BE YOUR, YOUR CENTER OF YOUR PREFERENCE, BUT, UM, WE DO OFFER IT AT EVERY CENTER.
HAVING SAID THAT, UM, AS THE DEMAND FOR EACH SPORT GROWS, UM, IT, IT'S DEMAND THAT DETERMINES THE TIME ALLOTTED TO THE SPORT.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY PICKLEBALL CONTINUES TO GROW, AND AS IT DOES, WE WILL EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THOSE COURTS.
HOWEVER, IT IS, WE STILL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BASKETBALL, UM, IS A LARGE COMPONENT OF THOSE COURTS.
NOW THERE ARE DAYTIME HOURS THAT YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS, AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING.
UM, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO THAT.
IN FACT, UM, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING A FEW CHANGES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN MEETING, UH, REGULARLY FOR THE LAST MONTH, UM, TO DETERMINE THE BEST SCHEDULE FOR THESE AREAS.
AND, UH, YOU WILL BE SEEING A ADDITIONAL TIMES ADDED THERE.
UM, WE, AS I SAID, ALSO, WE ARE WORK WORKING WITH SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THAT'S KIND OF PUT US A LITTLE BIT ON HOLD ON OPENING, EXPANDING TOO MANY HOURS WITHIN THE CENTER, BUT WE ARE GONNA GIVE A FEW, WE'LL SEE HOW THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES PAN OUT.
IF THEY DON'T, WE'RE GONNA GIVE EVEN MORE.
SO THE OBSTACLE WE'RE FACING IS OTHER SPORTS WANTING THAT OR NEEDING THAT TIME.
SO IF WE CAN SHOW THAT THOSE SPORTS ARE NOT UTILIZING THAT TIME, THEN THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE OBSTACLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE DO TAKE COUNTS, SO WE'RE VERY WELL AWARE.
UM, BUT WE ARE IN A TRANSITION TIME, EXCUSE ME, OUR RECREATION CENTERS OVER THE YEARS HAVE REALLY BEEN GEARED TOWARDS BASKETBALL.
AS THIS COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED, THE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED, NEW SPORTS HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR.
WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.
IT'S A LEARNING CURVE FOR BASKETBALL BECAUSE THEY'RE USED TO PURCHASING A MEMBERSHIP AND THERE ARE BASKETBALL COURTS OUT THERE AND THEN AUTOMATICALLY THINKING, I CAN PLAY BASKETBALL HERE WHENEVER I WANT.
SO IT'S EDUCATING THEM SLOWLY ADAPTING AND MAKING THOSE CHANGES AS THE DEMAND INCREASES.
THANK YOU AGAIN, APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION FROM OUR IN-PERSON AUDIENCE HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
A REMINDER TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, FLAG DOWN STEVE WITH THE MICROPHONE, AND WE'LL GET YOUR QUESTIONS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
TO THOSE OF YOU ON THE PHONE, YOU CAN PRESS ZERO TO SUBMIT A QUESTION TO GET IN THE QUEUE WITH YOUR QUESTION, AND THEN YOU CAN EITHER ASK IT LIVE OR LET YOUR OPERATOR KNOW THAT YOU WANT ME TO READ IT.
AND IF YOU'RE STREAMING THIS OR WATCHING ON TV, YOU CAN SUBMIT A QUESTION USING THE HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT CHERYL UP NEXT.
SHE'S STREAMING THIS THROUGH FACEBOOK AND SUBMITTED THIS QUESTION.
SHE ASKS, WHEN WILL BIKE PATHS BE EXTENDED IN SOUTH CENTRAL PLANO? AND WE'LL GO TO PARK PLANNING MANAGER RENEE JORDAN FOR THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE FROM CHERYL ON FACEBOOK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL IN SOUTH CENTRAL PLANO.
UH, THE ONLY TRAIL, UH, THAT HAS YET TO
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BE DEVELOPED IS ALONG PLANO PARKWAY AND THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THAT UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, UM, UH, TO THE WEST OF INDEPENDENCE.AND IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT BIKE PLANO.ORG TO LOOK AT OUR BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
UH, THERE YOU CAN SEE OUR COMPLETE ROUTE SYSTEM, UM, OF OUR TRAILS IS NEARLY A HUNDRED MILES, AND WE ALSO HAVE AN ON-STREET BIKE ROUTE NETWORK OF NEARLY 150 MILES.
AND TOGETHER THOSE TWO THINGS ENABLE BIKE TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, UH, I DID WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO ONE OF OUR, UH, LISTENERS ON THE LINE, DAVID AND PARKRIDGE, WE'RE SEEING YOUR QUESTION ON RETAINING WALLS BECAUSE WE'RE FOCUSED ON PARKS AND REC TONIGHT.
WE DON'T, DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WITH US TONIGHT, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
SO THAT'S DAVID AND PARKRIDGE.
UH, SOMEBODY WILL REACH OUT TO YOU WITH AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS HERE, SO YOU CAN EXPECT A CALL.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE PHONES HERE FOR OUR NEXT QUESTION COMING FROM GARY AND HIGHLAND PARK HEADING MEADOW.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? UH, YES, GOOD AFTERNOON.
ACTUALLY, I LIVE IN THE HIGHLAND OF RUSSELL PARK.
WE HAVE A HIDDEN MEADOW PARK IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE.
AND I BELIEVE I ASKED A QUESTION LIKE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, MAYBE TWO, THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUE WITH, UH, WHEATS IN TEXAS AND CRAB GRASS.
UH, SO, UH, PARKS SAY WE DO WELL, CITY SAID YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A CHEMICAL WHO CAN BE TREATING THAT.
UH, BUT, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, IT'S BEEN TOLD WITH SEVERAL, WITH COUPLE YEARS IT WILL BE PUT NEW GRASS IN THE PARK AND THAT THE TEXAS GRASS IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY.
AND WE HAVE, UH, ISSUE TO BASICALLY KEEP UP WITH, UH, WITH THE WHEAT ON OUR YARD.
AND I JUST WANNA ASK QU QUESTION.
I MEAN, IS THIS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF IT OR WHERE, WHERE IS THAT? THANK YOU.
UH, DAVE'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS FEEDBACK.
UM, WE DO HAVE A, UH, CHEMICAL PROGRAM THAT WE USE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UH, WE DO FOLLOW THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AG AGRICULTURAL, UM, STANDARDS, UM, ON OUR APPLICATIONS.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, THAT THOSE STANDARDS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS AND SOME OF THE, UM, CHEMICALS THAT WE USE NOW ARE LESS POTENT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, WE DO, UM, HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGE WITH SOME OF THE EARLY SPRING WEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
UH, WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO, TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAFELY TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM.
UH, SO AS FAR AS THE PARKS, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE MANAGE.
IF THERE, IF THERE'S PARCELS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO PARKS, UM, IF YOU WANT TO, UM, LEAVE A NUMBER OR CONTACT, WE CAN REACH OUT AND, AND MAYBE TALK TO YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE AREAS THAT, UM, YOU HAVE CONCERN AND WE CAN DETERMINE IF THAT IS, UM, RIGHT OF WAY, CITY OF PLANO, RIGHT OF WAY, IF IT'S PRIVATE, UM, PROPERTY, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE PARK AREAS THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT I APPRECIATE, UH, THE FEEDBACK.
APPRECIATE THESE ANSWERS AND, UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO'S JOINED US SO FAR FOR THIS FORUM.
WE'RE ONLY, UH, 25 MINUTES AS YOU ARE ONE HOUR FORUM, SO, UH, WE'LL KEEP TAKING AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.
FOR NOW, I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE LIVE AUDIENCE.
STEVE, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER, UH, IN-PERSON QUESTION FOR US? YES, I DO.
IAN, WE HAVE JOHN SANDERS HERE WHO HAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHEDULING AT THE HIGH POINT TENNIS CENTER.
JOHN? HI, I, UH, I'M A LONGTIME USER OF HIGH TENNIS CENTER AND ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING PARTS ABOUT IT, IT'S GREAT, BUT THE SCHEDULING SYSTEM WE USE THERE IS PAPER AND YOU CAN ONLY SCHEDULE TWO DAYS OUT.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY PLANS OR HAVE HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAKING THAT AS AN ONLINE SYSTEM, SO MAYBE WE COULD SCHEDULE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT.
IT SEEMS TO AFFECT AVAILABILITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HARD TO GET A COURT SOMETIMES, SO THANK YOU.
AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, IT IS A BIT ANTIQUATED.
UM, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING WITH OUR BUSINESS DIVISION.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW, UM, MANAGER THERE WHO IS VERY AMBITIOUS ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO MORE, UM, TECHNO TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, UM, IN A VARIETY OF AREAS.
AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO, UM, BE, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING INTO THAT EXACT, UM, SITUATION THERE, UM, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER AREAS.
I SEE ANOTHER QUESTION COMING UP ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, SO, UM, YES, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY BE SEEING THOSE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS A HINDRANCE AND, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON MOVING TOWARDS, UM, ONLINE.
[00:25:01]
THAT.THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, UH, QUESTIONS FROM OUR IN-PERSON AUDIENCE.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THIS NEXT ONE SUBMITTED USING THAT HASHTAG PLANO TOWN HALL.
THE QUESTION IS, CAN YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, AND I THINK WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION SUGEN RADER FOR THIS ONE.
UH, THIS IS SUSIE HERGAN, RADER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION.
UM, OUR SUMMER CAMPS ARE SO VERY POPULAR AND WE CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM, CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THEM.
AND, UM, THEY WILL BE STARTING UP HERE SHORTLY.
THE CA OUR RECREATION CATALOGS WILL BE, UM, IN YOUR HOMES THIS WEEKEND.
UM, WHEN WITH OUR REGISTRATION COMING UP ON MAY 6TH AND CLASSES BEGINNING, UM, THE 1ST OF JUNE AND, UM, THE, OUR SUMMER CAMPS DO FILL UP VERY QUICKLY, THOSE TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR DAY CAMPS AS WELL AS OUR INDOOR CAMP CONNECTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR RECREATION CENTERS, UM, WITH MANY, UM, VERY UNUSUAL OR VERY, UH, PROGRESSIVE CAMPS.
WE'VE GOT, UH, PROGRAMMING CAMPS AND ROBOTIC CAMPS.
AND SO BASICALLY WHATEVER KIND OF CAMP YOU WANT WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
SO WAS THERE A SPECIFIC QUESTION YOU HAD REGARDING OUR SUMMER CAMPS? UH, NOW THAT ONE CAME TO US FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION.
THEY WERE JUST LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM.
WELL, I, I HOPE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
AND, UH, OUR NEXT QUESTION IS GONNA COME TO US FROM GARY, WHO, UH, LIVES OFF AND HIRSCH CASTLE.
READ HIS QUESTION FROM THE PHONES.
HE'S ASKING HERITAGE PARK ON HITCHCOCK PLOTS OF WEEKENDS THAT SITS IDOL.
WE COULD HAVE ADULT SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS THERE A BIG UNDERTAKING, BUT IT COULD BENEFIT THAT AREA.
UH, WHO'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ONE FROM GARY, UH, REGARDING SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS.
DAVE'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS, UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERITAGE YARD, THE HERITAGE YARD, UM, BALL FIELDS ON, UH, HEDGECOCK, I BELIEVE IS WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
UM, WE USE THAT, UM, FOR OUR LOCAL LEAGUE PLAY.
IT, IT HOSTS, UM, OUR ADULT PLAY AS WELL AS SOME YOUTH PLAY ON WEEKENDS.
WE DO HOST, UM, SOME TOURNAMENTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR, UH, BUT WE DON'T HOST YEAR ROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, NATURAL TURF IS, IS A LIVING THING AND IT NEEDS REST AND IT DOES GO DORMANT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
AND SO, UH, WE DO WAIT FOR IT TO, TO WAKE UP AND START GROWING BEFORE WE START PROGRAMMING IT HEAVILY, UM, IN THE SPRING.
UM, BUT WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF ECONOMIC, UH, BENEFIT THAT COMES FROM TOURNAMENTS AND LEAGUE PLAY, UM, AND OTHER USES.
SO, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO LOOK FOR THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO MAXIMIZE THE FACILITY.
THANK YOU TO GARY FOR HIS QUESTION.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, MIKE AND ARBOR HILLS.
WHO'S ASKING WHY DOES THE PARK AT ARBOR HILLS CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY WHEN IT'S BEING MOWED? IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEAVE THE PARK OF THE PARK THAT'S NOT BEING WORKED ON? OPEN? UH, DAVE, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THIS ONE AS WELL? DEFINITELY, UH, DAVE ANGELO'S, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, WITH PARKS, UH, YOU KNOW, ARBOR HILLS IS, IS SUCH A POPULAR PARK.
WHAT WE FOUND, UM, IS THAT WHEN THERE ARE PARK USERS THERE, IT TAKES US A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES, UM, TO GET THROUGH AND MOW AND MAINTAIN AND EDGE AND JUST DO GENERAL MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
AND SO, UM, DURING COVID O V I D, WE, WE FOUND THAT WE HAD TO CLOSE IT JUST TO GET GENERAL WORK DONE, AND WE FOUND THE EFFICIENCY, UM, BROUGHT SUCH VALUE AND ALLOWED US TO GET IN AND GET OUT OF THE PARK AND, AND THEN REDDIS DISPERSE OUR STAFF AFTER THAT TO OTHER AREAS.
UM, THE EFFICIENCY REALLY IN THE END IS WHY WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS.
UH, BUT, UH, OUR GOAL IS WHEN IT, WHEN IT IS CLOSED, WE TRY TO DO THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE AND GET IT OPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, TO HAVE THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF IMPACT.
UM, BUT, BUT THAT IS REALLY THE BACKGROUND AND THE REASON OF WHY, UH, WE'VE CHOSEN TO CONTINUE TO CLOSE ARBOR HILLS ON WEDNESDAY MORNINGS.
THANKS TO MIKE AND ARBOR HILLS, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING BACK TO STEVE IN THE LIVE AUDIENCE FOR OUR NEXT ONE.
WE HAVE DOLLY THOMAS HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AND DOLLY HAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE BEN THOMAS GYM AT THE DOUGLAS COMMUNITY CENTER.
[00:30:01]
DOLLY, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT IS THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATIONS SHORT-TERM GOALS TOWARD THE RECREATION CENTER AND THE GYM? THE GYM WAS, UM, CONSTRUCTED THROUGH BOND MONEY, BUT IS BEING RUN BY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB HOURS.THE KIDS ARE NOT ABLE TO GO IN AT CERTAIN TIMES.
IT'S CLOSED FOR ALL OF THE HOLIDAYS THAT THE, UH, ON PLANO I S D SCHEDULE.
SO IT'S BEEN A, A REAL CONCERN THAT THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET INTO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WITHOUT HAVING A MEMBERSHIP.
WE NEED, UH, SOME RESOLUTION AS TO WHAT PARKS AND REC WILL DO TO, TO HELP US TO GET THE GYM, AT LEAST THE GYM BACK IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN WHERE THE CITY OF PLANO, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL MAINTAIN IT, BUT IT'S RUN BY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PROGRAMMING AND TO WHERE IT'S RUN BY THE CITY OF PLANO PROGRAMMING AND NOT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE GYM AND THE FACILITY OPEN FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THAT PART OF PLANO.
IT'S A PLEASURE HAVING YOU HERE.
UM, THE DOUGLAS COMMUNITY CENTER, AS YOU KNOW, IS RUN AND OPERATED BY THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF COLLIN COUNTY.
UM, WHEN IT WAS A REC A COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, THE ATTENDANCE THERE WAS VERY, VERY LOW.
UM, THERE WAS A NEED AT THAT TIME.
THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CAME TO US AND SAID, UH, WE CAN SERVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE IN THAT FACILITY, UM, WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO WE SAW THAT NEED AND WE ESTABLISHED THAT AGREEMENT AND THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THEIR PROGRAM THERE.
UM, BUT THE GYM THERE GYMNASIUM IS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE EVENINGS.
WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME KNOW THAT, AND I WILL DEFINITELY CHECK INTO THAT.
AND SO I WILL MAKE SURE AND I WILL, UM, CHECK ON THAT AND MAKE SURE, SO I I I SUGGEST THAT YOU COME DOWN AND JUST MAYBE MAKE I I WILL DO THAT.
THE WHOLE PARK BOARD YOU NEED TO COME DOWN AND, AND SEE.
AND AS FAR AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB BRINGING IN, BRINGING IN WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, OF COURSE THEY DO.
THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU PAY MONEY.
BUT THE, THE RESIDENTS IN DOUGLAS, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF MONEY.
I'M SAYING THAT THE RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MM-HMM.
YOU CAN'T EVEN GO IN THAT PLACE WITHOUT A CARD.
SO IF IT IS, I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT OPEN.
IF THE GYM IS OPEN, IT'S ONLY OPEN FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS MEMBERS, SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY BE VISITING THAT, UM, FACILITY MORE FREQUENTLY.
UM, IN OUR AGREEMENT, WE HAVE EVENING HOURS ESTABLISHED FOR THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT A A CARD NECESSARY.
THOSE COMMUNITY, THOSE COMMUNITY HOURS YES.
ARE MAYBE TWO, THREE HOURS AT NIGHT.
MOST OF THE KIDS, THEY, THEY'RE AT HOME.
YOU KNOW, AT HOME GETTING THEIR HOMEWORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST NOT VERY CONVENIENT ANYMORE.
WHILE, WHILE IT'S TO RUN ON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PROGRAMMING, THAT'S FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND THEIR MEMBERS.
AND, AND THAT'S THE TIME RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL THAT MAYBE THE KIDS WANNA COME IN AND THEY WANNA PLAY, BUT THEY CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB HOURS.
LIKE I SAID, I SUGGEST THAT YOU, YOU THE PARK BOARD, Y'ALL COME DOWN AND TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AT DOUGLAS AND JUST LISTEN.
WE'RE NOT COMPLAINING OR ANYTHING.
WE, WE UNDERSTAND JUST LIKE I WAS JUST SAYING, THIS PERSON IS COMPLAINING ABOUT NOT HAVING TIME FOR PICKLEBALL.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING.
SO WE JUST NEED, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
JUST NEED A LITTLE WE WILL, WE WILL BE 10 TO 11 CARE.
WE WILL BE TALKING IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE.
APPRECIATE, UH, YOU TAKING ON THAT QUESTION AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR OUR NEXT ONE.
THIS COMES TO US FROM NEXT DOOR.
QUESTION IS, HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT THE EL DORADO PARK RENOVATION? I QUICKLY LOOKED THROUGH ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE LIST AND I DIDN'T SEE IT.
UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO TO PARK PLANNING MANAGER RENEE JORDAN FOR THIS.
CAN YOU TAKE THIS ONE FROM NEXT DOOR? HI.
THIS IS RENEE JORDAN, THE PARK PLANNING MANAGER.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE A PARK PROJECTS PAGE.
IT IS EASY TO FIND IF YOU TYPE PLANO
[00:35:01]
PARK PROJECTS INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER SEARCH BAR.UM, IT WILL BE THE FIRST RESULT IN YOUR BROWSER AND WHEN YOU CLICK THAT, IT WILL TAKE YOU TO PLANO PARK PROJECT PAGE AND YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH THE LIST.
UH, THE PROJECTS ARE LISTED BY PARK NAME.
YOU'LL FIND THAT EL DORADO PARK IS LISTED AS A MAINTENANCE RENOVATION PROJECT.
UM, IT WILL REPLACE THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, UH, WORK ON EROSION CONTROL ALONG THE DRAINAGE SOIL NEAR THE PLAYGROUND, PLANT NEW TREES, REPLACE AREAS OF TURF AS WELL AS THE BASEBALL BACKSTOP.
UM, THE PLAYGROUND IS NOT INCLUDED, UM, IN THIS REPLACEMENT.
UM, AND AT JUST 10 YEARS OF AGE, IT STILL HAS ABOUT 10 TO 15 YEARS MORE OF SERVICEABLE LIFE.
THANKS TO THE QUESTION FROM NEXT DOOR.
A QUICK REMINDER HERE, FOLKS, UH, ZERO IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.
IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE AND YOU WANNA GIVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS FOR EMAIL UPDATES, PRESS SEVEN.
WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ALL THESE ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOU AS PLANO RESIDENTS.
SO AGAIN, SEVEN FOR EMAIL UPDATES, AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PHONES AGAIN FOR A QUESTION FROM MARY AND CENTRAL PLANO.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? HI THERE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR NATIVE POLLINATORS IN THE GREEN SPACES, AND PARTICULARLY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF, UH, WEED KILLERS.
NO DISRESPECT TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WEEDS.
I CAN UNDERSTAND TURF AREAS THAT ARE USED FOR SPORTS, BUT YOUR AVERAGE LITTLE DANDELION ON THE SIDE OF A WALKING PATH IS GOOD AND PROVIDES FOOD FOR NATIVE BEES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PLANO DO A LITTLE MORE PLANTING OF A VARIETY OF FLOWERING PLANTS, NOT JUST THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL THINGS BECAUSE THE NATIVE POLLINATORS NEED FOOD YEAR ROUND.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK UP INFORMATION FROM TEXAS A AND M I'M WONDERING IF PLANO IS DOING THAT AS PART OF THEIR PARK BRANDING TO SEE THAT POLLINATORS IN TEXAS.
UH, 70% OF BEES ARE GROUND DWELLINGS, SINGLE SOLITARY BEES THAT JUST NEED FOOD.
AND I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT ARE IS PLANO USING ANY NEO OID PESTICIDES BECAUSE THOSE ARE PARTICULARLY DAMAGING TO BE BEES.
UH, DAVE ANGELUS, UH, DIRECTOR OF PARKS VERSE.
I, I'VE GOTTA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION AND, UM, YOU ARE DEFINITELY SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, AWARENESS OF, OF OUR POLLINATORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN, WE, WE DO THINGS QUIETLY.
WE HAVE A NATURAL RESOURCE SUPERVISOR, UM, AND WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY GROUP ON DIFFERENT POLLINATOR PROGRAMS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, PARTICULAR TO PARKS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO, UM, EXPAND OUR, UH, GROW ZONES AND CONSERVATION BUFFER ZONES, UM, ALONG OUR WOODED AREAS, OUR, OUR CREEKS.
UM, AND, AND WE DO IT QUIETLY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT, UM, WE'VE KIND OF RETURNED TO NATIVE.
AND THEN AS WE RETURN THAT TO, TO THE NATURAL GROWTH, WE ACTUALLY THEN DO A CONF CONSERVATION BUFFER ZONE.
AND IN THOSE BUFFER ZONES, WE ACTUALLY DO, UM, SEED WITH POLLINATORS, POLLINATING FLOWERS, UM, TO TRY TO HELP AND, AND PROMOTE THAT.
SO, UM, WE DO DO THINGS, UM, WE DO HAVE TO BALANCE THE, UM, HIGH TOUCHPOINT TURF, UH, AND HAVING THAT USABLE FOR OUR RE UH, RESIDENTS ALONG WITH US ALSO BEING GOOD STEWARDS, UM, OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO WE DO, WE, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO TRY TO FIND THAT BALANCE, UH, SPECIFIC TO THE, UM, EXACT, UH, CHEMICAL THAT YOU, UM, MENTIONED.
I WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, AGAIN, WE, WE FOLLOW THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AG AGRICULTURAL, UM, REQUIREMENTS ON OUR APPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY FIND OUT, UH, IF, IF WE'VE USED THAT AND IF WE HAVE WHERE.
AND WE ARE GOING BACK TO OUR IN-PERSON AUDIENCE.
STEVE, I THINK YOU GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM OUR IN-PERSON AUDIENCE HERE AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE'RE HERE WITH DAVID CERO AND UH, HE, FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE EXPANSION AT BOB WOODRUFF PARK.
YEAH, SO I'M AWARE OF THE NEW RENOVATION, UM, COMING TO BOB WOODRUFF PARK TO THE NEW PAVILION AREA.
UM, MY CONCERN IS ACTUALLY JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THAT, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE, OF, UH, PARK STREET WHERE HE HAD THAT SECOND PAVILION AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHTING THERE AS WELL.
SO IT'S A, A BIG SAFETY CONCERN FOR MY FAMILY
[00:40:01]
WHEN WE GO ON OUR FAMILY WALKS.AND ALSO THERE'S A KIND OF THE SIDEWALK KIND OF DEAD ENDS AT THE PAVILION.
UM, SO I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY, UM, FUTURE EXPANSION OF THE TRAIL, EITHER, EITHER TO THE 18TH STREET OR CONNECTING TO THOSE PLAY FIELDS IN THE BACK THERE OR EVEN OVER TO THE DOG PARK.
I MEAN, JUST SOME TYPE OF EXPANSION THERE OR SOME TYPE OF CONNECTION OR EVEN LIGHTING WOULD BE GREAT, UH, IN THAT AREA.
THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION, DAVID.
I'M THE PARK PLANNING MANAGER, UM, AT BOB WOODRUFF SOUTH.
UM, WE, WE DO NOT HAVE LIGHTING.
OUR PAVILION SHOULD BE LIT, SO IF THAT IS NOT RUNNING, UM, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT, WHICH IS HARD TO GET TO THE PAVILION MM-HMM.
AND, UM, WE DO NOT HAVE LIGHTING IN THOSE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, ONCE YOU GET INTO THE PARKS TO ALLOW, UH, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PARK TO, TO REST DURING THOSE TIMES.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE SOME PLANS ON THAT SOUTH SIDE OF, UH, OF BOB WOODRUFF.
AND ONE PLAN IS TO REPLACE THAT RESTROOM, AND THAT SHOULD BE COMING, UH, EARLY FALL OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE WILL BE HAVING A, UH, CONNECTION WILL BE MADE, UM, ON THE SIDEWALK SIDE OF, UM, BOB WOODRUFF THERE, UM, ON PARK BOULEVARD TO CONNECT OVER TO THE DOG PARK.
AND THEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BOB WOODRUFF AT 18TH STREET, THAT'S WHERE THE TRAIL IS GONNA PICK UP AND HEAD OVER INTO LOS RIOS FOR TWO MILES.
SO THERE'LL BE A COMPLETE CONNECTION FROM 18TH THROUGH LOS RIOS ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COTTONWOOD CREEK GREEN BELT.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT DAVID HAS FOCUSES ON SHOW SHAWNEE PARK AND THE PARKING THERE.
SO MY CONCERN WITH THE PARKING THERE IS THAT THERE IS NONE.
UM, SO THERE'S CURRENTLY, UM, NO OFF-STREET PARKING THERE.
UM, SO ON THE WEEKENDS, A LOT OF TIMES AT THE PUBLIC WILL EITHER PARK IN THE ALLEYWAY BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE HOMES OR THEY'LL ACTUALLY PARK IN THE GRASS.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A LOT OF CARS IN THE GRASS KIND OF MAKES A REALLY BIG MUDDY AREA, WHICH ISN'T VERY PLEASANT.
SO SHOSHONE PARK IS, UM, A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION LEVELS OF PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS DO NOT HAVE PARKING.
UM, THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE USED BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IS TRY TO DO SOME, UH, THROUGH OUR WEEKEND CARE PROGRAM IS DO SOME OBSERVATION OF SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR AND ACTIVITY AT THE PARK TO TRY TO DOCUMENT, UH, OBSERVE WHAT'S HAPPENING, DOCUMENT IT, AND MAYBE LOOK AT A PLAN TO KIND OF, UM, TO DETER SOME OF THAT ACTIVITY.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT SHOSHONE IS ACTUALLY ON OUR LIST FOR A FUTURE RENOVATION AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T THINK, UH, PLANNING FOR THAT PROJECT WILL BEGIN FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 12 MONTHS, BUT, UM, UH, REFRESH IS COMING TO THAT PARK SOON.
ALRIGHT, AGAIN, FOLKS, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA FOR OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM TWITTER.
UH, QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO GET AWAY FROM THE MEMBERSHIP CARD OR JUST USE AN APP AND NFC FOR REC CENTER ACCESS? UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION, SUSIE HERGAN RADER FOR THIS.
YES, THIS IS SUSIE HERGAN, RADER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT INQUIRY.
UM, AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE ARE, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF INCORPORATING NEW TECHNOLOGY INTO, UM, MANY OF OUR SERVICES, UM, ONE OF WHICH IS MEMBERSHIPS.
UM, IF YOU'LL NOTICE OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE BEGAN TO, UM, INITIATE SELF SCANNERS IN THE RECREATION CENTERS.
UM, WE ARE UNDERSTANDING OUR USERS, UM, AND THEIR DESIRE TO MAKE THINGS MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT, UM, AND OPERATE THINGS ON THEIR OWN AND NOT RELY ON STAFF, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES, UM, IT'S, IT'S GREAT NOT TO HAVE AS MUCH STAFF.
SO, UM, THAT'S A NICE PARTNERSHIP THERE.
SO OUR SELF SCANNING STATIONS ARE WORKING VERY WELL.
UM, AND WE WOULD, UM, WE HAVE LOOKED INTO A MEMBERSHIP APP, UM, THAT CAN BE ON THE PHONE, BUT THE REGISTRATION SOFTWARE, UM, AND THE MEMBERSHIP SOFTWARE THAT WE USE CURRENTLY, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
UM, THEY ARE EVOLVING AND I AM SURE WE WILL GET THERE BECAUSE THAT IS OUR DESIRE AS WELL.
UM, ONE THING WE HAVE DONE, UM, IS CHANGE THE CARD.
IF YOU, IF YOU'RE A LONGTIME MEMBER, YOU KNOW THAT THEY, THEY AREN'T SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY WERE.
UM, WE DON'T REQUIRE A PICTURE ANYMORE, SO WE'RE USING MORE OF A BARCODE, SO IT'S EASIER TO
[00:45:01]
SCAN IN ANOTHER, UM, OPTION YOU MIGHT CHOOSE IN THE INTERIM UNTIL WE GET TO WHAT YOU'RE WANTING, UM, IS YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT MEMBERSHIP CARD ON YOUR CELL PHONE AND SIMPLY SELF SCAN WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR CELL PHONE.BUT, UM, YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT AND, UH, WE WILL GET THERE, UM, WHEN OUR SERVICE PROVIDER, UM, DEVELOPS THAT APP.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE FIRST IN LINE TO, UM, INITIATE THAT.
I, I WILL POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, ONE MORE THING AND THAT IS THAT THE, THE PHYSICAL MEMBERSHIP CARD, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES IN REMOVING IT TOTALLY, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
UM, AND THAT IS, IT'S CURRENTLY USED TO RESERVE EQUIPMENT AT THE RECREATION FACILITY.
I THINK THAT'S AN EASY ONE TO, UM, TO SOLVE.
UM, BUT ALSO, UM, WE ALWAYS WANNA KNOW WHO IS IN OUR RECREATION FACILITY AT ALL TIMES.
AND, UM, WHEN A PHYSICAL CARD IS USED, UM, THERE TENDS TO BE MORE COMPLIANCE WITH THAT AND, AND WE HAVE A BETTER RECORD.
BUT THAT TOO, WE HAVE SOME WORKAROUNDS FOR THAT.
AND SO, UM, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT CHANGE IN THE COMING FEW YEARS.
THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION FROM TWITTER AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PHONES HERE.
15 MINUTES LEFT IN OUR LIVE FORUM HERE.
FOLKS, IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE, YOU WANNA SUBMIT A QUESTION, PRESS ZERO.
IF YOU WANT TO GET EMAIL UPDATES, PRESS SEVEN.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION FOR US? UH, YES.
UH, WE FREQUENTLY WALK ALONG CHISHOLM TRAIL, WHICH IS NEXT TO, UH, BIG LAKE PARK.
AND, UH, WE JUST NOTICED THAT THE ALGAE HAS KIND OF STARTED BUILDING UP A LITTLE PREMATURELY THIS YEAR.
AND IN FACT, YOU CAN SMELL IT FROM THE CHISHOLM TRAIL, NOT REALLY BAD, BUT I CAN JUST IMAGINE IF IT'S NOW WHAT THE SUMMER'S GONNA, SO IS THERE A PROGRAM TO MONITOR THE ALGAE GROWTH AND ALL THE OTHER INVASIVE GROWTH THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THIS LAKE, IN OTHER LAKES? AND THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, ALONG THE CHISHOLM TRAIL, IS THERE A MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM THAT OCCURS AND I'M JUST NOT AWARE OF IT? THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, JIM.
UH, DAVE ANGELO'S, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS, UM, WE DO HAVE A POND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE RUN TO, TO MANAGE AND TRY TO GET AHEAD OF THE ALGAE BLOOMS. UM, BUT LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS, UH, PONDS ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN IN DEVELOPED AREAS, ACTUALLY HAVE A MAINTENANCE LIFE CYCLE AS WELL.
AND THE, THE POND THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF IS GETTING TOWARDS THE END OF, ITS ITS LIFE CYCLE.
WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE SEDIMENT THAT BUILDS UP, IT BECOMES SHALLOWER, AND BECAUSE OF THAT IT BECOMES HARDER TO, TO MANAGE IT IN CONTROL.
UM, THOSE TYPE, THE, THE ALGAE BLOOMS. UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, DESIGNING AND PLANNING THAT, UM, RENOVATION TO THAT, THAT PARK AND THAT, THAT LARGER, UM, DREDGING PROJECT.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU WILL SEE IMPROVEMENT SOON AFTER THAT PROJECT.
BUT ONE I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR WALKING ALONG CHISHOLM SO MUCH, UH, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE THE REGULAR, UM, USERS, Y'ALL ARE SO VALUABLE IN MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ALONG THAT TRAIL.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, USING THE PARK SYSTEM, UH, SO REGULARLY.
ACTUALLY, I DO WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I FORGOT YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
UM, ABOUT THE MOSQUITO PROGRAM.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, WORK ALONGSIDE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY GROUP REGARDING, UM, ASSESSING MOSQUITO POPULATION.
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO THEM AND HAVE THEM TAKE A LOOK, UM, AND TO SEE IF, IF THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT, UH, WOULD QUALIFY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION.
UH, THANK YOU JIM, FOR OUR LAST QUESTION AND WE'RE GONNA GO, UM, TO THIS QUESTION FROM NEXT DOOR.
QUESTION IS, PLEASE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON EVANS PARK, THE CREEK AND SURROUNDING GROUNDS ARE A MESSAGE GOING UP FROM TRUCK ACTIVITY.
WHEN WILL THE PLAYGROUND AREA BEEN OVER? UH, OPEN.
IT'S BEEN OVER TWO YEARS CLOSED.
AND THAT COMES FROM, UH, NEXT DOOR.
I THINK WE'LL GO TO OUR, OUR PLANNING MANAGER, NATE JORDAN FOR THIS ONE.
WE WANT THIS PARK OPEN AS MUCH AS YOU DO.
UM, AS REQUIRED BY OUR CONTRACT, WE'VE MADE A CLAIM WITH THIS CONTRACTOR'S INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET THIS CON THIS PROJECT COMPLETED.
THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS WORKING THE CLAIM AND WE'RE WAITING ON THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH OPTIONS FOR COMPLETION.
ONCE AN OPTION HAS BEEN AGREED UPON, WE'LL HAVE
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A PROJECTED DATE.UNTIL THEN, WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT ON THIS INSURANCE PROCESS TO RUN ITS FULL COURSE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE GREAT PARKS NEARBY LIKE CHEYENNE, CATO, LIBERTY, AND LONGHORN.
UH, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THOSE AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THE PARKS AVAILABLE@PLANOPARKS.ORG.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION FROM NEXT DOOR.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE PHONES HERE.
UM, I DID WANNA MAKE ONE LAST CALL.
WE'VE GOT 10 MINUTES LEFT IN OUR FORUM FOR EMAIL UPDATES.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO COLLECT YOUR EMAIL AFTER THE FORUM, SO IF YOU WANNA GET US YOUR EMAIL FOR UPDATES, PRESS SEVEN NOW.
AND WE'VE GOT OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM BEVERLY AND STONE CREEK.
BEVERLY, THANK YOU FOR WAITING.
UH, I WANT TO REALLY JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, THE CITY, UM, EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION, THE REMODELING, UM, EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON AT THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, JOHNSON CENTER.
AND UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
IT'S RUN WELL AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR CITY TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT QUESTION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
WE ARE VERY PROUD AS WELL OF THE SAM JOHNSON RECREATION CENTER.
THAT HAS BEEN THE, JUST A JEWEL.
UH, THE ARCHITECTS AND THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION FIRM DID A GREAT JOB AND, UM, WE REALLY FEEL LIKE IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR, UH, SENIOR RESIDENTS.
SO WE LOVE IT AND, UM, WE ARE SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ENJOYING THAT FACILITY.
AND UH, THANKS FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.
LET'S GO TO, UH, OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
QUESTION IS, WILL O P C POOL OPEN THIS SUMMER? WHAT AMENITIES WILL IT HAVE? UH, WHO CAN TAKE THIS ONE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA? OKAY, AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS, WILL O P C POOL OPEN THIS SUMMER? WHAT AMENITIES WILL IT HAVE? I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THIS QUESTION.
UM, THIS IS SUSIE HERGAN RATE, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION.
AND YES, OAK POINT RECREATION CENTER OUTDOOR POOL WILL ABSOLUTELY BE OPENING THIS SUMMER AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO OFFER THAT, UH, POOL.
UM, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE POOL, VERY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS INTENTIONAL.
WE LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, A MEMBERSHIP AT OUR FACILITY GET, GIVES YOU ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF, UM, OPPORTUNITIES, AQUATIC OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE, UM, ADDITIONAL AQUATIC OPPORTUNITY.
AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT IT IS THAT IT HAS A DUAL ENTRY WAVE POOL.
UM, WE ARE THE FIRST MUNICIPAL POOL IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE THIS.
UM, THERE ARE, I BELIEVE TWO OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT HAVE THIS, BUT NO OTHER CITY HAS A DUAL ENTRY WAVE POOL.
UM, THIS WAVE POOL WILL ACCOMMODATE ALL AGES, UM, ALL ABILITIES AND THIS ACTUAL, UM, AQUATIC FACILITY IS FULLY ACCESSIBLE.
SO, UH, VERY HAPPY TO, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS, UM, COMPLEX WILL ALSO HAVE A SPLASH PAD AND ABOVE THE SPLASH PAD IS AN ELEVATED PLAY STRUCTURE.
UM, VERY EXCITED THAT KIDS CAN GO UP THERE AND SHOOT THEIR WATER CANNONS DOWN TO THE PEOPLE BELOW WHO ARE ENJOYING THIS SPLASH PAD.
THERE WILL BE A NETTING SPIDER NETTING THAT THEY CAN CRAWL ACROSS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A FAMILY LEISURE POOL, SO IF YOU'RE NOT INTO THE HIGHER ELEMENTS OR THE, UH, MORE EXCITING ELEMENTS, WE DO HAVE A FAMILY LEISURE POOL AS WELL.
LOTS OF SHADE STRUCTURES WILL BE AVAILABLE, A CONCESSION AREA.
AND UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT OPEN THIS SUMMER.
SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING ABOUT THAT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS.
UH, FROM SOCIAL MEDIA AND FROM THE PHONES.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.
WE HAVE ONE IN PERSON, I BELIEVE WITH STEVE RIGHT NOW.
STEVE, YOU GOT A QUESTION FROM OUR IN PERSONNEL? YES, I, WE'RE HERE WITH STEVE RUBIN AND HE HAS A QUESTION ABOUT PICKLEBALL AND THE SAM JOHNSON RECREATION CENTER.
UH, THANKS FOR TAKING OUR QUESTIONS.
UH, JUST AS THE LADY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE ME ALLUDED TO, THE SAM JOHNSON CENTER IS AWESOME.
IT IS A GREAT SENIOR CENTER, MOST OF US THAT PLAY PICKLEBALL, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY PLANS SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE TO UTILIZE THE SAM JOHNSON CENTER WITH PICKLEBALL TO ADD SOME COURTS THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF LAND IN THAT AREA.
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THE BUILDING ITSELF IS PRETTY MUCH IN USE EVERYWHERE, BUT WE JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT COULD BE ANOTHER OPTION POSSIBLY FOR MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS FOR US.SO JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT IS SOMEWHERE IN THE PLANS.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, ACTUALLY THE FACILITY ITSELF, UM, IS VERY RESTRICTED TO FURTHER EXPANSION.
UM, IT SITS VERY NEAR THE FLOODPLAIN.
UM, IN FACT, WHEN WE RENOVATED SAM JOHNSON RECREATION CENTER, WE WERE HOPING TO EXPAND IT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE DID.
UM, HOWEVER WE WERE LOCKED IN BY THAT FLOODPLAIN AREA.
UM, SO WITHIN THE CENTER ITSELF OR ADDING ON, NO, BUT, UM, THAT HARRINGTON PARK IS, UM, IN THE DESIGN PHASE NOW WE'RE TAKING FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, RENOVATIONS AND EVANGELISTS MIGHT WANNA SPEAK TO THAT FURTHER.
UM, WHERE CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO ADDING PICKLEBALL COURTS OUTSIDE, UM, IN THAT RENOVATION OF HARRINGTON PARK.
UM, I WILL ALSO ADD THAT WE ARE ALSO DOING, UM, ABOUT TO LAUNCH A SURVEY REGARDING THE, UM, APPETITE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ANOTHER, UM, SENIOR RECREATION CENTER, POSSIBLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
UM, AND SO WE'RE BEGINNING THAT PROCESS NOW, GETTING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
YOU SHOULD SEE THAT SURVEY COME OUT SOON.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW AT THAT POINT.
UM, AND IF ANOTHER SENIOR CENTER WOULD BE BUILT, I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD HAVE PICKLEBALL OR SOME TYPE OF COURTS WITHIN THAT FACILITY.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR IN-PERSON AUDIENCE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM REDDIT NEXT, BUT REAL QUICK, A REMINDER, THIS IS YOUR LAST CALL FOR EMAILS OR QUESTIONS, PRESS SEVEN IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE US AN EMAIL ADDRESS FOR UPDATES FROM REDDIT.
WE HAVE THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND ADDING LIGHTS TO HORSESHOE PARK? THE CURRENT PARK HAS NO LIGHTS SINCE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HOUSES LITERALLY ON THE PARK.
THERE IS SEVERE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY DISRUPTION IF LATE NIGHT ACTIVITIES ARE ALLOWED.
THE PARK CURRENTLY STOPS OPERATING AT SUNDOWN AND PROVIDES NO ISSUES AT ALL.
UH, LET'S GO TO OUR PARK PLANNING MANAGER, RENEE JORDAN FOR THIS QUESTION FROM REDDIT.
HI, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
SO WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS AT THE LAST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT ABOUT HOW DARK THE SIDEWALKS ARE IN THAT LOCATION.
UM, AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS THAT WITH WELL-PLACED LIGHTING, UM, ALONG THE TRAIL SIDEWALK RENOVATION THAT IS PLANNED AS WELL AS THE FUTURE PAVILION REPLACEMENT.
UM, THIS WILL BE PRESENTED IN A FUTURE FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY, UM, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE PUB, THE INPUT ON THAT.
HOWEVER, WE DO WANNA CLARIFY THAT THERE IS NOT LIGHTING BEING PROPOSED TO LIGHT, UM, THE EXISTING ATHLETIC USE AREA AT THAT LOCATION.
THANKS FOR OUR QUESTION FROM REDDIT.
UH, TAMMY FROM CREEKSIDE ESTATE HAS BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING ON THE PHONE.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION FOR US? HI.
SO CREEKSIDE ESTATES IS OVER, UH, NORTHEAST OF LAS RSON PARK AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CITY OF PLANO HAS ACQUIRED THE LOS RIOS COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE A FEW YEARS AGO.
IS THAT CORRECT? HI TAMMY, THIS IS RENEE JORDAN, UH, THE PARK PLANNING MANAGER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
YES, WE DID ACQUIRE, UH, THE LOS RIOS COUNTRY CLUB AND GOLF COURSE, UM, IN 2008 AND THERE ARE PLANS TO DEVELOP THAT.
UM, COMING UP SOON IS A PLAN TO PUT A TRAIL IN THAT'S ABOUT TWO MILES LONG AND WE'LL CONNECT THROUGH THE PARK.
UM, AND THERE IS A PARK MASTER PLAN FOR THAT LOCATION, UH, WITH IMPROVEMENTS IDENTIFIED THAT ARE NOT FUNDED YET.
AND SO THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN A FUTURE 25 BOND PROGRAM.
BUT IF YOU JUST SIMPLY, UH, GO TO YOUR WEB BROWSER AND TYPE IN LOS RIOS PARK, PLANO, TEXAS, THE FIRST RESULT THAT WILL COME UP IS THE LOS RIOS, UH, PARK PAGE.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL OF THE RESOURCES ON, ON THAT PAGE THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY AND ALL THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THERE.
REAL QUICK, A COUPLE POINTS THOUGH.
IF SOMEBODY COULD PLEASE ADDRESS THE STAGNANT WATER LEFTOVER FROM THE GOLF COURSE, MAYBE SOME FOUNTAINS OR SOMETHING FOR MOSQUITO INFESTATION, AND ALSO IT'S BY THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
IF WE CAN GET SOME BIGGER TREES IN THERE THAT ARE GONNA ABSORB THAT ODOR, THAT WOULD BE GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY DID PLANT SOME TREES OVER THERE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND WE WILL REACH OUT, UH, TO NORTH TEXAS AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT SUPPLEMENTING THAT KIND OF EXIST
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EXISTING SCREEN THAT'S OVER THERE.I DO KNOW THAT OUR PARK SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS, UH, TREATED WATER IN THE PAST WITH, UH, MOSQUITO DUNKS THAT ARE IN THE PONDS OVER THERE.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, TAMMY.
I APPRECIATE YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR QUESTION.
AND THANKS TO, UH, ALL OF OUR CITY STAFF WHO HELPED ANSWER QUESTIONS TODAY.
WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 60 SECONDS LEFT.
I'LL LET FOLKS KNOW BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO MAYOR PRO TEM PRINCE TO TAKE US TO THE CLOSE THAT IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE FOR THE CITY OF PLANO, IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE WITH US AND YOU WANNA LEAVE A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, CONCERNS, YOU CAN STAY ON THE LINE.
AS WE WRAP UP THIS CALL, YOU'LL AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE VOICEMAIL SYSTEM.
AND IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE A MESSAGE, MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE WITH YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN YOUR NAME AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER SO WE KNOW WHERE TO REACH BACK OUT TO.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THOSE OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATED, HOWEVER YOU PARTICIPATED TONIGHT.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MAYOR PROTE PRINCE TO TAKE US TO THE CLOSE HERE.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR TOWN HALL THIS EVENING.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE AND SEE YOUR PASSION FOR OUR PARKS AND OUR RECREATION CENTERS.
SO IF THERE WERE ANY ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ADDRESSED TONIGHT, YOU CAN SUBMIT THEM ONLINE AT FACEBOOK.COM/CITY OF PLANO, TX, AND OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP.
AND SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FOR OUR TOWN HALL.