In attendance: Bill Arrowood Sally Harding, Jen Hicks, Brandt Troup, Milford Murray, Mickey & Margie Elsberg, Stacey Clough (KCP&R), Peter Heck (KCN)
- Year end review of 2013
- 7 official commission members approved by M&C (term 4 years). B. Arrowood, Chair, N. Johnson, S. Harding, J. Hicks, B. Troup, T. O’Brien, C Saunders
- Movies in the Park – May to October
- Locations: Custom House, Washington Park, Fountain Park.
- 7 movies total. 3 officially paid for
- (remainder were done under the radar as a test of market and to save $$)
- Brave (100 attendance), Spiderman (50) + live appearance by Spiderman, Greast (30) + classic cars, Oz the Great & Powerful (40), A Day at the Races (12) + live pre movie radio stage show, Remember the Titans (20), Beetlejuice (50).
- Cost $881 (Swank film rental)
- projection equipment donated by Jeff Sq. Park, Phila PA
- pocorn and equipment donated by WIN
- Participation in DCA 4th of July celebration – July
- cotton candy machine rental – cost $100 (donated by B. Arrowood)
- Washington Park Project – August
- meetings with Washington Park residents
- submitted $174 K grant application to MD Parks & Playgrounds (results Feb/Mar 14)
- Bocce League – Sept. – Oct. 6 week league
- Wilmer Park (50 – 70 participants)
- ages 25-75
- Income – $950.00 / Cost – $950.00
- Pumpkin Patch (October)
- High Street Downtown
- 100-125 participants
- partner – HHGEST PTSA, Kent School, Redman Farms
- cost $450.00 (includes scarecrow prizes)
- Family Game Night (December – February)
- KC Public Library – Yellow Building
- partner KC Public Library, WIN (games donated)
- participated (averaging 15-20)
- Presentation by Kees De Mooy, Chestertown Zoning Administrator
- Gateway Park updated (presented at the request of the CRC)
- Park is funded by DNR Parks grants – $155,000.00
- Mr. de Mooy could not recall exact amount, confirmed after meeting)
- purchase price of the property was $385K in 2010
- Project has undergone a redesign due to wetlands surrounding property
- Much of the area is wetlands and cannot be developed, but Town is asking for variances from the County for certain improvements (creating limited permeable surfaces that will be consistent with wetland/water quality protection)
- Land, while owned by the Town is still not annexed at this time and is in Kent County (not within Chestertown limits)
- Currently basketball court has moved to rear of property and will be fenced on all side property (should have room for some benches) and now has proposed approximately 10 parking spaces near front
- Final decisions concerning street access, sidewalks and crossing are yet unresolved pending meetings with MD State Highway Administration in the next 2 weeks
- Gone from the project is a bridge connecting the Rail Trail across Radcliffe Creek due to budgetary and logistic reason, replaced with a lookout pier, access from Phase III of the Rail Trail will be via yet to be determined. Sidewalk outside of facility on Rt. 20 on the other side of creek, bicycle access via sidewalk
- Project currently includes a picnic table, a bike rack and major re-plantings along wetlands
- Kent County Planning Commission has reviewed the gateway Park plan and the plan has gotten through certain hurdles: Parcel zoning is AG, parks are permitted, flood plain issues have been addressed, however several details remain from County of Kent
- No current timeline for work to begin is available fro this project, but hopes to be under way by end of summer (as per grant application regulations)
- Questions raised by the group
- Bathrooms, security lighting, restricted after hours access, swings or other child friendly activity stations. No current plan to install any of these, de Mooy stated that these could be added, but that was not included in the current budget for the project and would be added from funds outside the grant application
- Any other town projects update
- Rail to Trails phase 3 anticipated for completion by summer ’14
- Bailey Park access from Rolling Road has been discussed briefly by M&C
- Introduction of Stacy Clough (KC Parks & Recreation)
- KCPR can serve as a consultant and provide technical support for future recreation planning in Chestertown
- When asked to access the state of facilities in town and her professional opinion, that the Ajax basketball court is the most “shocking”, she was surprised by its state of neglect and lack of public knowledge that it was a Town owned facility.
- Offered that many locations in the Town have a lot of potential
- Ms. Clough offered notes throughout the remainder of the discussion, especially in regards to KCMS baseball project
- Discussion and voting on endorsement of Gateway Park Project as presented and notes to send to M&C
- CRC cannot vote to endorse a project hat it has not had input on the plan, but can provide recommendations
- Commission members in attendance unanimously agree that site is dangerous for foot/bike traffic and is too far away fro ma residential area based on the Chestertown Comprehensive Plan which requires all developed parks to be no more that 2000 fee (5 minute walk) for middle aged to adult from residential area
- B. Arrowood will draft brief statements and ask Commission members to agree or disagree and offer any personal notes on this project
- Arrowood, et al, will then draft a recommendation and present this to Mayor and Council stating the CRC official position on this project, this will be done by the next M&C meeting on January 27
- Upcoming events and planning for 2014
- Family game night continues through February (special first Friday event inside library)
- Grant award notification for Washington Park project in February
- Spring Bocce – beginning late April
- KCMS Baseball field proposal
- B Arrowood presented a draft proposal for the creation of a new baseball field at KCMS
- Proposal has not been cleared by any stake holders, but has been presented to KCMS principal and KCPS facilities, M&C
- With approvals from these fundraising will begin immediately
- $30,000 budget for revitalization efforts
- Two fields total – 1st one build in 2014 regular size, 2nd fields scaled for t-ball to be built at a later date.
- CK P&R does not run baseball league but maintains fields at Toal Park and Worton Park, other fields are municipality or locally maintained
- “Chestertown” teams play on fields outside of town at Elks lodge and Worton
- 300 kids involved in Babe Ruth baseball, with a field in Chestertown it would increase numbers and draw Town children without transportation to Worton, every town in Kent County has at least one baseball field, Chestertown has no fields
- B. Troup expressed that KC Little League is excited and supportive of new field, suggested letters of support from KC Baseball & Softball KCPR is open to provide a letter of support and helping get this field developed
- As per the draft proposal, maintenance would be co-provided by both county and town
- Timeframe – CRC approval, school board and county approval by Feb 15, break ground in March, project completed by May 1.
- Long Term planning and goals
- 2013 Budget review
- Total budget $26,150
- majority spent on scholarships to summer programs
- KCP&R ($10,730), Horizons ($4,000), Garfield Center ($1,800), KCPL summer programming ($5,000), Eastern Shore Heritage Donation ($1,000). This amount is committed annually – Total $22,080
- Advertising spent for the year – $134 for Pumpkin Patch event in KCN
- all others were done via press release, fliers, social media (thanks to KCN & Spy for coverage of events)
- Fliers and posters printed via donations from WIN or B. Arrowood
- CRC Programming expendintures: $2,415
- CRC Progamming income: $950Difference: $1,465
- Estimation Donations (non cash)
- Women in Need
- Copies: $125
- Games: $50
- Popcorn: $200
- B. Arrowood
- Cotton Candy: $100
- Miscellaneous: $200
- Sound System: N/A
- Jefferson Sq Park
- Projection and screen : $1,000 (base cost if rented)
- CRC will recommend the purchase of these this season
- Screen, projector & speakers – $2,800
- Women in Need
- CRC needs to determine an adequate budget for recreation for FY14-15
- to be presented to Town in March
- Programming ideas, facilities, other
- Jenn Hicks has put together a spreadsheet that is posted on Good Docs which contains ideas from her, Bill Arrowood, Hope Clark and Nivek Johnson
- Brandt Troup:
- Supports the baseball project
- Neighborhood wiffle ball or kickball league (i.e.: Coventry Farms vs Washington Park, etc)
- CRC should have impactful involvement in waterfront project and promotion of recreation opportunities, i.e.: paddle boat launch, pirate cruise, kayak/canoe rental. Possible town recreation fee for any sale activity at the waterfront
- Sally Harding: submitted a long list of ideas gathered by interviewing residents prior to the meeting adding Frisbee golf as requested by High School students that she spoke to earlier. Her list follows:
- Wilmer Park – playground equipment, design related to our area (ex. large carved crab, turtle, fish), add water fountain, grills, horseshoes, fishing pier from Wilmer Park
- Recreation at the marina, suggestion of every Sunday afternoon fish fry with cornhole, music
- Washington Park – full size basketball court, Friday night lights and possible playground equipment
- KC Middle School – tennis court, baseball diamond
- Garnett elementary – extension of playground equipment
- Bailey Park – soft ball diamond, practice goals for soccer and lacrosse (quite a few of these requests), Frisbee golf course, pop warner football practice field, community playground, swings, picnic area
- re-establish Ajax Court
- Community garden, Rolling Road, Adkins, lot movie nights, youth/talent shows, youth steel band, “Sprayground”, chess club, walking trails with exercise stations, chess club
- Jen Hicks
- reiterated what she contributed to the spreadsheet and highlighted the need for a soccer field in town (particularly at Bailey Park) to accommodate Latino community in need of a place to play
- A holistic rec plan for Bailey Park so facility development isn’t haphazard and not accommodating widespread, documented needs for the community
- A recreation comprehensive plan from which the Town uses to make funding/building/programming decisions in the future
- Set date for February meeting
- Tuesday, February 4, meeting will ask for public attendance and input about ideas for programming and facilities