[0:52] Okay. [0:56] >> Say we'll we'll go ahead and get [0:57] started. Um it's about 6:15. So first of [1:01] all, welcome and thank you for attending [1:03] tonight. It's our second open house for [1:04] developing a soccer field in Columbia [1:07] Heights. Um, tonight we're going to do a [1:09] very short presentation. Again, it's [1:11] really to get feedback from what we've [1:13] heard from the public and the continuing [1:16] to allow for continuing feedback on [1:18] getting a soccer field built in 2026 for [1:21] next year. So, I'm going to just turn it [1:23] over for what we've heard to date. I'm [1:25] going to turn it over to the city's [1:26] consultant from WSB. His name is Jeff. [1:29] and he's just going to really go through [1:30] from the first open house through all of [1:33] the um social media and all of the um [1:36] public contact that we received to date. [1:38] Um basically coming together for what [1:40] some of our thoughts are, what some of [1:42] the potential is for getting a soccer [1:44] field or soccer fields built here in [1:47] Columbia Heights. Jeff, [1:50] thanks Kevin. Appreciate it. Uh welcome [1:53] back everyone. I recognize a number of [1:55] faces from the uh the first open house [1:57] in July. Uh so we've been gathering uh [2:00] feedback from that meeting uh feedback [2:03] from the online social pinpoint site um [2:05] and and other comments along the way and [2:08] uh taking those comments and and put it [2:11] into a few ideas here that we'd like to [2:13] present to you tonight. And um this is [2:15] intended to be open house. Uh so after [2:17] this presentation uh come on up look at [2:19] the boards uh talk to any of us. Uh we [2:22] can do the sticky note comments on [2:23] there. Uh we've got comment cards as [2:25] well. But um just kind of the the [2:28] overall uh four boards up here. Uh the [2:31] first one just a general summary of what [2:32] we've heard um to date. Um and a lot of [2:35] the comments were were repetitive and [2:38] consistent, which is great. Uh that that [2:40] the um community is kind of in alignment [2:42] of what they want to see and where they [2:44] want to see it. So, um we kind of broke [2:47] the comments into a couple of [2:49] categories. uh some that could be [2:52] addressed more immediately when we're [2:53] talking about uh getting a field [2:55] together for 2026 or an immediate [2:57] improvement and some longer range goals [3:00] um which maybe are are bigger may um in [3:04] in require more funding or or more study [3:07] along the way. So, uh, the immediate, [3:10] uh, comments or that could be [3:12] immediately addressed, uh, Huset Park [3:14] was of all the comments kind of the [3:16] number one choice for a full-size, uh, [3:18] dedicated soccer field. Uh, seems to [3:21] make sense as far as location, amount of [3:24] green space, what's being used now, um, [3:27] available parking, those kinds of [3:28] things. So, overall, Huet Park, that [3:31] that came up numerous times. Uh there's [3:35] uh certainly a desire for a dedicated [3:38] year-round full-size soccer field. So an [3:40] 11 v11 field that is not in the outfield [3:44] of another uh facility or um you know [3:47] not not overlapping but a dedicated uh [3:51] facility for soccer which you all know. [3:55] Um additional parking is um is [3:57] requested. Obviously, we um put together [4:00] a uh a dedicated field. Um people are [4:04] going to need to park somewhere, so [4:05] parking would need to be included. Um [4:08] potentially multiple fields. Again, [4:10] Houston Park has um maybe potential uh [4:13] down the road for additional fields [4:14] beyond um a dedicated a single dedicated [4:18] full-size field. [4:20] Uh the addition of smaller youth fields [4:23] in other parks. So, uh, other parks that [4:25] might not have as much room or enough [4:27] space or parking for the large, um, [4:30] full-size field, but could have, um, [4:33] smaller fields, uh, painted for for [4:35] practices or more, uh, informal games. [4:38] So, we do have a couple of options as [4:39] well to integrate the smaller fields and [4:42] the smaller parks. [4:44] And then a field that could be used for [4:46] tournaments. Again, Huet, um, thinking [4:48] that could be a, uh, a tournament site [4:51] as well. and then have it open for [4:53] rental opportunities through the city. [4:56] Some of the longer range goals uh that [4:59] were mentioned um again multiple times [5:02] um maybe um looking at synthetic turf [5:06] fields at some point. Uh so um having [5:09] the uh the synthetic turf that it [5:11] doesn't have wear patterns or um you [5:13] know mud issues or that kind of thing. [5:15] Um ultimately maybe a dome for soccer [5:18] for year round use. Again, these are [5:20] longer range um goals um probably not to [5:24] be implemented in 2026, but something to [5:27] keep on the radar as the soccer programs [5:29] grow and as uh demand uh continues. [5:34] And then adding other site amenities, so [5:37] supporting restrooms, uh maybe [5:38] additional parking, uh drinking [5:40] fountains, additional seating, um those [5:42] kinds of things that that would be added [5:45] um kind of after the field is in place. [5:47] So that's kind of a summary of the [5:49] comments we heard. Um from there again [5:52] seeing that Husett was the overwhelming [5:55] choice. Uh the first board here shows [5:58] the east side of Huset. So currently [6:00] there's the men's ball field here um and [6:03] a parking lot over on the east side. Um [6:06] where that parking lot is is um is where [6:10] we're showing the full-size 11V11 [6:13] um field that could be uh implemented [6:16] without [6:18] um without impacting the overall the [6:20] rest of the park. Uh it's a a a great [6:23] spot. Uh the parking lot that is there [6:25] could be shifted to the east closer to [6:27] Quincy Street. Uh so provide an area for [6:29] parking um and and have that dedicated [6:32] field. So, um with that field, obviously [6:36] we would um [6:39] need to to grade and kind of um level [6:42] out that area, remove the parking lot. [6:44] Um it would be a grass field, so um [6:47] natural grass turf, not not synthetic. [6:50] Um the addition of irrigation, uh the [6:53] addition of lighting, and then um again [6:56] the parking lot and trail to it. on this [6:59] board. We're also showing another uh [7:02] another field uh to the west of that [7:04] kind of lighter. Um we've got some other [7:07] improvements uh off to the west. Um a [7:10] storm water pond uh a realignment of [7:13] Jefferson Street. These are all elements [7:15] that are part of a uh another master [7:17] plan that was done some years back for [7:19] the the redevelopment of this park. So [7:23] as soccer um [7:26] is added and as the park develops um and [7:29] and we look at you know adding the storm [7:31] water pond which is a u a needed [7:34] infrastructure uh addition when that's [7:37] done um we'll have to do some additional [7:39] planning or the city will have to do [7:41] some additional planning on on what [7:42] happens in the west side of the park but [7:44] certainly uh kind of earmark this spot [7:47] for a second full-size field [7:51] addressing the smaller park uh smaller [7:54] youthsiz fields. Uh Govet Park um has a [7:58] green space uh south of the hockey rink. [8:01] So there's an existing hockey rink kind [8:02] of in the middle of the park. Uh [8:04] sledding hill down to the south. That [8:06] green space in between those two [8:08] elements um is fairly level um for a uh [8:13] youth size 77 field. So, with some [8:16] moderate improvements to to get good [8:19] turf established and get it leveled out [8:21] so there's no ankle twisters and that [8:23] kind of thing. Um, being able to to [8:25] stripe that field, add some goals, uh, [8:27] and provide that that youth u field in [8:30] that park as well. Existing parking, um, [8:33] not a huge parking lot, but there is [8:35] existing parking on the west side. Um, [8:39] and um, that would be an appropriate [8:41] place to put another field. um again [8:44] fairly um fairly quickly in 2026. [8:50] And then the uh the other park for a [8:53] smaller youth field uh Keys Park. Uh [8:56] this uh park was redone I think about 10 [8:58] years ago um with a couple of ball [9:01] fields. The north ball field was set up [9:04] and graded for a youth side uh soccer [9:07] field as well. So, um implementing that [9:10] getting that striped uh that does [9:12] overlap uh the ball field slightly. So, [9:15] one end of the soccer field um would [9:18] have would be in the the ball field [9:20] gravel, which I know is not ideal. Um [9:23] but could certainly uh you know [9:25] immediately stripe the field and and um [9:28] you know have another ball field with [9:29] with ample parking um in in that park as [9:33] well. [9:35] So, those are kind of the uh the [9:38] graphics we brought here. I um would [9:41] invite everybody to come up, take a [9:42] closer look, uh come talk to us. We do [9:45] have comment cards again, so um with [9:47] categories for each of the parks. So, so [9:49] make comments on on each of the park [9:51] locations or other general comments. Uh [9:54] there's a link to the social pinpoint [9:56] site if you would rather um make comment [9:59] online. We will have these posted um [10:03] tomorrow or for sure by Monday um for [10:06] comment on each of these concepts as [10:08] well. And then we have the u the yellow [10:10] post-it notes. So again, make make [10:12] comments, stick them to the po boards. [10:14] If there's um certain things you want to [10:16] see or questions or uh other comments on [10:19] each of the designs, certainly let us [10:21] know that way as well. So [10:25] thank you, Jeff. Um, one thing I'd like [10:28] to point out is, so tonight is the [10:30] second open house and we're going to [10:32] leave social media open for an extended [10:35] period of time. So these have not been [10:38] out. Jeff had indicated that, but we do [10:40] want to get them out so that folks can [10:41] take a look at them and provide [10:42] additional comment on them. But there is [10:44] going to come a point where we need to [10:46] close social media so that we can bring [10:48] this to our park and rec commission and [10:51] then they can make a recommendation to [10:52] our city council. for us to build a park [10:55] next year, we need to do a construction [10:58] drawing process that'll take us about 3 [11:00] to four months so that we need to get [11:02] this before our city council so that [11:03] they can order the improvement so that [11:06] we can get this designed over the course [11:07] of this winter so we can start [11:09] construction in the spring. So, just so [11:11] you know, um I don't have an exact time [11:13] frame. My goal is to get this before our [11:15] park and recck commission at their [11:16] October meeting and that is on the [11:18] fourth Wednesday of the month or the [11:21] fourth Wednesday in October. So, we'll [11:23] probably leave social media open for at [11:25] least another two or 3 weeks and then [11:27] close it, take all those comments, bring [11:29] them to our park and recck commission [11:31] and try to move forward from there. So, [11:33] we've had a really some good feedback on [11:35] this um through social media, through [11:37] attendance at these open houses, and [11:40] it's a really good time if you have [11:42] comments what you like, what you don't [11:43] like, what you think needs to be [11:45] included to let us know. um from our own [11:48] perspective, from staff's perspective to [11:50] put a field in and for our ability to [11:53] maintain it, it has to be irrigated. So [11:55] that is a critical component for us [11:57] otherwise those the turf gets um beat [11:59] down so so much so quickly. Um for us to [12:02] maintain it, we have to have irrigation [12:04] out there. I think some of the other [12:06] questions that had come up um was [12:09] certainly, you know, for a pedest or a [12:12] spectator perspective, seating. I'm not [12:15] a soccer uh player. I'm not a soccer [12:17] family. Is that important to everyone [12:19] out here? And what you know, what are [12:21] what is everyone looking for with that? [12:22] So, those are the type of things we'd [12:24] prefer to move to more of a casual open [12:27] house. If you guys want to come up and [12:28] talk to us, we can um either put notes [12:31] up here or we can um talk to you [12:34] individually for what you see, what you [12:36] like, what you don't like. But um our [12:38] goal based on the feedback we've gotten [12:40] and our goal from the city council is to [12:41] get stuff built next year. So, that's [12:43] where we're moving. Okay. And because [12:46] this is recorded, because we want this [12:48] replayed, the city manager wanted this [12:49] out there, we are going to close kind of [12:51] the presentation and we're going to move [12:53] into a casual openhouse. All right.