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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 03/29/1984CITY OF FORT COLLINS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES: Special Meeting - March 29, 1984 The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Chuck Solano. All Board Members were present. The meeting was held at the City Park Nine Golf Course Clubhouse. Board Members and staff took golf carts and toured the entire proposed City Park trolley route. Agenda Review: No changes to the printed agenda. Citizen Participation: No citizen participation. City Park Trolley Alternative The Board unanimously voted to remove the motion from the table (to establish a trolley route in City Park), so the motion is now under disucssion. General Board Member comments included: . more trouble than it's worth . . . generates no funds . possibly could interfere with park activities . not in the best interest of the park . . . no park tree removal required. Josh Richardson was asked about costs of a Mountain Avenue route not in the median. Josh said $70,000 to $100,000 has been estimated to put the trolley in the traffic lane, but there are problems going against traffic/traffic flow, autombile usage east of Shields, etc. Further Board Members random comments included . . . it was asked if Old Town (historic district) might be more compatible . . . see trolley as a form of transportation, not simply an amusement ride . in favor of trolley, but not in the park or other open space (Mountain Avenue Median) . not in support as an amusement ride in the park . problem of getting from trolley barn to downtown area (could barn be moved elsewhere or other storage found?) John Arnold arrived at the meeting and was asked about downtown. He and Josh Richardson said the merchants are concerned about area parking, overhead wires, turning radius, as a traffic hazard, high costs of construction, safety problems (for both people and the trolley), and lack of any route length. The trolley is an irreplaceable museum piece. John was asked what if the Board said no to City Park? What will happen? Would it be dropped? Would it go down the Parks and Recreation--2 Mountain Median? Would it be pursued anyway, but without our "blessing"? He left it up to the Board to reach its own conclusion. More random Board comments included: .due to its nature, it's going to be just decorative . . . upset with idea of locating it in the park just because Mountain Avenue people are angered . . . don't want it in the park just to placate Mountain Avenue people . . . still may be feasible for trolley to run just in Old Town, or just up and down one track on one road . don't like idea of poles and wires around the park . not feasible for transportation . . . what impact on the park will be made by the route, car, lines, poles, and track? Josh, when questioned, stated the Old Town route is too short. A good route should be about a mile in length according to the trolley people. They say length of route is a key factor to success. More than one type of ridership is usually required for success. They want to run it and pay for itself. Fort Collins has a volunteer system to build and operate the trolley. It might pay for itself in the park due to volunteer efforts. It wouldn't hurt the park, and would be an asset to the community and City Park. Maybe going next to Bryan rather than Mountain/Roosevelt would be preferred. The trolley is not accessible to wheelchairs. But where should this trolley really be located? Regardless of public pressure at this time, the median and City Park are both Parks and Recreation main- tained properties. It boils down to impact on the park. The question was called, and the motion to establish a trolley route in City Park was defeated 5:4 (Bill Loy, Chuck Solano, Fran Bujack, and Mike Immasche for the motion; Ann Schroeder, Cathy Mulcahy, Jan Sheppard, Mary Elson, and Bob Aukerman against). After further discussion on the existing Mountain Avenue median route, the Board, after the call for the question (8:1 with Bill Loy against),on a motion by Bill Loy, seconded by Fran Bujack, voted 6:3 (Fran Bujack, Jan Sheppard, Ann Schroeder, Bill Loy, Chuck Solano, and Bob Aukerman for the motion; Mary Elson, Cathy Mulcahy, and Mike Immasche against) to not object to the Mountain Avenue median route for the trolley. Board Members noted the $70,000 cost as only being $20,000 more than the park cost; the median route "goes some- where", providing transportation as well as an amusement (the park route is strictly an amusement); and all median trees will be relocated on the median. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation Board--3 Respectfully submitted, Jan Sheppard Board SecretAry Meeting Attendance Board Members P&R Staff Guests Chuck Solano Mary Elson Jan Sheppard Bob Aukerman Fran Bujack Mike ImMasche Bill Loy Cathy Mulcahy Ann Schroeder H. R. Phillips John Arnold Jerry P. Brown Josh Richardson Eli ImMasche