HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-12; Parks & Recreation Commission; ; Parks & Recreation Department ReportMeeting Date: Dec. 12, 2022
To: Parks & Recreation Commission
From: Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director
Staff Contact: Mick Calarco, Recreation Services Manager
Subject: Parks & Recreation Department Report
Recommended Action
Receive a presentation from the Parks & Recreation staff.
Executive Summary
Mick Calarco, Recreation Services Manager and Todd Reese, Parks Services Manager will report
on recently completed and upcoming parks and recreation activities, and other topics of local
interest.
Exhibits
1.Department report
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PARKS & RECREATION
DEPARTMENT REPORT
Dec. 12, 2022
GENERAL & RECREATION
Municipal Sustainability Program Rollout
The department’s Municipal Sustainability Program rollout related to a ban on single use utensils, and
organics/food scrap recycling has been implemented. Green compost bin locations were studied, and then were
placed in parks and facilities. Green bins were also prominently located for public use at the Holiday at the
Rancho event on Dec. 3, 2022. Staff and volunteers collected more than 140 gallons of compostable waste, and
thereby diverted it from the landfill.
Reinstatement of Alga Norte Aquatics Center Weekday Maintenance Hour
Beginning Jan. 2, 2023, staff will reinstate the weekday maintenance hour that was temporarily eliminated during
modified COVID-19 pandemic operations. Alga Norte Aquatics Complex will close from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Monday
through Friday, to perform routine facility and equipment maintenance and cleaning, including but not limited to
manually vacuuming the pool, addressing pool chemical needs, cleaning the front lobby, hosing the locker rooms,
stocking, and deck cleaning. The Jan. 2, 2023, launch date will allow sufficient time for department staff to adjust
swim lesson times in advance of the next Community Services Guide release.
Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park Hacienda Area Closure
The Hacienda area will be closed to the public, Dec. 5, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023, for a scheduled preservation
maintenance and reroofing project. The Hacienda area includes, the hacienda main and bedroom wings (interior
and exterior), courtyard, upper and lower flagstone patios, walkways, lawns, the reflecting pool, cabana, and the
wash house. Self-guided walking and monthly botanical tours will be modified to bypass the closure. Guided
walking tours (offered Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. & 1 p.m.) will continue as scheduled and be modified to
bypass the closure. All other visitor services and programs are unimpacted.
Jefferson Elementary Students Visit the Carlsbad Senior Center
Jefferson Elementary School 5th grade students visited the Carlsbad Senior Center on Tuesday before lunch
service to play games and have some holiday fun.
Seniors and students had such a wonderful time, the school has requested the opportunity to do a monthly visit
and project throughout the school year. Caroling is next on the list for December.
Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park California History & Art Program
The California History & Art Program – a collaborative effort between the Parks & Recreation and Library &
Cultural Arts Departments, and the Friends of Carrillo Ranch, Inc. – got underway for the 2022-23 school year in
November. This school year, we anticipate hosting at least 35 field trips for more than 1,300 students – all
completely free of charge thanks to volunteer support and the Friends’ fundraising efforts.
California Parks & Recreation Society Aging Services and Activities Section Honors Margaret Hamer
Recreation Area Manager Margaret Hamer was honored recently by her California Parks & Recreation Society
(CPRS) Aging Services and Activities Section colleagues with a statewide Lifetime Achievement Award.
An article in CPRS Society Aging Services and Activities Section “Fifty Something News,” noted:
“Margaret has advocated for important and innovative programming for seniors at the Carlsbad Senior Center
from the moment she started working. Programming practically doubled after she took over. No task was too
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daunting for her. She brought Intergenerational programs and partnerships to the city. She also pushed strongly
for virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic so that the seniors of Carlsbad would not be isolated. She
took on the everchanging notions of the past several years without hesitation ready to do what she could for
seniors and her staff. Margaret manages the Carlsbad Senior Center as well as the Pine Avenue Community
Center next door. Margaret had participated in multiple conferences and presented at the 2020 CPRS State
conference.”
The city and the department congratulate Margaret on this award and are grateful for her service and dedication
to the 50+ community in Carlsbad and beyond.
Staff Kudos: Alga Norte Aquatics Center
Carlsbad resident and local businessman, Brad Dotson, emailed recently to sing the praises of Alga Norte
Aquatic Center staff:
“I’ve been meaning to send this your way for a while now. I want to commend you on your operation at Alga
Norte Aquatic Center. When we moved our company from Encinitas to Carlsbad, I discovered the Aquatic center
as a great place to workout early in the morning. What a world class facility! The pools are clean, and safe, and
the locker rooms are very well maintained. Over what seems like a “lifetime” ago (1980’s) I ran Aquatics, Sports &
Special Services for a city in LA County - So I have a discerning eye in these regards... We just love your facilities,
and your staff is outstanding (especially Carol who greets us so early each day).”
Festival of Lanterns
Hundreds of beautifully decorated lanterns lit up the night sky at Alga Norte Aquatic Center on Nov. 5, 2022,
during the Festival of Lanterns event. Lanterns were colorfully decorated – some with inspirational messages –
and, then floated in the pool after sunset. The event featured performances by local youth talent, who sang
uplifting music, played guitar, and read inspirational stories.
Holiday at the Rancho
It was a magical evening at the Holiday at the Rancho event at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park on Dec. 3, 2022.
Just over 1,000 people joined in the seasonal fun that included a tree lighting, a plush snowball fight with an icy
slope inflatable slide, train rides, a holiday tree forest, face painting, cookie decorating, an outdoor movie and a
special visit from Santa. The event was successful due in part due to the passionate and dedicated support of
dozens of community volunteers.
PARKS
Veterans Memorial Park
On May 16, 2022, the Parks & Recreation Commission accepted the final Veterans Memorial Park Maser Plan.
Then, on June 15, 2022, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 7453, approving a Mitigated Negative
Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for Veterans Memorial Park; and Resolution No.
7454, approving Conditional Use Permit CUP 2021-0014, Coastal Development Permit CDP 2021-0052, Hillside
Development Permit HDP 2021-0006, and Habitat Management Plan Permit HMP 2021-0006 for Veterans
Memorial Park. On July 26, 2022, the City Council adopted the final Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan, and
made a finding of compliance with the Citywide Facilities and Improvements Plan Parks Performance Standard.
The associated staff report remains posted to city’s web site: City Council Meetings | Carlsbad, CA
(carlsbadca.gov).
Staff is now coordinating with the design firm on the initial development of the park’s construction plans and
specifications. On Oct. 17, 2022, the consultant forwarded the 90% complete construction document set to staff
for redline review and comment. The construction document set, specifications and the standard public works
contract are anticipated to be 100% complete and reviewed/accepted by all applicable departments by mid-year
2023. The target period for completion of the park’s construction is Spring 2025.
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Monroe Street Pool Renovation/Replacement Project
Three design concept options were developed for this project, each with increased scope and cost. An agenda
item on the project was presented at the Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting of Jan. 25, 2021, and the City
Council Meeting of Jan. 26, 2021. Both bodies approved Concept 3, with the City Council directing staff to pursue
a Proposition H ballot measure for the project on the June 7, 2022 Primary Election. On Feb. 22, 2022, an agenda
item was presented to the City Council recommending deferring the timing of a Proposition H ballot measure for
the project to an election cycle to be determined at a later date. City Council approved the deferral, with the item
to be reconsidered in time for a ballot measure to be placed on the November 2022 election. On June 21, 2022,
the City Council adopted a resolution approving the ballot measure language on this project for the November
2022 election. The ballot measure was passed by the voters. The next steps on continuing the design of the
project (i.e., construction plans and specifications) will be determined in the near future.
Stagecoach Park Community Garden Project
Staff received cost proposals for professional design services for a community garden at the area of the park
formerly used for a maintenance yard. Staff completed its evaluation of the proposals and selected a design firm
to provide the requisite services. A task order for those services was executed and the kickoff meeting with the
design firm, Rick Engineering, was held on Nov. 9, 2022. Rick Engineering has surveyed the project area and is
currently working on producing a concept drawing, due by Dec. 20, 2022. Staff reached out to representatives of
the Carlsbad Community Garden Collaborative to get feedback on a similar project completed at the Pine Avenue
Park Community Garden, which will serve as a template for the Stagecoach Park Community Garden. Staff will
pass along that feedback to the design firm. The construction document set is anticipated to be bid in Spring
2023 and construction work completed by the end of Fall 2023.
Robertson Ranch Park RFQ for Design Services (District 2) - The Request for Qualifications for design services for
Robertson Ranch Community Park was released on Planet Bids on Wednesday Nov. 9, 2022. A pre-bid meeting
was held, and staff prepared responses to bidders’ questions. The proposals are due on Dec. 19, 2022, and
interviews of the top-rated firms are anticipated to be held in late-January. Staff anticipates docketing a City
Council agenda item for the award of a professional services agreement to a design firm in March 2023.
Recent Trail Volunteers Events
On Oct. 22, 2022, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., a trails volunteer event was held at Carlsbad Oaks North Business Park
Trail (located at 3115 Melrose Drive). City staff were joined by 23 volunteers who donated a collective 63.25
hours of their time to remove invasive plant species, clean brow ditches, and trim vegetation along the trail. The
volunteers also smoothed out sections of the trail that were eroding and regraded the areas to ensure better
drainage in the future.
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