Joint Meeting of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board/Committees
Monday, May 7, 2007
6:00 p.m.
Page-Walker Arts & History Center

Attendance: 
PRCR Advisory Board:  Dennis Hoadley; Kay Struffolino; Tullie Johnson; Sal Cammarata; Robert Bush; Susan Davenport; Snayha Nath

Athletic Committee:  Larry Miller; Randall Bennett;

Cultural Arts Committee:  Ron Sherhofer; Gyan Gupta; David Lindquist; Phil Shephard; Ginny Trautman; Paul Wasvlkevych; Michael McDade

Greenways Committee:  Greg Lytle; Cameron Sweeney; Kat Williams; Dana Stockwell

Teen Advisory Committee:  Wesley Lo; Tiffany Tutwiler; Ryan McCann; Leslie Ann Williams; Carlotta Dixon

6:00 p.m.                       Welcome – Dennis Hoadley
                                    Ice Breaker (Courtyard) – Lyman Collins

6:15 p.m.                       Dinner

6:45 p.m.                       Board/Committee Introductions – Dennis Hoadley – See Back of Program                                     
6:55 p.m.                       Master Plan Update     Mary Henderson, PRCR Director
                                                                        Doug McRainey, Parks Planning Mgr.

7:30 p.m.                      Divide into Four Groups (mixed group of Board/Committee members)                                       
                                    Discuss Assigned Group Topic:
                                    Group 1            Demographics/Diversity/Growth
                                    Group 2            Health/Fitness
                                    Group 3            Facility Development/Community Centers/Trends
                                    Group 4            Open Space/Environmental Quality

8:00 p.m.                      Group Reports and Discussion – See Page 3 Below

8:30 p.m.                       Wrap-up – Mary Henderson

 Board/Committee Input  

Topic #1:          Facility Development/Community Center/Trends

 Question:         In what ways can we focus our facility planning to address demand for existing types of facilities and/or new types of facilities and trends?

 Response:        Group 1  

• Multi-purpose spaces in demand
• Develop specialized facilities
• Current trends toward arts facilities (general) and aquatics center; later go back and build multi-purpose
• Involvement of private sector in development along w/town
• Work w/neighboring towns & cities to build larger-scale facilities (conflicts w/goals, jurisdiction , etc-also w/private sector)
• Good job developing (Koka Booth, Bond Park, etc.) well thought out, good job with geography.
• Good job with availability in all areas of Cary
• Good integration of Public Art
• Need to develop older parks (upgrades like w/Urban Park); take advantage of unused buildings (w/historic values-such as farms)
• Build upwards!  Tall building to maximize space.
• Multi-purpose use considered in all facilities
• Most facilities well or over-used (except Middle Creek)

 Topic 2:            Open Space / Environmental Quality

Question:         In what ways can our planning approach improve our community’s green infrastructure?  What have we done well, and what can we improve?

 Response:        Group 2

• Golf courses, clustering facilities, stream buffers/protection
• Development: being proactive
• Old Cary ; improve neighborhood parks
• Additional Senior Center ; low environmental impact development standards- green building

 Areas Well Done Well

• Adding dog park
• Old Cary Elementary
• Community Centers
• Locating Senior Center building in Bond Park

 Topic #3:          Demographics / Diversity/Growth

Question:         How do we plan and program for more people and changing demographics?  In what ways do you see these changes impacting our future plans?

 Response:        Group 3

• Flexibility
• Analyze Growth Markets
• Boomers 50’s – 60’s “Active”
• Families w/ kids
• Asian/diversity markets
• Analyze geographic growth patterns
• Northwest/ W area plan
• Annexation/ETJ
• Cricket vs. Soccer – requests for field use – weight service to group w/highest impact, i.e. 2 adult teams vs. 64 kid teams;
• Active Boomers/Lifelong Activities, golf
• Aquatics
• Fitness- see what’s available in the commercial market
• Year round/indoor – outdoor
• Track at Cary H. S.
• Do the Town residents have an awareness of what’s municipal vs. private facilities?  e.g. private aquatic center near Cary Towne- Do people know this is not owned by the Town?

 Topic #4:          Health Fitness

Question:         How do we help maintain/improve the health and fitness of our citizens and reverse the negative trends in obesity, heart disease and other symptoms of a sedentary lifestyle:  In what ways can we maximize our planning efforts to impact the community’s opportunities for improved health and fitness?

 Response:        Group 4

• Increase public info; advertise website usability, aim advertising to teens, children, schools.
• Connect PRCR facilities to work /town/shopping areas with greenway system to encourage walking/biking
• Biking:  encourage bike racks & showers at work to encourage biking to work;
• Cultural activities – fitness incorporated (lead/promote walks at Koka Booth)
• Use greenways  or more fitness events, competitions
• Garden project – community involvement
• Healthy eating
• Boost Cary ’s Farmers Market
• More non-competitive events
• Social; Kid’s, Fairs; Health Fairs
• Coordinate w/YMCA, hospitals, schools
• Dancing lessons – groups
• Coordinate w/small groups dance & jump rope
• Pedometer give-away
• Competition for # of miles & goals
• Raise awareness of national competitions