Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Board

SPECIAL MEETING – Community Aquatic Project Kick-off

MINUTES

Thursday, August 30, 2007 @ 5:15 p.m.
Cary Town Hall – Conference Room #11130

316 North Academy Street – Cary, NC 27513

www.townofcary.org

Attendance:
Jeff Boucher; Robert Bush; Sal Cammarata; Susan Davenport; Marilyn Goldman; Dennis Hoadley; Tullie Johnson; Steve Smutko; Kay Struffolino; Council; Nels Roseland, Council Liaison

Absent:  Tony D’Amico; Wesley Lo, Teen Council Representative

Staff: 
Mary Henderson; Dwayne Jones; Doug McRainey; Gail Taylor

Guests:  Patrick Beggs; Bob Morris

I.                     Call to Order/Roll Call – Steve Smutko, Chair
Chair Steve Smutko called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m.

II.         Adoption of Agenda – Steve Smutko, Chair
ACTION:  Kay Struffolino made a motion to adopt the agenda with the inclusion of Public Speaks Out; the motion was seconded by Tullie Johnson.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

III.        Public Speaks Out
Patrick Beggs, shared with the Board, the concerns of the Black Creek Watershed Association with the possible placement of the Cary Community Aquatic Center in North Cary in the Black Creek Watershed.  In a letter, Mr. Beggs outlined the concerns and BCWA’s encouragement to the Town to use Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to limit or reduce the effects of stormwater.  Greenway Committee member Bob Morris attended the meeting and was asked to comment.  Mr. Morris indicated he supported Mr. Beggs.

IV.        Community Aquatic Project Kick-off
The meeting started with introductions of Town staff and design team members. Mary Henderson, Director of PRCR, introduced Dwayne Brinkley of Brinkley Sargent Architects out of Dallas, Texas as the lead designer of the Community Aquatic Center project.  She then reviewed history of the project and the current focus of Town Council’s direction to move forward with the community aquatic center.
 
Mr. Brinkley, in a PowerPoint presentation, provided an overview of the current trends with community aquatic centers and the range of facility types within these centers.  He showed various examples of centers in other municipalities. Mr. Brinkley also reviewed the identified sites and indicated that the design team had begun information gathering.  Upcoming issues included identifying stakeholders and roles, reviewing project’s budget(s), strategizing near term and long term schedules and targeting milestones.

The presentation was well-received.

When the presentation was completed, the Advisory Board discussed several issues. There were questions related to the required site size. Mr. Brinkley urged that the selected site should provide some opportunity for future expansion since the facility would be around for another 50 years.

An Advisory Board member asked whether the community center and aquatic portions of the facility should actually consist of two separate structures.  Both Ms. Henderson as well as Mr. Brinkley indicated that logistically, the facilities should be in one building.  Both facilities require a lobby, locker rooms, restrooms, storage, etc. and it would be more cost effective to develop a single facility.

Several Board members asked about federal LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ranking system for designing “green” or sustainable facilities.  Mary Henderson responded that the Town will follow certain LEED principles but that the current budget did not include LEED Certification.  Mr. Brinkley indicated that LEED Certification was time intensive and would have an impact on the budget. 

A Board member asked whether the project included a diving well.  Ms Henderson confirmed that the aquatic component would include spring-board diving and did not include a diving well.

Mary Henderson noted that one criterion for site selection would be the one that least damages the natural features.

A discussion ensued regarding the two selected sites.  Councilman Roseland indicated that Council made a conscious decision to analyze only two sites.   When asked, Mary Henderson indicated that the North Cary site was approximately 40 acres in size, although some of that could not be built-upon. In reference to the Hawes site, Doug McRainey said this site also had issues including many riparian buffers. Mary said that one criterion regarding the choice of site might be the one that does the least damage to the natural features.

In regards to the Black Creek Watershed Association, Councilman Roseland questioned Mr. Beggs whether any building on the Cary Parkway site would be objectionable.  Mr. Beggs responded that whatever was built, there would be a need to consider the greenway and watershed, and recommended LID practices.    Mr. Roseland asked if the environmental concerns were based on any actual scientific analysis and Mr. Beggs indicated they were not.  Dwayne Brinkley said that his firm had received the correspondence from the Black Creek Watershed and had given it to the other design team members.  He indicated that he was familiar with Low Impact Development techniques.  

Councilman Roseland noted that $23M is the estimated cost of the aquatic/community center and that $16M has been identified at this time. 

Mary Henderson noted three public meetings for this project are being scheduled to allow input from our citizens. She informed the Board that starting in late September there would be several neighborhood meetings. She indicated that November/December was the goal for final recommendation to Council.

V.         Adjourn
ACTION:  Kay Struffolino made a motion to adjourn; the motion was seconded by Tullie Johnson.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Please contact the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources with any questions about the minutes.  The e-mail address is gail.taylor@townofcary.org, and the phone number is (919) 462-3961.