HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-26-16 PARCgo--'
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
KAREEMAH FOWLER, CITY CLERK
PARC COMMITTEE
Committee Members Present:
Other Council Present:
Others Present:
Agenda:
SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 4:26 P.M.
Randy Kelly, Dr. David Varner, Oliver Davis, John Voorde
Tim Scott, Jo M. Broden, Karen White, Gavin Ferlic
Regina Williams- Preston
Kareemah Fowler, Joseph Molnar
Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand, Adriana Rodriguez
Bowman Creek Project
Elbel Park and Golf Course
South Bend Sculpture Initiative
Committee Chair Randy Kelly called the PARC Committee to order with three (3) items on the
agenda. He announced that Ralph Lampkin who is a Citizen Member was planning on getting us
up to date on the sculpture initiative but he sent him a message that he is under the weather and
could not make it. He asked Aaron Perri to give what information he could at this time.
South Bend Sculpture Initiative
Aaron Perri, Executive Director of Parks and Recreation with offices at 321 East Walter Street,
stated that he is aware of a group of residents that have undertaken a private initiative to raise
funds to put sculptures up in the parks. They have secured funding for at least five (5) sculptures.
Four (4) of those would go in Howard Park and the other one (1) in a pocket part in the Triangle
Neighborhood. That private group pulled together all the funding and put out a call for artists to
produce these sculptures. Installation will happen over the next weeks and we will hopefully
have a celebration of public art in our parks. We are really proud of Mr. Lampkin and former
Councilmember Dr. Ferlic for taking leadership on this.
Committee Chair Kelly thanked Mr. Perri for providing that update. He stated there will be a
ribbon cutting of sorts when these sculptures are unveiled. A date has not been decided as of yet.
455 County -City Building • 227 W. Jefferson Boulevard • South Bend, Indiana 46601
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JENNIFER M. COFFMAN ALKEYNA M. ALDRIDGE JOSEPH MOLNAR
CHIEF DEPUTY/ CHIEF OF STAFF DEPUTY/ DIRECTOR OF POLICY ORDINANCE VIOLATION CLERK
Bowman Creek Project
Garry Gilot, 1904 Lilac Trails Court South Bend, introduced Jay Brockman who is an associate
dean for community engagement with Notre Dame and Ryan Nell who is an Enfocus intern who
helped with Bowman Creek this summer. He stated Mr. Brockman will lead off the presentation.
Mr. Brockman stated this was an initiative that began about two (2) years ago. It is a collection
of students from a variety of educational institutions that are working on a variety of projects in
the South East Neighborhood. The goal is to work with residents on projects that benefit the
community as well as to enhance the education of the students by working on real world
projects. This summer we came in with seven (7) plans of things we wanted to accomplish in the
neighborhood and what we found was a number of offices within the City that once the students
got going and the residents gave their feedback there was a lot of pitching in. Things we hadn't
even anticipated before the summer got done because of all the wonderful collaboration. One (1)
of the focal areas of the project was water issues. He turned the presentation back to Mr. Gilot to
further explain.
Mr. Gilot explained that rain gardens are depressions in the ground where you can take water off
of roofs or parking lots and other flat hard surfaces and use them like a sponge to soak up the
water. Rain water is a resource we want to recharge into our aquifer. All of our drinking water
comes from groundwater so to treat that rain water as a valuable resource is a prudent idea. Rain
gardens are part of what we like to call green infrastructure. A rain garden is different than turf
grass because the plants have much deeper roots, sometimes ten (10) to fifteen (15) feet deep and
they break up the soil and make it much more willing to percolate water. These rain gardens are
scientific experiments that are designed and measured very carefully with input from the
residents. We built tiers into the rain gardens and placed monitors to see if they are working
correctly. Mr. Gilot provided images of the finished rain gardens in the residential neighborhood
around Bowman Creek. They are not only working to keep our rainwater a resource they are also
aesthetically pleasing. Mr. Gilot turned the presentation back to Mr. Brockman.
Mr. Brockman continued by explaining how the students placed moisture censors in the rain
gardens so they could analyze how effectively they were soaking up water during storms. The
rains gardens held up pretty well following the major rain event we had a couple weeks ago.
Some of these absorbed over five - hundred (500) gallons coming off a house in a big storm.
Mr. Gilot continued that the City has a GIS, which is a geographic information system that
provides intelligent mapping layers. We wanted to use that tool for students to figure out what
happens after a thousand (1,000) houses in a thousand (1,000) days. That took blighted homes
from negative to neutral but what the residents want to know is how do we optimize something
positive to put back into our neighborhoods. The original plan for the students was to create an
app but after meeting with the residents they realized they needed to go back to the drawing
board. That led to this project. The biggest point the residents brought up was that they were
worried about vacant lots. There were four - hundred (400) vacant lots out of sixteen hundred
(1,600) parcels in this neighborhood. We brainstormed with twelve (12) different proactive
adaptive reuses of lots and went through a few matrices on how to judge which are best for the
community. Mr. Brockman turned over the presentation to Mr. Nell. Mr. Nell stated one (1) of
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the adaptive reuses we were thinking about implementing is a tree nursery. Currently the Parks
Department purchases young trees and plants them out by Elbel Golf Course. We talked to the
department and got a diversion of a few of those trees to vacant lots in the South East
Neighborhood. This helps an economic gain not just for the residents but also an economic gain
for the Parks Department as well.
Mr. Brockman stated we worked with SOAR (Southeast Organized Area of Residents) for ways
to help bring people together and improve some of the meeting spaces. One (1) of the things that
we looked at is a potential mural that could go up on the blank wall currently along the tracks.
SOAR is actually having a neighborhood event this coming weekend that will hopefully bring
out a number of people. There is a notion of bicentennial bison and another project was
developed up by a local high school student and they built a little free library where kids can go
in and borrow a book.
Mr. Nell continued by stating that with Bowman Creek we are looking at the long -term as well.
It is important for our sponsors to know what our short, medium, and long -term goals are. That
then dictates how we implement these interns on these different projects. With that in mind we
are looking at not doing things to the community but rather with the community and having
engagement.
Council Attorney Cekanski- Farrand recommended sending this presentation to former
Councilmember Beverly Beck because she would be elated to see the progress around Bowman
Creek.
Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated this is very exciting and it is great the Council is getting
this update. There are so many positives with this program especially bringing in the local high
schools and middle schools. What comes to mind is the concept that has worked in the Northeast
Neighborhood with their revitalization organization. She asked if there were any structurally
formed organization like that in this neighborhood.
Mr. Gilot responded SOAR is a little over a year old which is kind of like that. There is also the
organization 466 Works. There are a number of quality people on that board as well.
Councilmember Broden responded that is great. She asked how the master plan for the
neighborhood from Community Investment is being incorporated or integrated into this project.
Mr. Gilot responded that several of the City planners have been involved with this.
Councilmember Broden stated that is good. She stated she is asking because on their
neighborhood tour we heard some of these same concerns and we need to make sure the
neighborhood residents are involved in this progress.
Mr. Brockman stated one (1) of the main things that we learned from last summer to this summer
is that the students have learned you need that close connection with the residents and
organizations like 466 Works and SOAR. You can't do things to a neighborhood you have to do
things with a neighborhood.
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Councilmember Broden shared a story of one (1) of the students in this program who is going off
to Dublin Ireland to further her work and she was so moved by this project. Councilmember
Broden stated the student was so excited to be a part of this and upset that she is leaving even
with this great opportunity to go to Ireland. We are really doing something right with this
program with involving local students and letting them shape their own community. This is very
good stuff.
Mr. Gilot stated this is a way to retain more talent.
Councilmember Scott stated he loves what is going on here. As someone who loves trout fishing
this will be great. A lot of Bowman Creek is underground but it can become a great creek. He
suggested that they give this presentation to the Chamber of Commerce as well because they
have looked at that area for some time.
Councilmember White stated she loves that the group is bringing in local high school students
and keeping that talent in our area. Twenty -five percent (25 %) of the lots in this neighborhood
are vacant and that is a serious concern but these are the initiatives that mitigate and solve that
problem. One (1) of the big issues for this area is homelessness, but this is a positive in the area.
We have a great opportunity to bring change to this neighborhood.
Committeemember Dr. Varner asked what are the boundaries of the neighborhood.
Mr. Gilot responded it is Sample to Ewing and Michigan to Miami.
Committeemember Dr. Varner stated this is a good segway to the next topic because this project
ties into the consent decree. If there is any control of water flow through these rain gardens
things like this can lead to significant savings with reductions of storm water into the system. If
we can do this around the City, it would be tremendous and this seems like a model going
forward. Bowman has been neglected for a very long time and it's great to see it getting
attention.
Mic Perri, 901 East Fodder Street, stated he is one (1) of the founding members of SOAR and
was privileged at the beginning of this internship to spend a few hours with them. It is amazing
the ideas they have and are some of the best and brightest of our educational institutions. Mr.
Perri detailed his idea for a fundraiser project for the Indiana Bi- Centennial. He stated South
Bend has not done anything to celebrate the Bi- Centennial. He stated let's create at Bowman
Creek a bison bio zone at the park. Let's install a native bio zone with natural flowers to further
this rain garden idea. With this bison looking over the creek with the wildflowers around it, it
would be a snapshot of the Hoosier prairie in 1860. The bison statue would only cost $1,500.
That is not a lot in the long -term. He also recommended getting one (1) for the Potawatomi Tribe
to thank them for their contributions to our City. South Bend should do something to help honor
the tribe and help build civic activeness.
Councilmember Broden asked if it is possible to get more on the lot optimization for the Council
and also how do we keep the momentum going.
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Mr. Gilot responded yes he can get that to the Council.
Mr. Brockman stated they just received a National Science Foundation Grant that is going to
extend over the next few years and allow us to continue to fund interns. It's a little harder to do
this in the school year but we won't let the momentum break.
Committeemember Davis asked how they advertise to the students.
Mr. Brockman responded that last time they went through referrals from the teachers and 466
Works. This year we will probably do a broader announcement. We still received two (2) to three
(3) times as many applicants and this year will probably be more competitive.
Committeemember, Davis stated they should present to the South Bend School Board as well.
Committee Chair Kelly agreed and stated that they should try to get in front of as many groups as
possible because this is such exciting work. He thanked them for coming and all the work they
have done with the southeast neighborhood and hopefully it can become a model for the rest of
the City.
Committee Chair Kelly invited Dr. Ferlic to speak about the statues.
Dr. Fred Ferlic, 1128 Georgiana, South Bend, stated their ultimate goal is to get a sculpture in
each park. We have four (4) going into Howard Park. They got the money from various
corporations in town. It's $2,000 for a statue. If we can eventually get a sculpture in every park
that would be wonderful. There is also a private - public partnership to help the Park Department
to lease parks to organizations so that they take care of the parks. That is a program that he is
currently working on. We could lease some of these small pocket parks to the neighborhoods
then we can prioritize our resources on the big parks.
Elbel Park and Golf Course
Aaron Perri, Director of South Bend Parks, gave an update on Elbel Golf Course. He stated he
will deliver most of his remarks in written format since they are short on time. Since we last met
we are up over forty (40) different items that we've touched related to the six (6)
recommendations that were made by the advisory committee. Notably since we last met, the
business of golf presentation happened and the final findings are online. That did recommend
some increases in prices and we folded those into the 2017 Parks User Fee schedule that was
approved by the Park Board last Monday. The fee increases were about $2 a round on average.
That gets us pretty close to break even for golf operations. The Council will see some dynamic
pricing and various adjustments coming into season passes as well. That is most notably what we
have done since then. We also had our Superintendent's Golf Outing at Elbel which raised
money for the Youth Scholarship Fund. We doubled what we have ever raised at that outing. We
also officially formed the ecological advocacy committee. The Park Board made that official
back in August and now have approved the nomination vehicle. We are currently looking for
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membership. The first reading of the budget is tonight and all three (3) courses are included at
full funding as promised.
Councilmember Karen White thanked him for the update and moving the recommendations
forward.
Councilmember Broden asked if we circulated the invite for that ecological committee to all the
people who participated in the Elbel process.
Mr. Perri stated it should have gone out to everybody who has been involved with the planning
process.
Councilmember White asked if there was any update on working with the school system on this
proj ect.
Mr. Perri responded since there hasn't been any real milestone it is not listed here but we are
getting pretty close to finishing a program where we would be using Studebaker. We have a lot
of partnerships in the room and we are very lucky to be the beneficiary of that.
With no further business before the Committee, Committee Chair Randy Kelly adjourned the
meeting at 5:04 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
L.
Randy Kelly Chairper on