Post in Powderhorn ice rink closed?

2007 Dec 03 04:22 UTC

A new budget initiative proposed to the Park Board last week calls for
park rental fees.  For exclusive use for private events,  new fees for
park rental will range from $5,000 for 25% of a Tier 3 Park to $40,000
for 50-100% of a Tier 1 Park.  No duration for the rental is given - I
assume this is by the day.  General Manager Siggelkow said he has
frequent requests to rent Lake Harriet.  He also suggested Lake Nokomis
as a likely site.

(Don't know if this includes sites like Stone Arch Bridge, Plank Road,
etc. - proposals that were turned down in the past.)

New fees for exclusive use of a park for PUBLIC events are also
proposed.  No Commissioners questioned these so I don't know if this
covers Powderhorn's 4th, May Day and Art Fair as well as similar events
at other community parks.  These fees will range from $1,500 for 25% of
a Tier 1 Park to $20,000 for 50-100% of a Tier 3 Park.

Good causes that use the parks for fundraisers and festivals might see
major fee increases next year - except for the Twin Cities Marathon.
Most will see fees go up by half or double.  For example, Uptown Art
Fair fees would increase from $13,000 to $22,000.  For some reason, fees
for Pride would jump from 10,000 to $58,000.

The Sculpture Garden could become a place NOT to go on a lovely summer
weekend afternoon.  MPRB staff  proposes is to divide the Garden into
six wedding areas, adding infrastructure(?) and allowing each wedding
party to set up tents in case of bad weather.  The restriction on 10
chairs per tent will be lifted.    A plan to change operation of the
Cowles Conservatory will be released next June - Park staff considers
the Conservatory to be a significant financial problem.  MPRB bandstands
will be marketed as wedding sites.   Rates at Park Board wedding sites
will increase from a minimum of $200 to $500 with an $800 minimum at
bandstands.  Photography permits are also sharply up.

Virtually all other fees are scheduled to increase:  field rentals,
buoys, canoe berths, dog parks, etc.  New fees  for off road bike
permits will be $25-$35.  Along with this, the Park Board system of
administrative tickets will be expanded. to include dog parks and off
road biking.

(MPRB administrative tickets are one of my pet peeves.  In part, this is
because the State says the practice is illegal
(http://www.auditor.state.mn.us/other/Statements/adminpenaltiestrafficoffenses_0703_statement.pdf)
and the Park Board is supposed to stand up for playing by the rules,
fair and square.  I am also offended that local government would turn
citizens into petty criminals in order to sell a product - and this is
how Park Board administrative tickets work. )

Another new revenue initiative is corporate sponsorships including a
Toyota deal incorporated into the budget (with no details) with those
revenues already earmarked to construct artificial skating rinks.
Cultivating additional corporate sponsorships is also proposed.  Our
parks, or our rec shelters, are on the brink of becoming permanent ads.

The Park Board has spent much of this decade trying to generate earned
revenues.  The results are less than spectacular.  According to audit
reports, the  Park Operations Enterprise Fund posted revenues of
$491,000 in 2005 and $807,000 in 2006 - both years were less than the
$900,000+ realized in 2001 before the current enterprise thrust really
got going.  (This does not include permit fees.)  In the grand scheme of
things, with a Park Board operating budget of about $55 million plus
$20-$30 million in capital expenditures annually, the $1 million or so
dollars from earned income (golf courses, parking, rentals, etc.) will
not solve the Park Board's chronic lack of operating dollars.

Rec centers will have reduced hours.  Haven't done a firm count but it
looks like 20-30 staff positions will be cut permanently.  However, a
wedding services coordinator will be added.

IMHO, we as a community need to decide how big the park system should be
and what level of services we can live with and afford - or else we will
continue to lose access to the "jewels" of the system like the Nicollet
Island Picnic Pavilion and (proposed) the Sculpture Garden.

FYI,
Shawne FitzGerald