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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARC.min.01072004THr- Cn'v or ASrr. N ASPEN RECREATION CENTER II. III. IV. Advisory Committee Meeting January 7, 2004 3:00pm to 5:00pm Call to order - Scott Writer, Chairperson Committee member comments and announcements: Approval of Past Minutes Discussion Items: · Reporting Systems · 2004 Goals & Outcome Measures · ARC Surveys · ARC and AIG Business Plan · School Dist., Users~ City and Committee Meeting Updates and Progress Reports: · New program ideas · Timing System for Pool · Decision Timeline · Use and Revenue tracking formats · AIG date change · Cooling AYC Action Items: · ARC Capital Needs (items & funding needed) VI. VII. VIII. Next Regular meeting date and time Otb er busin ess Adjourn Aspen Recreation Center*0861 Maroon Creek Road*Aspen, Colorado 81611 Phone: (970) 544-4100*Fax: (970) 544-4137 Meeting Minutes December 3, 2003 Meeting was attended by: Board Members: Sue Smedstad, Barbara Owen, Debbie Ware, Scott Writer, Alice Davis, Staff Member: Tim Anderson, guest Toni Kronberg. Chairperson, Scott Writer called the meeting to order and asked for approval of the minutes as amended by Scott. Minutes were approved as amended. Committee Member Comments: Sue brought up that ARC staff was using Youth Center Kitchen & Borrowing equipment without asking or permission. Sue .also asked that ARC staff provide approval of groups touring the facility prior to them coming through the Youth Center. The Youth Center needs respect for their space. Scott would like a Jr. Hockey, City of Aspen, School Dist., Figure Skating meeting to look at using ice to the fullest. Alice would like to see the bridge from the Schools to the ARC be lit. Public Comment: Toni Kronberg asked to be identified and Scott did so. Toni wants to make sure that the swim team has everything they need for their swim meet in the summer of 2004. Toni asked that all patron passes be kept on file at the ARC. ARC needs auto door openers on the handicapped accessibility of the locker rooms. Items Discussed: Pricing recommendations for the LIA and the Ice Garden were presented. These included a $15.00/hr. increase in jr. hockey fees at the LIA over the Ice Garden, $20.00 increase in fees for Adult Hockey at the LIA over the IG, a $20.00 increase in General Ice Rentals at the LIA, and a $30.00 increase in for profit ice at the LIA. Scott suggested that the highest rate for ice be raised to $350.00 at the ARC with a low of $140 at the Ice Garden. He would like to see a rate card published, which identifies peak, and off peak hours, peak season and off peak seasonal pricing. Scott suggested that staff pursue groups for off hours for lower rates as "some money is better than none". Staff needs to provide a statement or definition of For Profit vs Not For Profit Ice. Staff identified that there was about $10,000 available for the purchase of a timing system in the pool area, but that the scoreboard would need to be purchased or sponsored through the swim team. The Committee would like to see the two bids when they come in. Staff is soliciting pricing from Daktronics and Colorado Timing: Staff'will solicit a base price, the scoreboard price and a menu of options and their costs for the timing system. Staffnoticed that during the Ice Hockey Tournaments and other busier times that control was becoming more of an issue at the front desk. Staffwill pursue options and pricing for control devices at the front desk and bring this back to the committee. Discussion: Staff suggested a policy for patrons who were forgetting their passes and holding up the line for the rest of the patrons. This would allow one free entrance if the pass was forgotten and each time after that the patron would be charged daily rates or charged $5.00 for a replacement pass. This Committee recommended against this policy and stated that any legitimate pass holder should be able to access the facility at any operational time. It was suggested by the Committee to look at alternative such as smaller passes that perhaps kids could attached to their packs, or a line for those who have their passes and those who don't. Committee suggested that this policy would be ok for adults, but not for kids. The Committee also stated that the facility should be as Customer Friendly as possible. Scott raj sed the question the only consider at this time for future discussion, the possibility of moving adult hockey and the Mother Puckers to a later time slot by 45 minutes at the Ice Garden. This would allow youth to finish practice earlier and get home. Scott mentioned that this move would be consistent with the SPARC agreement stating that priority would be given to youth programs. Scott also stated that we Should look at this and he was not suggesting any immediate changes' but rather future consideration for this move. Also Scott suggested that perhaps operations could go to 10 minute ice makes to generate more available ice per day for users. There was a discussion about creating a business plan for the ARC. Scott suggested that perhaps an outside consultant could be hired to take a look at this. Tim mentioned that staffhad someone come in prior to the opening of the ARC and that plans for tracking usage according to a 65% of capacity goal would be set up for the first of the year. Staff would also have a system for tracking revenue projections and where the facility was in meeting those goals. The Committee would like to see these tracking systems at the next meeting. Sue mentioned thai with City Subsidies and funding levels, while trying to keep facilities affordable to the locals it is diffiCUlt to meet the level of operations the Committee may be seeking. The Committee needs Understanding from Council as to what leve1 of service they are expecting for the funding level they have provided. The Committee thinks that maybe someone should come in from the outside and take a look at operations. Tim suggested that Leon Younger could be brought back in at about $2,500/day and is well know for his entrepreneurial direction in Parks & Recreation or a demographic s'tudy could be done and would cost approximately $8,000 t© $10,000. Staff let the Committee know that the Fitness Equipment had been ordered and would arrive around the 1s~ of the year. Action: Staff will be working with Jane Hills and other entities in town to bring together a Community Day/Celebration/ARC Anniversary/End of Season Celebration to the ARC. This event could host bands, dances, food, drink, fund-raising hockey games, celebrities, and more. Committees will be put together in the organization of this annual event, and Scott Volunteered to be the Representative for the ARC Advisory Committee. The Youth Center will be invited to participate in this and Sue will certainly be the representative there. Robert and Barb agreed to be alternates if needed. Staffprovided a list without cost at this time, which identified needed improvements to the ARC for operations. The list will include such things as the lights suggested by Alice to light the Maroon Creek Bridge, energy efficient upgrades to mechanical systems, a study of providing cooling to the 300 level of the ARC, the Acoustical Baffling in the aquatic area, additional signage, security systems, and the changing of locks and door operations for effective operation of the ARC. Staffis firming up pricing and looking at a January date for a work session with Council. Scott discussed an amendment to the SPARC agreement which stated that the Ice Garden could be sold following voter approval after August 30,2005. Some donors would like to see that extended to 2033. Scott is recommending that this be changed from 2005 to 2018. The concern is that a housing contingency may be able to.get a ballot issue, which would try to turn the Ice Garden into housing thus loosing necessary ice for user groups. The idea is to keep 2 sheets of ice in Aspen as long as the demand is there and the two sheets are programmed aggressively. The Committee agreed that this loophole should be closed somehow.