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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARC.min.05022007 A~&~cE~ DRAFT ASPEN RECREATION CENTER ARC ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes May 2, 2007 In Attendance: Board Members: Sue Smedstad, Debbie Ware, Barbara Owen. Staff Member(s): Tim Anderson, Jonathan Godes, Jojo Smith Guests: Toni Kronberg I. Call to Order - Sue identified that a quorum was not present and minutes could not be approved. Sue suggested getting started on the agenda and taking input from attending committee members. Minutes could be approved later in the meeting if a quorum were to show up. Committee Comments: Barbara asked for the contact to the electronic signs along Maroon Creek Road so the Skating Club could advertise the skating club show on the 5th of May and provide information regarding parking. Staff directed her to Tim Ware with the City. Debbie informed the committee that the Womens State Hockey Tournament went great and everyone seemed to have a good time at the tournament as well as in town. Sue identified that she agreed with Rick Newton's comments regarding the pool meeting on April 24th with Council. The attending members asked that in the future committee members confirm attendance to meetings. They also asked that committee members show up on time so meetings may begin promptly. Staff Comments: Tim Anderson informed the AC that the removal oflockers in the lower Aspen locker room at the LIA would begin this month so we could open up an area to expand fitness programs in the ARC. This had been approved by the AC at an earlier meeting this year. The lockers will be taken to the ice garden for use. Staff will also begin work on the installation of showers, sinks, and toilets in the Aspen locker rooms to team members don't always have to worry about what team room they are to use. Tim then identified that Lauren Zedonis has been promoted to the Guest Services Supervisor and part of her duties would be to program fitness and climbing in the facility. Tim also informed the AC that the entire ARC staff and new supervisors will be actively pursing additional programming ideas within the ARC and seek to partner with user groups in promoting some of these programs. Barbara informed the AC and present staffthat rink staff in the past has said that a stretch bar and mirrors would be installed in the figure skating locker room. Current staff was not aware of this, but we would pursue conversations with the Skating club. Guest Comments: Comments were taken at the end of the meeting on this date. Toni Kronberg mentioned that all of the City Council candidates have mentioned the sale of the ice garden for affordable housing and the AC should be considering this. The AC and staff identified that the SPARC agreement stipulates certain criteria in which such a sale could take place. II. Approval of Past Minutes: Postponed to the June meeting. III. Discussion Items: Outdoor Pools: The AC was quite disappointed with the direction or lack thereof, which was provided to staff regarding the outdoor pools. It was cited by both staff and the AC members that we thought we would at least receive approval to move forward with detailed design. Staff informed the AC that we will be backing up and building a new presentation for the pools. We feel in general the next presentation should create a vision, and not just for pools, but for community need regarding the entire ARC and how it fits into this community, the business plan, and future operations. The AC will most likely need to take a very strong stand regarding the fact that a Business Plan was adopted, Council agreed to an improvement plan for the ARC which is identified in the Business Plan, and how the pool and ARC improvement plan relate to the business plan. Staff will work on programming issues, firm numbers for operations, programming ideas, so a more complete vision can be seen by all. . Monthly Revenue Report: The ARC is up for the month of April 2007 over the same period of2006 by 10%. Swim lessons, merchandise sales, and valley daily entry's seem to be adding to the trend. Year to date 2007 over 2006 revenues are up by 13% at the ARC due to similar trends, but increases in pass sales as well. . Capital Improvements: Staff informed the AC again that the 2008 budgety process would begin this month. Staff once again asked the AC ifthere were any thoughts or concerns regarding future Capital Improvements at the ARC. If any idea come to the AC they are urged to e:mail staff with their thoughts. Staff informed the AC that preventative maintenance, replacement. upgrades, and patron customer comforts are all part of the consideration by staff each year. . Ice Operations Audit: Staff identified that research has show that while some AC members felt that the ice facilities were more expensive than other rinks identified in the Audit, in fact staff feels that we are more affordable and at the same time it costs us 30% more to operate in Aspen. Weare finding while our daily rate is more expensive it includes the ice skate rental. This places Aspen on the same level with other facilities for daily use. When we look at the use of passes, most kids are spending less on average than other rinks. 1 a youth comes to the ARC 3 times per week with a monthly pass they are paying $2.50 per visit, well below the other rinks identified in the audit. Staff also informed the AC that we have scholarships for kids who truly cannot afford the fees. At the same time scholarships had been provided to needy families in the past due to the work of past member Alice Davis, and the results of those donations were: *One family came sporadically for three months *Two families came for one month or less *Five families never even picked up their scholarship passes In addition to try and break out the Ice for a separate daily fee, staff feels that other users would require the same privileges which would lead to increased operational costs and a departure from the goals of the business plan. . Business Calendar: Budget dates were identified, closure dates of May 21 st thru June 10th for the Ice Garden were identified and September 8th thru 16th for the ARC was identified. The work taking place at the ARC in the pool locker rooms will most likely take longer than the one week and staff will utilize hockey locker rooms and family rooms to accommodate patrons. IV. Updates: . Energy Improvements: The ARC energy improvement plan is slated to go before Council on the 14th of May. Operational savings which will be realized from the improvements will be integrated into the 2008 budget. The project should be completed by the end of 2007 and save the ARC an estimated $130,000 annually in utility costs. . Ice Facilities Manager: Both Jojo Smith (ice facilities manager) and Jonathan Godes (deputy director of Recreation) have been meeting with user groups of the ice facilities to see how we can improve service and program more. These two are open to new ideas and with to partner with user groups in developing additional ice programming. . Concession Contact: There continue to be issues with the operators ofBUNZ, the new concessionaire at the ARC. Prices seem high, they have stated that employees are difficult to obtain, and the stock of goods seem to be low many times. The AC has asked that BUNZ attend the June meeting to discuss the operations of the concession stand further. V. Action Item(s): . Staff informed the AC that the Ice Garden will close the 21 st of May thru the 10th of June for maintenance and cleaning. No action was able to take place due to a lack of a quorum; but maintenance at that time did not seem to be of issue to the AC. . Staff further identified that the planned dates for maintenance shut down of the ARC will be September 8th thru 16th. VI. Other Business: None The committee was adjourned and will meet again on June 6, 2007. ********************************