MRPA Minnesota Magazine - Fall 2019

MINNESOTA Recreation and

Volume 14, Issue 3 • Fall 2019

2019

RECOGNIZING MINNESOTA AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS Also inside:

Referendums Help Improve Communities

www.mnrpa.org

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MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks

Publisher Minnesota Recreation and Park Association 200 Charles Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432 www.mnrpa.org Tel: 763.571.1305 An affiliate of National Recreation and Park Association

Editorial Staff Michelle J. Snider Bethani Gerhard Editorial Board Jennifer Fink, New Brighton Lori Hokenson, New Brighton Lucie Patrick, Maple Grove John W. Stutzman, Golden Valley Advertising Sales & Design Todd Pernsteiner, Pernsteiner Creative Group info@pernsteiner.com 952.841.1111 MRPA Board of Directors 2019 President: Tom Schmitz, New Ulm President-Elect: Chris Esser, South St. Paul Past President: Boe Carlson, Three Rivers Park District Secretary: Sara McKay, Waseca Treasurer: Dale McCamish, Rochester RSC Chair: Jerome Krieger, Blaine East Metro: Barry Bernstein, Apple Valley East Metro: Andy Soltvedt, Anoka County East Metro: Reed Smidt, Woodbury Northeast Region: Ross Demant, Otsego Northwest Region: Marcia Larson, Bemidji Southern Region: Paul Peanasky, Faribault West Metro: Kelly Mertes, Brooklyn Park West Metro: Sonya Rippe, Plymouth West Metro: Nate Rosa, St. Louis Park This magazine is the official quarterly publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary to members as part of their MRPA membership. The editorial board encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication by agency members.

Articles of approximately 500-700 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity. Contact Michelle Snider, MRPA, at 763.571.1305 x100 if interested in submitting an article for a future issue.

Deadlines for Articles and Advertising Winter 2020 issue...................November 15, 2019 Spring 2020 Issue.......................... March 15, 2020 Summer 2020 issue..........................May 15 , 2020 Fall 2020 issue................................August 1, 2020 MRPA reserves the right to approve all submitted advertising in MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952.841.1111 or info@pernsteiner.com.

MRPA Events Calendar a nte rn Jack O’L ball e Pickle e r Ja m b o t en Tournam 19 r e Oc tob lt u a Farib

Ac tive Shoote r Incide in a Cit nt y Build in g O c to b e r2 Brookly 4 n Park

ork & Day’s W All in a Truly y c Agen Is Your ar in m e tS Relevan r 25 Oc tobe n Park ly k o Bro

Playgr ou nd Mainte n a n ce Co u r s e O c to b e r 29 St. Lou is Park ic all Class B u t t e rb na ment r u o T ll a Pickleb er 21 m e N ov b Crys tal

2019 M R Confer PA Annual e n ce a nd Exhibit Hall N ov e m ber 5 - 8 Brookly n Ce nt er

Ma na At hletic e t u Instit er 3 D e ce m b rove G Maple

MRPA Annua l Ge ne ra l Mee t ing and Aw a rds Lu nc he on Ja nu a r y 10, 20 20 N ew B r ighton

ge m e n t

Co m m unicatio ns St r a t e g y for P ublic Agenc ies Wo rk s h op Ja nu a r y 28 , 2 0 20 N ew B r ighton

VISIT WWW.MNRPA.ORG TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON MRPA EVENTS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Board President..........................4

Ready to Take the Leadership Leap?......14

Foundation Corner.....................................6

MRPA Awards of Excellence........16-26

MRPF “Where are They Now?”.................6

Referendums in MN Communities... 28-32

MRPA in Action...........................................8

Tennis in Your Park....................................34

Meet Meredith Lawrence..........................8

The Rainflower Project....................... 36-37

Keeping Up...........................................10-11

2019 MRPA Corporate Members............37

MRPA Flashback........................................11

2020 MINNESOTA Magazine............38-39

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 3

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

By Tom Schmitz, MRPA President

Hello members, associates and friends!

Wow, summer is already over! Where did it go? Time continues to fly by way too quickly. Let’s hope for a long, colorful autumn.

The fall sports season is, or will be, winding down soon. Before we know it, it’ll be time to wax the skis and boards, along with preparing the plows. Good riddance to the oppressive humidity, heat and insects. Recreation is essential, during all four seasons. It sure is fun working in a dynamic, year-round industry. Everyone should keep getting out to enjoy the multitude of seasonal recreational opportunities.

Once again, our association magazine has excellent articles to share and learn from.

1. Our Annual Conference – Don’t forget to put this on your calendar and get registered. This year, we’ll be at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center from November 5-8. Thank you to the conference co-chairs Jessie Koch, Kelly Mertes and Paul Pearson along with all the members of the various committees! Our theme is “Locally Grown” and there will be a multitude of excellent educational sessions, off-site institutes, exhibit hall and networking opportunities.

2. Congratulations to all the 2019 Awards of Excellence recipients! There are excellent projects, programs and initiatives taking place all over our great state. I highly recommend you take time to see, experience and learn from our fellow practitioners. Projects and programs can often be replicated to serve even more citizens.

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3. Congratulations to all the successful recent park and recreation capital development referendums including those in Elk River, Rogers and Brooklyn Park. Citizens approving such public capital improvements, are truly investing in a community’s future. Communities need employers, employers need employees and employees need quality of life, including modern recreation and fitness amenities for all. New Ulm is in the midst of adding six major parks and recreation system improvements with $15M in local 0.5 percent sales tax. This is New Ulm’s sales tax round two, round one was 20 years ago and greatly enhanced its parks and recreation ystem.

4. Enjoy the article from USTA Northern about their “Tennis In Your Park” program. This program helps get adults playing tennis consistently, by providing high-quality lessons in their communities.

Finally, make certain you and yours, get an autumn vacation planned into your schedule!

Splashpads and waterslides to playgrounds and site furnishings, any park or playground you can imagine we can help make a reality.

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FOUNDATION CORNER

By John W. Stutzman, CPRP, MRPF President

Minnesota Recreation & Park Foundation’s (MRPF) primary objective of providing support to the education, innovation and training for all members of the recreation profession and the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (MRPA).

As the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to promoting excellence in the parks and recreation profession, the volunteers who serve on our Board of Trustees are continuously working to ensure the success and growth of our educational and networking opportunities, grants, and student and continuing education scholarships. These initiatives not only allow us to serve our membership, but also to provide annual financial contributions to MRPA.

DID YOU KNOW… The Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation…

• Members

and their organizations can apply for up to $4,000 of funding with a MRPF New Initiative Grant?

We support our members and their new programming opportunities.

Applications are currently being accepted now through November 1.

Contact Lisa at labernathy@stlouispark. org for more information. launched a new website? Check it out at www.mnrpf.org

• Has

• Is

once again a proud financial supporter of the Annual Conference as a general conference sponsor and student luncheon? The MRPF silent auction fundraiser, featured at the exhibit hall will showcase sports packages, family activities bundles, themed baskets and much more.

Donations for auction items are currently being solicited. If you or your organization is able to donate item(s) please contact Mike at MRamirez@ bloomingtonmn.gov.

• Will

be holding our annual election for members of the Board of Trustees?

Four Board seats will be on the ballot.

If you are interested in running for the Board, contact Michelle today at Michelle.Margo@brooklynpark.org.

As we approach our budgeting process for 2020, if there are areas you would like to see MRPF become more involved, provide new opportunities, or ways we can better serve our membership, please contact me at jstutzman@ goldenvalleymn.gov. We look forward to seeing all of you at the Annual Conference in November!

• Is

excited to honor student and professional members who are working towards their educational goals? We will present the 2019 MRPF student scholarships to this year’s recipients at the Annual Conference.

MRPF Student Scholarship Recipient: Where are They Now? Heidi Weiler: 2017 Recipient As a junior at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (UWL) majoring in recreation management, Heidi was already displaying the ambition and passion of a veteran parks and recreation professional. These traits, along with her strong academic background and impressive professional experience, earned her a MRPF student scholarship.

Utilizing connections made throughout her scholarship experience, Heidi’s professional journey led her to the City

of Golden Valley, where she was hired as the summer program coordinator. She provided direction for the day-to-day operations for seasonal youth programs and events.

Upon returning to UWL for her last semester, Heidi continued to seek out opportunities which would aid her pursuit of employment after graduating. Heidi was once again honored, this time by the National Recreation and Park Association with a student scholarship to attend the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis. This experience expanded her professional network and created introductions to like-minded individuals throughout Minnesota and across the nation.

As Heidi’s academic career approached completion, she began searching for

6 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

an internship to fulfill her educational requirements. During her time in Golden Valley, she clearly left a positive impression which earned her strong consideration for the permanent parttime recreation coordinator position.

In November 2018, Heidi was offered the position and worked with both UWL and Golden Valley to allow it not only serve as the first position as a parks and recreation professional, but also to fulfill her internship requirement.

Heidi has graduated from UWL, has accepted a full-time position with the City of New Brighton, and has become an active member of MRPA and MRPF, taking on leadership roles with the Young Professional and Student Network, and the silent auction and raffle fundraiser.

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MRPA IN ACTION Young Professional and Student Network Join the Young Professional and Student Network (YPSN) at the conference! There will be a resource center during the exhibit hall on November 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. Also, join the YPSN session at conference on November 7, and the YPSN networking event following the keynote speaker at the Embassy Suites at 4:30 p.m.

The YPSN also has monthly conference calls which are held with an easy dial-in number. Calls are recorded for those who aren’t able to attend.

This is a great way for students and young professionals under age 35 to become involved and network in a unique way.

The YPSN Facebook page is a resource for educational opportunities, to connect and collaborate with others, and for job opportunities: www.facebook.com/groups/MRPA.YPSN. If you have questions or would like to get involved, contact YPSN chair Sarah Hansen at 763-512-2364 or shansen@goldenvalleymn.gov.

Someone You Should Know: Meredith Lawrence was asked to help supervise field trips, the playground program, safety camp, and plan the local parks celebration.”

Lawrence adds, “When I turned 18, I was asked to run the tennis program. In collaboration with my supervisor, we added some new programs and were able to increase participation from 50 to 250 kids.

I worked this job throughout college. The summer between my junior and senior year, I interned with the City in recreation management.”

While in third grade, Meredith Lawrence joined the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation tennis camp. “As a child, my mom wanted me to try tennis since she had played tennis in college,” she states. “I remember coming home the first day, hooked on the sport, constantly asking my mom if we could go to the local park to practice.”

When Lawrence turned 16, she was hired by the City of Mendota Heights as a tennis coach at the same camp she had learned to play tennis. “I took that opportunity to learn as much as I could from my supervisor,” she says. “In addition to coaching tennis I

Lawrence went to school at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and also played tennis. She says, “I thought I wanted to follow my mom’s career path in business. I started out taking business classes and was also interested in marketing. During my junior year, my advisor recommended I add another major because I had two open semesters to fill. I went to the registrar and was then double majoring in sports management and business administration, with an emphasis in marketing.”

Upon graduation she knew she wanted to return to the Twin Cities and decided to coach tennis one more summer before looking for a full-time job. “When the tennis season finished, my supervisor had taken a new job so I stayed on for a few months to help the assistant city administrator with recreation programs and running the cityowned golf course.”

Lawrence adds, “My supervisor recommended I listen in on some of the MRPA Young Professional and Student Network conference calls. I found the calls to be very helpful for someone interested in the field that had plenty of questions about the profession.”

In November 2017, Lawrence was hired as the full-time recreation program coordinator with the City of Mendota Heights. “Although I was set on going the business route, I found this is where my passion lies,” she states. “I have recently enrolled in the Master’s of Public Administration program at Hamline to try to be more successful in my current position.”

Lawrence’s supervisor encouraged her to attend MRPA educational sessions, the programming and athletic management sections, and make connections that can be a source of information, encouragement and ideas for future ideas or improvements.

“I have enjoyed being involved in MRPA and meeting so many welcoming people who have taught me so much about this profession,” she states. “I attended my first MRPA conference in Rochester in 2018 and look forward to this year’s conference in Brooklyn Center. It is my hope to attend the NRPA Conference in 2020! I am excited to be the programming section chair this coming year and learn from some very successful and intelligent people in our field.”

MRPA members are the heart of our organization. They are involved and committed to advancing the parks and recreation programming. MRPA in Action is a new magazine feature which will highlight one section/committee and one professional per issue.

8 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

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KEEPING UP Lori Meyers Retires After 23 Years with Washington County Parks Lori Meyers grew up in Lake City, Minn., a small town that had a great summer recreation program. “Biking or walking to activities was easy and affordable,” states Meyers. “I enjoyed being outside and often camped with my family in our homemade camper. We had great summer vacations going out West or Up North. I was always making campfires and hiking as much as I could.”

Athletics has also been a big part of her life. “My college decision was easily made to follow my passion for the outdoors and get a degree in park management and recreation,” Meyers adds. “I interned my summers during college for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and worked at the visitor center on Hwy 70, between Pine

City and Grantsburg. I also interned at Nugget Lake County Park in Wisconsin.

After I graduated from college, I ran a campground on the Apple River.”

When Washington County purchased St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park in 1996, she says she got her ‘foot in the door’ with the parks division. “I was also able to become a MRPA member and be involved with the

aquatic section,” adds Meyers. “It had been a long time since I had been a lifeguard, so sharing and learning from that section really helped me with beach operations.

I think not having to ‘reinvent the wheel’ has been the most helpful.

Members of the section were so encouraging and resourceful.

Through the section I was also able to help with MRPA Aquatic Conference and bring the Disney Institute to Minnesota.”

Meyers states, “My relationships and networking opportunities with other MRPA members have been very rewarding.

I will miss the meetings and social engagements with many friends I have made through the MRPA. Watch for me as I may be passing by pulling my Jayco Hummingbird camper behind my Jeep.”

“Tall Paul” Prior Retires After Amost 45 Years in Parks and Recreation gathering place.”

In May of 1974, he was hired for two weeks as a recreation aide. This first recreation job was to greet students leaving Frost Lake Elementary School at the end of the school day as they entered the newly constructed adjacent recreation center.

The job was short-lived, but the recreation hook was set.

On July 31, 2019, after almost 45 years with Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, Paul Prior retired as a program supervisor.

Prior says he played and volunteered at Frost Lake Park (initially, a semi-trailer with pot belly stove) conveniently located across the street from his childhood home.

“During the summer, neighborhood children played box hockey and board games in the shade of the semi-trailer,” he states. “In the winter, we went sledding, ice skating, or played boot hockey on the adjacent lake ‘pond.’ The semi-trailer was a year-round ‘hot spot’ and friendly

In 1977, Prior was re-hired to work as a recreation leader. He worked at Frost Lake Recreation Center through college, and upon graduation from the University of Minnesota in 1980, the City of Saint Paul offered him a full-time position as recreation center director at McDonough Recreation Center. “It was still under construction when he was hired, so the City provided me a unique 15-week training opportunity where I was mentored by experienced recreation staff for one-week stints at various sites around Saint Paul,” says Prior. “Staff taught me about recreation center finances, fundraising, nurturing of volunteer groups, programming, marketing, and networking across the many City departments. I worked in the shanty building on the fields

10 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

until the new McDonough Recreation Center opened.”

Due to mid-1980s budget cuts, Prior was laid-off from the City for about 19 months, but he continued recreation work in the private sector as a manager at a Spring Lake Park roller rink. When re-hired by Saint Paul, he says he brought many private sector skills to parks and recreation.

Through the 1990s, Prior worked as a community education/recreation coordinator in Saint Paul Public Schools.

Coordinators provided a catalogue of educational, recreational, social, cultural and service learning activities in the lighted schoolhouses across Saint Paul.

One of his specialties was development of community education’s special needs programming. In the early 2000s, the City/ School District partnership was dissolved, and Prior returned to a recreation center.

Around 2003, Prior was brought into Saint Paul Parks and Recreation’s administrative offices as a program supervisor to work with year-round aquatics programs, the safety and security office, municipal athletics programs, management of Saint

KEEPING UP

Paul Parks and Recreation’s many management agreements, contracts, leases, licenses, and memorandums of understanding, ski program, and other miscellaneous assignments including City liaison to large special events (e.g. Taste of Minnesota, Irish Fair, Winter Carnival, Dragon Fest), annual department and MRPA conferences, management of Parks Laserfiche, acquisition and implementation of the Citywide Archibus asset management system, and most recently the two and a half year renovation and expansion of the Highland Park Disc Golf Course.

In 2005, Prior piloted the first annual contract compliance assessment and safety and security site review of Allied Management Company’s operations at Watergate Marina. That pilot contract compliance assessment and site review quickly became a requirement for all parks and recreation leases, licenses and management agreements.

Over the span of his career in recreation, he attended numerous MRPA and NRPA conferences, and served on planning committees for both. The life-long learning opportunities and relationships developed through MRPA and NRPA are abundant. He encourages everyone to become active in both organizations.

Three Rivers Park District Receives Innovation Award from NRPA The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) announced the recipients of this year’s NRPA Innovation Awards. The awards were presented at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference, September 24–26, in Baltimore, Maryland. NRPA also announced the winner of its Best in Innovation Award, which recognizes the best of the best in park and recreation innovation; the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida received that honor.

The NRPA Innovation Awards recognize park and recreation agencies nationwide that have improved and strengthened their communities through innovative practices in park design, health and wellness, conservation and social equity. The recipients of this year’s awards were: Innovation in Park Design Award Three Rivers Park District for Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail, Plymouth, Minnesota Best in Innovation Award and Innovation in Health Award City of Port St. Lucie Parks and Recreation for Rock Steady Boxing, Port St. Lucie, Florida Innovation in Conservation Award Metroparks Toledo for Howard Marsh Metropark – Phase 1 Construction, Toledo, Ohio Innovation in Social Equity Award City of Santa Clarita for Jakes Way Neighborhood Program, Santa Clarita, California Read about the 2019 winners and find information about submitting for the 2020 awards at www.nrpa.org/our-work/awards/innovation-awards/

MRPA

This photo was taken during the 1997 Minnesota Recreation and Park Association’s State Boot Hockey Tournaments. There were 22 men’s teams that participated in the tournaments at Andrews Park in Champlin, January 18 - 19, 1997.

Boot hockey was one of the recreational sports offered through MPRA from the 1980s – 2008.

FLASHBACK

Flashback: 1997

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 11

Don’t miss it! Register today!

Schedule At-A-Glance

82ND ANNUAL

Tuesday, November 5

MRPA Annual Conference & Exhibit Hall

Registration Check-In......... 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Pre-Conference Institute................1 - 4 p.m.

Wednesday, November 6 Registration Check-In................8 - 8:30 a.m.

Welcome & Opening Keynote............... 8:30 - 10:15 a.m.

Educational Sessions.........10:30 - 11:45 a.m.

NOVEMBER 5-8, 2019 Earle Brown Heritage Center • Brooklyn Center, MN

Lunch.............................. 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Exhibit Hall...................................1 - 4 p.m.

Networking Event........................ 4 - 6 p.m.

Thursday, November 7 Registration Check-In ...............8 - 8:30 a.m.

Educational Sessions........... 8:30 - 9:45 a.m.

Off-Site Institute...................... 8:30 - 11 a.m.

Educational Sessions...............10 - 11:15 a.m.

Lunch........................11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Educational Sessions.............. 12:45 - 2 p.m.

Off-Site Institutes............... 12:30 - 2:45 p.m.

Educational Speed Sessions...... 2:15 - 3 p.m.

Afternoon Keynote...............3:15 - 4:30 p.m.

Friday, November 8 Registration Check-In................8 - 8:30 a.m.

Closing Keynote.................. 8:30 - 9:45 a.m.

Educational Sessions...............10 - 11:15 a.m.

Educational Sessions...11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

There’s still time to register for the 82nd Annual Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Conference in Brooklyn Center. This conference will offer valuable networking events and the chance to meet a variety of vendors during the exhibit hall. We extend sincere gratitude to our conference sponsors and partners, as well as to the Annual Conference Committee for helping to make the 2019 MRPA Conference a great success. Thanks to all of you for joining us for a conference filled with locally grown talent and resources, and seeds of information you can bring back to help your community grow.

Register online at mnrpa. org or download and mail in the registration form. On site registration the day of the Conference available while space allows.

Thank You 2019 Sponsors!* Thank you to these MRPA Annual Conference sponsors for making this event possible:

Formerly 2nd Wind Excercies Equipment

Take Part in These MRPF Activities at the Conference!

• MN Wild Hockey Shot

• MN Timberwolves Hoop Shoot

Tweet from the conference using hashtag #mrpaconference2019

• Silent Auction & Raffle

Auction and raffle benefit MRPF scholarships and program grants.

12 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

*As of pres s time.

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Ready to take the

LEADERSHIP

LEAP?

MRPA is looking for members seeking to take the next step in their professional journey.

Get ready for that leadership opportunity by guiding new and revitalized networks.

MRPA Network Opportunities: Annual Conference: Plans the Association’s largest event with the following focus areas: educational sessions, exhibit hall, networking event, volunteers, logistics, and sponsorships Aquatics: Dedicated to the management, staffing, programming, operation, and legal considerations of running indoor and outdoor pools and beaches

Athletic Management: Shares best practices, and current and future trends with sports-minded professionals, while cultivating strategic partnerships in the everevolving world of recreational sports.

Awards: Offers statewide recognition programs for members agencies and professionals Communications: Participates within the Association’s communications channels: editorial board, online forum, social media, and/or print and website management

Legislative: Monitors state and federal legislation and educates decision-makers on topics impacting the profession in accordance with the annual legislative platform Programming: Provides education, networking, and resources for professionals who develop programs, outdoor recreation, and special events related to youth, teens, adults, and the active aging.

Young Professional and Student: Inspires and engages new members of the profession to network and pursue professional growth

Leap into action, leadership opportunities await!

How Can You Become Involved as a Leader?

MRPA needs one to two members to lead these new or revitalized networks:

Facilities • Leadership Development • Member Resources

14 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

New/Revitalized Networks Facilities: Provides forums for information exchange related to facility management and operations Leadership Development: Develops leadership abilities and attitudes to improve the skills and confidence of leaders through trends, best practices, and management networks Member Resources: Enhances member relations and professional development opportunities

For more information, email Michelle Snider

by October 25 at snider@mnrpa.org

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 14

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2019 RECOGNIZING MINNESOTA AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

By Kiley Foss, MRPA Summer Intern

16 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Each year MRPA recognizes agencies or organization in Minnesota for outstanding achievements. The following are the recipients of the MRPA Awards of Excellence for projects completed in 2018.

Administrative or Management Strategies Eden Prairie – Passport to Fun Scholarship Program In an effort to make funding for programs more accessible and the process more efficient, Eden Prairie Parks and Recreation restructured their scholarship program – “Passport To Fun.” Previously, applicants would apply for funding and would have $100 applied to their account. Now a 50-percent discount is applied to the account. The customer service staff are able to see if the applicant had been approved.

Research was conducted by staff to seek out opportunities for improvements. First, staff contacted neighboring communities to poll how their scholarship programs were administered. The next phase addressed whether their registration software, RecTrac, could administer this change appropriately. Testing was then performed for approximately a month before rolling out the new process to the current Passport To Fun members. Collaboration with the non-profit People Reaching Out to People (PROP) was necessary during the transition. PROP provides funding for those that qualify, therefore the other 50-percent of the payment for programs were covered either partially or fully on behalf of the participant.

Eden Prairie award recipients (left to right): Lori Brink (City of Eden Prairie), Jay Lotthammer (City of Eden Prairie), Brad Aho (City of Eden Prairie), Aimee Peterson (MRPA awards committee member), and Valerie Verley (City of Eden Prairie)

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 17

Roseville – Unity Park: A Non-Identified Park with Strong Community Support Unity Park was a small private parcel of land that was not identified in the recent parks and recreation system master plan for acquisition. It was pursued because of strong community interest, and the uniqueness of its location relative to apartment buildings occupied by new U.S. citizens. The overall interest was to create

a safe learning and gathering area close to the apartments. This was an opportunity to create an area where intergenerational and inter-ethnic could gather, as well as an area for programs, services and other offerings.

The planning and development process was successfully initiated and championed

by community members. This project challenged staff to think outside the box, listen intently, and determine to involve new U.S. citizens. Rec-Connect Youth Outreach program was established specifically for this area as a pilot program to introduce new U.S. citizens to public parks.

Marketing & Communications Plymouth – Plymouth Creek Center Community Engagement The 20-year-old Plymouth Creek Center serves as an important hub for senior, arts and recreation programming, as well as community events. The wellused center needed maintenance and updates, so City Council directed staff to conduct a formal community engagement process to help gauge community interest, and develop the best fit for facility users. Four primary tools were utilized with the goal of creating convenient discussion with as many Plymouth residents as possible.

Two new technology tools were utilized for collecting feedback throughout this process – FlashVote and Social Pinpoint. FlashVote is a quick online and mobile survey tool that has allowed Plymouth residents to give their input on a range of community initiatives. The results included an informational analysis of responses by demographic data such as age, gender, property ownership and ward residents. Social Pinpoint is a social mapping tool which allowed citizens of Plymouth the opportunity to view the project from their phone or computer and place comments anywhere on the aerial site plan. Once a comment was “pinned,” other users were free to upvote, or react, helping the community create a vibrant online dialogue about the project.

18 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Parks and Facilities: Burnsville – Archer Park Burnsville is a community that is 98-percent developed leaving little to no vacant land available for new projects. In 2016, a local business submitted a request to purchase land abutting their property for additional space. At the time of the request, the property served as the home of the archery range.

Staff needed to identify a safe and suitable site to relocate the existing range or face the possibility of losing a park that serves a unique and growing recreational community. After a full review of existing park systems, it was determined that there was no existing park land that could properly meet the relocation requirements. As a last resort, staff identified one piece of City-owned property that met all the above requirements. The primary goal was to create a safe site design that met the needs of the Burnsville archery community within the existing budget. Not only does the City of Burnsville have an archery range, but it is one of the nicest archery ranges in the Midwest.

Crystal – Edible Courtyard The purpose of this project was to create a free edible courtyard at the Crystal Community Center, which would be used to grow fruits, herbs, and vegetables for everyone to share. This project helped transform an outdoor space at the Crystal Community Center that was underutilized, and turn it into a vibrant edible courtyard. The garden provides food access and food education to all, while giving us a place to engage and organize the community around healthy foods.

The edible courtyard was funded through the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership and Hennepin County Public Health Promotion. This funding allowed the City of Crystal to work with the nonprofit, A Backyard Farm, to create a great edible space.

Golden Valley – Lawn Bowling Green at Brookview Golf Course The concept to add a Lawn Bowling Green at Brookview Golf Course was proposed and implemented in order to create an aligned nongolf attraction appropriate for a wide range of ages. Lawn bowling is a lifetime recreational activity requiring no specialized skills and is similar to bocce ball. Participants do not need any specialized equipment and full instruction is provided. This new amenity was the first municipal lawn bowling green in Minnesota to be operated by a golf course with a parks and recreation programming model for use and access.

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 19

Owatonna – North Straight River Parkway This project consisted of construction of 2.1 miles of multi-use trail along the Straight River in Owatonna. The previous trail consisted of dirt and woodchips and was often washed out after a heavy rain.

The parkway connects the 26th Street Trail on the northern end of the city to the Buxton Trail at the edge of the downtown area. This connection is very important for the safety of bicycle commuters, youth heading to the water park, and many others. The project was funded using only 5-percent city funds and the rest was covered by grant dollars, such as a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant and a Minnesota DNR Local Trails Connection Grant, along with land donations.

Plymouth – Rotary Tree Walk The Rotary Tree Walk is an education project, in addition to a tree planting project. The planting event was held along Lake Camelot on June 2, 2018. It provides continuous opportunities to learn about 40 trees suitable for planting in Plymouth, provides shade for the city trail, and offers screening for the adjacent homeowners. Users of the new walking path on the south side of Lake Camelot can enjoy all 40 trees and learn about each specie from the informational plates that are posted by the trees. This project combined resources from different contributors to make a positive environmental statement for years to come.

The main partner with this project was the Rotary Club of Plymouth. The City celebrated its 34th Arbor Day at the planting event, where more than 40 residents and volunteers assisted in the installation of the trees.

The long-standing Arbor Day tradition demonstrates Plymouth’s commitment to trees and the environment.

Plymouth Rotary President Jason Cardwell said it best, “the collaborative efforts of many coming together to make it a project that serves the earth, people’s connection and awareness to it, and offers beauty into a neighborhood of homes and families.”

Owatonna – Sid Kinyon Repurposing The tennis courts at Lincoln School in Owatonna were deteriorating, and there was not enough budgeted in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to do necessary repairs.

The tennis courts were locked in 2014 when they were deemed to be too dangerous to play on. Parks and recreation determined the multi-use facility would provide the best “bang for the buck.” The CIP dollars provided a 50-percent match to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Grant. In 2018, the existing courts were removed. The rebuild project consisted of one tennis court, two pickleball courts, as well as concrete fixtures: two bean bag boards, one ping pong table, a bocce ball court, and an open space for spectators and additional games. Waterproof lockboxes/lockers with keypads for equipment were also added. Codes were provided free of charge to residents. The two goals of this multi-use facility were to break down cost barriers for people to participate, and to encourage unstructured free play.

20 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

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Shoreview – Community Center Expansion Project In October 2017, the most significant expansion project started at the Shoreview Community Center. Over 25,000 square feet was added to the existing building, and over 35,000 square feet of space was remodeled.

The total cost of this project including architect fees was $16,579,350. The project also included a nearly 8,000 square foot expansion of the Tropics Indoor Waterpark called “Bamboo Bay.” Tropical Adventure Indoor Playground was expanded to provide a larger playground, a greatly improved toddler play area, and improved seating for adults. Four activity rooms were added on the upper level above the studios that can or will accommodate a variety of programs. This two-level expansion added 15,000 square feet to the community center. Another highlight of the project was remodeling the locker rooms and replacing the old concrete floor with LifeFloor, a foam rubber flooring system designed for use in wet areas with barefoot traffic. From the initial concept, the community has been very supportive of the Community Center Expansion Project.

Three Rivers Park District – Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail The Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail spans the communities of Hopkins, Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield, and Bloomington in suburban Hennepin County. As a critical component in Three Rivers Park District’s regional trail system, the trail provides vital non-motorized recreation and transportation connections to residents of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, as well as connections to Fort Snelling State Park and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The 15-mile paved, multi-use trail utilizes existing parkland and open space to the greatest extent possible to create high-quality recreational opportunities. The trail also serves as a linking function by connecting the regional parks and trail system to itself, connecting people to destinations including job centers, schools, libraries, retail/commercial nodes, churches, and parks, and provides a safe, non-motorized transportation option for a wide variety of user groups and skill levels.

22 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Washington County – Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park is now open.

This park underwent a major renovation starting in spring 2017, fully reopening in summer 2018.

Washington County, in partnership with the City of Cottage Grove and the South Washington Watershed District, partnered together to deliver over $8 million improvements to the park and surrounding roadway infrastructure. This project set the anchor for development within Cottage Grove, reinvigorated Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, provided stormwater control to allow regional growth in Woodbury and Cottage Grove, addressed intersection traffic safety concerns, and added capacity at a gateway connection into Cottage Grove from the trunk highway system.

Washington County – Point Douglas Regional Trail The vision for Point Douglas Regional Trail, to provide connectivity from Washington County to Prescott and Hastings, started over 20 years ago. Construction of the 2.5-mile trail, occurred in 2016 and 2017. The trail runs along an abandoned rail line along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. The final piece of the bridge was completed and opened to the public in June 2018. The trail provides scenic views of both the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers and links the three communities of Denmark Township, Hastings, and Prescott, three counties (Washington, Dakota, and Pierce County in Wisconsin), and two states, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The trail also provides a critical link that ties together numerous local, regional, and state trails, parks and natural areas into a cohesive, interlinked system.

Programming and Events: Crystal and New Hope – Young Mudder The parks and recreation departments of Crystal and New Hope worked together to offer a new youth special event in 2018 called the “Young Mudder.” The event was an outdoor obstacle course designed for youth ages 6-12 at Valley Place Park in Crystal. The course was filled with climbing walls, hay bales, tires, a mudpit, a giant slip and slide and much more. Each of the 12 obstacles was staffed by local volunteers from businesses, associations, police departments and the West Metro Fire. A DJ was on site to help keep the participants motivated, along with providing a great atmosphere.

Almost 200 participants and over 500 people were in attendance.

The race was funded by the registration fee of $25 per participant.

Each participant took home a swag bag with an event t-shirt, a Young Mudder dog tag, snacks and other goodies provided by event sponsors.

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 23

Eden Prairie – PeopleFest!

As a community growing in ethnic diversity, the City of Eden Prairie established a new, week-long series of events called “PeopleFest!

A Community Celebration of Culture.” The inaugural events featured a number of smaller-scale classes, demonstrations and speakers leading up to the culminating event – the “PeopleFest!

Party” which took place at Staring Lake Park amphitheatre and plaza. This collaborative effort came together as a result of a desire on the part of both City and School District leadership to showcase and celebrate the diversity of cultures represented in the Eden Prairie community.

Even with a new event concept/title and limited amount of time to market, PeopleFest! was well received by the Eden Prairie community. Overall participation by local organizations was higher than expected, and collective attendance at the week’s events was strong. The PeopleFest! Party alone had over 350 people in attendance, enjoying performances, learning about various organizations, trying a new ethnic food, taking part in collective artmaking and connecting with other Eden Prairie residents.

Plymouth – After Hours at the Creek Plymouth Parks and Recreation offered the first After Hours at the Creek event in 2018. This new event was geared towards adults (21+). The evening included appetizers and a pizza buffet, along with a cash bar. Entertainment included arcade games, inflatables, a DJ and a photo booth. The event headliner was Last Comic Standing finalist, Tommy Ryman, who entertained the crowd for an hour with his hilarious set and self-described, awkward disposition.

Tickets were sold online and at the door. Fees were $25/person which included food, admission to all activities/entertainment, plus a voucher for a free drink from the bar. The Plymouth Creek Center

24 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

(PCC) hosted the event - multiple rooms were used with the primary focus being the ballroom and Fireside Room, and the PCC Dome/ Fieldhouse held active games.

This first year, the goal was to bring in $2,500 in revenue which equated to 100 attendees. This goal was surpassed as 208 adult participants jumped in with staff to launch the event for the first time. This brought in $5,200 in revenue. After Hours at the Creek coordinators were able to present a fun and exciting event, which was also extremely reasonably priced, allowing for even greater attendance.

Plymouth – Ninja Warrior Camps Plymouth Parks and Recreation offered a series of ninja warrior camps. There were 350 participants at the three different camp options that were offered over a two-week period. The camp featured a top-notch, full-scale ninja warrior course, complete with a 20-foot warped wall, as well as a 120-foot inflatable obstacle course. Campers received a t-shirt and bottle of liquid hand chalk with their registration. Camps took place at the Plymouth Creek Center Fieldhouse and were setup on the artificial turf, taking up about half of a fullsized soccer field. Camps were open to participants ages 6-15.

Plymouth Parks and Recreation partnered with Ninjas United, LLC to offer the camps. The course was set-up for just over three weeks to allow time for set-up and tear down.

Ninjas United became an independent contractor through the City of Plymouth. The contractor supplied coaches, Plymouth took registrations and provided the space and administrative support – both parties agreed upon revenue percentage split. In two weeks of camps, 350 participants attempted to conquer this ninja warrior course.

St. Louis Park – Be the Light Winter Solstice Event Westwood Hills Nature Center held “Be the Light Winter Solstice” event, which was developed to bring awareness to mental health issues, provide resources for mental health, build community, and capitalize on the therapeutic value of spending time outdoors.

The activities included: a walk on wooded trails lit with luminaires, a fire with s’mores and hot cider, a personalized luminary, “shine on” temporary tattoos, a lit candle in support of someone who is struggling with mental health issues or remembrance of someone who is no longer with us because of those struggles, and a table of mental health resources from National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Plymouth – Skate the Garden Plymouth Parks and Recreation offered the first Skate the Garden. This free winter event included outdoor skating, music, hot chocolate and cookies. Rental skates were included at no cost. The mayor was a special guest at the event and skated alongside community members. The event took place on the Millennium Garden pond at the Plymouth Creek Center. The goal was to offer a simple and fun event, giving community members a chance to embrace winter in Minnesota.

Over 180 people attended this program, which is part of the City of St. Louis Park’s wellness initiative, Health in the Park, a grass roots initiative to create connections, engage in conversation and take action to inspire healthier, more active individuals.

Lighting was the highlight of Skate the Garden. LED lights helped an otherwise dark area, stand out. Staff purchased and prepped a 20-foot section of programmable rope lights. This section changed colors and darted in and out. Staff covered the lights with a tube for safety and burrowed a track into the ice where the lights would stay. This event proved once again that Minnesotans love outdoor recreation opportunities.

Feedback at the event, as well as on social media, was positive and reinforced the need for this event. Skate the Garden will be an annual event in collaboration between parks and recreation and forestry departments.

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 25

Washington County – Girl Scout Programs at the Historic Courthouse

Three Rivers Park District – Nordic Ski Opener

In 2018, Washington County Parks debuted three new Girl Scout programs designed to teach scouts the history of the Washington County Historic Courthouse and Washington County, inspire active citizens and help celebrate their communities. Each program included a tour of the historic courtroom, 1900s county jail and exhibit rooms.

All programs were council-sponsored, and fulfilled requirements to earn a badge. Ten program dates were offered with 434 Girl Scouts and chaperones in attendance. The program costs were very minimal since registration and marketing expenses were covered by the Girl Scouts of River Valley. The Girl Scout programs at the Washington County Historical Courthouse were unique in highlighting the history and architecture of the building while providing fun, interactive activities allowing children to have a better understanding of how historical sites and parks impact their communities.

The Minnesota Nordic Ski Opener brought the entire Nordic ski community together and introduced new skiers to the sport of Nordic skiing. The response from the Nordic ski community was overwhelmingly positive.

Event attendance was 2,549 during the hours of the event and there were 940 ski rentals. The Minnesota Nordic Ski Opener included seven components: Nordic ski tour where rental fees and day pass fees are waived, free Nordic ski lessons for beginners, Nordic ski expo with 50 vendors, kids’ area ski obstacle course run by the Minnesota Youth Ski League, Governor’s Proclamation reading, Nordic skiing team sprints exhibition race, and seminars by industry experts. The event provided the opportunity for the Nordic ski community to come together and celebrate.

Sponsorship and Partnerships: Three Rivers Park District – Partnering for a Better Play Area: French Regional Park and Park Brook Elementary School After nearly 30 years, the play area at French Regional Park was due for replacement. Staff emphasized the critical need for community engagement at the front end of the project, before the design phase. A theme rose to the surface: the play area is primarily used by kids; therefore, kids themselves should have an integral voice in the concept, design, and development. Staff quickly decided the best opportunity would be to engage a third-grade elementary school class, and charted a course of workshops over a two-year period.

Three faculty from Park Brook Elementary School in Brooklyn Park and 22 students (the Kid Task Force) partnered with the Three Rivers project team to participate in seven workshops at French Regional

26 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Park over the course of two years. They provided critical insight to the design of the new play area, along with continual decision making and feedback throughout the project. The goals of this partnership were to gather insight from youth to build a better project, educate from a unique perspective, and provide career

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 26

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Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 27

Referendums Help Improve Communities Three Minnesota cities receive tax referendums for facility additions and improvements, preservation of natural resources, community trail extensions and more.

By Stacy Chouinard, M.S., CPRP

28 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Elk River After a referendum for recreation facility improvements failed by only 818 votes in 2016, the City of Elk River went back to work. The city staff and council used what they learned from their initial efforts including community outreach which resulted in a citizen-led “vote yes to Active Elk River.” In addition, the City of Elk River contracted with Rapp Strategies to create a communications and outreach plan to further inform residents about the Active Elk River projects. In the fall of 2018, with 65-percent of the vote, Elk River voters approved a 0.5-percent sales tax to fund $35 million in projects.

Included in these projects were a $27.5 million multipurpose facility which included year-round ice, indoor fieldhouse for turf activities, meeting space and designated senior citizen programing space, now under construction with completion set for fall 2020.

Other Active Elk River projects included community trail extensions; a splash pad, skateboard park, pickleball and basketball courts, and modern restrooms at Orono Park; modern restrooms, ballfield improvements, concessions and lighting at Lion John Weicht Park and the Youth Athletic Center and the dredging of Lake Orono. An informational website is maintained daily to keep the community informed and educated on the progress of all the Active Elk River projects, check it out at www.activeelkriver.com.

In the fall of 2018, with 65-percent of the vote, Elk River voters approved a 0.5-percent sales tax to fund $35 million in projects.

Rendering by 292DesignGroup

Elk River groundbreaking celebration on July 10, 2019 (left to right): City Administrator Cal Portner, Parks and Recreation Director Michael Hecker, Arena Manager Rich Czech, Mayor John Dietz, Councilmember Jennifer Wagner, Councilmember Garrett Christianson, Councilmember Matt Westgaard, Public Works Director and Chief Engineer Justin Femrite

Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 29

Brooklyn Park The City of Brooklyn Park put its park system plan to work and the community showed their support last fall by passing a park reinvestment bond referendum totaling $26 million. The City of Brooklyn Park spent almost a full year engaging the community to develop their park system plan, which detailed their park system vision.

Projects defined in the plan included: preservation of natural resources, filling trail system gaps, wayfinding signs and lights, neighborhood park reinvestment, Community Activity Center renovations, synthetic turf and court redevelopment, addition of a second teen center, and investment in the Historic Eidem Farm.

30 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

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Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 31

The City of Brooklyn Park put its park system plan to work and the community showed their support last fall by passing a park reinvestment bond referendum totaling $26 million.

Rogers The City of Rogers passed a referendum last fall for funding parks and recreation needs through a combination of a .25-percent sales tax increase and a $20 motor vehicle excise tax.

The City of Rogers worked hard to understand community need, and community support for its projects. Through a multipronged approach they worked with WSB & Associates, the University of Minnesota Extension Services and the Morris Leatherman Company.

Starting in 2014, community input was gathered with WSB & Associates through user group interviews, online surveys and community cafes. The University of Minnesota Extension Services conducted a local option sales tax analysis and the Morris Leatherman Company used information from community input and the analysis to create a random sampling of the Rogers community. Information from this survey pointed towards funding support through an increase in local sales tax and an indoor pool/aquatics facility, community center and trail connections as the projects most willing to be supported. The total for all projects is estimated to be $16.5 million. The Rogers community passed the referendum with 51-percent of the vote. The City of Rogers becomes one of the first cities to be able to enact a local option sales tax inside of the Minneapolis St. Paul metro area.

To better understand the community’s willingness to support funding for these projects, the City of Brooklyn Park worked with the Trust for Public Land to conduct a financial feasibility study. The Trust for Public Land provided guidance to the City Council and staff to determine what should be on the referendum ballot and how much the community would be willing to support. In the end a total of $26 million in bonds funded through a property tax increase was passed with 63-percent of the vote.

Bonds were sold as Brooklyn Park took on each project and subsequently the property tax increases will be done over time as well. The passing of the referendum was supported by strong outreach efforts through a community outreach team and a community action team. These outreach efforts not only created community support for the park pystem plan but also support for the park bond referendum.

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The total for all projects is estimated to be $16.5 million. The Rogers community passed the referendum with 51-percent of the vote.

32 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

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Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 33

USTA Northern Helps Get

Tennis in Your Park

By Daniel T. Borgertpoepping

A core component in growing the game of tennis is getting more people on the court – and keeping them there. USTA Northern’s “Tennis In Your Park” program works to get more adults playing tennis consistently by providing high-quality lessons in their communities.

“The instructors are key to providing a positive, learning experience – when players have fun on court, they want to keep playing!” Maintaining and growing a pool of quality instructors is critical to the success of the program.

This season, 21 instructors have been hired and trained.

Schneider believes there is significant potential for growth. In addition to expanding the Tennis In Your Park Program, instructors can help direct interested players to Adult USTA 2.5 leagues and Mixed 5.5 leagues, as well as indoor play opportunities at facilities in the area.

Originally introduced in 2015, the program has grown rapidly. In its first year, Tennis In Your Park contracted with one community. A couple years later, that number has grown to 16 and sites have been expanded in Minneapolis while the number of participants has jumped from 129 to more than 500. USTA Northern’s Adult Recreational Play Coordinator Kathy Schneider oversees the program and credits communities and instructors for providing a fun, educational environment every session.

Along with building a pool of dedicated and passionate instructors, the curriculum has been evolving over the last four years. The Net Generation Community program has been adapted to address the specific needs of the adult player, with an emphasis on instant rally success.

Instructor Carter Bayne’s focus is on creating an enjoyable, active, and social atmosphere for all the participants in his classes; but he benefits from the positivity as well.

“The communities do such a great job getting the word out to their residents – they understand what the needs of their communities are, and how best to connect with them,” Schneider said.

“As a novice instructor, both the training class and Net Generation lesson plan binder were extremely helpful. It was nice to have a detailed lesson plan for each class, if needed,” said instructor Mark Encell. “I followed the lesson plans very closely for the first couple classes and from there on was more comfortable improvising more; but to have them as a reference guide was invaluable.”

34 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

“Every group just seems fantastic in their own way and it really makes me feel inspired about growing and maintaining the fantastic tennis community we have in the Twin Cities,” Bayne said.

Additionally, interest in the sport itself is only one of the reasons behind the burgeoning popularity.

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Photos by Laura Kingsbury Jones.

Rainflower Project Promotes Suicide Awareness

In support of National Suicide Prevention Week, The Rainflower Project was displayed in Memorial Park in Medicine Lake, Minn. the week of September 9, and at the AFSP Out of the Darkness walk at Como Park on September 15.

By Damien Wolf

I created The Rainflower Project to generate awareness and dialogue about positive mental health and to support the critical fight to prevent suicide.

But why am I doing it? I’ve lived with suicide as part of my life since I was 9 years old. My father struggled with depression and mental health issues that eventually led him to take my mother’s life, as well as his own. Over the years I’ve had other family members struggle with depression. I’ve had friends die from suicide. And in 2017, my business partner for more than a decade, and best friend for more than 20 years, died by suicide.

Over the past two years I’ve thought more about how suicide and mental health have affected my life, and the overall impact they have on society. I’ve started to speak to others to share my story, with a focus on being a survivor, strengthening resilience, and living with positive mental health.

I believe that one component of maintaining positive mental health is to keep active doing things that make you feel good.

Activities that give you back as much energy as you put into doing them. For me, one of those activities is ceramics. It is something that I’ve enjoyed since high school, but more recently have found it to be a vital part of who I am. When I was struggling with the loss of my friend, it is one of the activities that brought me a sense of peace and made time disappear.

The Rainflower™ Project became a way for me to do something I love, to reach out to other people affected by mental health and suicide, and generate awareness for a cause that is extremely personal for me and vitally important to everyone.

Just the Beginning To date I’ve made nearly 120 Rainflower memorials. I’m on my way to making 675 to complete

36 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

the initial installation – on average, over the past 10 years, 675 Minnesotans die by suicice every year.

Symbolism Like the people affected by suicide, each Rainflower is unique. They are small, big, tall, wide, pretty, simple, and come in just about any shape.

Each has its own character, imperfections, and beauty.

The leaves on the stem form an infinity symbol, reminding us to forever remember the people we’ve lost or the impact they’ve had on our lives.

What the Colors Represent Black = Darkness The dark side of mental health, the struggle we face as individuals and as a community, and the place where the mind blinds people from being able to believe they will ever feel good again. The black flowers represent the darkness

that occurs within each of us, individually, as well as the people within our community who are struggling.

Yellow = Light Positive mental health, energy, happiness — the way we want to feel, confidence, selfassuredness, able to live our own lives and importantly, able to be there to use our light to help those struggling with darkness.

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How They Are Made Each Rainflower memorial is handmade and one-of-a-kind 1. An initial form is thrown out of clay.

2. The base is trimmed to form a place to connect the form to a steel stem.

3. Next, each flower is hand-cut and carved to form it into a unique shape (every one is different).

4. Once dried, Rainflowers are bisque fired, glazed in one of three colors (yellow, white or black), and fired again.

5. The stems are made out of a 3 ft x 1 ⁄4” steel rod. Damien and his brother, Jerry Wolf, weld a disk to the bottom of stem, then use special tooling which allows them to handbend each stem.

6. Finally, the flowers are attached to the stems with an adhesive and are ready to be installed.

White = Remembrance and Hope We will never forget the loved ones we’ve lost to suicide and hope that people struggling with mental health challenges will feel better, and that someday we will find a way to end the pain that victims and survivors of suicide must endure.

Where the Installation Has Been To support suicide prevention awareness in the month of September, The Rainflower Project was displayed in Memorial Park in Medicine Lake, MN during the week of September 9, and it was installed at Como Park on September 15 as part of the Out of the Darkness walk organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

What’s Next Once the installation is complete, it will be used to create awareness and dialogue around positive mental health and suicide prevention. It will initially be displayed around the Twin Cities area, after which the project will expand to a national level.

Where Will it be Displayed Next?

We’re looking to add new dates and locations for the exhibit. To learn more about The Rainflower Project, or how to schedule an installation, call or message Damien Wolf at 612-242-3146, or email him at info@rainflowerproject.com Read more about the project at www.rainflowerproject.com

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SRF Consulting Group Inc. srfconsulting.com

Minnesota Twins twinsbaseball.com

MTI Distributing mtidistributing.com

Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. hkgi.com

Sports Technology Inc. sportstechnologyinc.com

Stantec stantec.com

MSA Professional Services, Inc. msa-ps.com

H+U Construction hu-construction.com

Sport Court North sportcourtmn.com

Minnesota Partnerships mnpartnerships.com

MOTI Sports, Inc. motisports.com

FlyOver America flyover-america.com

Oertel Architects, Ltd. oertelarchitects.com

Northland Recreation, LLC northlandrec.com Nystrom Publishing nystrompublishing.com

USAquatics Inc. usaquaticsinc.com USTA Northern northern.usta.com Webber Recreational Design webberrec.com Wild Mountain wildmountain.com WSB & Associates, Inc. wsbeng.com Women in Leisure Services (WILS) womeninleisureservices.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 37

MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks Magazine MAGAZINE FAST FACTS:

1,100 30%

magazines printed

Corporate MRPA members receive up to 30% off advertising rates!

Rates for every budget, as low as

4

$275

New high-impact advertising opportunities

MRPA members can help you grow sales!

Reach Minnesota park & recreation leaders!

MINNESOTA is a hyper-targeted magazine mailed to more than 775 MRPA members and affiliates. It features industry-relevant content which is read and kept as a point of reference. Issues include: upcoming educational opportunities, plus content about parks, recreation, facilities, athletics, natural resources, and events. It’s a valuable resource read by municipal, county, park district, and state employees throughout Minnesota.

This magazine provides an opportunity to market directly to the people who need your products, services, trainings/classes, and facilities.

MINNES OTA Official

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Minnes

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Associa

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Recre ation and Volume

MRPA Manag Facility Acad ement emy

12, Issu

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e3•

Summer

2017

Buil ing Boodm :

“I always look forward to getting MRPA’s magazine. It provides valuable resources and has generated ideas to help plan events and programs for our staff and community.”

MINNESOTA magazine is mailed to every MRPA member. It includes content relevant to their industry – so it gets read and kept!

PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS Park supervisors • Development managers Park board members • Groundskeepers YOUTH & ADULT RECREATION Recreation directors and coordinators Athletics coordinators • Group leaders Aquatics managers • Event planners Therapeutic recreation coordinators Senior Center managers • Trip organizers

GOLF COURSES Course managers • League coordinators Facility rental staff • Event planners Golf instructors NATURE CENTERS Nature center managers • Exhibit curators Environmental educators • Naturalists

38 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org www.mnrrpa.org

www.mn rpa.org

- Minnesota Recreation Program Supervisor

Multi-Faceted reach:

FACILITIES Facility managers • Rink/arena managers Aquatic/water park directors • Rental staff

Ne pl w Faci Shap aygrou lities & nd e AC ROSS s Take THE STAT e

Reserve 2020 space by Nov. 30, 2019 for special early-bird discounts!

FULL PAGE ADVERTORIAL (C) SPONSORED

Meeting New ADA Requirements and Improving Inclusive Play HAGS SMP is one of the leading playground manufacturers in the UK. In London we have a designated Area Manager Martin Potts who looks after our customers covering all the London boroughs providing an excellent support as we feel being geographically close to our clients is very important.

Over the years we have provided a number of play areas including a fantastic project in the London Borough of Islington where we installed our Arena Duo system which meant we could provide the perfect solutions for this unique site in Islington.

City of Your Town Receives New Playground Grant Bathford Council contracted HAGS to design and create a new play area that gives local children plenty of opportunities to play and socialise.

The challenge was set for designers to come up with a well thought strategy to make best use of this existing narrow space where an old playground used to sit. The play area had to be low maintenance, provide play equipment for all abilities and have safety railings to distinguish it from the adjacent sports field.

We provided a range of equipment ensuring children would be kept entertained for hours. For the younger users (age 1-4) we provided the Zingo Nau, Zingo See Saw and a Zingo Bubble to integrate bright colours within the park. The Zingo product range promotes social interaction and development, as well as providing a challenging physical exercise.

For older children, the NRG Altitude 11B was chosen as a centrepiece and

With our wide range of products we can adapt to any environment. We offer products that are suitable for urban environment as well as equipment suited for the natural surroundings. Our UniMini and UniPlay multiplay units can be constructed just about anywhere by adapting the constructions to the natural surroundings. Our UniMini modular system offers plenty of opportunities to play together, learn through collaboration and play role for the younger children whilst our UniPlay provides the most unique modular system unit. You can build high, long, low, down slopes and over hills!

Whatever your requirements are – size or type we can design a bespoke play area to suit your needs and budget.

For full details, contact John Doe at (843) 555-1212 or john@hags.com.

instinctively appeals to all children with a sense of adventure, providing challenges to get them moving so they never get bored. In addition, we’ve provided playground essentials such as the Olympic 2 seat swing with 2 cradle seats, a 2.4m Basket Swing and a Rota Roka to complement this play area. To encourage cognitive stimulation, we included the Crazy and Ball maze panels, Talk Tubes, 3 in a Row Panel and a ‘What Time Is It?’ panel.

Our custom designed products are suitable for urban environment as well as equipment suited for the natural surroundings.

HAGS SMP Corporation 1212 Lane Dr., Anytown, MN 90358 Tel: (843) 555-1212 www.hagssmpcorp.com

Advertising Deadlines & Special Sections*

NEW!

Winter 2020 magazine issue

Showcase your product expertise!

Ad deadline: December 20, 2019 | Mails: February 2020

An advertorial educates the reader about a product or service, answers common questions, and solves challenges. It's a great way to showcase your product knowledge.

Fee includes cost for writing, design and proofing to advertiser.

Special sections: Aquatics/waterparks/safety; sport and fitness facilities; Park & Recreation education, continuing education, and unique careers

Spring 2020 magazine issue Ad deadline: March 6, 2020 | Mails: April 2020 Special sections: MRPA member awards; engineering/design/construction

13 Spring 2020 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks

2-PAGE FACING SPREAD (D)

Summer 2020 magazine issue Ad deadline: May 22, 2020 | Mails: July 2020

NEW!

Special sections: 2020 MRPA Annual Conference guide; group tours and partnering with CVBs

Your content formatted to make a big impression!

A double-page spread is a visually impactful way to highlight your offerings and provide expanded product details.

Fall 2020 magazine issue Ad deadline: August 21, 2020 | Mails: October 2020

1/3 PAGE BANNER ADS (G)

(G) 1/3 BANNER

(G) 1/3 BANNER

NEW!

Special sections: Agency Awards of Excellence winning projects; 2020 Commercial Buyer's Guide insert

Banner ads span the entire width of a page.

For extra impact, purchase two banner ads to place side-byside on facing pages or on two consecutive right hand pages.

2021 Commercial Buyer’s Guide Ad deadline: August 21, 2020 | Mails: October 2020 Special sections: Product design and innovations sidebars (see page 3) * Additional editorial content will be announced prior to each issue deadline.

Contact Todd Pernsteiner for more information at info@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111, or watch www.mnrpa.org.

Advertising Dimensions & Rates Corporate Member/Non-Profit Rates

Rates listed are ad cost per issue.

Width x Height

1 issue

(A) Full page (with bleed)*

8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed)

$875

(B) Full page (non-bleed)*

7.5" x 9"

$875

(C) Full page advertorial*

NEW!

(D) 2-page facing spread*

NEW!

2 issues

Non-Member

3 issues

4 issues

1-2 Issues

3-4 Issues

$825

$800

$725

$1,100

$1,000

$825

$800

$725

$1,100

$1,000

N/A (Photos & editorial text)

$1,250

$1,175

$1,150

$1,000

$1,475

$1,375

17" x 11" (+ .125" bleed)

$1,475

$1,400

$1,375

$1,300

$1,850

$1,775

(E) 1/2 page vertical*

3.625" x 9"

$550

$525

$500

$475

$775

$675

(F) 1/2 page horizontal*

7.5" x 4.25"

$550

$525

$500

$475

$775

$675

8.5" x 3" (+ .125" bleed)

$425

$400

$375

$325

$550

$650

(H) 1/4 page*

3.625" x 4.5"

$385

$325

$300

$275

$475

$525

(I) Magazine inside front cover**

8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed)

$1,100

$1,075

$1,000

$975

$1,500

$1,400

(J) Magazine inside back cover**

8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed)

$1,000

$975

$925

$900

$1,300

$1,100

(K) Magazine back cover**

8.5" x 8" (+ .125" bleed)

$1,275

$1,225

$1,175

$1,100

$1,575

$1,475

(G) 1/3 page banner*

NEW!

(L) Buyer's Guide inside front cover** 8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed) (M) Buyer's Guide inside back cover** 8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed) (N) Buyer's Guide back cover**

8.5" x 11" (+ .125" bleed)

$975

$1,500

$900

$1,200

$1,150

$1,375

N/A (Photo & 50 words)

$150 w/Buyer's Guide ad; $275 w/out Buyer's Guide ad

$450

(P) Buyer's Guide yellow pages listings

N/A (Indicate category(ies)

First listing free; $25 each for each additional listing

$75 per category

(Q) Buyer's Guide logo listing addition

N/A (Submit company logo)

$50 for first category; $25 for additional categories

N/A

(O) Buyer's Guide featured products

NEW!

*Ad size available in both the magazine and Buyer's Guide

**Premium ad spaces available on a first-come, first served basis.

Download the complete 2020 rate card at: www.bit.ly/2020MRPA

Advertising questions? Contact: Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager Phone: 952-841-1111 | Email: info@pernsteiner.com Fall 2019 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 39

MINNESOTA RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION 200 CHARLES ST NE FRIDLEY MN 55432-5368

New Riverlife Park along Wisconsin River in Wausau, Wisconsin

• Inclusive/Accessible Playgrounds • Play Surfacing • Inspections by CPSI • Relocation/Repair • Exercise/Strength Training • Sport Courts • Shade/Shelter/ Site Furnishings

www.UltimatePlaygrounds.com (612) 460-PLAY • Andrew@UltimatePlaygrounds.com Based in Prior Lake, MN