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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – December 17, 2024 Page 7 interest in assisting with those on-going and as-needed projects would be a good think to thing about going into 2025. Committee Member Jacobson would like to discuss it now. Some members already have items they want to focus on. Chair Anderson looked at the list and said rain gardens are done. She said the item listed a enhance and create community events would be Committee Member Olson. Committee Member Olson confirmed, along with Committee Member Rogers. Chair Anderson asked if Committee Member Johnson wanted to be involved in that. Committee Member Johnson said she has interest in that but doesn’t need it to be the only thing. Chair Anderson said she can be an involved as she wants to be. The idea is to narrow down the list so that people that know they won’t have the time or capacity to work on a lot of projects can identify their primary interests. Council Liaison Rousseau asked if Youth Committee Member Acosta is interested in community events. Youth Committee Member Acosta confirmed she is interested. Chair Anderson said that Committee Member Rogers seems to have a good start on the handbook. She said everyone will be involved in the final version but asked if anyone else is interested in the development of the handbook. Chair Anderson said the next item is park improvements at Freeway Park. The item is intended to work on the upper portion of the park and make it more appealing. She said this is something PTRC wanted City Staff to prioritize. Committee Member Jacobson said her vision for the upper part of Freeway Park would be more dynamic than it is now. She thinks the lower portion of is cool the way it is. It has a playground and other facilities for the neighborhood. She passed a hockey rink in Mendota Heights. They had boards up, but it was a hard surface rink. So, they flood over the concrete or asphalt. They striped the hockey rink with pickle ball courts. She isn’t saying that’s the solution here but that would be another way to use that park. She is interested in working on that work group. Committee Member Olson said the historical documents had information regarding using the hockey rink as tennis courts in the 1970s. The idea has been out there for 50 years. PTRC has been shut down a few times. Chair Anderson thought this issue came up during the work session. The PTRC wants it known this is a priority. PTRC thinks it is important to improve it. It is in the center of the city and it’s a first impression on that busy corner. She felt Council agreed. It is worth exploring what can be done. From a budget perspective, it’s a challenge.