2003-08-23 Study - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1895 August 23, 2003 AGENDA ITEM #3 - SOCCER DOME Mr. Ollendorff described the needed soccer dome improvements as: 1. New top-quality soccer turf to replace worn multi-purpose turf 2. New ventilating system To a lesser degree and in no particular order, people expressed desire for: 3. Better lighting, an improved scoreboard, and better netting 4. Installation of water coolers 5. Improved seating Another frequently raised need is installation of air conditioning in the building. It was deemed not financially viable because the roof is not suitable for installation of air conditioning units, nor are the walls, and costs of both electricity and bid estimates are too high. Proposition K requested air conditioning again, so the City revisited the issue with soccer enthusiasts. Bob Moss, representing adult soccer enthusiasts, acknowledges air conditioning is not a viable proposition, but gives top priority to installing a new ventilating system. The current consultant architect also proposed adding a ventilation system, so Mr. Wagner is researching evaporative cooling as an alternative. Detailed cost studies from six or seven years ago cannot be located for figures, so those presented are from memory and amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The way current walls and ceiling are constructed will contribute further to the cost, so preliminary estimates of $200,000 to $300,000 are probably Iow. There is a need to move on highest priority improvements: expansion of the fitness center, replacement of the soccer turf and installation of a ventilation system. Last fall the Council authorized a Park Grant request for these three items. The St. Louis Park Commission approved the fitness expansion; but advised due to their lack of funds, they could not grant the entire proposal. They encouraged resubmission. Mr. Ollendorff plans to resubmit this same proposal, unless Council advises against it, with the addition of other items sought by the Soccer Council. Mr. Sharp asked if the grant could be denied if additions were made to it, but Mr. Ollendorff indicated that new additions would be reviewed with the St. Louis County Office prior to resubmitting the grant, and new additions would be dropped if the County Office advised they inhibited the application. The amount sought is within the financial ambit for a city this size. Mr. Wagner concurs with the City Manager's suggestions. He acknowledged the vast amount of work done by the Proposition K committee and asked the City Manager to report back to them the specific recommendations made by the City Council. Particularly, he wants them to learn that three of the Proposition K recommendations resulted from studies discussed by City Council. They are: 1) the existing facility upgrade study, 2) the alternate location study, and 3) the master plan. Mr. Wagner asked Mr. Ollendorff to documents the Council's decisions in a special report to the Proposition K committee. Page 9