III.1. Park Board 2024 Work Plan; Imihy Bean
CITY OF HOPKINS
Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: PeggySue Imihy Bean, AICP, Special Projects and Initiatives Manager
Date: November 21, 2023
Subject: Park Board 2024 Work Plan
_____________________________________________________________________
PURPOSE
To provide the City Council with an update on the 202 3 Park Board Work Plan and to
seek feedback on the 2024 Park Board Work Plan.
INFORMATION
In 2023, the Park Board has made great progress on the approved work plan for the year.
Tonight, the Park Board Chair Kimberly Stiele, will provide insight on some of the board’s
accomplishments such as:
• Developing a Park System Master Plan: In Spring 2022, the City entered into a
contract with local consultant Confluence and its team of subcontractors to provide
the City with a Park System Master Plan. This plan will be the first comprehensive
master plan for the park system in Hopkins’ history and will help the City plan for
future growth associated with development along the light rail. On December 4th,
the Park Board will host Confluence at a Special Meeting of the Park Board to
discuss the draft plan for the PSMP. Following this, Confluence will present the
plan to the City Council in the new year.
• Review and recommend changes to the Adopt-a-Park Program: Staff with
feedback from the Park Board, have proposed changes the Adopt-a-Park Program
which aims to improve the administration of the program, including communication
throughout the year to park adopters. Moving forward the program will also provide
space for Park Board members to better interact with adopters, and host a city-
wide clean up day for program participants.
• Work with partners such as Hopkins- Minnetonka Joint Recreation, Hopkins
Public Works, Hopkins Public School and other partners to receive more
communication and updates regarding ongoing efforts: In 2023, Staff across
Hopkins and Minnetonka worked to create a better system for providing in person
updates to the Park Board about ongoing programming and park maintenance,
which will continue in 2024. The Park Board also had opportunities to hear from
park user groups like Hopkins Girls Fast Pitch Softball and Three Rivers Parks
Administration
2
District. These opportunities provided the Park Board with a better understand ing
of the day-to-day operations, maintenance and use of parks, helping them better
fulfill their responsibility to provide advice on the maintenance and operation of
parks. Staff will continue to schedule time for the Park Board to regularly hear from
user groups throughout 2024.
For 2024, the board has the following work plan items they are seeking the City
Council’s feedback on:
• Developing a Master Plan and Feasibility Study for Central Park and the
Pavilion. In 2022, the Park Board selected Landscape Architecture firm,
Confluence, as the contractor for the Master Park System Plan. The work on this
plan will be complete in Winter 2023, and the next step is to begin
implementation of the plan which will start with Central Park. Central Park was
selected as there are a number of aging pieces of equipment that are scheduled
to be replaced and should be done in accordance with the Master Park System
Plan.
• Tour Hopkins and Minnetonka Recreation Facilities. With many new
commissioners onboarded in the past year, as well as Minnetonka’s acquisition
of the Marsh, it would be useful to the Park Board to tour some of the Park
facilities and spaces as the board implements the Park System Master Plan.
• Continue Tabling at or Creating Events related to the Parks (Arbor Day,
Garden Plot Kick Off, Buckthorn Removal, Earth Day). The Park Board will
continue to table at events to promote the use of the parks, sustainability within
the parks and to promote keeping the parks clean and safe.
• Park Policy Review for Equity. The Park Board will form a working group to
review the City’s policies related to the parks for alignment with the City’s overall
equity goals.
The board seeks the Council’s feedback on these items and to know if there are any
other items they should work on in the upcoming year.
FUTURE ACTION
The Park Board will return to the City Council in Fall 2024 to provide updates on this plan.
Park Board
2024 Annual Work Plan
Initiative ☒ New Initiative
☐ Continued Initiative
☐ On-Going Initiative
Target
Completion Date
Budget
Required
Staff Support Required
Council
Approval
Develop a master plan for Central Park which
includes a feasibility study for an expansion of
the Pavilion
Winter 2024
$100,000
Staff support from
Planning, Public Works +
Minnetonka Parks and
Recreation would be
needed.
Information/Progress Report: In 2022, the Park Board selected Landscape Architecture firm, Confluence, as the contractor for
the Master Park System Plan. The work on this plan will be complete in Winter 2023, and the next step is to begin implementation
of the plan.
Initiative ☒ New Initiative
☐ Continued Initiative
☐ On-Going Initiative
Target
Completion Date
Budget
Required
Staff Support Required
Council
Approval
Tour Hopkins and Minnetonka Recreation
Facilities
Winter 2024
None
Support from Public
Works and Minnetonka
Parks and Recreation
staff would be needed.
Information/Progress Report: With many new commissioners onboarded in the past year, as well as Minnetonka’s acquisition of
the Marsh, it would be useful to the Park Board to tour some of the Park facilities and spaces as the board implements the Park
System Master Plan.
Park Board
2024 Annual Work Plan
Initiative ☐ New Initiative
☒ Continued Initiative
☐ On-Going Initiative
Target
Completion Date
Budget
Required
Staff Support Required
Council
Approval
Continue Tabling at or Creating Events related
to the Parks (Arbor Day, Garden Plot Kick Off,
Buckthorn Removal, Earth Day)
Fall 2024
$500
Support from Hopkins
Public Works
Information/Progress Report: The Park Board will continue to table at events to promote use of the parks, sustainability within
the parks and to promote keeping the parks clean and safe.
Initiative ☒ New Initiative
☐ Continued Initiative
☐ On-Going Initiative
Target
Completion Date
Budget
Required
Staff Support Required
Council
Approval
Park Policy Review for Racial Equity
Winter 2024 None Support from Minnetonka
Recreation
Information/Progress Report: The Park Board will form a working group to review the City’s policies related to the parks for
alignment with the City’s overall equity goals.
Park Board
2024 Annual Work Plan
Ongoing Responsibilities
• Review of Park Dedication Funds
• Advise Council on operation and maintenance on parks
• Increase public understanding of park policies, practices, and ongoing projects
Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years
• Revised Capital Improvement Plan which incorporates recommendations from Master Parks Plan
• System improvements consistent with Master Parks Plan
Proposed Month for Work Session: November
Staff Comments:
Council Comments: