Advisory Parks Commission Meeting - April 21, 2025
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Advisory Parks Commission Meeting - April 21, 2025
The Eagan Advisory Parks Commission met on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Moonshine Park. The meeting featured a presentation from the Eagan Community Center (ECC) team on significant revenue and program growth, an update on the Parks Master Plan, and a vote on a comprehensive guide plan amendment for a proposed residential treatment facility. The commission also recognized two outgoing commissioners.
Presentations
- Eagan Community Center Division Presentation: Facility Supervisor Lindsey Rague and her team reported strong recovery and growth post-COVID. Key statistics:
- 2024 operating revenues grew by approximately $331,000 (over 20%) from 2023.
- Fitness membership and daily admission revenue exceeded 2024 budget by over $77,000.
- Room and facility rental revenue exceeded budget by nearly $40,000 and brought in $112,000 more than 2023.
- Recreation programming revenue reached $127,000, or 185% of budget.
- Fitness memberships: 78% insurance-based; total active members close to 3,400; membership grew 12.34% from 2023 to 2024, and 15.29% in first quarter of 2025.
- Specialty class revenue jumped from 9,782 in 2022 to 17,942 in 2024.
- Personal training revenue exceeded six figures in 2024 ($118,666), up from $70,000 in 2023.
- Camp BCC (summer youth program) saw 232% growth over five years, now serving over 60 children with a waiting list.
- 50+ senior programs: 478 members, 19 programs, 1,238 enrollments in 2024.
- Total birthday parties increased from 420 in 2023 to 551 in 2024, including 114 specialty parties.
- Rental events grew from 492 in 2023 to 585 in 2024; wedding bookings increased by 48.
- Revenue from large craft shows now includes four events generating over $10,000 each.
- Overall rental revenue increased 20% in 2024 and was 21% above 2019 pre-COVID levels.
- The ECC operates as an enterprise fund (not tax-supported), but still does not fully cover expenditures; a goal of "not a dime in 2029" was mentioned. The facility is undergoing a reinvestment project (phase one nearly complete; phase two begins in early June).
Old Business
- Parks Master Plan Update: Director Andrew Pimental reported the planning process is transitioning from inventory to community engagement. Public meetings will be held on May 6, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. An online survey has received 277 responses in 10 days. A social pinpoint map tool allows residents to drop pins and provide site-specific feedback; signs with QR codes will rotate through all 60 parks. Staff engagement will also occur.
New Business
- Development Review – Eagan Hope and Wellness: A 0.6-acre vacant lot near Yankee Doodle Road and Quarry Park is proposed for a 16-room residential treatment facility. A comprehensive guide plan amendment is needed to change zoning from quasi-public to allow the development. The commission considered park and trail dedication fees, which were never paid on the property.
- Motion and Vote: Commissioner moved to approve park and trail dedication in cash at the time of development permits. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously (all in favor). The amendment was clarified to explicitly include both park and trail dedication in cash.
Round Table
- Commissioner Kevin noted pickleball courts at Ron are being used and his upcoming t-ball season visits to parks.
- Lisa and Silas, two outgoing commissioners, were thanked for their service (Lisa since 2019; Silas served one year). Both cited changing priorities and expressed appreciation for the experience.
- Commissioner McWilliams reported attending the Spring Summit, which discussed community values and barriers.
- Another commissioner joined a women's pickleball league.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Park and trail dedication in cash for the Eagan Hope and Wellness development (unanimous vote).
- Recognized: Outgoing commissioners Lisa and Silas.
- Upcoming: Parks Master Plan public engagement on May 6, 2025; summer programming registration opens May 7, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.; three new commissioners to be welcomed at next meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'd like to call the Eagle Advisory Parks and Rec Commission meeting for April twenty first, twenty twenty-five to order we'll start with uh roll call and fled legions. Any updates to the agenda that was printed? Not at this time, Chair. All right, do I have a motion on the agenda? I move we approve. I second. All right. All in favor. All right, agenda's approved. Minutes for the February meeting. Any questions? If not, do I have a motion? I'll move to approve the minutes. I'll second. All right, all those in favor. I closed. All right. Minutes are approved. Don't see anyone jumping up there, so we'll go on to presentations. Thank you, Chair Palmer. Tonight, we have the ECC division. Um, they tell you when you're a parent not to pick favorites, but I kind of like to pick favorites, and this may be the one. I don't know. This is the team I get the pleasure of working with every single day. Um, I think on slide six or seven, it says something about the challenges that they get to over overcome. And I've thrown multiple challenges at this group, and they always seem to rise above it. Um, whether it's coming up with new birthday parties, being open during construction, renting out more spaces, um adding more fitness members, new specialty birthday parties, all the different things are all fun, and they have consistently rose above and beyond. So at the lead of that team is our um fitness or not fitness facility supervisor, Lindsay Ray Gou. And I'll let you take over. Thank you, Jared. I suspect they 100% believe that you are challenging and that you challenge us. Was that what you were trying to say? You challenge us. Sorry, that's what it's what it was. Appreciate it. Okay. Um, so good evening. Uh, as Jared said, my name is uh Lindsay Ray Gou, and I am the uh Egan Community Center Operations Supervisor. With me tonight, we have Tani Peterson, our fitness coordinator, Erica Kohler, our program coordinator, Seth Fulad, our uh facilities coordinator, and then Michael Meffert, our guest services specialist. Um, as you may know, we offer multiple programs and services at the ECC. Um, they include gym and adult programming, senior programming, family events, large event rentals, meetings and social gatherings, along with fitness programming, the blast indoor playground, the fitness center, youth camps and programs, and then everybody's favorite, those birthday parties. Uh during last year's presentation, we discussed the hardships that the ECC uh had to face from 2020 to 2022, and we embraced the challenge of how do we bounce back from experiencing the unprecedented impact that COVID-19 had on the Egan Community Center. Last year's presentation demonstrated that we were able to check that box and move on into the next phase of our challenge, which is challenge number two. How do we continue to grow and expand, setting our eyes on achieving pre-COVID numbers? We are happy to report tonight that not only were we able to achieve that goal, but we were able to go above and beyond pre-COVID numbers in many of our program areas. The team behind me will uh go into a little more detail, and I don't want to steal their thunder as they kind of describe and walk you through the process and how they were able to achieve these goals, but I will give you some quick hitters. Uh in 2024, the operating revenues grew by roughly uh 331,000 or a little over 20% from revenue levels experienced in 23. Our 2024 fitness membership and daily admission revenues exceeded the planned budget by over 77,000. Our 2024 room and facility rental revenue exceeded the budget by nearly 40,000 and brought in 112,000 more than what we brought in in 2023.
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