SKATEBOARD TRACK LOCATION: COMMUNITY CENTER

Recommendation

It is recommended by staff that Council:

1. 
   
2. Direct Public Works staff to resurface the Kelly Tennis Courts.
3. Approve the attached conceptual plan to (a) build a 6,900 square foot skateboard track on the north side of Tennis Courts #5 & #6, (b) relocate courts #5 & #6 to be immediately east of Court #2, and (c) expand parking to the south side of the skateboard track.
4. Direct the Skateboard Subcommittee to work with skateboarders and volunteers to initiate a design program for the track.

Background

At the October 16 meeting, Council directed staff to develop a plan to place the Skateboard Track on Tennis Court #5 at the Community Center and to replace Court #5 somewhere else on the property.

Analysis

Staff conducted a thorough analysis of alternatives for this site, keeping mindful of the following considerations:

1. the requirement to replace the parking spaces lost by each alternative, and
2. that tennis courts should be built north to south due to sun conditions.

With the recommended alternative (Alternative Z), the existing parking lot area between the tennis courts would be expanded to pick-up the spaces lost due to the relocation of the tennis courts (with a total net gain of 7 spaces). Furthermore, this alternative would separate tennis court play from the skateboard track, which addresses noise impact concerns between the two recreational activities.

Staff investigated Council's recommendation to use Tennis Court #5 for the skate track (with a replacement of one court somewhere in the Community Center) but determined that this alternative would not address the replacement of parking adequately and would also be disruptive to tennis court play. The grid below outlines criteria that staff used in selecting the recommended alternative.

Criteria	Recommended alternative :
Skate Track Size	6,900 square feet. Bigger than alternatives A-C previously recommended.
Estimated Cost	$ 241,260 More expensive than alternatives A-C.
Construction/Parking issues	Requires use of dirt lot for new tennis court. Parking spaces lost with the re-location of the courts will be replaced with a net increase of seven (7) spaces.
Noise Impacts	Track will be located entirely on the Pier Avenue border of the property which will minimize noise impacts for the neighborhood and Community Center users. Locating Courts #5 & #6 adjacent to Court #2 will be optimum for tennis play. Minor noise impacts will be added on 11th Street from the additional courts.
Safety Issues	Entrance to the track will be on the Pier Avenue side, reducing conflict with parked cars. City Liability is removed due to AB1296 Rules will be posted.
Implementation	The project should be preceded by the re-surfacing of the Kelly Courts. This will provide two instructional courts for recreation programs and free play during the construction period.
Other issues	This alternative would enable the City to create a more cohesive tennis center. Landscaping elements and a seating area can be added to improve the recreation facility. Courts #5 & #6 are older than Courts #1-#4. Replacing them with newly constructed courts would upgrade the condition of the courts considerably.

The Community Center Tennis Courts are popular recreation facilities. In addition to their constant use by recreational players, the courts are the focal point for private and group tennis lessons. In order to accommodate these needs, staff recommends that prior to the construction period, the Kelly Courts (located adjacent to Clark Field) be resurfaced so that they can be used for lessons, clinics and free play (these courts are currently being used but are in very poor condition).

Fiscal Impact

Attachment B contains preliminary cost estimates for the track construction and tennis court replacement. One of the most variable costs in this estimate is the allocation for skateboard track construction which will be dependent upon the type of program the subcommittee develops. Based solely on tracks that have been constructed in other cities, staff has estimated a $50,000 cost for rink construction.

It is important to note that some interest has been expressed by community members in donating services and/or materials for this project. In addition, there are two grant sources that may be available to help fund the track construction that staff will explore once a location is approved. These estimates do not account for those possibilities, as they are not confirmed or quantifiable.

The total project estimate of $241,260 is considerably higher than alternatives recommended at the previous meeting, however, when the long useful life of facilities like tennis courts are considered, the amortization of these costs may be considered to be favorable.

Other alternatives available to Council include:

1. Request additional information.
2. Select an alternative from the previous agenda item (Attachment C).
3. Receive and File.

Fiscal Impact: $241,260 from the UUT Fund #126 Project #8506

Current balance: $880,000 Estimated balance as of 6/30/98

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