Posts Tagged ‘Scott Vreeland’
Open Letter: Phillips”' youth petition helped create the new Stewart Park Soccer Field
In 2009 the Park Board held a public meeting at Stewart Park to gain input from the community on possible athletic field improvements at the park. The East/Midtown Phillips Youth Soccer teams attended in force. They came prepared with nearly 800 signatures on petitions requesting a new soccer field in the park. With funding help from the Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant program and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, that dream became reality. On May 19th, 2011 a beautiful, state of the art soccer field with artificial turf and field lighting was dedicated with the first Barbeque of the season. The celebration included face painting by Park Staff, Juggling and Balloon magic by William Bradshaw of Fun Time Functions and comments by Park Board Commissioner Scott Vreeland and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. Two youth who were at the 2009 public meeting presented McLaughlin and Vreeland soccer balls signed by many of the young petitioners. The highlight of the day after enjoying the luxurious turf of the new field was watching two of the youngest soccer aficionados score on both commissioners who were totally ineffective as goal tenders. Brad Pass
Stewart Soccer Field “Kickoff” Grand Opening Highlights Vast Field and Program Improvements
By MPRB and Harvey Winje Phillips Community soccer playing youth and adults, Hennepin County, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) celebrated the completion of work on Stewart Field with a Grand Opening celebration, complete with music, balloon artists and face painters, Thursday, May 19. In the culturally diverse Phillips Community of south Minneapolis with more than 7,000 youth*, the availability of a durable and high quality soccer field is essential. Stewart Park at 2700 12th Avenue was hard and worn from overuse. In the Fall of 2010 it was totally renovated including synthetic turf that will improve safety, reduce potential injuries and withstand high volumes of repetitive use with funding from a Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant. * (more…)
Phillips Community Center at 2323 11th Ave building Update
by Robert Albee The Phillips Community Parks Initiative members met on Tuesday, December 14th with MPRB President John Erwin, Commissioner Scott Vreeland, Jayne Miller, the new MPRB Superintendent and with Al Bangoura, the CSA #6 Director that serves the Phillips Community. This meeting gave the PCPI members an opportunity to determine what the MPRB Commissioners were considering and review any concerns that were raised during earlier individual visits with each MPRB commissioner.. Feedback from the meeting was very positive, indicating that there would be some parameters established by the Park Board that once addressed could lead to a signing of leases for space within the Phillips Community Center. The next day, on Wednesday, December 15th, the MPRB Planning Committee sponsored a presentation by PCPI members to formally outline and present the overall plan and request for space in the Phillips Community Center facility. This presentation was designed to provide the basic information to any interested media producer/writer and an opportunity to present the plan via cable television on Channel 79. PCPI”'s presentation was met with unanimous praise and encouragement. The next and final formal step in the process will be to appear before the entire Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board on Wednesday, January 5, 2011. At this time the board will choose to ratify the recommendation of the Planning Committee to go forward with the proposed leasing and space utilization proposal PCPI proponents are requesting that the building become available by March 1, 2011. The MPRB is currently removing all carpeting and ceiling tiles and will be repainting the common areas prior to any lease ups of the facility.
Minneapolis Park Board Issues RFP for Phillips Community Center
Special to the Alley Newspaper by Robert Albee, Ventura Village Secretary In its April 21st regularly scheduled Wednesday night meeting, the Minneapolis Park Board voted unanimously to issue a Request For Proposal (RFP) seeking qualified partners to “add programming and services”¦ compli-mentary to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board .” The document issued by the Board is seeking to utilize “all the space available in the building for community use,” by tenants who have the resources to renovate or build out the space and provide income to offset building utilities and operating costs that include long term renovation needs. The Park Board is also seeking “a services provider with a strong interest in the community and a solid reputation for service.” Reactions were mixed at a Monday, April 19th meeting called by the Park Board at Phillips”' Stewart Park. At that meeting, MPRB Commissioner Scott Vreeland read the RFP aloud to the assembled group of attendees. Several residents spoke out about the responsibility of the Park Board to serve all the people and not just the highest bidders. Others reminded the attending commissioners that there are 7,000 youth and children in Phillips which is far more than other better-served parks. Robert Albee of Ventura Village spoke in favor of the RFP by saying that he appreciated having real guidelines publicly issued and the elimination of a single entity being expected to “take over” the facility and operate it. Having written many grants and proposals in the past, he said he relished the chance to help get the Phillips Community Center operating again in a sustainable way. As approved and published, the following schedule was given: April 21, 2010: Board approved release of the Phillips Community Center Request for Proposals April 30, 2010: Request for Proposals released. June 4, 2010 10 am to noon: Walk through at the facility for interested [...]
