HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 2020 Division ReportsWelcome to February at the Swim Center!
Thursday, February 13th will be the last practice of 2020 for the Bozeman Hawks. Wish them luck as they
travel to Great Falls to compete in the State Swim Meet.
The Masters Swim Club will be hosting a swim meet on Saturday, February 29 and Sunday, March 1st.
During this time frame there will be 7 meter lanes available for lap swim. No deep end access will be
available. Recreation swim will be cancelled for the weekend.
Looking forward into March the bulkhead is scheduled to be removed on Sunday, March 22nd. This will
be a full day closure as the pool is converted for the long course swim season.
We are sorry to announce that due to lack of staff the inflatable obstacle course won’t be in the water
on Friday evenings. A notice will be sent out when the obstacle course has returned.
The staff also would like to kindly request that the red arrows at the bottom of the pool are followed
when lap swimming. Circle swimming is critical to the safety of lap swimmers. We appreciate your
assistance in helping to keep our pool safe.
Thank you for being a part of our swim community!
Recreation Division Update
Jamie Saitta, Recreation Manager
02/6/2020
• We welcomed a new part time Recreation Leader, Mark Schattenberg, this month
and are now back to being fully staffed in the Recreation Division. Mark has a lot of
experience working with children in camp settings and is passionate about outdoor
recreation. He will be a great addition to our team!
• The Recreation Division staff had a booth at the Bozeman School District Health Fair
at the end of January. It was a great way to spread the word about our parks and
programs. A lot of connections were made and many registered for programs as a
result. This was our second year to attend.
• Our 2020 spring and summer program guide is almost complete! It will be available
on our website within the next couple of weeks for a sneak peek, which is helpful
for summer planning. Registration for programs and swimming lessons start at
midnight on March 1st and many will fill quickly. The guide is included in the
Summer Camp edition of Montana Parent Magazine.
• Spring and summer park user group and special event requests are starting to roll
in. We continue to see an increase in requests each year. User group examples
include, Bozeman Baseball, Gallatin Valley Softball Association, BMX, Bozeman
Youth Cycling, SLAM, Sweet Pea, Farmers’ Market, youth camps and many more!
User groups and special events take a significant amount of time to process and are
an important part of spring and summer planning in Recreation.
• February Program Updates
o Preschool (ages 2-5yr)
The theme for our Story Mill Sprouts weekly preschool program held
on Wednesday and Friday’s at the Story Mill Community Center is
“Wiggle, Giggle, Go!” and we currently 14 children registered.
We open our gym on Friday mornings for Drop In and Play from
10am-Noon. Recreation staff provide equipment to keep children
and their guardians active and engaged and having FUN!
o Our next School’s Out Explore Camp is themed “Games around the World”
and will be held on February 17th for Kindergarten-fifth graders. These
camps continue to be some of our most popular programs. In March we
have a full week of camps over spring break and three of the five days are
already full.
o Ice skating lessons have been going well at the upper rink at Southside Park
and will continue through this month, weather permitting.
o The Friends of the Avalanche Center hosted another Avalanche Awareness
class for us at the Beall Park Recreation Center this week. With snow in the
forecast, we may be able to get our Beacon Park installed at Beall Park soon.
o The “Our Town: A Community Panoramic Collage”A4Art event at the Story
Mansion on January 25th put on by A4Art, the Friends of the Story Mansion,
and the Parks and Recreation Department was very successful! The
community collage that was created during that event is now on display at
the Gallatin Valley Mall and will be up through the end of the month. Be
sure to stop by and check it out!
o We are expecting 100 or more people at our annual Father Daughter Dance
on Friday, February 7th at the Story Mill Community Center! It is one of our
favorite events to host and the gym is a perfect spot for it.
o We are hosting two concerts at the Story Mansion this month in partnership
with the Bozeman Folklore Society. Growling Old Men (Ben Winship & John
Lowell) on Sunday, February 16 and Betsy Wise on February 20th. The
concert series is a part of our Pickin’ in the Park program and the Story
Mansion has proven to be a great venue for the concerts through the years.
o Our Senior Fitness Instructor, Cheryl Bartholomew will be offering Senior
Fitness Assessments at the Beall Park Recreation Center on February 17th.
Assessments are clinically proven evaluations to determine current or
potential issues related to strength, agility, flexibility, balance and aerobic
endurance. Pre-registration is required by calling our main office, 582-2290.
FEBRUARY 2020 UPDATE
Parks Planner and Development Manager
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW - No committee meeting since last RPAB. New meeting time set for 4th Thursdays at 3:30 at City Hall Gallatin Room. - Approximately 10 new Conceptual Review applications have come in since the last committee meeting.
MASTER PLAN UPDATES
Oak Springs Park - Continued participation with MSU School of Architecture (Arch 452: Research Methods in Architecture); presented Oak Springs as a class project (see attachments) - Working on survey follow-up to December meeting to be sent late February.
Glen Lake Rotary Park - Meetings to discuss south access with NorthWestern Energy and internal parking lot/drive and other improvements (pavilion construction underway; Bridger Vale Development underway at north end) - Park Master Plan Narrative to be adopted by Commission on February 24th
PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
TOP Projects:
Front Street Connector
- Moving toward request for additional funding from TOP Committee and other potential funders with GVLT in February
Application Received from Galla10
- Frontage Trail Project – Passed Step 1 “Rough Cut” review by TOP committee November 15; Step 2 review at next meeting February 20th
Application received from GVLT - “Rough Cut” review to occur February 20th.
Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Grants:
GLVT application for Front Street Connector Funding
- RPAB review and recommendation March; Commission Hearing March 23rd
ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS
Sports Park Foundation
- Continued work around a Cash-in-lieu of Parkland grant proposal with matching funds from the Bozeman Public Schools for sidewalks and pathways at the Sports Park. Moved to March agenda for RPAB and Commission Hearing March 23.
MSU School of Architecture
- “Pitch” to Arch 452 Class on parks-related projects (Oak Springs, Safe Routes to Schools/Parks, Inclusiveness in Open Space)
Gallatin Local Water Quality District and Gallatin Watershed Council
- Discussion about potential CILP projects around wetland/watercourse mapping and signage in parks
- Stakeholder meeting to discuss DEQ’s announcement that the Lower Gallatin will be the next NPS focus watershed.
GVLT
- Discussions about Safety and Other Improvements along Path to the M – preparing submittal to MDT for approval of signage, bollards, benches, kiosks, etc.
Community Builders: Building Better Places Training, Grand Junction, CO Feb. 10-12
- Representing Parks and Rec as part of “Team Greater Gallatin” (application)
- Co-host of community listening session
LONG-RANGE PLANNING DOCUMENT REVIEW AND PARTICIPATION
City of Bozeman:
Climate Plan
- Participating as Parks representative in Natural Systems Focus Group
Community Plan:
- Discussion around parks and open lands future land use category
UPCOMING/MISCELLANEOUS
Park-naming and Donor Recognition Policy - (see agenda item) Attachments: CATS program MOU and class project briefs
Page 1
EXHIBIT A
MEMORANDUM OF COLLABORATION
Bozeman Parks and Trail Research
Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding for collaborative coursework projects (“MOU”)
between the City of Bozeman (“City”) and Montana State University (“MSU”) effective January
23, 2020, the Parties agree as follows:
1.COURSE. Architecture 452: Research Methods in Architecture (~44 students)
2.PROJECT CONTACTS.
i)City Project Contact
Addi Jadin, Parks Planner and Development Manager, Recreation and Parks Department
(406) 582-2908, ajadin@bozeman.net
ii)MSU Project Contact
Susanne Cowan, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture,
714-595-2933, Susanne.cowan@montana.edu
3.PROJECT PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES.
This project will conduct open space mapping, user counts, surveys, and precedent research
to provide data to the City and the Gallatin Valley Land Trust that they can use in future
open space planning, particularly for trails and pedestrian and bike infrastructure. The
student projects may explore some, but not necessarily all, of the following issues:
•Bike and Pedestrian Access from Main Street to the Mountains
•Building Bozeman’s piece of the Great American Rail-Trail
•How Printed Maps, Digital Maps and Aps Impact Trail Usage and Wayfinding
•Way Finding and Signage on Neighborhood Trails in West Bozeman
•The Impact of Gaps in Trail Connectivity on Trail Use and Safety
•Trails as Safe Routes to Schools in West Bozeman
•A Design for Complete Streets on the upcoming Fowler Ave. Connector Road
•The Participatory Design Processes for Planning a Neighborhood Park at Oak Springs
•Equity in Park Design and Open Space Planning
4.FINAL DELIVERABLES/WORK PRODUCT.
•Each group of 1-4 students will produce a PDF slide show of their research findings,
including user count and survey data, precedents for design or policy interventions,
and a proposal for a design or policy intervention.DRAFT
Page 2
5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
i) The City agrees to:
• Provide in-class project briefs to introduce the project, explain ongoing development
and answer student questions in interviews conducted by students, and attend and
give feedback on the students’ final projects at the end of the Spring 2020 semester.
• Provide staff time and resources to course faculty and students, to include the
following resources: maps of existing and proposed open space and pedestrian and
bike infrastructure, and plans or policies regarding future development or
renovation of open spaces and pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
• Offer additional technical assistance, as requested.
• Communicate any issues or concerns regarding project to MSU Project Lead.
ii) MSU agrees to:
• Conduct user counts and user presence surveys in open spaces.
• Communicate with City staff throughout the project to maintain collaborative
element and provide technical assistance.
• Present Project findings to City and others at the end of the Spring 2020 semester.
• Develop presentations of student projects to be released to City in electronic format
within 1 month of end of the Spring 2020 semester.
• Communicate any issues or concerns regarding Project to City staff.
6. TIMELINE, MAJOR MILESTONES AND TASKS
• City of Bozeman will provide an overview of project and available City resources to
the class in January or February 2020.
• Students Conduct interviews with Addi Jadin and other City Staff (Feb 13-March 11)
• Student presentations to the City in early May (tentative date May 4 12:00-1:50 pm).
• Final presentations compiled by MSU will be submitted by 06/15/2020.
7. BUDGET AND PAYMENT. City of Bozeman may provide an amount not to exceed $1000
for project support.
Approved by:
_________________________________________ ________________________
MSU: MSU Faculty Lead Date
___________________________________ ________________________
CITY OF BOZEMAN, City Manager, City of Bozeman Date
January 24, 2020DRAFT
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Project Brief: Inclusiveness in Public Open Spaces
Main Community Contact: Addi Jadin, City of Bozeman, Recreation and Parks Department
This project will look at how to increase the inclusiveness of parks and trails to people of different
genders, ethnicities, races, classes, and abilities. What design features help include new user groups?
How can cities ensure park and trails are equitably distributed in minority and/or lower-income
communities? In Bozeman this may also include addressing the Native American history of the land to
ensure that native people feel welcome.
Stage 1: Defining the Research Questions:
• Deductive Question: How can open space planners improve the inclusiveness of parks and trails
to all user groups? How can parks and trails accommodate the needs of peoples of different
genders, ethnicities, races, classes, and/or abilities?
• Specific Question: Are there design features that can help minority user groups feel welcomed
and a sense of belonging in open space? Can parks and trails address issues, like equitable
distribution of parks, active aging, and trail safety, that can help to include more users. Can
cultural signifiers demonstrate inclusiveness?
• Applied/Inductive Question: How can the City of Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley Land Trust
(GVLT) adopt inclusive design and planning to help all users feel welcome in the trail system?
Are there features that can address the Native American history of the land?
Stage 2: Some Relevant Sources for the Literature Review:
• Chris Mehl, City Trails: Improving Equitable Access, Headwaters Economics, August, 2018.
https://headwaterseconomics.org/economic-development/trails-pathways/city-trails-
improving-equitable-access/
• Brenda Williams, “Collaboration with Indigenous Communities to Inform Design for
Significant Landscapes,” The Field, ASLA Practice Network’s Blog, September 20, 2018.
• Greg Lindsey , Maltie Maraj & SonCheong Kuan (2001) “Access, Equity, and Urban Greenways:
An Exploratory Investigation,” The Professional Geographer, 53:3, 332-346
• Price, et al. “Trail User Demographics, Physical Activity Behaviors, and Perceptions of a Newly
Constructed Greenway Trail.” J Community Health (2012) 37:949–956
• Foruseth and Altman, “Who’s on the Greenway: Socioeconomic, Demographic, and Locational
Characteristics of Greenway Users,” Environmental Management Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 329-336.
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Stage 3: Contextual Analysis of a Case Study Site In Bozeman:
MSU and Northside 7th 11th
Expert Interviews:
• Addi Jadin, City of Bozeman, Recreation and Parks Department
ajadin@bozeman.net
• Matt Parsons- Gallatin Valley Land Trust
Other Specialists who might be Relevant Depending on Your Focus:
• Cheryl Bartholomew, Active Aging, fitseniors@gmail.com
• Shane Doyle- American Indian Cultural Consultant, Native Nexus Educational Consulting,
shanemrdoyle@yahoo.com
• Jim Madden, Mountain Time Arts, jim@mountaintimearts.org
Story Mill Installation, Indigenizing Colonized Spaces
Census:
• % of Minority populations in Bozeman including data on age (% over 65 years), poverty,
medium income, gender, race
Additional Data:
• HRDC data on Inequality in Bozeman?
Maps:
• Parks Service Areas from Prost Plan (pp. 7-4 and 7-29)
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=5789
Stage 4: Planning and Conducting Field Research
Existing Survey Responses From 2019:
• The questions related to gender and improvements
• Conduct more surveys with a new question related to diversity
Stage 5: Interpreting and Presenting Field Research
Useful infographics may include:
• Minority percentages
• Service areas (if arguing for need for proximity)
Stage 6: Pre-Design Analysis
• Assessment of the equity of the design of existing parks or trails considering “service
areas” or cultural signifiers that may include or exclude certain user groups
• Proposal for features that would improve inclusiveness
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Project Brief: Participatory Design Processes for Planning a Neighborhood Park (Oak Springs)
The City of Bozeman Parks Department manages a range of parks around the city, some of which are
being considered for new amenities and uses. In particular the city is considering raising money for new
infrastructure at Oak Springs Park on the west side of town. This park currently has a playground and
shade structure managed by the adjacent homeowner association. However, the rest of the large block,
which has been turned over to city management, has simple temporary landscaping consisting of
irrigated fields and street trees. Several years ago, another group of MSU students worked to develop
some designs for new landscaping which have not yet been implemented. The city is currently working
with the Optimist Club and a volunteer architect to run a participatory design process to decide what
additional amenities the neighbor would like in the park. They have already conducted a survey and run
a design charrette. They plan to conduct another survey this semester. This project will help the city
interpret and incorporate the citizen feedback as they develop a new design for the park.
Stage 1: Defining the Research Questions:
• Deductive Question: How do designers work with public stakeholders when developing designs
for public buildings and open spaces? How do designers incorporate public feedback into their
designs?
• Specific Questions: How can cities work with neighborhood groups to develop priorities for park
amenities during the park design process?
• Applied/Inductive Question: How can the City work with the Optimist Club to interpret and
implement feedback from the participatory design process into the design for Oak Springs Park?
Stage 2: Relevant Literature Review:
− Hester, Planning Neighborhood Space with People (available to borrow from Dr. Cowan)
− Hester, Community Design Primer (available to borrow from Dr. Cowan)
− Sanoff, Design Games (available to borrow from Dr. Cowan)
− Jeffrey Hou and Michael Rios, “Community-Driven Place Making: The Social Practice of
Participatory Design in the Making of Union Point Park” Journal of Architectural Education Vol.
57, No. 1 (Sep., 2003), pp. 19-27.
− Anuar, et. al, “Barriers of User's Involvement in the Design Process of Public Parks as Perceived
by Landscape Architects,” Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012, Vol. 35, pp. 253-259,
− Reich, et. al. “Varieties and issues of participation and design” Design Studies, 17 (2) 1996
− Sancar, “An integrative approach to public participation and knowledge generation in Design,”
Landscape and Urban Planning, October 1993, Pages 67-88.
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Stage 3: Contextual Analysis of a Case Study Site In Bozeman:
• Expert Interviews:
− Addi Jadin, City of Bozeman, Recreation and Parks Department (primary contact)
ajadin@bozeman.net
− Mike Wiseman, Architect, volunteering for the City and the Optimist Club,
mike@arch118.com
− Kevin Yaeger, Neighborhood Association Chair, yagerconstruction@gmail.com
− Past Students from Arch 525 who attended the Oak Springs charette (ask Dr. Cowan)
• Census Data:
− The number and/or percentage of school age kids in the area.
− Population Density (and number of people) in surrounding neighborhood
− The percentage of pedestrian and bike commuters in the area.
• Maps:
− Park Users map, within a 1/2 mile radius (10 minute walk) of Oak Springs Park
Stage 4: Planning and Conducting Field Research
• User Counts:
− Number of people using the park on weekends, and weekday afternoons/evenings.
− What types of uses are taking place, when, and how intensively?
• Surveys:
− Analyze existing survey data. What findings might be most important to the redesign of the
park?
Stage 5: Interpreting and Presenting Field Research
Some useful Infographics include:
− User Counts and/or Maps
− Existing Survey Data (Graphs and Charts)
− New Survey Data (Word Cloud or Visualization of Concepts)
Stage 6: Pre-Design Analysis
• Assessment
− How is the park currently being used?
− What are some strengths and weaknesses of the current design?
• Proposal
− What are some of the big takeaways from the existing neighborhood feedback?
− How can that feedback be implemented into the design of the park?
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Project Brief: Safer Routes to Schools in West Bozeman
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal program that “promotes walking and bicycling to school
through infrastructure improvements…safety education, and incentives…” The state of Montana also
implemented a similar program; while funding for that program may have ended, the concept remains
important. The City of Bozeman and Bozeman Public Schools are working together with the GVLT to
consider how to improve routes for students to walk or bike from their homes to their elementary and
secondary schools. They are particularly focused on the areas around the new high school in the
growing neighborhoods of the Westside. This project will examine what features can promote safer
routes to schools, and how they can be implemented.
Stage 1: Defining the Research Questions:
• Deductive Question: How can improvements to pedestrian and bike infrastructure support safe,
healthy, and sustainable routes for children and parents to reach schools?
• Specific Questions: How can trail connectivity and safe crossings increase safety and access for
students and parents to walk and bike to school? How does active school travel support student
health and public health?
• Applied/Inductive Question: How can the City, the GVLT, and the Bozeman school district
support safe pedestrian and bike pathways to westside schools (especially the new high school)
by improving trails, bike lanes, and street crossings.
Stage 2: Relevant Literature Review:
• Safe Routes to School
− National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe routes to school. 2002
− National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Center for Health Training, Safe routes to
school : practice and promise, 2004.
− Macridis, Soultana ; García Bengoechea, Enrique, Adoption of Safe Routes to School in
Canadian and the United States Contexts: Best Practices and Recommendations, Journal
of School Health, August 2015, Vol.85(8), p.558
− https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Safe-Routes-to-School-Programs
− Bozeman Public Schools: https://www.bsd7.org/students_parents/safe_routes_to_school
• Active School Commuting and Health
− Buttazzoni, Adrian N ; Coen, Stephanie E ; Gilliland, Jason A. Supporting active school travel:
A qualitative analysis of implementing a regional safe routes to school program. Social
Science & Medicine, September 2018, Vol.212, pp.181-190
− Hyung Jin Ekim ; Katie M Heinrich, Built Environment Factors Influencing Walking to
School Behaviors: A Comparison between a Small and Large US City. Frontiers in Public
Health, 01 April 2016, Vol.4
− Chillón, Palma ; Evenson, Kelly R ; Vaughn, Amber ; Ward, Dianne S, A systematic review of
interventions for promoting active transportation to school, The International Journal of
Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2011, Vol.8, p.10-10
ARCH 452: Research Methods in Architecture Dr. Susanne Cowan
Montana State University Spring 2020
Stage 3: Contextual Analysis of a Case Study Site In Bozeman:
Westside (North of Huffine West of 19th) especially within 1 mile of schools like the
new Gallatin High School and the nearby Meadowlark Elementary
Students may also consider “Safe Routes to Parks” including the Bozeman Sports Park
• Expert Interviews:
− Addi Jadin, City of Bozeman, Recreation and Parks Department (primary contact)
ajadin@bozeman.net
• Todd Swinehart, Director of Facilities, Bozeman Public Schools, todd.swinehart@bsd7.org
• Doug Fisher, Bozeman Public Schools, Board of Trustees Members
− Cathy Costakis, City of Bozeman, Planning Board, costakisce@gmail.com
• Census Data:
− The number and/or percentage of school-age kids in the area.
− The percentage of pedestrian and bike commuters in the area.
• Maps:
− Map of schools with trails within 1/4, ½, and 1 mile radii (5-20 minute walk).
− Bozeman Public Schools boundaries map
− Strava.com Heat Maps of pedestrian and bike routes uses near westside schools
• Other:
− Information from school district about student transport (school bus, pick up, etc.).
− Number of students at the local schools
Stage 4-5: Planning and Conducting Field Research
• User Counts:
− Number of students (and parents) using trails near schools during school commute hours
(i.e. approximately 7:30-8:30 am and 1:30-3:30 pm).
− Traffic Caused Near Schools at Drop Off/Pick Up Time (7:30-8:30 am, 1:30-3:30 pm).
• Surveys: Surveys related to schools and kids under 18 years old must be approved by Dr. Cowan
and the school district. Please discuss options with Dr. Cowan.
Stage 6: Pre-Design Analysis
• Assessment: Strengths/Weakness of Existing Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure for Safer Routes
to Schools
• Proposal: Trail connectors and street crossings to improve Safer Routes to School