MINUTES
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
DOWNTOWN ANAHEIM COMMUNITY CENTER
250 E. CENTER ST., ANAHEIM, CA 92805
January 24, 2024
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: STAFF PRESENT:
Ryan Balius, Chair Anaheim Sporn, Community Services Manager CarlottaRhea Clark JJ Jimenez, Parks Manager
James Cook Ana Straabe, Principal Project Planner
Greg Martin Marissa Granados, Community Services Coordinator
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
Tony Flores, Vice Chair
Lynn Cudd
Fred Sigala Jr.
A G E N D A A C T I O N T A K E N
1. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Balius called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Martin led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: None.
4. SCHEDULED COMMUNICATION: None.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Chair Balius presented the December 26, 2023 Minutes to the Commissioners for changes or corrections. Commissioner Clark made a motion to accept the minutes, seconded by Commissioner Cook. The motion was approved with 4 votes in favor; Chair Balius accepted the minutes.
6. REPORTS:
a) Park Ranger Report – October: Anaheim Sporn presented the report and updated the commission on Park Ranger recruitment efforts. Anaheim announced that a new Community Services Coordinator, Kelly Kim, had been hired to oversee the Park Ranger program. Five additional Park Rangers were onboarded, meeting the department’s initial hiring goal after the pay increase approved by City Council. Anaheim reviewed the Park Ranger Report numbers from November and December, noting that numbers had decreased across the board due to weather conditions, less daylight, and holidays.
Questions were answered regarding Park Ranger social media efforts, monitoring practices in parks that are adjacent to school sites, and month-to-month report comparisons.
b) Recreation, Human, and Neighborhood Services Report – October/November: Anaheim Sporn presented the report and highlighted the Fall Festival and Halloween Parade as well as the Dia De Los Muertos event at Pearson Park.
c) Parks Activity Report –September/October: JJ Jimenez presented the report and highlighted signage improvements, Founder’s Park Restroom Restoration, mulch replacement and additional erosion control measures, park bench replacement, and ballfield remodels. He also highlighted the outreach efforts of the Tree Power Program and the winter special events supported by facility scheduling.
d) Parks Capital Project Progress Report: Ana Straabe presented the report and highlighted the Brookhurst Teen Center Ribbon Cutting, Canyon Rim Playground and Park Refresh, KABOOM! at Peter Marshall Park, Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes
January 24, 2024
2 Little Pine Park, Paul Revere Playground and court surfacing, and Riverdale Park Playground and Park Refresh.
Questions were answered regarding the timeline at Riverdale Park, the Center Greens Park completion date, and the playground surfacing at Barton Park.
7. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Parks Manager JJ Jimenez gave a presentation on the remediation efforts at Boysen Park, the reopening of the sports fields and the future planning for the park upgrades.
Anaheim Sporn gave a brief overview of the Disneyland Forward City Council Workshop and discussed the potential $8 million parks funding that is part of the initial proposal.
Anaheim Sporn also discussed a community needs assessment that will be conducted in partnership with the Anaheim Community Foundation.
8. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Balius adjourned the meeting at 6:59 p.m.