Town News

Catchup with Council, May 25, 2021 – Social Equity Training, New Building Plans at PRA

Social Equity Training – Final Session

The Frisco Town Council participated in the final of two social equity training sessions provided by the National League of Cities to deliver comprehensive Race, Equity, and Leadership (REAL) Racial Equity training. This first training occurred at the May 11, 2021 meeting, and encouraged engagement from the Town Council and presented the history of inequity, racism, and systemic policies that continue to negatively impact Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the United States today. The second part of the training focused on identifying implicit and explicit racial bias on both individual and systemic levels, understanding systemic racism, and steps that individuals and governments can take to build a more equitable community.

Preliminary Review Village Center Building Design ­at the Peninsula Recreation Area (PRA)

Representatives with the Ohlson Lavoie Corporation (OLC) presented a design concept for a new Village Center Building at the Peninsula Recreation Area (PRA). The plan included a new Village Center building to house offices, as well as youth programming space and storage, and showed a new drop off area, outdoor plaza, and yurt relocation.

The design concept OLC presented is for a two-story Village Center Building (5,000-7,000 square feet), which is significantly smaller than the 20,000 square foot building originally proposed in the Comprehensive Vision and Project Implementation Plan. This smaller design is more cost-effective and energy efficient, and able to meet most of the current operational needs, while being able to accommodate future expansion.

Council provided significant feedback regarding the design, parking and drop-off plans, tube storage (could tubes be stored in an unheated building in another location?), solar options, office layout, and the overall intended use of the building and whether this building can accommodate those uses.

Background

In August 2019, the Town of Frisco contracted with Lose Design to complete a Comprehensive Vision and Project Implementation Plan for the PRA.

The Plan originated when design and construction of a new building at the PRA was initially budgeted for in 2019. At that time, Council expressed some concerns regarding the proposed site location for the new building and the costs of construction, and directed staff to reallocate the 2019 budgeted funds to complete a comprehensive plan for the PRA as whole, which considers current uses and facilities, previous ideas and reports, community input, and desired future uses. This Plan is intended to be implemented over time, and aligns any proposed improvements and enhancements at the PRA with three goals: revenue-generating opportunities, operational efficiencies, and value-added enhancements.

After significant community outreach, staff presented the Comprehensive Vision and Project Implementation Plan to Town Council on September 22, 2020, and Council adopted the Plan on October 27, 2020, after revisions.