Recreation committee discusses budget, Branchwood project

The Joint Committee on Recreation spent part of the July meeting talking about the 2018 budget. The committee met on July 10.

Each of the POA’s joint committees is asked to make recommendations on capital projects during the annual budgeting process. Recreation began by reviewing their multi-year plan and noting several of their recommendations have come about.

The second phase of the Branchwood project, turning the former nine hole golf course into a multi-use park, may begin this year. General Manager Tom Judson said that expanding the building is the biggest part of phase two, but it will require a vote by the board of directors to proceed.

The central portion of the trail system, some 53 miles, is being discussed with the city. The city and the POA will work together on the trail system, he said.

The beach at Avalon has been approved and the first part of that project, expanding the parking lot, is underway, Judson said.

A new archery range has been on the list for sometime, Judson noted, but there are problems with the location. He doesn’t want to build another amenity on land owned by Cooper Communities, so the original plan of adding archery to the gun range isn’t practical.

Committee member Ron Jones said some people interested in archery have suggested that the noise from the gun range would be a problem. He suggested an area along the Branchwood trail.

Judson said that putting an archery range along the trail isn’t practical. For one thing, the archers would have to walk a half mile to reach it and then there would be little supervision. He said he would be willing to utilize Cooper property if they would agree to a long-term lease.

The committee members agreed to consider what projects they will endorse and submit their own lists to the committee chair. A final recommendation for the board will be made after the August meeting

The committee reorganized at the July meeting with Gary Griffin elected chairman, Deb Sorensen elected vice chairman, and Jan Dobbertin elected secretary.