55A - RESO - YOUTH SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP

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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 7, 2014 TITLE: YOUTH SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM {STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 2,2F) CITY MANA R RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: _•0 • _1 ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1" Reading ❑ Ordinance on 2 Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Adopt a resolution on the recommendation to develop and implement a Youth Sports Scholarship Program so that it benefits youth participating in the City's youth sports program and advancing progress on deferred maintenance areas that benefit youth sports activity throughout the city. DISCUSSION At the May 20, 2014 City Council meeting, Council approved $200,000 for the Youth Sports Scholarship Program as part of the funding approval for the Five -Year Strategic Plan. The Parks, Recreation, Education and Youth (PREY) Council Committee met on July 28 and discussed this program. The plan proposed by staff is to use $100,000 this current fiscal year to support Santa Ana youth participation in the City's sports program. The program includes the sports of Basketball, Football, Baseball, Soccer, Tennis, and an After School program. Youth that can't afford to take part in these programs will be offered scholarship support so that no Santa Ana child is prevented to participate due to lack of monies. The other half of the fund will be invested on park deferred maintenance projects that directly benefit Santa Ana youth. Half of these monies or $50,000 will be used along with park in -lieu monies to replace the Centennial Park synthetic turf at field #4 at the Centennial Park Dan Young Soccer Complex. The synthetic field replacement will go through the regular bid process and come back at a later time to the City Council. This field was the City's first synthetic field and was opened twelve years ago. The warranty for the playing surface ran out three years ago and staff has been doing their best in patching up the turf to make it playable for the many hours of youth soccer play that takes place on this very popular field. The seven youth soccer organizations that play on this field have asked the City to replace the turf over the last several years. Below you will see a current picture of a youth team playing on the field. Additionally, the Santa Ana Unified School District recently invested in their sports fields by installing synthetic turf. Utilization of synthetic turf will result in less Feld closures, reduced maintenance expenses and enhanced water efficiencies. 55A -1