As of June 22, 2023, a design team has been selected. Initiating move from master planning into design at this time. No specific timeline established. =============
The city is planning to turn the former Fred Richards Golf Course into a park, with the voter-approved funding going toward new wetland banking and flood storage, trail loops, natural resource restoration, a remodeled clubhouse, pickleball facility, a playground and parking. The golf course closed in 2014 due to financial difficulties. In summary, the master plan concept recommendation is as follows: 1. Nature Bank - Pursue the wetland banking approach. Several nodes are included in the
"Pathways to Play" concept: Pollinator; Habitat; Contemplation; Woodland; Water. 2. Neighborhood Park - The neighborhood playground is highlighted along with a picnic shelter. Residential connections to the larger park are achieved with a bridge and the Nine Mile Creek Trail. This would be more of a traditional playground facility for the Parklawn neighborhood. 3. Great Lawn - open lawn with possible athletic fields 4. Central Green - Elements included in this area are a traditional playground, pickleball courts and a multi-purpose sport court that could be used for basketball and futsal. Mounds and berms have been created to create visual and recreational interest and amenities. The berms will provide screening for neighbors to the north and west and can be used for sitting, sledding, relaxing and exploring. Creating the mounds also reduce grading costs by creating a location for soils to be relocated onsite instead of being removed from the site. 5. The Loop - The loop focuses on a rolling walking trail, gardens, seating areas and possibly public art. 6. Clubhouse Building - There continues to be interest in renovating the clubhouse for a restaurant/brewpub as well as potentially teaming with Three Rivers Park District for programming and creating trailhead features. A potential craft brew pub type facility similar to Crooked Pint in Chaska was given as an example for continued revenue to support park maintenance. This concept will be studied in greater detail if the concept is supported by the City Council. The concept plan shows an enlarged Clubhouse, but the cost to improve this building is not included in the project cost estimate. 7. Parking - The concept includes 155 parking stalls on Fred Richards Park property with the addition of a parking lot. The plan needs additional parking from the Pentagon Park/Link development. Outside of city property the project hopes for 100 shared "parkway" stalls and 134 stalls in a shared parking lot. Detailed design and construction documents need to be completed. The final design process will take 6 - 9 months.
*Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.
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