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MRPA Awards of Excellence
Each year MRPA recognizes agencies or organization in Minnesota for outstanding achievements. The following are the recipients of the MRPA Awards of Excellence for projects completed in 2019.
Hiway Federal Credit Union – With You on the Road of Life
Hiway Federal Credit Union has been around for almost 90 years, starting in November, 1931 by employees from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The credit union’s beginning was very modest, conducting business out of a cash box, while never losing sight of its purpose: to help members succeed financially. Founded to serve the employees of the Minnesota Highway Department, thus Hiway Federal Credit Union, Hiway has since grown the membership to include state agency employees, military service members, small businesses, individuals and families throughout Minnesota. In addition, Hiway Federal Credit Union has supported the Minnesota Park and Recreation Foundation for years. Hiway’s association with the Foundation has led to a variety of beneficial programs through the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association, including the Awards of Excellence. MRPA extends a huge thank you to Hiway Federal Credit Union for their support of this awards program.
We’re with you on the road of life.
Though many things in our daily lives have changed, one thing remains the same: Hiway is here to provide the financial services, resources and support you need at every stage of life. Visit us online or call us — we’re available 24/7.
hiway.org 651.291.1515 • 800.899.5626
Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai
Hutchinson Parks, Recreation and Community Education – Master Plan
The purpose of the master plan in Hutchinson is to provide guidance for how to grow and maintain existing and future parks and recreation programming for the next 10-20 years or more. The 62-page master plan will help to guide administration and the Parks, Recreation and Community Education (PRCE) department by integrating community input, current services and infrastructure with best practices in recreation and park planning standards. The first master plan was drafted in 1979 and was used as the community of Hutchinson began to grow into the nearby countryside. Having a plan for park expansion in the late 1970s was almost unheard of. The director at that time, along with elected officials, realized the need to have plans for the future. In 2013, the City of Hutchinson, with help from consulting firm Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., delivered a comprehensive plan document, where an entire chapter is devoted to parks, open space and recreation. Within the document is included a facility maintenance and replacement schedule, which is a valuable tool used in the budgeting process. The community was updated throughout the entire process by using online surveys, open houses and stakeholder interviews.
Roseville Parks and Recreation – Cedarholm Programs & Events Transformation Roseville Cedarholm Community Building and Golf Course is a unique facility encompassing a nine-hole golf course, new cart storage facility, grounds maintenance facility and a new 4,800 sq/ft community building. The community building has a pro-shop, golf service counter, bar area, state-of-the-art catering kitchen and a 120-person banquet room. The community building was finished in June of 2018 and replaced an outdated golf clubhouse that was built in the 1950s. The new program and event space is now able to host over 200 private and affiliated group rentals per year. The golf course is heavily used from April to October. Over 750 youth, adult and senior members join weekly leagues and programs. Roseville residents demonstrated their support for programs and events hosted by Cedarholm during the six-month advisory process. Community members continue to look and participate in these recreational opportunities. It is a great venue for gatherings such as Roseville’s Annual Natural Resource Management Education event, Roseville’s State of the City Address, and many more.
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation – Equity Matters Program The Equity Matters Program provides free registration based and drop-in recreation activities for youth at recreation centers located in neighborhoods of high concentrated poverty in Saint Paul. The Equity Matters Program ensures that youth living in these neighborhoods have access to the same high-quality recreation programs as those living in other more affluent neighborhoods. A major component of the City of Saint Paul and Saint Paul Parks & Recreation’s mission is to create a city that works for everyone. In 2017, the City’s Innovation team conducted an analysis of all fee and registration based programs at all 25 city recreation centers. The Innovation team’s goal was to identify gaps in service and determine methods to increase access and equity in Saint Paul’s recreation service delivery. The Equity Matters Program is funded by a general fund commitment allocated by the Saint Paul Mayor’s Office and City Council. $22,000 was provided for the pilot program in 2017. Due to the success of the pilot program, the support from the general fund increased to $104,000 in 2018 and $210,000 in 2019.
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation / Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – ROADMAP Initiative Como Park Zoo & Conservatory (Como) launched the ROADMAP (Reaching Our Audiences by Developing Mission Aligned Programs), a three-year, campus-wide, strategic initiative. The ROADMAP focuses on capacity building for all Como staff and volunteers with the goal of providing consistent, impactful, and mission-aligned educational programming and visitor engagement. The ROADMAP consists of three major components: program content standards, program development process, and visitor interaction guide. The ROADMAP Program Content Standards (PCS) provide a mission-aligned framework of guiding questions used to create focused, age-appropriate content for programs. The PCS framework is part of the larger ROADMAP Program Development Process (PDP), which is rooted in the best practice of backwards design and guides staff through the process of selecting a guiding question, creating audience outcomes, and developing an engaging program plan. The ROADMAP PCS and PDP support a wide variety of programs including zookeeper chats, volunteer interpretive stations, education classes, exhibit signage, and more. All staff tasked with developing these types of programs were trained in 2019 and are currently using the process to create more intentional programming.
Three Rivers Park District – Recreation Pass Plus Program The Recreation Pass Plus initiative offers fee assistance to help qualifying Hennepin County residents enjoy Three Rivers Park District’s parks and programs. The program is based on the idea that everyone belongs in the parks to enjoy all that nature has to offer. To be eligible for Recreation Pass Plus, people must live in Hennepin County and must be enrolled in a designated federal, state or county service program. Program participants receive a plastic card valid for one year that includes unlimited free equipment rentals, two free annual recreation passes per family member and discounts on programs and events. The Recreation Pass Plus program is funded through Three Rivers Park District’s general fund operating budget. The card that Recreation Pass Plus participants receive is the same card issued to members of the general public who purchase Park District annual passes as well as the card that is issued to Park District staff and volunteers. The only feature identifying it as a Recreation Pass Plus card is a sticker on the front noting that free equipment rental is included. The program aims to make it easy for people to enroll — either online, by calling Three Rivers’ reservations office, or by a printed application — and allows people to choose the recreation passes that their family is interested in using.
Marketing & Communications
Eden Prairie – Print and Digital Marketing Redesign Eden Prairie Parks and Recreation initiated a marketing audit in 2019 in order to better understand the information needs of the community. Along with the communications department, a marketing consultant was hired to assist in gathering and analyzing data from the community. As more communication and registration methods moved to digital platforms, the desire was to learn more about community trends and expectations. More than 700 respondents provided valuable feedback through surveys and focus groups on parks and recreation communications, and some clear trends and themes were evident. Most people desired information to be delivered through a computer or mobile device. This project was an example of a strong collaboration between the parks and recreation department and the communications division. While there was already a history of working together to produce publications, posters, flyers and social media posts, this project took an integrated approach where all staff were equal stakeholders in the outcomes.
Elk River Parks and Recreation – Active Elk River Initiative The Active Elk River marketing campaign helped pass the Local Option Sales Tax referendum on November 6, 2018 with an overwhelming 6,830 yes votes, to 3,702 no votes at the polls. In 2016, voters denied a referendum to address failing recreation facilities through a $35 million bond sale levied by property taxes. When that failed, city staff continued working with the Mayor, council members, and community members to develop a more cost-effective, project-specific plan to reinvest in aging facilities – thus, Active Elk River was born. Because Elk River is a regional center, facilities are often used by visitors, and leaders felt it was important for these visitors to share in the cost to improve these amenities. The Active Elk River plan includes the use of low-interest bonds to pay for the improvements with a one-half of one-percent sales tax to fund $35 million in upgrades to parks, recreation facilities, and natural resources. Before bringing this referendum proposal before voters, staff ensured there were no “blind spots” when considering the ways to best communicate. The plan impacted everyone from senior citizens to young kids, so it was important to use every communication tool, including: a standalone website separate from the city’s website (activeelkriver.com), social media,
e-newsletter and notification tools through the city’s website, but also a mailed informational flyer. The mindset when creating this publication was if a member of the community saw nothing else about Active Elk River, this document would give them everything they needed to know in order to make an informed decision when they voted.
Plymouth Parks and Recreation – Park Building & Shelter Virtual Tour Prior to renting a city-owned picnic shelter or facility, many residents used to call the Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department with the same request – for a staff member to meet them on-site to show them around. Due to busy phones and walk-up counters, staff couldn’t easily leave the office to show facilities to prospective renters. To alleviate demand, the department brainstormed and borrowed an innovative concept from real estate – virtual walkthrough tours. Detailed point-of-view video tours were filmed for popular facilities and shared online for renters to view. The videos have been successful. Since posted, there has been a large reduction in the number of in-person tour requests, which helps free up staff to continue providing customer service during this busy time of year.
Washington County – Multi-Lingual Communication in Parks In 2019 Washington County Parks started a new equity initiative creating welcoming experiences for non-English speaking visitors to the parks. The initiatives included creating announcements at the Lake Elmo Swim Pond and signage at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. Staff worked with local school districts in Washington County to identify the highest populations of non-English speaking residents. As a result, it was determined that English, Spanish, and Hmong were the top three most common languages spoken in Washington County schools. With the system in place and messages interpreted, staff started making multi-lingual announcements in June of 2019. Announcements included information on safety breaks, opening and closing of the pond, and important rules to follow. Staff rolled out phase two of the initiative which was to develop welcome signage in multiple languages as park users entered the parks. Two digital signs were installed near park entrances. One at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and one at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. The signs now welcome visitors into the parks to communicate information about vehicle permits and park hours. As the needs of the parks change both the signs and announcements can be easily updated to accommodate new messages and additional languages as needed, better serving all visitors who utilize the parks.
Coon Rapids – Riverwind Park Renovation Project Riverwind Park in Coon Rapids was reinvigorated in 2019 after a complete renovation. Condemned tennis courts, an aging playground, cracked pavement and a 45-year-old pool house – a remnant of a longclosed community pool – were replaced with permanent pickleball courts, basketball courts, new playground equipment, walking trails and a fully renovated community building. The project received $900,000 from a Park Bond voters approved in 2013. The City Council allocated another $243,448 from general funds after residents expressed a strong desire to renew Riverwind Park as a community gathering hub. The complete renovation transformed the sad and dilapidated park into a modern, vibrant community space. Riverwind re-opened with great fanfare, hosting hundreds of people for neighborhood meetings, camps, art & fitness classes, private rentals and much more.
Elk River – Rivers Edge Commons Park Expansion During the summer of 2019, the Rivers Edge Commons Park Expansion project that began in 2016 was officially finalized. Located in the heart of downtown, the Rivers Edge Commons Park connects Main Street to the adjacent Mississippi River and provides a venue for festivals and concerts, drawing thousands of visitors every year. The project replaced the lower section of the exiting alley, expanded the turf slope and stone seating, added a stairway, expanded the stage area, replaced the failing retaining wall between the parking lots, and stormwater enhancements. This project represented a unique opportunity to make a great park even better by providing additional event capacity for visitors to enjoy the concert series, strengthening the image of the park edges, and enhancing the storm water functionality. Rivers Edge Commons Park is nestled between businesses and apartment buildings. Prior to the park’s expansion an alleyway between the park and the businesses traversed down the slope of the river bluff connecting Main Street with two parking lots on the bluff terraces. Through the expansion, the alleyway to the lower parking lot was removed, the slope regraded, and vegetation established reducing runoff from Main Street directly to a fast water spillway into the Mississippi River.
Little Canada – Spooner Park All-Inclusive Playground In the summer of 2019, the City of Little Canada removed an existing outdated playground that did not meet accessibility standards or updated fall protection standards. The playground was the first all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities in Little Canada. The planning process started as a simple playground equipment replacement in 2016 for new equipment to be installed in 2017. Most importantly, the youth of the community were able to be involved and have a voice in what features they wanted in their next playground. A common theme that everyone agreed on was to replace the existing playground with a new all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities to be able to participate and make sure it was ADA accessible for not only children but adults as well. The entire playground and surrounding area was completed and opened to the public in the summer of 2019. To make the playground even more special to the community, the City of Little Canada had a first-ever community build event. With the size and features of the playground, a two-day build was anticipated. The response from the community was so fantastic that the playground was able to be built in just one day. Shortly after the community build was complete, the new playground held a grand-opening event.
Maple Grove – Fernbrook Fields The Fernbrook Fields project was profoundly important to the City of Maple Grove. Prior to the project, the condition of the soccer complex natural grass fields was poor. The fields degraded during the wet weather season and, over time, became unplayable. The demand for an adequate playing surface was high. During the update of the Comprehensive Park System Plan in 2018, the Maple Grove Park Board identified a need for tournament level facilities. The Board saw it as an opportunity to bring people to the area, generate revenue, and create a high level recreation experience for youth. This new multi-use athletic facility serves as a practice facility for Maple Grove sports associations and schools. It also is a regional tournament quality venue for soccer, football, and lacrosse. The 19-acre Fernbrook Complex is able to host community gatherings and is available as a rental facility for resident and corporate events. This facility features four full-size lighted synthetic turf fields lined for soccer, football and lacrosse. There is also a game warm-up area, a public park including a playground, plaza, picnic pavilion, restrooms, concessions and ample parking for facility use.
City of Winona – Winona Ice Park The Winona Ice Park sits high atop the bluffs in Winona and is one of just a few city-owned ice climbing parks in the nation. The manmade ice is separated into two sections on the bluff: a lower-angle area for beginners, and a larger area for more experienced climbers. The park is located on an old quarry on city property and was opened to the public for climbing in 2019. While deicing a location for this new park, the two major issues that had to be worked out were vague property lines on the bluff side, and the lack of a water source to farm the ice. While the details of the quarry location were being worked out, the City of Winona temporarily put the ice park in another city park, and used the time as a “trial and error” period. After obtaining the survey results of the property lines, and the generosity of a private land-owner who allowed a hose to run over the property, the City of Winona now has an amazing ice climbing park that attracts people from all over the Midwest. The quality of ice that they are able to produce, the ease of access at the base and top of the routes, and the proximity to town, make the Winona Ice Park a premier climbing destination.
Congratulations Fernbrook Fields was recognized with MRPA’s Award of Excellence
Proud to help bring the Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Department’s vision to life.
Design with community in mind stantec.com/parks-recreation
Saint Paul – Frogtown Community Center Throughout its 44 years in operation, the Scheffer Recreation Center in Saint Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood, was one of the City’s most active recreation centers. However, there was a lack of usable space for flexible programming. Through support from the local community, the City of Saint Paul designated the facility for a complete overhaul including a new building, fields, courts, and play area. The goal was to replace the 1972 building with a new facility that was safe, accessible, and provided opportunities to expanded programming for physical and social spaces, and for all ages and backgrounds. During the design process, department leadership engaged the community to explore a name change for the building. Following surveys and user outreach, it was determined that the name Scheffer Recreation Center was not reflective nor unifying of the community. By a process of survey voting and idea proposals, it was determined the name would be changed to Frogtown Community Center. The new Frogtown Community Center is over three times larger than the Scheffer Recreation Center it replaced and includes integrated artwork, programming specific to the neighborhood, and integration of community requests. The project was entirely funded through the City of Saint Paul’s Capital Improvement Bonds (CIB) process.
Programming & Events
Crystal – African Drum & Dance Jamboree The African Drum and Dance Jamboree featured two free workshops to learn about West African Drum and Dance, which was followed a week later by a drum and dance event at a local apartment building in Crystal. The event allowed participants to learn about West African drum and dance, taste Liberian cuisine and connect with community members. At the workshops, participants learned the steps and rhythms that will be used during the event. The jamboree event did a great job of drawing Liberian and other residents from the apartment complex to enjoy the fun entertainment. After the conclusion of the performance, there was free food provided by African Foods and Gifts, as well as time for all to talk amongst one another and grow as a community. Funding for this event came from the Crystal Recreation Department’s general budget. Early in 2019, the recreation department discussed how to reach and connect with the diverse populations of Crystal. They contacted African Career Education & Resource Inc. (ACER Inc.) about ways to connect with other populations to make everyone feel welcome.
Minnetonka – Burwell Spooktacular The Burwell Spooktacular was a new community special event offered on October 25, 2019 at Minnetonka Mills Park. The park is home to the Charles H. Burwell House, a listing on the National Register of Historic Places that also includes a boardwalk, walking paths, and a footbridge over the Minnehaha Creek. All of these features made it an ideal location for the Halloween-themed event. The Burwell Spooktacular was unique since it was free event. Many of the holiday-related events require registration and are fee-based. This event allowed open access for all that wanted to attend. The Burwell House has the look of a haunted house, so it provided a unique backdrop to the Halloween-themed event. It also gave community members an opportunity to learn more about Minnetonka history through guided tours. The community response was very positive and over 1,100 people attended this new fall event. The event benefited a local youth organization, Boy Scout Troop 345, through their concession sales. In addition, neon sales raised $400 for the Recreation Services Scholarship Fund which benefits program participants who are in need of financial assistance.
New Hope – New Year’s Movie at the Arena In 2019 the City of New Hope hosted a New Year’s Eve Movie at the New Hope Ice Arena and showed the movie Aladdin on a jumbo screen on the north rink. The New Hope Ice Arena staff set-up an open skate on the south rink for families before the movie and the Armstrong Cooper Youth Hockey Association (ACYHA) served concessions to those in attendance. The funding for the event was minimal as a majority of the equipment was already owned by the City. ACYHA was willing to sponsor the event. It was free to watch the movie, but the open skate beforehand had an entry fee. The event would not have been possible without the coordination and partnership between staff from parks and recreation and the ice arena. Additionally, ACYHA was a huge partner as they paid for the movie license sponsorship, coordinated volunteers to work in the concessions stand, and promoted the event within their organization.
Three Rivers Park District – e-cology: the Evolution of Technology E-cology is a park-wide event at Silverwood Park where artists and naturalists introduce the 21+ gaming and self-identified nerd community to the Three Rivers Park District mission of promoting environmental stewardship through recreation and education. The natural spaces they use in gameplay are valuable because they have been designated as natural spaces in real life and the game. In e-cology, Silverwood Park becomes a giant game board where participants interact with the outdoors by playing video and board games, canoeing, learning how to use cell phone applications to identify plants and animals, discovering information about the stars in a Digital Star Lab Planetarium, and interacting with artist-created projected games based on the environment. The e-cology event was funded through Silverwood Park’s operating budget within the Three Rivers Park District general fund budget. Partners provided their own technology and Silverwood’s main expense was staff time at stations during the event. Approximately 450 participants attended the e-cology program. The program met its goal of expanding interest in the outdoors among members of the gaming community.
Partnerships & Sponsorships
Brooklyn Center – Cummins Partnership The City of Brooklyn Center and Cummins engineers have been collaborating for three years to enhance youth programs and incorporate engineering experiences into programs. Every summer, Cummins purchases Tinker Crates by Kiwi Co. and a group of engineers attend summer youth programs and lead the participants through the Tinker Crate activity while teaching engineering principles. After a few years, Cummins expressed interest in discovering new ways to support the youth programs. In 2019, recreation staff wanted to purchase the Imagination Playground™ Big Blue Blocks set and storage bags to expand programming, as well as help foster free play that is safe and innovative. Recreation staff contacted Cummins to inquire if any grant opportunities were available to support this project. The local Cummins team agreed to support the project and were able to apply for the Cummins Community Grant to receive the funds to purchase the Imagination Playground™. The recreation department has been able to add the program, Tiny Tot Time, which gives early childhood children access to safe play. Due to the grant fully funding the equipment and the low staff-participant ratio, the addition has provided more free and low cost programming for the community.
Eagan – Mobile Lunchbox Eagan Parks and Recreation partnered with The Open Door Food Pantry for several programs in the fight to end hunger for children and their families in the Eagan community. The Open Door’s mission is: A fresh approach to ending local hunger through access to healthy food. Food donations were collected from attendees and vendors at Market Fest, a weekly Farmers Market that was held on the grounds of Central Park. Eagan Parks and Recreation also partnered with the Open Door Mobile Lunch Box and Rahn Elementary School to provide lunch and snacks for Summer in the Park participants and community members under the age of 18. This program assisted in providing 46% more summer meals to kids in Dakota County. The Open Door also provided lunches to the Rec on the Go program. The programs that were a collaboration, did not cost the Eagan any extra money since they were already existing programs that were enhanced with new partnerships and filled a community need. The funding for the lunch program was provided by the Open Door Mobile Lunch Box program. The partnership with the Open Door and other collaborators provided opportunities to assist the Eagan community in the fight against hunger.
Lakeville Parks and Recreation - King Park Mini Golf Course The King Park Mini Golf Course is a nine-hole, fully accessible amenity, located at King Park. The mini golf course is also home to the South Metro Miracle League field, and an allinclusive playground. This new amenity is designed for youth of all ages, but specifically those with cognitive and physical disabilities. Given the success of the South Metro Miracle League, this new feature is well-utilized by the players and their families. Lakeville staff was approached to construct this amenity by several members from the community including representatives from local businesses. Funding for the project was secured through fundraising events, donations and grant opportunities without the utilization of city funds. The concepts were presented and approved by the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee in the spring of 2018 and later approved by City Council. The fundraising officially commenced followed by construction starting in September of 2019 with completion in November.
New Hope – Urban Orchard at Little Acre Park The City of New Hope created an Urban Orchard with 25 fruit trees that were planted at Little Acre Park. The New Hope Parks and Recreation and New Hope Public Works departments, along with Hennepin County and The Food Group partnered together to make this Urban Orchard a possibility. The trees for the orchard were donated by Hennepin County and included: apple, apricot, pear, and plum trees. When the trees began bearing fruit, the harvest benefited the residents of New Hope and families in need. Hennepin County reached out to staff in the fall of 2018 to see if the City of New Hope was interested in a donation of fruit trees to plant. Early in the summer of 2019 a decision was made that green space outside of the youth baseball field and next to the walking path at New Hope’s Little Acre Park would be an ideal location. The Food Group provided a staff member who took lead, promoted the event and recruited volunteers for the planting. Everything needed for the Urban Orchard was donated, free, or were supplies that were already owned by the different participating groups.
New Brighton – The Beautiful Project – Tree of Life Mural In the spring of 2018, the City of New Brighton changed their motto from “the City that works for you” to “Building Tomorrow Today.” Although the old motto was still appropriate, the City adapted its new motto with the intent to modernize, invest in infrastructure and encourage a more inclusive atmosphere. Mayor Val Johnson implemented an inclusivity task force, which included many diverse individuals to provide insight to leadership about how to promote and encourage diversity, equity and inclusiveness in the community. This new ethos opened the door for beautification and community projects including a partnership with Infinite Vision Art’s “The Beautiful Project”, led by muralist and Minnesota native, Pamela Sukhum. Their ideas were adopted into a collaborative mural for the entire community. This project was a new direction and a new initiative for New Brighton-one which would hopefully be a stepping stone to other unifying art and community projects. To be successful, this project needed to incorporate City staff, local business, residents and many other organizations within the community. Despite unforeseen project costs, the City, along with our partners, worked together to create Minnesota’s Largest Community Painted Mural. Over 100 participants painted an area that was 30’ x 30’ with brushes that were one-inch or smaller.
Hutchinson– Elks Inclusive Playground Project The Elks Inclusive Playground Project was a collaboration between the City of Hutchinson and the local Hutchinson Elks Lodge #2427. The notion of adding an inclusive playground into Elks Park was an idea of Elks Lodge members, who approached the parks department in 2015. The Hutchinson Elks Lodge presented the City Council with a $38,906 donation as an initial down payment on the first phase of the inclusive playground. Then in February 2017, enough funds had been raised to have the second phase of the Zip Krooz installed. Installation date was May 2017. Having these two larger pieces added into Elks Park really expanded the original playground site. In summer of 2018, the remainder $73,000 was given to the City of Hutchinson for the final third phase. The inclusive playground project was completely finished in May 2019. All the funds donated to the City of Hutchinson from the Elks Lodge were used to purchase equipment, add an additional sidewalk, and pay for the installation. The actual purchasing of equipment and materials for this project were purchased by the City of Hutchinson, since they own the property. The City also contributed to the project by providing labor and equipment to excavate the site. The City of Hutchinson is very fortunate to have an active Elks Lodge within their community. They see their sponsored park as a priority in their mission to improve the community and keep things at the highest level of quality.
Saint Paul – Sanneh Foundation
There are currently six re-partnered recreation centers operated by non-profit organizations, but owned by the City of Saint Paul. One of the most successful partnerships to come out of the City’s System’s Plan is with the Sanneh Foundation which leases and operates Conway Recreation Center on Saint Paul’s east side.
Partnering with the Sanneh Foundation has allowed the City to provide expanded and more specialized recreation programming. Thousands of youth participate in free Sanneh camps including soccer, basketball, football and baseball as well as youth development programs. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation would not have the capacity to offer these camps without the partnership with the Sanneh Foundation. The new 15-year lease agreement Above: A schematic rendering of the new athletic fields and dome which will be built at the Conway Recreation Center with the Sanneh Foundation will provide over $10 million dollars in Capital improvements to the interior of Conway Recreation Center and to the athletic fields. This once in a lifetime investment at Conway would not have been possible due or would have taken years due to the large volume of centers that the City owns and maintains. The Sanneh Foundation’s ability to raise money to make these investments will serve the Conway neighborhood’s recreation needs for decades to come. It will also create an athletics hub on the City’s East Side.
Washington County – Life Jacket Loaner Stations During the spring of 2019 as part of a larger community partnership, Washington County installed fully equipped life jacket loaner stations at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve swim pond and Big Marine Park Reserve swimming beach. Through the Safe Kids Council, Washington County Parks and Washington County Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain initial funding by way of donations through Lake Elmo Rotary and Vali Hi Drive-In Theatre to purchase a weather resistant shed, signage and life jackets. The stations are made up of weather resistant storage containers and are stocked with an inventory of Type III United States Coast Guard Approved personal flotation devices. Once the swimming area is staffed by lifeguards for the day and the loaner stations opened, any swimmer can borrow a life jacket from these stations to use while swimming at the beach for as long as needed and return to the loaner station when they are done. Lifeguards monitor the loaner stations and can help ensure swimmers are selecting appropriate sizes and wearing the life jackets properly. Lifeguards are also responsible to ensure all life jackets are collected and returned to the storage bins at the end of the day so they can be secured overnight. The stations remained in use throughout the 2019 swimming season and the program is being expanded into new locations for 2020. Each life jacket loaner station provides a valuable resource for families and individuals of any swimming ability to participate safely in this recreational activity.
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation – Deep Clean Volunteer Events The community volunteer “deep clean” event series is comprised of seven volunteer clean-up events, with one event held in each of the seven Saint Paul city council wards. The concept was simple: create a community friendly event which encourages individuals and groups to engage in a refresh at a community recreation, both inside and out. The planning process addressed the concerns that the recreation center facilities needed a level of maintenance attention they were not receiving from the regular routine. Funding for the deep clean volunteer events come from the existing operations budget and the idea was kept simple and close to home. Volunteers were from three levels: groups, individuals and community service hours. Each group provided dozens of volunteers to help with the project in their specific area. In addition, there were dozens of volunteers from the neighborhood within each of the seven areas. People really enjoyed the fact that their site was receiving some special attention and that the final impact was a cleaner, spruced-up area.
MINNESOTA
Recreation and Parks Magazine
MINNESOTA MINNESOTA Official Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Recreation and Parks Volume 12, Issue 3 • Summer 2017
The Herd’s the Word What Cities are Doing to Control Invasive Species MRPA Facility Management Academy
Building Boom: New Facilities & playgrounds Take Shape ACROSS THE STATe
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Winter 2021 magazine issue
Ad deadline: December 20, 2020 | Mails: February 2021
Content: Aquatics; online degree programs; CPRP; park and facility construction
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Content: MRPA member awards; turf, fields and grounds care; hiring summer staff, training (concussion, staff), RISE
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Content: 2021 Annual Conference guide; sustainability; sponsorships; green memorial programs; pets in parks, therapeutic recreation & ADA products
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Content: Agency Awards of Excellence projects; group fitness programs; parks and natural resources replanting; geese management
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MINNESOTA RECREATION & PARK MAGAZINE – 2021 EDITORIAL CALENDAR
