Investing in Willmar’s future

Construction on most of the Invest in Willmar local option sales tax projects began over the summer. As weeks have gone by, the projects are starting to take shape. Shelby Lindrud / West Central Tribune

Local option sales tax projects an investment in Willmar’s future

BY SHELBY LINDRUD | West Central Tribune

WILLMAR — In a few short years the entire recreation landscape in Willmar has been turned on its head, thanks to the tireless effort of a group of residents, the city council and staff, as well as the residents themselves.

Matt Dawson, Anthony Amon and Jon Konold first approached the Willmar City Council in May 2018 about bringing a $30 million, 13-year local option sales tax question to voters. The money raised by the proposed .5% increase in the city’s sales tax would pay for six projects: a recreation and event center, new and upgraded athletic fields, improvements at both Robbins Island Regional Park and Swansson Field Recreation Complex, a project at the community center and stormwater improvements across the city.

Dawson said he and the other founders of the Invest in Willmar sales tax program were tired of comparing Willmar’s old or lacking recreation facilities to what could be found in other regional centers and decided to act.

“We want nice things for our kids. Anytime you have nice facilities it helps get kids and people excited,” Dawson said.

By November 2018, the Invest in Willmar local option sales tax group was formed and the tax was approved by 60% of the city’s voters. Revenue collection began in October 2019, after the sales tax increase was given final approval by the state legislature. Construction on the recreation projects began in fall 2020.

“It is nice to see some progress,” Dawson said, especially when one throws in the unplanned pandemic and the impact it had on the timeline.

Robbins Island was the first project to reach the construction stage. The $3 million project — split into two phases — included a new road and parking lots, an improved water main, rebuilt and remodeled park shelters, landscaping and lights around the park, including along the walking path that winds around the park.

“We were fortunate that the project came way under budget,” which allowed for the additional shelter and light work to be done, said Rob Baumgarn, Willmar Parks and Recreation director.

Construction on the local option sales tax projects really took off in July 2021, with dirt moved at Swansson Field and ground broken at the Willmar Civic Center where the new recreation/event center and athletic fields will call home.

The Swansson Field improvements, with a budget of $2 million, will turn Elsie Klemmetson Field into a stadium with new bleachers, concession building, press box, a turf infield and improved drainage throughout the playing surface.

“It is one of those facilities that needed to be updated,” Baumgarn said.

Blue Field will also be getting an upgrade. It will be a designated 90-foot regulation baseball field with upgraded dugouts and a grass infield.

The Willmar Recreation and Event Center is scheduled to be completed in fall 2024 and will offer the city more space for events and recreation.

LSE Architects

Most of the construction on the fields is scheduled to be completed by October, but depending on when the grass seed can be laid, play might not take place until late summer 2022 at the earliest.

That could also be true for the new softball/baseball fields being built on the south side of the civic center as part of the larger athletic fields project there.

“We will have a pinwheel complex in town,” available for tournament play, Baumgarn said.

The fields will also have a concession stand, bathrooms, dugouts and irrigation. Other improvements could also be on the horizon, budget willing.

“Our goal is to host more baseball and youth softball tournaments there,” Baumgarn said.

North of the civic center will be two large athletic fields that can be used for a variety of sports, such as football, soccer and baseball. The fields will be covered in artificial turf, making them available for longer seasons.

“We can be out on those fields earlier and later; when it rains we can be out on those fields sooner,” Baumgarn said. “We’ve never had that in Willmar.”

The groundbreaking for the second phase of the Robbins Island Local Option Sales Tax project took place on June 22. The park’s shelters are undergoing massive remodels.

Erica Dischino / West Central Tribune

The combined field improvements will cost approximately $6 million and the bid contracts came in very close to that.

The master plan for the fields include a dome, track and bleachers. Baumgarn said there is already talk about community fundraising, and he has the dome in the Willmar Parks and Recreation department capital improvement plan.

Connected to the civic center will be the new recreation/event center, which began construction in July. Baumgarn said the facility should be open by fall 2022.

“It will give the civic center a yearround heartbeat,” Baumgarn said.

The center, with a budget of $10 million, will have an indoor two-court recreation floor, which will be used for a wide variety of activities from tennis, basketball and pickleball to dinners, meetings and conventions.

“It opens the door for us to have more programs,” Baumgarn said.

The center will also have additional meeting rooms, a catering kitchen to allow food to be brought in for events, an outdoor space and an indoor playground for kids.

“They’ll be able to climb, crawl and slide,” Baumgarn said.

Baumgarn is excited for what all of these improvements, plus the proposed curling facility being planned by Glacial Ridge Curling Club, will bring to the civic center. It will create a nearly one-stop shop for most of the city’s recreation wants and needs.

“This is going to be one heck of a complex when it is done,” Baumgarn said.

With all the new recreation facilities being built across the city, thanks to the local option sales tax, Baumgarn said Parks and Rec will be able to greatly increase its programing offerings. It will be a lot of work to find the right combination of programs and times to hold them, but worth it.

“It is very exciting because of the potential we can have,” Baumgarn said.

Dawson said some of the benefits the Invest in Willmar group hope will come with the finished projects not only include increased recreation options, but perhaps even economic development for the city with more people and businesses wanting to move to Willmar.

“We want to be a destination, where people want to come,” Dawson said.

And probably more important than anything else is bringing all the community together in these new facilities for a friendly ball game or an outdoor concert.

“It just builds community. You get to know people, it’s a social thing,” Dawson said. “Hopefully that makes your community even more attractive, building relationships between community members.”

You may contact the author at slindrud@wctrib.com.