New Brighton could add a couple of dog parks, a soccer field or even a disc golf course under proposals for four parks in the city's Northwest Quadrant redevelopment area.
THE BACKGROUND
About 20 of the roughly 100 total acres in the Northwest Quadrant, at Interstate 35W and I-694, will be devoted to parks.
A steering committee of community members -- representing athletic associations and other people the city identified as stakeholders -- has been meeting to help shape the parks for the area, along with the planned housing and commercial space that is being built there.
A timeline has yet to be determined, but designs will go before the City Council on Jan. 22. In preparation for that council meeting, the city last week held an open house where the urban design group Bonestroo showed preliminary ideas for the four parks.
THE BROAD STROKES
The city is considering a variety of uses for the four parks, said Sandy Breuer, New Brighton's director of parks and recreation. Names for the parks haven't been chosen, but for now the city is using the labels south, central, north and east.
"Each park has very different features," she said. "One of the big things we're concentrating on is trail connections into Long Lake Regional Park, so both the south park and the central park have connections that would allow you to cross over back and forth between" the regional park and the city parks.
The central park: At 2 acres, this park would be more of a focal point for entry into Long Lake Regional Park, to which it will connect. The plan is to emphasize the history of New Brighton, perhaps with sculptures illustrating the area's former stockyard days, Breuer said.
The north park: The largest park, at 8 to 10 acres. Possible uses for the northern end are two dog parks (one would be closed as the other is being used, allowing grass to regenerate). For the southern end, the city is considering a multipurpose athletic field for soccer and lacrosse, or using it for bocce ball or disc golf.
