Reimagine Linwood New Renderings + Survey

Thank you to the neighbors that joined us on August 15 to hear from Saint Paul Parks & Recreation about revised plans for the west side of Linwood Park. New renderings were released and Parks & Rec is now taking comments on the most recent design (see survey link below).

Presentation

After a few words from SHA President Simon Taghioff and an introduction from Ward 2 City Council Member Rebecca Noecker, Katie Hamerlinck from Parks & Rec revealed updated designs for the entire western side of Linwood Park. Parks & Rec had engaged deeply with the feedback from the previous community survey from the May 30 meeting, and revealed a thoughtful site plan that addressed as much of it as possible within site constraints:

(Click on the image to download the full presentation)

Key changes from the previous options include:

  • The upper area now contains both a 2-5 Tot Lot and a 5-12 playground. The chosen location maintains proximity to the main rec center buildings.

  • Overall site accessibility has been considered. There’s a lot more connectivity, including at-grade access to the playground from Saint Clair, embankment play, and pathways to connect the various elements of the site to one another.

  • There are now two pickleball courts and a full sized basketball court in the plans. They have been located in the lower field area to minimize noise to neighboring residents.

  • Shade trees and structures have been incorporated, close to the amenities they serve. This includes the pickleball courts and playground.

  • A trail to connect the east and west sides of the park is being considered. The ideal would be to have a walking loop.

  • While no splash pad is in the current project plan, the site is within the search area for a splash pad, per the Saint Paul Parks & Rec System Plan. The current project will be programmed so as not to exclude this as a future possibility.

The presentation was followed by a Q&A, with multiple representatives from Parks & Rec answering questions ranging from access to programming, maintenance, etc. There was excitement about the plans from community members in attendance.

Note to attendees - it was occasionally hard to hear during the Q&A due to the size of the room (both halves of the gym). We do not have amplification available but will take this into consideration when scheduling future events.

Download the full presentation

Take the Community Survey!

Parks & Rec wants your feedback on the concepts shared at the August community meeting. Your input is important – it shows that the community cares about this project and it is clear that Parks & Rec are working to reflect community preferences as these plans take shape.

Please take the survey before September 15.

Next steps will be to refine these final concepts based on community input and review playground themes and equipment.

Look out for more information on our Reimagine Linwood Page.

Alli MP