New Richland city park refresh and renew project

An initial planning meeting was held at the end of 2025 to discuss the City's Park Refresh and Renew Project. Attendees included Brandy Jacobson, Deputy Clerk; Heather Christensen, City Council Member; Jason Casey, City Administrator; Tyler Lendt, EDA Member; Katelynne Kratz, and Tim Truelson of Flagship Recreation.

 

The group discussed the project timeline and acknowledged the tight window for grant writing. To ensure a strong and competitive application, all parties agreed to push the project timeline back by one year. The targeted grant submittal date is April 2027, with the goal of beginning construction by the end of 2027.

 

Katelynne Kratz has researched multiple funding opportunities and identified the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grant as the best fit for the project.

The MN DNR grant requires a 50% match, which may include cash contributions and donated time, material or labor, and mandates that all elements of the project be ADA inclusive. Tim Truelson shared his experience working with DNR grants and committed to assisting with project planning, design, and grant preparation to ensure all requirements are met and to maximize the chances of receiving funding.

 

The project may be divided into multiple phases, potentially including a bathroom and pavilion phase, city park improvements, and baseball field park updates. It was noted that bathroom and pavilion components would need to be designed separately from Flagship Recreation, requiring the city to hire a contractor for design and construction services. The City Engineer has determined that the existing bathroom facilities are not viable and would be more costly to repair than to replace, prompting discussion on whether to build off the existing structure or remove it entirely.

 

Various options for restroom and pavilion amenities were discussed, including permanent portable restrooms, single ADA-accessible restrooms, open pavilions with electrical, or enclosed structures with both indoor and outdoor restroom access.

 

Community input will be critical in determining the preferred option. Additionally, it was agreed that the new park entrance should be relocated to the north side of the park on 1st Street SE to avoid traffic concerns on Broadway Avenue.

 

ADA accessibility will be a central focus throughout the project, including paved entrances and walking paths to bathrooms, pavilions, and new playground equipment. Proposed playground updates include reimagining the existing enclosed wood chip area, which currently contains limited equipment. Ideas include removing existing structures to create separate playgrounds for ages 2-5 and 5-12, along with climbers and a stand-alone slide accommodating a wide age range. A new inclusive play area is planned between the bathroom facility and the enclosed play area, featuring a safety surfacing and/or turf pathways for accessibility to inclusive play equipment, potentially to include such items as swings, spinners, bouncers, zip krooz, and early childhood items.

 

Updates to the baseball field park were also discussed, with plans to relocate the newer 5-12 year-old playground equipment from the city park and supplement it with additional 2-5 year-old features.

 

The overarching goal of the project is to "think big and plan for future generations" by creating cohesive, accessible, and fun park spaces that flow seamlessly and serve all members of the community. Recognizing the significant cost of the project, the plan is to organize fundraising opportunities over the next year as well as reach out to local volunteer groups for donations. Community engagement will be a priority, with equipment ideas and project information shared in the coming weeks to gather public input. Once community preferences are finalized, the information will be submitted to Flagship Recreation to develop project renderings.

 

This project represents a major investment in the community, and its success will rely on strong public support and collaboration. The future holds much excitement as the project moves forward. Thank you.