Fred Richards golf course created from the purchase of Normandale Golf Course was redesigned and enhanced to be an executive length 9 hole par 29 golf course. The tees and greens were constructed with up to 16 inches of sand on top of gravel. Golf greens, fairways, roughs, and tees were shaped and optimal play and growing conditions were created with imported sand and gravel as well as irrigation systems, and drain tile systems.

What is good for short mowed golf play was not what was native to the site. In order to restore these natural systems that occurred over 58 years ago these materials must be removed. The golf soil profiles do not have ability to support the historic landscapes or other Minnesota native conditions (like savanna or prairie).

Crews will be working with large excavators and diggers on the west side of the park in the new wetland preserve area. They will b e digging down to native soils (dark brown/black peat soils) and removing materials that were added with golf course construction. This includes light colored sand, silt sand, and gravel. They will also be removing foreign materials such as fabrics, geogrid, drain tile, and irrigation piping to ensure long term plant and ecosystem establishment in the park including open areas but also wetland edges.