Concept Design - Phase 1 Update

Thank you for your interest and participation in planning the future of Strachauer Park. Your feedback, questions, and ideas are very important to us. As we move forward, we want to remind everyone that these four concept designs are just concepts, and your feedback will assist to continually evolve more detailed designs.

There have been some similar questions that keep coming up regarding some of the areas on the design. As the designs evolve into more detailed drawings those will also be clarified. The flex lawns in the designs are viewed as multi use space and would still allow for athletic activities such as soccer, football, lacrosse, or any sport that is played on a grass field. Strachauer Park like all parks play a role in our entire City Park System as well as to provide recreational pursuits to the local neighborhood. The stormwater area on the designs are viewed as more natural areas for surface water retention, wildlife and winter use. There are times when they will hold water from local storm events but also dry during times of limited precipitation. These designated areas would be adding to the ecology of the site and reducing marginal lawn open space which is often impacted by storm events and winter ice. Along, with winter ice activities, we understand the desire to still have access to play hockey. All your feedback is heard, and it is important to continually shaping the future of the park.

The master plan will contain considerations and improvements that are reliant upon our local control but will also refer to goals and desires that are outside of our control that will rely upon other partners. Support for those external goals will help to inform our regional partners. Some examples of this would be a sound wall would need to be referred to the Minnesota Department of Transportation and improved access along France Avenue Access would involve Hennepin County. These items and your feedback are still valuable to this process even if there isn’t local control for implementation. Information that can be shared with these more regional partners is an effective way to share local needs.

Thank you again for your interest and participation in this process. There will be another opportunity to provide input before the final design goes to City Council.