Strachauer Park Master Plan

Please help the City design an amazing playground for Strachauer Park. We are working with consultants to evaluate site needs and placement of a new playground at Strachauer Park in line with the approved Master Plan. We will be removing existing play structure and building a new structure in 2024. The first survey will help us gauge the neighborhoods interest in components and features. We will use responses to solicit designs from vendors. We will then ask the neighborhood for preferences on these designs and colors. Survey one will be available until December 31st 2023.

Additional surveying will be conducted the week of October 23rd so consultants will be on site and utility markings will be made.

Surveying, engineering, and design services for Phase 1 will be presented to City Council on 9/19 for approval. These services will help to create documents for demolition and construction of new playground equipment. The approved master plan relocates the playground within the design. Consultants will work with staff to ensure new location meets needs, standards, and master plan's vision. Once analysis is complete, the city will engage the community to collect feedback on desired features for playground.

City Council approved Strachauer Park Master Plan at the July 18th City Council Meeting. This action allowed staff to initiate Phase 1 of the project. This funded phase includes a playground replacement and ADA access to a new play structure as laid out in the approved Master Plan. Staff will work with a consultant to gather a topographical survey and evaluate site conditions. The Consultant will also work with staff through the established playground replacement engagement process. This process is composed of three engagement points with neighborhood and community to help design amenities, playground theme, colors, and equipment concepts. The first round of surveys is expected to be posted on BTE this fall after information gathering from our consultant. Engagement and design will continue through fall and early winter. Staff anticipates playground removal and installation in the Spring of 2024 weather and supply dependent.

Strachauer Park Phasing pdf and the Updated Concept Feedback with Staff Comments pdf have been uploaded on the righthand side.

Strachauer Park Master Plan Concept will be presented to City Council at the July 18 meeting. Confluence received all of your feedback on the last concept design. This Master Plan Concept includes both short- and long-term improvements that will be phased over time. Currently, money has been designated in the Capital Improvement Plan for the new playground equipment, however, funding for other amenities and improvements will be allocated in the coming years. Having this Master Plan will enable the City to quickly address and update areas of the plan as funding becomes available. Staff will share the phases as well as comments to your feedback on this page prior to the City Council meeting.

Thank you to everyone that took time to review the preferred concept online and provide feedback. We have sent your feedback to Confluence for review/updates. City staff will respond to the questions you had and we will post that response report on this project page.

Phase 2 of the Concept Designs are viewable under the Concept Designs tab. Your feedback and input are important to us! We hope you take the time to review and comment on the new concept design and share your thoughts. Online comments will close April 23, 2023.

Thanks for your time and participation in helping shape the future of Strachauer Park.

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.

Phase 1 of Concept Designs are viewable under the Concept Designs tab. Your feedback and input is important to us! We hope you take the time to look at all four variations of designs and share your thoughts. There is also an in person opportunity to view the concepts, ask questions, and give feedback. Join us for a Community Open House on Wednesday, Dec. 7th. See important dates below.

Important Dates:

• Timeline for concept review online is set for Dec. 1 - Dec. 15.
• Concept Design Open House is Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 6-8 p.m. at Edina City Hall.

Thanks for your time and participation in helping shape the future of Strachauer Park.