2022 City of Shakopee Budget

149

Budget Impact:

Capital Improvement Program: The City prepares a five year capital improvement program (CIP). A separate CIP document was approved by Council on September 21, 2021. The CIP book provides a summary of each project location, description and source and use of funds. The CIP book also provides a cashflow for the fund. Preliminary plans were completed for Lions Park and the redevelopment of SandVenture. Using new public outreach tools including Social Pinpoint, thousands of comments were provided for Lions Park and SandVenture. The city council is committed to an almost new SandVenture that would include new amenities including a café and the ability to use it all year including for ice skating. Additions to Lions Park may include another hockey rink, new full court basketball, pickleball courts, bankshot and new shelters and additional parking. Council began implementation of the Parks, Rec and Trails Master plan this year with several projects either completed, under construction or in final planning. Jennifer Lane, a local neighborhood park, began construction in October 2021. It will include a new playground, benches, landscaping and bankshot, a modern version of horse. Stagecoach Park, a passive neighborhood park, was also completed in 2021. The new Xcel Energy Mountain Bike Course at Quarry Lake opened this year to rave reviews and attracted thousands of riders from throughout the region. The three-mile course provide tracks at a number of skill levels and is the training base for the Shakopee High School team. Final plans are underway for the first major park in Windermere. The city in cooperation with D.R. Horton is building a connecting trail system with playground equipment that will provide access for everyone in the subdivision. A new park will also include a viewing tower, hammock poles, grilling area and a large scale, multi-age playground. The city is also in the process of acquiring the Windermere Bluff for a future trail area that will run east to west in a large nature area. Scenic Heights Park, an existing older city park, received a new modern playground that includes a zipline. Timbertrails received new equipment including a new state-of-the-art climbing piece. Ridge Creek, the largest new park in the system, was completed this fall. This area consists of more than 40 acres of wetlands and nature area and includes the outlet channel for Prior Lake. The new park includes a pedestrian boardwalk through a natural wetland area, pond overlooks to observe the diverse species of birds, a paved bike trail along the current outlet alignment and a new meandering outlet with sediment ponding with a natural appearance. This park links to other trails and creates a major trail connection for the city including a trailhead. It is already a new favorite place for the community to ride bikes or enjoy nature. The city prepared plans for the historic Schroeder House and demolished the adjoining non-historic houses and began plans for restoring the home and the livery building. Parks have proven to be critical during COVID and we have seen larger numbers out on the trails. The Vierling Greenway Plan was finalized, and new amenities and signage will be installed in 2021 to highlight this community asset.