Parks, Trails & Recreation Master Plan

MEMORIAL PARK + THE LANDING CONCEPT PLAN The concept plan for Memorial Park and The Landing has undergone a unique process within the greater umbrella of this master plan document compared to the other parks studied in this chapter. The SMSC and the City wanted to take a deeper look at this park and the cultural resources specifically within it. This area has extremely important cultural and spiritual significance to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and that cultural history is shared with the descendants of the European settlers that found contact with the Dakota tribe here. As covered in depth in many parts of this master plan, the immensely layered history is important to remember, and a new vision for this park would be remiss in ignoring any of these stories. The overarching vision for Memorial Park is to create a more intentional park space for reflection and intentional being; to embrace the cultural significance and reconnect the park space with its greater context and history. To accomplish this, it is proposed that the City: » » create a seamless and open relationship between the Memorial Park space and the historic Landing property, » » re-build the state trail bridge and create a passive trail system along the banks of the northern river flat, » » carefully curate the existing trails into more intentional passageways through the park, » » relocate or re-vision uses within the park that are no longer compatible with this cultural and reflective space, » » and respect the Veteran’s memorial by curating a new conflict/ war memorial space in Huber Park where there is a more direct relationship with an event area.

The hedgerow of overgrown shrubbery and trees that line the property line between Memorial Park and The Landing creates an unnecessary barrier between these spaces. There is no visual connection between the park and The Landing, and it makes sense to open this physical and visual connection up to celebrate the new chapter in the relationship between the City, the SMSC, and Three Rivers. This visual opening allows for a more enticing open lawn space that can be used for gathering or events, or simply let users admire the historic Pond Mill and enjoy the lawn. It is important to note that any vegetative clearing is carefully done to ground level only, and that no root systems are pulled up in this area, as to not disturb any below-ground cultural artifacts that may exist. Extending trail systems into The Landing encourages more users through the sites, providing trail users with a more dynamic and diverse cultural experience. Travelers of the river on kayak or canoe coming from the marina can land at one of the newly created kayak landing beaches at The Landing, and take a bike back to the marina to complete their journey. Replacing the state trail (Riverfront Cultural Trail) bridge in Memorial Park is a critical next step in ensuring trail users can fully use this regional trail system in Shakopee without having to navigate sidewalk routes. Once replaced, creating a trailhead and gathering space in the center island of the existing parking lot will anchor the state trail in the park and give park users a place to meet, rest, learn, and find critical information for their surroundings and trail journey. A stone gathering circle could host school groups or larger groups of public gathering for outdoor classes or education sessions. The land within the center of the parking lot has already been disturbed, and makes the most sense when looking for a place to install an iconic new trailhead kiosk in line with the precedent image on the following page. The Landing has also expressed interest and excitement over opening up Shenandoah Drive (the main central path through The Landing) to state trail users, giving the public an option to take a route through the historic property rather than follow Highway 101 to head east out of Memorial Park. Adding a natural surface trail around the northern river flat adds valuable linear distance to the trail system of Memorial Park and The Landing, creating a looped system for those who want to stay in the immediate area but still want to get a good hike in. This trail would be open seasonally (pending flood waters).

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