2 Memorial Park ProposalCITYOF
690 G~, (.F~ter D~ive, PO Box 147
C/,a~hasse~, i;Ii,;~esota 55317
13~o;~e 612.93.Z IQO0
(;c~ezl F2x' 612 937.5739
E, gi~tee;q~g flax 612. 93.Z 9152
l'~bSc Sari? t'kx' 612.934.2524
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUB J:
Park & Recreation Commission
Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director
December 7, 2000
Memorial Park Proposal
Attached please find a project update for a Memorial Park. Lillian Leatham and
Paul Paige of Hoisington Koegler Group will be in attendance on December 12th
to present their work. The park plan has developed nicely, but there are some
outstanding issues.
Of primary concern is the timing of the completion of the western trail
connections. These trail sections are scheduled to be constructed concurrent
with the development of two adjoining industrial/commercial lots. Completion
of these trails will give perspective donors an opportunity to walk the perimeter
of the park. The trailhead parking lot and a project kiosk should also be
installed prior to initiation of the memorial program.
I anticipate these improvements could be completed in the next one to three
years. If the commission wishes to get things underway prior to completion of
the main trail and parking lot, please let me know. I plan on taking the next six
to twelve months to address the permitting and design questions raised in
Hoisington Koegler's report, refine the brochure for the commission, and review
the project xvith the Planning Commission and City Council.
g:\park2h\memorial park.doc
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Chanhassen Memorial Park
Project Update 12/12/00
Memorial Park will be located on city owned land south of Highway 5 between Century
Boulevard and Galpin Boulevard. This area was formerly known as the O'Saughnessy site. The
park is envisioned as a restored and reinvigorated natural area offering a diverse range of natural
systems, an extensive trail system, and a place for environmental education. The park will be
funded by citizen donations of memorial elements and programs that support the vision for the
park.
The steps needed to make Memorial Park come to life are:
1. Creation of a park plan
2. Development of a fund raising program
3. Implementation of the park plan
So far, a preliminary Memorial Park plan and a draft fundraising brochure are complete. In the
next few months the Memorial Park plan needs to be finalized and the details of the fundraising
program must be decided on and put into place. When these things are complete, the fundraising
brochure can be finalized, produced, and distributed and fundraising can begin. As money is
raised, elements in the park plan will be built and Memorial Park will start to take shape.
Memorial Park Plan
The plan for Memorial Park draws on existing natural features on the site and enhances them for
wildlife habitat and recreation. Three categories of elements make up the Memorial Park plan.
These are:
1. Natural features
2. Park amenities
3. Education
Natural Features
An extensive wetland complex, large areas of woodland, and former farm fields make up the
diverse habitats on the Memorial Park site. The plan for the park focuses on restoration and
enhancement of these habitats.
Wetlands
In the large wetland south of Coulter Boulevard, an area of open water is proposed to increase the
wetland's habitat diversity and for aesthetic reasons. Along with the creation of open water,
diverse wetland vegetation will be re-established. Similarly, the two existing storm water ponds
on the site will be reconfigured and re-vegetated for environmental and aesthetic reasons.
Permitting issues that may arise with the proposed wetland alterations need to be addressed
before this part of the plan will be final.
Prairies
There are several former agricultural fields on the site. These areas will be restored as prairies or
upland moist plant communities, depending on the amount of moisture in the soil.
Woodlands
The upland wooded areas on the site vary in environmental quality. Buckthorn and other invasive
species are extensive in some areas. In these places the invasive species will be removed and the
forest understory, shrub, and ground layers will be restored.
Park Amenities
Park amenities enhance the recreational and educational experience in the park. Following is a
list of amenities that are included in the park master plan.
· Trail loops will provide access to the park.
· Overlooks and benches will provide places to rest and enjoy the natural setting.
· A floating boardwalk will travel through the wetland and/or the newly created pond.
· A trailhead shelter and parking lot will allow access to the park. The trailhead shelter will be
kiosk providing trail and event information.
· The nature center will consist of an area for educatioual displays, a meeting space for
educational programs, staff offices, and restrooms.
· The outdoor classroom will be area of terraced seating with a stage for visiting groups and
educational programs.
· Windbreak plantings will screen the existing and proposed developments to the west,
northwest, and southwest of the park and recall the agricultural history of the site.
· Bird boxes and Osprey stands will attract a greater number of birds to the park.
Education
The natural stetting of Memorial Park makes it a valuable resource for environmental education
and site interpretation. The nature center will sponsor formal education programs and
interpretative signage will allow for self-guided educational walks.
Topics for interl2retive signage include:
· Site History:
Pre-settlement vegetation, predevelopment wetland, signs of farming, effect of beaver
dams, recent development's influence on the site
· StormWater Ponds:
Role in the landscape
· Wetlands:
Role in the landscape, plant communities, plant identification, wetland birds, wetland
animals
· Prairies:
Role of fire, prairie flowers, prairie grasses, prairie animals
· Woodlands:
Woodland flowers, woodland shrubs, woodland trees, woodland animals
· Windbreaks:
Historical role in the landscape
Development of a Fundraising Program
Citizen donations will fund most of the elements in Memorial Park; therefore, a well-planned
fundraising program is essential to the success of the park. Fundraising will depend on two
things:
1. Development of a fundraising program
2. Creation of a fundraising brochure
Fundraising Program
The current approach to fundraising is that citizens can donate to Memorial Park in two ways, by
making monetary donations or by donating a specific element. Monetary donations will go into a
special Memorial Park fund and the Park and Recreation Commission will decide on an annual
basis which park elements to fund. People who make a monetary donation of $50 or more will
have their name inscribed on a plaque located in the park. Citizens can also choose to donate
specific park elements of any size - from a bench to the creation of the pond. Donors of specific
elements will also be honored in the park. The details and logistics of this fundraising program
still need to be decided on.
Brochure
A preliminary fundraising brochure has been developed. This brochure outlines the goals of the
park, elements in the park, and describes how citizens can contribute. This brochure will
continue to be revised over the next few months as the details for the fundraising program and the
park plan are finalized. When finalized, the brochure will be distributed to potential donors.
Next Steps and Implementation of the Plan
The following steps will be taken towards implementation of the Memorial Park Master Plan:
Permitting issues that may arise regarding plans alter the wetland areas in the park must
be researched to make certain these alterations are possible. After this is done the
Memorial Park plan can be finalized.
2. How the fundraising program will be structured must be decided on and the details of this
program must be fine-tuned.
o
After the structure of the fundraising program has been established and the Memorial
Park plan has been finalized, a final fundraising brochure will be produced and
distributed.
The outer trail loop is anticipated to be the first element built in Memorial Park. The
east, northeast and southeast segments of this trial are already complete. When the
Highway 5 improvements are made and Century Boulevard is extended to Highway 5,
the parcels to the northwest and the southwest of the park will be developed. The
developers of these sites are obligated to fund the northwest and southwest trail segments
to complete the outer trail loop.
Memorial Park will continue develop as money is raised and park features are donated. Memorial
Park is a long-range project and may take many years to complete. The Park and Recreation
Commission will decide the sequence in which park elements are built on an annual basis.
3
Chanhassen Memorial Park
Chanhassen's Memorial Park is a new approach to
memorials in the heart of Chanhassen's park system. The
park is envisioned as a restored and reinvigorated natural
area offering a wonderful diversity of natural systems.
Citizens have the opportunity to donate memorial elements
that support the vision for the park.
Memorial Park Today
Memorial Park is located in Chanhassen South of Highway 5 between
Century Boulevard and Galpin Boulevard. It is an area rich in natural fea-
tures: woodlands, wetlands and grasslands. When complete, the park will
be a sanctuary for wildlife, an escape fbr hikers and a natural setting for en-
vironmental education. Design of the park dr'a~s on the ex/sting natural
features and enhances them for wildhfh habitat and recreation.
Park Elements Mernor;
Natural Features
Most of the natural features in Memorial
park are already in place but need enhance-
ment for aesthetic reasons as well as for
wildlife habitat. Your donation will be used
towards the restoration or creation of the fol-
lowing features:
· Prairie Restoration
Woodland Restoration
· Creation of a More Diversified Wet-
land Complex
· Windbreak Plantings
Newly created ar-
eas of open water
. will attract a
g~eater n'umber of
bird species to the
pakk
Park Amenities
Park amenities enhance the recreational and
educational experience in the park. Your
generous, donation will help fund the physi-
cal elements in Memorial' Park from a na-
ture center to benches along trails.
Amenities include:
· Nature Center
· Trailhead Shelter
· Outdoor Classroom
· Benches
· Ox;erlooks
· Trails--An extensive network of
trails and boardwalks will provide
· multiple hiking loops and access to
the entire site.
A floating board-
walk, similar to
this one in Rich-
field, MN will pro-
vide access to a
newly created pond
in the existing wet-
land complex.
Education
Memorial Park's natural setting will be a
valuable resource for environmental pro-
grams. Contributions will help fund inter-
pretive signage for self guided educational
walks and more formal educational pro-
grams.
Nature Center,
Outdoor
Classroom,
and Trailhead
Shelter
Windbreak
Plantings
Wetland
Vegetation
Windbreak
Plantings
Wetland
Vegetation
Park Plan
A Contribution to
Memorial Park Can Be
Made as a Touching
Memorial to a Loved
One, to Honor a Special
Occasion, or as a
Donation
How to Contribute
You can help create this special place by
making a monetary contribution of any
amount. Individuals and organizations who
donate $50 or more will have their names
inscribed on a plaque in the park. 'A dona-
tion form is on the next page of this para:
phlet.
Ca, tegory Donation
Green ................................... $50-199
Bronze ............................. $200~$499
Silver ............................ $500-$ 9,999
Gold ............................. $1,000-$2,499
Platinum ................... $2,500 and over
Your Contributi?n to Memorial Park is tax
deductible.
Donation of Park Features
If you would like to donate a specific park
feature of any size, from a bird nest box to a
prairie restoration, or would like to contrib-
ute to any other Chanhassen Park and Rec-
reation Program, please contact Todd
Hoffman, 612-937-1900.
Memorial Park today, just north of Coulter
Boulevard
CITYOF
CHAN EN
690 City Center Drive, PO Box 147
Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317
Phone :612.937.5739
Fax' 612.937.5739
Mailing Address Line 1
Mailing Address Line 2
Mailing Address Line 3
Mailing Address Line 4
Mailing Address Line 5
Chanhassen Memorial Park Contributor
Yes,
I would tike to make a monetary contribution to Memorial Park.
Please fill in the amount of you donation next to the appropriate
category.
Cat. ~ry Amount of My Donalion
Genera~ ($I-$49) .............................. $
:~egn- ($~0~$199) .............................. $
Bronze (,'$201-$499) ......................... $
Sil~e!~
($soo-- $ ,ooo) ........................ $
Gold. ($ !,000-$2,499) ......................... $
Platinum ($2,500 and over) .................. $
Your contribution to Memorial Park is tax deductible.
Payment must accompany this order.
Make Check Payable to City of Chanhassen.
Mail to:
Memorial Park
City of Chanhassen
690 City Center Drive, PO Box 147
Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317
[] My check is enclosed.
[] Please charge my Visa or MasterCard
VISA OR MASTERCARD NUMBER
EXPRIATION DATE
People who make a monetary donation of at least $50 in the above categories will have their names inscribed on a plaque in Memori
Park. Please note below your gift/memorial (for example: "In Loving Memory of John Smith" or "In Honor of Martha Smith")
In of
From:
Donor's Name
Address
City State Zip Phone