Prior Lake City Council recently adopted the Lakefront Park Master Plan — an updated concept for the park — at its latest meeting Wednesday, Jan. 18.
According to city officials, for the last year-and-a-half, city staff have worked with HKGi to create the Lakefront Park Master Plan document to guide improvements and develop a community vision for the future of Lakefront Park. The process has included assembling and engaging an advisory committee to help steer the project and offer input.
An update was provided to city council on the Lakefront Park Master Plan on Oct. 17, according to city documents. The council then provided feedback and direction to staff to refine the plan. In the time since, staff has worked with HKGi to make the recommended changes to the final master plan document.
During the meeting, Public Works Director Andy Brotzler and Parks and Recreation Manager Steve Hart provided a summary of the final master plan to the council.
According to Brotzler, one of the goals of the master plan is to determine a phased implementation strategy for the next 10 to 20 years.
“The phased implementation strategy is an additional component that is included within the Lake front Park Master Plan as to what potential phasing can be for future improvements as well as an estimated future cost associated with those improvements,” Brotzler said.
Hart said the final master plan emphasizes that Lakefront Park is a park for families, demonstrated by the addition of a new east/west road in the park that connects Ridgemont Avenue to the heart of the park.
“Opportunities for events, recreational programming, beach improvements… and an inclusive and accessible playground are all geared to that value that it’s a place for families in our city,” Hart said. “The new roadway will give emergency vehicles and an additional point of entrance and exit of the park in the case that one of the entries is blocked. The new road will not only enhance circulation but also provide additional parallel parking along the road near the skate park and open fields.”
Brotzler said other updates that have been made pertain to the Prior Lake shore line and Watzl’s Beach.
“One of the updates that has been made with the Prior Lake shore line by the council in the last review of the concept plan is scaling back some of the proposed improvements along the shoreline to Watzl’s Beach to really just utilize the existing trail system that is there today by maybe creating a view shed or an overlook at the lake,” Brotzler said.
Other updates to the shore line include a limited use road with a drop off would be added to provide ADA accessibility and handicap parking to the lakefront area. A stormwater basin near the new road will collect stormwater runoff from the new paved surface.
Moving east into the park, Brotzler said some of the north play area highlights include a new inclusive and accessible playground built into the slope and a new splash pad.
“The splash pad proposal came through very strongly as a highly desired amenity within the community,” Brotzler said. “It seems that incorporating that into Lakefront Park is probably the prime location for that amenity in the city’s overall park system and being able to utilize the existing pavilion for possible exterior bathroom expansion.”
Brotzler said the summer recreational area on the south side of the park may develop a new skate park and two full basketball courts.
“This is something that the council has heard from several youth members of the community about their desire for enhancements for a skate park,” Brotzler said. “This hopefully will go a long way in identifying the potential opportunities for developing a more interesting and exciting skate park experience for the youth in the community.”
According the final master plan, the hockey rinks will be removed from its current location and will be relocated at a location up the hill, or potentially at other sites in the city where a zamboni can be stored nearby.
To view the full list of updated amenities, visit PriorLakeMN.gov/Lakefront.
Breaking a record
In other news, the council also approved a resolution to establish a slow no-wake zone on Lower Prior Lake on Sept. 9, 2023, at the request of the Midwest Show Skiers as they attempt to break the current 93-person water skiing pyramid world record.
Before adopting the Lakefront Park Master Plan, council members discussed the Midwest Show Skiers event that has previously included individuals from the Prior Lake Water Ski Association.
“This is a unique agenda item that we don’t get very often,” city manager Jason Wedel said. “To facilitate the attempt they obviously need a large area of the lake.”
Wedel said the reason for the request is to ensure the safety of the approximate 100 skiers being towed behind a 900-horsepower boat. A no-wake will ensure that no boats interfere with the boat path.
A representative of the Midwest Show Skiers told council members that the organization will work closely with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office to provide water patrols during the event. The organization also encourages spectators to anchor along the course to observe the event. Spectators may also witness the spectacle on Sand Point Beach. The event is slated for Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
