Public meeting scheduled on Dickerman Park Dec. 4

Public feedback on Dickerman park exceeded 350 comments

By JANE MCCLURE

One of St. Paul’s most obscure parks may finally get the makeover area residents and business owners have clamored for. But redoing Dickerman Park isn’t likely to have the $12 million price tag envisioned several years ago. Instead, Mayor Chris Coleman is proposing park improvements in the range of $3 to $4.4 million, as one of his 8 to 80 Vitality Projects.

If all goes as planned, park design will take place into 2015, with construction in 2016 and completion in 2017. A community task force began its work on park plans this fall and St. Paul City Council members reviewed the proposal in October.

The park has drawn a lot of public attention and hundreds of online comments and ideas. Design advisory committee members and folks who commented on Open St. Paul have already brought forward 357 comments and ideas, including public art, event and gathering space, play space and potential for year-round use.

It will be the topic of an open house, 6-8pm on Thur., Dec. 4. A location has had not been determined as of press deadline. Check the project website at http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=5517 for details and place. The public can attend and weigh in on ideas for the park and priorities for its redesign.

The city’s 8-80 initiative is inspired by a community development movement that calls for streets, public spaces and amenities to be useful for users ranging from ages 8 to 80. Restructuring of RiverCentre bonds is providing $42.5 million to jump-start major projects. Coleman said that redoing Dickerman Park will provide needed green space along the Green Line light rail route.

“It’s rather invisible at this point,” said Ellen Stewart, Department of Parks and Recreation project manager for the Dickerman Park redesign.

The 2.4 acre park starts at the northeast corner of University and Fairview avenues and extends to Aldine St. A parking lot is on part of the property. Parts of the park appear to be part of the front lawns of Midway businesses.

The park was given to the city in 1909 by the Dickerman Land Company. But it was never developed and for many years wasn’t even included in inventories of park property. In the 1990s members of the Dickerman family asked that the land be properly developed. Several years ago a coalition of groups led by University UNITED and Friends of the Parks and Trails also called for developing the park.

“I was at the last Dickerman Park design meetings,” said Jun-Li Wang, a Hamline-Midway resident who works for Springboard for the Arts and is on the current design advisory committee. “We saw a beautiful award-winning design that would have cost $12 million. And then discussion pretty much ended.”

Ward Four Council Member Russ Stark is a strong proponent of developing the park. He has heard requests to do something with the park since he took office. Stark cites the strong interest in seeing something done with the park as impetus to move ahead.

Design advisory committee members said the space presents many opportunities. Steve Johnson represents Midway Chamber of Commerce on the committee. “It’s a very unique opportunity to build a beautiful and unique park in St. Paul, that could serve businesses as well as residents,” he said.

Adjoining property owners and managers also see potential. Park land has been used by the adjacent Midway YMCA and by charter schools as play space. They spoke for improvements that all can share.