Apple Valley park’s $16M renovation to feature inclusive playground, new pool

A courtesy rendering of the newly imagined Redwood Park in Apple Valley which will include an inclusive playground area pickleball courts a basketball court as well as a new locality pool and pool house with society meeting spaces and other amenities The park and pool will be fenced off for the entire year with the goal of reopening in spring Courtesy of Confluence and the City of Apple Valley Lisa Hiebert says the first question at her first parks committee meeting in was about inclusive play Could we someday build an adaptive playground in Apple Valley for kids of all abilities and requirements they were sought That concept is moving toward reality this summer as construction work transforming Apple Valley s Redwood Park is underway a nearly million financing that includes a new inclusive playground area pickleball courts basketball court pool and pool house with population meeting spaces and other amenities The park and pool will be fenced off for the entire year with the goal of reopening in spring Funding for the work comes from a voter-approved citywide parks referendum in a two-question ballot measure that urged residents to issue more than million in bonds to fund updates to Apple Valley s parks recreation facilities and trails The second question questioned voters specifically to approve million in bonds to replace the Redwood District Pool The state of Minnesota also appropriated million in state bonding funds specifically to use for the inclusive playground The Redwood Park renovations are maybe the bulk visible of the efforts but renovations are planned at more than neighborhood parks over the next sparse years Hiebert who served on the Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee before becoming a city council member this year commented one word comes to mind when required to describe all of the park renovations already underway across town Exciting This really is a transformational parks bond referendum she declared The city has already finished minor renovations to the newly branded Splash Valley Water Park formerly known as Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center Work is also underway to retool the fields at the Hayes Youth Athletic Complex Neighborhood input The inclusive playground area at Redwood Park will be the first such playground in Apple Valley While older playgrounds with sand or wood-chip surfaces are prohibitive for those using a wheelchair or a walker the planned adaptive playground will have a rubberized bottom that removes that barrier Playground equipment such as swings and ramps also are designed for people living with disabilities The desire for the playground emerged during particular region outreach meetings that city staff held in growing a master plan for the park During those meetings Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Director Eric Carlson announced it became clear what residents needed and didn t want to include in the eventual referendum plans He echoed Hiebert s thoughts These improvements are going to be exciting Everyone can come and gather no matter what their abilities are Carlson noted They are going to be comprehensive and they are necessary based on the age of the infrastructure A rendering of the future pool house at Redwood Park in Apple Valley The new pool and pool shelter will include areas with different depths allowing for lessons at different swimming levels and also a diving board and climbing wall Courtesy of JLG Architects and the City of Apple Valley The Redwood pool complex was built about years ago Certain of the first buildings in what later would become Apple Valley were built on that same site aerial images from show farm buildings surrounded by farmland and prairie Apple Valley Mayor Clint Hooppaw noted numerous longtime residents at group meetings talked about their positive memories at the Redwood pool which was a quieter different habitat than the Splash Valley Water Park across town That to me was a sign that residents sought to see the next generation have those experiences It was not about what they want but about what is good for the whole area Hooppaw commented Apple Valley bases its swimming lesson offerings at the Redwood Pool and the new pool will include areas with different depths allowing for lessons at different swimming levels Pedestrian passing Related Articles Charges Hastings man put gun to woman s head and pulled the trigger but no bullet fired Eagan native Eva Erickson talks about competing on Survivor revealing autism Acme Tools opens Eagan storefront its first new Minnesota location in years In th year Rick s Bike Sale surpasses K in donations for Dakota County nonprofits Pioneer Press patio guide Spots to see and be seen The city s master plan for Redwood Park also includes a pedestrian tunnel under County Road The tunnel is not part of the Apple Valley parks referendum work but would be part of eventual road improvements by Dakota County That work with Dakota County Transportation staff continues and group meetings are being held this summer The pedestrian underpass is at present part of county design proposals The tentative project schedule for renovating County Road involves finalizing the engineering and design through and beginning construction in according to Dakota County