Brainerd Lions outline plan for adaptive playground and pickleball courts; board asks staff to fold ideas into master plan

David Call, representing the Brainerd Lions Club, asked the Park Board on April 22 for permission to work with staff on plans and fundraising for an adaptive (all-abilities) playground and pickleball courts at Buffalo Hills (proposed Lions Park).

Call said the Lions have already provided about $80,000 to the city for earlier work at the site and that a full adaptive-playground project could cost $300,000–$400,000. He asked for a board “nod” to develop plans, budgets and grant applications and to pursue naming the park “Lions Park.”

Board members reiterated support for an adaptive playground but emphasized the need to coordinate with the city’s master plan and maintenance capacity. Staff noted a playground replacement is already in the capital plan this year, but board members asked staff to confirm whether planned parking, paved paths and accessibility would have to be altered to serve a larger, all-abilities playground. Questions included where paved parking and accessible walkways would be placed, how accessible routes would be maintained long term, and whether consolidating accessible amenities at a single park (rather than distributing them across multiple parks) might yield maintenance efficiencies.

No formal vote to accept fundraising or change the capital plan was recorded. Instead, board members asked staff to incorporate Lions Club concepts into the master plan, prepare cost and maintenance estimates and return with recommendations. Staff said they will prepare a plan and, where appropriate, bring recommendations to city council for funding or master-plan adjustments if those are required.