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Shakopee parks and recreation outlines staffing shifts, CAPRA accreditation work and Sand Venture reopening
Summary
Parks and Recreation staff told the City Council on Feb. 18 that the department completed restructuring to add full-time positions, launched the CAPRA accreditation self-assessment, and will reopen the renovated Sand Venture aquatic park on June 6, 2025.
Shakopee’s Parks and Recreation Department presented its 2024 annual report to the City Council on Feb. 18, outlining staffing changes, programming growth, accreditation work and the planned reopening date for the renovated Sand Venture aquatic park.
Parks and Recreation Director Sherry (title provided in the meeting) said her priorities since joining the city in March 2024 included setting departmental purpose and building a foundation for service delivery. “Working together we provide fun and engaging programs events and spaces for the betterment of the community,” Sherry told the council.
Staff described structural changes enacted in 2024: a part-time fitness coordinator was converted to a full-time fitness supervisor, a part-time recreation coordinator position was expanded to a full-time recreation specialist, and a new community outreach coordinator, Rachel Bland, will join the department in late February. The department said these staffing moves aim to expand fitness programming, support the CAPRA (Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies) self-assessment, and improve outreach and scholarship administration.
Troy, a parks staff presenter, reviewed facility usage and said the community center and ice arena showed rising utilization. The ice arena reported increasing door counts and booked ice hours, with 18 tournaments already scheduled for the coming summer. The department said the arena is near capacity for available ice-time and receives inquiries daily for rentals.
Program highlights included expanded day-camp weeks (8 weeks in 2024 to 10 weeks planned in 2025), robust swim-lesson offerings and growth in fitness classes. The department said its cost-recovery ratio was roughly 50% in 2024 and expected improvement in 2025 after Sand Venture reopens; staff noted Sand Venture was closed during 2024 and that the city retained most lifeguards by redeploying them.
On accreditation, staff said Shakopee began the CAPRA application in September 2024, completed staff training, and is now in the self-assessment phase. The department’s goal is to submit the self-assessment by the end of 2025 and pursue on-site evaluation in 2026. Sherry said Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester and Roseville are the four Minnesota cities already CAPRA-accredited.
On Sand Venture, staff announced the renovated outdoor aquatic park will open June 6, 2025, timed to school release and to allow additional staff training on new features. The department said it is evaluating programming options (including adult nights and potential water fitness) and expects private rentals inquiries to increase.
Council members asked about amenities, a possible pro shop at the arena (staff said the space is currently vacant and outreach to vendors is ongoing), and whether the department retained lifeguards despite Sand Venture’s 2024 closure (staff said they retained most guards). Director Sherry said parks and recreation continues to work on documentation required by CAPRA and will expand participant feedback and scholarship outreach.
Ending: Staff will return with progress updates as the department completes the CAPRA self-assessment and prepares for the Sand Venture opening and related programming.
