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District 7 speakers mark $3,000,000 renovation at Keller Regional Park, stress cultural value
Summary
At a District 7 community event at Keller Regional Park, speakers credited grants from the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Amendment Fund and Legacy Fund Parks and Trails for a $3,000,000 renovation; presenters emphasized cultural heritage and invited Ramsey County residents to use the park.
Unidentified Speaker 2 (an unidentified speaker) announced the completion of renovated courts, new play areas, upgraded lighting and new gathering spaces at Keller Regional Park and said the improvements were intended to reflect and support local cultural practices. "These renovated courts, and with their new play areas, lighting, and gathering spaces are more than just physical updates," the speaker said, adding that they send "a clear message that cultural practices matter."
A different unidentified speaker (Speaker 3) outlined the funding behind the project, saying it was paid for through multiple grant sources. "We had an equity grant from the Metropolitan Council. We had funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Amendment Fund, and then the Legacy Fund Parks and Trails paid for this," the speaker said, and added that the project was a $3,000,000 effort.
Speaker 2 also invited residents to use the park: "And to all Ramsey County residents, I invite you to come play, come learn, and come connect with one another here at Keller Regional Park."
Another unidentified speaker (Speaker 4) urged continued community support for a cultural sport referenced as "Touhou," saying it could become "a formal sport in the United States, not just Saint Paul or Minnesota," if sponsorship and support continue.
An additional speaker (Speaker 5) framed the renovation as part of cultural preservation, saying future generations must be engaged or the community could lose living connections to certain experiences: "In 20 years from now, they will come to a point where they will be the last Hmong SU veteran... So there will be no more of us, but the future generation will uphold the constitution, the dignity, the culture, and the sport, and the recreation that they have here."
The event’s remarks recorded no motions, votes or formal actions. Presenters credited named grant sources for the project and emphasized that the improvements were both recreational and culturally significant; they invited Ramsey County residents to visit the renovated park.
