Draft Southwest Chaska Community Park plan emphasizes inclusive playgrounds, trails, disc golf and flexible athletic fields

Marshall Grange presented an update on the Southwest Chaska Community Park master plan at the Jan. 5 meeting, summarizing months of community engagement and outlining a preferred concept. "We're trying to move forward fast. We wanna make sure that we're not moving forward too fast," Grange said, framing the update as an opportunity for council feedback before the team progresses to a 30% design.

Core elements: The draft concept centers on a universal-design playground near the main parking lot, a Miracle League baseball field, a large central plaza, an informal amphitheater, splash pad, natural-play bouldering area, multiple shelters with utilities to support a community garden/food forest, a sledding hill, an intermediate baseball/softball diamond and a full-sized soccer field. The plan also proposes an 18-hole disc golf course in the southeast portion of the site and four pickleball courts tucked near the school to reduce noise impacts.

Use, partnerships and turf tradeoffs: Councilmembers and staff discussed whether to prioritize natural grass or turf on athletic fields. Grange and councilmembers said staff will consult sports associations about cost-sharing and operational logistics. Council members noted that a larger flexible turf square could better support tournaments and multiple sports but raised concerns about temporary fencing, equipment storage and equitable access. "If it takes away from other things that are being shown in the park, that's what [the commission] would not support," Grange said.

Site planning and next steps: Grange said the team needs to advance to 30% design to produce grading plans and more confident cost estimates, hire an architect for the primary park building and coordinate park access with a nearby housing concept plan (Hwasick development) to align access points. He estimated the main concept would provide roughly 340 parking spaces and said staff plan to return to council with the 30% design (target: March) once costs and grading are better defined.

Community concerns and amenities: Councilmembers asked about lighting, parking overflow into neighborhoods, concession logistics and whether disc golf and walking trails can coexist; Grange said those questions had been discussed at Parks & Rec commission meetings and that designers and associations are being consulted. The presentation concluded with thanks to consultants Confluence and Stantec and to community participants who informed the concept.

The council did not take a formal vote that night and tasked staff to continue design work and stakeholder outreach ahead of a future council presentation.