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Park Board restricts football’s use of North Park and eyes Lions Park for youth soccer expansion
Summary
Board members told youth football organizers they will lose exclusive access to a North Park field next year as the board prioritizes growing youth soccer; members discussed leveling Lions Park to create multiple soccer fields, parking needs, flood risk and potential cost-sharing with neighboring towns.
Kasson City — At the Aug. 19 meeting of the Kasson City Park Board members confirmed they will remove youth football’s exclusive claim to the North Park field next year and pursue longer-term options to meet rising demand for youth soccer.
Staff member told the board youth soccer has been growing and organizers are running out of space; the city has been allowing soccer activity behind the well at North Park but needs more fields for older age groups. "Next year you guys don't get that field," the staff member said to the youth football representative, adding that football can use the dedicated football field and that groups that use significant city green space should help share costs.
Why it matters: youth-sports programming affects hundreds of families and requires playing fields, parking and maintenance. Board members discussed converting and leveling Lions Park into several soccer fields, the cost of bringing water and other services to that site, and flood risks because the site is an overflow area for Masson Creek.
Board members also discussed outreach to neighboring municipalities (Byron, Manorville, Vanderbilt) about potential joint funding or resident discounts for those communities’ residents. One member noted that when some nonresident users buy passes, complaints arise from local residents about capacity and priority.
No formal land re-designation or funding decision was made; the board asked staff to gather proposals, assess leveling and drainage needs at Lions Park, and bring options back for consideration ahead of spring planning.
