Cascade Township outlines redesigned Tassel Park, DDA to fund construction

Designers and township staff presented an updated plan for the Tassel Park riverfront project and said the Downtown Development Authority will pay for the work. The board heard a detailed cost and schedule update and asked questions about scope, maintenance and environmental improvements.

The presentation by John West of the Troyer Group and design partners described a central sunken plaza about 10–11 feet below road grade with a lawn, a natural playground and a new splash pad; a riverfront boardwalk to make the riverfront accessible; a pavilion with restrooms and a mechanical room; and an ADA‑compliant pedestrian underpass connecting the Verberg parcel beneath the bridge to nearby trails. "We’ve been working to integrate feedback from the board, the DDA and the public," West said, adding that the design team has looked for efficiencies to control costs while keeping the park’s impact.

Why it matters: the project alters a prominent village‑area property and aims to connect neighborhoods across the river, improve riverfront access and add programmed space for residents. The town’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) will fund the work; staff said the plan is “100% a DDA funded project,” and the DDA’s role limits where those tax‑capture dollars may be spent.

Cost and schedule details presented by the team used component estimates to explain how the project fits the township’s planning and budget picture. Presenters showed component costs that together approximate the current design: about $1.0 million for the Verberg parcel (demolition and sitework), roughly $1.8 million for parking and Apple River Drive renovations, about $1.65 million for riverfront boardwalks and riverfront plaza work, $1.25 million for main park improvements, and about $3.2 million for the sunken plaza and pavilion at the former Tffy parcel. West described a roughly $9 million total estimate for the park elements shown, with a 15% contingency for unknowns.

Staff urged a phased approach because portions of the park lie in a regulated floodway. The team has submitted the required construction‑in‑floodway permit to state regulators; staff said that review could take as long as nine months. To keep work moving this year they proposed a two‑package strategy: a Phase 1 bid package for work outside the floodway (demolition of Verberg and doctor’s‑office buildings and pavement, and parking improvements) to be bid in June and begin in August, and a Phase 2 package for floodway work to follow once permits are resolved.

Board members pressed the design team on what could be trimmed to save $2 million and on the pavilion’s estimated cost (the team said a pavilion with some enclosure and heating options is in the $600,000–$750,000 range depending on finish and enclosure choices). The team said lighting, electrical and planting choices are places to look for savings, and that some existing infrastructure might be reused.

Environmental and maintenance points were highlighted repeatedly. The designers said the plan emphasizes native plantings to reduce runoff and remove invasive species near the riverfront; they also flagged ongoing maintenance needs for fountains, paved areas and seasonal work and said staff will identify maintenance responsibilities and budget implications before construction.

Funding process: staff (Jade and Lauren) outlined next steps to assemble a bond finance team and select a municipal bond advisor; the plan anticipates board actions to authorize bonding so the DDA may recover acquisition costs and spread project debt over time. Staff framed the effort as standard municipal bond practice and said the DDA’s geographic tax capture limits how those funds may be used.

What’s next: staff said Phase 1 would be bid in June with a hoped‑for August start; the board will see further bond‑authorization resolutions and municipal advisor recommendations in coming weeks. Donated park items (brick dedications, statues and other donations) will be incorporated into the new park, staff said.

Speakers quoted: John West (project presenter) and Jade (DDA/staff) provided the primary technical and funding statements used in this report.

Ending: The presentation closed with a lengthy public Q&A and multiple residents asking about grant opportunities, tree removal, and how the project will be maintained. Board members said they will continue design refinement and post additional materials and RFPs as the financing team is assembled.