Upcoming Park Projects & Initiatives

Pool Renovation

This year, our community pool is celebrating its 70th anniversary! But after serving five generations of kids, it’s starting to show its age. Following a thorough assessment of the facility and community feedback about its future, the City Council has decided to invest in a mid-range renovation and upgrade of the pool, deck, bathhouse, and surrounding park.

To ensure the pool is ready for the 2026 season, we will implement improvements in two phases.

• Phase One: This initial phase will involve rehabilitating the pool slide along with other minor enhancements, scheduled for late winter and spring of 2026.
• Phase Two: The larger phase will occur after the 2026 pool season and will include replacing the pool vessels, decking, and essential behind-the-scenes equipment. Other upgrades will enhance user experience, offering more seating and shade while giving the area a refreshed, modern appearance.

Albert Park & Plaza and Officer Patrick Memorial

With the realignment of Smith-Dodd roadways now complete, we will commence the second and final phase of this federally funded project, focusing on enhancements to two public spaces.

• Albert Park: This area will transform from a small green patch into a vibrant plaza featuring gardens, seating, art, walkways, trees, and a pergola. The revamped park will serve as a central gathering space, ideal for community events, outdoor lunches, or coffee catchups with friends. Rest assured, the Albert obelisk will remain, and the beloved “Rock of Doddway” will make a return!
• Officer Scott Patrick Memorial: Across the street, we will create a memorial space dedicated to Officer Scott Patrick, located between Zak’s Auto and Clover Montessori. Designed with input from Patrick’s family, this space will honor, reflect upon, and celebrate community service, featuring gardens, seating, a swing, art, and memorials. We expect both projects to be completed by fall 2026.

Sports Complex Horseshoe Pavilion Transformation

The community has expressed a desire for more event space for festivals and gatherings. The horseshoe pavilion, the largest structure at the Sports Complex, is an ideal candidate to meet this need! In 2026, we will replace the pavilion’s horseshoe courts with a flat concrete floor that is more suitable for multifunctional purposes. We’re eager to see the exciting future celebrations that will take place at the Sports Complex with these enhancements.

Ice Arena Improvements

Building on the upgrades made in recent years, we will continue enhancing the ice arena into 2026. These improvements will not only prolong the facility’s lifespan but also enrich the experience for users and visitors. Long-term investments aim to minimize costly repairs, optimize energy usage, and bolster security.

Improving Community Arts, Culture, and Aesthetics

A community survey found high satisfaction with many city services, including public safety and street maintenance. However, residents expressed a desire for more local activities, independent businesses, and improvements to the community’s overall appearance. Beginning in 2026, we’re launching a multiyear initiative aimed at investing in arts, place, and culture to foster civic pride, attract new businesses and investments, and provide more events and activities.

Planning for Future Improvements

Finally, in 2026, we will begin planning and designing various future park enhancements. The recently adopted parks system plan, WSP Parks Rising, aims to reimagine the city’s parks in ways that meet 21st century needs. Over the next five years, we will undertake several park renovation projects, including Weschcke, Emerson, Southview, and Haskell. As we work towards enhancing the parks, we would love to hear from our neighbors about what matters most to them!

What is Placemaking?

As a fully developed community, the methods for attracting investment and fostering revitalization differ significantly from those of larger neighboring areas with available land. The city’s new “Arts + Placemaking Roadmap” underscores strategies for enhancing West St. Paul’s competitive advantage. Part of West St. Paul’s approach to future community development will center around ‘placemaking,’ which works to harmonize economic development, beautification, art, and community engagement.

Placemaking is a people-centered approach to planning, designing, and managing public spaces to strengthen community connections and improve health, happiness, and wellbeing. It involves transforming spaces like parks, shops, plazas, alleyways, street corners, sidewalks and even empty lots into vibrant, meaningful places by focusing on community needs and aspirations.

Have an idea? Let us know! Learn more about Placemaking in WSP.