Brooklyn Park’s Zanewood To Close For $10M Revamp, But Programs Continue Offsite

Brooklyn Park’s Zanewood To Close For $10M Revamp, But Programs Continue Offsite

Zanewood Recreation Center, a popular spot for kids and teens in Brooklyn Park, will temporarily close this summer for a substantial expansion and remodel.

However, city officials say families shouldn’t worry about losing access to programs at the site.

The city of Brooklyn Park plans to spend about $10 million to revamp and expand the recreation center.

Included in the construction plans are a new gym, arts space and a teen tech center. Likewise, the existing building will be remodeled to better fit K-5 programming.

According to Brad Tullberg, the city’s parks and recreation director, the programs offered at Zanewood have outgrown the building.

“The Zanewood Recreation Center has done a great job of providing programming out of a really small space,” he said. “The reality is, the programming needs have far exceeded the space that we have today. So really, building that bigger, better, more intentionally designed space — also just to kind of separate the K-5 from the teens, right? They both have different needs and different wants for space. Currently they’re alternating in and out of spaces. This will give them their constant, their consistent space for each age level needs.”

The significant construction project means Zanewood will have to temporarily close to the public.

That closure is expected to come after the end of this school year.

But, Tullberg says families will be able to attend programming off-site.

“We know the importance of the programming that happens there,” he said. “So we will find other space for that. It’ll be in some of our local parks and park buildings, but we will continue to offer that same programming. It’ll be just in a different space for a short time over the summer.”

The groundbreaking for the construction project is planned for April 7.

About $4 million in costs for the project could potentially be offset by a federal grant that was awarded to the owner of the nearby Huntington Place Apartments. The Brooklyn Park City Council recently forgave a nearly $3.8 million loan for the complex, allowing it to be sold. In exchange, the city received $450,000, plus potential access to the grant.

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SOURCE: CCX MEDIA