Coon Rapids Turns the Page: From a Decade of Building to a Decade of Stewardship

COON RAPIDS, MN.

For much of the past decade, the story of parks in Coon Rapids was written in concrete, steel, and ribbon cuttings.

Now, it is being rewritten in spreadsheets, demographic data, and public comment cards.

The City of Coon Rapids has entered the final public feedback stage of its 2026–2036 Park and Recreation System Master Plan, a ten year roadmap that signals a philosophical shift: from an era of intensive construction between 2014 and 2024 to one centered on sustainability, equity, connectivity, and long term care of what has already been built.

Residents will have an opportunity to shape that future on Monday, March 9, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Coon Rapids Civic Center, Civic Room B, 11155 Robinson Drive, where the city will host an open house to review the full draft before it advances to the City Council for adoption.

City materials describe the plan as a guiding framework for park maintenance, recreation programming, trail enhancements, and future updates to key civic sites, including Al Flynn Park and Boulevard Plaza.

From Expansion to Preservation

Between 2014 and 2024, Coon Rapids invested approximately $18 million in park and trail improvements, funded by a voter approved park bond. That decade saw significant upgrades across the system, including renovated neighborhood parks, expanded trail corridors, and high use amenities such as splash pads and pickleball courts.

The 2026–2036 master plan does not propose another construction surge of that scale. Instead, it reflects a different civic maturity.

Under the category of Infrastructure Sustainability, the city proposes a comprehensive inventory of park assets and life cycle planning to protect prior investments. The goal is to move from “building new” to “maintaining and adapting,” ensuring playground equipment, trails, lighting, and shelters remain safe and functional over decades, not just years.

For a growing suburb whose parks serve as both neighborhood gathering points and regional destinations, this shift is both practical and symbolic. It recognizes that stewardship is as critical as expansion.

Aligning Parks With a Changing Community

Coon Rapids continues to evolve demographically, and the master plan emphasizes Demographic Alignment as a core objective.

City documents note the importance of designing facilities and programming that reflect an increasingly diverse population, with intentional attention to seniors, youth, and historically underrepresented groups. That includes not only physical accessibility, but cultural relevance and inclusive gathering spaces.

Emerging recreation trends also play a role. Pickleball participation has surged across Minnesota and nationally, placing new pressure on court availability. Residents have also expressed growing demand for flexible outdoor event spaces and year round programming that activates parks beyond summer.

The master plan responds to these shifts, seeking to future proof the system against changing expectations.

Priority Sites: Al Flynn, Boulevard Plaza, and the Trail Network

Among the most closely watched components of the draft plan is the proposed redevelopment of Al Flynn Park, one of the city’s oldest parks.

Conceptual renderings presented in earlier planning phases have included nature play areas, culturally inclusive gathering spaces, and potentially obstacle course style playground elements designed to encourage movement across age groups. The open house will give residents an opportunity to review these concepts in detail.

Nearby, the Boulevard Plaza and Civic Center campus are also under review. The city is exploring ways to expand the utility of these central civic hubs, potentially integrating them with longer term discussions about a community center and expanded event capacity near the Ice Center.

Trail connectivity represents another major focus. In alignment with the city’s 2025 Active Transportation Plan, officials are identifying gaps in the sidewalk and trail system that limit safe, continuous movement across neighborhoods.

One concept under consideration is a proposed $4.5 million pedestrian bridge over Coon Rapids Boulevard, designed to connect the Sand Creek and Coon Creek trail systems. If realized, such a project would not only improve safety but also knit together major recreational corridors that currently function as parallel systems.

Funding the Vision

City leaders emphasize that the master plan is a strategic framework, not a spending authorization.

However, it will serve as a critical tool to:

• Position the city for competitive state and federal grant opportunities
• Evaluate long term revenue options
• Provide justification for large scale capital discussions

The City Council has publicly discussed the possibility of a 0.5 percent Local Option Sales Tax as a funding mechanism for major projects such as a community center. While no final decision has been made, the master plan will provide the analytical backbone for any such proposal.

Environmental stewardship is also embedded in implementation planning. Coordination with the Coon Creek Watershed District includes flood resilience strategies, water quality improvements, and bridge and culvert replacements scheduled through 2025. Parks and water systems, planners note, cannot be separated in a community shaped by creeks and floodplains.

The Role of Public Voice

Public engagement has shaped the plan from its earliest phases.

Beyond surveys and stakeholder meetings, residents have been invited to participate through the city’s Social Pinpoint interactive map, an online tool that allows users to drop digital pins on specific locations to recommend improvements such as additional lighting, more benches, new programming ideas, or trail repairs.

The March 9 open house marks the final in person opportunity to review the full draft, view conceptual renderings, and influence recommendations before they reach the City Council.

A Civic Inflection Point

In many communities, park planning is treated as a routine administrative exercise. In Coon Rapids, it has become something closer to a civic reckoning.

The city is no longer asking how many playgrounds it can build. It is asking how to care for what it has created, how to ensure access across generations, and how to design public spaces that reflect who lives here now and who will live here in ten years.

If the past decade was about construction, the next may be defined by stewardship.

And on a Monday evening in March, inside Civic Room B, that future will be open for comment.

MinneapoliMedia