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Comprehensive Plan 2008

Community Facilities 7.1

7.1 Parks, Recreation, and Arts

CommunityFacilities Element

Parks History

The City of Bloomington has one of the premier parks and recreationsystems in Minnesota with nearly one third of the City beingcomprised of parks, open space, wetlands, lakes, or other public spaces.

The City park system consists of 97 parks, recreation or open space properties.Regional parks, Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge andHyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve, along with school and otherprivate recreation facilities complement City facilities. Much of the parksystem was acquired and constructed in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Many of thecapital improvements at these facilities are aging and in need of replacemen tor updating. The population of the City is changing with many empty nesterhouseholds, fewer children and more cultural diversity. New recreationpursuits have emerged such as lacrosse, in-line skating, skate boarding, offleash dog parks, disc golf, etc., which will require facility or programmingchanges.

Park Master PlanA revised Park Master Plan was adopted in 2008. The previous plan wasprepared in 1973 and focused on acquiring and building the park system. Therevised Park Master Plan is intended to act as a guide to the fu ture and set thegeneral direction for parks and recreation from 2008 to 2026.

The Plan recommended five major initiatives to address significant parksystem revitalization requirements, position parks to meet the needs of achanging community, create a sustainable funding method for on-goingreplacement needs, and to obtain funding for park, trail and recreationimprovements to keep the system fresh and vital.

• Revitalize parks.

• Create sustainable funding.

• Add trails.

• Enhance natural resources.

• Improve community and recreation facilities.

Bloomington Civic Plaza housesCity Hall, Police and the Arts Centerand has been a focal point forbuilding and renewing thecommunity.

Community FacilitiesIntroductionWell built, relevant, andsustainable community facilitiesare necessary to support theprovision of high qualityeducation, recreation, fire andsafety protection, arts, and otherpublic services.

The Community Facilitieselement describes the publicschools, parks, arts and culturalfacilities, and buildings that servethe residents and businesses inBloomington and recommendspolicies related to the continuedcare and provision of thesefacilities.

Section 7

City of Bloomington, Minnesota

Park Master Plan Priority Strategies1. Park Revitalization Program – Adopt and fund a park revitalizationprogram for park infrastructure.

2. Signature Parks – Reposition parks to reduce costs, improve quality, andbetter meet evolving and diverse needs.

3. Trails – Adopt an Alternative Transportation Plan including improvedinternal and external bicycle and pedestrian connections.

4. Natural Resource Management – Enhance planning and resourceallocation devoted to natural resources and sustainability.

5. Recreation Programming – Emphasize quality programming to serve aspectrum of age, ability and interests. Encourage active living actions.

6. Community Gathering/Sense of Community – Develop communitygathering locations and improve facilities and parks to enhance a sense ofcommunity.

7. Arts – Integrate public art into community life and increase opportunitiesto participate in arts and culture activities.

8. History – Identify and preserve sites and properties of historicalsignificance.

9. Collaboration – Increase communication and partnerships with advocacygroups, partners, and the business community. Support volunteerism andcommunity stewardship of parks and natural areas.

10. Bond Referendum – Define the content and timing of a future park, trail,green space, and community facilities bond referendum, an essential toolneeded to fund planned park system im provements.

Did you know …?• The Village of Bloomington made

its first park purchase in 1954: 28acres of Moir Park for $60,000.

• In 1958 the City SubdivisionRegulations were amended torequire park dedication fromdevelopers, which provided thebulk of funding for the parksystem as the City developed.

7.2 Community Facilities

City of Bloomington, Minnesota Comprehensive Plan 2008


Figure 7.1 Parks, Arts and Recreation Facilities

Source: Bloomington Parks and Recreation Division.

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HylandParkReserve

Bill WarrenPark

SunrisePark

WoodbridgeMarsh

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Nine MileCreek Park

OldTownHall Moir

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JeffersonHigh School

OlsonElementary/Middle SchoolHeritage

Hills Park

SouthglenPark

River ValleyPark

Welter’sWildWood

AndersonPark

Xerxes Pond

Dwan GolfCourse

France Pond

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Auto Club Park

Xavier CourtPlaylot

Quail RidgePlaylot Hampshire

Pond

Dred ScottPlayfield

HampshireHills Park

Off-LeashRec Areafor Dogs

Western Maintenance

WyomingPlaylot

RhodesPlaylot

CountrysidePark

BryePark

TimbergladePond

Hyland GreensGolf Course

Hyland HillsPark

Hyland HillsTennis Courts

RidgeviewElementary/ParkWest Bush

Lake Park

CranberryPark

NormandaleLake ParkPickfair Pond

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SkriebakkenPark

Poplar BridgeElementary/Park

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Logan Playlot

Upper &LowerPenn Lake Park

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Pond-DakotaMission Park

BloomingtonCemetery

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Parker’sPicnic Grounds

Gene C.Kelly YouthPlayfield

NationalWildlife RefugeHeadquarters

River RidgePark

McAndrewsPlaylot

Eight CrestPark

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Indian MoundsElementary

RunningPark

CedarcrestPark

ForestGlen Park

CooksPlaylot Wright’s

Lake Park

Central StationPark

SmithPark

BloomingtonFerry RoadPark

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Nine MilePlaylot

Valley View Playfield/Bloomington Family Aquatic Center

SouthdellPlaylot

Marsh LakePlayfields

CommunityEducation Center

BloomingtonBass Ponds

PondCenter

Valley View Middle School

Valley ViewElementary

Oak GroveElementary/Middle School/Educational Services Center

KennedyHigh School

Penn Lake Library OxboroLibrary

NorthwesternHealth SciencesUniversity

North Corridor Park

Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area

HylandSki Jump

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Marsh LakeArchery Range

Normandale LakeBandshell

SouthCorridor Park

Russel A. SorensonLanding

Old Cedar AvenueTrailhead

Park

Open Space

Regional Park

Public

School

Other

Park Classification Park classifications were updated with the 2008 Park Master Plan to moreaccurately describe the City’s park and recreational facilities.

Table 7.1 Park Classification by Quantity and Acres

Classification Quantity AcresPlaylot/Mini-Park 19 32.2

Use: Intended for families with children up to ten years of age inareas that cannot be served by a neighborhood park ser vicearea. Usually includes play apparatus and turf areas. Areaconsidered a Mini-Park if no play apparatus is provided.

Service Area: 1/3 Mile Radius

Size: 1 to 2 Acres

Location: Spaced throughout the community to serve neighborhoods.Frequently within neighborhood playgrounds or community parks.

Neighborhood Park 23 218

Use: Intended to meet primary recreation needs of a neighborhood.Focus is on family and informal play needs of 5 to 17 year olds.Usually includes play apparatus and areas for field games, courtgames and skating.

Service Area: 1/2 Mile Radius

Size: 5 to 10 Acres

Location: Spaced throughout the community to serve neighborhoods. Canco-locate with elementary schools.

Community Park 7 202

Use: Intended for use by all ages. Usually includes areas of natural orornamental quality for walking, bicycling, viewing, sitting orpicnicking. Often includes a playlot.

Service Area: Two Mile Radius

Size: 10-50 Acres

Location: Determined by existing natural features.

Community Playfield 4 122.4

Use: Emphasis on facilities for organized and individual sports.Usually includes lighted athletic fields, areas for court gamesand skating.

Service Area: 20-Minutes driving distance

Size: 20-80 Acres

Location: Determined by existing topography and good transportation access.

Large Urban Park 2 369.8

Use: Attractive natural features contrast to urban environment.Caters to nature-oriented outdoor recreation such as picnicking,boating, walking and skiing.

Service Area: Southwest metropolitan area

Size: 100+ Acres


2008 Parks Master PlanThe 2008 Parks Master Plan includesthe following Parks, Recreation andOpen Space goals:

1. Maintain and enhance city parkand recreational assets.

2. Anticipate the needs of thechanging community and structureprograms and facilities accordingly.

3. Preserve and maintain ournatural resources for ourselves andfuture generations.

4. Enhance the City’s arts, cultural,and historic assets.

5. Promote a sense of communitythrough recreation programming.

6. Connect the community withtrails, walks and bikeways.

7. Build community support forparks and recreation.




Classification Quantity AcresRegional Park 2 6,217.6

Use: Continuous or groupings of open spaces offering facilities/activities (trails, picnic, wildlife observation, water sports, etc.)determined by natural assets. Extent of active recreationdevelopment area is typically limited to a proportion of parkarea. Much of the park retained in a natural state.

Service Area: Twin Cities metropolitan area

Size: 250+ Acres


Conservation Area 14 1,564.8

Use: Protects natural environment, wildlife habitat and scenicquality rather than satisfying demand for recreationopportunities. Secondary, passive or active recreation uses cancoexist with primary conservation function.

Service Area: Local and Twin Cities metropolitan area

Size: 20+ Acres


Special Use Areas 8 204

Use: Preserves and maintain buildings, sites, or objects of historical orarcheological significance. Provides for community activities suchas golf courses, fine arts, indoor ice facilities, gymnasiums, etc.

Service Area: Varied

Size: Varied

Location: Where resources occur.

Pond Area 18 113.1

Use: Ensures proper functioning of hydrologic systems. Providessome scenic observation.

Service Area: Watershed and sub-watersheds.

Size: Varied

Location: Proximity to water resources.

School/Private Recreation Facilities

Use: Recreation facilities on private or school property that typicallyprovide some level of recreation and access to the public. Publicuse is typically formalized with an agreement or easement forpublic use. Development and maintenance costs are oftenshared with the City.

Service Area: Varied

Size: Varied

Location: School district or private property.

TOTAL 97 9,043.8



Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall was built in 1892 as aplace for public meetings, churchservices, education and socialgatherings. Its use evolved to housegovernment offices until 1964 whenCity offices moved across the street.Soon after, the City Councilapproved Old Town Hall’s use by theBloomington Historical Society.

In 2007 the building was renovatedto restore its original 1892appearance. Architectural detailswere replicated from oldphotographs. The cupola wasrecreated, asphalt shingles werereplaced with cedar shakes, andstucco was removed to install woodsiding among other modifications.American Town and Countrymagazine praised the restoration intheir January 2008 issue.

Special RecreationalFacilitiesBloomington Center for the Arts

Bloomington Center for the Arts,located at 1800 W. Old ShakopeeRoad, occupies the north end of theBloomington Civic Plaza. The Centeris a focal point for performing andvisual arts in Bloomington and thesurrounding communities. Thefacility is extensively utilized by theBloomington Fine Arts Council’s eightmember organizations, the City andthe community. The facility containsa private theater, rehearsal space andclassrooms that are available for rentand provides art classes, exhibits andperformances. The Bloomington FineArts Council receives operatingsupport from the City.

Bloomington Ice Garden (BIG)

Opened in 1970 with one rink, theBloomington Ice Garden has grown tothree indoor rinks (one of themOlympic-sized). The rinks meet muchof the community’s existing needs forindoor skating except during themost sought-after prime hours. Therinks are used primarily for youthand high school hockey and figureskaters. The rinks are also open forpublic skating as well as adult openhockey and pond hockey for youth.The original rink #1 wasreconstructed in 2007. A new roof andheating and cooling system wereinstalled on rinks #1 and 2 in 2003. Tomaintain a high quality of service,Rink #1 will need new ceiling paint,spectator seating and remodeledsnack bar. In addition, Rink #3 willrequire a new roof by 2018.

Golf Courses

The City of Bloomington maintainsand operates two public golf courses:Dwan and Hyland Greens. Dwan GolfCourse is an executive length, par 68golf course. Hyland Greens GolfCourse consists of a long par 3 course,a “pitch and putt” par 3 course, and a12-station practice range.

Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall, located at theintersection of Penn Avenue andWest Old Shakopee Road, was theoriginal Bloomington Town Hall. Thebuilding was moved to its presentlocation in 1924. In 2007, the buildingwas rehabilitated to its 1892appearance. The building serves as adepository for historic artifacts,photos and documents, and provideslimited meeting space. The Old TownHall is leased to the BloomingtonHistorical Society to operate ahistorical museum.

Pond-Dakota Mission Park

Pond-Dakota Mission Park, acquiredwith federal LAWCON funds in thelate 1970s, contains the historicGideon Pond house and farm. TheGideon Pond house, initiallyconstructed in 1856, was restored anddedicated in 1996 and is on theNational Register of Historic Places.The Pond-Dakota Mission Park is thesite of the annual River Rendezvous,a major week long event celebratingNative American and pioneer history.





Regional Park And OpenSpace FacilitiesMinnesota Valley NationalWildlife Refuge

The Minnesota Valley NationalWildlife Refuge was established byCongressional act in 1976 to preservethe Minnesota River Valley’s naturalresources, develop recreationalopportunities, and to provide awildlife interpretation and educationcenter. The Refuge boundaries extendfrom the northeast boundary ofBloomington, south and west alongthe Minnesota River Valley to theLouisville Swamp near the city ofCarver encompassing over 14,000acres. The Refuge within the Cityextends the entire length of theMinnesota River Valley. In addition tothe refuge area the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service owns over 4,200 aces,specifically the Long Meadow Lakeand the Bloomington Ferry refugeunits. The refuge area between theLong Meadow and the BloomingtonFerry units owned and maintained bythe City. The Bloomington ownedunit is 747.93 acres in size, notincluding portions of Central Park,Mound Springs Park, andPond-Dakota Mission Park.

The wildlife refuge constitutes a largeregional corridor park. It isdesignated for conservation uses andserves as major habitat for residentand migratory wildlife. Recreationuses include walking, biking, naturestudy and other trail uses. A proposedState trail, the Minnesota Valley StateTrail will connect the refuge units inthe future. The visitor center andrefuge headquarters is located at 3815East 80th Street in Bloomington.

Hyland-Bush-Anderson LakesPark Reserve

The 2,486 acre Hyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve is partof the metropolitan regional parksand open space system. The parkreserve consists of seven individualpark units: Hyland Lake, Bush Lake,Anderson Lakes, Tierney’s Woods,North Corridor, South Corridor, andNormandale Lake. Six of the parkunits are located entirely within theCity of Bloomington, and theseventh, Anderson Lake, is splitbetween Bloomington and EdenPrairie. The City of Bloomington andthe Three Rivers Park District arejoint implementing agencies for thePark Reserve as they each own andoperate several of the individual parkunits. Bush Lake, Tierney’s Woods,North Corridor, South Corridor andNormandale Lake park units areowned by the City of Bloomington.Anderson Lakes park unit is jointlyowned and operated by Three RiversPark District and the City ofBloomington. Hyland Lake park unitis solely owned and operated byThree Rivers Park District. Of theentire park area, 2,007 acres arewithin the City of Bloomington.

Hyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes ParkReserve provides a broad spectrum ofnatural resource based recreationalopportunities and outstandingfacilities that were developed byboth the City of Bloomington and theThree Rivers Park District. Mostnotable are the picnicking and beachfacilities at Bush Lake Park, the



Hyland Hills Ski Area, 70-meter skijump, an extensive network of trailsand the Richardson Nature Center. Amaster plan for Hyland-Bush-

Anderson Lakes Park Reserve waslast updated in 1984. An update isplanned for 2009.

Recreation and ArtsProgrammingThe City of Bloomington providesover 50 different recreation and artsprograms on an annual or seasonalbasis. Recreation and artsprogramming in Bloomington issupported by community arts andrecreation organizations that providea broad array of programs to meetcommunity needs and interests inarts, cultural activities, and sports forvarious age groups and populationswithin the city. The City ofBloomington has been successful inworking cooperatively and inpartnership with community artsand recreation organizations.

Support of arts programming datesback to 1963 when the Parks andRecreation Division promoted theestablishment of the BloomingtonSymphony Orchestra throughfinancial support from the CityCouncil. Fine arts programming hasexpanded significantly with thegrowth of community artsorganizations. Cultural, arts, andleisure activities are supported bycommunity groups such as theBloomington Fine Arts Councilmembers (Angelica Cantanti,Bloomington Art Center,Bloomington Symphony Orchestra,Bloomington Medalist Concert Band,

Continental Ballet Company,Bloomington Civic Theater,Normandale Choral Society, andNOTE-able Singers); the BloomingtonGarden Club; the BloomingtonSwirlers; the Bloomington HistoricalSociety; and the Gideon PondHeritage Society.

Recreation and sports programmingsupported by community recreationorganizations offer numerousprograms for adults and youth inBloomington. The BloomingtonAthletic Association (BAA) offersyouth baseball, basketball, floorhockey, football, golf, ice hockey,soccer, softball, volleyball, andwrestling. Other organized athleticgroups include the BloomingtonAmateur Hockey Association (BAHA),Barracuda Aquatics Club,Bloomington Adult SportsAssociation (BASA), BloomingtonTraveling Baseball Association,Broomball, Classic League, Fall Ball,Bloomington Figure Skating Club,Girls’ Fast Pitch, Horseshoe Club,Legion Baseball, Legion Gun Safety,North Star Diving, BloomingtonJunior Soccer Club (BJSC), Town TeamBaseball, Southdale YMCA, and BornAgain Jocks (BAJ).


Table 7.2 Public K-12 Schools in BloomingtonHigh School Middle School Elementary School(Grade 9-12) (Grade 6-8) (Grade K-5)

Kennedy Oak Grove Hillcrest Community

Jefferson Olson Indian Mounds

Valley View Normandale Hills

Oak Grove

Olson

Poplar Bridge

Valley View

Washburn

Westwood

Source: Bloomington Independent School District 271 Website.

7.2 Schools

Public K-12 EducationThe city primarily lies within Bloomington Independent School District 271.Small portions of northwest Bloomington lie within Eden Prairie SchoolDistrict 272 and Edina School District 273. District 271, a unit of governmentseparate from the City of Bloomington, operates all public kindergartenthrough grade 12 schools within Bloomington along with the communityeducation program. The School District currently offers grades K-5 in nineelementary schools, grades 6-8 in three middle schools, and grades 9-12 in twohigh schools.

Private K-12 EducationApproximately 1,141 students are enrolled in private schools withinBloomington for the 2007/08 school year. (Source: Bloomington SchoolDistrict #271) These schools contain educational programs ranging frompreschool to high school graduation. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 1,548(13.3%) students residing in Bloomington were enrolled in either a privateelementary or high school. Private schools in Bloomington include:

• Beacon Preparatory (6th grade and up)

• Bethany Academy (K-12)

• Bloomington Lutheran (K-12)

• Concordia Academy (9-12)

• Minnehaha Academy (K-5)

• Mount Hope Redemption Lutheran (Pre-8)

• Nativity of Mary (K-8)

• Seven Hills Classical Academy (K-5)

Did you know …?• The Bloomington School District

estimates only three out of every10 homes in Bloomington have achild in the school system.


NORTH0 5280 Feet

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LONGMEADOW

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MINNESOTA RIVER

K-5

K-5K-5

K-5

K-5

K-5K-5

K-5

K-59-12

9-12

6-8

K-5

K-56-8

6-8

K-5

6-8

9-12

K-8

K, 5-8

K-8 K-4

K-5K-6

K-6

Post-Secondary School

Public School

Private School

Grade Levels

Figure 7.2 Public, Private and Post-Secondary Schools

K-5


Post-SecondaryInstitutionsNormandale Community Collegeoffers Associate degrees andcertificates and serves 13,400students. Two-thirds of creditstudents attend full-time, whichrepresents 6,244 students as of Fall2007. The College continues toevaluate current and future needsand expand its facilities on campusto accommodate growth.

Northwestern Health SciencesUniversity offers degrees andcertification in a variety of naturalhealth care professional programs inareas such as chiropractic,

acupuncture, and massage therapydisciplines. The University’senrollment of less than 1,000students occupies a 25 acre campus,which constructed expandedclassroom facilities in 2007.

Bethany College of Missions servesless than 100 students and offersprograms in cross-cultural studiesand global internships.




Table 7.5 Bloomington School District Enrollment Projections, 2008-2013

Grade 2007- 2008- 2009- 2010- 2011- 2012-2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Kindergarten Total 716 732 758 765 767 769

1 761 717 734 760 767 7702 766 755 711 729 755 7623 779 771 759 715 738 7644 695 780 772 760 716 7425 759 698 784 775 763 719

ElementaryTotal 4,476 4,453 4,518 4,504 4,506 4,526

6 757 761 700 786 777 7657 789 761 765 704 790 7818 787 780 752 756 696 781

Middle SchoolTotal 2,333 2,302 2,217 2,246 2,263 2,327

9 846 861 853 822 827 76110 916 851 866 858 827 83211 827 879 816 831 823 79312 861 785 835 775 789 782

High SchoolTotal 3,450 3,376 3,370 3,286 3,266 3,168Total Enrollment 10,259 10,131 10,105 10,036 10,035 10,021

Source: Bloomington Independent School District 271.

Table 7.3 K-12 School Choice:Bloomington Residents2007-2008

Number %

Bloomington Public Schools 10,259 84%

Other Public Schools 333 3%

Charter Schools (2006-07 data) 214 2%

Home Schools 198 2%

Private Schools 1,141 9%

Total 12,145 100%

Source: Bloomington IndependentSchool District 271.

Table 7.4 K-12 OpenEnrollment 2007-2008

Students from other communities enrolled in Bloomington public schools 462

Bloomington students who enroll in other districts 333

Source: Bloomington IndependentSchool District 271.

ForecastEnrollment

As the City grew and developed inthe 1950s and 1960s so did publicschool enrollment eventuallyreaching a peak of 25,000 students,28 schools, and 2,000 staff membersin 1969. Enrollment declinedthroughout the 1970s beforestabilizing in the late 1980s. Today

enrollment is close to 10,000students within 14 schools. TheSchool District predicts enrollmentnumbers will remain flat throughoutthe next 5-10 years.


Public SafetyThe City maintains a 135-personvolunteer Fire Department whoresponds from six fire stationslocated throughout the community.The average response to anemergency call is 4.1 minutes fromthe time of notification.

The Bloomington PoliceDepartment has an authorizedstrength of 116 sworn officers, 35civilians, and 2 animal wardens. TheDepartment is also home to one ofonly four Bomb Squads in the sta teof Minnesota.

Did you know …• The Public Works salt facility was

honored by the Salt Institute in2006 and 2007 for “Excellence inStorage.”

Existing FacilitiesIt is Bloomington’s intent to provide high quality; long-lasting publicbuildings that support the efficient and economical provision of desiredservices.

Civic Plaza

In December 1999, the City Council directed city staff and a citizen task forceto explore the acquisition of a site suitable for a new campus of facilities. TheCity Council authorized site assembly in 2000 and the new City Hall, Policeand Center for the Arts building was completed in 2003. The building designreflects the natural environment of the Nine Mile Creek Valley and the valueBloomington residents place on parks and green space. The building featuresa unique combination of arts center and municipal facilities. Many nativeplants and trees were planted throughout the site to complement the stone,cedar, and metal building materials. A 2,500 square foot mural was added tothe exterior flyloft in 2007.

Creekside Community Center

Creekside Community Center, 9801 Penn Avenue, is a former elementaryschool constructed in 1960 currently utilized by senior citizen programs andHuman Services programs. City staff predicts the building will require majorrenovation or replacement within five to seven years. A study is planned asthe first step in deciding whether to renovate or replace the facility.

Libraries

Bloomington is home to two libraries, Penn Lake Community Library at 8800Penn Avenue and Oxboro Community Library at 8801 Portland Avenue.Hennepin County owns and operates both facilities.

Public Works

The Public Works complex was extensively redeveloped in 2002 and a secondphase added in 2005/2006. Approximately 71,000 square feet of vehiclestorage was constructed in 2002 to protect over $16 million invested inequipment. In 2003, a salt-storage shed was constructed. The shed enables theCity to buy salt in larger quantities in the off-season and keeps the productsdry and protected from the elements.



7.3 Public Buildings


Bloomington Civic Plaza opened in 2003.

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FireFireStation #5Station #5

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FireFireStatio#2Statio#2FireStation #2


WesternWesternMaintenance AreaMaintenance AreaWesternMaintenance Area

Civic PlazaCivic PlazaCivic PlazaPublic Works/Public Works/Public Health CenterPublic Health CenterPublic Works/Public Health Center

Public WorksPublic WorksPublic WorksSalt StorageSalt StorageSalt Storage

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OldTown

Hall

Penn LakePenn LakeCommunityCommunityLibraryLibrary

Penn LakeCommunityLibrary

CreeksideCreeksideCommunityCommunity

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CreeksideCommunity

Center

OxboroOxboroCommunityCommunityLibraryLibrary

OxboroCommunityLibrary

IceGardenIceGardenIce Garden

Areas guided since 1980 to allow higher densities than currently existing.

City Building

Fire Station

Library

Figure 7.3 Public Buildings

Source: Bloomington Planning Division.




Goal 1 Provide accessible park, recreation, and arts facilities and programs to serve the needs of Bloomington residents.

Strategy 1.1

Meet resident needs and desires for rec reational activities throughappropriate facilities and programs.

● Implement the strategies of the Park Master Plan (adopted February 11,2008) with emphasis on the following top ten priority strategies:

(1) Park revitalization program for park infrastructure – The CapitalImprovement Program (CIP) will need to be reviewed and prioritizedrelative to the Park and Rec reation goals and strategies and ongoingrevitalization of parks.

(2) Signature Parks – Reposition parks to reduce costs, improve quality,and better meet evolving and diverse needs.

(3) Trails – Adopt an Alternative Transportation Plan includingimproved internal and external bicycle and pedestrian connections.

(4) Natural Resource Management – Enhance planning and resourceallocation devoted to natural resources and sustainability.

(5) Recreation Programming – Emphasize quality programming to servea spectrum of ages, abilities, and interests. Encourage active living actions.

(6) Community Gathering/Sense of Community – Develop communitygathering locations and improve facilities and parks to enhance a sense ofcommunity.

(7) Arts – Integrate public art into community life and identify andincrease opportunities to participate in arts and cultural.

(8) History – Identify and preserve historical sites and properties withhistorical significance.

(9) Collaboration – Increase communication and partnerships withadvocacy groups, partners, and the business community. Supportvolunteerism and community stewardship of parks and natural areas.

(10) Bond Referendum – Define the content and timing of a future park,trail, green space, and community facilities bond referendum, an essentialtool needed to fund planned park system im provements.

7.4 Goals, Strategies, Actions


Strategy 1.2

Engage and inform the public on park s, recreation, and arts issues.

● Expand use of the City website to share information, respond to residentcomments, register for programs and email listserves, and reservefacilities.

● Expand cable television programming for parks, recreation, and artsitems.

● List the benefits of Parks and Recreation services and the positive impactthey have on Bloomington residents, visitors, and property values.

● Include the residents in the planning of parks, recreation, and artsfacilities and programs through solicitation of public input (e.g. publicmeetings, surveys, evaluations, feedback, task forces, etc.).

● Address resident concerns in a timely manner.

● Improve utilization of volunteers and develop a comprehensive volunteerrecognition program.

Strategy 1.3

Continue to support cooperative relationships with other governmentalagencies and community recreation and arts organizations to enhanceand improve the Bloomington parks, recreation and arts facilities andprograms.

● Work closely with the Three Rivers Regional Park District, the StateDepartment of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council, theLegislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, and other agencies in the improvement of regional recreation andtrail facilities.

● Negotiate agreements with the Bloomington School District to maintaincontinued public use of recreation facilities after schools are closed.

● Explore partnerships with other service providers for parks, recreation,and arts services and facilities (e.g. YMCA, School District, youth athleticassociations, Lion’s Club, community service organizations, neighborhoodgroups, etc.) Partnerships can be for programming, fund-raising for parkfacilities, etc.

● Support the efforts and programming needs of the Bloomington Farmer’sMarket.

Strategy 1.4

Provide park facilities and amenities that meet or exceed standards setthrough the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

● Make reasonable accommodations for individuals with special needsexcept where an undue burden exists (i.e. some facilities may not beaccessible due to extreme topography and the excessive cost to make thefacilities ADA compliant).


● Identify barriers to participation or use of facilities and take steps toreduce or eliminate these barriers.

● Provide specialized recreation facilities and programs for the elderly,handicapped, and other people with special needs.

● Implement the Accessibility Evaluation Transition Plan.

Strategy 1.5

Enhance and promote community facilities that meet the visual andperforming arts programming needs of the community.

● Periodically evaluate the Arts Center programming with regard toresident needs and continue to expand programming options to reach thegreatest possible number of residents.

● Take advantage of facilities already existing in the community for artsprogramming (schools, city, etc.).

Strategy 2.1

Continue to coordinate City and school planning efforts to cooperate onjoint objectives.

● Utilize joint meetings between the City Council and School Board, asappropriate.

● Coordinate planning on multi-use community center facilities and adulteducational programming to ensure City and School facilities andprograms complement one another and to avoid unnecessary duplicationof services.

● Coordinate planning on community/school bicycle and pedestrianlinkages.

● Include School District in citywide traffic demand managementdiscussions.

● Cooperate with the School District to continue to provide drug abstinenceeducation and youth activity programming.

● Coordinate Bloomington promotional strategies and marketing effortswith the School District.

● Continue to provide Police Department liaison services to public middleand high schools.

● Continue joint school/police emergency response training andsimulations.

● Encourage a continued closed campus environment for all schools.

Goal 2 Work cooperatively with education providers to ensure high quality, safe learningenvironments responsive to the needs of local residents and businesses.





Strategy 2.2

Facilitate efforts to link private businesses and industry leaders witheducational institutions.

● Create linkages between the private sector, high schools, andpost-secondary institutions.

Strategy 3.1

Develop new facilities to meet community needs.

● Continue to study the funding, role, and location of a new communitycenter.

● Periodically review fire station facilities and equipment for adequacy asadditional development occurs.

Strategy 3.2

Use “green” standards and practices for management of existingbuildings and design of new public buildings.

● Consider using the design standards of a nationally recognized ratingsystem such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)when constructing any new public buildings.

● Continue to analyze building management practices of City facilities toincrease energy efficiency and enhance the health and welfare ofbuilding occupants.

Strategy 3.3Continue to maintain and upgrade city facilities as needed to provideservices in a fiscally sound manner.

Goal 3 Support the efficient and economical provision of public services with high quality, long-lasting, and sustainable public buildings.

community facilities element · d d r r w dpark b ush l a ke r e b u s h f v e ne s s c a n a dia n...

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