04-14-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 2 of 5 COMMUNITY PROFILE The City of Little Canada is located in Ramsey County, roughly 4.5 miles north of downtown Saint Paul. The city has an area of approximately 4.5 square miles and is bounded or bisected by the major highways of I-35E, I-694, and State Highway 36. Little Canada’s proximity to major employment centers, its access to transportation networks, its abundance of natural features, and its small-town character are qualities that make Little Canada a highly desirable community. EXISTING INFORMATION Little Canada’s park system is comprised of a variety of parks, facilities, and trails. Residents currently have access to 178 acres of public park space within the City limits, including 9 city parks, 1 county park, 2 school parks, and 1 nature area. Trail Connectivity Overall, Little Canada has several key pedestrian and bicycle connections with a number of gaps precluding a complete network. Paved trail loops within Pioneer Park provide access within the park and a system of sidewalks on streets surrounding the park provides access to other parks and the larger trails network. The city is working to address gaps in the larger trails network as conditions allow to further strengthen Pioneer Park’s connectivity to the larger community by non-vehicular means. Pioneer Park As one of Little Canada’s primary community parks, Pioneer Park is an important role in the foundation of the City’s park system. At 33 acres, it is a fully developed, relatively flat park with a large stormwater pond, small wooded area, and available parking to provide access to existing facilities. Amenities include a softball quadplex, 2 tennis/pickleball courts, a basketball court, soccer field, playground, concession building, picnic shelter, open flex space , and internal bituminous trails providing access to park amenities. CURRENT PLANS, STUDIES, and UPCOMING PROJECTS 2018 Park System Master Plan: This master plan inventoried existing park amenities across the community and sought to bring these elements together in one document (facilities, programs, trails, and operations and maintenance needs). It provides a good overview of Little Canada’s overall parks system and was never intended to provide development for individual parks. More information about this study can be found on the Little Canada website: https://www.littlecanadamn.org/450/Park-System-Master-Plan2020 Pioneer Park Community Engagement: In 2020, the City utilized the University of Minnesota Resilient Communities Project (RCP) to conduct in-depth community engagement related to Pioneer Park. The engagement strategy included three different areas. Those areas were Youth Engagement, Focus Groups & Individual Interviews, and a Community Survey. The results and findings from the engagement process should serve as the community engagement process to create design concepts. More information about this study can be found on the Little Canada website: https://www.littlecanadamn.org/599/Pioneer-Park-Planning