Laserfiche WebLink
21 City of Elk River - Parks and Recreation Master Plan Chapter 3: The System Today <br />New Neighborhood Parks <br />While the city has adequate park resources to serve residents today, new parks <br />will need to be considered as the community grows. As the community expands <br />north, new types of residential developments are anticipated. Some development <br />will continue according to the large lot pattern found in the northeast part of the <br />city. Other developments, however, will be clustered and have greater density on <br />a portion of the property, or, as in the case of the Gravel Mining District, could <br />have significant development and require new parks. <br />In general, the larger lot development pattern cannot support neighborhood <br />parks accessible by foot for all residents. Furthermore, many residents already <br />have additional land as part of their private property and may not require nearby <br />neighborhood parks. <br />On the other hand, residents in the denser, more defined neighborhoods have <br />expressed a desire for neighborhood parks that they can access on foot. Limited <br />numbers of neighborhood parks may be warranted as new neighborhoods <br />outside of the Urban Service Area develop, depending on development patterns <br />and density. <br />If the land use in the Gravel Mining District is such that park amenities are <br />required, the park classification shall be based on the density of residential <br />development in the district. <br />Athletics <br />In order to meet national standards for many athletic facilities, the city relies on <br />the school district’s fields, gyms, and tennis courts. <br />City-owned and operated athletic facilities include: <br />• Dave Anderson Athletic Complex - adult softball fields/youth football. <br />• Youth Athletic Complex - youth softball, baseball, and soccer/football/ <br />lacrosse fields. <br />• Oak Knoll Athletic Complex - soccer/football/lacrosse fields, youth baseball <br />fields, and softball fields. <br />• Elk River Arena - hockey and skating. <br />In addition to the dedicated athletic facilities, many parks have informal softball <br />and soccer fields, basketball hoops, and ice rinks for pick-up games. <br />The city’s facilities have not kept pace with the city’s growth, and the increasing <br />demand for open field space for soccer, lacrosse, and football on these fields has <br />become scarce. Burgeoning youth softball and baseball programs also compete for <br />enough field space to accommodate demand. The shortage of athletic field space is <br />exacerbated when rain, snow, and darkness leave the fields unplayable.