The Complete List
A Report Team of citizen volunteers spent weeks sifting through the hundreds of ideas submitted in each Envision category, then used an affinity analysis process to organize the ideas into related groupings-44 in all. This is the complete list of Recreation ideas. For the Vision Guide, the Report Team combined and restated the groupings, and selected ideas that inspired interest and action (see also Current Problems and Other Issues).
- More bicycle paths and lanes and trails [21]
- Trails for wheeled recreation and alternative transportation
- Develop a complete trail and sidewalk systems that reaches all parts of Golden Valley, connects to parks and facilities (rest rooms, snack shops, shelter), and to other cities. [3]
- Complete Luce Line connection through Golden Valley [2]
- Build wider trails for low-speed transport use. [2]
- Provide maps for bike trails and color coded signs for direction.
- Regional bikeways.
- Bike tours of Golden Valley
- Public space next to Sweeney Lake [2]
- Dedicated bike/roller blade paths
- Be more bike-friendly, link to other trails
- Increased access to lakes and other resources
- Resident access to unattended park and rec toilet facilities via keys, access cards, or pass codes.
- Recreation areas accessible by sidewalks for biking and walking
- Improved access for natural physical fitness/recreational opportunities via better sidewalks/street lighting/pedestrian overpasses/improved safety
- Better and safer connections to bike trails
- Create trails in General Mills property.
- Increase access to Theo Wirth, Medicine Lake, Luce Line, etc.
- Make Twin Lakes area into legal nude beach with maintained parks and clean beach.
- Increase the number of public fishing docks
- Increase recreational utilization and access of all lakes.
- Canoe access to Bassett Creek
Beautification of Recreational Resources
- Make nicer pond at Brookview Park
- Preserve all natural areas, lands, parks and provide for non-auto access
- Make Brookview Park more scenic
- Add fountains at Brookview park
- Bike trails with screening plants
- Improve landscape along Bassett Creek
- Preserve and create green spaces like the trails behind General Mills
- More trash can/bags available for pet owners on walking trails/parks.
- Pet waste elimination system.
- Birding and wildlife areas.
Parks & Athletic Fields
- Develop a park for pets/off-leash dog park [10]
- Make city parks into gathering spaces (add shelters, grills, picnic areas) [2]
- Add circular paths around Brookview Park
- Add ice rink to Brookview
- Dedicated complexes for youth soccer and softball
- Walking trails [7]
- Skateboarding facilities [6]
- Add groomed ski trails to golf course [4]
- Disc golf course [3]
- Community garden plots [2]
- Add another golf course
- More small neighborhood parks
- Build a water park in Brookview Park
- Water slide at Brookview
- Create curling courts at a minimum of one park
- Expand Brookview golf
- Recreational skating rink for all types of skating
- More skating (not hockey) rinks
- Outdoor music at all skating rinks
- Wiffle golf ball practice areas in local parks
- Accessible play areas for disabled youth/adults
- Outdoor activity area for small kids
- Fenced areas with parks safe for young children
- Expand cross country ski opportunities
- Create a mini golf course
- Trail bike course
- Corporate sponsored maze made of boxwood and flowers
- Paintball/airsoft
- Create bocce ball courts in at least one park
- Have a white water run for canoes/kayaks on Bassett Creek
- Snow making capability to extend cross-country season at Wirth/Brookview
- Public gardens
- Develop city flower garden
- Outdoor amphitheater/bandshell [8]
- Public art displays [4]
- Add bandstand to Brookview
- Develop and open air gazebo/bandshell, preferably near downtown
- Outdoor places
- Story-telling/theatre at parks
- Portable stage for parks for concerts and plays
- Add recreation areas to Golden Valley Shopping Center
- Youth sports for all of Golden Valley not by school district lines
- Creative public/private use of park facilities for day care, after-school care, seniors activities and services
- Improve partnerships with existing related community resources. [2]
- Encourage healthy and active lifestyles through fitness and nutrition educational opportunities.
- Include Parks and Rec programs that mix age groups.
- Shared facilities and reciprocity with neighboring cities
- Expand event/facility coordination with neighboring cities.
- Innovative and expanded use of existing recreational resources (mixed use of fields/parks, etc)
- Create community spirit focused around recreation.
- Enhance and maintain existing quality programming as part of the future.
- Partner with local business/corporation to create recreational opportunities.
- Monthly newsletter listing all activities
- Create facilities, programs, concessions that attract both youth and seniors.
- Recreation design should be sensitive to environmental concerns.
- Partner with neighboring cities for recreation.
- New recreational opportunities that are sensitive to the evolving needs of working parents and their families
- Advanced communication model encompassing all recreational opportunities within the community
- Ensure a safe and inviting environment in all parks and public recreational spaces.
- Integrate dining options with other recreational and arts activities (unique/ diverse/ specialty/ independently owned options).
- Install security phone boxes on trails and at public facilities.
- Promotion of recreational opportunities and programs that are sensitive to the needs and desires of everyone in this diverse community
- Recreational usage consideration as part of new development
- Integrate the recreational needs and desires of the community in development.
- Kids allowed to participate in sports without tryouts
Teen Center
- Provide a central place for teenagers to hang out [3]
- A community center where teens can gather [3]
- Friendly place for teenagers to hang out
- Central gathering places for youth, such as a bowling alley or movie theater
- Safe and fun place for youth to congregate
- Renovate old "bowling alley" into a teen center
- Friday evening activities for teens at the recreation center
Water Recreation
- Sprinklers for kids
- More wading pools in parks
- Spa environment with indoor/outdoor hot tubs for adults
- Indoor/outdoor swimming pool
- Community swimming pool [18]
- Community recreation center with meeting rooms and a pool
- Wading pools
- 0 depth entry pool
- Pool, something to draw youth
- Indoor pool converting to skating rink
- Waterpark
Civic / Recreation Center
- Recreation complex/community complex [9]
- Develop a large, multipurpose community center with pool, meeting rooms, recreational facilities, senior center, kids' center, arts center with classes, indoor ice arena, outdoor skate and water park, bowling alley, community theater, upscale spa, and health club amenities [4]
- Develop intergenerational community and youth center with indoor play area
- Community center near downtown
- Brookview community building
- Youth center
- Add small children section of library
- Indoor maze play area for kids
- Indoor park like Edina
- Add small eatery/coffee shop to library
Fitness Facilities
- Inflatable dome over one soccer and one softball field for year-round use
- Expand Brookview Golf Course to include a dedicated kid's course, domed driving range, lighted 27/7 golf (automated), day care, spa, and fine dining facilities
- Domed multi-use public fields
- Build another ice arena [2]
- Indoor tennis courts
- Build a sports training facility
- Climbing wall
- Indoor parks for soccer attached to LRT station
- Develop more facilities for team sports
- Community recreation center with gym equipment
- Roller skating area
- Fund community center via a shared funding approach
- Build a health club
- Volleyball pits
- Bowling alley
- Theme park
- Zero maintenance turf
- Build a baseball stadium
- Build more soccer fields
Arts & Entertainment
- Arts programs developed in partnership with Perpich Arts High School
- Host arts programs in a variety of locations including the Perpich Center
- Cultural, social, recreational multi-use center that includes permanent and temporary art shows/displays, sculpture garden, gathering/meeting place, rooms to rent for large groups, art classes, music performances, theater
- Develop a Golden Valley version of Hopkins Center for the Arts, with enhanced community theater and arts programs and gallery space to display and sell artists' works
- Set up a Golden Valley based arts committee to plan, develop and promote multi-faceted arts programs
- Establish a community theater
- Add an "artsy" movie theater
- Enhanced community theater and arts programs
- Movie theater [8]
- Build a concert building for theater and concerts [4]
- An arts center [2]
- Renovate old bowling alley into a theater.
- Historical society tours.
- Area for community sponsored activities with seating and staging options.
- Arts center enclosed in arts mall with private arts businesses
- Outside art fair
- Build and connect a center for the arts and a community center.
- Community orchestra and theater
- Golden Valley arts center
- Expand use of Perpich Center for theater, adult education, etc
- Utilize Perpich Center for community theater/sharing resources/sharing people and facilities
- Develop speaker series, similar to Westminster Church Townhalls
Activities
- Encourage more social clubs
- Develop art classes and opportunities for kids and adults
- All city neighborhood block party
- Establish bookstore and coffee shop kiosks at strategic neighborhood locations for gathering and community purposes
- Annual community picnic with fireworks and entertainment
- Have a Golden Valley parade
- 4th of July festival
- Sponsor family nights once a month
- A civic celebration with fireworks and a parade
- Create a summer festival with a "crowning event" that attracts people from all over the metropolitan area
- Weekly free music event with food booths and crafts (like "Marketfest" in White Bear Lake)
- More dances with live music
- Outdoor movies in the park (like Loring Park)
- Original kite making and kite flying competitions
- Radio operated boat racing on Bassett Creek
- Organize walking clubs