Rain Doesn’t Dampen Enthusiasm for New Kensington Park Playground

When the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission planned the for rain or shine, they weren’t planning on a full day of rain, wind and low temperatures. Despite the weather, commission members gathered in the park April 26 to ask for feedback on new playground plans.

While the rain didn’t bring out the residents, it did highlight one of the major problems of the current playground: poor drainage.

“I think the drainage issue is obvious,” said Jake Sedlacek, assistant city administrator. “We need new drainage, and a new accessible surface for the entire playground.”

In addition to drainage, Kensington’s equipment, originally installed in 1991, is outdated in other ways. Paint is peeling, but city officials are more concerned about safety. One piece of equipment offers a spiral pole to travel down, but it has a completely open side that could be perilous to small children. Another part of the playground, the flexible bridge, has wide openings that could become a liability.

“This park certainly met every standard when it was built,” said Parks and Recreation Commission chairperson Ray Morris, “but the standards have been improved.”

The city plans to spend approximately $70,000 on the entire playground replacement project. To conserve funds, several smaller items from the current playground will be renovated and re-used, including the swing area. Ideally, the new Kensington playground will break ground in late summer and be completed by Sept. 30. In order to cut down on waste, the city is also considering working with a local non-profit that rehabilitates playground equipment for use in developing countries.

According to Sedlacek, Kensington Park is likely the second most popular playground in the city. The soccer fields adjacent to the playground bring scores of families to the park throughout the spring, summer and fall.

The purpose of the open house was to garner feedback from the people who are using the playground on a regular basis. City officials have gathered a few images from vendors of some of the possibilities for the new play area.

Parks and Recreation Commission members will continue to solicit opinions on the playground style and elements until they make a recommendation at the City Council’s next meeting. Residents can check out possible ideas and give feedback at . Commission members will also be making casual trips to the park to gauge the public’s sentiments.

“We really want to hear if people are looking for something more traditional or more contemporary,” said Sedlacek. “We want to hear feedback on what people will use the most.”