Flanery Park
Overview
| Address | 1505 Onondaga Street NE |
|---|---|
| Start Date | June 2026 |
| End Date | October 2026 |
| Current Status | Implementation Planning |
| Park Type | Neighborhood Park |
| Size | 7.9 Acres |
| Special Use | Hockey Rink |
Current Status
Flanery Park is a neighborhood park with nice character, mature trees and a broad range of recreation amenities. Currently the park has on-street parking, double tennis courts, half basketball court, two ballfields, park building with restrooms, hockey rink and a leisure skating area. Open access to skating area invites improper vehicular use of this space.
Recommendations and Estimate of Probable Costs
General recommendations include confirming an updated site layout with the neighborhood for an improved experience meeting a broad range of user groups.
Recommendations include:
- Removal of hockey rink (rink to remain at Madsen to service community)
- Off-street parking lot with curb and gutter for improved safety and accessibility due to larger service area
- Landscape enhancements
- Open lawn with low-grow and/or pollinator-friendly turf mixture
- New expanded playground meeting broader range of challenge levels and age groups with ADA compliant playground surfacing (engineered wood fiber) and rubber surfacing or tiles at primary access points and high-wear areas
- Concrete playground border
- Optional: Realign double tennis courts for N-S orientation
- Full size basketball court
- Park building improvements
- Site furnishings with common characteristic (benches, tables, receptacles, bike racks, drinking fountain, etc.)
- Expanded walks/trails for improved accessibility and internal loop route
- Wayfinding signs
- Security light
The estimate of probable costs for completing the recommendations shown range from approximately $765,000 to $1.1 million.
Concept Plans:
A total of $50 million in possible park system improvements were identified in the Park Plan. Based on resident input, Fridley City Council directed staff to work with a Park Plan Refinement Task Force advisory group to recommend $30 million in park projects that would be most impactful to the community.
Further, a resident Finance Task Force recommended funding the park system improvement plan by issuing General Obligation (GO) Tax Abatement Bonds for $20 million in bond proceeds, being repaid over no more than 15 years, with an additional $10 million to come from other City of Fridley funds.
Tax abatement is a tool that can be used by cities to abate all or a portion of property taxes levied by the City for a given purpose, such as public infrastructure improvements. All taxpayers, whether identified as an abated parcel or not, will continue to pay property taxes as they normally would. Minnesota Statute 469.1813 gives cities authority for tax abatement, and this has become an increasingly common means of funding park improvements, as they provide benefit to all residents. A requirement is holding a public hearing for the consideration of tax abatement, and that was held on May 23, 2022.The bonds will be repaid over 15 years with annual debt service payments being levied for and it is likely there will be an increase in property taxes beginning in 2023.
This plan will provide many opportunities for expanded recreation programming, enjoyment of nature and social gatherings. Enhancing and modernizing the city park system will position Fridley as a great place to live, work and play now and for many years to come.
