May 2010, the "Task Force" partnered with Healthy Communities Collaborative and the Boys and Girls Club and sponsored a gathering "Pizza with the Mayor" attracting 75+ kids and adults. After much discussion and brainstorming the kids and adult mentors came up with several projects they wanted to tackle, including a Splash Pad and All Wheel Park.
Much research was done through the internet, visiting other communities with similar projects, and contacting companies who install splash pads and all wheel parks. The Task Force reported to City Council and met with City staff to see what land was feasible for the two projects. Their research revealed that area parks were not suitable for the projects.
In 2012, we discovered the MNDOT property, located north of Little Falls, that was part of the old trunk Highway 371. We contacted MNDOT and found that they were asking $110,000 for the 20 acres of property. I worked with Senator Gazelka’s office and the Commissioner of MNDOT, who were able to acquire the land for free, as long as the property was utilized for public purposes in perpetuity. The Little Falls City Council accepted the land for public use and developed the “The Little Falls Community Recreation Complex Task Force” (LFCRCTF). The task force was to access the recreational needs in Little Falls, and develop a recommendation for the City Council. The committee readily moved forward while the Mayor’s Youth Task Force started securing grants and working through budget, design and management issues as well as long-term maintenance costs.
August of 2013, the City of Little Falls received a $100,000 donation from Paul and Emily Twitchell to go toward playground equipment at the proposed Splash Pad and All Wheel Skate Park site - the Little Falls Area Recreation Center.
October 2013, Short Elliott and Hendrickson (SEH) were hired by the City with funds that had been donated to the Mayor’s Youth Task Force. From the recommendation of the LFCRCTF, SEH presented to the Council sketches of the possible layout of a recreational complex. The sketches include baseball fields, a community center, disc golf, a horseshoe and picnic area, basketball courts, a doggie park, parking, and a splash pad and all wheel park.
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| Sketch of the Little Falls Area Recreation Center (LFARC) |
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| Sketch of the LFARC showing it in phases |
The Youth Task Force acquired free land from MNDOT, playground equipment from the Twitchell Family, several additional donated playground pieces from Landscape Structures, engineering services at a much reduced rate from SEH, free shipping of the playground equipment by Little Falls Dray, excavating services from Eagle Construction, use of equipment and services from Brothers Exteriors and Van’s Construction, totaling over $300,000.
A Grants Committee had been meeting on a regular basis seeking and applying for grants and received several grants for future projects, but the group has discontinued. Another group,
ARC Boosters (a non city group), had formed and were applying for non-profit status to do
fundraising and make sure the ARC continued developing. Sadly, the ARC Boosters never got off the ground.
The Potential impact of the LFARC to the area is more than just a large playground for our citizens! It’s a place where people from all walks of life can gather for picnics, walking, hiking, biking, exercising, playing in the water and so much more. It could be an additional draw to Little Falls for new families, health professionals, housing development, business development, and tourism.
I am extremely proud of the Mayor’s Youth Task Force and all the other committees for the work they’ve done. Unfortunately, when I wasn’t re-elected as Mayor in 2015 the committees were dropped by the City and the proposed projects for the Little Falls Area Recreation Center were never completed or even worked on except recently the Disk Golf Course.
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