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1. How was Arden Park improved?

The project by the City of Edina and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District made the following improvements to Arden Park:

o    Improved water quality – the stormwater management features of this project  keep 30 pounds of phosphorus and 18,000 pounds of sediment out of Minnehaha Creek every year

o    Restored stream health and habitat – removing the 54th Street dam and re-meandering Minnehaha Creek restores over 2,100 feet of streambank, adds 230 feet of stream length, and creates diverse aquatic and terrestrial habitat

o    Four new creek accesses allow paddling, tubing, fishing, or wading

o    New park shelter and outdoor gathering space

o    Enhanced open space

o    Upgraded hockey rink

o    Expanded trail network and new boardwalk

o    400+ new trees planted

o    Invasive buckthorn and ash trees preventatively removed

o    Expanded pollinator habitat

2. Who takes care of the vegetation and weed maintenance at Arden Park?

Newly constructed areas of the park landscape will be cared for by the project contractors until fall 2022 and later maintained by the City of Edina. The contractor is responsible for:

• Invasive weed management
• Continued buckthorn management
• Spot herbicide treatment and mowing of perennial weeds along Minnehaha Boulevard
• Mowing of annual/biennial weeds along 54th Street and Brookview Avenue
• Watering and protection of newly planted trees
• Maintenance of plantings in the stormwater swales
• Streambank plantings

To report a concern related to one of these areas, please contact either the City of Edina project manager or the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District project manager.

3. Why isn't the Arden grass like other park fields?

Arden Park is a nature-based park with a focus on natural features. It does not have a formal field for organized sports. The turf area is for random play, picnics and similar activities.

The Arden grass is growing in from grass seed without irrigation. This type of method can be slow to establish. Environmentally it is best to use irrigation only on highly active sports fields. Parks is reducing irrigation use on this type of unscheduled park grass to save water as a resource. 

Park Maintenance is responsible for mowing the grass.

4. Where can I report park vandalism?

See the Report a Problem in Parks page for how to report by phone, app or online. Situations posing imminent danger should be reported to 911 immediately.

5. Who do I contact for questions about Arden Park?

For questions regarding the remeandered creek, stormwater system, and new plantings, please contact Laura Domyancich-Lee at Minnehaha Creek Watershed District at [email protected] or 952-641-4582.

For questions regarding the park open space, park trails, skating rinks, park shelter or playground, please contact City of Edina Parks & Recreation Department at 952-826-0367.