Shoreview has a Plan for Recreation

As the calendar has turned to July, Minnesota residents find themselves in the thick of summer recreation. While for many, that means heading to the lake or cabin in northern Minnesota, Shoreview residents know they have many fantastic opportunities in their backyard.

The City of Shoreview is committed to ensuring those facilities and green spaces will continue to exist far into the future.  Its newest comprehensive plan - Destination Shoreview 2040 - is its vision to ensure Shoreview continues to be a destination for outdoor recreation. The plan reflects the community's social and economic values and dedication to ensuring future economic development, housing, transportation and other projects occur with its natural amenities in mind.

Why parks & recreation are important

The City of Shoreview understands the vital role parks and recreation play in our community. They are essential for residents’ high quality of life and enjoyment and for new families looking for a place to live. Parks and recreation can also serve as an economic driver. When people visit our community to play at a park, participate in a tournament or use our recreation facilities, they often spend money locally as they shop, eat at restaurants and fill up their vehicles with gas, creating jobs and other local benefits.

The City of Shoreview joins the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) in celebrating Park and Recreation Month as a time to recognize the power parks and recreation opportunities have. This year, the NRPA’s theme is “Where Community Grows,” directing attention to bringing people together to foster goodwill and growth in communities nationwide.

Plan for recreation

The Destination Shoreview 2040 comprehensive plan is on the City’s website. Chapter 10 - Parks & Open Space - outlines how the City recognizes parks and open space as a ‘key asset to the community and contribute to the quality of life residents experience.’ Chapter 5 - Trails and Bikeways - outlines the City’s dedication to ‘develop its trail system to promote improved connections between neighborhoods and parks, community facilities and commercial areas.’

The City’s Community Investment Fund is a dedicated funding source for projects with community-wide benefits, including parks, trails, and recreation facilities, with such improvements programmed in the City’s 5-year Capital Improvement Program updated annually.

An example of a possible project in the Plan is reusing the historic Lepak-Larson House and the surrounding property as Heritage Park. The property and historic buildings provide passive park-like use in partnership with the Shoreview Historical Society. 

Examples of goals and initiatives in the Plan include:

• To provide park facilities and recreation programs that meet the changing recreational needs of the community.
• To balance the recreational needs of park users with the need for access to natural areas and protect sensitive environmental resources.
• To coordinate with county, school district and neighboring communities in developing a recreational system, including recreation programs, that meet the community’s needs.
• To improve the health of the community and encourage physical activity by providing a park system that is accessible to all residents and includes facilities for active recreation.
• Recreational facilities will be developed to be compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods and other adjacent land uses.
• City parks will be designed and developed to emphasize active recreation, while regional and county open space areas will generally provide opportunities for passive recreation.
• A “no-net-loss” policy is hereby adopted in which the City commits to replacing city-owned parkland lost to other uses.
• The City will review major development proposals for potential impacts on the park system and determine the need for additional improvements. In addition, the potential impact and connectivity of developments adjacent to parks and open space land will be reviewed.
• Continue to maintain the Shoreview Commons Park area and the Community Center as the focal point in the city for social, cultural and recreational opportunities.
• The City will work to ensure that most residents live within a service radius of approximately one-half mile from a City park, County park or public school site within the City or an adjacent community. Obstacles to access such as lakes or major roadways may reduce this service radius in some instances. Public improvements, such as trails, can increase the effective service radius in other instances.

Current parks and recreation

The existing parks and recreation in Shoreview is a system of city, county and other facilities and open space. The parkland and publicly owned open space cover approximately 1,400 acres or almost 18% of the City’s land area. 

Parks and open space

There are eleven city parks and four county parks within the city boundaries. Highlights include:

• Shoreview Commons Park is located in central Shoreview and includes the Shoreview Community Center with the Tropics Indoor Waterpark, City Hall, Ramsey County Library, Mounds View School District Administration and a Ramsey County Ice Arena. Major improvements to Shoreview Commons were completed over the past two years, including gardens and walkways around a new pond with fountains, an outdoor wedding venue, a sculpture Friendship Garden, a new urban-style skate park and a destination playground.
• Island Lake County Park, with the 41-acre Island Lake Golf and Training Center on the lake’s northwest side.
• Lake Owasso County Park
• Vadnais-Snail Lake Regional Park

Trails

With over 55 miles of trails and sidewalks, Shoreview is a recreation destination. The elaborate trail system connects parks, shopping areas and a community center. The trail map can be visited here. Highlights include:

• The Rice Creek North Regional Trail runs for more than six miles as part of a 14-mile regional trail corridor that extends from the Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve to the Mississippi River.
• The 8.5-mile Highway 96 Regional Trail is an east-west arterial trail connecting northern Ramsey County communities and regional parks.

Bicycling is a popular activity in Shoreview, reflected by being the first Minnesota city to be named a "Bicycle-Friendly Community" by the League of Minnesota Cities. The Tour de Trails event graces the area each summer. The date this year is July 23, 2023. 

Think outdoor recreation in Shoreview

The Destination Shoreview 2040 comprehensive plan provides the dedication to ensure community members can enjoy themselves through parks and recreation. Remarkably, only some take advantage of these opportunities. There are many ways you can help! Share posts about our parks and recreation on social media. Invite friends to visit, leave positive reviews on Facebook and Google and become an ambassador for our community. Share this article and tell a friend about all the great things to do in our community. Contact the City of Shoreview today or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter to learn more about the opportunities awaiting you here!