Marthaler Park

Marthaler Park Improvements

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July 24, 2023 Update: Marthaler Park improvements are now in progress.

May 22, 2022 Update: Marthaler Park improvements have been pushed back to 2023 so the city can apply for up to $300,000 in state funding.

With the influx of 2021 development projects in West St. Paul, the city’s Park Dedication fund is flush with cash and a number of planned improvements to Marthaler Park are being moved up the schedule. The changes will start with a separate project to improve the trail through Garlough and Marthaler Parks, but the major Marthaler Park improvements will begin in 2022.

The north end of Marthaler Park did see some major enhancements in 2019 with the Wentworth Avenue project, including a new parking lot, playground, volleyball, and resurfaced basketball courts.

2021 Trail Project

Work started in May on the trail through Marthaler Park. The trail is part of Dakota County’s River-to-River Greenway Trail and will connect with the Robert Street underpass that’s also currently under construction.

As part of the construction work, the two small picnic shelters will be removed and earthmoving work to trench out a better slope for the trail as it comes out of Marthaler Park toward Wentworth Avenue.

Construction will shift to the Garlough Park segment of the trail after school is out in June. The trail project is scheduled to be done by late July.

Get the city’s latest updates on the project.

Trail work along Humboldt Avenue.
The former picnic shelters before they came down and stacked up in the parking lot after they were dismantled.

Future Improvements

The plan and timeline is still being finalized, but look for these improvements (subject to change):

  • 2022:
    • Parking lot redesign and resurfacing, moving it away from the current central location and positioning it closer to the tennis courts.
    • Shoreline restoration and fishing pier.
    • Trail loop around Marthaler Lake.
  • 2023:
    • New playground located in the center of the park.
    • New large picnic shelter.
    • Modern restrooms and trailhead building.
    • Improvements to the sledding hill including clearing out some of the brush and adding a small shelter at the top of the hill.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee is working to finalize the plan and will hold a public meeting in July or August on September 20 to inform the community and get further input.

Marthaler Park Masterplan Update (2017)
This masterplan from 2017 is in the process of being updated.

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