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Dakota County is bringing more updates to Thompson Park with a pollinator promenade, sensory garden, and stream restoration coming to the southern section of the park.
- Where: The work centers around the paved trail south of Thompson Lake going south to the intersection with the River-to-River Greenway trail.
- What: The project has multiple features:
- Adding gravel paths that meander through pollinator and sensory gardens. There will be seating, interpretive displays, and steel cutouts of animals and pollinators.
- A stream that was buried as a storm drain will be restored, with small cascades leading to Emerson Pond—though expect to only see flowing water after heavy rain.
- A neighborhood gateway will be added at the intersection with the Greenway trail that will include access to Sperl Street as well as benches, trash/recycling, dog waste station, and lighting.
- The current dirt trail south of the paved Greenway trail that leads to Emerson Pond will also be reconfigured to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- When: Construction already started. Most of the earthwork will happen this fall with planting happening in the spring. The project should be done and the trail reopened by early July 2026.
- Closures: The main project area will be closed for the duration of the work. The path around the lake and the River-to-River Greenway Trail will be open for most of the project, but will have temporary, short-term closures.
- Cost: The project costs $585,000, with 75% of the funds coming from the state’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund with a 25% match from the county.
- More: Get more details from the county’s project page.
Ongoing Improvements for Thompson Park
These are just part of the improvements envisioned for Thompson Park. A 2024 open house included the pollinator promenade and restored stream as part of the proposal. Dakota County hoped to secure state bonding to help with the $20 million in potential improvements, but didn’t get it. Instead the county is scaling back the request and moving forward with smaller pieces of the plan.
Playground Work
The playground at Thompson Park also saw construction this week. Workers raised the concrete edges of planter beds around the playground to better keep mulch contained. The loose mulch was damaging the playground surface.
While the playground wasn’t closed for the work, the fencing added last year was temporarily taken down. The county expects the work to be done by Friday, Sept. 26.
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