Thanks to Mississippi Valley Montessori School for their support. Located in West St. Paul since 1967, they’re an AMI-accredited Montessori school serving children up to age 6. Email us for more info.
West St. Paul is finalizing plans for the redesigned Albert Park and a new Officer Scott Patrick Memorial.
What’s happening: With the Smith/Dodd intersection realignment and vacating a portion of Dodd Road, Albert Park is expanding. They’re also adding a permanent memorial for Mendota Heights police officer Scott Patrick, who was killed at the intersection in 2014.
- Plans: The city proposed multiple designs last year and narrowed in on the current designs after multiple rounds of community engagement.
- Timeline: With the Smith/Dodd intersection work finishing up, the park work will happen in 2026. City Council approved the plans on September 22, and they still need MnDOT review and final design.
- Costs: The Albert Park redesign is expected to cost $644,000 and the Patrick Memorial will be $544,000 for a total of just under $1.2 million. There is federal funding and the city is exploring grants and fundraising.
Albert Park
The expanded Albert Park will be a more active, accessible, and usable space. It’s designed as an anchor for the district and a gateway to the city.
- Park features: Multiple seating elements, pergola, relocated obelisk, rock of Doddway, the smaller Albert memorial, and more. A key visible element will be large WSP letters that tie into the city’s new bolder branding. Some gardens will be mounded to created separation from traffic and help reduce noise.
- Smallest park: While Albert Park isn’t actually the smallest park, the city has a tongue-in-cheek plan to pursue that title. They hope to call the entire space Albert Plaza and designate a small portion of it as Albert Park in order to claim that title. The large WSP would have a double meaning as “World’s Smallest Park.”
- More expansion: Beyond expanding to use a portion of the former Dodd Road, the city is also negotiating with Doddway Center to use a small corner of the parking lot to give the park more green space. That could eventually be used for food trucks, stalls, or tents for events.
- Redevelopment: There has been no progress on a redevelopment plan of Doddway Center pitched in 2021. Given the negotiation for a corner of the parking lot, it seems unlikely any development is imminent.
Officer Scott Patrick Memorial
A temporary memorial has existed on Dodd Road since 2014, but the intersection realignment creates the opportunity for a permanent space to honor Officer Scott Patrick.
- Family input: Patrick’s family led much of the design. They wanted a space that honors him, but also gives back to the community. They wanted something reflective, but not overly somber. Several elements reflect Patrick, including the color maroon, dragonflies, and things built from found objects.
- Park features: The space will include memorial panels, gardens, a swinging bench, badge plaque, seating, and more. There’s an attempt to create a buffer from traffic and adjacent parking lots. They also planned for the annual gathering so it can accommodate a larger group.
- Council response: “I was here when we were very close to putting up a monument that could have been moved at any time based on development,” Mayor Dave Napier said. “Being patient and working through that obstacle really paid off here.”
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