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New soccer fields pass the Maplewood City Council!
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The Sandy Lake site is located just north of the City of Saint Paul in Maplewood, west of 35E between Roselawn Avenue and County Road B. To your right is a satellite image of the site. You can see the area from your car as you drive just south of Highway 36.
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The Sandy Lake site is owned by Saint Paul Regional Water Facility. For a more complete history of the site, click on the link below. Used for years as a dumping area for water filtration materials, it is a potential site of up to 6 full-size soccer fields to be located to the north of the residential area, east of the railroad track running diagionally from the NE to the SW, west of the business strip along 35E, and south of County Road B. The cloverleaf at the top of the photo is the intersection of 35E and Hwy.36.
March 10, 2003: The Maplewood City Council voted Monday night (1) to change the Sandy Lake area from "open space" to "park" and (2) to grant a conditional use permit that would allow the City of Saint Paul to develop a 6-field soccer complex. Greg Mack, director of Ramsey County Parks and Recreation, said Sandy Lake would be eligible for funding through the Ramsey County Soccer Partners Program, a matching grant program funded by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. If all goes well, the fields could be open for league play in 2006.
SoccerSpaces would like to thank all who helped move this development closer to reality. Special thanks go to St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Bob Biersheid for his efforts in helping make this dream a reality.
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On November 19, 2001, the Maplewood Parks and Recreation discussed the proposed Sandy Lake soccer complex at its monthly meeting. A contingent of neighbors adjacent to the site voiced objections to any plan to convert this space to soccer fields. The Commission passed a motion to have no further input into the proposed development of the Sandy Lake site into 6 soccer fields.
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Representatives from The Division of Parks and Recreation, City of Saint Paul, presented a letter at this meeting in response to questions submitted by Maplewood regarding the proposed Sandy Lake project. The responses included the following:
1. Q - Reconsideration of the neighborhood trail access onto Adolphus Street.
A. - The access was only included as a proposed benefit for the immediate neighborhood. It can be easily eliminated and has been in the most recent version of a site diagram.
2. Q - Review the parking lot configuration to ensure there are enough spaces to accommodate visitors.
A - We can review the configuration and create various options for increased parking. The optimum number of parking spaaces will depend on a final plan.
3. Q - Put in writing the proposed hours of operation.
A - We have not had an opportunity to set exact hours of operation as of yet. First there needs to be a discussion between Saint Paul and Maplewood (and the soccer clubs) about our respective program needs as well as an understanding of how the facility will be managed.
Once a clearer understanding of the ptogram needs and how the facility would be managed occurs the hours of operation can be set. Because the facility will not be lighted one can conclude that programming will end no later than sundown.
4. Q - Put in writing that there will be no lighting at the facility.
A. - There will be no lighting at the facility.
5. Q - Put in writing that no large festivals, in particular the Hmong soccer festival, would not be held at this proposed complex.
A - No large festivals, in particular the Hmong soccer festival, will be held at this proposed complex.
6. Q - Identify the time frame for the proposed project's construction.
A - A time frame would be impossible to identify at this time. Once can conclude that this porject, should it go forward, will take a number of years to complete. The very earliest that facility might be ready would be 2004.
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Saint Paul Mayor-elect Randy Kelly's campaign statement regarding soccer field development:
"Saint Paul and the East Metro community need more soccer fields. I am pleased to support the strong partnership of multiple municipalities and organizations that have worked together to make more spaces available. I will work with SoccerSpaces, the Saint Paul City Council, other public sector organizations and the private sector to secure the necessary funding to make these new fields a reality.
We must make more soccer spaces available throughout our region. I believe that soccer provides an opportunity for our children to play together, parents to join together and communities to celebrate together.
I will work closely with you to make this a reality."
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