ROCHESTER — Community input is being sought as the Rochester Park and Recreation Department starts work on a master plan for the future of Silver Lake Park.
Working with project consultant Asakura Robinson, the goal is to create the first comprehensive plan for the park by this fall in an effort to help guide future investment and better serve users.
“Silver Lake Park is a key attraction to our downtown area and is heavily frequented by Rochester’s residents and visitors,” Mike Nigbur, parks and forestry division head, said in a statement announcing two opportunities for community members to provide feedback. “We encourage the community to get involved and participate in engagement opportunities on this important project, as it will provide the direction on the long-term vision and strategies to achieve this updated vision for the park.”
The city has created an online survey at https://tinyurl.com/ycksptnt to gauge public views. The survey is currently available in English, with plans to translate it to Spanish, Somali and Arabic.
Additionally, an interactive online map at https://tinyurl.com/y8juk2zh provides an opportunity to provide specific thoughts on park amenities, potential changes and concerns. The map offers instructions in several languages.
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Both of these engagement opportunities will be available through May 22, and the input will be used to create concepts for the community to review and discuss further.
There is also a specific survey being conducted regarding the skate park, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/52nxvv6t .
Additional engagement opportunities during the master planning effort are expected to include focus groups and in-person engagement at the park in the coming months.
While the master plan project is ongoing, several areas for improvement have been identified as part of this process, including:
- Updated conceptual designs for an expanded playground.
- Updated aquatics facility.
- Updated skate park.
It is estimated that improvements at Silver Lake Park will cost about $4 million, with funding from the recent voter-approved park levy referendum.
