Multi-Million Dollar Project, Pickleball Coming to Whitney Park

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Some major upgrades are coming to Whitney Regional Park in St. Cloud.

The city has budgeted nearly $5.7 million for the project.

Much of the improvements will be paid for with half-cent sales tax dollars, as well as donations. Northern Paddles Pickleball Club is donating $101,500 to help build a new eight-court pickleball complex.

Community Services and Facilities Director Scott Zlotnik says there will also be upgrades to other areas in the park.

The main focus of the project is paving and trail work.  The trails out there have been in rough condition for many years, lots of folks have noticed the decline, and we want to do a refresh.

The plans also include baseball field lighting and a new playground.

We did have a tennis facility out there that was removed on the south end of the park by the old Whitney Airport runway and as part of this project we're going to take out the last little piece of cobble and replace it with a new playground and some turf that's more appropriate for a regional park.

Zlotnik says Whitney Regional Park has been in the Capital Improvement Plan for many years. He says hopefully, this is just phase I of improvements, with a future phase II adding more athletic opportunities.

Zlotnik says the last time a significant amount of money was spent on Whitney Regional Park was about 21 years ago, when they spent $200,000.

Zlotnik calls Whitney one of the city's greatest assets, with tens of thousands of users each year.

Construction is expected to begin within the next month and last through the fall.

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They will still try to make the park usable for visitors throughout the construction.  Whitney Regional Park is over 138 acres in size.  It was created in 1933.

The St. Cloud City Council needs ot approve an agreement with Knife River Corporation to officially move the project forward.  It is on their consent agenda on Monday night's meeting.

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