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Overview
Lower Landing Park is located southeast of Lowertown, in the Mississippi River flood plain, and it is part of the Great River Passage. The 21.4-acre site is mostly open green space. The Samuel H. Morgan Regional Trail runs through the park along the edge of the river, which is a heavily used barge fleeting area. Access for pedestrians and bicyclists is via the Sam Morgan Regional Trail at both ends of the park. From the parking lot to the vehicular entrance at the other end of the park is about 0.6 miles. The closest vehicular access is at the west parking lot of the park. At the east end, there is a gated entrance for maintenance vehicles. Two built wetlands are within the park, which is part of the Warner Road construction's stormwater treatment plan.
Lower Landing Renovation Plan
The Renovation Plan is a long-term vision for the improvements of Lower Landing Park. Neighbors, the park’s users, and stakeholders identified the current park needs, proposed design strategies, and established renovation priorities in 2017. The City of Saint Paul Parks Commission approved the plan in February 2018. The MET Council will review the Renovation Plan as an amendment to the East Bank Mississippi River Corridor Master Plan (Samuel Morgan Regional Trail). There may be additional revisions to this plan.
Based on community input, three top priorities were identified: 1) Entryway and Plaza Improvements 2) Dog Park, and 3) Nature Trail. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department will begin to develop and implement the three park features and amenities for Lower Landing Park.
Minnesota DNR Grant has been secured to develop and implement the Nature Trail and other park improvements such as an off-leash dog park, furnishing, and signage.
Community Engagement Meetings
Nature Trail and Dog Park Planning, Community Meeting 1: Thursday, January 23rd from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Black Dog Cafe, 308 E. Prince St.
Project Update
Dog Park & Nature Trail Improvements
September 25, 2023
Benches with the wrong color components were shipped/installed at the dog park, so the benches will be disassembled in the next couple weeks, components repainted, and then reinstalled. We apologize for the inconvenience of not having benches for a few weeks while they are repainted the right color.
July 6, 2022
Parks and Recreation is issuing a contract for construction of the Dog Park and Nature Trail improvements. Work will begin as soon as a contract is issued. More details on the construction timeline will be reviewed with the contractor in the coming weeks.
August 16, 2021: The dog park and nature trail improvements are receiving final approval through the Department of Inspections and Capitol Region Watershed District. The project will be bid in fall 2021 with construction anticipated for Fall 2021 (pending bids & weather) or Spring/Summer 2022.
Entryway & Plaza Improvements
December 20, 2019: The project was bid out Fall 2019 and awarded to Meisinger Construction Company. The project will break ground in Spring 2020 when weather permits. Look forward to more updates next spring!
Past Meetings
Thursday, February 8, 2018: Saint Paul Parks Commission Meeting
- Open House Notes
- Resolution for Lower Landing Master Plan as an amendment of East Bank Mississippi River Corridor Master Plan ( Samuel H. Morgan Regional Trail)
Tuesday, February 6 , 2018: Design Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, February 2, 2018: Open House
Thursday, November 2 , 2017: Open House
Friday, October 20, 2017: Meeting with Sibley Parks Apartment Residents
Wednesday, September 6, 2017: Meeting with Design Advisory Committee
Thursday, June 15, 2017: Meeting with Design Advisory Committee and Lowertown residents
Saturday, May 20 2017: Park Awareness Walk. CANCELED
Saturday May 6, 2017: Pop-Up Engagement Mobile Stand
March 27, 2017: Capitol River Council Meeting
Community Research
August 1, 2017: Park Designers attended Workshop Sustaining Cultures: Honoring the Native History in Today's Public Park with Jim Rock and Melanie Kleiss
Park staff and representatives from Native American communities shared stories about indigenous peoples who made their lives along the river. We learnt about the natural spaces and their meaning and talk about how to successfully balanced that significance of the sites with the surrounding use as well as how we can improve dialogue to highlight culturally significant places in our park system. How all voices can be heard as plans to improve the river corridor and park spaces for future use are developed.
September 2017: Park Designers attended Bdote Field trip: Dakota in the Twin Cities (September, 2017)
Visited local sites of significance to Dakota people and learnt about them from Dakota perspectives. Learnt about Dakota history and identity and gained a deeper understanding of the significance of places like Pilot Knob, Wakan Tipi, and Mounds Park to this land’s first people.
