For Immediate Release:
June 14, 2022
Contact:
Liz McDonald
liz.mcdonald@ci.stpaul.mn.us
651-266-6367 (c)
City of Saint Paul opens new park at the Highland Bridge development
Gateway Park is the first grand opening at the Highland Bridge development, designed as a connecting “gateway” to the City and its surrounding neighborhood amenities
SAINT PAUL – The City of Saint Paul today celebrated the grand opening of Gateway Park, a brand-new park at the Highland Bridge development. This is the first official grand opening to take place at Highland Bridge, and the first of four new parks being constructed on the site. This park boasts innovative and unique features including a state-of-the-art skate park (complete with it’s own designated skate bowl and skate trail), biofiltration basins, stormwater pond, viewing platform, walking paths, picnic tables, game tables, bike rack, and drinking fountain. Located in the Highland Park neighborhood, the park name is inspired by its design and function, to be a “gateway” into Saint Paul, the Highland Park neighborhood, and surrounding amenities, including Mississippi River Boulevard.
"Highland Bridge reflects a vision for our future built through a decade of engagement with our community," said Mayor Melvin Carter. "Opening Gateway Park brings us closer to realizing this vision with a dynamic, sustainable space that will benefit generations to come."
Highland Bridge has been a vision for the City for over a decade, with much of the community engagement transitioning to virtual meetings during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although these initial changes proved challenging, the feedback and review provided guidance on all four parks that will be part of this development.
“It’s an exciting day in the neighborhood, as we celebrate our first opening at the Highland Bridge site,” said City Councilmember Chris Tolbert, “After 100 years of no green-space on this land, and over a decade of robust public conversation, we are excited to mark our first of many grand openings with the newest Saint Paul park which will be the gateway to the soon to be vibrant Highland Bridge neighborhood.”
The City contributed $1.4 million to the 3.6 acres of park space featuring a new skate park, made up of two sections—a skate bowl and skate trail. This is the fifth skate park in the City and the first skate trail. Additionally, this park provides ample walking paths that weave throughout the space and allow park users to view biofiltration basins and a stormwater pond. These important features clean stormwater from over 16 acres of the Highland Bridge development, as well as providing habitat for plants and wildlife. The biofiltration basins use an innovative treatment approach that filters dirty stormwater runoff, a vital step to protecting the Mississippi River.
“Gateway Park is a signature park within the City’s park system,” said Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez. “It’s an entrance into Saint Paul, and a gateway to the Highland Park neighborhood and the City’s regional trail system, including the city’s first skate trail with custom skate designs. It’s a state-of-the-art park that will provide recreational value for those who use these skate features and for those who are spectators.”
Future park opening dates at Highland Bridge will be announced as those parks are completed. For parks updates visit stpaul.gov/HighlandBridgeParks. For more details on the entire Highland Bridge development visit www.highlandbridge.com.
About Saint Paul Parks and Recreation
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is a nationally accredited and gold medal award-winning organization that manages 182 parks and open spaces, AZA-accredited Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 26 city-operated recreation centers, more than 120 miles of trails, an indoor and two outdoor aquatic facilities, a public beach, a variety of premium sports facilities, municipal golf courses, and Great River Passage – which is the new identity for all proposed public development along Saint Paul’s more than 17 miles of Mississippi riverfront. For more information about Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, visit www.stpaul.gov/parks.
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