The city of Shoreview will break ground on a $3.6 million destination outdoor playground this spring — the latest in a series of family-friendly attractions on the city's 40-acre campus, which the mayor calls her suburb's alternative to Main Street.
The Ramsey County suburb of 27,000 has spent nearly $24 million in recent years on its "Shoreview Commons," including expansions to the community center, indoor water park and indoor playground complex. Outside, the city has added a skate park, formal garden and decorative pond that in winter transforms into an outdoor ice skating rink replete with music and trees outlined in twinkle lights.
"Shoreview doesn't have a downtown, so we have always considered our community center as our recreation and coming-together space," said Shoreview Mayor Sandy Martin. "From a personal standpoint, it has emulated a small town where people see each other. It's what makes Shoreview a real community."
Martin, who has been mayor since 1996, said it's these kinds of amenities that give the city a competitive edge.
"People decide this is where they want to invest and they want to buy a home," she said. "It shows Shoreview has a focus on young people, families and community."
The community commons concept first took shape in 1990, when Shoreview opened its combination City Hall and community center. The $10 million facility included the water park, meeting rooms and gym facilities — an east metro first that drew the ire of some private gym owners worried about competition.
The amenities, open to the public via memberships or daily fees, quickly became a regional attraction, city leaders say.
In late 2018, the city completed a $16 million community center expansion, adding 7,000 square feet to the water park and doubling the size of the indoor playground. Waterpark admissions immediately increased by 50% to about 1.1 million in 2019, said City Manager Terry Schwerm.
