A controversy that began to simmer last year in Chaska recently boiled over, with scores of firefighters battling City Hall to prevent a planned multimillion-dollar development from encroaching on Firemen's Park.

The small downtown park was constructed more than 50 years ago by volunteer firefighters and over time it has become an important symbol for many Chaska residents.

Not only did firefighters build the park in the mid-1950s, but the site is also the former home of kilns, where the bricks were made for many of Chaska's downtown buildings.

"That's where Chaska was made and built," said Chaska Fire Chief James Van Eyll, who led scores of present and retired firefighters to the City Council in February to voice their displeasure over the possible impact on the park. "Most of the city's been accepting of the growth going on ... but not taking away part of the park."

Balancing the city's past with its present resources and future needs is the fine line that the City Council is walking with this particular project.

No one is doing this as much as Mayor Gary Van Eyll, the fire chief's father and a 20-year veteran of the Fire Department.

He and other city officials for years have been trying to figure out ways to enhance downtown, which has struggled with its identity and its retail establishments, especially higher-end restaurants.

Two years ago the city, through eminent domain, took over several parcels of land near Firemen's Park in hopes of creating a signature development for downtown.

Last month the City Council awarded the redevelopment contract. The first rough plan is expected in June, said Matt Podhradsky, the city's economic development director.

"We're really starting to see the metamorphosis of downtown," he said. "We want to make it a real draw. This is the heart of downtown."

High-end restaurant

While most everyone agrees that the land at the intersection of Hwy. 41 and the new Hwy. 212 needed to be renovated, problems arose immediately when the first redevelopment ideas were floated.

"People were saying that this is our history so to pave it over and build some retail is not the thing to do," the mayor said.

Initial plans for a larger development with high-rise buildings were scaled back.

Mayor Van Eyll expects that the eventual design will feature two buildings totaling about 23,000 square feet, including two signature restaurants.

"We are going to have a high-end restaurant," the mayor said. "I think we need to have a signature restaurant."

Complicating matters is the fact that the city will have to spend anywhere from $500,000 to almost $900,000 to clean up hazardous waste at the site, which housed auto, truck and farm businesses.

"There are some contamination issues we have to deal with," Podhradsky said.

But he and other city officials believe that the problems will be minimal and that the city will get government grants to pay for the clean-up.

Podhradsky and other city officials said Thursday they are not surprised at the strong feelings that the project near Firemen's Park has generated.

"When you make decisions, you have to look at the history," the mayor said. "Firemen's Park is so rich in history."

Mayor Van Eyll, who favors limiting encroachment on the park, believes the four other members of the City Council will go along with that.

Dick Lano, a former Chaska fire chief, hopes so.

Lano, 84, helped build the park in 1953 and has been among those speaking out.

"There was nothing down there but jungle," Lano said Thursday. "The work we put into it was unbelievable. Every time I drive by there I think about what a shame it would be to ruin this."

Heron Marquez Estrada • 612-673-4280