by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
Two much-needed amenities at Pinecone Central Park – a concessions stand and attached restrooms – will be constructed this spring, thanks to an amended agreement between the City of Sartell and the Pine Central Park Association.
The city council approved the agreement at its Jan. 27 meeting.
The facilities will cost $250,000, although additional costs will be incurred to bring city water and sewer lines to the improvements. As part of the amended agreement, the City of Sartell will pay for the construction of the facility from half-cent sales-tax revenue, in the amount of $225,000. The association will be in charge of contracting work for the building, with city approval. Once the facility is completed, it will be turned over to city ownership.
As part of the agreement, the city will forgive a $25,000 loan it gave to the association in lieu of pledges that were late in coming in.
Pinecone Central Park, the former Sartell Golf Course, has for several years been the site of a partnership between the city and the association, which raised a substantial amount of money through the years to develop athletic-recreational facilities on the site.
The baseball-field complex opened last summer. The soccer fields and multi-purpose fields will be in use this summer. There are other amenities in the works, including a dog park, picnic area, more parking places, more trails and perhaps even a fishing or swimming pond.