CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
Happening this week: utilities & concrete footings
Goodhue County Public Works staff are gearing up for a busy summer at Byllesby Park, which kicked off on May 6th with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new pavilion construction project.
Planning began back in 2016 in a joint effort with Dakota County to analyze the needs and assets of both parks, and create a master plan that treats the two parks as one large regional park. This year’s project was selected as the first part of the plan to be implemented on the Goodhue County side, as it brings modern bathroom facilities and basic utilities to the park. The County applied for a grant through the Greater MN Regional Parks & Trails Commission back in 2019, and was awarded $1.35 million in MN Legacy grant funding for the Byllesby Park Pavilion & Essential Services Project. This project was designed by Locus Architecture of Minneapolis, MN. Lift Bridge Builders of Houlton, WI, has been awarded the $1.8 million construction contract. Goodhue County is also contracting the security system, well, and septic work separately.
The project includes relocating an existing picnic shelter to the west side of the park and constructing a new 150-person pavilion in its place, with the pavilion to be named in honor of former County Commissioner and Parks & Trails advocate, Richard Samuelson. The pavilion will have two family-style modern restrooms in the core of the building, which are large enough to double as changing rooms. A smaller building with similar restroom accommodations will also be constructed closer to the parking lot. Electricity will be run to the pavilion, as well as adding power outlets to all existing picnic shelters. The park well will be completely refurbished and new drinking fountains and water bottle filling stations will be installed as part of the project, as well as an outdoor shower tower by the beach.
Byllesby Park is a popular gathering spot during summer months, and also provides water access for boaters. Goodhue County and Lift Bridge Builders hope to keep disturbances to park visitors and park neighbors this summer to a minimum, and are excited for the improvements that the project will bring. The playground and existing picnic shelters will remain open for use this summer, although construction is visibly happening right in the center of the park.
The new pavilion and picnic shelters will be migrating to a reservation system this fall or early next spring. Watch for updates here as the project progresses.
