Project Overview:
Historical Park improvements are based on recommendations made by the City Council approved St. Louis River Corridor Neighborhood Parks Mini Master Plans, passed in June 2016. Historical Park is a relatively unknown park in the Fond du Lac neighborhood of west Duluth. It is a half-acre park, surrounded by a residential neighborhood, on the banks of the St. Louis River. The scope of the project will be further defined once the funding match and City staff capacity to move forward are met.
Historical Park is one of thirteen parks along the St. Louis River Corridor that was identified as part of the larger St. Louis River Corridor Initiative. These parks are eligible for designated 1/2 and 1/2 tax funds. The Neighborhood Park Grant Fund is designated to help the City of Duluth accomplish the following six goals in the qualifying parks:
- Build on and support environmental restoration
- Enrich neighborhood quality of life
- Attract new residents to buy homes in St. Louis River Corridor neighborhoods
- Establish St. Louis River Corridor as major visitor destination
- Stimulate place-appropriate economic development
- Leverage additional funding
The City of Duluth will partner with user groups and residents to co-create and co-manage outdoor recreation experiences in the neighborhood parks along the corridor. The 9:1 match requires that a $10,000 of the project's funding be generated through community efforts, which can include cash donations, other grant funds, in-kind volunteer hours, and in kind donations of materials and professional services.