Apple Valley Is Upgrading 15 Parks This Summer
TLDR
- 15 Apple Valley parks are getting improvements this summer as part of the 2023 Parks Referendum
- Every park on the list gets a new playground (chosen by the neighborhood), plus courts and ADA trail work
- Three southwest parks (Pennock, Greening, Duchess) also get stormwater infrastructure thanks to a ~$5 million grant
- Every site is getting a concrete plaza with benches, picnic table, and future porta-potty space
- A few parks (Belmont, Delaney, Apple Valley East) were pushed from last year's schedule
If you've been waiting to see what Apple Valley's 2023 Parks Referendum actually means for your neighborhood — here it is. At the March 5, 2026 Parks & Rec Advisory Committee meeting, Parks Director Eric Carlson walked through the full list of 15 parks getting work done this summer.
Spoiler: it's a lot.
What Every Park Is Getting
Before we get into the specific parks, here's what basically every site on the list has in common:
New playground equipment (selected by residents in community engagement sessions last fall). Updated courts — basketball, tennis, and/or pickleball depending on the park. ADA trail improvements to make sure there's an accessible route from parking to the play amenities. And a new concrete plaza with benches, a picnic table, and garbage/recycling. The city is also building space for a porta-potty at every single park — with the goal of having portable toilets available at all parks during summer months (Memorial Day through Labor Day). That's a direct response to community feedback.
The Full List — What Each Park Is Getting
Here's the breakdown from Carlson's presentation:
Apple Valley East — New playground, new basketball court, ADA trail improvements.
Cedar Knolls — New playground, tennis court converted to tennis/basketball/pickleball complex, ADA trail improvements.
Faith Park — No new main playground this year (that comes in 2035 based on age), but the second aging playground is being removed. Ball field and basketball court improvements, ADA trail work.
Findlay Park — New playground, and this one's a big deal: the park is getting fully ADA-accessible for the first time. Extensive trail work to connect the parking lot to the playground.
Fred J Largen Park — New playground, new basketball court, ADA trail improvements.
Hagemeister — New playground, new tennis court, all four tennis courts being lit (note: Scott Park courts will NOT be lit going forward). Ball field improvements, ADA trail work.
Longridge — New playground, ADA trail improvements, upper-tier backstop being removed (no replacement planned).
Tintah — New playground, new basketball court, ball field improvements, ADA trail work.
Wallace — Playground addition/expansion (not full replacement), new basketball court, ADA trail improvements.
Delaney — New playground, tennis/basketball/pickleball complex, ball field improvements, ADA trail work. (Pushed from 2025.)
Belmont — New playground, single tennis court with pickleball lines added, ball field improvements, ADA trail work. (Pushed from 2025.)
Molar — New playground, basketball court, ball field improvements, ADA trail work. There's a significant swale on the trail that isn't accessible — that's getting fixed as part of this project.
Pennock — New playground, tennis/pickleball/basketball complex, water infiltration basin (stormwater), ADA trail improvements.
Greening — New playground, basketball court, ball field improvements, water infiltration basin, ADA trail work. No full trail loop around the park — but trails from Greening Drive into the park will still connect to the amenities.
Duchess — New playground, basketball court, ball field improvements, infiltration basin PLUS an underground infiltration system (a big buried box that goes under the surface — you won't see it once the grass grows back, but it'll be there).
Why Pennock, Greening, and Duchess Are Getting More
Those three southwest parks are also part of a separate stormwater project. The city landed a roughly $5 million grant to do stormwater treatment work, and some of that money is helping pay for park improvements in those three locations. It's a nice example of stacking funding sources to get more done.
What Comes Next
If you live near one of these parks, expect construction activity starting this spring. The city's full parks amenity plan — including what's planned for 2027 and 2028 — is on the Apple Valley Parks Projects page. You can also check out the Star Tribune's coverage of the original referendum vote for context on where all this funding came from.
For South Metro Scoop's coverage of other Apple Valley parks news, check out our Apple Valley coverage.
The Bottom Line
Fifteen parks. New playgrounds chosen by the people who actually live nearby. Better courts, better trails, and way better accessibility. This is the 2023 referendum doing exactly what it promised. If your neighborhood park is on the list, this is going to be a noticeably different summer.
FAQ
How were the playground designs chosen?
Residents had a chance to weigh in last fall — the city held community engagement sessions where neighborhoods reviewed different equipment options and color schemes. The playgrounds being installed are the ones the majority of participants picked.
Will the parks be closed during construction?
Expect some temporary closures and restricted access at specific parks while work is underway. The city will communicate timing as construction gets closer.
Why is Faith Park not getting a new main playground?
Faith Park's primary playground isn't old enough to need replacing yet — the plan is to come back in 2035. The second, older playground has aged out and is being removed this year.
What about ADA accessibility — what does that actually mean?
The city is required to have an accessible route from parking lots to play amenities. Some parks (like Findlay) didn't have that before. The trail and surface work being done this summer creates those accessible paths for people with mobility needs.
What parks are getting work in 2027 and 2028?
2027 list includes Farquar, Kelly, Long, Nordic, Scott, and Sunset parks. 2028 brings work to Briar Oaks, Cobblestone (north playground), Greenleaf South, Heritage, Huntington, Lac Lavon, and Regatta. The full roadmap is on the city's website.
