NEW ULM — The New Ulm City Council will review recommendations for the next neighborhood park, Tuesday.

The council will receive the Park and Recreation Commission’s scoring matrix and rankings for the next neighborhood park.

The Park and Recreation Commission has studied this topic since 2016 during multiple regular meetings, and most recently three work sessions and a special meeting. A matrix was developed by the commission to rank potential park sites for development. Following the parks commission meeting Monday, March 8, the highest-scoring parks were Lakeside Village and Upper Cottonwood. The Parks Commission believed the city should consider land acquisition and development of neighborhood parks in both areas.

The Planning Commission also submitted recommendations for the next neighborhood park to be developed. The Planning Commission ranked Upper Cottonwood, North Broadway, Maplewood and Lakeside Village as the top four locations for development.

The council will be asked to consider approving a grant application for an outdoor recreation grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to finance the establishment of Upper Cottonwood Park. If awarded, the grant would be used to acquire 2.31 acres of land in the Upper Cottonwood area; the purchase of a playground facility.

The maximum grant amount is $250,000. The grant can be used to reimburse up to 50% of the total eligible costs. The remaining 50% is a local share and the city’s contribution can be in-kind contributions.

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The council will consider a resolution accepting the $300,000 Minnesota bonding bill reimbursement grant and authorizing the grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for the shade structure on the top row of the German Park amphitheater. The State of Minnesota included funding for this in the 2020 bonding bill. The project is expected to be complete in 2022.