Fish Point Park’s playground is coming out, and Prior Lake will vote on two new ones
Updated Nov. 5: A resident who walks the park said Nov. 5 that the play structure is already gone and the swings were still there the week before.
The City of Prior Lake is removing the playground at Fish Point Park, 15111 Fish Point Road SE, this fall, its playgrounds page says, and a resident says the play structure is already gone. The City Council will vote Tuesday, Nov. 10, on new play equipment for Deerfield and Meadow View parks.
The city says the Fish Point equipment has deteriorated to the point that it can no longer be maintained safely, and replacement parts are no longer available. It was installed in 2000, and the city puts the useful life of playground equipment at about 20 to 25 years. The city has no timetable for replacing it. Voters turned down a referendum last fall that would have funded park maintenance and replacement, so the city says it has no dedicated funding to replace every aging playground.
The Park and Trail System Plan identified Deerfield Park, 17100 Fish Point Road SE, and Meadow View Park, 2416 Stonecrest Path NW, for new equipment, and the purchase is on the consent agenda, item 5D. An online survey of nearby neighborhoods, open Oct. 16 to 25, favored the Wahkeena play system for Deerfield and the Mountain Pass system for Meadow View. With installation, Deerfield’s equipment costs $100,872.26 and Meadow View’s costs $102,804.36, out of $250,000 in the 2026 capital plan for playground replacements.
The remaining $46,323.38 will go to final design and site preparation. Staff recommends buying now to get a seasonal discount. If the council approves, the new playgrounds would be installed in 2027, the city’s page says.
What's next: The council will meet at 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 10, at City Hall, 4646 Dakota Street SE. Anyone can speak for up to five minutes at the public forum and ask the council to consider pulling the purchase from its consent agenda. The city's playgrounds page has photos of the Fish Point equipment and will show the new designs after Nov. 10.