Dickerman Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dickerman Park |
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| Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Area | 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) |
| Created | 1909 |
| Operated by | City of Saint Paul |
| Website | http://www.dickermanpark.org/ |
Dickerman Park is a park in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. You can find it along University Avenue. The park is about 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) big. It stretches along the north side of University Avenue from Fairview to Aldine Street.
The land was given to the city in 1909. However, it was never fully made into a public green space. Over the years, parts of the park have been paved over. Some areas are now parking lots. Other parts are used as front yards for businesses. In the 2000s, ideas to fix up the park became popular. The family who first gave the land supported these plans. People often think the park is just an empty space in front of buildings on University Avenue.
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How Dickerman Park Started
There are two main stories about how Dickerman Park came to be.
Story One: The Platted Land
One story comes from a book called The Street Where You Live. It says that an area was planned out in 1906. This area was from University Avenue north to Thomas Avenue. It also went from Fairview Avenue east to Aldine Street. It was called Dickerman Park. The Dickerman family owned this land. Six years later, in 1912, the Dickerman Investment Company and Griggs, Cooper & Co. changed the plan. They moved the building lots back about 160 feet (49 m) from University Avenue. This created a green space along two blocks. In 1929, a map noted that this land was "set aside for a park-like road."
Story Two: The Donation
Most other sources say the land was given by the Dickerman Investment Co. in 1909. They gave it for "park and parkway" uses. The company wanted to encourage new buildings in the area. This area was called the Dickerman Park Addition. The company's president was G.G. Dickerman. C.K. Dickerman was the secretary. At that time, city planners hoped University Avenue would become a grand, wide street. They imagined it would be like the famous Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Changes Over Time
In 1957, the city allowed the western part of the park to be paved. It became a parking lot for the Griggs-Midway Building. In 1977, the Midway YMCA built a ten-car parking lot. They also got permission from the city. Since then, the Midway YMCA and some schools have built playgrounds on the park land. It seems they did this without official city approval.
Plans to Improve the Park
Groups in the community have tried many times to make the park better. The most recent effort started in 2003. A special meeting was held to brainstorm ideas. It was led by the "St. Paul on the Mississippi Design Center." The Dickerman Park Task Force also helped. This group grew from the "St. Paul Friends of the Parks and Trails."
New Designs and Ideas
The meeting split into three groups. They came up with four different designs for the park. Not many groups wanted to add play areas for children. This was even though about 600 students attended nearby schools or the YMCA. Most plans focused on connecting the park's different parts. They suggested using grass or native plants under the old oak trees. A challenge for play areas is keeping kids safe from busy University Avenue.
Family Involvement
In 2005, Kent Dickerman learned about the park. He was the last Dickerman family member living in Saint Paul. His grandfather and great-uncle had donated the land. He contacted his relatives. Together, they raised $45,000. This money was used to study the park and create early designs.
Jay Benanav was the city council member at the time. He said he had not even heard of the park when he was elected. In 2005, a design firm called Coen and Partners was hired. A photographer named Wing Yung Huie also helped design the park.
Future of the Park
Several new designs have been suggested. One big reason to fix up the park is the planned METRO Green Line light rail. This train line will run right down University Avenue. The Fairview Avenue Station will be just across the street from the park. This makes the park an important spot for the community.
