Address: 75 Winthrop St S, St Paul, MN 55119

Neighborhoods: Battle Creek

Project Partners: Saint Paul Jaycees Foundation, City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, Kaboom!

The Battle Creek neighborhood is one of Saint Paul’s most diverse communities, home to many young families and adjacent to both the Battle Creek Recreation Center and Battle Creek Elementary School. With outdated equipment and a rapidly growing youth population, the current playground no longer meets the needs of local children or the thousands of regional visitors who enjoy this popular park.

The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy is partnering with Saint Paul Parks & Recreation and national nonprofit KABOOM! to replace the Battle Creek play area with a new, inclusive, community-designed playground. Young people from the recreation center and school—as well as families and neighbors—will help shape the design, selecting colors, play features, and cultural elements that reflect the Hmong, Lao, Karen, and multi-ethnic communities that call Battle Creek home.

This project is part of our citywide Equal Play initiative to close play-space equity gaps by replacing 17 high-need playgrounds over five years. At Battle Creek, the new play area will serve children ages 2–12 with options for differing abilities, sensory experiences, and imaginative, active play.

When complete, the new playground will provide a vibrant, safe, and welcoming destination for neighborhood families as well as the many regional visitors who enjoy Battle Creek Park each year.

A new generation of play is coming to Battle Creek—designed by the community, for the community.