Council

views plan

for Hermann

Heights Park

Plan includes kiosk, overlook and parking

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The City Council got a chance to see the proposed master plan for Hermann Heights Park at an informational meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Landscape Architect Scott Midness of Parsons, Minneapolis, took the council on a visual tour of the schematic design that has been approved by the Park and Recreation Commission.

The final plan is a refinement of one of the two original plans that Midness created for consideration as the master plan. It includes an oval area with the Hermann statue at its center, which is similar in design to the Hermann Denkmal site in Germany.

Visitors arriving at the drop-off entry on Monument Street would pass a kiosk and walk up a gentle grade on a brick pathway leading to the monument. By walking around to the other side of the monument, visitors would be able to view the downtown from a wooden pergola, or arbor, supported by cantilever beams, Midness explained.

Trees below the overlook would be "selectively cut" to provide a better view of the downtown area, Midness said.

Councilor Joel Albrecht asked when that process might start because "that's something that could be started right away."

Park and Recreation Director Dave Bechtold said the cutting wouldn't start for a while, "but we plan to contact the DNR (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) for help in determining which trees should be kept. That is something we could get started on."

A grand staircase would lead from the sidewalk on Center Street.

Albrecht's suggestion that the staircase be removed from the plan "immediately" because it wouldn't be used and it's costly was opposed by Council President Dan Beranek and Councilor Ruth Ann Webster.

"I like the staircase," Beranek said. "but I agree, Joel, that it may not be something we can do right away."

That led to a request that Midness develop a proposal for doing the renovation in phases.

The 85-stall parking lot across from the kiosk will be paved with curb and gutter, Midness said. It includes a bus turn-around area, and the divider islands will be landscaped.

"The parking lot is designed to work with existing trees," Midness said.

There will be two small picnic shelters, one on each side of the brick pathway. The existing picnic shelter in that area will be moved to be opposite the other existing shelter on either side of a promenade from the statue to the restrooms and children's playground.

"Have you thought about where you might put a flagpole?" Albrecht asked. "It seems like we always end up putting up flagpoles in the parks so you might as well start planning it now."

When Midness replied that he hadn't considered that, Beranek said, "You might, when you have nothing else to do, consider where to put a flagpole."