Apple Valley Voters Approve Both Parks Referendums
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA - The results remain unofficial until a final canvas is complete, but the Minnesota State Secretary shows that question #1 on the ballot for the $66.75 million park bond referendum that was on yesterday's November 7th ballot was approved with 5,812 (66.52%) residents voting YES and 2,925 residents voting NO (33.48%).
Question #2 on the ballot asked residents if they would approve the City of Apple Valley to use $6.5 million through a park bond to completely replace the Redwood Park municipal pool and the facilities related to Redwood Park. This second question was contingent on question #1 passing. Question #2 also unofficially was approved by voters, according to the Minnesota State Secretary, with 5,231 (60.12%) saying YES and 3,470 (39.88%) saying NO.
The Parks Referendum results from the community's direct feedback on the importance of maintaining the City's parks, trails, and recreational facilities as demand has increased as the City continues to grow.
The funds from question #1 will pay for improvements to existing recreational trails, the construction of new recreational trails, and the continued preservation of our natural resources. It will also help fund improvements to the Apple Valley Community Center, Senior Center, Event Center, Family Aquatic Center, the Hayes Arena, and the construction of a youth baseball/softball complex at Hayes Park. The monthly tax impact of this referendum is around $13.24 for a home valued around $250,000 and $28.15 for a home valued around $500,000.
The funds from question #2 will help replace the 58-year-old municipal pool, pool shell, mechanical system, and support building. It will also fund the construction of a single building/shelter, restrooms, courts, expanded parking, and an inclusive playground. A rendering of what the park could look like can be found below, but it is subject to change. The impact from this second bond per month would be $1.29 for a home valued around $250,000 and $2.74 for a home valued around $500,000.
Next Steps
According to the Apple Valley Parks Referendum timeline, construction on the above-mentioned projects is proposed to begin in the Spring of 2024 if the referendum passes. We will contact Apple Valley Parks and Recreation for more information on the extended timeline and how long they expect these projects to take.
