Westgate Commons Park

Solar-Integrated Shade & Public Safety Infrastructure

Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) 2026 Supplemental Report

Submitted by: St. Anthony Park Community Council (District 12)

Submitted February 2026 | Status updated July 2026

Questions? Email info@sapcc.org

Current Project Status – July 2026

Congratulations Neighbors! Westgate Commons Park WAS INCLUDED in the CIB Committee’s tentative funding recommendation at $214,000.

SAPCC completed the full community proposal process, including the original application, detailed project proposal, committee presentation, community poll outreach, and participation in the June 8 public hearing. City staff also followed up with SAPCC to refine the proposed scope and cost estimate.

The tentative recommendation is an important step, but final project funding has not yet been confirmed. The City’s process page states that the CIB Committee’s final recommendation to the Mayor was due by June 30. As of this page update, the final recommendation letter has not yet been posted on the City’s website.

Next steps: The Mayor is expected to publish the proposed 2027 budget by August 15. The City Council will review the proposed budget during the fall, with final budget adoption expected in December 2026.

Thank You for Supporting Westgate Commons Park

The community poll and public hearing have concluded. Thank you to everyone who voted, attended, testified, shared the project, or helped neighbors participate.

Community support helped demonstrate that shade and lighting at Westgate Commons Park are important priorities for the people who use this space.

View the Closed Community Poll →

Waad ku mahadsan tihiin taageeradiinna

Codbixintii bulshada way xidhantay. Waad ku mahadsan tihiin dhammaan dadkii taageeray mashruuca Westgate Commons Park.

CIB 2026 Process Update

Westgate Commons Park advanced through each completed stage of the 2026 Community Proposal Process:

• Community proposal submitted and determined eligible
• Detailed project proposal submitted
• Presentation made to the CIB Committee
• Community poll completed
• Tentative funding recommendations published
• Public hearing completed on June 8

Current stage: Final committee recommendation and development of the Mayor’s proposed 2027 budget.

Remaining milestones: Mayor’s proposed budget by August 15, City Council review during the fall, and final budget adoption in December 2026.

Project Materials

Review the complete project record, including SAPCC’s original application, detailed proposal, committee presentation, and the City’s tentative recommendations.

I. Project Summary

Westgate Commons Park (717 Berry Street, Saint Paul) was completed in 2023 and serves as a neighborhood gathering space and trailhead connection to the Wabash Spur Trail. While the park provides important open space in a rapidly growing residential area, it was delivered without permanent shade canopy coverage, electrical capacity, or sufficient pedestrian-scale lighting.

This proposal seeks to install permanent steel multi-panel shade structures with integrated solar panels and pedestrian-scale LED lighting in designated gathering areas of the park.

These improvements will:

• Mitigate heat exposure
• Improve environmental comfort
• Increase evening visibility
• Strengthen natural surveillance
• Support equitable access to public space
• Advance Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles

The proposed improvements represent long-term capital infrastructure intended to serve the neighborhood for decades.

Westgate Commons Park: A key neighborhood gathering space and trailhead in a growing area of Saint Paul.

II. Site Context and Ownership

Location: Westgate Commons Park, 717 Berry Street, Saint Paul, MN 55114

The park is located at the intersection of Berry Street and Myrtle Avenue in Ward 4 and is directly adjacent to the Wabash Spur Trailhead. The site is owned and maintained by the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department.

Westgate Commons Park directly serves:

• Adjacent 62+ senior housing residents
• Deeply affordable housing communities
• A dense, multigenerational residential population
• A significant East African community
• Daily pedestrians and bicyclists accessing the Wabash Spur Trail

For many nearby residents, this park functions as their primary outdoor gathering space.

Westgate Commons Park, a City-owned facility serving a growing residential area in Saint Paul.

III. Existing Conditions and Infrastructure Gap

Although recently constructed, Westgate Commons Park lacks several foundational park infrastructure elements:

• Permanent shade canopy coverage
• Electrical infrastructure
• Pedestrian-scale lighting
• Defined shaded gathering nodes

In a 2023 SAPCC survey of 168 participants, nearly every respondent identified the lack of shade as the park’s primary deficiency. Neighbors described the space as “exposed” and “uncomfortable to linger,” particularly during hot weather and evening hours.

Without shade or lighting infrastructure, the park experiences reduced environmental comfort and limited visibility. This decreases legitimate presence during peak sun and evening hours and contributes to perceptions of unsafety.

As surrounding housing density increases and temperatures continue to rise, the absence of shade and lighting represents an escalating health and public safety concern.

Existing picnic seating area without permanent shade canopy infrastructure. Surrounding multifamily housing directly overlooks the park.

IV. Proposed Infrastructure Improvements

Reference example of permanent steel shade canopy structure with integrated solar panels.

Reference example of shaded seating area with integrated solar-powered lighting.

V. CPTED Alignment

This project advances all four principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED):

VI. Equity and Community Impact

Westgate Commons Park directly serves senior housing residents and deeply affordable housing communities, many of whom do not have access to private yards or shaded outdoor space.

The lack of shade and lighting disproportionately impacts:

• Seniors and elders
• Residents vulnerable to heat-related illness
• Multigenerational families
• Households reliant on public space for recreation

This project advances equitable access to safe public space and ensures that this rapidly growing area of Saint Paul has infrastructure comparable to other City parks.

VII. Long-Term Capital Value

This proposal represents:

• Permanent capital infrastructure
• 20+ year structural lifespan
• Sustainable solar integration
• Reduced operational burden
• Expanded safe and inclusive public use

The improvements are scalable and may support future park activation and programming.

VIII. Conclusion

Westgate Commons Park is an important public asset in a fast-growing area of Saint Paul. However, without shade and lighting infrastructure, it cannot fully function as a welcoming, visible, and secure gathering space.

Installing permanent solar-integrated shade and lighting infrastructure fills a documented infrastructure gap, strengthens public safety through environmental design, and ensures long-term community benefit.

The St. Anthony Park Community Council respectfully requests consideration of this project within the 2026 Capital Improvement Budget process.

What is the Capital Improvement Budget (CIB)?

The Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) is the City of Saint Paul’s process for funding major, long-term public infrastructure projects like park improvements, streets, and facilities. It prioritizes community needs, sustainability, safety, and equity through public input and review.

Learn More About Saint Paul’s CIB Process →