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 August 26, 2026

Questions? Email info@sapcc.org

Great News – Westgate Included in Mayor Her’s Proposed Capital Budget

The Westgate Commons Park Shade and Public Safety Infrastructure project has reached a major milestone. The CIB Committee recommended the project for the full estimated cost of $214,000, and Mayor Her’s 2027 Proposed Capital Improvement Budget carries that full amount forward as a tentative 2028 allocation.

That means the proposed City budget now includes $214,000 for the Westgate project in 2028. This is very positive news for Westgate neighbors and everyone who has worked to bring permanent shade and improved lighting to this important neighborhood park.

The funding is not final yet. Mayor Her’s budget is a proposed budget. The Saint Paul City Council is reviewing it during the fall, and the City’s FY2027 budget adoption vote is scheduled for December 2, 2026. The 2028 capital allocation remains tentative as part of that multi-year capital plan.

SAPCC will continue following the project closely and keeping neighbors informed as the budget moves through City Council review and, if retained in the final budget, as Parks and Recreation begins the work necessary to move the project toward 2028 implementation.

Thank You for Supporting Westgate Commons Park

This milestone belongs to the community. Thank you to Mayor Her for including the project in her proposed capital budget, to the members of the Long-Range Capital Improvement Budget Committee for recommending it, and to City and Parks staff for working with SAPCC to refine the project and cost estimate.

Most importantly, thank you to the Westgate neighbors and community members who identified the need, participated in the survey, voted in the community poll, attended and testified at the public hearing, shared the project, and continued advocating for a better park.

Your participation helped move this project from a neighborhood idea to a proposed City investment.

View the Closed Community Poll →

Waad ku mahadsan tihiin taageeradiinna

Waad ku mahadsan tihiin dhammaan dadkii taageeray mashruuca Westgate Commons Park.

CIB 2026 Process Update

Westgate Commons Park has now advanced through the community proposal and Mayoral budget stages of the 2026 CIB 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
• CIB Committee final recommendation submitted to the Mayor on June 30
• Full $214,000 project included in Mayor Her’s proposed capital budget as tentative 2028 funding

Current stage: City Council review of Mayor Her’s proposed FY2027 budget and multi-year capital plan.

Upcoming budget milestones:

• September 2: Parks and Recreation budget review
• October 14: Capital Improvement and Debt budget review
• November 30: Truth-in-Taxation public hearing
• December 2: Scheduled City Council budget adoption and levy certification

SAPCC will continue monitoring the budget process and will update the community when the final budget is adopted and as project planning moves forward.

Project Materials

Follow the complete project record from SAPCC’s original community proposal through the CIB Committee recommendation and Mayor Her’s proposed capital budget.

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 requested 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.

For Westgate Commons Park, the community proposal process resulted in a recommendation for the full $214,000 project, which is now included in Mayor Her’s proposed capital budget as tentative 2028 funding. The City Council is reviewing the proposed budget during the fall of 2026, with final FY2027 budget adoption scheduled for December 2, 2026.