Changes coming to Ridgedale mall

Big changes are coming to the Ridgedale shopping mall in Minnetonka, Minn.

The parking lot near JCPenney and Chipotle at the Ridgedale shopping mall will be receiving a big makeover. The change will take place in the next few years. The large and mostly unused parking lot will be transformed into a two-acre park.

There are many ideas and possibilities for this new area that the design committee will review this coming spring. The committee for this project would like the park to be multigenerational with areas for children and adults to enjoy.

The park will likely feature a plaza, lawn, fountains, and gardens. Members of the community expressed interest in these features.

The plaza will be able to be used all year long. In the winter it could include an ice rink. For the warmer seasons such as summer, it could be host to live music, movies, yoga, and food trucks.

The fountain area in the summer looks to include a splash pad for children to play in. Another area in the discussion would include swings or polls to hang hammocks.

The final area of the park would include walking paths and gardens along with senior living apartments.

The committee working on this new park will have many decisions to make on what should be included in the new area, while still honoring the requests of the members of the community. The cost and timeline of this project still are to be determined.