The City of Hastings is looking for more community input on Lake Isabel Park.

A Public Engagement Event is scheduled for Thursday, July 16 from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Lake Isabel Park basketball courts, 800 2nd St. East.

Future park possibilities will be discussed and preliminary concept plans for the park will be offered. The plan is to present a draft plan to the City Council by August and finalize that plan by September.

The city has been working with ISG, a St. Louis Park-based design firm to put a master plan together for Lake Isabel Park.

The company took input online from city residents.

“We are looking for a community consensus, as we want a vision that will benefit us all. We want direction, as we want a vision that the community sees value in. And lastly, we want flexibility, or the development of a plan that allows for changes to be made over time, while preserving the vision of the plan and the values of our community,” Chris Jenkins, the City of Hastings Parks and Recreation Director, said in a video where the Lake Isabel Park Master Planning Team shares their vision.

“I am excited to work with the community to provide a plan that encompasses the spirit of Lake Isabel Park with the future needs of the community,” said Amanda Prosser, ISG’s Project Manager, in the video posted on the survey website.

“ISG has helped lead dozens of park master planning processes with our multi-disciplinary team of architects, engineers, landscape architects and visualization specialists. On behalf of the City, we invite you to share your knowledge and experiences about Lake Isabel Park and its connection to the community park system,” Prosser stated.

In a statement addressing the community, Jenkins said: “The City of Hastings public assets include 37 parks within 400 acres of open space. One vital part of that system is Lake Isabel Park. After 25 years as a beloved place, the park is due for a design update. Master Planning is a process of imagining – “what can be!” It accounts for all the things you love about Lake Isabel Park, in addition to including concerns you may have about ways in which to enhance the park to its greatest potential. We need your help to understand “what can be” for Lake Isabel Park. Your input will inform decisions regarding future park amenities, connections to other local destinations, and help determine how to accomplish this vision for the future.”