New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

A 12-member prioritizing committee Tuesday heard how upgrading Johnson Park will enhance the community's cultural treasure that baseball has enjoyed since the late 1800's.

In order for the treasure to survive in this era, it must avoid the experiences that other community cultural treasures that have noted in the last few decades. Long-ecognized cultural treasures such as it's extraordinary music background, , the order and cleanliness of the city and it's German heritage all have increasingly faded out and no longer bring that special renown the city once capitalized on.

Upgrades to Johnson Park facility and the physical area of the park were part of the presentation made by New Ulm's Park and Recreation Commission to seek sales tax funding assistance. It is one of a number of projects which would be financed by a new tax that would produce millions of dollars in necessary revenues.

Although this presentation put the park in focus, the adjacent football field, undeveloped soccer field area and Mueller park are all involved in a master plan for improvements which the Park and Rec Association has engaged professional planners to develop.

Other parts of the proposal addressed to expansion and needs of the recreation complex with additions of an aquatic center and more senior citizen amenities at the mid-town recreation center, expansion of the ice facilities at the civic center and necessary upgrades for Herman Heights.

The RE-NU committee will make recommendations to the city council which will finalize the priorities and conduct a city vote on the direction the program will take. That vote could come this fall. The present half-cent sales tax is scheduled for renewal considerations in 2020.