Crystal’s Park System Offers Something for Everyone
Minnesota is known for its stellar parks.
The city of Crystal is no exception.
Boasting 26 parks on around 240 acres, Crystal has plenty of green space for families to enjoy year-round.
The city takes pride in its parks, from its small neighborhood parks that feature playgrounds and basketball courts to its community parks like Bassett Creek.
“This park is really a gem in our system,” said Crystal Recreation Director John Elholm. “It’s got some of the nicest natural resources. We are doing some restorations here. We also have a disc golf course, dog park, ball fields. There’s just a lot to do at Bassett Creek Park.”
Restoration Efforts
Bassett Creek is located near Highway 100 and is Crystal’s largest park.
Crews have worked hard to restore the park’s natural beauty.
Formally mowed areas have been converted into prairie or woodlands.
Similar work has been done at Hagemeister Pond Natural Area, located in the center of Crystal.
Volunteers have removed invasive plants to attract more wildlife.
Accessibility at Parks
A system-wide goal for Crystal is to make parks more inclusive.
The city built a new accessible bridge at Bassett Creek and have installed new playground equipment.
Accessible bridge at Bassett Creek.
“You’ll see a lot of our bench pads has a spot for wheel chairs next to them,” said Elholm. “Two of our playgrounds are fully accessible. Most of our other ones as we build them, have a lot more accessibility than playgrounds built years ago.”
Becker Park is one of Crystal’s fully accessible playgrounds.
Becker Park in Crystal is a fully accessible park.
It’s considered a destination park that people will travel a long distance to experience.
In the warmer months you can enjoy a game of pickleball there.
When the weather turns, you can lace up your skates and hit the ice rink.
Another park with lots of amenities offers something for everyone is Welcome Park.
Close to the Community Center, the site encourages multi-generational use.
It features work-out equipment for adults and playground equipment for kids.
Whether it’s a playground, workout equipment, accessible amenities, or scenic views you seek, you can find it when you explore Crystal.
More information about Crystal’s city parks can be found here.
