Construction on renovations at Hopkins Park in St. Cloud is expected to begin this summer, and that project will temporarily displace dozens of children who rely on the park’s free summer camp.
A groundbreaking for the $12–15 million project — which includes a new community center, basketball court, sports fields, community garden, parking lot and improvements to 17th Street — is anticipated this summer after nearly a year of delays.
According to Hopkins Heroes President Stephanie Gilbert, children in the surrounding neighborhood have attended summer camp at Hopkins Park at no cost for the past 25 years, receiving meals and supervision while their parents or guardians work. Families qualified for the program by demonstrating financial need, with grants covering camp fees, she said.
That option will not be available this summer while the park is closed for construction.
In March, the City Council agreed to cover the cost for four children living near Hopkins Park to attend the city’s summer camp at the Civic Center. But according to Gilbert, who is president of Hopkins Heroes, a local nonprofit, that leaves 23 children who attended last year without an option.
Gilbert addressed council members again Thursday night, seeking a solution.
“We understand that there may be support available for possibly four children immediately in the Hopkins area who are still age available,” she said. “That still leaves 23 children with no options, whose families cannot afford $125 to $150 per week per child. For these families, this isn't about convenience. It's stability. It's about knowing their children are safe, fed, supervised, and off the streets while they work to provide for them.”
Gilbert asked the city to waive fees for the 27 children this summer while a longer-term solution is developed. “It's not a permanent ask,” she said. “This is a bridge. If all else fails, we will continue to fundraise and find a way.”
City Manager Veronica Miller said the city had explored using Community Development Block Grant funds to provide scholarships or a sliding scale, but those funds cannot be used for that purpose.
Deputy Mayor Ken Gilbert expressed his mixed feelings.
“On my left side: let's take care of the whole village. And I’ve got the right side: I'm spending taxpayer money,” he said. “So I've got to think of it in two ways.”
Mayor Chris Robertson agreed, pointing out that this would equal about $35,000 in taxpayer money.
“It’s a hard position up here,” he said, “because we can’t just say “this area” and not the entire … we’ve got 71,000 people in our city. How do we say only the kids and their families that have been going there get a break at the camp at the Civic Center, but the rest of them don’t?”
Council members decided on Thursday to hold spots for the children for 30 days and to revisit the issue at an April 16 workshop.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, the Council approved a new policy that will allow individual council members to help fund local events and organizations.
Creating “Community Empowerment Funds,” the City Council voted unanimously to give each council member $5,000 annually for event tables and $10,000 to support community organizations. While the framework has been in the works for nearly two years, Thursday’s discussion centered on cutting red tape and making the program easier to use.
Under the policy, council members can purchase tables at events not already included in the city’s budget. The sponsoring member gets priority for a seat and a guest, with remaining spots offered to other council members and, if available, city staff.
For direct funding, contributions to any single organization are capped at $1,500 per year. Council members said that limit helps ensure funds are spread throughout the community and noted the policy can be revisited if it proves too restrictive.
Mayor Robertson pushed to scale back some of the more rigid requirements in the draft, including a rule that nonprofits be established for at least three years.
“We’re all grown-ups here, we all know what a nonprofit is,” he said.
The council ultimately agreed to streamline the process, removing strict timelines and some documentation requirements while still requiring basic forms to process payments. They also clarified language to prevent funding from going to political organizations.
The program leaves funding decisions up to individual council members, who will be responsible for determining whether requests meet the policy, giving council members a more direct way to respond to community needs.
The $75,000 being allocated for the Community Empowerment Grants is funded through money left in the budget after the city discontinued the Capacity Building Training and Community Support Grants programs back in January.
