Local residents hope a park can be built on the northeast side of Albert Lea City Arena.

In a message to the Albert Lea City Council Monday night, David Doppelhammer requested the city include the project in its capital improvement plan. He said doing so would help organizers fundraise for the park, which is expected to include a playground and possibly a half-court basketball area.

Doppelhammer, who lives near City Arena, said the city has discussed building the park for a long time.

“This is something that the city has been looking at and talking about but doing nothing about for the last 20 years,” he said. “And it’s time that the city does something about it.

“There’s definitely a need for it. That’s undeniable. There’s no park within 1.25 miles anywhere in any direction from that neighborhood.”

Doppelhammer expressed concern neighborhood children need to walk across Minnesota Highway 13 or Freeborn County Road 46 to get to a park.

Albert Lea Parks Superintendent Joe Grossman said Tuesday the city has also evaluated placing the park in other places around the arena.

Doppelhammer said the land in front of the arena was decided as the park location because of nearby Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible bathrooms, existing parking and air conditioning and heating services.

He noted since Nov. 1, 15,404 people have visited City Arena, and during the summer months, 8,000 to 9,500 people visit.

“Putting a park there would address both the needs of the residents and the needs of the city,” Doppelhammer said.

Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr. deemed it “appropriate” Monday to direct city staff to look into the potential park location.

He said Tuesday the group of organizers plan to fundraise a certain percentage of the project cost and share project costs with the city. He said the area around City Arena lacks a park.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for that area out there,” Rasmussen said.

Third Ward Councilor Jason Howland, a former Parks and Recreation Advisory Board member, said 10 people in the neighborhood expressed their support for the project at board meetings over the last year.

Doppelhammer’s son, Evan Doppelhammer, expressed support for the plan Monday.

“It would be a good idea to have a park, because people can have fun and they can also interact with each other,” he said.