Submitted Photo A rendering shows the water slide being considered by the Minot Park Board for the Roosevelt Park pool.

A new water slide, ice rink improvements at Polaris Park and paving projects around the park district are on the Minot Park District’s construction schedule for 2020.

The Minot Park Board prioritized those projects, which would require an estimated $2.65 million in bonds, to be paid off with district revenue.

The park district has selected a water slide concept, but park board members encouraged another look to see if there might be cost savings available. The 39-foot slide under consideration has a price tag of just over $1 million.

“It’s just a lot of money,” board member Cliff Hovda said. “Maybe we need to look a little closer and see what our options are and see if we can get it done without spending $1 million.”

The current slide was built in 1985 and has raised concern about future safety issues if not replaced soon.

Improvements at Polaris Park consist of an estimated $615,272 in hockey rink renovations and a $199,988 warming house update.

The $837,797 paving master plan includes projects such as the Leach Park parking lot, zoo interior pathways and the Woodland Trail parking area. The Woodland project includes construction of restrooms.

Those aren’t the only projects likely to occur in 2020, though. The park district is ready to move on other projects if outside funding falls in place.

The park board is prepared to install a disc golf course, cross-country course and walking and mountain bike trails near Maysa Arena should the Environmental Protection Agency sign off on the plan for the old landfill. The work has been on hold pending that approval.

Financial support from user groups would give the green light to improvements at the South Hill softball complex. Those improvements would include concessions, locker rooms, umpire room and press box. The district has $385,000 committed toward the estimated $928,000 project and would like users to help raise the additional money.

“There’s nothing they had to raise to put that turf in. I think it’s only fair that we ask them to help us with this portion of the project,” board president Chuck Emery said.

Infrastructure improvements at Overlook Park, which would be bonded, are waiting until the Magic City Discovery Center is ready to build at the site.

Fundraising is ongoing for the leopard habitat at Roosevelt Park Zoo. A construction start depends upon those efforts.

The park district has applied for a grant of just over $1.36 million from the state’s Outdoor Heritage Fund toward the family outdoor recreation area in west Minot. It has set aside $465,000 in park funds, so if the grant is awarded later this year, it would allow for trail construction and associated improvements next year.

The park board also is debating construction of a second accessible playground or upgrading the Magic Smiles playground at Oak Park. A new playground is estimated at $647,000 and no site has been identified. Renovation at Oak Park could cost much less. In either case, the park district would look for donations to support the project.

It also plans to seek corporate donations for a new scoreboard in Maysa Arena.