Excelsior pastor, churchgoers initiate public fundraising for first playground in the area

A new playground will be built in the parking lot of Excelsior United Methodist Church. Image: Miguel Á. Padriñán|Pexels

The project to turn Excelsior United Methodist Church's parking lot into a playground officially began last year.

Accordingly, Excelsior UMC pastor Brooke Heerwald Steiner and a few congregation members will hold the first public fundraising event on Sunday to fund the project.

Construction of New Playground

The church's parking lot evolved into a temporary playground for kids south of the freeway. The inspiration came from the church, where the playground will be erected and where you can hear traffic noise inside, according to a ktsp.com post.

Besides being a parent who lives south of the highway, Sarah Nelson is the president of the nonprofit So-Hi Community Park. Children cannot securely enter the playground, she claimed. To enter the playground on Highway 7, they must cross either Mill Street or Powers.

She stated that until it has received all necessary funding, fundraising events like the one held on Sunday at the Excelsior Brewing Company will push through. She hopes the construction of the playground will begin this fall.

According to Nelson, putting in a playground at the church will cost about $300,000.

To get the project underway, the city and So-Hi Community Park jointly applied for and received a $50,000 matching grant from the Hennepin Youth Sports Program. The report said Morning Excelsior Rotary Club also promised to contribute financially to the endeavor.

According to Pastor Steiner, more people are using the parking lot, especially during COVID when there wasn't much to do. So he considers having a playground to have greater significance.

About Excelsior United Methodist Church

The Excelsior United Methodist Church is at 881 3rd Ave. in Excelsior, Minn. A group of people who want to follow Jesus get together as Excelsior UMC, despite being diverse in their viewpoints, experiences, and behaviors and unified in their goal.

Brooke Heerwald Steiner serves as the church's senior pastor. A variety of leaders and a variety of missions run the church. Its Children's Ministry is overseen by Kallie Stroh, while the head of Youth Ministries and Community Outreach is Sarah Heyd Johnson.

The church has upcoming events, including the discussion group on Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. at the church. Clint Smith's books are available in the church office for $15. The same event is scheduled on Feb. 22 at 10 a.m.

On Feb. 22, the church will hold an ICA Food Shelf event at 3 p.m. The food shelf at Excelsior UMC is open to anyone who has struggled with hunger. The church provides free food twice a month. The food shelf is available for those suffering from hunger.

Everyone can give to the church and connect via service in various ways. Individuals might choose to volunteer every week or every two years. Those who are interested can also play a lengthy role. The church invites everyone willing to spare time to take part and help the community, registration is available online.