Excelsior Commons

Overview & Location

• Excelsior Commons is a 13-acre municipal park situated in the city of Excelsior, Minnesota, along the shores of Lake Minnetonka.

• Address: 135 Lake St., Excelsior, MN 55331.

https://www.ci.excelsior.mn.us/124/The-Commons

Planning Context

• In 2017 a Master Plan was completed to guide improvements to the park — including preservation of historical elements and modernization of facilities.

• One of the design goals was improving lake views, opening up the site, and making it more accessible for community gatherings and events.

Facilities & Amenities

• The park offers a wide range of recreational amenities:

  • Two swimming beaches for lake access.

  • Picnic sites and open lawn areas suitable for family gatherings.

  • Playground for children.

  • Tennis courts, baseball/softball fields and athletic spaces.

  • A band shell / pavilion structure that supports concerts and large-group events.

  • Docks and boating/access infrastructure for lake visitors.

Programming & Community Use

• The park is a hub of community activity:

  • Regular summer concert series (“Concerts in the Commons”) held at the band shell.

  • Annual events like an art fair, Fourth of July celebration with fireworks, and other large-scale gatherings.

  • The park also serves everyday recreation: families picnicking, children playing, people strolling by the lake.

    
    

Strategic & Community Significance

• The park functions as a gateway between the city and the lake — both physically (lakefront access) and socially (community gathering space).

• The local tax base alone cannot fully fund the maintenance and improvements of the park — thus a non-profit conservancy, Community for the Commons, plays an active role in fundraising and long-term stewardship. Community For The Commons

  
  

Key Take-Aways

• Location & asset value: Being lakefront, the park holds high recreational and aesthetic value.

• Multi-functionality: It combines passive recreation (picnics, views), active recreation (sports courts, beaches), and event programming — a strong integrated model.

• Community economics: The reliance on both municipal investment and non-profit support indicates a mixed-funding model— public-private partnerships and community-driven stewardship.

• Historic preservation + modernization: The master plan illustrates the balance between respecting historic elements and upgrading infrastructure.

• Event and gathering infrastructure: The presence of the band shell, docks, and lawns means this site is designed for scaling up (large crowds, community festivals).

  
  

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