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Eagan plans to buy art park land in limbo
By Jessica Harper on July 25, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Caponi Art Park to continue as it has for
decades
The Caponi Art Park property will remain under the
same ownership for the time being.
Plans for the city of Eagan to purchase are in limbo
after the Department of Natural Resources denied its
request for $400,000 in grant funding.
This means Eagan and Dakota County's pledge of
between $300,000 and $400,000, which was
contingent upon the grant, is on hold.
"We have to get back to square one and see what
our options are," said Al Singer, Dakota County
conservation manager. "This doesn't mean the
money is going away — things have changed."
Local officials and directors of the Caponi Art Park
and Learning Center had hoped to obtain $1 million
in public grants for the city to purchase the private
portion of the park on Diffley Road. That portion is
currently owned by a nonprofit, which operates the
art collection and open green space.
Although the city would have owned the property,
under its initial plans, the Caponi Art Board would
have continued to operate the park and art
programs.
Supporters of Caponi Art Park have worried for
years about the future of the park since Anthony
Eagan's plans to buy a
portion of the Caponi Art Park
property area in limbo after
the Department of Natural
Resources denied its request
for $400,000 in grants.
Founder of the park Tony
Caponi said the art park will
continue to provide
educational opportunities and
programming as it has for
decades despite the set back.
— Photo by Jessica Harper
Caponi, a retired Macalester College professor, is
age 90 and still an active artist and a director of the park.
In 2005, the city purchased 10 acres of the 60 -acre property.
Dakota County bought another 20 acres and turned it over to the city.
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Caponi Art Park took out a mortgage to purchase the remaining property, which
contains the bulk of its sculptures, amphitheater, and the Caponi family home and
studio.
The nonprofit was given some flexibility since the mortgage is in the Caponi family
name.
Since then, the nonprofit has expanded its programming to meet the demands of
growing attendance.
The number of visitors at the park went from 4,200 in 2007 to 17,000 last year.
Despite this growth, park directors have said the organization has struggled to make
its mortgage payments.
City and county officials began exploring the possibility of public ownership last year,
after being approached by Caponi Board members for help.
Caponi, the park's founder, said he views the grant denial as a minor step back.
"We are a little different, and as innovators we expect to have a hard time because we
don't fit into one category," he said. "This requires patience."
Caponi added that the park will continue to offer theater and arts programming as it
has for decades.
"We are trying to secure the park for the future, but if nothing happens, it will still be
there," he said.
Despite the lack of grant funding, city and county officials said they will continue to
explore ways to preserve Caponi Art Park for the future.
"The city is committed to the art park," said Juli Seydell Johnson, director of Eagan
Parks and Recreation. "We would like to secure it for the future but how that will
happen, no one knows."
Singer echoed Seydell Johnson's sentiments.
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