Champlin’s City Council approved a long-term concept for turning the Highway 169 riverfront site into a public park, with possible skating and hockey rinks. The concept incorporates the Sinclair station and its costumed dinosaur, but the vote does not settle whether or when the city will buy or redevelop the property.
The vote came Nov. 9 and puts the city on a path toward potentially buying the Sinclair station property just south of the Mississippi River, according to the Star Tribune. The station dates to the 1930s, though its current structure was built in the 1950s. Jim Merkl and his family ran it for nearly 50 years; after Merkl died in January 2025, the family put the business up for sale as the city’s riverfront plans took shape.
Jim’s wife, Diana Merkl, added the station’s most recognizable feature: Dino, a costumed dinosaur mascot dressed for holidays and the changing seasons. The park concept depicts Dino and the station’s rooftop sign staying in place, while other parts of the site could be adapted.
What the Park Could Look Like
The city could convert the former gas station into a warming house and incorporate the fuel canopy into the park. Other station structures could become seating areas or park buildings, according to the Star Tribune. The concept also includes possible skating areas, an art walk, a basketball court and access to the riverfront trail.
Other possibilities include a kayak rental and a launch for non-motorized boats. The broader redevelopment vision also includes multifamily housing, possible townhomes, a mixed-use building, pedestrian access and additional recreation amenities around the site.
Why This Site Is Tricky to Redevelop
At a planning commission meeting, Scott Schulte said the site is difficult to redevelop and could not accommodate the traffic generated by a busy retail store. He described it as a prominent gateway into Champlin and said the park concept would draw on nostalgia and recognize the city’s oldest business.
Residents have asked the city to preserve the station and Dino as redevelopment discussions have continued, the Star Tribune reported. Hennepin County appraised the station property at $271,000 and a nearby property at $154,000, according to the paper. The city has a right-of-first-offer agreement with the owners if they decide to sell; when the appraisal process was first reported, the city had not decided how the area would be redeveloped.
Part of a Decades-Long Riverfront Push
The Sinclair site is one part of Champlin’s wider effort to develop its Mississippi riverfront. The Mississippi Crossings project, which spanned 26 years and five mayors, was nearly complete at the time of an earlier Star Tribune report. It brought an outdoor amphitheater, an event center, an upscale restaurant, apartments and boat docks to the riverfront. Champlin has spent nearly $16 million acquiring properties for the broader effort.
The Star Tribune has described similar efforts by cities in the region and nationally to make riverfronts attractions and economic generators, citing Minneapolis’s new concert venue on the Mississippi and Anoka’s plan to add surfing on the Rum River as examples.
What the Public Records Establish
The Nov. 9 council action is a long-term concept, not a final park design; the acquisition and construction timeline remain open. A separate earlier phase of Mississippi Crossings involved a riverfront restaurant: the City of Champlin’s archived announcement says the council approved a preliminary plat, site plan and conditional use permit on April 4, 2022, for a 16,000-square-foot, multilevel restaurant on East River Parkway and West River Road. That approval was for the restaurant, not the Sinclair-site park, according to the City of Champlin.
A separate Hennepin County capital improvements listing describes Dayton River Road reconstruction in Champlin, from 150 feet north of Colburn Street to Linwood Forest Drive. The work is listed as including new pavement, curb, stormwater utilities, ADA accommodations and a multi-use trail facility. The listing’s project description does not specify a schedule or identify the work as part of the Sinclair-site plan, according to Hennepin County.
The concept depicts Dino and the station sign as part of the site’s future, but residents will have to wait for decisions on a possible purchase, final park design and construction timing. For those who have grown attached to Dino’s seasonal appearances, his place in the proposal is a notable part of the plan.
