A Center for Community in the St. Croix Valley

Written By Shari Mogren

How do you build community without a space for people to come together?

Longtime Valley residents already know the answer. Close your eyes for a moment and think back to the St. Croix Mall. Raise your hand if you ever:

  • Went on a date at the Mall 5 Movie Theatre

  • Played for hours at the arcade

  • Bought a poster at Sam Goody

  • Adopted a family pet

  • Worked a shift at Vanity or Radio Shack

  • Got your ears pierced at Claire’s

  • Took gymnastics or a dance class at Spotlight

  • Ate fries from the mall restaurant

For so many of us, the St. Croix Mall was a backdrop to our teenage years. First dates and lifelong friendships. It was independence. It was connection. First jobs and first paychecks. Maybe you remember it from a parent’s perspective: dropping your kids off because it was a safe place for them to gather. Maybe you remember it fondly because it was a central space in the St. Croix Valley where anyone could go.

It was community.

Over time, the spaces where we naturally came together have changed. Life has gotten busier. Gathering has become more scheduled, more scattered. And yet the need for real, face-to-face, cross-generational connection has never gone away.

That’s where the Valley Community Center comes in.

At its core, this proposed community rec center is about more than physical exercise. It’s about recreating that sense of belonging. It’s about creating a space where:

  • Kids can explore, learn, and grow

  • Teens can find safe places to connect

  • Adults can build friendships and networks

  • Seniors can stay active and engaged

  • Local jobs are created

  • Families can gather under one roof

Community. Connection. Jobs. Safe spaces.

Those aren’t just words, they are the foundation of what we’re building.

Today our Valley community is rapidly growing without places for people to come together, get to know each other, and form new bonds. As our community grows and new people move to the region, we need a place that brings us together, allows new bonds to forged and where families can connect outside of schools. We also need to create new opportunities for swimming, recreation, and building connections that make our region strong. Places where kids can be safe and seen.

Our mission is to create a space that reconnects us while providing healthy activities for all. The malls and local pools of bygone eras may be in our memory, but the important role they played is needed still. We are reimagining a future for the region with a vibrant new community hub, a place where we come together again and forge new connections.

The forthcoming Community Center planned for a site located in Lake Elmo will be a hub for the entire valley. A place where birthday parties, basketball games, art classes, seniors gathering to walk safely indoors, volunteer efforts, and everyday conversations happen side by side. A place where new memories are made, just like the ones we still smile about from “the good old days”.

This community hub will galvanize the valley and serve as a catalyst for growth. Not just economic growth, but relational growth. It will spark collaboration, strengthen families, support local organizations, and provide opportunities for every generation. Most importantly, it will be a place for people to come together.

Because community doesn’t just happen.

It needs a home.

And together, we’re building it.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to 2026, our priorities include:

Our leadership team is advancing a community-led effort for an inclusive, accessible community recreation space that reflects our commitment to youth development, health and wellness. These are identified, clear priorities, and urgent needs for our region. Through our extensive data collection efforts and community engagement meetings, this is what we’ve heard from the community, and this is what motivates us. We are working hard to bring a new gathering place to the St. Croix Valley, a central location where the community can come together.

As you consider your year-end giving, please include the Valley Community Center Partners with a donation today.  We are building for the future and need your support.

Donate Here

Collectively, we're going to have a tremendously important impact on the future of the St. Croix Valley. We’re thrilled for what’s ahead. Thank you for being part of this journey!

We have more to accomplish in 2026 and need your help, but we’re excited to celebrate the steps taken in the past year together.

Thank you.

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As always, thank you for your enthusiasm & support.

#valleycommunitycentermn 🏊‍♀️🧘🏽‍♀️🤸🏽‍♀️🏓🌱🌈🏀🏐🤿🛝🛼🏋🏽⛹🏻‍♀️🎧☕️

Shari Mogren
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