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<br />14 /Star News /Wednesday, July 7, 2004 Visit us on the web at www.erstarl
<br />SHERBURNE COUNTY
<br />Parks: Three county parks in early development
<br />"With all the growth and
<br />changes that we've had we
<br />thought it was time to look
<br />at that again," P]dgeton
<br />said.
<br />Three county parks
<br />Sherburne County cur-
<br />rently has three parks:
<br />•the Oak Savanna Land
<br />Preserve near Becker
<br />•Bridgeview Park Reserve
<br />near Big Lake
<br />•Grams Regional Paxk
<br />near Zixmnennan
<br />All are in the early stages
<br />of development.
<br />County Administrator
<br />Brian Bensen said county
<br />commissioners have had a
<br />desire to set aside land for
<br />parks.
<br />The way we're growing,
<br />there's been a lot of devel-
<br />opment," Bensen said.
<br />"They're aware that if we
<br />don't set it aside now it will
<br />be difficult and very costly
<br />later:"
<br />However, Bensen added,
<br />"There's not a very strong
<br />appetite to develop them as
<br />parks yet."
<br />As for trails, Bensen said
<br />most of the county's efforts
<br />have been concentrated on
<br />a proposed 20-mile recre-
<br />ational trail between Elk
<br />River and Princeton.
<br />Efforts are under way to
<br />acquire an abandoned rail-
<br />road bed for the trail. About
<br />75 percent of it is in public
<br />ownership at this time,
<br />Edgeton said.
<br />"We're interested in work-
<br />ing with willing landown-
<br />ers," he said.
<br />The trail would be for non-
<br />motorized activities such as
<br />biking, hiking, inline skat-
<br />ing, skiing and walking.
<br />Edgeton said alternate
<br />routes have been planned
<br />in case the county is unable
<br />to use the entire railroad
<br />tred.
<br />But, he added, "We're cer-
<br />tainly trying to keep as
<br />much of the trail on the
<br />:(railroad) bed itself."
<br />Some survey results
<br />In addition to the three
<br />county parks, there is the
<br />state-owned Sand Dunes
<br />State Forest and the feder-
<br />ally-owned Sherburne
<br />National Wildlife Refuge in
<br />Sherburne County.
<br />In the poll, residents were
<br />asked, "Considering the
<br />county parks and other
<br />I~ ~ Palk
<br />ya~'Iatld~reS8tV8
<br />t S
<br />a
<br />Oa .
<br />Pra' n
<br />Pro s•••
<br />I~COOpR 1{Ofl wlrrll
<br />•She ne unty
<br />•~Phea Dreyer
<br />I^nr+ac C Cd•pf•rl
<br />• Sher a SWC~
<br />I . ncc~. • .~,.~_
<br />.x i. y
<br />Prairie is being restored on part of the Oak Savanna
<br />land Preserve near Becker. (Photo by Joni Astrup)
<br />About Sherburne County's parks
<br />Bridgeview Park Reserve
<br />•Acquired in 1996.
<br />•The 29-acre park is located along the Mississippi f2iver,
<br />southwest of Big Lake. From Highway 25, go west on
<br />County Road ll and then immediately south on County
<br />Road 50. Go one-half mile and the park entrance is on the
<br />south side of the road.
<br />•A rnowed trail system allows For recreational activities.
<br />Grams Regional Park
<br />•Acquired in 2002.
<br />•The 114-acre park will be developed over time into a
<br />regional park for regional use. Currently, the park is in
<br />early development stages: It is located east of Zimmerman
<br />near Fremont Lake.
<br />Oak Savanna Land Preserve
<br />•Acquired in 1997 as a gift from the Cox family.
<br />•The 140-acre park is located near Becker approximate-
<br />ly one-fourth mile east of Highway 25.
<br />•Mowed trails during the summer allow for walking,
<br />hiking, biking, horseback riding and wildlife watching.
<br />Winter uses include groomed cross-country skiing, snow-
<br />shoeing and dog sledding. On the east side of the Oak
<br />Savanna Land Preserve is the Becker City Park. Trails
<br />from both parks link to one another.
<br />(Source.' Sherburne County)
<br />facilities that exist, do you
<br />feel the existing county
<br />parks are adequate for your
<br />household needs? Seventy-
<br />nine percent said `yes.'
<br />But the survey also found
<br />that:
<br />•71 percent would support
<br />a property tax increase to
<br />pay for acquisition of park-
<br />land along the Mississippi.
<br />•63 percent would support
<br />a property tax increase to
<br />pay for acquisition of park-
<br />land for a regional swim-
<br />ming facility with a fishing
<br />pier, beach and picnic shel-
<br />ter area.
<br />•81 percent feel establish-
<br />ing biking and hiking trails
<br />should be an important
<br />part of designing neighbor-
<br />hood developments.
<br />Taxes for parks
<br />Parks and recreation perceptions in Sherburne County
<br />2003 Sherburne County study
<br />1. County parks and trails are a very important aspect of my choice
<br />of residence and my quality of life.
<br />2. Where available, more land along the Mississippi River should be
<br />acquired and used for parkland, trails and wildlife habitat.
<br />3. The county should preserve corridors adjacent to waterways and
<br />wetlands as greenway space, not to be developed.
<br /> 63
<br />-
<br />32
<br />5
<br /> 1r 85
<br />t1
<br />74
<br /> 86
<br />8
<br />6
<br /> _.:: 75
<br />14
<br />11
<br /> 50
<br /> a2
<br />8
<br /> 81
<br />is
<br />6
<br />~_, -~ Agree ~~ Disagree ~ ] Unsure Source: Sherburne County, Decision Resources Ltd.
<br />4. The county should be more active in protecting sensitive plant
<br />communities and unique ecosystems.
<br />5. The county should lake a more active role in acquiring land for
<br />motorized trails for ATVs and snowmobiles.
<br />6. Establishing biking and hiking trails should be an important part
<br />of designing neighborhood developments.
<br />The survey also asked:
<br />"How much would you be
<br />willing to see your property
<br />taxes increase to fund
<br />acquisition; development
<br />and maintenance of county
<br />trails and parks in
<br />Sherburne County?" The
<br />results were:
<br />Notlxing .........22%
<br />$5 ...............7%
<br />$10 .............13%
<br />$15 .............10%
<br />$20 .............17°l0
<br />$25 .............18%
<br />Don't know .......12%
<br />e use ... .......1'/0
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