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INFORMATION <br />LAKEVILLE ~ ~Z <br /> <br />Suburb creating a new park <br />`Green' investment includes 12 acres <br />BY NANCY NGO <br />Pioneer Press <br />"Add one more to the list of <br />Lakeville parks. <br />Lakeville is in the process of <br />purchasing 12.2 acres that would <br />become part of the city's nexrt <br />large recreational gathering <br />spot The land acquisition, which <br />could be finalized at the end of <br />this month, would be added to 40 <br />acres of farmland adjacent to the <br />property that the aty purchased <br />a few years ago to build East <br />Lake Community Park <br />The creation of the park, <br />which surrounds East Lake, is <br />outlined in the city's compre- <br />hensiveplan. <br />"We wanted to identify the <br />needs of this fast-growing area <br />That area was identified as a <br />community park," said Steve <br />Michaud, Lakeville parks and <br />recreation director. Being on <br />the lake, there will be access to <br />fishing and maybe some limited <br />boating. There are opportuni- <br />ties for large picnics and field <br />games." <br />Michaud said the city would <br />offer a disc golf course, volley- <br />ball courts and playgrounds. <br />The aty also hopes to develop a <br />greenway connecting to paths in <br />neighboring Apple Valley. <br />This last chunk of land need- <br />ed for the park is part of the <br />Brandtjen Farm development <br />Dakota County has already <br />agreed to pay for half, or <br />$690,000, to acquire the property. <br />The city could purchase the <br />land from the developer as early <br />as this month. <br />The land is funded partly by <br />the county's Farmland and Nat- <br />ural Area Program The Brandt= <br />jen Farm land, which includes <br />oak savannah, would be main- <br />tamed as a natural preserve. <br />`7t was really the only high-. <br />quality forest that's in this pail <br />of Lakeville," said Al Singer, <br />project manager for Dakota <br />County. "The only development <br />that will be taking place there is <br />some passive hiking trails, some: <br />benches." <br />In addition to a natural pre- <br />serve, most of the remaining 40 <br />acres of farmland will be used <br />foi recreation. <br />The new park could open as <br />early as next yeas The city is. <br />leasing. the farmland while it <br />works out details of construct- <br />ing the park. <br />"Incrementally, we've been <br />slowly building this," Michaud <br />said. <br />There are 72 city-run parks; <br />conservation areas and green= <br />ways in Lakeville. About 50 of <br />those are recreational parks. <br />N¢ncy Ngo can 6e re¢ched ¢t <br />nngo@pioneerpress. com or <br />651-228-5172. <br />