Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County, Minnesota MN

• Friends' "Park Notes" Newsletter (PDF) Check inside for the details on:
  
  
  • Agreement reached on Port Authority land transfer to St Paul for parks.
    
  • The Mississippi River Trail (MRT) bicycle route has new website with maps from Itasca headwaters to New Orleans. Ride to the Gulf! It's Big Easy.
  • Lilydale Parks projects.
  • MNDOT (Minn Dept. of Transportation) trail safety projects.
  • Ramsey County Parks projects including Keller Golf Course and 5 year parks improvement plans.
  • St. Paul Tree Trimmer ordinance.
  • Green Gift for the Holidays. Nothing is greener than giving trees to parks. Memorial, commemorative, gifts or bequests many trees are needed for Twin Cities parks to replace trees from storm damage and disease as well as plant new and restored park areas.

• Ramsey Washington Watershed District receives the 2011 Public Service Award

  Ramsey Washington Watershed District Public Service Award

  The award is given to elected or appointed officials who have done an outstanding job of promoting and supporting parks and trails and protecting the environment.

  The Watershed District works to protect and improving water quality in Ramsey County and its parks. One almost decade long project of plantings on the majority of Lake Phalen's shoreline is designed to improve water quality in one of St. Paul's largest parks. Many other District projects also affect our parks and trails and improve water quality. Please support this important public organization in its mission to improve water quality.

• Rich Straumann Volunteer of the Year 2011

  Rich Straumann Parks Volunteer of the Year
  Rich is an engaged advocate for parks, recreation and trails. He has been a member of the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Commission since 2003. He served as Chair of the Commission from 2005-2010 and currently provides leadership as Vice Chair. He has walked or bicycled virtually every corner of the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation system. He also represented the Commission in presentations of State of the Parks Reports to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.

  Rich was nominated by Greg Mack, Director of the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation, and Michelle Olson, Parks and Trails Manager for the City of Arden Hills and Connie Bernardy of Active Living Ramsey Communities. Rich has volunteered for parks in Arden Hills and has worked to promote and create environments that are safe and convenient for everyone to integrate physical activity into their daily routines. He has worked to help create more active, bikeable and walkable communities. As a result of his work, communities are being connected, not divided, and Ramsey County residents and visitors are enjoying safer places to bike and walk.

• Volunteer George Carley

  George Carley Parks Volunteer Award
  George was nominated as outstanding volunteer by Kate McNulty, Volunteer Coordinator for Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.

  George, a Como volunteer since 2000, has contributed his time and talent in many ways at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, primarily as a special event volunteer. He has put in many hours volunteering throughout the years for a number of annual special events hosted by both the City of Saint Park and Como Friends, the City’s nonprofit partner.

  Anyone attending a Holiday Magic, Zoo Boo or Japanese Lantern Lighting event any time in the past twelve years have evidenced the work George has done with outdoor lighting. He has shared his electrical expertise to ensure safe and effective illumination of Como evening events.

  Unfortunately, George and his wife Barbara, are moving away from Minnesota to the warmer climes of Arizona. His talents will be missed but no more than his generous spirit and stewardship.

• Volunteer Gretchen Estes

  Gretchen Estes Parks Volunteer Award
  Gretchen has been a devoted volunteer for over 15 years and contributed over 2,900 hours of her time and talent in many ways at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. She was nominated by Kate NcNulty, Volunteer Coordinator for the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory for her outstanding time and talent given in many ways to the Zoo and Conservatory.

  Over the years she has served as a public educator at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, a sales assistant in the conservatory gift shop, a special events assistant for the Music Under Glass and World Under Glass music series and was one of the first to support the Victorian Teas in the conservatory when they began in the mid 90’s. In 2005, when Como established volunteer donation stations for visitors Gretchen was one of the first Visitor Greet volunteers.

  Gretchen exemplifies one of Como’s primary goals in creating a warm and welcoming environment for visitors - for hours eery month she is there smiling and greeting all as they enter the Park. Gretchen was 90 years old the week of the annual meeting when she received this award,, and she reigns as Como’s most elder volunteer.

Current Issues Followed

• Mississippi River Critical Area Rules:

  Governor Mark Dayton
  130 Capitol
  St. Paul, MN 55155
  
  Dear Governor Dayton:
  
  The Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County  
  urge you to veto the efforts of the Legislature to repeal the  
  legislation passed in 2009 authorizing the Department of Natural  
  Resources to establish new standards for the Mississippi River  
  Critical Area through rule making.
  
  The Friends is a 26-year nonprofit organization, which has supported  
  this national treasure, the Mississippi River, as a Critical Area  
  since we were established.  The Friends also supported the 2009  
  legislation to update the standards and guidelines to improve  
  management of the corridor.
  
  Representatives of the Friends' organization served on the Task Force  
  established in early 2010 to help with the rule making.  It is  
  unfortunate that the DNR did not finish its work in 2010, but it  
  should be allowed to complete this task now.
  
  The Mississippi River Critical Area designation has had bipartisan  
  support since the 1970's when the designation was approved.  We urge  
  you to veto this legislation repealing the 2009 law to update the  
  standards and guidelines for the Mississippi River Critical Area.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Kathy Stack
  President
  

• Ford Plant Development: will it contain parks?
• Designated park land zoning in St. Paul: Park land should be zoned as park land instead of other uses.
• Park land dedication law in St. Paul: How is park land allocated as development occurs.
• Dickerson Park: Will it get funding through the Central Corridor transit funds?

2010: Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) Parks and Trails

The last large open property in Arden Hills now is being surplused by the Federal General Services Administration (GSA)...

• November 2011: Negotiations for Ramsey County to buy 400+ acres of the surplused property for $28.5 million.
• March-November 2010: Negotiations for a North-South trail right of way between AHATS and the surplused property underway.
• November 2009: Parks and trails for AHATS? also check Arden Hills City calendar for the latest developments. (Look for TCAAP and GSA meetings.)
• May 2009: Ryan Companies US, Inc., the developer chosen by the City of Arden Hills for 585 acres of the surplused federal land has decided to not pursue development because of the current economic conditions. However, the property is still up for bid for development or park reserve.
• A 49 acre wildlife corridor is still slated to be transferred to Ramsey County for park reserve.
• 2008: 113 acres of property along Rice Creek was transferred to Ramsey County and is open as a park with a canoe route!