The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission announces an opening for residents of District 3 to apply to join the Commission. Chairman Michael Hulett is retiring from the Commission, vacating a seat representing District 3 in the west central part of the state. Applications and more information can be found here. Online applications are due September 4th.
Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and include two members from each of the six Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Districts and one member-at-large. Monthly meetings are held the fourth Wednesday, typically in Sartell with some other Greater Minnesota locations visited during summer months. The Commission is responsible for undertaking system planning and providing recommendations to the Legislature for grants funded by the Parks and Trails Legacy fund to cities and counties outside the seven county metropolitan area for designated parks and trails of regional significance. GMRPTC staff recently toured the regionally-designated Cannon Valley Trail - and completely agree with this overview of a fantastic regional trail! Link To "Only In Your State" Article
From our friends at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota: Everyone deserves a fair chance at living their healthiest life possible. Bicycling can help you stay healthy and have fun, but having access to a bike that fits your needs (and knowing how to use it safely) makes all the difference... The training prepares physical education teachers and other educators how to share essential lessons, including how to safely cross the road, responsible riding, parts of a bike, and more. READ MORE HERE
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission planners recently visited two northern Minnesota regional trail systems that promise to be a part of an exciting multi-facility draw for mountain bike enthusiasts from across the country. Both parks are applying for Legacy funding through the GMRPTC after having achieved regional designation. Tioga Park in Cohasset will utilize the unique terrain of the abandoned Tioga pit mine, currently managed as school-trust land. The city is planning for more than 20 miles of mountain bike trails, with green, blue and black difficulty classifications. Recent planning and trail alignment markings showed just how exciting this system will be. “Starting only with a vision of what ‘could be,’ it’s impressive what this community has accomplished the past few years to make this idea real,” said Joe Czapiewski, System Plan Coordinator for the GMRPTC. Similarly, Lake County is planning to use an extensive network of County land overlooking the North Shore of Lake Superior for a unique mountain bike experience. Based in Beaver Bay, this trail will also provide a multi-day experience for cyclists. When built, it will utilize new trailheads developed to serve cyclists, ATV riders and the Superior Hiking Trail, each accessing their own independent and specifically designed trails. Czapiewski noted, “Great terrain and fantastic views of both Lake Superior and the inland hills are going to draw mountain bikers looking for a unique experience year-round.” The GMRPTC has also designated mountain bike facilities in Cook County along the North Shore and at Detroit Mountain Recreation Area in Detroit Lakes as regionally significant. Combined with the MNDNR’s trails at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area and an extensive system in the City of Duluth, Minnesota is quickly developing as one of the premier multi-day mountain-bike systems in the country. GRMPTC provides Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment funding for city and county parks and trails in Greater Minnesota that have been designated as regionally significant and lie outside the seven-county metropolitan area. For more information on the work of the GMRPTC and to view all the designated parks and trails in Greater Minnesota visit: www.gmrptcommission.org. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 12, 2017 For more information contact: Joe Czapiewski, System Plan Coordinator 218-556-3651 or [email protected] Members of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission recently visited the Northland Regional Sports Park in Beltrami County. The NRSP is a partnership between Beltrami County, which owns the 360-acre site, and the Headwaters Shooting Sports Association, which is building and operating the facility. While the NRSP will be a multi-use facility featuring a variety of motorized and non-motorized trails, nature areas, and camping options, the park is classified by the GMRPTC as a Special Recreation Feature park because of the high quality and regional impact of the shooting sports amenities. Headwaters Shooting Sports Association representative Mark Farabee provided a tour for GMRPTC Commissioners LuAnn Wilcox, Tim Kennedy, Rick Anderson and Mike Hulett. GMRPTC supported the facility with Legacy funding for the construction of mixed use (motorized and nonmotorized) trailhead facility and a 200-yard bench rest rifle range. GRMPTC provides Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment funding for city and county parks and trails in Greater Minnesota that have been designated as regionally significant and lie outside the seven-county metropolitan area. For more information on the work of the GMRPTC and to view all the designated parks and trails in Greater Minnesota visit: www.gmrptcommission.org. Invasive species, including buckthorn, is a significant challenge for parks and trails across Greater Minnesota. This article provides a nice introduction to the background, impacts and treatment strategies for buckthorn.
Article The National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program is now taking applications. If your project is accepted, staff time is provided free of charge for a year or more to assist with planning new parks, trails or conservation areas; or to help with other outdoor conservation or outdoor recreation related projects. The application form, guidelines, and a description of current projects can be found in the attached links. The application is relatively simple, but the application deadline is approaching: Applications must be e-mailed or postmarked by June 30th. Click here for more information. In another busy week for the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, three more Master Planning Workshops were held across the state. On Monday, Executive Director Renee Mattson, System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski along with Commissioners Tim Kennedy and Keith Nelson held a workshop for District 1 in Duluth. In Morris on Wednesday, Commissioners Peg Furshong and Mike Hulett joined Czapiewski for a District 3 workshop. Finally, on Thursday Commissioner Tom Schmitz joined Czapiewski for a District 5 workshop in New Ulm. District Planning Committee meetings were held alongside each workshop, which have become a Commission tradition over the last three years. One final Master Plan Workshop remains, on Wednesday, May 3 at 3:00 in the Wright County Park and Recreation Offices in Buffalo. If you haven't been able to attebd the other workshops, please join District 4 for this last opportunity for an in-person learning experience focusing on Unit Master Plan creation and the use of the online Master Planning portal, as well as the basics about the GMRPTC application process. This week, officials from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission met with local representatives to tour potential project sites along the regionally-designated Red Lake River Water Trail. Several cities, counties, and a watershed district have spent over ten years developing the original concept and master plan. The tour was an opportunity to see priority river access, camping and recreation sites for future improvement. District 2 Commissioner Bryan Pike, Executive Director Renee Mattson, and System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski participated in the tour.
Due to scheduling conflicts, the date for the District 4 Application/Master Plan workshop has changed to May 3rd - location and time is the same. All other workshops remain as originally publicized. Please remember that this year, these FREE workshops will focus on Master Plan creation in the updated online Master Plan portal. Please share this information with other interested parties in Greater Minnesota. Here is the complete workshop schedule. See the attached, updated flyer for details. April 17 12:30 - 2:30 District 6 Owatonna April 18 2:30 - 4:30 District 2 Bemidji April 24 2:30 - 4:30 District 1 Duluth April 26 1:30 - 3:30 District 3 Morris April 27 10:00 - Noon District 5 New Ulm May 3 3:00 - 5:00 District 4 Buffalo *Changed from earlier date If you have any questions, please contact System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at 218-556-3651. |
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