The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission will be holding a series of District workshops in late April. This round of workshops is geared towards helping park and trail planners, managers and advocates utilize the Commission’s online Master Planning portal, which has been updated for 2017. Information about the GMRPTC regional designation application, process and funding requirements will also be reviewed. Please see the attached flyer for more information and workshop details. This Star-Tribune article links to a statewide study on the economic and health impacts of recreation and commuter bicycling. This can be important information for trail developers and community leaders as they consider investments in infrastructure, economic development and community events.
Minnesota Star-Tribune Article U of M Research Report The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission will be temporarily closing its online application and master planning portal for improvements. Starting Friday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m. until March 27th, the Data Management System (DMS) will not be available for users. Any data entry projects should be completed or stopped prior to the shut down.
The Commission has operated an online DMS since 2015. Users access the DMS to apply for designation as a regional park or trail, complete a Master Plan, and apply for funding. During the shutdown, upgrades to the technology and system will lead to a more stable, user friendly platform allowing for more expansion in the future. This is an anticipated shut down that has been in the planning stages for several months. All existing data and users will be a part of the upgrade and will be accessible when the portal re-opens on March 27. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at [email protected]g Olmsted County is currently searching for a new Parks Superintendent. More information available at this link.
Connecting People to the Outdoors Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission Pilot Project Update2/27/2017 On November 22, 2016, Wright and Stearns counties entered into a contract with Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (PWELC) to provide Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Education Programs throughout their park systems. Once the contract was signed by all parties, PWELC began to develop “Schools in the Park” as the first pilot program for the contract. The pilot program was funded through the GMRPTC with a Legacy grant that will enable the program to operate for two years.
Upon conclusion of the program, full documentation and instructions for creating similar programs will be available for entities wanting to host this type of activity in their parks. The Concept of Schools in the Parks Schools in the Park is meant to provide the “seed” for future stewards of our park systems by exposing students to various regional parks through recreational activities and environmental education. This program will potentially provide the foundation for lifelong park users and enthusiast by exposing them to activities such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife identification, wilderness survival, hiking and paddling. The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission is pleased to announce a new application for Designation as a Regional Park or Trail timeline. The Commission will now accept applications for designation on an on-going basis, with no application open and closed period moving forward. Simply complete the on-line application and submit for ranking by the Evaluation Team. The Evaluation Team will be convened on an “as needed” basis when there are three or more applications for review.
The portal through which all applications (designation and funding) and Master Plans are submitted has been completely rebuilt to better serve our constituents, the cities and counties in Greater Minnesota. The new portal and application timeline will launch in March, 2017. Find the portal at http://www.gmrptcommission.org/applications.html. Announcements about when the new application portal goes live will be posted on the Commission's blog page. Please review the pertinent provisions of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan and related documents to ensure you are familiar with all criteria and guidelines associated with the application process. The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has released a final, updated version of its 2017 legislative Policy & Planning Report. This report contains the final funding recommendations for FY2018 Parks and Trails Legacy Funding, an overview of the current Greater Minnesota Regional system, and a recap of the Commission's accomplishments over the past year. Commissioners collaborating during a recent day long workshop in Little Falls.
With a commitment to keeping application processes and procedures responsive to constituents needs, the January workshop was an opportunity to review and revise current standards to better serve applicants for both designation and funding. Look for more information on an updated process and tools in the near future. December 20, 2016 The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission announced the list of Legacy Parks and Trails grant recommendations for the FY18 funding cycle. The Commission was formed in 2013 by the Minnesota Legislature to develop a statewide system of regionally significant parks and trails outside the seven county metropolitan area. Of the 46 regionally designated parks and trails in Greater Minnesota, 25 applied for project funding. The Commission was pleased to recommend awards for 12 grants totaling $8,298,810, the entire amount available in FY18. The Commission carefully considered all 25 funding applications submitted, which totaled $23,582,369. The FY18 grants represent 35% of the total amount requested. Successful applicants submitted projects that met the 25-Year Legacy Plan Strategic Directions of:
“These grants will truly shape communities and provide greatly enhanced opportunities for outdoor recreation in Greater Minnesota for residents and visitors” said Mike Hulett, Commission Chair. The Minnesota legislature must now approve the Commission’s recommendations during the upcoming legislative session. In addition to helping create and maintain recreation resources, these grants will contribute to the state’s economy and its vital $13 billion travel and tourism industry with 250,000 full and part-time workers. Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission
Legacy Funding Recommendations for FY2018: Lake Wobegon Trail Extension $980,000 Moorhead River Corridor $660,600 Detroit Mountain Recreation Area $1,246,000 Cascade Lake Park $1,550,000 Mesabi Trail $750,000 Tioga Recreation Area $50,000 Milford Mine Memorial Park $60,000 Memorial Park $595,613 Dakota Rail Trail $647,000 Lake Brophy Park $875,000 Cook County Mountain Bike Trails $278,250 Robbins Island Regional Park $606,347 TOTAL $8,298,180 Contact: Renee Mattson – Executive Director (218) 310-2627 [email protected] The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working with Explore Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to create a new trip-planning tool that will make it easier for Minnesotans to discover and explore parks and trails around the state! This new tool will launch in early summer 2017, and the developers are currently seeking input from prospective users.
Please take 15 minutes to participate in a short sorting activity. Sorting is a way to discover how people group information in a way that makes sense to them. And pass it on to others in your networks to do the same! Learnings from the survey will help shape how content is organized to be sure we are developing the best possible tool for prospective travelers. Survey respondents can enter to win one of five Explore Minnesota prize packs! Click here to take the survey! |
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