Publisher
Minnesota Recreation and Park Association
200 Charles Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432
www.mnrpa.org
Tel: 763.571.1305
An affiliate of National Recreation and Park Association
Editorial Staff
Michelle J. Snider
Bethani Gerhard
Editorial Board
Scott Berggren, Crystal
Jennifer Fink, New Brighton
Lori Hokenson, New Brighton
Mary Jo Knudson, Owatonna
Cheryl Kormann, New Ulm
Patrick Menton, Winona
Advertising Sales & Design
Todd Pernsteiner
Pernsteiner Creative Group
todd@pernsteiner.com
952.841.1111
MRPA Board of Directors 2023
President: Jerome Krieger, Blaine
President-Elect: Michelle Okada, Woodbury
Past President: Ross Demant, Wright County
Secretary: Annie Olson, Minneapolis
Treasurer: Sonya Rippe, Plymouth
RSC Chair: Scott Heitkamp, Burnsville
East Metro: Andrew Pimental, Eagan
East Metro: Becky Sola, Shoreview
East Metro: Dan Schultz, Rosemount
Northwest Region: Lynn Neumann, Hutchinson
Southern Region: Joey Schugel, St. Peter
West Metro: Mike Ramirez, Brooklyn Park
West Metro: Jenna Smith, Bloomington
West Metro: Jason T. West, St. Louis Park
This magazine is the official quarterly publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary to members as part of their MRPA membership. The editorial board encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication by agency members. Articles of approximately 500-700 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity. Contact Michelle Snider, MRPA, at 763.571.1305 x100 if interested in submitting an article for a future issue. Articles
Spring 2023 Issue March 25, 2023
Summer 2023 issue May 22, 2023
Fall 2023 issue August 27, 2023
Winter 2024 issue December 15, 2023
MRPA reserves the right to approve all submitted advertising in MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952.841.1111 or todd@pernsteiner.com.
Certified Playground Safety Institute (CPSI) Course and Exam
March 15-17, 2023
Cedarholm Community Building, Roseville
MRPA MN-USSSA Tournaments
Various dates and locations throughout the summer Visit mnusssa.com for more information.
Minnesota Twins Park and Rec Days
June 14 & 22
July 26
August 16 & 30
Certified Playground Safety Institute (CPSI) Course and Exam
April 12-14, 2023
Maple Grove Community Center, Maple Grove
MRPA Annual Conference 2023
September 26-29, 2023 Plymouth Community Center Plymouth
The last stop on my tour throughout the state brings me to visit with MRPA On the Air Podcast personality and Little Canada Parks and Recreation Director Bryce Shearen. Little Canada is located along the I-35E corridor in Ramsey County. It has a population of approximately 10,000 residents, nine city parks and one county park. Bryce not only has worked for Little Canada for the past 15 years, with six years being the director, but he has also grew up in Little Canada. Bryce started off his career in Little Canada working in the public works department for nine years before becoming the parks and recreation director.
Little Canada’s parks and recreation department has three full-time staff and two part-time employees. As is the case with most smaller parks and recreation departments, the staff wear many hats not only within their own department, but throughout the city.
The department updated their masterplan in 2018, and Bryce states that the masterplan has been a valuable tool when working with the city council and parks and recreation commission when prioritizing construction projects and programs.
A significant project for the department that is currently in the works is a two-milliondollar upgrade of the Pioneer Park Athletic Complex. This project includes the installation of a new playground and water feature, enhancements to the landscaping that include establishing new areas of prairie and native plantings, the creation of a stormwater re-use system for irrigation, and greater ADA accessibility. One of the things that makes this project unique was how the department used the University of Minnesota to help them engage the community to gather input. Part of this input targeted youth from the
community. Through their engagement, the U of M students found out some children felt that the playground was too close to the basketball and tennis courts. Bryce listened to their input and relocated the playground to create more of a buffer between the playground and the play courts.
With so many employment opportunities in the metro area, I ask Bryce what keeps him in Little Canada. Bryce stated he is able to be a part of a city that continues to make their residents top priority is very rewarding. He also says the current city council is great to work with. He looks forward to accomplishing many things during the next several years. It was great to visit with Bryce and to learn more about the Little Canada community. I would also like to thank the MRPA membership for allowing me to serve as MRPA president over the past year.
On January 12, 2023, the City of New Ulm Park Recreation Department was awarded the Minnesota Parks and Sports Turf Manager’s Association (MPSTMA) Field of the Year Award for Johnson Park. The award is given annually by the MPSTMA to one facility that exhibits dedication and excellence in the areas of turf and sports field surfaces. The City of New Ulm’s Johnson Park was built in 1938 and has become a destination stop for any baseball player or fan. Generations of New Ulm baseball players and fans have called this nostalgic ballpark home for decades. Johnson Park annually hosts about 85 baseball games from April-July. It hosts multiple regional tournaments. It is the home ballpark to at least seven different teams throughout the baseball spring and summer seasons. The maintenance staff and volunteers tirelessly maintain and manicure the playing surface to provide a consistent and high-quality playing surface. The City of
New Ulm and local organizations financially support the needs of the baseball playing surface annually.
This Field of the Year Award recognizes the countless hours of work completed by staff and volunteers that occur prior to the
players and fans arriving at the ballpark for a game or tournament. The City of New Ulm thanks all the staff, volunteers, and city supporters that have dedicated time and resources to create the memorable experience that a game at Johnson Park provides.
Congratulations to Meredith Lawrence from the City of Mendota Heights and Connor Schaefer from Washington County Parks for receiving the 30 Under 30 for 2023 from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Also, congratulations to Harper Steinbach from the North Suburban Center for the Arts. During the application process, Harper worked for Robbinsdale Parks and Recreation.
Since NRPA launched its 30 Under 30 program two years ago, the response from the park and recreation profession has been phenomenal. This recognition program is a joint effort by the NRPA Young Professional Network and the NRPA magazine to recognize 30 of the top young professionals whose work and contributions have made a lasting difference in their communities. More than 100 nominations were received, forming a diverse group of nominees from 15 different states.
To read about all 30 NRPA nominees, scan the QR code or visit www.bit.ly/30UnderNRPA.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota has formed a statewide partnership with National Fitness Campaign (NFC) to launch $500,000 in grant funding for municipalities and schools across New York, to support the goal of providing free world-class fitness to all Minnesotans in 2023. This funding will be allocated to support municipalities, schools, and organizations across the state in joining the growing NFC wellness campaign building healthy infrastructure to smart cities and schools of the future.
NFC’s award-winning initiative is now planning its 500th Healthy Community in America, and is poised to deliver vital outdoor wellness programs helping to fight the obesity epidemic across the country. The program is designed to bring world-class healthy infrastructure to public spaces with the Fitness Court ®, along with consulting, funding and community programming support. Through the partnership, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and NFC will work with local towns, institutions and organizations who believe wellness is a priority, to bring the campaign to 10 municipalities and schools across Minnesota in 2023.
Application briefings for 2024 will be available later in the year. Members across Minnesota may qualify for funding and partnership in 2024. To learn more about the program and how to qualify, visit nationalfitnesscampaign.com/minnesota.
Nick Jacobs, parks and recreation director for the City of Otsego, became interested in the profession because his father worked for Three Rivers Park District.
“He recommended I work at Elm Creek Park Reserve as a seasonal parks maintenance worker,” states Jacobs. “I started there my junior year of high school and instantly found passion for what parks and recreation is. Having safe clean spaces where people can recreate is paramount for our profession. I enjoyed working outdoors, operating equipment, and providing spaces everyone could use to do whichever recreation activity they preferred.”
Jacobs explains while he was in college, he was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to work parks maintenance for Sioux County Conservation in Hawarden, Iowa. He worked two summers for their parks and recreation department and was able to see the unique differences in the two park systems.
After graduating, he worked two years as the parks maintenance II for the City of Otsego before becoming the parks and recreation operations coordinator. “This unique position allowed me to still work parks maintenance but also be involved in recreation programming,” Jacobs adds. “With the valuable knowledge and
experience I had gained, I was able to then be promoted to the interim parks and recreation director and then ultimately went through the interview process to obtain the parks and recreation director position. I am very lucky to work beside some of the best parks and recreation professionals at the City of Otsego. I also owe Ross Demant, the MRPA past president, a debt of gratitude. Ross was my mentor and close friend. Surprisingly, he taught me career and life lessons that I will partially use for years to come.”
Jacobs has been involved in the MRPA since 2019 when he was asked to be the logistics committee chair for the MRPA Annual Conference in 2020. He states, “As we all know 2020 was anything but a normal year. The one good thing is the annual conference committee bonded together as a family to overcome the adversity to offer a virtual conference.”
He adds, “In late 2021 we were happy to rally the 2020 committee (mostly) to put together an outstanding MRPA Annual Conference in 2022 at Cragun’s Resort and Conference Center. In 2022, I was fortunate enough to be the annual conference committee chair alongside Chelsea Swenhaugen. We were proud of all the work that our amazing committee did to put on the smashing success of the annual conference.”
Jacobs is also an active member in the parks maintenance and operations network and the awards committee. “MRPA is a great organization that provides training and networking opportunities,” he states. “I have met so many incredible people and made lifelong friends. I can pick up the phone and call anywhere in the state to talk about parks, programming, and the various issues all of us professionals face.”
Over 60 members were in attendance at the MRPA Leadership Workshop, which was held December 6, 2022. National speaker Annie Frisoli discussed the art of conversation on a deep level and looked at how trust, active listening, values, questioning, and feedback all impact our daily communication. MRPA extends a warm thank you to the leadership development network chairs Aimee Peterson from Maple Grove Parks and Recreation, and Andrew Pimental from Eagan Parks and Recreation, for designing this workshop. Also thank you to Golden Valley Parks and Recreation for hosting, and Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation, SRF and Stantec for sponsoring this educational workshop.
Greetings! As we enter 2023 I am excited to share that the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation will be spending the year celebrating its 50th Anniversary! We will be spending time working with MRPA’s favorite historian, Bob Kojetin, to share some of our favorite bits of history about the Foundation’s beginnings. The organization began in June of 1973, and incorporated as a non-profit January 30, 1974 with 18 donors and $200. One of the first fundraisers was the sale of calendars featuring a local nature photographer from Eden Prairie for $3.95.
More has changed in the last 50 years than has stayed the same in the field of parks and recreation; which is what the founders seemed to have in mind when they created this organization. When describing the purpose of the newly created Foundation, listed first is “To encourage, coordinate, and conduct research and study in the field of recreation, parks, and conservation.” The Foundation has spent many years inspiring innovation by funding the MRPF new initiative grants. This process has been spear headed by Lisa Abernathy for the last 10+ years. In
that time alone, the Foundation has granted over $75,000 to agencies just like yours. Helping to fund and create the first cell phone guided park tours, pop-up parks, interactive GPS scavenger hunts, Spikeball leagues, MobileRec fitness programming, E-sports leagues, and ice bowling, just to name a few! As we look ahead to celebrating the history and accomplishments of the last 50 years, we ask that you join us in creating innovations and milestones in the future. Learn more about the Foundation and make donations or become a member at www.mnrpf.org.
Each session MRPF awards up to $4,000 to members’ organizations that are working to develop new and innovative programs. These grants spur innovation in the park and recreation field at the local, regional, and state level. In upcoming issues, we will highlight past grant recipients. Annual grant deadlines fall at the end of March and early November. For more information contact Lisa Abernathy at 952-924-2539 or labernathy@stlouispark.org, or visit https://mnrpf.org/grants.
Year Started: 2018
Grant Award: $1,600
Kali the Kiosk was started in 2018 with the support of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation’s New Initiative Grant to fund the construction of the kiosk. Kali the Kiosk’s motto is L.E.A.D. – learn, explore, aspire and discover. Kali is an interactive kiosk at the Becker City Park that includes games, make or take crafts, touchless flyers/crafts with items found around the park, nature walk activities and more. Kali also has maps of the local trails and parks on the opposite side of her activities board. In 2020, Kali expanded to in person activities. Activities were programmed to help keep her active during Covid restrictions. Kali’s activities were a hit and more outdoor activities were planned such as a snow sculpture contest. The snow sculpture contest was a great success amongst single participants and the local clubs like cub scouts, girl scouts, and daycares. Kali started a summer photo contest in 2021 where Kali’s friends would submit a photo of themselves playing outside with an interactive Kali activity or other activity. Kali even has multiple logos for the different seasons including a Vikings logo. Kali is updated weekly and has sparked creativity and inspiration for exploring outdoors within the community and the parks staff.
The Minnesota Recreation & Park Foundation (MRPF) is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Minnesota by supporting recreation and parks through education, networking opportunities, programming grants, student and professional continuing education scholarships, and providing support to the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. Learn more at www.mnrpf.org.
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THIS YEAR’S PROFESSIONAL AWARDS CEREMONY WAS HELD ON JANUARY 13, 2023 AT TOREY’S RESTAURANT AND EVENT CENTER IN OWATONNA, MN. MRPA RECOGNIZES MEMBERS AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE MADE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO PARKS AND RECREATION. MRPA EXTENDS A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO LANDSCAPE STRUCTURES, INC. AND FLAGSHIP RECREATION FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE AWARDS PROGRAM.
The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award is MRPA’s award of highest distinction. The 2022 recipient for this award was Paul Peanasky, parks and recreation director for Faribault.
The Jack Niles Award is presented to a professional member with 10-plus years of outstanding service to the parks and recreation profession and to MRPA. The 2022 recipient was Reed Smidt with Woodbury Parks and Recreation.
The Dorothea Nelson Award is presented to a professional member with 10-plus years of outstanding service to the parks and recreation profession and to MRPA. The recipient was Annie Olson with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
Meredith Lawrence with Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation received the Horizon
Award. This award is given to a professional member of MRPA with eight years or less of professional experience. In order to receive this award, the MRPA member must be an “up and coming” professional and an active contributor to MRPA with great leadership skills.
The Gerald B. Fitzgerald Leadership Award is presented to an outstanding leader who possesses the skill, creativity, and ability to motivate and create notable accomplishments or advancements in the parks and recreation profession and someone who is an active contributor to MRPA. Sonya Rippe with Plymouth Parks and Recreation was the 2022 recipient of this award.
The Tommy Johnson Award was presented to the City of Plymouth. The MRPA
Awards Committee selected one “Award of Excellence” project to receive this award for best exemplifying the values that Tommy Johnson was known for; innovation, futuristic, revolutionary and/or creative with ideas and initiatives that helped establish future trends, philosophical change, sharing of new resources and new exciting concepts.
The Board and Commission Award is given to a member of a citizen’s advisory or policy-making board in the parks and recreation profession. The recipient was Lynn Haney, with Crystal Parks and Recreation.
Congratulations to all MRPA professional award recipients. We look forward to the 2023 Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon in January of 2024.
The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award recipient for 2022 is Paul Peanasky, parks and recreation director for the City of Faribault. This award is the highest distinction presented to a person who has provided long and outstanding service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.
According to Peanasky, he fell into parks and recreation at a very young age. He participated in all types of recreation programs and facilities. He says, “Beginning at age nine, I was on my local swim team and then was asked to be an aid for the Red Cross swimming lessons. After several years teaching lessons, I became a lifeguard at age 15. I enjoyed this work and took several career tests pointing me in the direction of parks and recreation. My parents did not think this was a good field to get into so I went to college and received my degree in accounting. The entire time I went to school, I continued to work in the parks and recreation field as a seasonal employee. It was a very fulfilling way to spend my summers.”
After college, Peanasky explains he was searching for a full-time position in 1983. The City of Aberdeen, South Dakota was hiring an aquatic supervisor. “They needed someone to operate two outdoor pools and said they would train the candidate for the winter recreation responsibilities,” he states. “This sounded intriguing, so I applied. I realized I really enjoyed doing this type of work and it quickly became my career.”
After nine years, he moved to Ames, Iowa and was hired for another similar position for six years. “At that point, our family wanted to move to Minnesota,” states Peanasky. “I was hired as the parks and recreation director in Faribault. I also was the community education director for the school district for my first 12 years. After
the separation I focused entirely on city business.”
Peanasky adds, “I have always belonged to state organizations. Shortly after moving to Minnesota in 1998, I found myself on MRPA’s aquatics committee. They were hosting their own conference and I assisted with running this conference. Since then, I have attend every state conference and numerous workshops.”
After a number of years he decided it was time to get more involved in MRPA. He served four years on the MRPA Board of Directors, as well as several subcommittees of the Board. “I have been on a number of conference committees when SMRPA was the host committee,” says Peanasky. “I have always encouraged my staff to be active, attend sessions and join
committees. The professional organization is the glue that holds us all together. If it was not for MRPA we would not reach out to each other for advice as much as do since we would not know as many of our counterparts.”
He adds, “MRPA brings us together for educational sessions, socials and our conference. We get to know other communities so we can trade ideas and programs. The MRPA staff also keeps everyone abreast of ideas and legislation that affects all of us. I think very highly of the MRPA staff. For three staff, I am amazed at all that they do for the entire state.”
Congratulations again to Paul Peanasky for receiving this distinguished award, and for all his years of service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.
“I HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED MY STAFF TO BE ACTIVE, ATTEND SESSIONS AND JOIN COMMITTEES. THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US ALL TOGETHER. IF IT WAS NOT FOR MRPA WE WOULD NOT REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER FOR ADVICE AS MUCH AS DO SINCE WE WOULD NOT KNOW AS MANY OF OUR COUNTERPARTS.” - PAUL PEANASKY
The City of Buffalo provided safe opportunities for people to still be a part of the community during the pandemic. During the winter months in 2020-2021, Buffalo Parks and Recreation made a fat tire and snowshoe trail in an undeveloped piece of property for residents. The department also built a free sled library for their main sliding hill.
“We have seen a reduction of use for the fat tire bike and snowshoe trail; however the sled library has still been super popular,” says Lee Ryan, parks and recreation director for the City of Buffalo. “There has been a lot of snow this winter and people have been going sliding quite a bit. The sleds tend to disappear quickly, but residents replenish them periodically. I recently started labeling the sleds, so we’ll see if that helps keep them around.”
Programming during the pandemic created a variety of unique events and exciting adventures for communities to take part in. Some original programs and events could continue virtually, while others were completely new to encourage residents to enjoy the great outdoors. These parks and recreation departments continued to offer these programs this year and plan to in the years to come.
Moorhead Parks and Recreation focused on allowing their community to be active and outdoors during COVID-19. Moorhead become a hub for geocaching during the pandemic. The department worked closely with one of the Moorhead Parks and Recreation Board members, an avid ‘cacher’ that helped create three geocaching adventure labs. Although Moorhead Parks and Recreation no longer manages the adventures labs, a private company still offers geocaching and highlights the history of Fargo and Moorhead.
During the pandemic events were modified to allow social distancing. Moorhead Parks and Recreation hosted topic-based ski and snowshoe excursions, equipment demonstrations, and winter survival workshops.
“We still have plenty of outdoor winter recreation opportunities in the form of groomed trails, ski and snowshoe rentals, outdoor skating rinks and sledding hills,” says Josie Gereszek, recreation coordinator for Moorhead Parks and Recreation. “During Winter Trails Day, participants are able to try out cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and/or skishoeing at the trails within M.B. Johnson Park in Moorhead.”
In an effort to give families a fun and safe activity in the winter during the pandemic, New Brighton Parks and Recreation put together a “gnome hunt” at one of their city parks. “The gnome hunts are still really popular,” says Maria Larson, recreation supervisor for New Brighton Parks and Recreation. “We do a gnomesgiving hunt, a winter hunt, and a spring hunt. For each, the gnomes are hidden for about two weeks. We rotate around to different parks in New Brighton and usually hide 15 gnomes.”
The hunts are sponsored by Gnomes+More in Blaine. “They provide us with gnomes as well as gift cards for hunt winners,”
says Larson. “Individuals can post a picture of their favorite gnome on Facebook with the #gnomesplusmore to be entered into a drawing for a gift card. It has been a really great partnership.”
“The consistency and creativity of our parks maintenance team is the key to the hunts,” adds Larson. “We give them the date, and they show up with zip ties, drills, and ladders to secure the gnomes,” says Larson. “They also go recover the gnomes at the end of the hunt, which is more challenging than you’d think, especially after a few winter snow storms.”
During the spring and fall of 2020, Northfield Community Education held adventure races through their parks and various businesses. The City Park Adventure was started and finished any day in May 2020. Residents went on a quest to find coveted checkpoints and clues, leading to them to their final destination. City Park Adventure participants earned a free day pass to the outdoor pool, and the winning person or team of the race won a community services voucher to be used toward a future program. “Northfield Community Education has continued on with the City Park Adventure,” says Melissa Bernhard, recreation coordinator for Northfield Public Schools Community Education. City Park Adventure included surprise deviations from the park’s course where participants were asked to complete and record via smartphone a physical challenge before moving on. The first clue was unveiled in their registration confirmation email, sent directly after payment was complete. Clue one led participants to a Northfield park where a QR code was located on a half-sheet of laminated paper. After scanning the code, clue two was in a text message on their phone. Northfield Community Education looks forward to continuing to offer City Park Adventure in years to come.
Owatonna Parks and Recreation had many creative programs and events held during the pandemic. Three events created during the winter of 2020-2021 were Elf in the Park, Candy Cane Hunt, and Park & Rec Clue. Each event helped encourage the community to enjoy the outdoors during winter.
For the Elf in the Park program, staff would post “Timmy the Elf” sightings on the Owatonna Parks and Recreation Facebook page. Families would then post an “elfie” (selfie) of themselves at the location to be entered into a drawing for a prize.
“Although we no longer have Park & Rec Clue and the Candy Cane Hunt, we are still doing the Elf in the Park program,” says Danielle Licht, recreation supervisor for Owatonna Parks and Recreation. This program has been has held ever since it began during the pandemic year as a way to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors. Owatonna Parks and Recreation looks forward to continuing Elf in the Park during the winter months.
wsbeng.com
In January of 2021, the City of St. Louis Park started their New Year’s Gnome Search program as a way to entice people to get outside during winter as their Bundled Up Winter Fun Day event had been canceled due to the pandemic. The city continued the event and held their last this past January.
St. Louis Park staff took a well known idea and extended it to be inclusive. Their four hidden gnomes are based off of historic figures or aspects of the city. Some of their gnomes were modified to make sure they were being inclusive of people that live in or visit St. Louis Park.
During the first four weeks in January, a different New Year’s gnome is placed in one of the city’s parks. Once a gnome is placed in a park, it remains there until the end of January. To help people locate the gnomes, the city gives out clues each Tuesday morning through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@stlouispark), and GovDelivery.
One of the city’s social media posts said “It is said that those who snap a photo with one of the New Year’s gnomes will have some of its good luck transferred to them! Share your photos with us through social media by posting them in the comments section of our weekly clue posts. Join in the hunt to find B. Robert, Dorothea, Oscar and Hank. Make sure to leave the gnome where it is at for others to find and share in the good luck!”
Embracing strong, strategic and intentional engagement to inform design.
Designing spaces that reflect people.
During the winter of 2021, Wright County Parks and Recreation had to make some slight changes to how programs were run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They took out the speaking element and had six people registered every 15 minutes for their dog sledding event held in January of 2021.
“This winter we have returned to normal, having 25 people in each session,” says Carson Law, recreation specialist for Wright County Parks and Recreation. “Each session starts with a short presentation, then we load people into the sleds. We usually have two sleds running at a time. We had 125 paid participants attend this event.”
Carson adds, “Normally our Lantern Ski event is held twice during the winter, once in January and once In February. During the pandemic year, people had to pre-register for their ski rentals. Since then, we have returned to normal with firstcome, first-serve rentals. We usually get about 40 rentals and 200 people skiing during the event. This winter we held only one Lantern Ski in January and saw a massive uptick in use. We had 100 rentals and were completely sold out in the first 20 minutes. We estimate we had over 400 people skiing on the trails.”
In 2022, Wright County Parks and Recreation was able to lift all the restrictions at their nature center. “We found that the response to outdoor programs was continuing to climb,” says Law. “As a solution, we have now expanded our operations on the weekends to a full eight-hour day, and added a second site for winter equipment rental at Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park and Campground.”
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In order to encourage residents to enjoy the great outdoors during the winter months, many agencies have created rental and borrowing programs. This helps community members have access to equipment during all hours of the day.
Cottage Grove
With help from Cottage Grove’s park maintenance department, staff converted the kayak rental trailer to accommodate snowshoes. “Working in partnership with www.ipaddleport.com, Cottage Grove was the first location for self-service snowshoe rentals,” says Brad Muckenhirn, recreation supervisor for Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation. “The rental trailer, located at Oakwood Park, is a 36-acre park that provides rolling and hilly terrain, open space, trails through the woods
and is home to the local 18-hole disc golf course. This location for the rental trailer is a great opportunity for the public to utilize a typically quiet park in the winter. “
Muckenhirn adds, “Providing self-served outdoor recreation amenities is a great way to create new opportunities for your community, while minimizing the need to staff buildings and offering rental windows throughout the entire day. Users have greater access to recreate when it fits their schedule. We hope to see a large user base take advantage of this winter activity.”
In 2021, the Crystal Public Works Department made an idea a reality by building a sled share at their legendary sledding hill at Valley Place Park. Inspired by the Little Free Libraries seen in many communities, the sled library provides sleds for anyone wishing to experience this excellent winter pastime. Like the library, the sled can be checked out, used, and returned for the next enthusiast to hit the hill.
Jesse McCaffrey, vice-chair for the Crystal Parks and Recreation Commission says, “The sled library at Valley Place Park is a great example of our city’s equityminded approach to recreation. Whether a kid forgot their sled or does not have one, the sled library allows everyone to play together. It also creates a space for conversations about sharing and kindness in our community.”
Crystal Parks and Recreation encourages the community to get involved by donating a sled and placing it directly in the sled library. In order to connect the community to this opportunity, the department hosted a sled drive during their outdoor event in February 2023.
BY DONATING A SLED AND PLACING IT DIRECTLY IN THE SLED LIBRARY.
THANK
Otsego
Otsego Parks and Recreation has two sledding hills in their park system and both hills have a sled shed. “The former parks and recreation director, Ross Demant, mentioned he saw another community’s program of borrowing a sled at the sledding hill,” says Connie Schwecke, recreation coordinator for Otsego Parks and Recreation. “In February 2021, the parks crew built two very basic storage sheds to keep the sleds in. The total cost for signage, sheds and sleds was about $100.”
According to Schwecke, Otsego Parks and Recreation advertises the sled shed program on their social media sites. “The sled sheds are still gaining popularity,” she adds. “Otsego is a great community. We have received positive feedback and comments from users, and actually get quite a few donations. We really haven’t had to purchase and replace any sleds.”
From skating ponds to picnic shelters, we understand what makes the outdoors fun in any season. We’re creative. We’re client-focused. And we’re proud of our experience in sustainable design. Reach out and discover what we can do for you today!
Challenge Courses Get Residents Moving
THE CITIES OF GOLDEN VALLEY AND PLYMOUTH BOTH HAVE CHALLENGE COURSES DESIGNED FOR AGES 13 AND UP INVOLVING RUNNING, CLIMBING, BALANCING, AND AGILITY TESTS. EACH YEAR MRPA RECOGNIZES AGENCIES IN MINNESOTA FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS. THE CITY OF GOLDEN VALLEY RECEIVED MRPA’S AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2017, AND THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH RECEIVED AN AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2021, BOTH IN THE PARK AND FACILITY CATEGORY.
In the fall of 2017, the first outdoor fitness challenge course in Minnesota opened at Schaper Park in Golden Valley, as well as their all-inclusive play area designed to meet the recreation needs of kids and families of all ability levels.
Schaper Park is owned by the City of Golden Valley and Three Rivers Park
District operates the Luce Line Regional Trail, which travels through Schaper Park. The park includes parking and restrooms available for regional trail users, and the challenge course and play equipment enhance the experience for trail users. The fitness challenge course includes obstacles that participants navigate over,
under, around and through as they race against the clock. The challenge course is designed for ages 13 and up and promotes wellness, fitness and health through active recreation for teens and adults.
“People of all ages are using the challenge course,” says Rick Birno, parks and recreation director for the City of Golden
Valley. “In particular, staff have found that the course is meeting the goal of reaching teens. Typically, play area use declines dramatically for ages 12 and up, yet teens are using the challenge course. Additionally, the timing systems — both for the challenge course and the 40 yard dash — have proven very popular.”
This timing system makes it possible for participants to compete against friends and family to see who can complete the course in the shortest time, as well as for individuals to keep attempting to better their own times. In addition, a permanent ‘selfie wall’ allows participants to take photos of their accomplishment to share on social media. Birno adds, “The challenge course leverages the benefits of outdoor exercise in a fun, exciting way that encourages people to come back to use it again and again.”
The park features are the result of a partnership that included the City of Golden Valley, Three Rivers Park District, Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground, Paul’s Pals, Golden Valley Rotary Club, and the Golden Valley Community Foundation.
“People of all ages are using the challenge course,” says Rick Birno, parks and recreation director for the City of Golden Valley. “In particular, staff have found that the course is meeting the goal of reaching teens.”
A 350-acre wooded nature preserve with bike and pedestrian trails, the Northwest Greenway stretches from Lake Camelot on the east side of the City of Plymouth to a Pavilion and Challenge Course in the west. In addition to protecting natural resources and preserving a wildlife corridor rich with wetlands and trees, the Northwest Greenway provides nearly 7.5 miles of paved trails and amenities for the community to enjoy.
Situated upon two adjacent knolls, the Northwest Greenway Pavilion and Challenge Course were built on more than eight acres of upland property with scenic views of the Elm Creek wetlands, and are connected by a trail extending over Elm Creek with a box culvert structure to minimize impacts to the adjacent floodplain.
A new park amenity for ages 13 and older, the Challenge Course offers activity challenges involving netting, climbing,
balancing and agility on a variety of structures. It was designed to promote wellness, fitness and health for community members, and offer unique park structures specifically for teens and adults.
The open-air Pavilion was designed to host gatherings and rentals, and serves as a trailhead for the Northwest Greenway. It features a plaza, parking, drinking fountains, restrooms, green room for events, serving counter, sink, refrigerator, bicycle
repair station and more. Members of the Plymouth community gathered in the fall of 2021 to cut the ribbon and celebrate the official opening of the new Pavilion and Challenge Course.
landscapes and nature, patient long-term planning, and emphasis on providing options for active lifestyles and amenities for the entire community to enjoy.”
Voters approved a $9 million referendum in 2006 to acquire land to create the Northwest Greenway and preserve open space, and trail paving began in 2015. When construction began on the recent amenities, the first phase of the project included site work and hardscape, which was followed by completion of the Pavilion building and the Challenge Course. Bids for the Challenge Course were received in January 2019, and the contract was awarded
to Landscape Structures the following month. Construction began in June 2020. Landscape Structures worked closely with the general contractor, Peterson Companies, to address wetland issues during the initial phase of the project – and the two companies practiced regular, open communication.
“With a variety of neighborhood parks that connect to the nearby trail system, the Northwest Greenway offers a variety of access points,” said Rippe. “It’s more than a park or a looping trail. It’s a community asset – and a legacy for generations of Plymouth residents to enjoy.”
Ninja courses have hit the park scene! Once seen only on TV and in a smattering of private gyms, these exciting and eminently challenging courses are now being made available in public spaces. As kids start to age out of playgrounds, ninja courses can be great ways to motivate them to stay active in a way that’s enjoyable and involves competition. Those admiring athletes swinging, jumping, and climbing around nearly-impossible obstacles can now enjoy the same adrenaline surge themselveswithout having to audition.
Ninja courses have surged in popularity in recent years, owing to the popularity of the hit TV show American Ninja Warrior. A key factor of the appeal of ninja training lies in the fact that while the courses require a great degree of athleticism to complete successfully, they can be used by those without background or training in mainstream competition sports. Reminiscent of a playground, they do a great job of bridging the gap between play and fitness. Rigorous enough to challenge even the most advanced athlete yet also containing basic features such as cargo nets that virtually anyone can use, they fill a niche for a demographic that may not engage with traditional amenities.
Additionally, while traditional sports typically require strict attention to form and extreme amounts of repetition during practice, ninja training is relatively unstructured, and courses and obstacles can be traversed a number of different ways. Nonetheless, the obstacles require a great deal of athleticism,
especially upper body, core, and grip strength, as well as high levels of balance and coordination. In addition, traversing the courses enhances agility and stamina and builds mental toughness. With the arrival of ninja courses built for public spaces, park visitors can enjoy the challenge and push their limits on specially-designed outdoor courses available to the public.
One high school in New Mexico that recently installed a course has seen tremendous benefit in the short time it’s been available
RIGOROUS ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE EVEN THE MOST ADVANCED ATHLETE YET ALSO CONTAINING BASIC FEATURES SUCH AS CARGO NETS THAT VIRTUALLY ANYONE CAN USE, THEY FILL A NICHE FOR A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT MAY NOT ENGAGE WITH TRADITIONAL AMENITIES.
to students. With their high energy levels and enthusiasm for new activities, high school students are a perfect demographic for ninja training. School administrators have observed how students that weren’t involved in sports and who weren’t academically inclined gravitated toward the course. Some then discovered their natural upper body strength and were able to channel their energies into activities such as wrestling - activities they hadn’t realized they had any aptitude for. What was originally thought by some administrators to be an odd fit for a high school with its strong resemblance to a playground turned into a popular and valuable amenity for the student body, something that gave students a way to release energy and build their confidence.
A park agency looking to create a ninja training course at one of their sites will want to select a highly visible
location. Fall height considerations will be similar to those of playgrounds, so mulch or poured-in-place rubber should be used. Course layouts can be closed loops or s-shapes. Including features from courses on the popular TV show - such as cheese walls, quintuple steps, and especially the warped wall at the end - will enhance the course’s appeal, especially to devotees of the show. Other features now available in outdoor ninja courses include swinging ropes, rings, wingnuts, and more.
Are you ready to create a ninja training destination at your park? Ninja courses can spur a little healthy competition between friends or even within oneself. Ninja training is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a great new way to get active outdoors and have fun doing it. Those looking for a unique new twist on fitness will find it a fun and engaging way to push their limits.
NINJA TRAINING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, BUT IT’S A GREAT NEW WAY TO GET ACTIVE OUTDOORS AND HAVE FUN DOING IT.
By Pernsteiner Creative Group staff
THERE IS ARGUABLY NO BETTER WAY TO HONOR A LOVED ONE OR CELEBRATE A SPECIAL EVENT THAN TO DEDICATE AN ELEMENT IN NATURE THAT ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY’S RESIDENTS. MANY MINNESOTA AGENCIES HAVE CREATED JUST THAT – AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEMORIALIZE LOVED ONES BY DEDICATING A BENCH, TREE, BIKE REPAIR STATION, PICNIC TABLE, BRICKS, AND MORE IN THEIR LOCAL PARKS.
Memorial programs honor loved ones, providing benefits to present and future generations, giving back in many ways:
• The gift of benches, chairs, and picnic tables allow people the chance to rest in the parks and gather as friends and family.
• Trees or flowers planted in someone’s memory are a living tribute that enhances the overall park system.
• Bike repair stations allow active residents to enjoy nature and honor a memory while pausing to fix a bike.
• Dedicating sculptures and other icons of art give people a creative and more intimate experience while enjoying a park.
• Sponsoring a part of a park or donating to a forest or conservancy fund help to protect and preserve the park for everyone.
There are various memorial programs throughout Minnesota, but the same underlying purpose remains - paying homage to loved ones while providing value for the community.
Memorial programs stand the test of time. Three Rivers Park District and the City of Prior Lake have been operating their programs since the mid-1990s, nearly 30 years. Other programs across the state were created in the early 2000s. The demand for park memorials is increasing in many areas.
“In 2004, the [Three Rivers] Park District had 20 tribute benches,” said Karl Huemiller, volunteer and donor relations supervisor. “As of January 2023, the Park District has 173 tribute benches and currently 10-20 are installed per year.”
The City of Prior Lake has more than 60 benches in Lakefront Park, the city’s largest and most popular park, explained Steve Hart, parks and recreation manager.
Ramsey County revamped its memorial program in 2019 and since then, 10 benches and one bike repair station have been installed.
Since most of the programs run lean, the existing revenue after production expenses is typically used for installation,
maintenance, and improvements in the parks. Additionally, in some areas like Ramsey County, extra funds may also be used to get more art into the local parks. “[Art] perennially seems to be something that does not end up in our operating budget, but is critically important to being a welcoming park system,” stated Kristopher Lencowski, director of park operations of Ramsey County Parks and Recreation.
Every memorial has its own story to tell. Agencies have heard stories of donors visiting their bench or hosting a picnic near their tree on a certain anniversary. Some have held dedication, candlelight, or planting ceremonies for the community to attend. Others have initiated fundraisers as a result.
“One gentleman expressed he lost his wife to cancer and since then, they have raised over $400,000 towards cancer research,” said Mao Lee, recreation program specialist of farmers market and park sponsorships about a resident’s memorial. Donors honoring loved ones in their local parks system will forever see the positive
and lasting impact that their gift has on their community and environment. Because at the end of the day, life is more beautiful in a park.
A unique tribute program that helps families heal is the Angels of Hope program. Angels of Hope features a statue surrounded by memorial bricks that provide a path and serene space for parents to grieve the emotional and physical loss of a child – opening the door for the community to help them heal.
The Angels of Hope is a monument that provides a beacon of hope nationwide. Since the first angel was erected in 1994, there are now more than 150 Angels of Hope sculptures across the United States. In Minnesota alone, there are seven parks and gardens in communities that have recognized the need for parents to have a place to reflect, heal and find peace.
All seven Angels of Hope parks and gardens in Minnesota are home to hundreds of sponsored bricks with plenty of room for additional donations.
Learn more about Angels of Hope at www.angelsofhope.org.
WE CONNECTED WITH MINNESOTA PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR MEMORIAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT, THE CITIES OF MAPLE GROVE AND PRIOR LAKE, AND RAMSEY COUNTY. HERE ARE THEIR RESPONSES.
Q&A with Karl Huemiller, volunteer and donor relations supervisor
How long has this program been in operation?
The Park District has been accepting donations for tribute benches since the mid-90s. The current iteration of the program was developed in 2004 with small changes being made since then.
Who runs the program?
The Three Rivers Park District Tribute Bench program is administered by Park District Staff.
After production expenses, what are the funds used for?
After production and installation expenses, funds are used to cover ongoing maintenance and replacement costs associated with the benches. Remaining funds also support the improvement and installation of additional seating options across the Park District’s parks and trails.
Do you have an idea of the amount of funds this has generated since its inception?
Since inception, the Tribute Bench program has generated over $310,000. Over the last two years the program has generated about $50,000 in gross revenue per year.
How many memorials are currently installed in parks?
In 2004 the Park District had 20 tribute benches. As of January 2023, the Park District has 173 benches. Currently 10-20 benches are installed per year.
Do you have other memorial programs? If so, please explain.
The Park District has a number of other tribute programs including bike repair
stations in regional trails, Adirondack chairs, tree plantings all available throughout the Park District. Additionally, Silverwood Park has a donor wall to recognize tribute donations to the park and its programming.
Are there other forms of memorial programs your agency offers?
Donations can be added to reservation and registration transactions for both designated and undesignated (general) use. The Park District works closely with the Three Rivers Park District Foundation to raise funds supporting many initiatives to help connect everyone to the wonders of our parks.
Any other closing thoughts about your memorial programs?
Is has been valuable for the Park District to have a maintenance team associated with the tribute bench donations. We also provide a GIS map with the locations of available benches and information about current benches on our website. Learn more at threeriversparks.org/page/ tribute-benches.
Q&A with Mao Lee, recreation program specialist – farmers market and park sponsorships
Q: How long has this program been in operation?
The Angels of Hope Memorial Bricks have been available for sponsorship since 2001.
Q: Who runs the program?
Both the city and the Friends of the Angel. The Friends of the Angel is a volunteer committee dedicated to helping friends and families who have suffered a lost one. More information about their group can be found here - https://www. friendsoftheangel.org/. The city helps with processing the brick orders, ordering and installing the bricks, replacing any damaged bricks and maintenance of the site. The Friends of the Angel does a lot of the promotional work for the bricks and they host 2 brick dedications a year for families to come to the site and see the sponsored bricks.
After production expenses, what are the funds used for?
Any extra funds go towards maintenance – if a brick (bench, tree, plaque) needs to be replaced, maintenance of the parks, maintenance of the Angels of Hope statue.
How many memorial bricks are currently installed in parks?
Hundreds of bricks have been installed since this program started and there’s room for plenty more.
Have you ever gotten inspiring feedback from a memorial purchaser in the community?
Since I’ve only recently began in my position, I’ve only been to one brick dedication and the 2022 brick candlelight memorial. I heard a few stories of families and friends saying how precious their loved ones are. One gentlemen expressed he lost his wife to cancer and since then they have raised over 400k towards cancer research.
Are there other forms of memorial programs your agency offers?
The city also offers sponsorable trees and park benches. The tree program has been discontinued at this time because sponsorable trees have been maxed out. The park bench sponsors are processed case by case depending how where the sponsor would like to place the bench. Learn more at maplegrovemn.gov/ facilities/facility/details.
Q&A with Steve Hart, parks and recreation manager
How long has this program been in operation?
Since the mid-90s, so nearly 30 years.
Who runs the program?
The City of Prior Lake administers the program.
After production expenses, what are the funds used for?
This program runs lean, meaning we do not charge much more that what the materials cost. Any additional funds go into the City general fund, which funds Park Operations. We charge $2,250 for a memorial bench and plaque. Roughly $2,000 goes toward the bench, and the other $250 for the plaque. Upon installation, the City will maintain the bench for a minimum of 10 years with the option to renew the memorial after that period.
How many memorials are currently installed in parks?
There are over 60 memorial benches installed throughout the city. Many of them at Lakefront Park, the city’s largest and most popular park.
Have you ever gotten inspiring feedback from a memorial purchaser in the community?
Every so often, we hear from those who’ve purchased a bench that they will visit it on a certain anniversary, or have had their own dedication ceremony, after it has been installed by City staff.
Are there other forms of memorial programs your agency offers?
We used to maintain a memorial tree program, but have discontinued it to simplify processes. Many of these trees still exist in our park system today. Learn more at priorlakemn.gov/ government/parks-recreation/parks/ memorial-bench-program
Q&A with Kristopher Lencowski, director of park operations, Ramsey County Parks & Recreation
Who runs the program?
Ramsey County
How long has this program been in operation?
The program has been running for quite a while, but was revamped in 2019.
Do you have an idea of the amount of funds this has generated since its inception?
Since 2019, it has generated $21,000
After production expenses, what are the funds used for?
Funds are used for park amenities such as benches, bike racks, picnic tables, etc. Funds may also be used to get more art into the parks, since that perennially seems to be something that does not end up in our operating budget but is critically important to being a welcoming park system.
How many memorials are currently installed in parks?
Since 2019, 10 benches have been installed and 1 bike repair station. A number of legacy benches exist in the system from the previous version of the program.
Are there other forms of memorial programs your agency offers?
Tamarack Nature Center has a paver program, but it is not robust and rarely used anymore.
Learn more at ramseycounty.us/residents/ parks-recreation/parks-trails/tributeprogram
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