Minnesota Recreation & Parks - Winter 2024

Creating Spaces for Healing in Nature

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 2024

President: Michelle Okada, Woodbury

President-Elect: Eric Carlson, Apple Valley

Past President: Jerome Krieger, Blaine

Secretary: Tracy Petersen, Edina

Treasurer: Sonya Rippe, Plymouth

RSC Chair: Scott Heitkamp, Burnsville

East Metro: Kelly Distad-Arvold, New Brighton

East Metro: Mike Ramirez, Eagan

East Metro: Dan Schultz, Rosemount

Northeast Region: Amber Moon Peterson, Nisswa

Northwest Region: Lynn Neumann, Hutchinson

Southern Region: Joey Schugel, New Ulm

West Metro: Roxann Maxey, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board

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,

at 763.571.1305

if interested in submitting an article for a future issue.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

By Jerome Krieger, MRPA Past President

Awards Ceremony Celebrates 2023 Achievements

I would like to start out by thanking the parks and recreation staff at the City of Maple Grove for hosting this year’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony. It was great to see everyone at the event and celebrate the awesome professionals we have in our state. A huge thank you to MRPA staff Michelle, Deb, and Bethani for planning and coordinating this large event for our membership. It was a fantastic day and one that will be remembered for years to come.

Congratulations to the 2023 award recipients. As an organization we had a lot to celebrate this year and you are all very deserving of your awards. It was awesome to see Bob and Joan Kojetin get honored for their contributions to our organization. We are very fortunate to have their support!

This publication highlights our awards ceremony, articles about parks and

recreation partnerships. Bob Kojetin will inform us on the history of MRPA and there will be an article highlighting our On the Air Podcast.

Finally, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead our organization this past year. Our board did a ton of work in 2023 and I am looking forward to where we are going in the future. This week is the start of the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt. A hunt that I have been participating in regularly for the last 20 years. I am looking forward to seeing other fellow hunters and trying to find it again. If I can find a plastic disc hidden in all of Ramsey County, it just shows we can do anything we put our minds to. Keep working hard and keep believing!

It’s been my pleasure to serve as your president.

Thanks,

Jerome

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead our organization this past year. Our board did a ton of work in 2023 and I am looking forward to where we are going in the future.

Member Profile: Sierra Hietala

How did you become interested in the parks and recreation profession?

I had a pretty Minnesotan upbringing, most of which included hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. Most of my favorite memories in general include one of those four activities. My family was always recreating in the outdoors, long before I knew parks and recreation was in my future!

I started college at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and declared a major in special education. I knew that I enjoyed helping people, planning, and making a difference in people’s lives, and with both parents as teachers that was the only way I knew how.

About mid-way through college, I knew I wanted to change my major, but I didn’t know what I would change it to. I met with an advisor and we talked about my interests and they suggested I take the ‘Intro to Recreation, Parks and Leadership Studies’ class. After that class, I was hooked! I immediately fell in love with the profession and knew this was my calling. There is something so great about the job diversity with the degree - you could be an event planner, forestry technician, naturalist, cruise director, inclusion specialist, resort manager, and the list

How did your career then begin?

I started my internship at Carpenter Nature Center (CNC) in Hastings during my final semester of college. I was the education intern where I had the opportunity to share my love of nature with visitors. My favorite memories were taking people on hikes and snowshoeing, hosting programs with the CNC Animal Ambassadors (like the barred owl, map turtles, and corn snakes), creating lunch with the critters videos, and making maple syrup.

After my internship, I worked for a season at the City of Elk River assisting with the farmers market and youth programs. During my employment with Elk River, thanks to Karen Wingard, I fell in love with farmers markets. I looked forward to the surge of visitors each Thursday, eager to bring home fresh produce or handmade

their first full-time recreation coordinator. My main duties are planning youth and adult activities, special events, the farmers market, creating marketing materials, and more. I have enjoyed being able to use my creativity and planning skills to provide new and exciting offerings for our community with the support of my supervisor at the time, Bryce Shearen.

How have you been involved in MRPA?

After getting hired by the City of Little Canada, Bryce encouraged me to get involved with MRPA. I began regularly attending YPSN meetings and would attend programming meetings whenever I could. Later I signed up to be a mentee for the MRPA Mentorship program and had two phenomenal mentors, Tracy Petersen and Kelly Becker. With their help, I met so many fantastic parks and recreation teams around the Twin Cities and expanded my professional and social network. After about a year of attending YPSN meetings, I was encouraged by Jessica Christensen Buck to be the chair-elect for the YPSN. In 2023, I enjoyed working with Matt Colwell creating relevant meeting topics for young professionals and students, and am excited to continue to do so with our chair-elect, Maddie Margo. I have also been assisting with some behindthe-scenes work for the MRPA On the Air Podcast, which features Bryce Shearen and Meredith Lawrence. We hope you give the pod a listen!

TOMORROW’S DESIGN TODAY.

The start of every great space is a tiny dream. Nurtured with encouragement, fed with resources, and given space to unfold, the seed becomes a place to play, to gather, to learn, to laugh. Let’s talk about your dream.

Emerging Recreation Leaders Institute (ERLI)

Congratulations to the 26 participants in the Emerging Recreation Leaders Institute (ERLI) program. The five-session program concluded at the Plymouth Community Center on November 15, 2023. The ERLI program is designed to provide information across a broad spectrum of the profession, while participants also build their professional network.

MRPA thanks Flagship Recreation, Landscape Structures, Inc., Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation, and RJM Construction for sponsoring this program. Thank you also to Three Rivers Park District, Landscape Structures, Inc., and the cities of Elk River, Plymouth, and St. Louis Park, for hosting the program days.

Also, thank you to the following ERLI committee members: Lisa Abernathy, St. Louis Park, Laura Fulton, Edina, Ryan Gunderson, Coon Rapids, Paul Pearson, Plymouth, and Sam Werle, Duluth.

Communicating for Impact

There were 60 attendees at Communicating for Impact at the Eagan Community Center on February 9, 2024. This workshop was organized by the MRPA Leadership Development Network co-chairs Reed Smidt, from the City of Woodbury, and Niki Geisler, from Dakota County Parks.

Participants learned hands-on practice in developing a communication strategy, how to articulate needs, and the importance of essential service provided to leaders and elected officials.

Thank you to Eagan Parks and Recreation for hosting and Sports Lighting

for sponsoring this leadership workshop.

The OVAL in Roseville wins USA Today’s Best Ice Skating Rink Contest

Congratulations to the City of Roseville for winning first place in the USA Today contest for best ice-skating skating rink, the John Rose Minnesota OVAL. They were selected over 19 others, including New York City’s Rockefeller Center Rink, the James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval in Lake Placid and the Common Frog Pond in Boston, Massachusetts.

“We are excited for the John Rose Minnesota OVAL to be selected as the best ice rink in the U.S. and appreciate everyone who voted for it,” says Matthew Johnson, parks and recreation director for the City of Roseville. “The OVAL is a special facility and is important to so many skaters and athletes in the Roseville community, throughout Minnesota, and beyond. This recognition is also an important reflection of the passion, thoughtfulness, and hard work that all of the staff at the OVAL put in to making it a special place, and I am grateful for all that they do to make it happen.”

EVERYTHING

Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame Banquet

The 2023 Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame induction banquet was held on January 26, 2024 at the Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. There were close to 200 attendees at the banquet, the highest registration numbers for quite some time.

The 2023 inductees included: Seth Brown (player), Cara Coughenour (player), Dale Heille (sponsor). John Kihslinger, Jr. (player), Rachel McGowan (player), Greg Oslund (player), Dustin Palm

(player), Gary Pederson (senior softball) and Gene Thompson (senior softball).

Since 1994, Minnesota USSSA honors individuals who have contributed to the Minnesota United States Specialty Sports Association program by inducting them to the state’s hall of fame. This is considered the highest honor Minnesota’s USSSA can bestow on any individual.

Congratulations to all 2023 inductees!

GROW WITH US

MINNESOTA RECREATION & PARK FOUNDATION

As we reflect on five decades of commitment, passion, and community building, I want to extend my gratitude to each one of you for helping us celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Foundation. Our journey as a non-profit foundation has been nothing short of remarkable, and it is the unwavering support from our dedicated members that has fueled our success.

Please join me in welcoming two outstanding individuals to the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Foundation Board of Directors: Jenna Smith and Sierra Hietala. Their enthusiasm, expertise, and commitment to our mission promise to elevate the foundation to new heights.

In the spirit of change and growth, it is also with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to two esteemed outgoing board members, Jessie Koch and Becky Sola. Their dedication and contributions have left an indelible mark on the foundation, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their service.

As we embark on the next chapter of our journey, I invite each of you to become a part of our community. Your involvement is crucial in shaping the future of the foundation. Whether you are passionate about new initiatives, coordinating the annual golf tournament, contributing to fundraising initiatives, organizing networking socials, or engaging in membership/student outreach, there is a meaningful role for you.

Remember, you do not need to be on the board of directors to make a difference. Volunteering with the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Foundation is a rewarding way to give back to our profession and make a positive impact on the communities we serve. Your unique skills and perspectives are invaluable, and we welcome your enthusiasm and energy.

If you are interested in becoming involved or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Together, we can continue to build a strong foundation for the future of recreation and parks in Minnesota.

Jennifer.fink@newbrightonmn.gov

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Foundation.

Jennifer Fink - MRPF President

MRPF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The MRPF Scholarship Program is made possible through MRPF scholarship partners. This year’s partners include memorial donations in the honor of Fran Callahan and Barry Bernstein, along with a donation from Kraus-Anderson. The program has been created to promote and enable excellence in the field of park and recreation by providing financial assistance to undergraduate students, graduate students and professionals pursuing a graduate degree.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE?

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

This scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation, tourism or related field.

Award of up to $2,000 (renewable yearly for up to four years)

BARRY BERNSTEIN MEMORIAL DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is designed to help the parks and recreation industry better represent the diverse population in Minnesota by providing financial assistance to undergraduate or graduate students who are members of a population that has traditionally been underrepresented in the field of Parks and Recreation.

Award of up to $2,000

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Either attends a school in Minnesota or is a Minnesota resident attending a school in a neighboring state.

• Demonstrated ability for academic success.

• Ability to provide evidence of degree persistence each academic year.

• Demonstrated ability to work in the parks, recreation, tourism, or related field upon graduation.

PROFESSIONAL GRADUATE DEGREE SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to MRPF professional members pursuing a graduate degree.

Award of up to $2,000

APPLY ONLINE BY FRIDAY, MARCH 15

MNRPF.ORG/SCHOLARSHIPS

SPRING NEW INITIATIVE GRANT DEADLINE

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

The MRPF New Initiative Grant Program, is intended to spur innovation in parks and recreation services at a local, regional, or state-wide level that ultimately could have state-wide impact.

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AT MNRPF.ORG/GRANTS

MRPA ON THE AIR PODCAST

Listen. Learn. Laugh.

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

The MRPA On the Air podcast had an eventful year in 2023, and 2024 is starting out strong. There were eight episode recordings during the months of January-December 2023, and two have launched in 2024 so far. In total, there have been 12 recordings since MRPA launched the podcast in May 2022.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to any of the podcasts, or you’ve missed the most recent recordings, visit the MRPA website at: mnrpa.org/podcast. One of the most recent podcasts is an interview with President-Elect, Eric Carlson, with the City of Apple Valley on the referendum process.

Another recent podcast is an interview with MRPA Past President, Jerome Krieger, from the City of Blaine. He discusses the MRPA strategic plan for 2024-2026. This podcast also has the highlights of the 2023 year for MRPA. Here are some of the MRPA highlights 2023 from the podcast recording, but be sure to listen to the podcast to hear the entire list:

• The Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon was held in January 2023 at Torey’s Event Center in Owatonna. There were over 100 attendees at this annual event. Congratulations to all the award recipients!

• The 3 rd Annual Mentorship Program kicked off at the Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon with 26 mentor/mentee pairs. Thank you to committee members Jessica Christensen-Buck, Meredith Lawrence, Jenna Smith, and John W. Stutzman.

• The Race and Equity Advisory Committee hosted a spring virtual workshop. This committee began work in 2020 to acknowledge the climate regarding race and equity, in response to a demonstrated need in MRPA and our communities.

• The Certified Playground Safety Inspector Course was held three times in 2023, two in the spring and one in the fall.

• The first-ever Aquatic Manager Boot Camp was held in May in Apple Valley, presented by the MRPA Aquatics Network.

• Working with corporate member, Minnesota Twins, five designated park and recreation days were scheduled. MRPA was recognized on the field at Fan Appreciation Day for member group sales.

• In July, the Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame Benefit Golf Tournament was held at Theodore Wirth Golf Course. There were several Minnesota USSSA softball tournaments held throughout the summer.

• Also in July, the MRPA Aquatics Network helped with the first Lifeguard Competition in Bloomington. The MRPA plans to have this be an annual event held every summer.

• The Annual Conference had 450 delegates, the highest MRPA conference attendance on record. Thank you to the co-chairs Sonya Rippe and Katie Yandall, the conference committee, and the Plymouth Community Center for hosting. The first-ever maintenance rodeo was created with great attendance and feedback. MRPA looks forward to continuing this event during the conference.

• The Emerging Recreation Leaders Institute (ERLI) held five program during the fall with 27 participants. Thank you to committee members Lisa Abernathy, Laura Fulton, Ryan Gunderson, Paul Pearson and Sam Werle.

Thank you again to the podcast hosts, Meredith Lawrence and Bryce Shearen. Thank you to Sierra Hietala for helping with the coordination of the podcast recordings and the rest of podcast pack for their topic ideas: Jamie Anderson, Nicole Gorman and Reed Smidt. MRPA is grateful to Landscape Structures and Flagship Recreation for their presenting sponsorship of the podcast, and to Bolton and Menk for their episode sponsorship.

The podcast is available on all major platforms and don’t forget to follow or subscribe to be notified of when a new episode is dropped. Have an idea for a podcast episode? Send your idea to podcast@mnrpa.org.

Podcast hosts Meredith Lawrence (left) and Bryce Shearen

2023 Minnesota Recreation and Parks Association Professional Awards

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

The 2023 professional awards ceremony was held January 12, 2024 at the Maple Grove Community Center. MRPA recognized 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.

2023 Award Recipients

Left to right: Peter Dugan, Rick Birno, Bob Kojetin, Aimee Peterson, Chelsea Swenhaugen, Joey Schugel, and Karl Huemiller

Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award

The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award is MRPA’s award of highest distinction. The 2023 recipient for this award was Rick Birno, recently retired parks and recreation director for the City of Golden Valley.

Nelson-Niles Award

The Nelson-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 2023 recipient was Joey Schugel with New Ulm Parks and Recreation.

Horizon Award

Chelsea Swenhaugen with Inver Grove 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.

Gerald B. Fitzgerald Leadership Award

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. Aimee Peterson with Maple Grove Parks and Recreation was the 2023 recipient of this award.

Tommy Johnson Award

The Tommy Johnson Award was presented to the City of Richfield. 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.

Board and Commission Award

The Board and Commission Award is given to a member of a citizen’s advisory or policymaking board in the parks and recreation profession. The recipient was Peter Dugan, with Eagan Parks and Recreation.

Lifetime Contribution Award

The MRPA Board of Directors adopted a new award titled the Lifetime Contribution Award. This award honors those who have given longstanding support to the Association. The first recipients were Robert and Joan Kojetin

Congratulations to all MRPA professional award recipients. We look forward to the 2024 Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon in January 2025.

MRPA Awards Program’s Nelson-Niles Award

MRPA has historically presented the Dorothea Nelson and Jack Niles Awards during the annual awards program. These awards were named after pioneers in the profession, Dorothea Nelson and Jack Niles. These two awards were historically presented to a female member and a male member with more than 10 years of professional experience and outstanding service to the profession and the Association.

During 2023, the MRPA Awards Committee reviewed the awards categories to ensure the awards and processes were inclusive of all members. The Awards Committee recommended the two awards be combined into one award eliminating the gender criteria to make for a welcoming environment for all members. The MRPA Board of Directors adopted this recommendation, which allows for up to two recipients to be selected annually. The newly named Nelson-Niles award is inclusive of all members, while MRPA continues to honor the pioneers and legacies of Dorothea Nelson and Jack Niles.

Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award

The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award recipient for 2023 was Rick Birno, parks and recreation director for the City of Golden Valley. 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.

Birno recently retired after 38 years in the parks and recreation field. He first started working for the City of Golden Valley during high school and stayed working there after graduating from the University of Minnesota. Birno has both his bachelor’s and his master’s degree from the university.

After working for the Golden Valley Parks and Recreation Department for years, he accepted the position of superintendent

of recreation for the City of St. Louis Park. “During my years with St. Louis Park, I was fortunate to work with many city staff who were highly skilled in strong public process,” he states.

In 2013, he went back to the City of Golden Valley when the parks and recreation director Rick Jacobson retired. According to Birno, being hired as the director was like going home. Returning back to the city where he first started out was a great way to end his career.

“Because of my experience with the City of St. Louis Park, I was able to implement many of the public process strategies currently in place in the Golden Valley Parks and Recreation Department,” says Birno. “I believe that good public process is the foundation to successful community outcomes.”

During his time at Golden Valley as director, he was the project lead for public input, design, and construction of Brookview. He also help create the

partnership with community organizations and Three Rivers Park District to design and implement the first challenge course in the state of Minnesota.

Birno has been involved with MRPA throughout his entire career. He was the recipient of the MRPA Jack Niles Award in 1996 and was the MRPA Board president in 1999. He served on many MRPA sections and committees and was chair for the MRPA Annual Conference and the MRPA Program Steering Committee Section.

“Having the opportunity to impact seasonal, part-time, interns, and new recreation professionals who have spent time with the cities I’ve been part of has been the most rewarding aspect of my career, and I hope my most notable contribution,” adds Birno.

Congratulations again to Rick Birno for receiving this distinguished award, and for all his years of service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.

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A History of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

By Bob Kojetin, MRPA Retiree Member and Retired Edina Parks and Recreation Director

The history library at the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (MRPA) office has information from when the Association was formed in 1937 until the present. When MRPA reached-out to the retiree members to help with memories for the MRPA 75th anniversary in 2012, I volunteered my time to research MRPA documents in multiple storage boxes. From that research, I organized the documents and made a MRPA history library.

Karl Raymond, MRA president ‘37, ‘38, ‘42

The history library contains meeting minutes, historic photos, newsletters, magazines and other files. The Board meeting minutes start in 1937 when Karl Raymond was president of the Association, then called the Minnesota Recreation Association (MRA). During this time, there were 73 members of MRA.

Membership was open only to supervisory personnel at $1.00 per year. Now membership has grown to around 900 members (professional, corporate, agency, contributing, retirees, students, and board and commission). The Annual General Meeting used to be held twice a year, during the spring and fall; the archives of the minutes start in during the 1950s.

Unfortunately, not all the early records are in the MRPA history library. Some of the material from the early years of MRPA were stored in a member’s garage that caught fire. Some of the 10-year history of the softball state tournaments in the late 1960s was also lost during this time.

Some early records happened to be saved. Luckily, the file with how MRPA began in 1937 was recorded. The Minnesota Athletics Commission (MAC) agreed to turn over the operation of the state tournament to the athletic committee of the MRA. The commission turned over the $34.67 to the MRA in August of 1937. The MAC held swimming championships in Austin, horseshoe tournaments in St. Cloud, tennis tournaments in Brainerd, hockey tournaments in Minneapolis, basketball tournaments in Virginia, and softball tournaments in Stillwater.

programs were run and funded by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This was also during a time a legislative law came into effect. In 1937, the Minnesota American Legion helped pass the chapter 233 law. This law permitted cities to tax the community to hire and support park and recreation personnel and build athletic facilities.

During this time there were 40 cities in Minnesota that had some kind of recreation programming. These

In addition to the early history from 1937, the MRPA library has the collection of the Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame inductees since it began in 1994. The first 50 years of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation files can also be found in the MRPA library. Members are welcome to the MRPA office any time to view and read the history library files.

The MRPA Board of Directors and MRPA staff extend a warm thank you to Bob Kojetin for his dedication and passion for helping the Association. Bob and his wife Joan are the 2023 recipients of a new MRPA award titled the Lifetime Contribution Award. Also, thank you to the Chris Esser Family for the donation to purchase the presidential and professional awards display for the MRPA office when the history library was created.

Bob Kojetin in front of the MRPA history library which he organized

Bob Kojetin (left) and Ron Hurst

Creating Spaces for Healing in Nature THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT

By Jason McGrew-King, Three Rivers Park District

In surveys and feedback shared at parks and on the trails, many users of the Three Rivers Park District system describe how their time spent in the parks helps them de-stress, reflect, relax and achieve a sense of calm not found in other areas of their lives. Traditionally, these experiences have been user-driven. Three Rivers operates and maintains the parks and trails, but historically hadn’t taken an active role in promoting the parks as places for emotional healing. That changed in 2022 with the launch of a partnership between Three Rivers Park District and a nonprofit organization, Innovative SOULutions, that reimagined the role parks and the outdoors can play in fostering healing among people affected by trauma. The partnership offers opportunities for community members directly affected by gun violence to gather as a group in nature and to facilitate the process of building community and resiliency in a welcoming outdoor setting.

The goal of the effort is to connect individuals and families impacted by gun violence to the outdoors, and to facilitate the healing process by offering a respite from the distractions and anxieties of everyday life. The genesis of the partnership between Three Rivers Park District and Innovative SOULutions began in August 2021, when a community member encouraged Three Rivers staff to apply for federal American Rescue Plan Act funding administered through Hennepin County that was designated to prevent gun violence and mitigate the effects of gun violence on communities. Three Rivers had an emerging connection with Innovative SOULutions and reached out to explore how the two agencies could work together to offer programming for people affected by gun violence. Three Rivers staff worked with Farji

Shaheer, founder and director of Innovative SOULutions, to develop a plan and submit a proposal to Hennepin County, which was approved for funding. Events have been held monthly since the spring of 2022.

Events have included snow tubing at Elm Creek Park Reserve, a private cross-country ski lesson, a maple syruping event at Eastman Nature Center, a rafting trip on the Mississippi River at Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, and a two-night cabin camping trip at the Baker Outdoor Learning Center.

Participants range in age from 1 to 60+.

Some have limited mobility because of lasting effects from gunshot wounds, which means that Three Rivers staff are thinking about accessibility and a need for adaptive equipment for each engagement. Archery and biking have both become popular and

repeated activities because the adaptive equipment available made it fun and accessible for all.

For each monthly event, Three Rivers staff provide the needed equipment, recreation instruction and gathering spaces in the parks, while Innovative SOULutions recruits families to attend and facilitates healing activities (such as healing circles) at the events.

Amanda Fong, Three Rivers’ Community Engagement Supervisor, explained that the two organizations have very different strengths. Three Rivers Park District has a 65-year history of managing parks, employs a staff of outdoor educators who are well-versed in teaching people how to be active in nature, and owns and maintains equipment for outdoor recreation activities in every season.

Three Rivers had an emerging connection with Innovative SOULutions and reached out to explore how the two agencies could work together to offer programming for people affected by gun violence.

Innovative SOULutions diligently fosters relationships with the families it serves, all of whom have been directly impacted by gun violence, and works to provide whatever the families need in order to stabilize and build resiliency through that traumatic event.

In 2023, Three Rivers successfully sought funding from Hennepin County’s Community Violence Prevention Program to expand the partnership to include an additional organization, Giving It a Voice, which works with youth ages 10 – 24 to build trust, mirror positive influence and healthy relationships, build leadership skills and strengthen mental and emotional well-being.

Three Rivers staff now are holding monthly events with Giving It a Voice participants as well as continuing the monthly programs with Innovative SOULutions. Across the two organizations, an average of 50 people are participating each month and approximately 250 people in total are being engaged through the partnerships. In addition, the current year’s funding from Hennepin County provides winter gear for participants so they’re equipped to enjoy the outdoors during the cold months.

One of the positive aspects about the partnership effort is that it can easily be replicated and expanded to include more partners, more participants and new audiences. Three Rivers’ strengths and resources are in connecting people to nature and meeting folks wherever they are in order to discover points of entry to the outdoors, and the parks have great capacity to welcome more people. The practice of being in nature is healing, and working with partner agencies who build and maintain trusting, ongoing relationships with families makes it easy to expand and deepen the impact.

The partner agencies create a bridge for participants’ experiences in the parks to be not just one-time activities, but part of a complex web of community support and space for renewal, healing and connection. Asked about a favorite experience related to the partnership, Fong recalled a summer camping trip with about 40 participants at Crow-Hassan Park Reserve in Rogers as an example of what the organizations contribute to the effort. Fong said that on a Friday evening, she taught group leaders how to set up their tents, cook a meal over a propane stove and set up an outdoor dishwashing station. Shaheer’s team of leaders then facilitated the excursion for the rest of the families Saturday-Sunday, and they were able to turn that overnight camping trip into a powerful weekend of family connection and communal healing. The Innovative SOULutions team facilitated a healing circle around the campfire and led conversations about community safety, race relations, gun violence, and ideas for improving the safety in their neighborhoods. “Both those pieces make it work,” Fong said of the partnership. “We need each other’s strengths to pull this off.” n

Three Rivers strengths and resources are in connecting people to nature and meeting folks wherever they are in order to discover points of entry to the outdoors, and the parks have great capacity to welcome more people.

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As a family owned and operated business, we take pride in our service and customer satisfaction. Independently run, unlike many of our single-source competitors, Synthetic Turf Solutions Minnesota partners with numerous industry-leading manufacturers across the country to offer the widest range of products, services and solutions – allowing us the freedom to find the proper products that align with our clients individual needs at a price to fit all budgets. With a locally stocked warehouse in the southwest metro, we are truly your ‘one-stop shop’ for all things synthetic turf and game court related.

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THE POWER OF Partnerships

PARTNERSHIPS IN SHAKOPEE

By Kyle Sobota, City of Shakopee

A plethora of partnerships has allowed for the construction and maintenance of a unique mountain bike trail and race venue in eastern Shakopee. In 2019 the 50-member Shakopee Sabers Mountain Bike Club / ISD 720 received a grant from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community (SMDC) to construct a short mountain bike trail for instructional purposes on ISD 720 property. After the school district Facilities Committee and district consultants further reviewed the site, some previously unforeseen design challenges were discovered that restricted an already limited area for trail construction.

After a brief discussion between Mike Redmond, ISD 720 Superintendent, and Bill Reynolds, City of Shakopee Administrator, it was determined that a better option to benefit both the team and wider community may be available at Quarry Lake Park. After subsequent discussions with City parks staff, the City of Shakopee approached Xcel Energy regarding a proposed partnership for use of adjacent land to Quarry Lake Park that is part of the 128-acre Xcel Energy Blue Lake Generation Plant campus.

As discussions progressed, the SMDC allowed for the grant timeline to be extended and the grant to be transferred to the City of Shakopee. Once the use of the Xcel Energy property was formally approved by both Xcel Energy and the State Public Utilities Commission, the City of Shakopee contributed funds to design and construct a fourmile trail called the Xcel Energy Mountain Bike (MTB) Park.

The City of Shakopee approached several area cycling enthusiasts of different ages and abilities for trail design discussions with the city’s consultant, Confluence / Kay-Linn Enterprises. To aid the trail construction on the very sandy soils of the site, Kay-Linn called for four inches of compacted recycled asphalt, which was conveniently sourced from the adjacent property owner, Bituminous Roadways, to create a nearly all-weather trail.

Once design was complete, Pathfinder Trail Building for was tapped for construction in 2021. The sandy soils and recycled asphalt allows the Xcel Energy MTB Park to be one of the few trails that is open in early spring and during the unseasonably warm winter of 2024 when most other trails are closed due to the freeze-thaw cycles that makes trails with different soil types very fragile.

The Minnesota Cycling Association (MCA) has held races at the Xcel Energy MTB Park in 2022

THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE APPROACHED SEVERAL AREA CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS OF DIFFERENT AGES AND ABILITIES FOR TRAIL DESIGN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY’S CONSULTANT, CONFLUENCE / KAY-LINN ENTERPRISES.

and 2023, both on weekends where over 1” of rainfall was received close to race time, which would have cancelled racing events at nearly any other area trail. The MCA partnered with Emerson to allow parking for the 1,000+ riders and spectators at Emerson’s facility direct adjacent to Quarry Lake Park.

The trail is maintained by a partnership between the Shakopee Sabers Mountain Bike Team (MTB) non-profit, Shakopee DIRT, and staff from Cities Edge Motorsports / Cycles , a local bike shop / motorsports dealer. Since 2019 the Sabers MTB Team has grown to over 90 members and 50 volunteer coaches.

In the fall of 2023, a long awaited bike / pedestrian bridge over US Highway 169 opened; thanks to funding by the City of Shakopee Park Reserve Fund and the 2020 State Bonding Bill. The new bridge allows much greater access to Quarry Lake Park, the Xcel Energy MTB Park and other regional trails. n

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES.

As Confluence continues to grow, so does the strength of our team and our capabilities. With offices in nine markets and counting, our creative approach combines local relationships and on-the-ground insights with a highly collaborative model.

Let’s explore future possibilities together.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | URBAN DESIGN | PLANNING www.thinkconfluence.com

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BEMIDJI PARKS AND RECREATION FORMS DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIPS

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Bemidji Parks and Recreation has dynamic partnerships with multiple agencies, including Bemidji Rotary Club, Visit Bemidji, Bemidji State University, and Bemidji Jaycees, just to name a few. These partnerships have many financial and political benefits that allow the parks and recreation department to maximize skills and be creative with programs and projects.

According to Marcia Larson, parks and recreation director for the City of Bemidji, the Paul Bunyan Inclusive Playground was a $600,000 project completed through a partnership with the Bemidji Rotary Club and Shane’s Inspiration. A playground committee was created to be intentional about the design, commitment, and location of the playground project. The committee also assisted with fundraising and a community build.

The Paul Bunyan Inclusive Playground received a MRPA Award of Excellence for projects completed in 2016.

“This playground was the first of its kind in Bemidji and the largest of its kind in northern Minnesota,” adds Larson.

North Country Park Natural Playground project also formed a playground committee to promote and engage the community and assist with the planning details. The natural playground is a unique feature in the Bemidji parks system. It’s located in a 20-acre park in a highly wooded area with trails. “The project brought together a large contingent of volunteer groups working collaboratively on building components at one volunteer event,” says Larson. “Neighbors, commission members, scouts, homeschool groups, uniformed police officers and other groups worked and discussed ideas. The Rotary Club led the fundraising effort, raising over $36,000. The fundraising goal was $30,000, but with increased costs of lumber, the Rotary Club raised additional funds for volunteer building materials. The passion and commitment of committee and those dedicated to the natural playground project made the project an amazing experience.”

The Bemidji Skatepark was a partnership project with the Bike and Skate Association and Bemidji Youth Commission. This was a true grassroots effort from the youth of the community. The design of the skatepark, facilitated by Site Design, was created through joint community workshops. The Skate and Bike Association raised over 50% or $166,000 of the construction costs of the plaza-style skatepark, which completed in 2010 is still the

THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT OF COMMITTEE AND THOSE DEDICATED TO THE NATURAL PLAYGROUND PROJECT MADE THE PROJECT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

Photo: Spohn Ranch

THE PROJECT BROUGHT TOGETHER A LARGE CONTINGENT OF VOLUNTEER GROUPS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ON BUILDING COMPONENTS AT ONE VOLUNTEER EVENT.

THE PAUL BUNYAN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND RECEIVED A MRPA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 2016.

largest skatepark in Northern Minnesota.

“The skatepark project was one of the first projects I was involved in as director and was a true reflection of a really great partnership,” says Larson. “The ribbon cutting event had over 100 skaters and youth in attendance. It was phenomenal!” The skatepark project, as part of a larger City Park project, won the MRPA Tommy Johnson Award in 2011.

The Bemidji Skatepark project was the first project where a memorandum of

understanding (MOU)was created. The format of the MOU was followed for many of the other projects to ensure clear and concise communication for all the partnerships and thus supported a continued growth in partnerships.

According to Larson, the parks and recreation department has partnerships with many organizations to promote native plantings in Bemidji and have created the Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Bemidji. Together these agencies

ARCHITECTURAL DOG PARK PRODUCTS

use their expertise to promote education on native plantings and other topics to the public. Some of the agencies that partner with parks and recreation in the promotion of native plantings are the Audubon Society, Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Bemidji State University Sustainability Office, Garden Club, Watermark Art Center, Leech Lake Tribal College, and the Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation District. n

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MRPA Corporate Members

Anderson Race Management

www.andersonraces.com

B32 Engineering Group www.b32eng.com

Bituminous Roadways Inc. www.bitroads.com

Bolton & Menk, Inc. www.bolton-menk.com

Colorado State UniversityHuman Dimensions of Natural Resources www.warnercnr.colostate.edu/hdnr/ communications-for-conservation

Commercial Recreation Specialists, Inc. www.crs4rec.com

Creative Resources Agency www.acreativeresource.com

Custom Bridges and Boardwalks

www.custombridgesandboardwalks.com

Custom Builders Inc. www.custombuildersmn.com

Damon Farber Landscape Architects www.damonfarber.com

FinnlySport www.finnlysport.com

Fireflies Play Environment Inc.Nature Play www.firefliesplay.com

Flagship Recreation www.flagshipplay.com

H+U Construction www.hu-construction.com

HGA Architects and Engineers www.hga.com

HKGi

www.hkgi.com

Horizon Commercial Pool Supply www.horizonpoolsupply.com

ISG

www.ISGinc.com

JLG Architects www.jlgarchitects.com

Johnson Fitness

www.johnsonfitness.com/commercial Kompan www.kompan.us

Kraus-Anderson www.krausanderson.com

Landscape Structures www.playlsi.com

LHB, Inc. www.lhbcorp.com

Midwest Playscapes, Inc. www.midwestplayscapes.com

MINNCOR Industries www.minncor.com

Minnesota Wisconsin Playground Inc. www.mnwiplay.com

Musco Sports Lighting www.musco.com

Premier Polysteel

www.premierpolysteel.com

RJ Thomas Manufacturing / Pilot Rock

www.pilotrock.com

RJM Construction www.rjmconstruction.com

Romtec www.romtec.com

Safety First Playground Surfacing LLC www.safetyfirstplayground.com

Sport Court North www.sportcourtnorth.com

Sports Lighting Authority

www.sportslightingauthority.com

SRF Consulting Group Inc.

www.srfconsulting.com

St. Croix Recreation www.funplaygrounds.com

Stantec

www.stantec.com

Synthetic Turf Solutions www.syntheticturfmn.com

Think Digital Signs

www.thinkdigitalsigns.com

MyRec.com www.myrec.com

Northland Recreation, LLC www.northlandrec.com

Nystrom Publishing Company www.nystrompublishing.com

Oertel Architects, LTD www.oertelarchitects.com

Plaisted Companies www.plaistedcompanies.com

TKDA www.tkda.com

USTA Northern www.northern.usta.com

Webber Recreational Design www.webberrec.com

WSB & Associates, Inc. www.wsbeng.com

Creating an Immersive Playground Environment

At Landscape Structures, we believe the play environment should complement its surroundings. But more than that, it should deliver an immersive experience. Every aesthetic choice is also backed by evidence to challenge, excite and energize kids of all ages and abilities. We’ll collaborate with you to create the best experience for kids in your community. Because that’s what really matters. Learn more at playlsi.com.