January 2013
Vol. 13 - No. 10
Prepared and paid for by the City of Chaska
SHIP CITIZEN RESPONSIBILITY
Advertise on Channel 15 Adve
RESPECT GENEROSITY
Our
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Community
Values
HUMAN WORTH & DIGNITY
INTEG RITY LEARNING
find us on
A Quality Small Town
rtise your fund-raisers and community events on Chaska Comcast Cable Chan nel 15. For more information visit: www. chaskacommunitycente r.com/ parks/ Chaska_Community_ TV.php To submit an advertis ement, send flyer or information yo u wish to post electronically to info@ chaska.tv.
Parks and Trails:
A look to the future
B
Making for a better Chaska community! B
ack in 1975, the Chaska Park Board was primarily concerned with athletics with the majority of their time spent on tennis and baseball. Today the Chaska Park Boards focus is on everything from community special events, arts programming, facility management, park development, pre-school happenings, cable T.V., active older adults, aquatics, ice, wellness and much more. The Chaska Park Board is made up of 9 Chaska residents who volunteer their time to serve a 3 year term with monthly meetings held the second Monday of each month at 7 P.M. at the CCC. The Park Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Chaska City Council with Chaska Park and Recreation Department staff serving in an advisory role. The Chaska Park Board is currently led by Chairman Nate Bostrom. “It’s such a privilege to serve on the Chaska Park Board,” Bostrom said. “It is an opportunity to be a part of one of the most innovative and forward-thinking park and recreation programs in Minnesota.” The Park and Recreation Department today employs 19 full time employees and over 200 part time employees with an annual budget of nearly 4 million dollars that includes the CCC. Since its inception the Park Board has been recognized as the impetus for today’s Chaska parks and trails system in addition
to actions leading up to The Lodge, wellness component, theater addition, second ice sheet, and St. Francis expansion onto the Chaska Community Center. The Boards primary intent is to provide for meaningful and timely community input for Chaska residents for that which Chaska Park Board pertains to the municiFront row: Nick Mason, Pat Wittrock, Dave Roan. Back Row Left to pal park and recreRight: Jonathan Grau, Bob Wittman, Nate Bostrom, Sean Olson. ation sector. Over the Not in picture: Joshua Ives and Tom Skoogman. next few months Park Board members will have an opportunity to provide input as it Growing up in a small town, I learned at an early age that relates to the 10 year your hometown was only going to be as good as you made it. city parks and trails Serving on the Chaska Park Board has, for me, been a fun capital improvement way to contribute towards the betterment of our community. plan. Some of the newer Chaska proj–Dave Roan ects which have been discussed on a pre“The Park Board is good at guiding us liminary basis include a Chaska dog park, through the process,” said Kathy Skinner, a flood control dike around Athletic Park, a Assistant Chaska Park and Recreation dome for indoor activity in partnership with Director. “They make certain we are on the the Chaska-Chanhassen Soccer Club and a right track in meeting our mission of serving development concept for Firemen’s Park. community.”
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ack in the 1960s, the new town Jonathan concept led the way for what is today a quality city of Chaska parks and trails system. McKnight Park and Friendship Park, coupled with an extensive association trail system, were the template for what today has become a model for the city parks and trail system. Over the next few months, the Chaska city council, park board and staff will begin the discussion on how local resources can best be allocated over the next 10 years to benefit the municipal parks and trails.
Bavaria Road, Highway #41 and on the city flood control dike system. Trails connect to the Minnesota DNR River Valley Trails, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Chaska Lake Refuge and the U of M Arboretum. A significant future financial commitment will be required to maintain this system while also exploring opportunities to expand it.
As Chaska becomes closer to fully developed, consideration also will be given to how older city parks can be improved to continue to best ser ve Chaska residents. Park acreage in “old town” Chaska— i n c l u d i n g F i r e m e n ’s , Lions, Athletic and City Square—will not only need to be preserved but will also need to be enhanced to continue to serve all ages for every leisure pursuit from swimming to band concerts.
W hat role do city trails play in helping individuals lead a healthy lifestyle?
Since Chaska sta r ted developing its trail system on Chaska East Creek in the 1980s, city leaders have focused on expanding and improving the network of trails in the community. Offroad trails have been created on Engler Bouleva rd,
For more information on the city of Chaska parks and trails system go online to chaskacommunitycenter. c om / p a rk s / Pa rk s _ a nd _ T r a i l s .php or c a l l t he Chaska Park and Recreation Department at 952-4483176.
Some of the questions asked include: How can parks and trails s er ve a s c om mu n it y gathering places for all ages?
How important is a top notch park and trails system for new families looking for a place to call home? How do major capital projec ts that benef it Chaska residents such a s indoor domes a nd aquatic facilities fit into the picture?
W A NT E D
Eileen Brau
ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ŝŶ DĂLJ Ͳ ŚĂƐŬĂ ŝƐ ĂĐĐĞƉƟŶŐ ŚŽŵĞ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ LJĞĂƌ͛Ɛ ĞǀĞŶƚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ DĂƌĐŚ ϭ͕ ϮϬϭϯ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ ŶĞĞĚ ŚĞůƉ ǁŝƚŚ ŚŽŵĞ ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƉĂŝŶƟŶŐ͕ LJĂƌĚ ĐůĞĂŶͲƵƉ Žƌ ĂĐĐĞƐƐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ͕ ĐĂůů ;ϵϱϮͿ ϯϲϭͲϱϯϱϬ ĨŽƌ ĂŶ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͘ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ŝŶ DĂLJ Ͳ ŚĂƐŬĂ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǁŚŽ ůŝǀĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŚĂƐŬĂ ŝƚLJ ůŝŵŝƚƐ͘
“Everybody is so friendly and nice. It always has a variety of good entertainment.”
,ŽŵĞ ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĚŽŶĞ ďLJ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ŝŶ DĂLJ Ͳ ŚĂƐŬĂ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ŽŶ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJ͕ DĂLJ ϭϭ͕ ϮϬϭϯ͘
FROM YOUR
“The Lodge is a place to come to do things that you would never do alone.”
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The police department is providing an academy to increase partnerships with those in our community and create opportunities to receive feedback from participants to improve our delivery of services. Often there is little opportunity for both citizens and officers to share views and ideas. If you are interested in participating in the academy please contact Officer Janke at 952448-4200 or e-mail her at jjanke@chaskamn.com to have an application sent to you.
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he Cha sk a Pol ic e Department is accepting applications for its Police Explorer Program. The purpose of the explorer post is to provide its members with a basic knowledge of the field of law enforcement and to provide an opportunity for members to participate in community service activities. The explorer post participates in community events such as the July 4th celebration, River City Days and many more. The explorer post is open to youth, both male and female, ages 14-21. Prospective members should have a general interest and a desire to explore the field of law enforcement. We meet at the Chaska Police Department on Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Please contact Officer Janke at 952-448-4200 if you are interested in joining.
o Great place tto visit to meett others and to stay active and healthy.
Day Trips Museum of Broadcasting: Feb. 21
It’s Greek to Me at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church: April 16
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Department Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is looking for more team members in 2013. CERT members have volunteered over 800 service and training hours since the team was created in 2011. If you are interested in being prepared, getting thoroughly trained and standing ready toserve our community, we invite you to join us.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to o 8 p.m.
Celtic Tenors at the Paramount Theater: March 12
Citizen Academy Police accepting CERT seeks returns applications for team members Next session is Feb. 5 Explorers he Cha sk a Pol ic e itizen Academy is a program in which people learn about police work in Chaska by experiencing police work. Lectures and actual hands-on experiences are combined for a unique insight into the police department. The classes are held on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. and are FREE!
THE LODGE
Water Color Club the last Tuesday of eeach month a at 10 a.m.
Health and Wellness Silver Sneakers each Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Coffee Pot iss always on!
Phyllis Robling
POLICE
Area men and women ages 55+ looking to stay active and healthy!
Treasure Island Casino: April 24
Willard Zwart “The Lodge is a beautiful building where everyone can come together.”
Special Events
500: Wednesdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Book discussion the second Friday of each month at 12:15 p.m.
“The Lodge has friendly staff with nice outings and social gathering opportunities.”
The Lodge (952) 448-2023
TOPS club weight loss support on Thursday at 11 a.m.
Bridge: Tuesdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m..
Current Events discussion groups the first and third Thursday at 10 a.m.
Mary Ann Ohnsorg
AOA fitness assessments on Wednesday, April 3 starting at 10 a.m.
Blood Pressure checks on Mondays at 9:30 a.m.
Social
You can also learn more by going to: citizencorps.gov/cert
Fit 50+ workouts. Monday and Wednesdays at 10:45 a.m. starting March 11.
Cards
Cribbage: Thursdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Contact Officer Julie Janke for more information and/ or a n application packet: 952.448.4200, or j janke@ chaskamn.com
Walking Track at the CCC is open seven days a week and free for all to use.
Birthday Party Celebration with cake the second Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Billiards league every Thursday evening from 5 to 8 p.m.
Heart Healthy Oatmeal Bar. Feb. 11 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. St. Patrick’s Day lunch and party 11:30 a.m. on March 14. April Fools Party on April 1 at 9:30 a.m. Brick City Brewers meets once a month with entertainment and games.