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Vision of parks plan looks far ahead

Our system of 46 regional parks, 22 regional trails and six special recreation features is one of the jewels of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

This 52,000-acre system not only provides spaces for walking and biking, swimming and boating. It also protects and preserves irreplaceable natural features such as lakes and wetlands, hardwood forests and native prairies.
Since its creation, the number of annual visits to our regional park system has grown from 5 million in 1975 to more than 30 million this year.

In our 2030 Regional Parks Policy Plan, approved by the Metropolitan Council in June, we offer our vision for how to expand and improve the system — to identify and preserve our region’s last, best natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations.

Our plan includes:

• Incorporating two existing county parks and three trails into our “regional” system, making them eligible for state and regional resources.
• Acquiring additional land within the boundaries of 30 existing parks and four trails.
• Acquiring and developing three new regional parks — in northwestern Anoka County, Empire Township in Dakota County and Blakeley Township in Scott County.
• Acquiring and developing seven new regional trails.

But our Council recognizes the need to look beyond our region’s immediate needs. In our plan, we propose to acquire land for four regional parks and three trails that would not be developed until after 2030.

These lands are located largely on the outer edges of the metro area in Anoka, Carver, Dakota and Scott Counties. It is likely that these assets will be lost to development if they are not identified and acquired before 2030.

“

The 2030 Regional Parks Policy Plan... is our vision for how to expand and improve the system — to identify and preserve our region’s last, best natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations. ”

- Peter Bell

All told, our plan would expand our existing system from 52,000 acres to nearly 70,000 acres, or 35 percent.

Over the last four decades, the Met Council — in partnership with the state and 10 local park agencies — has invested $367 million to help acquire and develop the regional system we have today.

Over the next 25 years, we project that existing state and regional funding sources will enable us to invest nearly $200 million in land acquisition, and another $240 million in park development and rehabilitation. This funding is adequate to begin implementing our plan. There’s little question, however, that additional resources from a combination of public and private sources would help accelerate the process.

In the coming years, we will work with the Legislature, local governments and other regional partners to meet the needs of future generations.

Peter Bell

June 2005