Information Items

The following are information items to be shared by staff. 

Lone Lake Park Mountain Bike Trail Annual Update

The Lone Lake Park Multi-Use Mountain Bike Trail annual update is attached.

Habitat Restoration Grants

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently distributed a request for proposals for the Conservation Partners Legacy grant program focused entirely on habitat restoration and invasive species removal on public lands. The MN DNR has roughly $11 million dollars to distribute within the seven county metro area, Rochester, and Duluth. 

City natural resources staff submitted multiple applications for approximately $1.2 million for over 100 acres of large scale restoration in Minnetonka community parks: Cullen Nature Preserve, Big Willow Park, Civic Center Park, and  Purgatory Park. City staff also partnered with Hennepin County and the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District on two of the grants, along with the Friends of the Cullen Nature Preserve. 

Youth Sports Activity Grants

Staff completed applications for two grants with the Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant program. Working with the Big Willow Baseball Association, staff applied for $75,000 in funding to install ballfield lighting on the southeast field at Big Willow Park. This field is currently the only field without lighting. Adding the lighting would allow for more games during the spring and fall seasons at this highly utilized field complex. The baseball association would provide the additional funding needed for installation and there would be no funding needed from the city.

Staff also applied for $300,000 in funding for the Glen Lake Skatepark. If successful, the grant funding would be applied directly to the construction of the skatepark and its associated elements while existing $1,350,000 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funding would be used for surrounding Glen Lake Park amenities and accessibility improvements. This recent grant funding would support the previously successful $400,000 grant with the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for skate park improvements.

Park Board Ordinance Update

The City Council recently adopted an updated Park Board ordinance describing the nature and make up of the Park Board commission. The revised ordinance is attached.

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