Agenda - Council - 03/27/2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Volunteer contributions resulted in several landscape improvements. The benefit of these volunteer contributions were extended to the construction of Central Park's new play equipment. This play equipment is the largest that exists in the City and the project was valued at $54,000. This figure does not include the volunteer labor that was utilized in assembling and installing the equipment. Football goal posts were also installed in the park in 2000. Central Park was not the only one of the City's parks that received some updating or improvements. Emerald Pond Park also had 98 shrubs and 59 trees planted there in May. Trees were also planted at Bear and River's Bend parks. Solstice Park received turf improvements as well as water service for future irrigation. The Public Works Staff hauled over 300 cubic yards of topsoil onto the ballfield at Rabbit Park and new play equipment made of recycled materials was purchased for spring installation. Cormexus and City Staff worked together at Cottonwood Park to construct a 90-foot long arched bridge over the wetland north of the new water tower. Perhaps the most significant park-related project in 2000 was the developing a park plan for the newly acquired Ehncrest Park. The City of Ramsey was awarded a grant of $100,000 from the State of Minnesota to compliment the Park Dedication funds earmarked for Phase I of the park plan. The first is committing adequate maintenance hours to the existing system. Most of these new hours are provided by high school and college students during the summer, along with volunteers provide important contributions year-round. The second is to meet service expectations to improve existing park..In 1998, most of Ramsey's 19 actively used parks benefited from development this year ranging from simple landscaping to the renovation of the 25 year old Peltzer Park. After a survey of the large neighborhood around Peltzer Park, a park plan was implemented resulting in a $26,000 play structure, both a woodchip and blacktop path and complementing landscaping. The third and most prominent park activity in 1998 was the new addition to the park and trail system. Alpine Parks irrigated baseball and soccer/football fields were finished early in the year. A shelter paved trail connections and tree planting in 1999 will complete this first phase. Trail construction in 1998 consisted of one mile of trail from county road 83 to county road 56 along county road 116 and completion of another half-mile segment further east on 116. In addition, a trail from 149th avenue was built down to 116 adjacent to county road 56. Another north/south segment east of the Regency Ponds subdivision was finished at this same time. Each year the City dedicates some of the interest earnings from the Landfill Trust Fund (LTF) for park improvements.