Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 08/08/1996

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Summary Report ~ Mississippi West Re~onal Park_ The proposed Mississippi West Regional Park offers public park users a diversity of natural resource experiences associated with the prairie / oak savanna environment and offers a wide range of natural resource base~ recreational opportunities including small and large group picnicking, camping, nature interpretation, t~shing, small boat access, and multi-use trails. The service area lacks adequate swimming facilities anO Mississippi West Regional Park would benefit fi.om the development of a swimming recreation a~ea on the bluffs overlooking the river. A swimming recreation area would also provide a source of reVenue for the park to operate and maintain itself. One of the criteria of qualification as a regional park is to be large enough to accommodate a variety of activities; pr, serve a pleasant, natural aspect; and buffer activities areas from each other and fi-om the surrounding yeas. 1 The proposed Mississippi West Regional Park is on the lower end of recommended 200 to 5.00 acres size. However, according to the Recreational Open Space Development Guide/Policy Plan of 1~91, "Occasionally, because of the quality of the resource, an exception may be made and a regional pa~k may be as small as 100 acies.''2 It is the belief of the Anoka County Park and Recreation Departmen~ that the proposed Mississippi West Regional Park does in fact offer such a quality resource - park land ale~ng the Mississippi River. The proposed Mi, ssissippi West Regional Park offers the regional park system two unique assets - Cloquet and Foster isl~ds. One may discount their importance due to their being within the ten year flood zone. However, their r(a. tural resource, wildlife, fisheries, and recreational importance is increasing as the water quality of the Mi4sissippi River continues to improve. Cloquet Island is suitable for river users to use as a shore lunch sto~. Foster Island lends itself as a preserve with limited or no public use. The population Study in this report on page 17 shows the growing population within the service area of the proposed Mlssissippi West Regional Park. The area is experiencing double digit population growth. The implementa~on potential for Mississippi West Regional Park is high. Anoka County already control all of the park sille. Only seven and one-half acres of the property is currently restricted fi.om use by a life long estate grafit,.,, ed to the Husby's as a part of their gifting 133 acres to Anoka County. The Anoka County Park andiRecreation Department and the Anoka County Board of Commissioners are in support of inclusion of ,l~/fississippi West as a part of the regional park system. They also have shown their commitment to and und{rstanding of regional parks by their on-going development, programming, and maintenance of Lake C~orge, Riverfront, Rice Creek-Chain of Lakes, Bunker Hills, and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Parks, 7