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

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A planning proposal for: Mississippi West Regional Park Anoka County Department of Parks and Recreation Concept Plan The concept plan illustrates the general way in which a park is organized and developed. For example, the concept plan may locate a group picnic area but will not determine the exact number of picnic tables or parking spaces. The concept plan is a guide for more detail planning in the future. The proposed Mississippi West Regional Park offer the metropolitan area a recreational resource in the setting of the Miss!ssippi River. The park must both serve recreational needs and in doing so, protect and nourish its natural:resources. A regional park and trail is designed, constructed, and administered in such a way as to give users a quality park and trail e[perience. The park and trail experience needs to be such that they will desire to come to the park and t[ail again and again. In business terms, a park needs repeat customers. People only come back if their experience is positive and meets their needs. The concept plan for Mississippi West Regional Park proposes a number of recreational use areas that will "draw" peopl4. We may even call them "recreation enterprise zones." The swimming recreation area, small boat access~ fishing access, trail head, group picnic, retreat center, mountain bikes, and archery use areas all "draw" ceitain groups of park users. The question in the park planning process is, "Are we proposing park uses thgt will entice people to get.~nto their car or on their bike and travel to our park?" In the case of Mississippi ,West, the answer is, "Yes! The first phase park road allows access to all of the park use areas without intruding upon the two families living within th~ park. Second phase park roads are only developed as families living within the park leave. The park r~ads stay back from the river front to allow maximum park use along the river. The archery and mountain b~ke use areas are near the proposed bridge crossing and commercial development area. All park users enllenng by car pass the visitor contact station. The major trail passes through the park with a trail head facility located mid-park overlooking the Mississippi River. The park affordS, opportunities to both view and use the Mississippi River. All of the major park use areas except the sw~nming recreation area overlook the MississipPi River. People may use the Mississippi River either bY fishing andJor small craft boating. Cloquet Island is a river stop for people using the park and others traveling the Mississippi River. Foster Island is a preserve with no recreational usage. The Mississippi West Park is a prime candidate for the re-establishment of the native oak-savanna landscape. Efforts need ito start now. By starting now, park users in the future will sit in the shade of oak trees while looking out t!pon fields of waving prairie grasses. 11