Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/11/2016

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and extending from I -35W at the north end of the park to Howard Lake. The area currently appears as a possible greenway corridor on the MNDNR's draft map titled Potential Greenways & Natural Areas for the Metro Region. This would link Rice Creek Chain of Lakes to Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area and Coon Lake Park. ESTIMATED COST OF FULL DEVELOPMENT $4,419,000.00 in 1997 dollars for projects Rot including Chomonix Golf Course -related improvements; $1,521,000.00 for Chamonix Golf Course improvements (refer to Chapter 17 for information on development priorities). 12.3 REGIONAL PARKS A "regional park" is generally 200 to 1,000 acres in size and provides a variety of natural resource-based recreation opportunities but also preserves and protects significant natural areas. There are seven "regional parks" in Anoka County including Bunker Hills, Coon Rapids Dam, Lake George, Martin Island/Linwood Lakes, Riverfront, Rum River Central and Mississippi West Regional Parks. Became. of their size and regional significance, these parks, along with Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve, form the core of the Anoka County Park System. Refer to Chapter 11 - System Standards for more information on the role of regional parks in the Anoka County Park and Recreation System. Size: 218 acres Estimated visitors in 1996: 180,000 OVERVIEW Riverfront Regional Park is considered to be the gateway to the Anoka County Park System at the south end of the county. The park is in a densely populated area within the current MUSA boundary and is surrounded by industrial uses. It is located on the bank of the Mississippi River and adjacent to major vehicular and bike routes. Because the park is highly visible, it makes a bold statement that reflects on the image of the park system as whole. Future development and redevelopment in the park will focus on enhancing its esthetic character to project a strong and positive image. Designs will emphasize the river setting and the historic character established by the Riedel Farm Estate and the Banfill House in nearby Manomin Park. There will be continuity in the design of site elements such as lighting signage and landscaping in Riverfront/Islands of Peace and Manomin Parks to help clarify that they are both part of the county parks system. Recreation facilities at Riverfront Park will continue to be passive or unstructured in nature with an emphasis on providing for social gatherings, picnicking and hiking. In addition to these activities, regional trail use at Riverfront is a focus as a result of the park's relationship to the Mississippi River Regional Trail that follows East River Road adjacent to the site. The historic Riedel Farm Estate is classified as one of the park system's "special features" (see Chapter 11) and offers unique opportunities for special programming. The farmstead was built in the 1880's by Albin Riedel and was purchased from F.M.C. by the Parks and Recreation Department in the 1980's. The house is currently available to the community for special events and is commonly used for groom's dinners, wedding receptions, business meetings and corporate retreats. Some additional programs to be considered in the future include use of the house as an extension of the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts and use as a day conference center. A renovation plan has been completed recently to guide future improvements to the house and site. The Islands of Peace building facility will continue to accommodate social activities of the surrounding neighborhoods by serving as a meeting and gathering place. This area of the park is also a possible mooring place for boaters enjoying upper reaches of the Mississippi River south of the Coon Rapids Dam. In addition, Islands of Peace is an important node along the Mississippi River Regional Trail serving as a trail head and rest stop. Riverfront/lslands of Peace is about one mile from the Minneapolis City limits and is closer to the core of the current Metropolitan Urban Service Area than any other regional park in Anoka County. This urban context creates high demand for the recreation opportunities that the park has to offer. For this reason, park development and redevelopment projects will be scheduled at a somewhat faster rate than parks in rural areas. Page 12-4