Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/08/2007

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Purpose This trail, when completed will be valued to a diverse group. of users.. Nature lovers may walk or pedal the route, appreciating the wetland and forest-edge. species. Neighbors along the corridor are certain to add the trail to their fitness regime, and no doubt the anchoring parks of Central and Elmcrest will be used as trailheads-for the same purpose. Conversely, the trail for some will not be the .destination, but the route to the parks themselves. Trail characteristics -terminus to terminus The popular forty-five acre Central Park is at the west end of this trail. It is mostly developed and actively managed and therefore relatively devoid of natural resources, its primary purpose being athletic fields and .community recreational space. Moving east of Variolite Street and the Sweetbay Ridge .subdivision however, one is greeted by vistas of Type 3 wetlands. of primarily Reed Canary grass, with cattails in lower elevations with shrubs slightly higher in the mucky soil. At the margins are forested areas of oaks and aspen in the tension zone between saturated soil and upland edges. Trails in this area will be boardwalks in between `island hopping' -with 10' foot bituminous in zones where paving equipment can access. To the east of Ramsey Boulevard the land cover remains similar, with homes in closer proximity to the future trail. It is in this area where the re- subdivision of lots may ultimately occur, providing the City with trail easements or park land to connect to the city owned corridor further to the east and within the Nature View development.. The east border of this latter: subdivision is Nowthen Boulevard. At this location the grade is suitable for pedestrian underpass similar to that at Elmcrest Park under T.H. #47. Plans discussing trunk sewermain or water lines proposed to cross Nowthen Boulevard in this vicinity should reference the potential for a tunnel as any road closure would be the logical timing and earth moving opportunity for - this important improvement. Between Nowthen Boulevard and Elmcrest Park the prominence of homes diminish nearer the park due to larger lots and nearness of the oak and aspen trees to the stream and trail corridor. The ditch flows easterly from near the western limits of this trail (northeast of Central Park), and is noticeably larger as it makes its way to the Rum River. The Ditch 66 subwatershed is 2,929 acres, although due to the low, flat terrain of the wetlands along much of the route, runoff is slowed and seldom does the 41