HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 08-10 Battle Creek may be largest regional park DISPATCH Battle Creek
may bbe largest
regional p
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By Don Ahern
Staff Writer Your city
St Paul and e Creek
Park.
straddlid, will ng
development will include a pic-
come the largest regional park ton area northeast of Upper Af
in Ramsey County under a joint ton Road and McKnight Road, a
connection to the ski hills, about
proposal by the county and city
parks departments. five miles of asphalt bicycle
path and about eight miles of
Development of a 2,207-acre hiking and skiing trails. The
Battle Creek Regional Park will work is to be done with $1
begin next year if the Metropoli- milllion the Metropolitan Com-
tan Council approves the plan cil has allocated for the regional
this fall and provides funds. park. Total cost of the develop-
Included in the sprawling rec- went is estimated at$6,271,000.
reational area are the current Also in 1982, the St. Paul
Battle Creek Park, Indian Parks Department plans im-
Mounds Park, Fish Hatchery provements to Indian Mounds
Lake and Pigs Eye Lake. Park, using federal Great River
The plan is a detailed and ex- Road funds.
panded version of one tentative- A $6 million flood control
ly rejected by the Metropolitan project will accompany park de-
Council in 1979. The earlier plan velopment. But it is a separate
did not include Pigs Eye Lake or project, directed by the Ramsey
a swimming facility. Washington Metro Watershed
The proposed development in- District.
eludes restoration and improve- The joint master plan will be
ments at Indian Mounds Park, discussed at a public informa-
new picnic facilities at several tional meeting next Monday at 7
locations, a group picnic area p.m. in St Pascal's School, White
with a pavilion, a swimming pool Bear Avenue and Conway Street.
or man-made pond, improve- The public may review the
ments to the downhill ski area, master plan through Sept. 30 at
restoration of the picnic area at
the lower end of the creek, 11 the Sun Ray Branch Library.
miles of bike paths and 24 miles The master plan will then be
of hiking and cross-country ski presented for approval to the
trails. Ramsey County Board, the St.
Paul City Council and the Metro-
Long range plans include tying
together the various areas with politan Council.
pedestrian bridges over heavily
traveled roads.
But bridges and development
of nature trails in the Pigs Eye
Lake area may be 10 or 20 years
off, said Ramsey County land-
scape architect Larry Holmberg.
Development will begin in the
Maplewood section of the park,
Holmberg said. The first year's